Chapter 269: Eight Thousand Years

Vast and boundless Void Sea, deep within an archipelago hidden among countless whirlpools and dark currents.

"Hah! This time it's a real windfall!"

Amid laughter rising from the deck, a massive black Void vessel skillfully weaved through the whirlpools, heading toward an island.

The crimson skull emblem burning across its hull was enough to make every nearby raiding crew turn pale at the sight.

This was unmistakably the mark of one of the Seven Pirate Marshals—"Crimson Sea Marshal"!

As the leader of the strongest pirate force in the Eastern Pole Sea, this vast power capable of clashing with major civilizations naturally had numerous branches and powerful figures scattered throughout the Eastern Pole Sea.

Hidden within this treacherous whirlpool strait was one such branch of the Crimson Sea Marshal's forces.

The environment of this whirlpool strait was already peculiar—a natural fortress—and after artificial modification, the swirling currents had completely warped space, turning this sea into a labyrinth of chaotic passages.

Even a Void Sovereign, without internal guidance, could not force entry into this whirlpool strait.

This Crimson Pirate Void vessel could navigate it so smoothly only because it had guidance.

Yet behind this Void vessel, at the deepest layer of the spatial rift, lurked a miniature palace shrunk to the size of a palm, secretly trailing the vessel as it darted through the disordered spatial whirlpools.

Inside the palace.

Twelve figures gathered here, each wearing the Orderkeeper badge of the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance—every one at least a Six-Star Orderkeeper, all unmistakably Void Sovereigns.

And among them, the white-robed man at the front bore a Seven-Star Orderkeeper badge!

Without a precious Seven-Colored Divine Artifact, without several powerful secret arts, even a Void Sovereign would find it nearly impossible to become a Seven-Star Orderkeeper.

"Gentlemen."

The white-robed man spoke in a low tone: "This operation has succeeded—we've infiltrated the whirlpool strait. We'll likely reach the Crimson Pirates' branch stronghold soon."

Each Void Sovereign exhaled in relief upon hearing this.

"Fortunately, we had Elder Qi's aid—otherwise, we'd never have managed to sneak in."

"Elder Qi's Divine Artifact Palace is truly extraordinary—naturally adept at concealment and stealth, and with Elder Qi's masking art, even the whirlpool strait can be infiltrated."

"As long as we succeed in sneaking in, this bait wasn't wasted."

"But I heard the leader of this Crimson Pirates branch, Moro, possesses a unique Seven-Colored Divine Artifact—bestowed personally by the Crimson Sea Marshal—that excels at detection. I wonder if we can still avoid it?"

"If we can't avoid it, so be it—just getting in is enough."

The Void Sovereigns spoke one after another.

The white-robed man, "Elder Qi," spoke lowly: "Let me remind you all once more—our mission is solely to rescue someone. Do not engage in battle. The leader, 'General Cang,' possesses multiple Seven-Colored Divine Artifacts and has trained in a Sovereign-level secret art granted by the Crimson Sea Marshal. Even with this Divine Artifact Palace, I can only protect myself. When the time comes, rescue the target and leave immediately."

The Void Sovereigns all nodded, understanding Elder Qi's meaning.

Though Elder Qi was powerful, he possessed only two Six-Colored Divine Artifacts and this Seven-Colored Divine Artifact Palace for survival—he could not stand against Moro in direct combat.

Moreover, General Cang had trained in a Sovereign-level secret art!

Secret arts typically rely on external resources, their power fixed; though they cannot make one a peak powerhouse, the weaker the user, the greater the utility of the secret art.

Void-level secret arts are useful to Void beings, created by Void Sovereigns.

Sovereign-level secret arts are useful even to Void Sovereigns, created by transcendent beings like the Three Ancestors.

It is said that Level-Three civilizations possess even stronger secret arts, but the details remain unknown.

For many Void Sovereigns, if they could learn a Sovereign-level secret art and accumulate sufficient resources to cultivate it to its limit, the secret art would surpass even a Seven-Colored Divine Artifact!

Unfortunately, everything comes at a cost.

The inheritance of Sovereign-level secret arts is exceedingly rare, and the treasures and resources required for cultivation demand an enormous price—possibly higher than several Seven-Colored Divine Artifacts.

Only a pirate like General Cang, who once followed the Crimson Sea Marshal and plundered extensively, could afford the cost of cultivating a Sovereign-level secret art.

Even if not cultivated to its limit, it is still terrifyingly powerful.

Without Elder Qi's Divine Artifact Palace, these ordinary Void Sovereigns would never dare infiltrate the whirlpool strait.

