210: Jiao Chi recruits former acquaintances who are wanted by the authorities.

Thunder Continent, Cloud City.

Since "Thunder Cloud Master" became famous after devouring the Blood Flame Demon King, this originally unremarkable Ming Clan main city instantly became the focus within a million-mile radius. Countless messengers from small and medium-sized races flocked here, wanting to see the style of this Human Race (disguised as Ming Clan) ruthless man who could swallow a Void Refining Demon King alive.

But Zhou Wannian (Han Li) saw no one.

He sat in the City Lord's Mansion, leisurely drinking spiritual tea, waiting for the truly big fish.

"Boom—!!!"

At noon on the third day, a suffocatingly terrifying Spiritual Pressure descended from the sky. The city's protective array let out a wail, and countless cracks split open instantly.

A super warship, a thousand zhang long, made entirely of deep-sea sunken silver and covered with purple thunder patterns, hovered over Cloud City like a mobile metal fortress.

Above the warship, flags blotted out the sun.

[Jiao Chi].

"They're here."

Zhou Wannian put down his teacup, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

"Tiezhu, restrain your aura, disguise my cultivation at the 'peak of the Soul Transformation Stage Late Stage', and suppress my Physical Body strength to the Void Refining Early Stage."

"Understood. Acting mode loaded."

...Above the warship, a golden light ladder descended.

A middle-aged man wearing dark golden heavy armor, with two horns on his head and an unfathomable aura, slowly walked down surrounded by a group of golden-armored guards.

Void Refining Late Stage.

Jiao Chi Clan Thunder Department General — [Wu Lie].

"Which one is Fellow Daoist Thunder Cloud Master?"

Wu Lie's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a murderous aura of iron and blood, shaking all of Cloud City.

Zhou Wannian's figure flickered, appearing in mid-air, facing Wu Lie from a distance.

"That would be me."

He was neither humble nor arrogant; even facing a Void Refining Late Stage powerhouse, the wind thunder wings behind him still fanned gently, exuding an air of unyielding defiance.

"You killed one of my clan's patrols and destroyed three warships." Wu Lie stared at Zhou Wannian with cold eyes.

"That's because they were inferior, and they made the first move," Zhou Wannian said indifferently. "Why? Is the general here to avenge that group of trash?"

"Hahaha! Well said!"

Wu Lie suddenly burst into laughter, the killing intent on his face vanishing instantly.

"In the world of cultivation, the strong prey on the weak; trash deserve to die!"

"My Jiao Chi Clan respects the strong most of all!"

Wu Lie tossed out a golden token.

"Thunder Cloud Master, your strength has been recognized by my clan. On behalf of the Elder Council, I officially invite you to become a 'Guest Elder' of my Jiao Chi Clan!"

"As long as you nod, the matter of you killing people will be written off. In addition, you will be granted ten million Top-Grade Spirit Stones, and the 'Holy City Thunder Pond' will be opened for you to Cultivate once!"

The surrounding Ming Clan people were dumbfounded. You can kill people and still get money and a position? Is this the overbearing nature of a great clan?

Zhou Wannian took the token and weighed it in his hand.

"Thunder Pond?"

A hint of "greed" flashed in his eyes.

"I heard that is your clan's Holy Land, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. General, are you serious?"

"There is no joking in the military!"

"Good!" Zhou Wannian put away the token and smiled with cupped hands. "Since your clan is so sincere, then I will not be polite."

"However, I have one more condition."

"Speak."

"I want to borrow your clan's 'Cross-Continental Teleportation Array'." Zhou Wannian revealed his ultimate motive. "I want to travel to other continents."

Wu Lie frowned slightly and took a deep look at Zhou Wannian. Cross-continental teleportation consumed a huge amount of resources and was generally not open to outsiders. But thinking of this person's amazing thunder-path talent and the upcoming "Guanghan Realm" mission... "Fine."

Wu Lie nodded.

"As long as you can help my clan complete a major task (treasure hunting in the Guanghan Realm), I will guarantee you a spot for the teleportation array!"

"Deal."

...A few days later.

Black Water City.

This was a major border town of the Jiao Chi Clan and the only way to the Jiao Chi Holy City.

As a newly appointed Guest Elder, Zhou Wannian did not fly directly to the Holy City with the warship (he used the excuse of handling private matters, but in fact, he wanted to scout along the way), but came here alone.

On the bustling streets, various alien races stood tall.

Zhou Wannian strolled through the crowd, but his Divine Sense was always paying attention to the map drawn by Tiezhu.

Suddenly.

His gaze was attracted by a huge bounty board at the city gate.

A circle of people gathered there, pointing and whispering at the list.

"Tsk tsk, who is this old man? To think the clan would issue a 'Red Wanted Poster' for him?"

"I heard he's a thief! Audacious enough to steal from 'Elder Weng'!"

"Not only did he steal things, but he also wounded the guards and snatched away a 'Primal Magic Crab' that hadn't been fully domesticated yet!"

Zhou Wannian's heart stirred, and he squeezed into the crowd.

When he saw the portrait on the wanted poster clearly, he was stunned.

On the portrait was an old man wearing tattered Daoist robes, with a wretched face, holding a broken bowl, and riding on the back of a giant crab...

