The scene was filled with absolute silence for three whole seconds...
"Sis… I never knew... you had such strong tastes!"
"..."
F*ck! That's not what I meant! Yao Si hurriedly regained her senses. "Where are your thoughts straying to, I meant that I know him!"
"If you knew..." The three balls took in a deep breath. "Sis… that's extreme, can we ask how did you guys meet?"
"F*ck! I meant..." Can your thoughts be any dirtier? "F*ck, why are you guys so far away?" The three balls that were nearby were about a metre away now.
"Sis, we're straight," said the white ball.
"He's right, straight like a pencil," the blue ball agreed.
"Straighter than a pencil," exclaimed the green ball.
"Scram!" Yao Si then took a deep breath and explained in a resigned voice, "I know that man out there."
"Is he really someone you know?" the blue ball asked, then stilled and sighed. "He's going to be in big trouble, the demonic cultivator is a Nascent Soul while he is just a Golden Core! There is no way he can defeat the demonic cultivator. In less than half an hour, his soul will be sucked in here.
The blue ball was right. Zan Zichen was indeed an unlucky child that couldn't defeat the demonic force. The very next instant, he was filled with bruises but still persisted on brandishing his sword.
"Even though you're just a Golden Core, you'll be enough for my Soul Devouring Flag." With a slight rotation of the man's palms, a thousand demonic swords flew out.
Zan Zichen tightened his grip on the sword, defending himself relentlessly, but in just a few strikes, they managed to pierce his body. Fresh blood splattered out, staining his long robe, turning it into a ghastly sight.
"Huh, this Golden Core seems to be quite skilled. Logically speaking, even if he isn't able to win against the demonic cultivator, he should still be able to escape," the blue ball mumbled in confusion. "Why is he struggling so unnecessarily?"
Yao Si stilled, focusing on the image.
Just then, Zan Zichen asked loudly, "I can sense Senior Si's energy from that flag, you demon, what did you do with her?"
F*ck! This kid was still here because of her?
"What senior?" The demonic cultivator smirked. "I've killed many people, how would I remember them? But just half an hour ago, my Soul Devouring Flag indeed sucked in a strange woman without any spiritual energy."
Zan Zichen's face paled, and fury drenched his soul. He then tightened his grip on the sword and attacked a thousand times in succession. "I'm going to kill you to avenge her!"
When yet another fight erupted, Yao Si grew increasingly more worried.
"Blue ball, you're one the celestials, don't you have any way to save him?" she asked, recalling the lifeless gray balls around them. "He's an indigenous tribe member, if he loses, his consciousness will end up being eaten by the flag."
"There's no choice!" the blue ball waved his hand dismissively, without a hint of emotion in his voice when he spoke. "He's just unlucky, even though the demonic cultivator isn't smart, we can't get out. It isn't that this bro doesn't want to help you, but there really isn't a solution!" he explained in a sincere manner.
"That's right! Sis, even if we could go out, that's a bad idea before our money is used up."
"Yea, it wasn't easy to get this gift, so it'd be a waste it if we didn't train our awareness enough!"
"He's just an indigenous tribe member, why bother saving him?"
Member of an indigenous tribe...
What's wrong with the indigenous tribe? Even if they were considered to be of lower status, what did it matter? He was still someone she recognized as a friend, so what's wrong with standing up for him!
"Is there really no way?"
"No!" the threw instantly answered together.
Yao Si bit down on her lip, then took a deep breath to calm herself down. "It's such a pity, I was just about to reduce the debt accumulated from the mahjong for whoever came up with a solution..."
"I have a plan you can try!" Before she could even finish her sentence, the blue ball immediately changed his stand. In a serious voice, he said, "It would definitely be safe, effective, and without any pain. Sis, how about I help you then?"
"F*ck, you schemer!" the green ball that was a step too late scolded. "Sis, don't listen to his words, I however have a plan..."
"Me, me, me! My plan is the best!" the white ball squeezed in.
It was completely different from the nonchalant scene from before, now that they fought to get their solutions approved.
Di-di-di! Suddenly, an alarm rang from the white and green ball simultaneously.
Their faces lit up, turning agitated...
"I have an amulet in my space, you can use it, reduce my debt..."
"I have a life-saving pill..."
Before they could even finish their sentences, they disappeared with a shuffling sound.
"What just happened?" Yao Si jumped.
"Their training period just ended, they were transported back to their bodies and will be sent out of the Shadow Planet."
"What about you?"
"I'm a celestial so I get to enjoy a special rate!" the blue ball replied proudly before waving his hand in hesitation. "Oh right, sis, can I really have my debt reduced?"
"Before that, how are we going to get out?" If she'd known about celestials' greed, she would have monopolized on it sooner. The sis here is rich!
"It's easy," he said. "Even though this space is where devoured souls are left, it's considered a prize for us. If you want to get out, you just have to give up on the prize prematurely of your own accord."
"It's that simple?"
"Obviously we need a little something more." He grinned. "If we go out prematurely, we would end up in a random location. If it's too far away, we won't be able to save your friend. But I have an amulet that will allow us to choose our location when we get out. The amulet can only be used once. I'll be kind and give you a 5% discount. For an indigenous person to advance to a celestial, they have to withstand immense pressure on their ability. I'll help you deal with the demonic cultivator and act as the cleanup, what do you think?"
