ryethenovel Chapter 13 A Slap and a Sweet Treat
Chapter 13 A Slap and a Sweet Treat
"And who are you?" Chen Yang took a half step forward, shielding Li Bowen behind him. Although he tried his best to keep his voice calm, a slight tremor still escaped at the end.
The look in the eyes of the person in the clouds made him very uncomfortable—it wasn't hostility, but more like the natural...disgust one feels when seeing mud and dog excrement by the roadside.
"Oh."
Luo Jiuchuan chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in his voice. He didn't even fully focus his gaze on Chen Yang.
"The weak need to recognize their place." His tone was as calm as stating a well-known fact. "Let me introduce myself. I am Luo Jiuchuan, from the thirty-sixth island. It's just a coincidence that I met you... you're lucky."
Only after finishing speaking did he turn his gaze to Chen Yang and say, "Kneel down!"
Words became law, and Chen Yang's expression changed instantly. He felt an indescribable, irresistible pressure, not from the outside world, but rather erupting suddenly from the depths of his bones and the core of his soul! That power carried an absolute sense of "command," as if every cell in his body was being forcibly "instructed" to kneel down in an instant.
His knees slammed heavily against the hard jade floor, producing a dull thud. Before Chen Yang could even mount any resistance or show any sign of humiliation, he had involuntarily fallen to his knees.
"Chen Yang!" Wang Jianguo said worriedly, wanting to rush over, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the spot. A trembling fear, also originating from instinct, gripped him tightly, making him unable to move.
Jiang He's face turned deathly pale, and her body trembled slightly—the instinctive fear that arose when rational understanding was crushed by absolute power. Her opponent was clearly no ordinary person; at least in the Mountain and Sea Realm, they had no power to resist.
As the unsung mastermind behind all this, Su Fan naturally knew that Luo Jiuchuan's effects were impressive, but in essence, they were still a derivative of dream control abilities, a trick at the level of illusionary dreams.
Luo Jiuchuan seemed to casually dust off his sleeves, no longer looking at Chen Yang who was kneeling and struggling, as if he had just suppressed a disobedient ant.
"Now, can you listen to me properly?" His tone remained calm, but no one dared to interrupt.
Luo Jiuchuan spread his five fingers, palm facing upward, and a ray of seven-colored light flowed from his fingertips, gathering and swirling about a foot above his palm.
At first it was just a halo, but it quickly solidified and expanded, the colors deepened, and the details became more prominent.
In just a few breaths, a miniature yet incredibly precise model of the "Mountain and Sea Realm" floated above Luo Jiuchuan's palm, slowly rotating and emitting a soft yet profound light.
At its very core stood a majestic, exquisitely detailed Seven Treasures Tree. Its trunk was as if cast from seven-colored glazed glass, its inner light flowing with endless vitality, and its outstretched branches seemed to support a miniature heaven. Even though it was only a foot tall, its ancient, vast, and all-encompassing aura still overwhelmed the five people on Jade Island, leaving them deeply awestruck.
Centered on the Seven Treasures Tree, eighty-one floating islands are clearly visible, arranged in orderly layers.
"Did you see it clearly?" Luo Jiuchuan's voice pulled everyone back from their shock. He lightly tapped the model with his fingertip, and the eighty-one islands were immediately divided into clear, differently colored areas.
"Qingyu Island, which is where you are now, is a 'last-rate island,' a place for newbies." He said coldly, "Besides providing a temporary place for clueless newbies like you, it's practically useless."
"In this realm of mountains and seas, people are divided into different classes. On the higher islands, one can obtain various abilities, even immortality. And to go to even higher islands, one needs this!" Luo Jiuchuan then took out an emotion crystal.
About the size of an egg, it shimmers with light, like the most dazzling gemstone.
"This item is called 'Emotional Crystal,' also known as 'Soul Crystal' or 'Heart Source.'" Luo Jiuchuan's voice seemed to have lost some of its pure coldness and gained some substantial weight because of the existence of this crystal. "It is the only currency in the Mountain and Sea Realm. It can enhance spiritual power and is also your license to enter other islands."
With a flick of his fingertip, Luo Jiuchuan sent the radiant, soul-soothing emotional crystal into a gentle yet irresistible beam of light, which suddenly disappeared into Li Bowen's almost transparent chest.
In an instant, a strange change occurred.
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Li Bowen's originally blurry and seemingly about to vanish in the wind became clear and stable at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Did you see clearly?" Luo Jiuchuan's voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying the calm of a successful demonstration experiment, yet containing an undeniable authority. "This is one of the most basic effects of emotional crystals: enhancing mental power. In other words, if you have enough emotional crystals, theoretically you can even achieve immortality after death."
"This old fellow's situation is typical. His physical body has passed away, and his soul has left its vessel. If no external force intervenes, it will follow the principle of 'returning to the source,' naturally dissipate, and return to the world." He pointed at Li Bowen, "But the emotional crystal, which gathers the essence of the emotions of all living beings, is itself the purest resource. One emotional crystal can help him extend his life by one day in the Mountain and Sea Realm."
