The Gate Of Good Fortune
chapter-246

Ning Cheng wanted to know as to what was the usefulness of the Mirage Stone in the end. Having heard until here, he intentionally gave a long sigh before speaking, “So many people wanting to seek out Mirage Stones, yet there are already a few people have already found it before, this really seems to be unworthy of its name aah……”

Mu Xunlin spoke up, “Elder Brother Ning should really not think like this, although there were a few people in the past who had found Mirage Stones, but the Mirage Stone is actually not a thing unworthy of its name, rather is a real treasure. Otherwise, there would not be so many giant academies on the Tian Continent still searching for Mirage Stones. Even for a rogue cultivator, just obtaining a Mirage Stone, it would be equivalent of a carp leaping over the dragon’s gate. Even if one’s qualifications is poor, it can still help you join the big academies, and also help you obtain the status of an inner disciple of the academy.”

Ning Cheng had already come in contact with many disciples of the 8 Star and 9 Star Academies, as such when he heard Mu Xunlin speak about becoming a disciple of a big academy, he did not care about it. What he wanted to know was the uses of this Mirage Stone, but he also knew that it would not be good if he directly asked about it.

As Ning Cheng hesitated as to what to speak up, Mu Xunlin once again spoke up, “Elder Brother Ning, this is my Academy Head Token, although my Formless Academy is merely a 4 Star Academy. But as long as Elder Brother Ning can help me out this time, then once we are back in the Tian Continent, I will certainly repay Elder Brother Ning a hundred fold. Moreover, this time I would also be able to take advantage of Elder Brother Ning’s magical weapon, and go out at the next island to help us both to some monstrous beast materials and Spiritual Grasses. With those I would also be able to give back Elder Brother Ning’s magical weapon soon.”

“Elder Brother Mu, may I ask as to what’s so special about this Mirage Ship Island? I am just a rogue cultivator, although I did come to seek out Mirage Stones like everybody else, but the fact is, there are a lot of things that I do not understand.”

Ning Cheng did not take Mu Xunlin’s Academy Head Token he believed that Mu Xunlin did not lie to him as such he already planned to let Mu Xunlin borrow his magical weapon. He had just come aboard this ship, as such for him to be able to make a friend to talk to was something good. Moreover, since he was now waiting to arrive at the Tian Continent, having such a friend would certainly be better so as to have a better understanding of people from that place.

Mu Xunlin did not care about taking into consideration the differing words that Ning Cheng had just spoken. He had merely spoken a few words. If the opposite party really could let him borrow a magical weapon with just this, then even he would feel it somewhat inconceivable.

“Mirage Ship Island is actually a mobile island, and this island appears and disappears from time to time. Once some people discovered the appearance of Mirage Ship Island, then it would give them the opportunity to enter the island to seek out the Mirage Stones. The island will appear for a maximum of the time it would take for an incense stick to burn, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes, the island will immediately start to disappear, and would once again appear only after a certain period of time and also in a completely random place. If you cannot come out of the Mirage Ship Island before the island disappears completely, then you would never be able to come out of the Mirage Ship Island.”

Mu Xunlin explained Ning Cheng’s question in unusual detail. However, fearing that Ning Cheng would still not understand, he supplemented with another sentence, “The Mirage Ship Island will only appear in a place once, as long as someone goes in, then the next time it would never appear in the same spot, and will only appear in a place very far from the previous one.”

Ning Cheng asked with surprise, “Doesn’t this mean that this island has a Spiritual Nature? If you enter the Mirage Island and are too late to come out from it, then can you not come out safe and sound when the Mirage Ship Island once again appears the next time?”

TL Note – Spiritual Nature in this novel pertains to inanimate objects manifesting their intelligence. These objects do not have life but do possess a bit of intelligence.

Mu Xunlin shook his head, “It is absolutely impossible. Although you can easily enter the Mirage Ship Island, but if you could not come out before the Mirage Ship Island fully disappears, you will disappear forever.”

