Chapter 1408: It seems like an acquaintance had arrived

An airs.h.i.+p soared through the clouds, currently heading Northward.

In the cabin of the airs.h.i.+p, Xue Nu and Gu Qing Shan were sitting across from one another, several beautifully plated dishes of food were prepared on the table, and Xue Nu was even personally pouring a cup of wine for Gu Qing Shan.

Xue Nu smiled brightly: “Chen Fifth, your mining ability is extremely impressive. Once we return to the estate, the first thing we’ll do is to remove your ‘Fifth’ name, you shall be treated the same as I, granted the ‘Nu’ eponym by the estate’s quartermaster, becoming peers of the same generation”

Gu Qing Shan asked: “It was only an ability for the laborious mining job, do I truly have the qualifications to obtain the ‘Nu’ eponym?”

Xue Nu pointed at him and smiled: “You definitely would be able to!”

“But why?”

“I won’t lie to you, the outside situation has basically stabilized, and the Eternal Abyss—-”

Right at this point, Xue Nu instinctively paused, then corrected himself:

“Let’s just say that everything is going well, and the estate requires newcomers like yourself. Your days of enjoyment have finally arrived” he said.

Gu Qing Shan became focused.

It took so much effort to finally hear something of decent importance, how can I let that go?

“Big brother Xue, what did you say was going on with the Eternal Abyss?” Gu Qing Shan asked with interest.

“That’s the war matter, you don’t need to care” Xue Nu replied.

“I see”

Gu Qing Shan nodded, but he quickly churned his thoughts.

He sent his voice: “Zhao Xiao Seng”

“I’m here” Zhao Xiao Seng replied.

“Can you return Xue Nu and me to before our conversation?”

“I can’t, without a large-scale supportive formation, I can only reverse time flow for a single individual”

“Then, please return Xue Nu to the state of a few breaths’ worth of time earlier” Gu Qing Shan said.

Zhao Xiao Seng explained: “With my current abilities, I could reverse him back three breaths’ worth of time, and after doing so, I can’t use this temporal ability again for a day. So you need to grasp your chance”

“Got it, go ahead” Gu Qing Shan replied.

“Sure’

A second later.

Xue Nu began to do everything in reverse, returning to three breaths earlier.

——-it was like watching a tape reversing itself.

Xue Nu acted exactly the same as before, smiling at Gu Qing Shan and once again told him: “Chen Fifth, your mining ability is extremely impressive. Once we return to the estate, the first thing we’ll do is to remove your ‘Fifth’ name, you shall be treated the same as I, granted the ‘Nu’ eponym by the estate’s quartermaster, becoming peers of the same generation”

Gu Qing Shan picked up the bottle, poured Xue Nu a gla.s.s full of alcohol, then sincerely said: “Without big brother Xue, this Chen would have nothing. This Chen will definitely never forget big brother Xue’s guidance”

Seeing him expressing such clear att.i.tude, Xue Nu felt pleased and laughed: “Come, let us brothers cheer for this occasion”

The two of them raised their cups and finished them both in one gulp.

Gu Qing Shan once again poured him a full cup and raised his own: “Big brother Xue, I won’t lie to you. Mining cultivators like us don’t know many things, we stay for our entire lives in the mine, so we’re completely clueless about the outside world. I hope that big brother Xue would be able to educate me better, this Chen Fifth would be truly grateful”

“Here! Let me take the first shot!”

Gu Qing Shan took the initiative to drink first.

Xue Nu laughed delightfully, then also finished his cup.

Gu Qing Shan poured him another cup.

“Big brother Xue, if there’s anything you need in the future, if this Chen even hesitates a little bit to help, I wouldn’t be a man anymore”

——these three statements had displayed his att.i.tude very clearly to Xue Nu, delighting him to no end.

Xue Nu raised his cup on his own accord towards Gu Qing Shan for a toast.

Gu Qing Shan also finished his cup in one gulp.

Shannu silently reminded Gu Qing Shan from inside his Thought Sea: “Gongzi, this alcohol is too strong, please don’t drink too much”

“It’s ok” Gu Qing Shan replied.

Luo Bing Li sighed and muttered: “Who would have thought that a sword cultivator like Gu Qing Shan would one day sit to drink and make merry with a servant like this”

“Gongzi is only doing this for more information” Shannu replied.

Luo Bing Li smiled: “I didn’t say that what your gongzi is doing was wrong, I’m just saying that it’s so tough for someone as straightforward as him to do such a thing”

Gu Qing Shan suddenly cut in: “There are many other bitter and sour things in this world that cannot be resolved even if I wanted to, there’s nothing tough about doing something of this level—– take care and pay attention to your surroundings, I’m feeling a bit uneasy”

Hearing him say that, his four swords instantly became cautious.

