The flagship Celestial Crane was a palace of white wood and pearl, drifting helplessly in the vacuum of the upper sky. Its engines were dead, disabled by the Eternal Night's EMP blast.
On the main deck, the Royal Guards formed a defensive circle. They were elites—ten Human Immortals and two Earth Immortals.
In the center stood Princess Ling Long. She was dressed in robes of flowing starlight, her face veiled. She didn't look terrified; she looked annoyed.
"They are pirates, Princess," the Captain (Earth Immortal) whispered, sweat dripping down his forehead. "We should negotiate. The Alliance will pay any ransom."
"Pirates are rats," Ling Long said coldly. "They will scurry away once they realize who is on board."
THUD.
A figure landed on the deck. The wood didn't splinter; it turned black and rotted away instantly upon contact.
Mo Tian stood up, dusting off his black armor. He wore a mask made of Void Dragon Bone.
"Permission to come aboard?" Mo Tian asked, though he was already there.
"You dare attack the Alliance Flagship?" The Captain stepped forward, releasing his Earth Immortal aura. "I am Captain Feng. Leave now, and I might spare your miserable life."
Mo Tian tilted his head.
"Captain Feng. Earth Immortal, Early Stage. Bounty: 5,000 Immortal Stones."
Mo Tian drew the Heaven-Splitter.
"Not worth the effort."
He vanished.
[Reality Glitch.]
He bypassed the Captain entirely. He appeared inside the defensive circle, right next to the Princess.
"Protect Her Highness!" The guards roared, turning around.
"Gravity Domain: 1000x."
Mo Tian stomped his foot.
CRUNCH.
The ten Human Immortal guards were flattened instantly. Their bones shattered, pinning them to the deck.
The two Earth Immortals resisted, their knees buckling.
"You..." Ling Long stared at the man standing inches from her. She felt the gravity pressing on her shields. "You are not a normal pirate."
Mo Tian reached out and ripped the veil from her face.
She was stunning. Her eyes were heterochromatic—one blue, one gold.
[System Scan] [Target: Ling Long.] [Identity: Princess of the Immortal Alliance.] [Physique: Key of the Void (Space Affinity).] [Value: Priceless.]
"Pretty eyes," Mo Tian commented. "They'll fetch a high price."
"Do not touch me!" Ling Long summoned a jade hairpin. It turned into a dagger of light, stabbing at Mo Tian's throat.
Mo Tian caught her wrist.
"Dao Plunder: Seal."
He injected Chaos Qi into her meridians. The starlight in her aura turned grey. She gasped, falling limp into his arms.
"Captain Feng!" she screamed.
The Captain roared, charging with a spear. "Let her go!"
Mo Tian didn't look back. He pointed the Heaven-Splitter backward over his shoulder.
"Extension."
The sword suddenly elongated, shooting backward like a spear of black shadow.
SHINK.
It pierced the Captain's chest, lifting him off his feet.
"You are noisy," Mo Tian said.
He retracted the sword. The Captain fell, dead.
Mo Tian looked down at the Princess in his arms.
"Your guards are dead. Your ship is mine. And you..."
He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"...you are my ticket to the Sky Immortal realm."
He flew off the ship, heading back to the Ghost City.