Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

Su Ye nodded.

The three Crystal Realm cultivators bowed and left, walking toward the door.

But just then...

"Mr. Shangguan, a moment, please."

Shangguan Zhi, who was just a step away from the door, was stopped by Su Ye!

"Mr. Su, do you have instructions for me?"

Shangguan Zhi turned and bowed meticulously.

"Hmm..."

"Not exactly," Su Ye said, rubbing his chin.

"It’s just that, Mr. Shangguan, you seem... a little nervous?"

Su Ye walked up to Shangguan Zhi.

His tone carried a hint of inquiry.

BZZZT!

His Divine Sense surged!

An icy, silver light flared!

In an instant, Su Ye’s dark pupils transformed into a strange and magnificent icy silver!

He was like a demon from legend, capable of peering into the soul, searching for the deepest emotions in Shangguan Zhi’s heart!

"Ah?! Guardian Envoy...?!"

Shangguan Zhi’s expression suddenly turned to terror!

But...

A moment later.

Su Ye frowned slightly.

All he could sense was astonishment, grievance, and a bit of fear?

’This head of the fortress’s internal affairs... according to my mind-reading, he seems... to actually be innocent?’

"Guardian Envoy!"

Shangguan Zhi’s face was grim.

He revealed a flicker of suppressed rage at having his mind pried into!

"Mr. Su, you might have some misunderstanding about me!" He took a deep breath and began to defend himself.

"It’s true... the Chu Family contacted me, but... I have no intention of offending a young and powerful existence like you for the sake of a few external objects!"

"No matter how high a price the Chu Family offers, it means nothing to a dead man!"

Shangguan Zhi appealed to both emotion and reason.

It had to be said that his words, combined with the emotions Su Ye read, were extremely persuasive!

After a moment of contemplation.

BZZT.

The icy silver in Su Ye’s eyes gradually receded.

The power of his Divine Sense, which had nearly crushed Shangguan Zhi, slowly dissipated.

"In that case, all the better."

After a few words of reassurance, Su Ye waved his hand, gesturing for Shangguan Zhi to leave.

After Shangguan Zhi left, he rubbed his chin, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.

...

After leaving the Luotian Array, a dark expression appeared on Shangguan Zhi’s face. He cursed in a low, furious voice.

"Damn it! Damn it all!"

"How dare he pry into my mind! That unreasonable Guardian Envoy, that madman from the Outer Sea... I must report him to the Flame Alliance..."

As he said this, Shangguan Zhi’s words suddenly caught in his throat.

Resentment filled his gaunt face. "Damn it... with how highly the Flame Alliance regards him, this report... might just end up right in his hands!"

Thinking of that outcome, Shangguan Zhi’s expression grew even more frustrated.

A moment later.

He muttered to himself again.

"Forget it... if I can’t afford to offend him, can’t I at least avoid him? After a while, I’ll pull some strings and see if I can get a transfer..."

Shangguan Zhi sighed and headed toward his office.

「In the following days.」

Shangguan Zhi’s expression was incredibly dark.

The slightest mistake from a subordinate earned them a vicious scolding, and he became one hundred and twenty percent stricter with the Internal Affairs Department’s inspections.

This made most of the cultivators in the Black Flame Fortress anxious and on edge!

Getting caught by the Internal Affairs Department meant minor issues were blown out of proportion and major ones led to imprisonment. It was terrifying!

「Half a month later.」

Shangguan Zhi’s mood finally calmed down a little.

His subordinates and the fortress’s cultivators breathed a sigh of relief.

「On this day.」

After finishing his work, Shangguan Zhi returned to his residence.

It was a comfortable mansion located deep beneath the fortress, enveloped in restrictive wards.

However, the dim lighting and the mechanical puppets that replaced human servants all gave the mansion a somewhat sinister air.

And now, breaking from his routine, Shangguan Zhi went to his study.

After arranging the books on the shelf in a specific pattern, a secret door in the study opened.

He stepped inside, entering a secret chamber behind the door.

BZZZT!

The restrictive wards surged.

A complex web of wards, powerful enough to block 4th-tier Divine Sense, enveloped the secret chamber!

"Phew..."

After doing all this, Shangguan Zhi’s expression changed drastically!

It was as if, in an instant, he had released all his hidden emotions and pressure.

His body, as if its spine had been removed, slumped bonelessly onto the soft sofa. He gasped for breath, panting heavily!

