Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

"The Returning to the Void Furnace?"

Jiang Yining leaned against the dilapidated bulkhead, her right shoulder still throbbing with pain, but her eyes lit up. "What use is that thing to you?"

Su Chenzhou did not answer immediately.

He walked to the bow of the boat, his black cloak fluttering in the wind of the dark river, his slender figure appearing particularly lonely and cold in the gloom.

"An old friend," he finally spoke, his voice low and somber. "She died in a place like this. I have to get that furnace out and give her some closure."

Jiang Yining narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the mysterious man's profile.

The cabin was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, and the chilling atmosphere of someone who had been constantly teetering on the edge of life and death. His heartbeat was steady, slow as an ancient clock, and it didn't seem like he was lying.

But Jiang Yining knew that this person was only telling half the truth.

"Deal." She sat up straight, leaning on the deck. "But I'm telling you beforehand, once the old warehouse is opened, no matter what's inside, I'm going to pick one item first."

Su Chenzhou turned around, a hint of amusement flashing in his dark eyes: "You're quite greedy."

"If I weren't greedy, I wouldn't have survived this long." Jiang Yining met his gaze without flinching. "Your old friend wants the Returning to the Void Furnace, and I only want a wooden tablet that can suppress the gestational energy. It's fair and reasonable for each of us to get what we need."

Su Chenzhou remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly chuckled softly.

"Interesting." He flicked his finger, tossing a jet-black token to Jiang Yining. "This is the Ancient Ship Pass. The three sections of the ancient road are blocked, but with this you can pass directly. The Old Warehouse is located deep within the western route of the Burial Star. I'll take you there after we leave Gray Bone Port."

Jiang Yining took the token; it felt heavy in her hand. It was made of neither gold nor stone, and was covered with densely packed ancient runes.

"Grey Bone Mound?" She frowned slightly. "What kind of place is that?"

"A transit point on the Ancient Road to Burial Stars." Su Chenzhou walked back to the cabin, casually rummaged through a corner and pulled out two dusty old robes, tossing one to Jiang Yining. "A hideout for outlaws and black market merchants. You can buy anything and sell anything."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes: "Including the Protoss wanted posters."

Jiang Yining felt a chill run down her spine.

The ancient boat traveled silently through the underground river, and after about two hours, it finally reached the shore.

Despite its name, Grey Bone Harbor is actually a ruin floating in a crack in the void. Scattered soul lamps glow among the broken walls, the air is filled with the stench of blood and decay, and the shouts and curses of outlaws and black market merchants fill the surroundings.

The two changed into old robes, and Su Chenzhou pulled out two masks from somewhere, one of which he stuck on Jiang Yining's face and the other on his own.

Jiang Yining's mask was old and sallow, completely obscuring her stunningly beautiful face, which was capable of causing a bloodbath, leaving only a pointed chin visible. Su Chenzhou, on the other hand, had transformed into a middle-aged man with a full beard, even his dark eyes were covered by a murky film.

"Let's go buy some things first." Su Chenzhou put his arm around Jiang Yining's waist, the action as natural as if he had done it a thousand times. "Stay close to me later. Private fights are not allowed in Grey Bone Village, but there are quite a few who resort to underhanded tactics."

Jiang Yining didn't struggle; she simply turned her head slightly and buried her face in his shoulder.

He secretly memorized the key to the ancient boat that he carried on his heart.

It was a bronze key about the size of a thumb, shaped like a small boat, hanging quietly on Su Chenzhou's chest, rising and falling slightly with his breath.

The two walked down the dilapidated stone steps into the main street.

There was only one main street in Grey Bone Village, lined with all sorts of stalls selling everything from fragments of cultivation techniques to bloodstained magical artifacts. The air was thick with the burnt smell of inferior pills and a faint stench of decay.

Jiang Yining's gaze swept quickly across the crowd.

Suddenly, she froze.

Not far ahead, a brand-new bounty poster was pasted on a gray-white wall.

"Ten thousand high-grade star crystals, seeking clues about the female cultivator carrying a fraternal twin."

Jiang Yining's pupils suddenly contracted.

The portrait on the wanted poster was so blurry that the face was almost unrecognizable, but the few lines of small print were written in extremely fine detail:

"Disordered breathing, penetrating shoulder wound, and severe abnormal fetal pulse..."

There was also a note next to it: This female cultivator is carrying a special spiritual fetus. The Star Spirit Clan has ordered her to be brought back, alive or dead.

Jiang Yining's fingernails dug into her palm.

Those Protoss bastards actually described her characteristics in such detail!

"You saw that?" Su Chenzhou's voice came from above, deep and calm. "Ten thousand high-grade star crystals are enough to buy three lives in Graybone Port."

He tightened his grip on Jiang Yining's shoulder slightly, pulling her closer to him: "Come with me, don't look back."

The two turned into a narrow alley.

The alley was lined with stalls selling all sorts of shady goods. A pungent medicinal smell filled the air, and Jiang Yining's nose twitched as she keenly detected several unusual herbs mixed in with the odor.

Hidden vein sand, fetal breathing wooden box, signal interruption talisman...

All three things Su Chenzhou mentioned can be found in this alley.

"Let's pick some goods first." Su Chenzhou released her and strode towards the nearest stall. "Boss, how much is the Hidden Vein Sand?"

Behind the stall stood a gaunt old man, his face wrinkled like a dried walnut shell. He squinted at Su Chenzhou for a moment, then held up three fingers: "Three bags per ounce, fixed price, no bargaining."

Without saying a word, Su Chenzhou took out a bag of star stones and threw it on the stall: "Give me ten bags. And three more communication interruption talismans."

The old man's eyes lit up, and he quickly wrapped the items up. Then he pulled out a palm-sized wooden box from under the counter: "Sir, would you like a fetal breathing wooden box? It's made of the finest ebony and can block any detection below the Void Realm. Your wife is pregnant, so this is the safest option."

Jiang Yining took the wooden box and ran her fingertips along the grain of the surface.

It's definitely a high-quality product. Submerged wood itself has a calming and soothing effect, and the hidden runes carved on the inner wall are enough to fool most detection methods.

She tucked the wooden box into her bosom, about to speak, when she caught a glimpse of a silver light flashing at the alley entrance.

Jiang Yining was startled.

That's the Protoss mark!

"Don't move." Su Chenzhou's voice suddenly rang in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe. "Two at the three o'clock position on the left. One at the eleven o'clock position on the right."

His hand had somehow landed on Jiang Yining's lower back, and his fingertips gently tapped her spine: "If you want to live, keep moving forward and pretend you didn't see anything."

Jiang Yining gritted her teeth, suppressing the turmoil in her heart.

The Protoss pursuers have actually caught up with us all the way to Ashbone Village!

"Let's go." Su Chenzhou put his arm around her shoulder, rested his chin on the top of her head, and said in a lazy voice, as if he were teasing his woman, "There's a nice tavern up ahead, I'll take you there for a couple of drinks."

Jiang Yining was half-dragged and half-pulled forward by him, but her eyes were fixed on those three directions.