Chapter 700: Deals and Schemes Beneath the Boundless Stars

“Xiaochi, you’re finally out of seclusion! Haha, this is great!”

In the encrypted Calm‑Sea Dragon‑Xiang communication chat, Song Xingru’s laughter was almost magical. As soon as she started, everyone else soon joined in, her joy filling the whole chat.

“Xiaochi, did you manage to master those killer-level secret arts?”

After that, Song Chi repeated everything he’d already told Song Shixing before.

There wasn’t a hint of impatience in his eyes. He knew every bit of laughter from his clansmen came from the heart—they were truly happy for him.

After a good round of conversation, the Song Family’s higher-ups finally turned their attention back to the war up ahead.

Right now, they were still bombarding the Floating-Land Shield, not caught up in a chaotic, ever-shifting battle. With things relatively calm, the risk was at its lowest.

Otherwise, there’s no way the Song Family could’ve allowed themselves even a moment’s distraction on the battlefield.

As expected, with Heavenly Ruin joining the fray, the push in the central galaxy clusters—which had seemed tough before—became much easier. Capturing a Seventh‑Tier Floating-land was now almost effortless.

And that wasn’t all. With Heavenly Ruin giving them an edge, the Song Family’s fleet—already top-tier among the advancing groups—grew even more unstoppable. Their momentum even boosted the pace of the Eleventh Approaching Fleet as a whole, reminding everyone of the family’s record-breaking efficiency back when they swept through the eastern reaches of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon galaxy cluster.

In just a little over a century, they’d taken down two more galaxy systems in the center.

But even with such an impressive speed, nobody outside seemed to notice. There was a reason for that.

The Eight-Armed Serpent Demon galaxy cluster had more than eight hundred galaxy systems, with the east, west, south and north each having just over a hundred. The true center contained over three hundred galaxies alone.

Against such a huge number—three hundred galaxies—what difference did two more make?

So the Eleventh Approaching Fleet pressed on as usual, attracting no attention at all.

……

The Sea of Stars was boundless. Even when two top-tier civilizations went to war, the shockwaves only rippled through a single corner of the Shattered Sea of Stars. At least for now, the mighty Witcher Civilization, ruler of many star systems, hadn’t received a hint of what was going on.

All the galaxy clusters under Witcher Civilization’s control remained peaceful and undisturbed.

Witcher Civilization. Witcher Human Galaxy Cluster.

Among them, the Witcher Human Galaxy Cluster stood as the oldest and most foundational cluster in the entire civilization. Of the eight clusters under Witcher Civilization’s domain, this one had the largest diameter.

Stretching over 1.5 billion light-years, this cluster held nearly sixteen hundred galaxies. These ancient galaxies were all claimed by the oldest powers; any rising factions had to carve out their paths elsewhere, forced to grow within the other seven clusters.

The Bloodline Sorcerers’ Alliance, a civilization power from ancient times, was among the most ancient as well. They didn’t just hold a place in the Witcher Human Galaxy Cluster—they actually occupied more than fifty of its nearly sixteen hundred galaxies.

Even though the Dragonblood Sorcerer Family alone possessed nearly a third of those, it was clear just how formidable the Bloodline Sorcerers’ Alliance’s members truly were.

On this particular day, in the Bloodline Sorcerers’ Alliance’s territory—the Fang Galaxy, and its capital, Fang Floating-Land.

Fang Floating-Land was the ancestral home of the Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family.

After being nurtured for over a million years by the Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family, Fang Floating-Land formally reached Ninth-Tier Floating-Land status tens of thousands of years ago.

Out in deep space, on a manmade base built from a massive floating-land fragment, strong spatial ripples suddenly flared as a figure stepped from a large-scale witcher teleportation array.

After descending the teleportation platform and confirming his identity with an eighth-tier enslaved creature guarding the way, this True Spirit Witcher was granted free movement.

Crossing to the fragment base’s edge, the True Spirit Witcher looked out over the vast floating-land below.

He let out a quiet sigh.

“A Ninth-Tier Floating-Land… While it doesn’t match the heritage of Sky Mecha City’s ancestral land, it’s still a rarity in this vast Sea of Stars. I heard that when Fang Floating-Land was promoted, the wild surge of energy helped the Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family instantly create two new eighth-tier True Spirit Sorcerers.”

“If the Komoyin Serpent bloodline hadn’t been so limited, the Bloodline Sorcerers’ Alliance might have gained a ninth-tier True Spirit Sorcerer by now.”