After speaking, Luo Jiuchuan fell silent. Su Fan then spoke up, "So, senior, how do we obtain Emotional Crystals?"
"Obtaining a specific divine beast inheritance naturally leads to a method for condensing emotional crystals. Of course, only a few people obtain such divine beast inheritances. Alternatively, one can obtain other people's emotional crystals through trading, or by forging magical artifacts to collect emotions and condense them into emotional crystals."
"But you clearly haven't obtained the inheritance. And you don't have anything of value in the trade, not even magical artifacts, which are beyond the capabilities of ants like you to forge," Luo Jiuchuan mocked.
Luo Jiuchuan's words were like cold needles, piercing everyone's eardrums, carrying undisguised contempt and mockery. He looked down at the five people on Qingyu Island, especially Chen Yang, who was still kneeling on the ground, his eyes as if looking at insects struggling in the mud.
Jiang He's face grew even paler, but she forced herself to straighten her back, meeting Luo Jiuchuan's gaze, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed emotion: "Since you think we are utterly worthless, why did you even show yourself and tell us all this? Was it merely to...enjoy our pathetic state?"
Li Bowen's face was bitter. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. The gratitude he owed Luo Jiuchuan for saving his life was intertwined with the harsh mockery he was receiving, leaving him with extremely complicated feelings.
Su Fan nodded inwardly. This was exactly the effect he wanted. Only extreme belittling could ignite extreme desire and resentment.
He stepped forward, blocking Chen Yang slightly, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of humility and arrogance: "What you say, senior, is certainly true, but not entirely. We are newcomers to this treasure mountain, and it is true that we are ignorant and naive. But since we have entered this world by chance, there is always a glimmer of hope. If you truly regard us as nothing, senior, you wouldn't need to waste your breath. Since you have appeared to guide us, surely... we still have some small value?"
"Hehe!" Luo Jiuchuan chuckled noncommittally and said, "You ants are lucky to have run into me. After all, I'm a great philanthropist! I'm willing to give you the magical artifact of collecting emotional crystals, but you'll need to pay a tiny, insignificant price!"
"Senior, I'm willing! I'll pay any price," Li Bowen said.
Luo Jiuchuan's gaze lingered on Li Bowen's face for a moment, a hint of something unreadable in his smile. "Old man, you're quite straightforward. But your luck isn't so good!" He changed the subject, spreading his hands, "Unfortunately, I came in a hurry today, and I didn't bring those crudely made collecting trinkets with me."
This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. The hope that had just begun to rise was instantly suspended in mid-air again.
"However," Luo Jiuchuan continued slowly, seemingly appreciating the subtle changes in their expressions, "since it's a 'transaction,' it must be fair. Next time, when you enter this realm again, if you're still interested… we can complete this transaction. As for the price," he slowly swept his gaze over the four of them, "we'll discuss it then. Rest assured, it will certainly be 'insignificant' to you."
His words, spoken casually, sent a chill down the spines of Chen Yang, Jiang He, and the others. In the Mountain and Sea Realm, where power disparities were vast and rules unclear, what he called "insignificant" might not truly be insignificant. But right now, they seemed to have no other choice.
"Alright, that's enough for today." Luo Jiuchuan seemed to have lost interest in continuing the conversation. He waved his sleeve, and four streams of light flew out from his fingertips, shooting towards Su Fan, Chen Yang, Jiang He, and Wang Jianguo respectively.
The four instinctively reached out, and the flowing light fell into their palms. The light faded, revealing four "emotional crystals" similar to the one they had given Li Bowen before! They were only slightly smaller and their luster was a little dimmer, but the gentle energy contained within them was still clearly perceptible.
"These few emotional crystals are a little 'sweetness' I'm giving you." Luo Jiuchuan looked down at you, his tone like a bestowal. "Feel its power and experience the feeling of your soul being nourished."
It's like casually giving a beggar a few coins.
"Furthermore," his gaze finally settled on Chen Yang, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "speaking on your knees may be unsightly, but sometimes it can save your life. Young man, don't be too hot-tempered." Vanishing into the mist, Luo Jiuchuan's figure transformed into a rapidly receding ray of light on the horizon, ultimately merging completely into the layers of floating islands and radiant light, as if he had never existed.
On Jade Island, silence returned, with only the radiance of the wondrous tree flowing quietly.
The five stood there, speechless. The crystallized emotions in their palms served as a constant reminder that what had just happened was not an illusion.
Chen Yang was the first to move. He gripped the crystal tightly, feeling the faint yet distinct warmth emanating from it. That warmth seemed to soothe the pain in his knees and the humiliation in his heart. He gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the direction where Luo Jiuchuan had disappeared, his expression complex.
"What is this? A slap followed by a sweet treat? Bastard!" His voice was low and filled with resentment. Chen Yang then slammed his fist into the jade stone beside him, making a dull thud.