Chapter 1943 The Great Expanse (4)
Led by Dongfang Xue, Yun Lintian and his companions boarded the profound ark.
The interior of the ark was incredibly vast and luxuriously decorated. Yun Lintian couldn't help but notice the furniture crafted from rare materials. In short, it surpassed anything he had ever seen in terms of luxury.
"Please, be seated," Dongfang Xue invited, gesturing with her open hand.
Yun Lintian unceremoniously sat with Linlin and Qingqing nestled in his arms. Yun Yi and the others followed suit.
Dongfang Xue turned to Fu Yong. "Please serve the tea."
"Certainly," Fu Yong replied, stepping forward with a teapot. He poured tea for everyone, his movement momentarily faltering as he observed Hei Shou.
Dongfang Xue observed the floating hand, unsure of how to proceed.
"No need," Yun Lintian reassured her, sipping his tea. "He doesn't drink it."
Hei Shou responded with a thumbs-up gesture, confirming Yun Lintian's statement.
Fu Yong withdrew and returned to his position behind Dongfang Xue.
"This tea is excellent," Yun Lintian complimented, finding it superior even to the Floating Cloud Spirit Tea he cultivated within the Land of Beyond Heaven.
"I'm pleased you enjoy it," Dongfang Xue smiled. Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she studied Yun Lintian.
While undoubtedly their leader, Yun Lintian's profound strength appeared only at the first level of the Divine Emperor Realm, an anomaly that piqued her interest. His previous display of strength, however, clearly indicated far greater power.
Having encountered individuals from all walks of life, from the highest ranks to the humblest, Dongfang Xue still found herself unable to decipher Yun Lintian's background.
His inquiry about the distance to the Nine Heavens Realm further corroborated her suspicion that he was a newcomer to the Great Expanse, possibly hailing from a hidden clan.
"Are you familiar with them?" Yun Lintian inquired, setting down his teacup.
"You refer to the pirates? They belong to the notorious Stellar Sea Pirate Group, one of the most powerful pirate factions within the Great Expanse," Dongfang Xue explained.
"Considering the power of your trading group, why don't you employ more personnel?" Yun Lintian questioned further.
Dongfang Xue sighed softly. "Please allow me to explain my situation first," she began. "I am the youngest daughter of the current head of the group, and while I hold some authority, it's not at the highest level. Therefore, I am not empowered to hire more high-level guards."
"This trip was supposed to be uneventful," Dongfang Xue continued, "as the destination was not far from the headquarters. However, I was forced to bring only a few people with me due to limitations. Unfortunately, I wasn't expecting an attack from pirates."
Yun Lintian grasped the situation immediately. "Are you suggesting that someone deliberately targeted you?"
"Undoubtedly," Dongfang Xue confirmed. "Competition within the group is fierce. As the head's daughter, I'm a potential threat. Eliminating me would eliminate a powerful competitor, making it easier for them to solidify their position within the group."
Yun Lintian took a sip of tea and said, "It seems I've stumbled into an unwanted complication."
"Please, trust me," Dongfang Xue interjected quickly. "I won't allow you to be dragged into this."
Yun Lintian smiled faintly and said, "I'm afraid it's too late for that. Regardless, I will leave when I acquire a new profound ark."
"Certainly," Dongfang Xue replied with a reassuring smile.
"Can you tell me about the general situation of the Great Expanse? As you can see, this is our first time here," Yun Lintian said.
"Yes," Dongfang Xue began her explanation. "The Great Expanse is vast and boundless, continuously expanding day by day. For easier navigation, we use the Primordial God Realm as the center and determine directions from it."
"The Primordial God Realm?" Yun Lintian frowned in surprise.
"While it's called the Primordial God Realm, it's actually a remnant territory that survived the Primordial War. It's currently occupied by various gods from the old era," Dongfang Xue explained.
"Entering their sphere requires permission. It's not a place anyone can freely access."
Yun Lintian nodded in understanding. This place was without a doubt the Primordial God Tribe's territory.
"With the Primordial God Realm as the center, we've established the four cardinal directions. We're currently in the Southern Expanse, and the Nine Heavens Realm you're heading towards is located further east," Dongfang Xue continued.
"The Great Expanse is home to countless stars and realms. Aside from a few renowned ones, I'm not familiar with the rest. My Far East Trading Group primarily operates within the Southern Expanse,"
"Aside from the Stellar Sea Pirate Group, there are other notorious groups here. The most powerful among them is the Celestial Wing Group. Despite their seemingly noble name, their actions are far worse than those of the pirates we encountered earlier. Their main business involves human trafficking, primarily children," Dongfang Xue warned.
Yun Lintian silently noted the name of the pirate group. He had no intention of seeking them out to eliminate them unless they provoked him first.
"Bring me the map," Dongfang Xue requested, glancing at Fu Yong.
"Yes," Fu Yong acknowledged, leaving the room immediately. He soon returned with a map scroll, handing it to Dongfang Xue.
Dongfang Xue unfurled the map and used her power to suspend it mid-air. "This is a map of the Great Expanse," she began. "Numerous stars and realms are born every day, making it impossible to keep it entirely up-to-date."
Pointing to the southern part of the map, she said, "This is where we are, and the Nine Heavens Realm is located here."
Yun Lintian and his companions examined the map intently. They discovered it was significantly larger than they had ever imagined.
"As you can see, there are transport hubs scattered throughout the map," Dongfang Xue explained, pointing at symbols resembling gates. "These hubs are all controlled by a group called Ten Thousand Treasures. The identity of the group's leader remains unknown, but they are believed to be connected to the old gods."
"To utilize their services, you must apply for membership and pay an upfront fee. The cost is approximately one hundred million high-grade Profound Stones for the silver class, one billion for the gold class, and ten billion for the platinum class."
"Each class offers unique advantages. The silver class will suffice if your travel is limited to within the same expanse."
Dongfang Xue turned to Yun Lintian and said, "I would be happy to handle this arrangement for you."
Yun Lintian marveled at the astronomical profits this group must generate.
"I appreciate your generosity, then," He responded with a smile.
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