Do Not Keep Company with the Dead

　　Money is something you can never finish earning.　　The amount of money isn't important; the key is having enough. Chen Xia simply didn't have enough spirit stones, which was why she asked the cultivators present for some.　　Note that it's "asking" not "borrowing."　　What could the cultivators on the scene do? Jia Bai had already been beaten half to death, and no one dared to voice any objections at this moment.　　Li Yue stood below, her mouth pouting, feeling very aggrieved. She thought this Lord of the Dead Star really spared no face, collecting money was fine, but why did she have to announce it in front of so many people? It was too disrespectful.　　After all, they had coexisted for over half a month in the Dead Star Region. How could they turn their back on each other like this now?　　Chen Xia said nothing more, snapping her fingers, and suddenly a wraith appeared beside everyone, clasping its hands and begging the nearby cultivator for spirit stones.　　No one dared to refuse, placing a thousand spirit stones into the wraith's hand without hesitation.　　Upon receiving the spirit stones, the wraith let out a cry as if rejoicing, then vanished abruptly, merging into the black mist.　　The cultivators smiled bitterly, looking at the dark figure in the center, feeling quite helpless. Perhaps this was the pressure from a higher realm cultivator.　　What seemed absurdly unreasonable became perfectly sensible when said by the Lord of the Dead Star.　　Indeed, might makes right.　　Jia Bai took a healing pill, spat out a mouthful of blood, and struggled to rise, staring at the wraith beside him. He froze for a moment before smiling bitterly at Chen Xia.　　"Senior, I don't have that many spirit stones on me. Can we negotiate? I'll give them to you once I get them from the Hundred Souls Sect."　　Chen Xia replied, "Give me whatever you have first, then follow me to the Dead Star Region. You can leave only after the Hundred Souls Sect replenishes your share of spirit stones."　　Jia Bai lowered his head, unable even to smile bitterly. After rummaging through his storage treasure for a long time, he took out all valuable items and shouted to Chen Xia,　　"These are worth about eighty thousand spirit stones. Please take them, Senior."　　Chen Xia didn't respond. The wraith picked up these items and carried them back into the black mist one by one, treating them as if they were scraps rather than treasures.　　Jia Bai couldn't bear to watch, closing his eyes, feeling not just physical injuries but also an indelible psychological scar.　　He looked down again, seeing the blue-robed cultivator lying in a pool of blood, shaking his head and feeling somewhat relieved.　　Indeed, comparison was necessary.　　The blue-robed cultivator was truly half-dead, consciousness scattered, with a fate similar to his broken flying sword.　　The wraith appeared before the blue-robed cultivator, kicking him twice when he refused to give spirit stones. These kicks almost tore the blue robe apart.　　Still unconscious, the wraith could only look helplessly at Chen Xia.　　Chen Xia waved her hand casually, "Just carry him away."　　The wraith understood immediately, lifting the blue-robed cultivator and vanishing into the black mist.　　The 200,000 spirit stones from Di Du and Qiu Li were quickly collected. Neither dared to delay, fearing being taken to the Dead Star Region.　　Thus, nearly all the spirit stones on the scene were collected, totaling 700,000, exactly as Chen Xia had planned.　　Adding the 1 million spirit stones from Jia Bai and the blue-robed cultivator, there were 1.7 million spirit stones, more than enough for the grand array connecting various star regions.　　Chen Xia couldn't help but sigh.　　Crowdfunding was indeed the fastest way to make money.　　Li Yang's expression kept changing, looking at the dark figure above, feeling a sense of familiarity.　　She pondered carefully and came to a conclusion, recalling a long-buried name.　　She shook her head slightly, unwilling to believe it, thinking she might be imagining things.　　But once the thought arose, it grew stronger, becoming more convincing.　　Even the manner of robbing spirit stones seemed familiar.　　She exhaled, unwilling to think further. The Chen Xia from the past had died in the Azure Heaven Sword Sea. How could she appear here? Moreover, the combat style of the Lord of the Dead Star was completely different from Chen Xia's.　　"She's dead,"　　Li Yang whispered finally, saying no more.　　Having given 100,000 spirit stones, she considered herself settled with the Lord of the Dead Star, with no further ties.　　Giving 1,000 spirit stones, Li Yue felt the same, severing all connections.　　Chen Xia, satisfied with the spirit stones, nodded and waved around, smiling,　　"One last announcement: I offer various proxy fighting services. The appearance fee is 100,000 spirit stones, price varies according to the opponent. Best to book two years in advance; otherwise, I might be sleeping."　　After saying this, she entered the black coffin, disappearing inside.　　The black coffin was pulled into the black mist by tens of thousands of wraiths, merging into it.　　Li Yue watched dumbfounded, suddenly remembering the chill of those 1,000 spirit stones, running hurriedly. Wind blew past her ears, hair fluttering. She stopped, shouting into the dense black mist,　　"Can I find you again in the future?!"　　The black mist gave no answer, only silence.　　Li Yue waited, gritted her teeth, and sat on the Li Family's flying shuttle, heading toward the Dead Star Region.　　Li Yang watched silently, understanding it wasn't affection but more like seeking an explanation between friends.　　The surrounding cultivators, watching the black mist fade, lost interest, especially after paying 1,000 spirit stones themselves, feeling quite unlucky.　　Qiu Li shook his head, patting Di Du's shoulder, laughing bitterly, "We really lost big."　　Di Du exhaled, laughing, "At least we're still alive."　　He knew how to console himself.　　Qiu Li thought about it and agreed, chuckling, "We need to be more low-key in the future. Who would've thought there were so many formidable figures in the star region? The pressure is immense."　　Speaking of this, Di Du's expression turned serious. As the first victim, he had the right to speak, nodding,　　"The pressure is extraordinary. That finger point made me feel like dying. This person must have at least Fifth Heaven Heaven Mending realm combat power, possibly even more."　　They exchanged glances, sighing again, thoroughly convinced.　　The farce initiated by the Hundred Souls Sect thus came to an abrupt end.　　Five days later, Li Yue chased to the outskirts of the Dead Star Region but couldn't enter, being repelled by the Dead Star Region.　　Frowning, she kicked the flying shuttle, shouting at the Dead Star Region,　　"I wouldn't have come to bother you, but you didn't have to go this far. I spent spirit stones to sever karma, how could you treat me like this? We chatted and got along well. I even wanted to ask you to be my master!"　　No response, the Dead Star Region remained eerily silent.　　The mist unmoving, the wraiths silent.　　Distant star rivers emitted deep light, but none reached inside the Dead Star Region.　　Li Yue wanted to speak again, but she and the flying shuttle were moving backward, surrounded by receding starlight.　　It felt like entering a fast tunnel. Suddenly, she looked up.　　At the end of the tunnel, a blurry figure waved at her, a low voice echoing in her ears,　　"Do not consort with the dead."　　Her expression flickered, turning to see the entire Li Family behind her.　　Thirty years of time.　　Just a dream that ended abruptly.