"HUFF... HUFF... HUFF..."

"That guy is an absolute monster!"

"A top-tier Dao Body focused on the soul, possessing a 4th-tier Divine Sense even in the Crystal Realm, and on top of that, he’s so suspicious and cunning... After prying into my mind, he kept an eye on me for days!"

"And he even conducted random checks... It took a full half-month to finally dispel his suspicion!"

"What a fucking... bastard!"

Shangguan Zhi lost his composure and swore loudly!

The psychological pressure Su Ye had put on him over the past half-month was truly terrifying!

A 4th-tier Divine Sense, combined with that strange Pupil Technique, was enough to peer into the deepest secrets of a person’s heart!

Fortunately...

"I was still the more skillful one!"

A smug look appeared in Shangguan Zhi’s eyes.

With the vast number of cultivators in this world, it’s easy for some existences with special abilities to be born!

Shangguan Zhi was one such case!

His soul structure was different from birth!

He possessed a unique ’curtain’ structure.

He could split his mind in two, hiding his true self behind the curtain while pushing the emotions he wanted to express to the forefront, just like an actor!

——One could say he was a natural-born two-faced person!

Even when he was still a mortal, he had used this talent to deceive his Foundation Establishment master, who had ill intentions and tried to possess him, and eventually schemed to have him killed!

And now, after hundreds of years of arduous cultivation, Shangguan Zhi was already a Crystal Realm master, further enhanced by specially refined magic treasures, Secret Techniques, and his own masterful acting!

Not even Su Ye’s 4th-tier Divine Sense could pierce his curtain!

"Phew..."

Shangguan Zhi gathered his thoughts.

Then, he took out a glazed mirror and activated it.

A moment later, a somewhat sullen, questioning voice sounded from the mirror’s surface: "Shangguan Zhi, why did you only contact us after half a month?"

"Is the mission complete?"

"Hah... you idiot!" Shangguan Zhi seized the initiative!

"Did you really think it’s that easy to hide something from someone with a 4th-tier soul?"

"What’s more... not only is that man’s Divine Sense terrifying, but he’s also incredibly suspicious and cunning. If it were you, the plan would have been exposed in less than fifteen minutes!"

Shangguan Zhi was blunt, sneering derisively.

Then, he threatened in a chilling tone.

"Your Chu Family must give me double... no! Triple the payment!"

"What... triple the payment?"

"Are you kidding me? That’s absolutely impossible!"

"You’re greedier than a starving glutton shark! Do you have any idea how precious these things are?!"

Faced with Shangguan Zhi’s exorbitant demand, the voice on the other side of the mirror was furious and practically jumping in anger!

"Then we’ll just go our separate ways!"

"Besides... I’m not being greedy. The risk was miscalculated, and the payment is no longer proportional to the task. Isn’t it perfectly normal to demand a higher reward?"

Shangguan Zhi argued righteously!

"You... Mr. Chu, what brings you here!" The voice on the other side of the mirror was about to launch into a tirade but abruptly stopped.

"You’re Shangguan Zhi, right? I can agree to your request for a higher reward... but have you completed the task I assigned you?"

Another, younger voice came from the mirror.

"So it is Mr. Chu..." A flicker of reverence passed through Shangguan Zhi’s eyes as he answered.

"But of course."

"The technique has been implanted. With my authority, I can activate it at any time."

"Well done. I can agree to part of your request. Triple... that amount is too high, especially the Life Juice you asked for."

"We don’t have much of that Spiritual Object either."

"How about this: I can give you triple the other items, but for the Life Juice, I can only give you one extra portion!"

"Thank you for your generosity!"

Hearing this promise, even Shangguan Zhi couldn’t hide his smile.

"However, you need to do one more thing..."

The voice faded, but Shangguan Zhi’s own voice suddenly turned shrill. "This is treas..."

"But..."

After a moment of internal conflict, Shangguan Zhi’s expression fell.

"Fine, I agree."

"Very good."

"A pleasure doing business with you."

The voice from the glazed mirror disappeared completely.

But at that moment, Shangguan Zhi’s expression changed abruptly once again.

There was no sign of the distress of someone who had been forced into a corner. Instead, a strange smile spread across his face.

The corners of his mouth curled up as he let out a triumphant, crazed laugh!

"Hahaha..."

"A bunch of idiots!"