Chapter Twenty-One: The Great Seal

A vast expanse of stars stretched across the sky, countless dead celestial bodies bound together by a mysterious array. Upon a yellowish-brown planet, riddled with cracks and inscribed with intricate array patterns, ominous and eerie lights would occasionally flicker.

A massive plaza spread out below, lined with shops and bustling vendors hawking their wares. Jiang Taichu walked along the crowded street, his eyes sweeping over the goods laid out on the stalls—mostly scraps of mecha. Now and then, a treasure or two appeared, such as an earth-vein origin stone, though none were of any remarkable quality.

He did not linger but strode straight to the front of a particular shop.

Jade Spirit Treasure Hunt.

According to the online reviews, this shop had a reputation for being relatively trustworthy. Other shops would rent out mechas only to fleece customers over every minor scratch and worn part when they returned them under harsh inspection lights.

Inside, various mechas hung in neat rows: the Mountain Patrol, Wind and Rain, Flora, and Fish Scale models, among others. They all gleamed on the surface, betraying no signs of age, each sporting a pouch at the waist—a storage bag with spatial capacity.

“What can I get for you?” A middle-aged woman greeted him with a practiced, professional smile.

“Mountain Patrol mecha. Taifeng Star, Nine-Ring Mountain,” Jiang Taichu replied.

The entrances to the major stars had long since been monopolized by powerful factions; one could only reach them through their projected Heaven Gates.

“We have Mountain Patrol mechas in three grades: one thousand, two thousand, and three thousand a day, each with a backpack,” the woman explained. “Deposits are thirty, sixty, and eighty thousand. The ticket to Nine-Ring Mountain on Taifeng Star is one thousand. Which would you like?”

“The cheapest one,” Jiang Taichu said. “And add a semi-automatic rifle, four magazines.”

Though divided into three quality tiers, the mechas’ energy capacity was similar—just enough for three hours of use. The difference lay in their degree of wear. For him, it made little difference, so there was no point wasting money.

“Semi-automatic rifle is three hundred a day, two per bullet, three hundred and twenty for the magazines and ammo, for a total of thirty-two thousand six hundred and twenty,” the woman said with a bright smile. “Please make your payment.”

Jiang Taichu sent the money with a thought, transferring it directly to the shop’s account.

“Thank you. Here are three Mountain Patrol mechas at one thousand each—please choose one.” The woman gestured at the machines. “Remember, if the mecha is too badly damaged, the deposit won’t be refunded. If it’s only minor, we’ll deduct repair costs and return the rest.”

“I understand.” Jiang Taichu raised his hand and placed it on one of the Mountain Patrol mechas.

His consciousness linked with the machine, which flowed into his body like water.

A semi-automatic rifle flew to his side, equipped with four magazines of forty rounds each.

An aged semi-automatic rifle!

The moment he gripped it, he sensed the weapon’s condition.

“Please follow me.”

The woman led him to a door at the back—the projection of a Heaven Gate.

“Taifeng Star is home to quite a few land beasts. If you kill any, sell them to me—I’ll buy at market price.”

She raised her wrist to show her watch. “The map of Nine-Ring Mountain is in the mecha’s databank. My name is Su Yue. I hope your trip is fruitful. If you encounter danger, you can contact me anytime—our shop offers rescue services, if you can pay for them.”

Jiang Taichu smiled, stepped through the portal, and entered.

A hazy, yellow sky; fractured earth; swirling dust that clouded vision.

A stellar palace stood atop a thousand-meter mountain. Sparse groups of people trickled out from within.

Jiang Taichu stopped before the palace doors and opened the mecha’s databank.

Nine-Ring Mountain was thirty li away—a short distance, just two or three minutes’ flight in a mecha.

Spiritual energy particles flowed, diffusing through the suit.

Jiang Taichu soared into the sky, testing his Mountain Patrol mecha.

It was heavily worn, with only about sixty percent the energy of a new model.

“If I push it to full, it won’t last three hours,” he thought with a sigh.

He could handle forty percent of the mecha’s power; at maximum output, it would last two hours at best.

He throttled back to twenty percent, slowing his flight.

Four minutes later, he arrived at the Nine-Ring Mountains—nine peaks, each a thousand meters high, encircling a central area. In the heart of the circle, jagged cracks crisscrossed the ground like a shattered porcelain plate.

Surveying the peaks, earth-vein patterns played across his eyes, their intersections scattered with broken bits of metal.

These were the nine great magical implements from long ago.

“The Taifeng Fortress was damaged over a thousand years ago—yet these fragments have survived,” he mused.

He merged into a mountain, approaching a fragment. It was astonishingly hard, and still contained a measure of power.

“Must have been partially recharged during repairs, allowing Taifeng Star to recover somewhat. These implements, laid out along the earth veins, are like treasures being nurtured by the planet itself.”

Jiang Taichu probed carefully.

Unfortunately, the quality was too low, and Taifeng’s energy too depleted. After a thousand years they could barely persist, let alone transform.

Array patterns surrounded the implements; triggering them would awaken the mountain’s residual defenses.

He left the peak and continued his survey of the remaining eight.

Three were empty. As he examined the other five, he abruptly stopped.

A great seal!

Though it bore three cracks, it remained mostly intact—remarkably so. The other four held only fragments.

Jiang Taichu entered the mountain; the array patterns around the great seal were also well preserved.

“Uncertain of the array’s power—not wise to take it yet.” He suppressed his urge to snatch the treasure, calculating the time. His uncle should be arriving soon.

He activated his particle radar and waited.

A minute later, seven red dots appeared on his scanner, the alarm shrill and urgent.

They’d arrived.

Jiang Taichu no longer bothered to hide. He followed the earth veins to the top of the mountain.

Seven Mountain Patrol mechas streaked toward him—each as battered as his own.

“Seems they don’t think much of me—didn’t even bring a proper mecha,” he thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

After all, he was just a fresh graduate. His earlier altercation with Jiang Yaoxing had only worked because the other didn’t dare fight back.

From start to finish, they’d never taken him seriously.

“Well, dear nephew, what did my late brother leave you?” Jiang Yaoxing’s voice cut into his comms channel.

He hadn’t closed the channel, so the other’s words came through directly.

“What are you playing at, Jiang Yaoxing?” Jiang Taichu’s gaze was icy, his semi-automatic rifle already trained.

“I advise you not to be foolish. There are seven of us. Hand over what you found, and the compensation money, and you’ll still be my good nephew,” Jiang Yaoxing replied coldly.

“Colluding with outsiders to steal your own brother’s compensation—you’re a real beast,” Jiang Taichu shot back, his eyes steely as he squeezed the trigger.

Tat-tat!

Bullets streaked out like the reaper’s summons, enveloping the seven.

They reeled in shock, clearly not expecting Jiang Taichu to fire first, outnumbered as he was.

Buzz.

The seven mechas pooled their energy, forming a luminous shield.

Mecha shield!

A lone shield at this distance wouldn’t stop the bullets—but combined, it was a different story.

Clang! Clang!

His rounds bounced harmlessly off the barrier.

“Take him alive!” Jiang Yaoxing snapped. “Break his limbs!”