Gu Qing Shan placed the cup down, then said to Xue Nu: “Let us drink”

Seeing how open he was when drinking, Xue Nu nodded: “Very well, brother Chen, I will definitely take good care of you from now on, don’t worry”

Gu Qing Shan appeared hesitant to speak, then asked: “Big brother Chen, but all I have was only an ability for a laborious job like mining, do I truly have the qualifications to obtain the ‘Nu’ eponym?”

Xue Nu pointed at him and smiled: “You definitely would be able to!”

“But why?”

“I won’t lie to you, the outside situation has basically stabilized, even the Eternal Abyss——– never mind. Just know that we’re already close to victory”

At this point, Xue Nu instinctively changed the subject and continued: “Chen Fifth, it was your greatest fortune for you to be taken into the estate by me, you should know, I am a direct servant of the Wraith Lord”

Gu Qing Shan smiled a bit, asking: “Big brother Xue, what did you say the Eternal Abyss was earlier?”

Just as Xue Nu was about to shake his head, Gu Qing Shan continued: “Big brother Xue, if you know something, please don’t hide it from this little brother. This little brother will have to follow your steps from now on, if I didn’t know anything I would be a country b.u.mpkin by the time we arrive at the estate, wouldn’t that only harm your reputation?”

In the heat of the moment earlier, Xue Nu had grandly declared that he would take good care of him, so he couldn’t really just gloss this over right away.

Not to mention, he can be considered one of my people from now on anyways.

“Alright, I’ll tell you about it, but don’t go around spouting it everywhere” Xue Nu told him with a firm expression.

“Don’t worry, big brother, I know no one else but you, so I won’t arbitrarily tell other people” Gu Qing Shan replied.

Xue Nu then explained: “The enemy of our world, the Eternal Abyss, is about to be done for”

“What exactly is the Eternal Abyss?”

“A very powerful monster——- before it was destroyed, the three rulers of our world would naturally work together as one, but now that the defeat of the Eternal Abyss’ is imminent, the three rulers would begin to compete for the status of the Wraith realm’s Warlord[1]”

Gu Qing Shan asked: “Is this status exclusive?”

Xue Nu replied: “Indeed, we are servants of the Wraith Lord Fate Obstruction——- every servant in the estate is encouraged to compete for as much of an advantage as possible for the Wraith Lord. Once the Wraith Lord becomes the one and only true ruler of the Wraith realm, our positions would also ascend by proxy”

Gu Qing Shan now understood.

——–I came to the right place this time.

To be able to directly enter Wraith Lord Fate Obstruction’s estate, I would immediately stand on a very high platform from the very beginning. Regardless of whether I want to climb higher, obtain more information, or even come into contact with Fei Yue’s entourage, I would have plenty of opportunities.

Even Zhao Xiao Seng excitedly sent his voice: “Amitabha, this is a great thing, we’ve managed to directly infiltrate a Wraith Lord’s estate!”

———-one could not overstate just how difficult of a thing this was!

Life Talisman expertise, the [Jade Cultivation] mask, [Mystery of All Beings Equal], the Fate ability [Longing], the ghostly being’s teleportation, the mine’s riot, it was all of these factors that finally made this infiltration possible.

Gu Qing Shan maintained his calm and asked: “Big brother Xue, why would this little brother be granted the ‘Nu’ eponym right as I enter the estate?”

Xue Nu laughed and pointed at Gu Qing Shan: “Weapons, treasure tools, talismans, Hex Guises, all of them require precious minerals and materials, don’t they? Your arrival would greatly improve the estate’s mineral collection efficiency; while this can’t be said to be pivotal in the overall bigger picture, it is still extremely important”

Gu Qing Shan nodded: “This little brother understands”

He poured Xue Nu another full cup, preparing to ask something else.

Suddenly, a subordinate entered the s.h.i.+p’s cabin and reported: “Lord Xue, the mine’s new manager had been a.s.signed to his post, he wishes to meet you”

“I’m currently drinking with my little brother Chen; I don’t have time to see him” Xue Nu impatiently replied.

The subordinate said: “Do you have any other orders sir? This one will relay it”

Xue Nu replied: “Tell him that there was still one squad captain left that I didn’t have time to kill, it’s his job to kill them now”

“Understood”

“And also, kill all the mining cultivators who were wounded to threaten them, I’d like to see if they try another riot after this”

“Yes sir”

The subordinate accepted his orders and left.

Xue Nu turned back and smiled to Gu Qing Shan: “Brother Chen, come, let us continue drinking”

Just as the two of them raised their cups, Gu Qing Shan froze.

A black thread had silently appeared around his hand, the other hand reaching outside the cabin of the s.h.i.+p towards an unknown place.

