Chapter 110: Boats on the Sea
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Traveling across the sea is monotonous and dull, yet it requires constant vigilance against sea beasts that may suddenly emerge to cause trouble or attack.
For instance, at this moment, the small raft was gliding smoothly over the water. Suddenly, a tentacle lashed out like lightning.
Smack!
The fragile raft shattered instantly. Splinters flew in all directions.
A sea monster, as large as a palace, surfaced halfway from the depths. Its eight tentacles, covered in suction cups, flailed wildly in the air.
Ji Han Zhou stood atop his Life-Bonded Flying Sword, circling the eight-legged sea beast. Its attention was completely focused on him. Half of its tentacles lunged toward Ji Han Zhou, creating an unending cacophony of sonic booms as they whipped through the air.
The tentacles were fast, but Ji Han Zhou’s sword-flying speed was no slower. He weaved with precision between four of the tentacles, moving as gracefully as a butterfly.
Splash!
Two more tentacles burst through the water, sending massive waves crashing over Ji Han Zhou. The spray obstructed his vision, forcing him to swerve at the last second to narrowly avoid another strike. He shouted in desperation, “Senior Sister Yu! I can’t hold on much longer!”
“I’m on it.”
Instinctively, Ji Han Zhou glanced over and saw Yu Zhao standing effortlessly atop the sea monster’s head, having somehow arrived there unnoticed. Calmly, she lit a small block of Millennium Ambergris.
In an instant, a rich, sweet aroma mixed with a faint scent of wine spread rapidly through the air. The sea monster’s tentacles visibly slowed, and its massive body began to writhe sluggishly.
Whoosh!
A jet of black water shot skyward, before falling back into the sea like a misty rain. Moments later, the surface of the water was dotted with the floating corpses of smaller sea beasts.
By now, the eight-legged sea monster had completely forgotten Ji Han Zhou’s existence. Its tentacles turned on each other, engaging in a chaotic melee. Huge suction cups and severed limbs flew through the air, making the scene grotesquely violent.
Ji Han Zhou clicked his tongue in awe. Yu Zhao’s Illusion Technique never failed to amaze him. No matter how many times he witnessed it, he was left in awe.
“Let’s go. It won’t last much longer,” Yu Zhao said with her usual composure as she stood on a newly summoned raft.
Ji Han Zhou nodded, leaping onto the raft beside her. Over the past few days, frequent encounters with sea beasts had forced the two to work together numerous times, making such situations routine.
As their raft set out again, Ji Han Zhou gazed at the boundless ocean, his spirits sinking slightly. “Senior Sister Yu, how long do you think it’ll be before we meet other people?”
While spending time alone with Yu Zhao was something to be happy about, his extended absence from the sect without any word was surely causing the sect to worry about his safety. Moreover, the endless expanse of water and the grotesque sea beasts were beginning to wear on his patience. He longed to set foot on solid ground and end this tiresome drift.
Of course, he didn’t expect Yu Zhao to have a definite answer; he merely wanted to vent his frustration. To his surprise, Yu Zhao replied firmly, “Right now.”
Before Ji Han Zhou could react, their raft suddenly surged forward. He stumbled, nearly tumbling overboard. “Senior Sister—”
His words caught in his throat as his eyes landed on a small black dot in the distance, moving steadily westward. His heart leaped with excitement.
A ship! People! Finally, they had found someone!
The people on the distant ship seemed to have noticed them as well, for the vessel began to slow. Yu Zhao quickened their pace, guiding the raft closer.
A stick of incense later, their raft stopped a mere ten zhang from the ship.
Yu Zhao clasped her hands in greeting and said, “Fellow cultivators, my junior brother and I have unfortunately found ourselves stranded here. We kindly ask for your help to let us aboard. I would be deeply grateful.”
“You can board, but each person must pay ten top-grade Spirit Stones as a fee. Otherwise, we won’t accommodate you,” a burly middle-aged man with a bushy beard declared loudly from the boat.
The exorbitant price of ten top-grade Spirit Stones could buy a hundred boats of similar quality. It was clear the man intended to exploit Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou, assuming they had no alternative.
Though ten top-grade Spirit Stones weren’t much to Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou, caution was necessary while traveling. Feigning reluctance, Yu Zhao haggled with the man for a long time. Only when he pretended to leave did she grudgingly hand over the fare.
Boarding first, she discreetly surveyed the boat. Including herself and Ji Han Zhou, there were seven passengers—two women and five men—grouped into four distinct factions based on their positions.
The bearded man and a woman in her forties with an elegant yet mature charm formed one group. Another pair consisted of a middle-aged man and woman with an intimate demeanor. The remaining three men appeared to be brothers.
Notably, all seven were Golden Core cultivators. The elegant woman had the highest cultivation level, at the late Golden Core stage, while most others were at the mid-stage. Yu Zhao felt a sinking sensation in her heart. She had boarded a dangerous vessel.
Ji Han Zhou joined her, standing a step behind, his posture tense as he cautiously observed the others.
“No need to be nervous, you two. Once aboard, you’re guests of mine, Big Boss Wu, and I’ll deliver you safely ashore,” the bearded man said with a grin, his teeth gleaming white beneath his thick facial hair. Pointing to the elegant woman, he added, “This is Lady Hua, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. She especially appreciates handsome young men like your junior brother here.”
Lady Hua chuckled, covering her mouth as her laughter shook her delicate frame. “Big Boss Wu, do you think I’d prefer a fresh-faced boy over someone seasoned like you?”
Big Boss Wu laughed heartily, seemingly unoffended. He introduced the middle-aged couple next, saying, “This is Zhao Xian and his wife, Wang Zhen. They’re so devoted to each other, it makes the rest of us envious.”
Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen were reticent, nodding politely in response. Moving on, Wu gestured at the trio of men. “Those three are the Long Family’s Three Brothers. The tall one is Long One, the slightly shorter one is Long Two, and the stocky one is Long Three.”
The brothers didn’t even spare a glance at Wu or anyone else, treating the introduction as though they hadn’t heard it.
“They’ve got their quirks; don’t mind them,” Wu said nonchalantly, slapping the boat with a laugh. “As for me, I’m the captain of this vessel. You can call me Big Boss Wu.”
Following his lead, Yu Zhao replied, “Big Boss Wu.”
Though she didn’t yet know why these people had gathered, it was evident Wu was their leader. Yu Zhao saw no harm in humoring him for now, hoping to glean useful information.
Pleased by her tact, Wu beamed, his bushy beard unable to hide his broad smile.
“I’m Yu Zhao,” she said, playing along. “This is my junior brother, Ji Han Zhou. We were stranded by misfortune and are grateful for your help, Big Boss Wu.”
“No need for formalities. Travelers are friends; we’re all here to help,” Wu replied with an open-handed gesture, his tone jovial and carefree.
If not for his earlier exploitative demand, Yu Zhao might have mistaken him for a genuine, broad-minded man. His duplicity was a warning—she needed to stay vigilant.