Those eyes, that expression, especially that rogue air of "I stole it, what can you do to me".

Besides that Soul Transformation Stage old monster from the Human Realm who spent all day pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger — Xiang Zhili, who else could it be?!

"Senior Brother Xiang..."

The corners of Zhou Wannian's mouth twitched violently.

"It was one thing for you to pretend to be a low-level Cultivator in the Human Realm to scam food and drinks."

"In the Spirit Realm, you actually changed careers to become a bandit?"

"And you even robbed the Jiao Chi Clan?!"

Zhou Wannian looked down at the bounty amount.

[Bounty: One Human Race elderly man (calling himself Old Ghost Xiang).]

[Crime: Theft of "Star Map" Incomplete Manual, forcible seizure of "Giant Crab Puppet".]

[Reward: Fifty million Top-Grade Spirit Stones! Or one "Guanghan Token"!]

"Star Map? Giant Crab Puppet?"

Zhou Wannian's heart skipped a beat.

He knew about the Giant Crab Puppet; it was an extremely powerful Pseudo-Immortal Puppet in the original story, with combat power comparable to a Mahayana! Old Ghost Xiang actually got his hands on this thing?

"Alert. Familiar energy fluctuations detected."

Tiezhu's voice suddenly rang in his mind.

"In the basement of the 'Black-Hearted Pawnshop' in the third alley on the left."

"These fluctuations... are a high match for the 'Giant Crab Puppet' on the wanted poster."

Zhou Wannian: "..."

This Old Ghost Xiang really has some guts!

Wanted throughout the city, and he actually dares to hide in a pawnshop basement in the city?!

Is it a case of the most dangerous place being the safest?

"Let's go meet an old friend."

...Black-Hearted Pawnshop, underground secret room.

It was dark and damp here, piled with various fragments of Magical Artifacts of unknown origin.

An old man with messy hair and greasy Daoist robes was sticking his rear up, holding a screwdriver (looking like some kind of Spirit Realm tool), tinkering with a black crab only the size of a palm.

"Oh, why can't this rune circuit be connected?"

"The Jiao Chi Clan's Artifact Refining technique is really crude; I, the old Daoist, have to personally improve it."

The old man cursed while repairing.

Suddenly.

"Ahem."

A light cough sounded behind him.

"Who?!"

Xiang Zhili jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. The screwdriver in his hand turned into a cold light and shot behind him. At the same time, the small crab suddenly grew large, waving its claws to pinch someone.

"Senior Brother Xiang, we haven't seen each other for hundreds of years, and your temper has grown."

Two fingers steadily caught the screwdriver.

Zhou Wannian (who had restored his appearance as Han Li from the Human Realm at this time) looked at the startled Xiang Zhili with a smile.

"Han... Han Li?!"

Xiang Zhili's eyes almost popped out. He rubbed his eyes hard.

"Brother Han?! It's really you?!"

"How did you end up in this godforsaken Thunder Continent too?!"

"I'd like to know that too."

Zhou Wannian released his fingers and glanced at the Giant Crab Puppet that was showing off its power to him.

"I thought I was just unlucky to fall here because of Rahu's devouring."

"Senior Brother Xiang, what happened to you?"

"And..."

Zhou Wannian pointed at the crab.

"This pet of yours looks quite unique."

"Oh, don't even mention it!"

Seeing an old acquaintance, Xiang Zhili immediately poured out his bitterness.

"After I ascended, I was doing quite well in the Tianyuan Territory. But I was chased by several enemies and accidentally entered an ancient teleportation array, which sent me straight to this hellhole!"

"The Jiao Chi Clan are really not good people; they caught me to mine!"

"How could I, the old Daoist, take that?"

Xiang Zhili patted the giant crab beside him proudly.

"I went undercover for fifty years and finally discovered their treasure vault."

"This 'Pseudo-Immortal Puppet' is my mental distress compensation!"

"However..."

Xiang Zhili said with a long face:

"This thing is a defective product; it's missing a core power source. It can't run fast and runs out of power after a few hits."

"Junior Brother Han, since you're here, do you have any way to help your old brother escape?"

"Escape?"

Zhou Wannian looked at the giant crab and then at Xiang Zhili.

In his mind, a crazy plan gradually took shape.

"Senior Brother Xiang."

Zhou Wannian took out the Jiao Chi Clan's [Guest Elder Token].

"I am currently an honored guest of the Jiao Chi Clan."

"If you want to escape, it's not impossible."

"But..."

Zhou Wannian pointed at the giant crab.

"I'm very interested in the structure of this Puppet."

"Let our 'Tiezhu' communicate with it."

"In addition, let's pull off something big together."

"Do what?" Xiang Zhili was taken aback.

A cold light flickered in Zhou Wannian's eyes.

"Doesn't the Jiao Chi Clan have a 'Holy City Thunder Pond'?"

"I want to borrow your crab to... take that Thunder Pond..."

"Empty it out."

Hearing this, Xiang Zhili was stunned for a moment, then a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum appeared on his old face.

"Hehehe..."

"Empty out the Thunder Pond?"

"Junior Brother Han, you're the ruthless one."

"I like it!"

"Deal!"