Chapter 089
Chapter 89: Iron Ship
“Who would ever complain about having too much martial dao skill? Naturally, the higher, the better.”
Li Mu Sheng shrugged casually, and Li Yuan Ling eyed him suspiciously for a moment before speaking.
“I truly can’t imagine how you trained. You’re barely older than I am, so how can your martial dao cultivation be this strong?”
“Could it be…you relied on pills to raise your power in the past?”
Li Mu Sheng raised his eyebrows at that and replied, “I wish I had such luxuries to eat, but sadly, I was dirt-poor and couldn’t afford anything.”
“Just by sheer practice alone, you managed to reach such a powerful martial dao level?” Li Yuan Ling’s eyes widened with shock. Suddenly, she glanced around their wooden boat suspiciously, her eyes darting thoughtfully as she spoke again.
“Now that you mention it, I’m starting to wonder if there might’ve been another expert secretly helping us out just now.”
As she spoke, she stood up and gently poked Li Mu Sheng’s arm with her slender, jade-like finger, frowning slightly.
“Also, you have absolutely no Qi in your body. What’s that about? All along, I thought you hadn’t even reached martial dao’s Innate Stage yet.”
Hearing her remark, Li Mu Sheng chuckled softly, brushing her finger away with a look of playful disdain.
“If you don’t understand, stop making things up. This state of mine is called returning to simplicity. It’s extremely powerful!”
He waved dismissively and continued, “Enough, you wouldn’t get it even if I explained. Just tidy up those jade tokens, and let’s wait for the results.”
Li Yuan Ling pursed her lips thoughtfully, silently wondering if there really was a martial dao stage called “returning to simplicity.” Unable to reach a conclusion, she decided she’d definitely look it up later. She couldn’t let her seemingly powerful but somewhat unreliable sworn elder brother fool her.
…
On a wooden boat at the Underground Lake stood three young women dressed in elegant embroidered gowns. Each was graceful, with eyes as clear as autumn waters, but at this moment, their faces were deeply serious. Their watchful gazes kept scanning the nearby boats.
Earlier, they’d patiently laid a trap, gaining numerous jade tokens from those who attempted to rob them. Their richest haul came from a particularly fierce-looking young lady, who alone yielded fifteen tokens.
Yet, not long after obtaining that largest batch, something bizarre occurred. All the jade tokens they’d collected suddenly flew away. They tried desperately to stop them, but it was utterly impossible.
“Clearly, a powerful expert intervened. It seems claiming first place today is now beyond our reach,” Shu Wan’er said with a troubled frown.
Shu Qing’er, standing nearby, shook her head gently. “Master gave clear orders: we must reach the inner depths of Floating Boat City today. Only then can she secretly assist us by sensing our presence. So, no matter what, we must stay within the top ten.”
Shu Ying’er nodded softly. “Now that we’ve lost the jade tokens, we must continue fighting other boats. From what I noticed, that person didn’t take every token. We still have a chance.”
At this, the three sisters exchanged knowing glances. One stayed behind to guard their wooden boat, while the other two swiftly vanished into the shadows.
…
Meanwhile, high above the Underground Lake, an enormous iron ship hung suspended by massive chains, floating silently in the darkness. Aboard this ship, dozens of figures busily worked, holding brushes and scrolls, closely observing the wooden boats below and continuously jotting down notes.
“Elder Sheng, I’m sure you saw what just happened. It appears a very formidable expert has arrived in Floating Boat City today.”
A tall, imposing man dressed in luxurious dark robes walked steadily toward the edge of the iron ship, followed closely by an elderly man clad entirely in black.
Near the side of the iron ship sat a gray-robed elder with white hair and a face lined deeply with wrinkles. His arms and legs were wrapped in darksteel chains, and bronze rings encircled his wrists, giving him a strange, otherworldly appearance.
The old man gazed down at the lake below, clearly observing every wooden boat illuminated by tiny candle flames. However, his attention remained fixed on the boat occupied by Li Mu Sheng and Li Yuan Ling.
“I sensed no intruders slipping into Floating Boat City, nor could I detect the one who acted. I suggest you investigate those two carefully,” the old man advised slowly, causing the chains around him to clink softly.
The tall man beside him also watched Li Mu Sheng’s boat closely, nodding in agreement. “We’ve already sent someone to investigate.”
He then turned to the black-robed elder beside him and asked, “Were the two you mentioned them?”
The black-robed elder withdrew his gaze from below, respectfully bowing. “Yes, Vice City Lord, they’re exactly the two. Earlier, my palm wind brushed against their candle flame, yet it had absolutely no effect.”
Upon hearing this, Tu Yao waved his hand lightly, dismissing the elder.
After a pause, Tu Yao spoke thoughtfully, “It seems the news of Floating Boat City possessing Qilin blood has leaked out. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have attracted so many powerful figures all at once.”
His gaze traveled across the Underground Lake, pausing briefly on several boats, including those of Zhang He and Shu Wan’er.
“No secret stays hidden forever,” remarked the gray-robed elder Sheng Shi An, shaking his head slowly. “Qilin blood is known across the Martial World as a divine treasure. Countless warriors would do anything to obtain it. Keeping this secret was never realistic.”
He sighed gently, then added, “The only viable solution now is to quickly find someone capable of mastering the Qilin blood and using it. Otherwise, trouble will continue to pile up, and Floating Boat City won’t last long under such constant turmoil.”
Tu Yao’s eyes flickered thoughtfully. “City Lord has already begun secluded cultivation to consume the Qilin blood. However, its power is overwhelmingly fierce. Several experts who merely approached it have been burned to ashes by its escaping energy. I wonder if the City Lord can truly master it?”
The elder Sheng Shi An remained silent briefly before responding softly, “Qilin blood comes from the ancient divine beast, the Fire Qilin, appearing only every sixty years in limited amounts. Few can truly harness its power. Besides deep martial dao cultivation, a suitable physique and sheer luck also play critical roles.”
He sighed again, “If Su Chang Qing hopes to use the Qilin blood to break through to the first-grade martial dao realm, he faces an immense challenge indeed.”