"We're here!"

Soon, Elder Qi suddenly spoke: "We've passed through the whirlpool space and entered General Cang's stronghold. I'll act on opportunity—once I spot the young master of the True Source Group, I'll move."

The Void Sovereigns all nodded.

Their mission wasn't merely to fulfill the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance's assignment—key was the bounty issued by the True Source Group, an immensely wealthy power.

—The True Source Group's prodigy young master had been captured by the Crimson Pirates; rescuing him would earn a high-grade Divine Artifact as reward.

Though none of them understood why the True Source Group valued a mere Stellar-level prodigy so highly, the lure of a high-grade Divine Artifact was enough to make many risk their lives.

Like… Elder Qi.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Elder Qi, whose expression had been solemn, suddenly froze—as if witnessing something unimaginable, his face slackened in stunned disbelief.

The Void Sovereigns inside the palace also froze.

"Elder Qi, what's wrong?"

"Has General Cang discovered us?"

"This… what exactly…?"

Each Void Sovereign couldn't help but ask.

Elder Qi, face filled with disbelief, murmured: "How is this possible? A Void being? Could it be…?"

He suddenly snapped back to awareness, drew a deep breath, and looked at each Void Sovereign before him: "Gentlemen, there's no need to worry about General Cang anymore."

"No need to worry?"

Each Void Sovereign was confused by his words.

Elder Qi shook his head helplessly: "Go out and see for yourselves."

As he spoke, he activated his will, dismissing the Divine Artifact Palace, and brought them all outside.

It was an island spanning tens of thousands of li, resting calmly at the center of chaotic Void space.

The island's surface was composed of a special substance impervious even to primordial energy seawater and Void tremors, stabilizing space itself.

The many Void Lords had long seen reports of General Cang's main base in the intelligence; now, glancing around, they naturally confirmed it at a single glance.

But...

At this look, everyone was stunned.

For the sky above this island was empty, with almost no life force detectable; the island's ground even held a massive hemispherical crater, as if a great sun had fallen and exploded into such a terrifying giant pit on the surface.

And in the half-air, countless divine artifacts without owners floated everywhere.

Most terrifyingly, in the half-air at the center of the giant pit, two divine artifacts radiating a terrifying aura hovered; judging by that dreadful fluctuation of cosmic origin, they were clearly Seven-Color Divine Artifacts!

Moreover, judging by the style of the divine artifacts, they were actually General Cang's most famous divine artifacts!

Everywhere floated ownerless divine artifacts, and many were high-grade divine artifacts.

This scene instantly made the eyes of the many Void Lords turn red.

And most bizarrely, near those two Seven-Color Divine Artifacts belonging to General Cang, there now floated a young man clad in black battle armor, who was merely a Void Being.

At this moment, that young man held a cluster of illusory soul in one hand, while his other hand was shrouded in a darkness like utter extinction, with terrifying power constantly erupting, seemingly attempting to annihilate that soul cluster.

Yet, that soul cluster was protected by threads of ghostly light, barely surviving on its own; and every impact of that dark extinction made that soul even more illusory.

One by one, the Void Lords were momentarily bewildered.

Could this terrifying scene before their eyes have been done by this Void Being?

But feeling that terrifying power of dark extinction in the hands of that Void Being, no one dared to doubt anymore.

That was terrifying power capable of annihilating them in an instant!

"It is General Cang's soul!"

"General Cang, and the forces of this Crimson Sea branch, were wiped out by this single Void Being?"

"I heard General Cang cultivated a Lord-level secret technique for protecting souls; it seems he cultivated it to perfection, yet he still couldn't block it?"

"A Void Being is actually this strong? Could it be the Star God from eight thousand years ago?"

"Except for him, there is no one else, right..."

At this moment, one by one, the Void Lords formed guesses, and instantly no one dared to covet those ownerless divine artifacts again.

You might have the life to take them, but not the life to use them.

Eight thousand years ago, a native divine artifact emerged on the main star of the Strange Mist Sea, and it was taken away by a Void Being; such an earth-shattering matter naturally spread throughout the entire Void Sea.

Moreover, at that time, several powerful figures among the Void Lords were easily slain by him, which further made his fame spread far and wide!

Even though that was on the main star, where the Void Being could unleash his full strength while other Void Lords could only unleash one-tenth, it was enough to prove his strength.

Probably...

Looking across the entire Void Sea, it would be hard to find another Void Being of such terror.

Even if such figures appeared in history, these peerless geniuses would quickly become Void Lords, never staying in the Void Being stage for long.

