"Our Park Family’s merchant ship has been hijacked," Park Xiuhui said. "The bandits have demanded a ransom of two million Spirit Stones before they will release the people they’ve kidnapped from the ship. That’s exactly why I’ve come here—to deal with this matter."
Park Xiuhui gave a brief answer, then remembered that Carson Flores might not be familiar with the situation here and thus explained, "In the Barbaric Wilderness Realm, cities stand numerous and far apart, with ferocious beasts roaming the earth, making large Flying Boats the main mode of transportation and trade. A large Flying Boat loaded with goods is of no small value and naturally attracts some desperados who form groups to rob the passing vessels. These robbers are known as Sky Pirates."
Carson Flores suddenly understood and asked, "What’s the situation now?"
Park Xiuhui answered, "Our merchant ship was delivering goods to White Wave City. Although the goods themselves aren’t of particularly high value, their total worth is estimated to be around three million Spirit Stones. The ship also carried our trading team. After the Sky Pirates seized the goods and ship, it’s certain that we can’t retrieve them. Now, they’re demanding two million Spirit Stones to release our people."
Carson Flores let out an "Oh" and then asked, "Wasn’t there a Cultivator accompanying the ship?"
Park Xiuhui sighed, "Of course there was—one at the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection level. However, clearly, he couldn’t stop the Sky Pirates."
Carson Flores raised an eyebrow, "There wasn’t even a Golden Core Realm cultivator on board?"
Park Xiuhui replied with a wry smile, "While the Nutwood Heavenly Cave might be a smaller heaven, it ranks highly among such places, possessing considerable strength overall. Therefore, within the heaven, you can see quite a number of Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators, which might make you think that Golden Core cultivators are commonplace. However, in the reality of the Barbaric Wilderness Realm, those at the Golden Core Realm are considered quite formidable; most Cultivators are still at the Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment Stage."
"Moreover, the goods transported by the merchant ship weren’t of particularly high value, and the Park Family’s experts are limited in number, so naturally, they wouldn’t dispatch Golden Core or even Nascent Soul cultivators to accompany the ship," he continued.
Golden Core is considered formidable?
Carson Flores blinked, realizing the truth in this. The Golden Core Realm isn’t easy to reach, isn’t it true that many disciples of the Four Great Sects are still stuck at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, unable to break through to the Golden Core Realm?
Previously, Wilson Weiss seriously left behind a Pellet of Nascent Formation in that box, which signified the preciousness of the Pellet and the difficulty of breaking through to the Golden Core Realm. Otherwise, with Weiss’s strength, would he have taken it so seriously?
So, even here in the Barbaric Wilderness Realm, I’m considered formidable!
In that instant, Carson Flores experienced a peculiar sense of enlightenment—it was as if he had thought himself weak, only for others to point out that he wasn’t weak at all; on the contrary, he was already quite formidable.
The only reason he felt weak was because the people he had been around were just too outstanding!
Carson Flores asked, "Do you know who these Sky Pirates are?"
Park Xiuhui answered, "The Aurora Society. They’re quite an active group of Sky Pirates who strike fast and hard and are as elusive as the wind. Although there have been attempts to round them up, they never operate in a fixed area but roam throughout the entire Barbaric Wilderness Realm instead. So, after two attempts at a roundup, there’s been little success."
Committing crimes on the move and leaving no trace or pattern—indeed, it proves exceedingly difficult for anyone to locate them.
"What are you planning to do?"
"We will give them the Spirit Stones. It’s one thing to lose the goods, but we must ensure the safety of our people and have them return safely."
Concerned, Carson Flores asked, "Once these Sky Pirates receive the Spirit Stones, will they release the hostages? Could they silence them, given that these individuals have had contact with the bandits?"
Park Xiuhui heaved a sigh, "That’s my concern as well. It’s said that the Aurora Society doesn’t have many members, but they are ruthless and often just kill everyone, take everything, and disappear. I don’t fear the loss of two million Spirit Stones, but I do fear they might not release our people. Nonetheless, we have to try."
Carson Flores pondered, "What’s their strength like?"
"Golden Core, I presume. Those who become Sky Pirates usually aren’t of low strength, but they aren’t too powerful either. The truly powerful figures have many other ways to earn Spirit Stones without having to resort to piracy," he explained.
After explaining the situation to Carson Flores, Park Xiuhui spoke to the messenger, "Tell the envoy that we are willing to give the two million Spirit Stones, but they must ensure the safety of our people."
The messenger replied, "The envoy said that after receiving the two million Spirit Stones, they will release our people."
Park Xiuhui decisively shook his head, "No, what if they just kill everyone after taking the Spirit Stones? I must see all our people alive before I hand over the Spirit Stones."
After the messenger left, he soon returned to the room.
"Young Master, the other party has agreed to your terms—they will allow an exchange of Spirit Stones for people, but they want you to go in person."
Park Xiuhui nodded resolutely, "Fine, I’ll go!"
Carson Flores frowned and asked, "Who is the most powerful here?"
Park Xiuhui answered with a bitter smile, "It’s me, at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection."
Carson Flores smiled and said, "Then I’ll accompany you on this trip. We can’t have you failing to rescue the hostages and wind up captured yourself..."