Such a strange island, and yet people still go to such a place. What a really strange thing to accept aah. It seems that to be able to enter the Mirage Ship Island, one has to be at the forefront of others. Otherwise, once someone else goes in, the Mirage Ship Island would almost immediately start to disappear, and he would not have to opportunity again.

Just as Mu Xunlin wanted to continue remind Ning Cheng of the magical weapon once again, a blast from a broadcast from the outside suddenly interrupted their thoughts. Even if the Spiritual Tea Room was surrounded by an isolation restriction, the broadcast could still be heard faintly.

Ning Cheng could vaguely hear that the broadcast from the outside had something to do with the Mirage Ship Island. Not waiting for him to say anything, Mu Xunlin suddenly stood up, with an incomparably excited expression on his face, “The Mirage Ship Island appeared, it really appeared. I waited for twenty years, and finally after 20 years I was able to find the Mirage Ship Island……”

Mu Xunlin simply forgot about borrowing a magical weapon from Ning Cheng, and immediately rushed forward outside the door. But just as he was about to go out, he seemed to have finally remembered that he did not have a magical weapon, as he quickly ran back towards Ning Cheng as he cupped his fists and asked in an eager fashion, “Elder Brother Ning, there are monstrous beasts on the Mirage Ship Island, and there would also be cultivators who would try and snatch things from each other. I really do not have a magical weapon, and beseech Elder Brother Ning to lend me one. I will definitely help Elder Brother Ning on the Mirage Ship Island, after all one is definitely better than two.”

Ning Cheng’s mind was also intrigued by the Mirage Ship Island, as such, he did not hesitate to take out a knife shaped medium grade Spiritual Artefact as he passed it on to Mu Xunlin and said, “Elder Brother Mu can take it, I wish Elder Brother Mu good luck. As for that Academy Head Token, I do not have any use for it, but once we arrive at the Tian Continent, Elder Brother Mu has to remember that you have promised to drink a cup of good tea with me again.”

“Yes, yes, many thanks Elder Brother Ning, I will definitely not disappoint Elder Brother Ning…” Mu Xunlin finished speaking in a few words and immediately rushed out. He obviously wanted to seize the time and hurry up finish refining the magical weapon in his hands.

Ning Cheng also left the Spiritual Tea Shop, and discovered that tens of thousands of cultivators were rushing towards the deck.

Ning Cheng also followed the numerous cultivators onto the deck, and found that the deck was already filled to the brim with cultivators, Sweeping lightly with his Spiritual Consciousness he found that there were at least 10-20 thousand people.

Even though the deck was extremely large, at this time the cultivators were packed so tightly that there was not much space between them. At this time, even if one swept out with their Spiritual Consciousness at random, absolutely no one would say anything.

The restriction place on the deck was also opened, which allowed the heavy ocean wind to breeze by. Ning Cheng could, with his Spiritual Consciousness, clearly see that in the direction directly in front of the ship, the place from where he had come, was the location of the Mirage Ship Island.

It seems that the Mirage Ship Island really was the one he had found. Ning Cheng settled down his heart as he thought that what had been found already would end up being found once again. What he was waiting for was to enter the Mirage Ship Island and look for the Mirage Stones. In this place, he could see that a majority had the cultivation of Profound Core Realm and Profound Congealing Realm, and were mixed in with a large amount of Essence Building Cultivators. As for Soul Essence Cultivators, Ning Cheng only was able to see a handful of them.

As Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness swept past, the Mirage Ship Island in front of him started to disappear, before completely vanishing without any trace.

At this point, an intermediate stage Soul Essence Cultivator suddenly flew out and stopped over the airspace over the front of the deck and spoke in a loud voice, “People aboard the Mirage Exploring Conglomerate’s ship, this time our Mirage Exploring Conglomerate’s ship has really lived up to your expectations, and has found the real Mirage Ship Island. I believe that all the people here are as heavily excited as I am. For us to be able to lead you all to the real Mirage Ship Island, to seek out the Mirage Stones, is an honour for our Mirage Exploring Conglomerate’s ship.”

