Chapter Seventy-One: Offending the City Lord

Upon hearing Lord Zou’s intention to purchase all the slaves, Ye Mo felt a sudden clarity in his heart. Previously, at the dock, a snakehead had approached him to buy the hundreds of “captive slaves” from the pirate ship. Could it be that the snakehead’s master was none other than Lord Zou of Donglai Immortal City?

“Lord City Master, those people captured by Captain Feng are all registered civilians from various nations of the Nine Continents. They are neither prisoners of war nor criminals; according to the laws of the continent, civilians cannot be sold as slaves,” Ye Mo said.

“What’s this? You don’t want silver and gold? Or treasures from the sea like coral trees and pearls—the rare and exotic wonders of the Eastern Sea, worth a fortune on the continent. Complete this transaction and you’ll be wealthy beyond compare,” Zou Ru Hai frowned, seeing Ye Mo hadn’t agreed, nor even named a price, and pressed further.

“I’m sorry, Lord City Master, but those civilians are not my captives. I won’t sell them,” Ye Mo replied after a moment’s silence. Not long ago, he himself had been a mere civilian of Wu Nation. No matter what, he could not bring himself to partake in human trafficking.

“Oh! I forgot you’re now a cultivator, and naturally disdain these worldly treasures. You wouldn’t be thinking of exchanging these slaves for spirit stones, or pills, or magical tools, would you? That appetite is far too grand!” Zou Ru Hai’s expression soured, and he sneered, “You’ve just entered the world of cultivation, perhaps you’re unaware of its rules. Slaves and other worldly goods can only be traded for mundane wealth: gold, silver, jewels, and the like. Spiritual items used by cultivators cannot be exchanged for worldly goods. This is a rule of the cultivation world, practiced in all immortal villages, not just in Donglai. Even if you approach other villages’ merchants or mine owners, the prices offered for slaves are only gold and jewels, not spirit stones!”

“My apologies, Lord City Master. I cannot trade with you. Those civilians have been released; they are now free, to come and go as they please. I no longer control them,” Ye Mo said, knowing full well that such an answer would offend this city lord, yet he spoke it nonetheless.

“What? You released all the slaves from the ship?” Zou Ru Hai’s expression shifted slightly. Many pirates disguised as sea merchants roam from nation to nation, selling warriors as mining slaves to immortal island villages. He had seen many such slave ships, and bought many warrior slaves for the mines on Spirit Island. But to see someone like Ye Mo release an entire shipload of slaves was unheard of.

If Ye Mo had simply refused due to a low price, there could still be negotiation. But this answer was utterly unexpected.

Zou Ru Hai’s face darkened. “Hmph! Since you won’t sell the slaves, why did you come to see me? There’s nothing more to say. I won’t make things difficult for you. Very well, show him out!” He cast an unhappy glance at Ye Mo and waved to the green-robed youth beside him.

Ye Mo was a cultivator, and a wandering one passing through this immortal village, free to come and go as he pleased, beyond the city lord’s command. Ye Mo’s refusal to sell slaves left Zou Ru Hai powerless to compel him.

But what about the sea charts for navigating in and out of Donglai Spirit Island’s mist zone?

Ye Mo was startled and wanted to ask, but Zou Ru Hai had already risen and swept out of the study.

“Let’s go. Don’t disturb Lord City Master’s rest,” the green-robed youth whispered nearby.

Ye Mo, proud and dignified, could see that Lord Zou Ru Hai had no intention of giving him the mist navigation charts. Once his ship left Donglai Spirit Island, returning would be extremely difficult. Yet, begging was something he could not bring himself to do. Besides, even if he asked, the answer would likely be unfavorable—his refusal to sell slaves had already offended the city lord.

Suppressing his anger, Ye Mo left the study.

“I’ll escort you out, lest you wander around the manor,” the green-robed youth said, casting Ye Mo a strange look and leading him outside. “I truly don’t understand your thinking, provoking the lord’s anger! If you’d pleased him, you might have become an official resident of Donglai Immortal Village, with many benefits. But that seems impossible now. Wanderers are allowed to come and go freely, but they lack many privileges. Think it over—if you change your mind, come find me and I’ll report to the lord.”

Ye Mo was helpless—he hadn’t intended to offend the city lord. Still, even if he had the chance again, his answer would be the same. He simply could not bring himself to sell civilians.

Outside the gates, Ye Mo looked back at the imposing city lord’s manor, clenching his fists tightly.

He had to find a way to become a city lord cultivator. The city lord wielded supreme power here on Spirit Island; his word was law. Without such status, one was bound and constrained at every turn.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Mo regained his composure.

He was about to explore Donglai Immortal Village when he saw Mo Ling, Gao Jian, and a group of warriors watching him from afar.

Ye Mo walked over to them.

“Brother Ye, after meeting the city lord, did he give you the navigation charts for the mist zone?” Mo Ling asked anxiously.

After Ye Mo went to the city lord’s manor, the others entered the immortal village, but Mo Ling insisted on waiting outside. Gao Jian, Huang Yi, Li Ruofeng, Wang Hu, and Yang You had all followed.

“Lord Zou wanted me to sell him all the ‘captive slaves’ from the ship. I didn’t agree. He didn’t give me the navigation charts. It seems we’re not very welcome here,” Ye Mo shook his head.

“If that’s the case, once our ship leaves Spirit Island, we won’t be able to return. There are many hidden reefs in the mist zone, and the fog is unpredictable. Without the navigation charts, we can’t get back in,” Vice-Captain Chang said bitterly.

Everyone was stunned. They were warriors who had once been Captain Feng’s captive slaves. Even though Ye Mo was unlikely to sell them if he intended to sell slaves, they still felt a chill of fear.

“Are warriors so lowly here in Donglai Immortal Village?” Lin Zhi’s gaze was complex, mingling admiration and regret for Ye Mo.

The Donglai city lord was the most powerful cultivator in the village, and Ye Mo, for the sake of unrelated captives, had given up the chance to befriend him.

“Let’s not dwell on these troubles! At least we’re in Donglai Immortal Village now, far better than drifting aimlessly at sea. The city lord hasn’t expelled us; we can stay for now. Come, let’s go see the streets—there are many shops and plenty of spiritual items!” Mo Ling suddenly smiled.

“Yes, let’s explore the immortal village. We still don’t know what it’s like here!”

“At last—we’ve arrived at the legendary immortal village. Now our eyes will be opened,” everyone laughed.

Vice-Captain Chang hesitated, knowing it wouldn’t be easy for civilian warriors to remain here. But he didn’t want to dampen Ye Mo’s spirits now, so he simply followed.

After walking several dozen yards from the manor, they came to a bustling street lined on both sides with rows of spiritual shops, one right next to another.

“Zhang’s Pill Shop, Yang’s Magical Tool Store, Spell Shop, General Store, Spirit Grain Shop, Spirit Beast Hall… so many! All these things are for immortals,” Wang Hu craned his neck, marveling at the shop signs.

“This street stretches for dozens of yards, all lined with such shops. Let’s take a look.”

“Look, that shop is full of Vitality Pills! If I could have just one, I could break through to the ninth level of body refinement, cultivate my spirit, and leap from the mundane to become a cultivator!”