“The Komoyin Serpent Family has long suffered from those limits. I’d bet they’d be very interested in the Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains.”

With that thought, the seventh-tier True Spirit Witcher no longer hesitated. Channeling magic, he shot toward Fang Floating-Land below.

Since they’d arranged things ahead of time, he met with a seventh-tier Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer along the way. Guided by such a high-ranking insider, he could easily enter the floating-land’s interior.

No joke—a million years of Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer development meant traps upon traps were buried here. Even a ninth-tier True Spirit Witcher would suffer if they tried to barge in without help, let alone someone at his level.

Fang Floating-Land, Komoyin Serpent Grand City, main reception hall.

“Brook Benjamin, you contacted my Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family earlier, claiming to have news of a super snake bloodline from the stars. Care to share the details now?”

“If your news is real, my Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family will surely reward you handsomely. But if you’re here to deceive us—even if you’re a True Spirit Witcher from Sky Mecha City—we won’t let you walk away easily!”

Brook Benjamin only smiled at that, clearly unconcerned.

He nodded and said,

“Patriarch Herman, rest assured. If I’ve come myself, it means I have solid information. But let me be clear. The super snake bloodline I’ve learned about is from a mythical serpent. If you want it, your family must offer something of equal value.”

After saying ‘mythical serpent,’ Brook Benjamin’s gaze locked onto Herman, as if he meant to read every flicker of emotion on the patriarch’s face.

The Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains at the Omniverse Market was the real deal—a tricolored lower-tier legendary oddity. If this trade was going to happen, the Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family would have to produce an equivalent oddity first.

Otherwise, there was nothing left to discuss.

Too bad for him—Herman, despite being only a seventh-tier True Spirit Sorcerer, was nine thousand years old. All those years had built a deep patience. Right now his face showed absolutely nothing.

Seeing that, Brook Benjamin could only reveal the Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains’ details—information he’d intercepted from the Omniverse Market.

At the exact moment Herman saw that property panel, something finally flickered across his face.

‘It really is a mythical serpent bloodline, and it’s already become a Starsea Oddity. This is the very best that bloodline resources can offer…’

Only a heartbeat ago, the family patriarch had been calm as stone. Now, in silence, he couldn’t stop repeating the words to himself.

Of course, all of that was hidden deep inside. Brook Benjamin never heard a thing.

But Brook Benjamin was a True Spirit Witcher; no matter how well Herman masked it, he still caught that flash of excitement and wild joy behind the old sorcerer’s eyes.

“Sir Brook, what exactly counts as something of equal value in your eyes?”

“What else? A Starsea Oddity of the same grade, of course!”

Brook Benjamin’s answer made Herman’s face cloud over in an instant.

“Sir Brook, you must know how rare legendary myth-grade oddities are. Surely you could be flexible? Or maybe ask your backer to reconsider? If we reach a deal, my Komoyin Serpent Family will show our gratitude in full!”

Brook Benjamin was tempted when he heard that, but the Master of the Omniverse Market had repeated time and again: the Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains would only be traded for a Starsea Oddity of the same grade. That wasn’t something he could change.

Seeing Brook shake his head, Herman quickly shifted tactics.

“Sir Brook, you know perfectly well that my Komoyin Serpent Family could always substitute in a new Ninth-Tier serpent bloodline. The Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains aren’t the only way for us…”

“Patriarch Herman, let’s not kid ourselves. Bloodline replacements cost a fortune every time—even with your family’s wealth, it’s barely affordable. If you were really happy to swap for just any Ninth-Tier bloodline, you wouldn’t have waited until now, right?”

By now, Herman could see there was little room to negotiate, so his answer was quick.

“Sir Brook, please wait a moment. I can’t decide this alone—it must be taken up with the Clan Elder!”

Brook Benjamin nodded lightly. He’d expected this part.

Once Herman had gone, Brook’s eyes flickered quickly as he silently wondered whether the Komoyin Serpent Sorcerer Family could actually pay for the Moon-Swallowing Viper’s Remains.

‘Shouldn’t be a problem. This family has a legacy stretching back more than 1.2 million years. They’ve got over ten known eighth-tier True Spirit Sorcerers, and dozens more have emerged across the ages. They’ve taken part in interstellar campaigns again and again—there’s no way they wouldn’t own a legendary myth oddity…’

‘If this doesn’t work, I’ll have to approach the Black Mamba Sorcerer Family. But their resources can’t compare—the odds are even worse. Here’s hoping the Komoyin Serpent Family gives me a satisfactory reply!’