This is…

Gu Qing Shan sensed it briefly and detected a connection from the thread.

This connection felt like someone that he hadn’t met for a very long time suddenly appearing in their vicinity.

An acquaintance seemed to have arrived…

Who would that be?

Gu Qing Shan’s heart began beating faster.

This place was the Wraith realm, regardless of who they were, being discovered means that they would have a terrible end.

The airs.h.i.+p abruptly shook.

Immense power fluctuations could be felt from the faraway void of s.p.a.ce, followed by intense wind.

Xue Nu immediately stood up and shouted: “What happened? Report immediately!”

A subordinate swiftly appeared, quickly reporting to him: “Sir, a spy from the Eternal Abyss had been detected 500 miles ahead of us”

“Spy? Who is facing the enemies?” Xue Nu asked.

“That Abyssal creature is extremely powerful, all of our forces in the vicinity had arrived to surround and kill it—— sir, what should we do?” the subordinate asked.

Xue Nu hesitated a bit, waving his hand: “You’re dismissed, give me some time to think”

“Yes sir”

The subordinate left.

Gu Qing Shan’s gaze lit up, his mind quickly turning.

An Abyssal creature!

An Abyssal creature that could arrive at the Wraith realm!

——–in the night after we defeated the Soul Shrieker, I summoned Barry, Boss, Ye Ru Xi, Anna, and Lady Darksea for a secret meeting.

Regarding the spies from the Eternal Abyss…

Boss seemed to have mentioned that.

What did he say at the time?

Gu Qing Shan quickly remembered.

…

“That’s why the Eternal Abyss had tried to come up with a few solutions, unfortunately, they weren’t put into practice in time

Boss said this at the time.

“Solutions? Did you already have them prepared?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

“Using the power of the Eternal Abyss, we created a group of completely new Abyssal forms, which carried the unique characteristics of the wraiths” Boss explained.

“So you wanted to infiltrate the enemy’s ranks?” Barry asked.

Boss nodded: “We specifically chose a group of the most excellent members of the Abyss to use these Abyssal Forms, then did everything in our power to send them into the Wraith realm, wanting to destroy them from inside”

…

That’s right.

Before the Eternal Abyss awakened, it had actually sent a group of its best people into the Wraith realm.

However, since I’ve managed to enter the Wraith Lord’s estate, I’m currently in an extremely advantageous position, there’s no need for me to risk it by doing other things.

I only need to stay in hiding and find an appropriate opportunity to finish what I have to do.

Victory or defeat no longer lies with the Eternal Abyss.

It lies in my hand.

Gu Qing Shan clenched his hand, then looked at the black thread.

Wait a minute.

Could it be…

While he was thinking, Xue Nu suddenly asked: “Brother Chen, do you think we should go to see this little show?”

Gu Qing Shan hesitated: “Big brother Xue if they managed to infiltrate our world, they must be an extremely powerful one”

“That’s right” Xue Nu confirmed.

Gu Qing Shan made a fearful expression like a mining cultivator should have in this situation: “Then let’s not see this show at all, we had better leave first”

Xue Nu chuckled and replied: “Bahahaha, very well, then let us head back to the estate first”

While they were talking, a frigid female voice resounded throughout heaven and earth:

“You think just the bunch of you are enough to stop me!?”

Boom———

Another resounding explosion rocked the airs.h.i.+p.

Gu Qing Shan completely froze.

This is…

Lin.

So she had already arrived in the Wraith realm at this point in time!

Gu Qing Shan looked down and fell silent.

The intense fluctuations of the battle howled as it approached them, causing the airs.h.i.+p to continuously tremble and shake.

The battle was becoming increasingly more intense.

More and more wraiths were arriving from every direction.

They were gathering towards this battle.

“En——circle——–” someone shouted this order.

Sensing the outside battle situation, Xue Nu triumphantly said: “The encirclement had already finished, that one won’t be able to escape no matter what it does”

“So quickly?” Gu Qing Shan was surprised.

Xue Nu boasted triumphantly: “Those Abyssal monsters have no idea that we’ve already discovered their movements since long ago and made the preparations. We’ve already eradicated a few groups—— and this won’t be an exception”

Gu Qing Shan was stunned.

A few moments of silence later.

He slowly stood up.

“Brother Chen, what’s the matter?” Xue Nu asked doubtfully.

Gu Qing Shan’s gaze focused on Xue Nu.

He sighed and said: “Friend Xue, I had planned to stay with you for a long time, becoming a bad influence up until the very moment I killed your Wraith Lord——- but it seems I’ll have to give up on this plan”

“Friend Xue, I’m going to borrow your head for a bit”

A stream of cold wind appeared from the color of autumn water, slas.h.i.+ng through Xue Nu’s neck.

[1] previously translated as ‘Lord of War’