“Everybody should show a tiny bit more patience, after I issue the order, we can break into the Mirage Ship Island together. Any person trying to leave the ship otherwise would simply be killed without amnesty. The next time the Mirage Ship Island appears, we will not go in, but rather continue to observe, and during our wait till the next time it appears, we would use it for preparation to go in………”

“The Mirage Exploring Conglomerate really has a well deserved reputation, the next time I will definitely take the ship of the Mirage Exploring Conglomerate, thanks to the Mirage Exploring Conglomerate…..” A variety of supporting voices could be heard coming from various directions.

The intermediate stage Soul Essence Cultivator simply waved his hands and then continued, “Everybody here is seeking Mirage Stones, but we will only have at most the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to enter the Mirage Ship Island. Once the time limit passes, you will end up perishing inside the Mirage Ship Island. In fact, going through the records since the discovery of the Mirage Ship Island, only less than 3% of the people entering the island would be able to come out. Therefore I hope that you do not fight amongst each other after entering the Mirage Island, and rather use this opportunity wisely…..”

With this, the warnings and introduction given by the intermediate stage Soul Essence Cultivator finished, and everyone started with their small talks. However, the order amongst them was well maintained, and everyone’s eyes and Spiritual Consciousness was concentrated at one particular location, that is, the location where the Mirage Ship Island had appeared previously.

Although the discussions were being done quietly, but Ning Cheng was still able to hear some of the talks pertaining the Mirage Ship Island. This made Ning Cheng’s understanding regarding the Mirage Ship Island to deepen, and even found out that the Mirage Stone had some sort of relationship with the Heaven’s Way and was also somewhat related to refining pills.

This made Ning Cheng a bit distracted, as to what was the actual usage of the Mirage Stone. It was clearly stated that it was stone, yet a stone could also be refined into a pill?

“I heard that top grade Mirage Trees had 9 Mirage Stones on it, while ordinary Mirage Trees would only have 1-2 Mirage Stones on them.” This voice finally allowed Ning Cheng to understand as to why Mirage Stones could be refined into pills. He had always thought that the Mirage Stone was a material found on the Mirage Ship Island, and had never thought that this stone would actually have a relationship with trees.

“It appeared. The Mirage Island appeared.” With a scream, everyone’s eyes once again focused on the ship-shaped island that was turning from fuzzy to clear.

The Mirage Exploring Conglomerate’s ship also stopped, after some people saw the island, the sounds of people gasping for breath could be heard with even more intensity. If not for the warning issued by the Soul Essence Cultivator at the front, then maybe someone amongst them would not be able to control the impulse and the temptation to rush towards the island.

“Everybody please observe the Mirage Ship Island, so that the next time it appears, we would immediately go in. You will only get such an opportunity once in a lifetime, although a Mirage Stone is a good thing, but one must keep their life in order for it to be useful. If you cannot keep your poor life, then even if you were given more Mirage Stones it would simply be useless.” The Soul Essence Cultivator’s voice once again boomed out.

Many cultivators hearing these words finally started to think rationally. Aaah, although Mirage Stones are good, but one’s life is even more important. Every time the Mirage Ship Island appeared, a large amount of cultivators end up dead, why would one want to be counted amongst the cultivators killed?

After a period of time, the Mirage Island once again started to disappear, allowing the cultivators to gain some understandings from it, it was much better than talking about it with each other.

As time passed by unknowingly, the disappeared Mirage Ship Island once again appeared as an outline of a vague shadow. The Soul Essence Cultivator suddenly spoke up, “Immediately, everybody move together. Many words need not be exchanged, and each one is for themselves…”

Speaking until here, he was the first to rush out, the next moment the cultivators on the front quarter of the deck immediately rushed out with innumerable lights as they made their way towards the Mirage Ship Island.

Ning Cheng also mixed himself amongst the many cultivators, as he also rushed forward.