And now, another such terrifying Void Being has appeared; without even thinking, they could guess it must be the same person.

Over these eight thousand years, a rumor has circulated in the Void Sea—

This Void Being is none other than Lin Qing, the Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm, who was favored by the Ancestor of the Tian Yuan Seat.

It is said that this conclusion was reached after a high-ranking Void Divine Official, skilled in investigation and tracking from one of the several Level 2.8 civilizations, personally investigated.

Back and forth, the rumor that the Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm possesses a native divine artifact spread among all factions.

Although uncertain whether it was true, with everyone spreading it like this, most people naturally came to believe it.

"I am Qi Yin of the Winter Moon Civilization."

Hall Master Qi could not help but speak: "I too have accepted a mission from the Star Patrol Alliance; may I ask, Mr., are you the Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm?"

"Oh?" Lin Qing glanced at him and said in a calm voice: "Then you may leave; General Cang is about to die."

As he spoke, he continued to constantly unleash the Primordial Annihilation in his hand, causing that darkness which extinguishes all things to constantly crash against and swallow the layer of secret technique ghostly light on the surface of General Cang's soul.

Hall Master Qi found that the other party neither denied nor admitted it, so he took it as an admission and asked cautiously: "May I ask if Mr. Lin has seen the young master of the True Source Group?"

"I have put him away," Lin Qing said casually. "You may leave."

Hearing this, Hall Master Qi and the other Void Lords, though somewhat unwilling, dared not say much, since this person had even slain a powerhouse like General Cang.

Immediately, Hall Master Qi said no more, glanced once more at General Cang's soul being swallowed by darkness, then released his Divine Palace again, packed the crowd of Void Lords inside, and left this island.

As for those divine artifacts floating and scattered around?

No one dared to look even a fraction more.

The most important Seven-Color Divine Artifacts were right beside him; the other divine artifacts were not that important to the Void Lords, so naturally no one would go mad and try to snatch food from the tiger's mouth against such a perverted powerhouse.

"Quite sensible... saves some effort..."

Lin Qing watched that Divine Artifact Palace depart, glanced once, then withdrew his gaze, continuing to wear down General Cang's soul with the Primordial Annihilation.

"Damn it! Let me go, spare me! Otherwise Marshal will not forgive you!"

General Cang's soul continued to scream incessantly, and the layer of secret technique ghostly light on the surface of his soul still stubbornly resisted Lin Qing's power.

Lin Qing sneered and said: "It seems being a pirate really is profitable; you, who haven't even created a spatial rule divine technique, actually managed to cultivate a Lord-level secret technique to the extreme?"

He had also cultivated the secret techniques of the Sky Islands, but those secret techniques were special ones that didn't require much external resources, used to cultivate weak geniuses.

However, he had also heard of Lord-level secret techniques, whose consumption of resources and treasures was absurdly huge.

The stronger the Lord-level secret technique, the more exaggerated the consumption.

Some secret techniques even required treasures more precious than several Seven-Color Divine Artifacts to cultivate to perfection.

Only super-powerful figures among the Void Lords could afford to cultivate them.

However, for pirate factions that rely on plunder, being able to pay such a price is understandable.

You must know, the vast majority of pirates are merely Void Beings; and powerful figures at the Void Lord level, regardless of faction, are considered an important class of great weight, so naturally very few are willing to be pirates.

Even though pirates easily earn money through plunder, figures at the Void Lord level long ago stopped caring much about Void Coins.

Such high-level pirate captains often pursue vast quantities of wealth, supported by a huge pirate faction, making up for quality with quantity.

Even if Void Coins cannot buy a Five-Color Divine Artifact, with enough Void Coins, one can purchase a Four-Color Divine Artifact or treasures of the same tier; then, using a sufficient quantity of such-tier treasures, one can exchange them for a Five-Color Divine Artifact.

This process will certainly waste an incalculable amount of wealth, but for pirates, all wealth is plundered, so naturally, they feel no pain in spending it.

Just like General Cang, for instance.

The hundreds of thousands of pirates under his command plunder everywhere to amass wealth, with the majority of that wealth used to support General Cang, their leader.

This Sovereign-level secret art that guards the soul is indeed formidable.

Lin Qing's current strength, even after deploying the set of Divine Artifacts, has only just barely crossed into the Eighteenth Layer of the Star Abyss, yet he still cannot instantly annihilate its soul, managing only to grind it down slowly.

"However..." Lin Qing revealed a faint smile, "this time the harvest is not small..."

(End of this chapter)