The Gu Ren exchanged long, low growls after sizing each other up. "People of the Thousand Links, I will release your kin."

Gu Xiechen glanced sideways at the colorless crystal figure standing several hundred meters behind the black crystal figure, nodding slowly. "Very well, a one-for-one exchange. One of your people for one of my companions."

The black crystal figure paused, raising both hands to count on its fingers. After about ten minutes, the black crystal figure finally nodded. "Good, quite fair!"

Gu Xiechen waved his hand, and the transport shuttles from the hunting vessel swiftly delivered hundreds of alloy crates to the mouth of the tunnel. Peng Hua and the others ferried these crates, load after load, to the edge of the lava lake.

The black crystal figure also waved its hand, and a squad of high-level crystal figures emerged from the rear tunnel, carrying the members of the Dao Alliance disciple group—their faces pale, starved, weak, and barely clinging to life. They were also placed by the lava lake.

All four hundred and fifty-eight Dao Alliance disciples were present, not one missing. Gu Xiechen’s side had also handed over four hundred and fifty-eight alloy crates.

The crystal figures did not seem concerned with exact numbers. They rejected Gu Xiechen's proposal for a bulk exchange, adopting a different method instead: for every one alloy crate Gu Xiechen sent over, they returned one Dao Alliance disciple. It took a full two hours before both sides had finished exchanging their captives.

All injured Dao Alliance disciples were swiftly escorted back to the hunting vessel for recovery. Other than abstaining from food and water for seven days and seven nights, they had not suffered significant harm; the occasional external injuries were minor ailments like fractured bones—nothing serious. For accomplished Dao Alliance disciples, replenishing some food and drink, followed by careful recuperation over time, would restore them to their former state in no time.

Once the exchange of captives was complete, Gu Xiechen relaxed and stepped back a few paces. He calculated internally: having encountered such a tough obstacle here, should he seek another location to continue the hunt? It was clear that the majority of the high-ranking warriors of the Kristal Crystal People were gathered near this so-called Sacred Lake to guard their altar. Other settlements would not possess so many, or such powerful, crystal figures. The captives just returned to the enemy were mostly the light-blue crystal figures; few of the highest-ranking purple and small-blue crystal figures had been returned.

According to the customary distribution of spoils from previous hunting operations, one hundred of every thousand Kristal Crystal Orbs would belong to the Special Operations Bureau. Gu Xiechen only needed to ensure he possessed one hundred high-grade orbs of blue rank or higher. For the nine hundred Kristal Crystal Orbs owed to the Federal Council, the Federal Military Department, and the Federal Academy of Sciences, he desperately wished they were all red, or even white, quality.

Carefully glancing at the crystal figures who were opening the alloy crates to release their kin, Gu Xiechen solidified his plan.

Smiling cordially, Gu Xiechen cupped his hands toward the crystal figures and said pleasantly, "Esteemed sirs, our intrusion today has been immense; apologies, we shall depart now." His hand subtly made several gestures behind his back. Peng Hua and the others understood and began to retreat backward. They realized they had already acquired a sufficient quantity of high-grade orbs, and there was no need to engage these formidable crystal figures in a hard fight.

The black crystal figure looked at Gu Xiechen, who was busy counting on his fingers, and remained silent for the moment. The colorless crystal figure beside him had gathered several kinsmen, bringing all their fingers together, happily bending and clicking them one by one. They paid no attention to Gu Xiechen's maneuvers.

Gu Xiechen led Peng Hua and the others in a stealthy retreat of over ten kilometers. Just as they were about to reach the narrow pass leading back to the outside, the black crystal figure suddenly leaped high in fury and roared, "This is wrong! The count matches, but several kinsmen I recognize are missing! The ranks of the figures here... they don't match!"

The black crystal figure suddenly realized: the vast majority were light-blue crystal figures, mixed with a few green and yellow crystal figures from the settlement outside the altar above, and only a very small number of blue crystal figures. Most of the blue and purple crystal figures were nowhere to be seen. He roared and lunged toward Gu Xiechen, shouting, "Wrong! The numbers are right, but the colors are wrong!"

The black crystal figure's mind was in chaos. He watched as one captive was exchanged for one of his kinsmen, but why did the numbers match while the colors did not?

Peng Hua nearly collapsed with laughter. He pointed at the black crystal figure and roared, "Oh my gods! You imbeciles, you didn't capture as many people as we did!"

Two beams of intense light shot from the black crystal figure's eyes. From a distance of several kilometers, he stomped down hard with both feet, causing a patch of crystal ground spanning several hundred meters to shatter into dust with a loud bang. The black crystal figure transformed into a black streak, almost skimming the ground, charging toward Gu Xiechen with a muffled sound of tearing through the air. When he was still tens of meters away, he swung a heavy fist toward them.

A fierce wind swept forward, and Siren and Aretydia were the first to be blown away. Brahma and Mohe barely held on, roaring loudly as they stretched out both hands to grip the ground tightly, barely managing to steady their bodies against the force of the punch.

Gu Xiechen did not dodge. He stared intently at the black crystal figure hurtling toward him, and a wisp of grey-white cold mist flashed across his right hand.

As the black crystal figure unleashed its heavy punch, Gu Xiechen met it without yielding, throwing up a fist of his own. The two fists collided violently. Peng Hua, standing nearby, was thrown three to five li away by the shockwave with a sharp zhī sound. The crystal ground beneath Gu Xiechen’s feet cracked in an area nearly a kilometer in circumference, submerging him up to his waist underground. Amidst the tremendous explosion, a cloud of dust composed of fine crystal fragments rose from the entire sunken area, which dropped nearly ten meters deep.

Gu Xiechen stood firmly in place, unmoving. The black crystal figure’s right arm emitted a sound of fracturing, and it was smashed away by Gu Xiechen's punch. The black crystal figure, sent flying like a cannonball, shot toward the high cave ceiling, smashing through nearly a hundred crystal pillars in succession before gouging dozens of deep craters in the ceiling. Only then did it rebound heavily back to the ground.

Bouncing more than ten meters into the air, the black crystal figure roared and charged toward Gu Xiechen again. Apart from some minor fissures on its right arm, the rest of its body was unharmed.

Gu Xiechen glanced at the black crystal figure with surprise, somewhat awkwardly placing his right arm behind his back and shaking it vigorously. In that last punch, he had purely pitted his physical brute strength against the opponent. Although the force of the blows was evenly matched, Gu Xiechen was, after all, flesh and blood, whereas the black crystal figure's body was composed of crystal refined over countless years; its body was surely much harder than diamond. Gu Xiechen's fist began to throb and feel numb, his finger joints nearly losing all sensation.

A reminder for a mid-chapter break.

What a pure and honest crystal figure.

Uh, writing this, Pig-Head is feeling a bit guilty.

The sinful Pig-Head asks for monthly votes (To be continued)