"I'll give you a thirty percent discount on your debt!"
"Deal!"
The blue ball begun to spin, itching toward the camera at the top. Suddenly, he started to glow, the light rays almost blinding. "I give up this prize." The blue ball then turned to Yao Si. "Sis, hurry!"
Yao Si flinched slightly before announcing, "I give up the prize."
The blue glow stretched to her as well. She then gradually felt herself turning weightless, but the very next moment, she seemed heavier. Her ears buzzed and the scenery started to spin before they landed in a forest.
At that moment, the demonic cultivator was in the process of tossing his Soul Devouring Flag toward a paralyzed Zan Zichen
"Blue ball!" Yao Si shouted.
The person beside her reacted then. With a wave of his hands, a huge gust of wind stirred, blowing the Soul Devouring Flag away. A pressuring force enveloped them, and it was a force similar to bloodlings' bloodline suppression. Yao Si wasn't affected but the demonic cultivator was already on his knees with his head buried into the ground. It was as though his body was being forced downward.
"Who-who are you?" The demonic cultivator lifted his head, but he didn't seem to be able to move any more than that. As he was paralyzed, fear shrouded his entire being.
The blue ball that had come out with Yao Si stepped forward. He was dressed in a blue robe, standing with his celestial aura apparent, his face shinning with righteousness. In an authoritative voice, he said, " You don't have an inch of remorse for all the wrongdoings you've been indulging in. Today, justice will prevail, it's time for your retribution."
"It's-it's you!" The demonic cultivator's eyes went wide. "It can't be, I clearly collected your soul! Who exactly are you?"
"You know who I am?" The blue bal—no, the blue celestial scoffed, his voice tightening slightly. "I gave you a chance previously, pretending to be sucked into the Soul Devouring Flag, but you remain remorseless, free of guilt for your evil doings. Today, I shall bring the justice of heavens onto you."
His fingers twitched slightly, and a blue ray darted out from between them, heading straight for the demonic cultivator's heart.
"No-no!" His eyes flew open, his body flailing in a defensive manner. "You-you're a celestial..." Before he could finish his sentence, the ray struck his face, silencing him.
Yao Si remained nonchalant as she hurried over to Zan Zichen with single-minded focus. He was soaked in blood, his body seriously wounded. She inhaled sharply at the gruesome sight
"Finished your heroic act?" she asked with a roll of her eyes.
"Hehehe… Sis, what are you saying, I was just feeling righteous." He had to maintain a celestial demeanour.
"Enough, if you're done acting, you can tell me how to save him."
Zan Zichen was down to his last breath. If they were in the Galaxy, they could send him to a treatment room where he would fully recover in less than five minutes. But there was no such thing here, so what could she do?
"Hmm..." The blue ball caressed his chin. After a short moment, he turned with a troubled expression/ "His injuries are quite serious: There's damage to his heart and all the arteries are broken. With the medical capacity of Shadow Planet, er.… it's difficult!"
"I'll remove your entire debt!"
"Don't worry sis!" His expression took a hundred and eighty degree change. With a pat on his chest, he pulled out a bunch of tubes. "I have here a bone-linking pill, vein-continuation pill, energy gathering pill, blood-circulation pill, blood supplement, red supplement , blue supplement, so even the dead could be resurrected! Sis, which one would you like to start from?"
"Wake him up first!"
"All right!" He took a red pill and fed it to Zan Zichen.
In less than half a minute, he started to react, his brows furrowing as he regained consciousness. "Se-senior?"
"Stop moving, yous injuries are very serious." She hurriedly pressed him down, preventing him from getting up.
"Senior… you-you're all right?" He glanced at her worriedly.
"I'm fine, you're the one that isn't!" Yao Si sighed. He sure was an unlucky kid.
Zan Zichen heaved a sigh of relief. "That's great… Cough, cough !" His entire body shook abruptly as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Yao Si started to panic. "Blue ball!" Didn't he just take the medicine?
"This- He- His veins have been severed. Spitting blood is quite normal for such a serious injury." Blue ball looked a face of innocence as he passed another pill over. "Even though my pills are fascinating, they can only save his life. It'll be impossible for him to return to his original state."
"Tell me, how much money do you want!" Yao Si immediately opened her optical computer.
He froze, scratching his head in embarrassment. "This… It isn't about money, I really have no idea how to treat him. His organs are shattered, which can only be salvaged with special pills of at least the tenth grade, and that's beyond my abilities."
Was there really no solution?
"It-it's alright!" Zan Zichen shook his head nonchalantly. "I'm lucky to even be alive. Senior, you don't have to worry."
How is this all right? Yao Si tightened her hands into fists. If she'd known that something like this might happen, she would have bought the pills from the elderly man before. Yet now she didn't…
Wait!
"Before I came, someone gave me this, stating that it would come in handy during an emergency." She took out the jade tablet that Yan Xuan had entrusted to her previously.
"Is this a space jade tablet?" The blue ball took a glance. "There should be something inside it."
"Will it be useful?"
"Let me take a look!" While holding onto his own bottles of pills he chanted, then softly tapped the tablet, and a gold ray lit up. Out of it, a jade bottle flew out.
"Ni-nine soul-calling pills!" The blue ball's eyes went wide, the bottles in his hands slipping to the ground.
"Are they useful?"
"... Are you f*cking kidding me?"