A flash of teleportation light erupted in midair once again. Zhang Wen and Ming Yuan could not stop moving for even a single moment. The instant their figures vanished, the ground below detonated in black flames, as if the entire world were roaring in fury.
The escape was not over.
Teleportation formations were activated again and again. Each time they appeared in a new location, misfortune followed like an inseparable shadow. Sometimes it was a lightning storm forming without warning. Sometimes an entire mountain collapsed in one breath. Sometimes it was demonic beasts that went berserk, as if forced to hunt them down.
There was one moment when they had only just set foot on the ground before a fissure tore open beneath them. Scalding crimson lava erupted from the depths of the earth. At other times, the sky itself became unstable as violent winds twisted together, forming colossal tornadoes.
Yet no matter how fierce the disasters became, Zhang Wen managed to lead Ming Yuan to safety every time.
The wounds on Zhang Wen's body increased little by little. The clothes formed from water were torn and tattered. Blood stained the corner of his mouth. But the calamities gradually began to weaken, as if the heavens had started to hesitate, unsure whether they truly could not kill Ming Yuan, or because their patience was finally running thin.
At last, the furious roar of heaven and earth slowly faded.
The storms dissipated. The clouds scattered. The pressure that had blanketed the world gradually vanished. It was as though the world itself had chosen to retreat unwillingly.
High in the sky, a water dragon soared through the clouds. Its body stretched dozens of meters long, formed entirely from pure water. Zhang Wen stood upon the dragon's head. His face was slightly pale, and one of his arms was charred black, unable to move.
Earlier, a bolt of lightning from nowhere had struck him directly. He had taken it head-on to protect Ming Yuan.
Bright red blood dripped from his fingertips as the wind carried away faint traces of scorched smoke.
He coughed up a small mouthful of blood before circulating his water energy to stabilize his condition. His meridians began flowing again, though that arm could not yet be used. Still, the injury remained within the limits of what he could eventually heal.
Ming Yuan stood behind him, his expression filled with worry. He himself bore only minor injuries. Compared to what Zhang Wen had endured in his place, it was not even worth mentioning.
"Are you… alright?" he asked.
Zhang Wen let out a soft laugh.
"I'm fine."
Ming Yuan clenched his fists tightly, his heart trembling. He was not foolish. He understood clearly that without Zhang Wen, he would have died countless times during the chaos earlier.
Zhang Wen lifted his head to the sky and asked silently,
"So this is the price of investing in someone with Black Fortune?"
The system's voice responded immediately.
[That's right, Host. The heavens will use every possible method to kill those who bear Black Fortune. You should have seen it already. None of what just happened followed any logic at all. According to the rules, the punishment of heaven is directed primarily at the bearer of Black Fortune. After completing your investment, you could have fled and left the Black-Fortuned individual to face heaven's punishment alone.]
The system paused briefly before continuing.
[But if I were you, I would have done the same. Ming Yuan… is worth saving. Both in terms of who he is, and in terms of his future value. His Stellar Origin Body holds enormous potential.]
Zhang Wen did not listen to a single word that followed.
He merely let out a soft chuckle in his throat, his gaze fixed on the vast emptiness of the sky ahead, before murmuring seriously in his mind,
"In that case… if I find a hundred people with Black Fortune, accumulate one hundred investments, then secretly infiltrate the Gu Clan and invest in all of them at once…"
"That would be quite a spectacular sight."
The system fell silent for a moment before speaking again, its tone clearly laced with a headache.
[If it were me, after being hunted by heaven like that, I wouldn't dare invest in another Black-Fortuned person for several days… but my Host seems slightly abnormal. You were probably struck by lightning a few times too many just now.]
[Using people hated by heaven as time bombs for revenge… the conditions are extremely difficult. But if it really succeeds, the scene would indeed be magnificent… I'm starting to want to see it myself.]
After barely escaping the pursuit of the heavens, the two chose to rest temporarily atop a thick layer of clouds. Zhang Wen formed a water platform beneath them, and the turbulent aura around his body gradually settled.
They talked for a long while.
Within the silence, there was no awkwardness, only a heavy calm forged through shared survival.
At last, Zhang Wen spoke plainly.
"I want to build a trade hall."
To Zhang Wen, a trade hall meant the circulation of immeasurable wealth. And that was the most fundamental cornerstone of investment. Pills, heavenly treasures, rare ores, even information itself all flowed through trade halls.
