Seeing the sudden turn of events, Shi Ming quickly put away the last piece of Divine Spinal Marrow.
’Calling me a little thief???’
’What kind of talk is that? So harsh?’
Treasures are gifts from heaven, meant for the worthy. Before a treasure is claimed, it belongs to no one! Besides, he had reached this treasure-filled star cave only after enduring hellish trials—his body was torn apart nearly two hundred times as he forced his way through.
’It’s only right and proper that I take it.’
’Where does this talk of "stealing" and "daring" even come from?’
But Shi Ming never expected to find another living being deep within the Cave of the Stars. And to run into them by pure coincidence? The odds were terrifyingly low. ’Could it be that the Eye of the Divine foresaw a potential change in this star cave and guided me here through the power of fate?’
’If that’s the case, then I have even more reason not to back down.’
The old man’s voice was like thunder.
Shi Ming was not to be outdone:
"Ridiculous,"
"Treasures are ownerless—first come, first served. Are you, sir, a legendary Star Thief, trying to rob me?"
Star Thieves were mostly desperadoes, figures reviled by all in the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country.
They were considered the most despicable of creatures.
What kind of status did the Fisherman have?
In the entire Cosmic Country, he stood below only two and above tens of thousands, commanding immense prestige. In terms of seniority, even Sovereign Ron had to address him as "Uncle." For Shi Ming to call him a Star Thief was a true, deep-cutting insult.
"You little thief, you know full well what you’ve done. Leave that Divine Marrow, and I’ll forget about what happened in the other two star caves. If you don’t know what’s good for you, then I don’t mind showing you what I’m made of."
The Fisherman’s voice was like a great bell,
his aura surging continuously.
Shi Ming deduced that his opponent was definitely a King-Sealing Nirvana Powerhouse, far stronger than the Tower King. The fact that this man had reached the depths of the star cave alone in his aged body and found this world representing the "Civilization’s Backbone" was a testament to his power. At the very least, this old man had endured a thousand years of solitude, his lifespan far exceeding Shi Ming’s own.
’But so what?’
’I never take out a treasure once I’ve put it away!’
’Handing it over is just a pipe dream.’
The spine was three hundred meters in diameter, and its immense pressure was omnipresent. It was fine for treasure hunting, but combat would be severely restricted. He had already collected all five pieces of the Divine Spinal Marrow that retained their divinity. While other things inside the spine were also valuable, he couldn’t take them all. Shi Ming had no desire to fight the old man within the divine spine. Transforming into a borer, he prepared to drill his way out.
"Trying to escape?"
"No creature can escape right under my nose!"
The Fisherman pulled a net from his robes and was about to cast it over the space within the spine. However, the net was full of gaps. To Shi Ming, who possessed the [Bore] ability, gaps were loopholes. With a single glance, he found a flaw in the treasure and slipped past its attempt to trap him.
"I can’t fight freely in here. If you want a real fight, I’ll be waiting outside!"
"Fine, little thief! As you wish!"
The Fisherman knew it too. If he didn’t deal with this nuisance, he would never be able to claim the remaining treasures in the spine with any peace of mind. He might as well subdue the little thief quickly to get it over with, then he could explore at his leisure. As for the Divine Marrow and other treasures the thief had taken, he would simply make him spit them back out!
BOOM!
Having lost all its divine substance, the divine spine looked the same, but its sacred nature was gone. Shi Ming rushed to the edge of the spine and gnawed at it with all his might. A crack appeared from within the pristine white bone wall, which then burst open into a head-sized hole under the impact of his energy. A transparent borer shot out and transformed into the three-headed, six-armed Shi Ming, who stood between heaven and earth.
The Fisherman followed close behind.
"Six arms? Are you from the Six-Armed Race?" the Fisherman asked.
Shi Ming didn’t respond.
His gaze locked onto the old man.
’Eye of Destiny, gather intelligence!’
’Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat. This old man has lived for ages; he must have some incredible tricks up his sleeve. I can’t underestimate him!’
[Intelligence report generated.]
[...]
[The Fisherman]
[Ranked third among the King-Sealing Powerhouses of the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country. His power and foundation are approaching the level of a Pillar Stone. With his lifespan nearing its end, he has spent the last thousand years wandering alone in the depths of the Cave of the Stars, where he has had extraordinary encounters.]
[Nirvana Skill: Fisherman’s Concealment]
[...]
[Nirvana Skill: Heart-Piercer]
[...]
[Supreme Treasures: Hundred-Star Silk, Black Floating Lotus, Treasure Hook, Void-Splitting Dark Blade, Void Treads.]
[Wondrous Items: ...]
’Damn!’
’As expected of a veteran ranked third, with such a deep foundation. He has five supreme treasures alone—more than twice as many as the Tower King! And his two Nirvana skills complement each other perfectly. [Fisherman’s Concealment] is a survival and control ability that lets him remove himself from the battlefield, becoming untargetable while still influencing the fight. [Heart-Piercer] is a pure attack skill that strikes an enemy’s weak point. Once it finds the kill threshold, it can execute the target instantly!’
This was the strongest person Shi Ming had met since coming to the Star Sea.
He didn’t just have a wealth of treasures. His physical stats, forged over centuries, were on par with Shi Ming’s. In fact, his Defense Power and Endurance were even a notch higher. But an evenly matched opponent like this was exactly what it took to get Shi Ming’s blood pumping.
’Bring it on!’
Unleashing the full power of the Borer, Shi Ming struck first, launching a two-pronged attack against the Fisherman on both the physical and spiritual planes.
The Heart of the Star Spirit lay hidden in Shi Ming’s palm, ready to provide aid when needed. With two of his hands, Shi Ming hefted another supreme treasure, the Stone Pillar of Profanity and Transgression, its presence overwhelming. He kept the "Slaughter Crown" put away, as this was not the right time to use it.
In the vast, empty world, with only the massive spinal column as a landmark, Shi Ming and the Fisherman stood on opposite sides, their auras erupting.
BOOM!
The Borer’s power gnawed at the Hundred-Star Silk protecting the Fisherman, once again finding a flaw in the supreme treasure. The Fisherman reacted instantly, using [Fisherman’s Concealment] to phase out of reality.
In just a few seconds, the two had already clashed for more than ten rounds.
"You’re just a young whelp, still in your infancy, yet you have such power? How did you endure the solitude to reach the depths of this star cave? Who’s backing you? And that three-headed, six-armed form... could you be the illegitimate son of Ron and someone from the Three-headed Flood Dragon Race? If so, I could be persuaded to let you go, provided you obediently hand over what isn’t yours! Once we return to the Cosmic Royal Court, I could even give you a leg up, ensuring your status far surpasses Ron’s other heirs. What do you say?"
"Old fossil, it looks like you’ve wasted ten thousand years of life. All your skills went to your tongue. Your strength is nothing special, yet you’re somehow ranked third in the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country. It just goes to show how few real powerhouses the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country has!"
"You court death!"