They were the birthplace of wealth… and of power.
Ming Yuan paused slightly before lifting his head. A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes, yet he did not ask anything. After a moment, he nodded softly.
"I can help," he said firmly. "I've been involved with these matters since I was a child."
He fell silent for a brief moment before continuing in a quieter voice.
"My father's Maple Leaf Trade Hall still has one remaining branch. It's located in Sword Heaven City."
Zhang Wen frowned slightly before speaking.
"Sword Heaven City?"
Ming Yuan nodded and continued.
"It's in the southern region of the Black Wind Continent, close to the central region. That place is the hub of the major trade routes connecting the south and the center. I'm not sure whether the trade hall still exists, but if we're going to rebuild from scratch, that location is the most suitable."
"More importantly, it's close to the Jade Pool Sacred Land. Their strength is no weaker than the Sacred Land of Chaos, and they are enemies of both the Gu Clan and the Wang Clan."
Zhang Wen fell silent for a moment as he considered this. The Jade Pool Sacred Land was a force that originated from the Upper Realm. Its power rivaled the Sacred Land of Chaos, yet it was also a faction that was almost hostile toward every major power within this world.
After thinking for a while, Zhang Wen nodded.
"Then guide me to Sword Heaven City."
Ming Yuan nodded in response. Zhang Wen immediately formed a water dragon beneath their feet and soared forward along the direction Ming Yuan indicated. The sky ahead gradually changed color. The clouds grew denser, and the spiritual energy became noticeably richer than that of the border regions.
During the journey, Zhang Wen spoke calmly.
"And your matter… what exactly happened? But if you're not ready to talk about it yet, pretend I never asked."
Ming Yuan clenched his fists. His gaze dimmed as memories buried deep within him began to resurface. He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.
"At that time, my father's Maple Leaf Trade Hall was at the height of its prosperity. Wealth, influence, strength. Everything was flourishing. My father was on the verge of stepping into the Saint realm. Everything was going smoothly…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"But everything fell apart because of me. Back then, I had a childhood lover. My father took her in and raised her alongside me. She grew up by my side, until one day… I learned that she came from the Wang Clan."
The wind in the sky grew stronger.
"At that time, I loved her with all my heart. Not long after, the two of us received an invitation to undergo the trial to enter the Sacred Land of Chaos together. And there… I met a man."
"He was the young master of the Wang Clan. He took her from me… and she chose him willingly. After learning the truth, I was devastated."
"I once believed she was being forced. I believed she might be waiting for me to save her. But that was never the case. She truly loved him."
"I lost control. Rage consumed my heart, and I challenged the Wang Clan's young master to a duel. And of course… I was utterly defeated."
Ming Yuan clenched his fists tightly.
"After that, I was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Sacred Land. That night, the Wang Clan's young master came to see me. He used demonic power to devour my cultivation, destroy my body, and shatter my origin."
"But I survived. The current Son of Chaos happened to pass by and witnessed it. The two of them fought. He won, and afterward he ordered someone to send me back home."
"By then, I was crippled. I could not move. I could only lie there listening to my parents' cries. They told me they would seek justice for me. But from that day onward… they never returned."
His voice faded, growing faint.
"Later, I heard servants whisper that my parents had been killed. After that, people began leaving the Maple Leaf Trade Hall one after another. They abandoned me."
"The last thing I heard… was the laughter of former servants as they carried away the trade hall's treasures."
Silence fell once more.
Zhang Wen turned to look at Ming Yuan, his expression calm and unreadable. After a moment, he asked slowly,
"If I order you to kill that woman who was once your lover, would you do it if she stands in your way?"
Ming Yuan did not answer immediately. His breathing wavered, but only for a brief instant before he spoke in a firm, steady voice.
"I would."
"And after that?" Zhang Wen continued. "After your revenge is complete, what will you do next?"
Ming Yuan let out a soft laugh before answering directly, without the slightest hesitation.
"I will follow you. No matter where you go, I will walk that path with you."
Zhang Wen chuckled quietly. His body had now fully recovered. Nirvana aura flowed steadily around him, his eyes deep and tranquil like a vast ocean concealing monstrous tides beneath its surface.
"Do not forget your words."
Ming Yuan smiled. It was not a joyful smile, but one as heavy and resolute as a vow.
The water dragon let out a low roar before surging forward, flying toward the distant horizon where Sword Heaven City awaited.