Chapter 67: Setting Sail

Journeying solely with Qi Wei proved rather dull. Mu Yuan felt it would have been more entertaining to travel alone, where he could move freely without constraint. Now, faced with this cold-faced senior sister, the slightest misstep earned him a stern look that made him feel as if his back were being pricked by needles. After several days in her company, he found himself developing a flicker of actual fear towards Qi Wei!

Fortunately, Medicine God Valley wasn’t far from the sea. Traveling as a pair, they didn’t have to rely solely on walking. Inside Mu Yuan’s Black Water Gourd were still a few Brocade Deer he brought out from the Southern Barbarian Mountains. Riding them was not only comfortable but also swift, allowing them to reach the shores of the East Sea in no time!

They arrived at a small fishing village by the East Sea. Gazing out at the vast, rolling sea, Mu Yuan felt a pang of headache. He turned to ask, “Senior Sister Qi, do you have a way for us to set sail?”

Qi Wei shook her head. “We can look for a ship nearby that’s preparing to head out.”

Mu Yuan did possess a Feng Luan that could fly straight across. But upon consideration, that idea seemed rather uninteresting. Besides, the Feng Luan also needed rest. Over the endless sea, if they found nowhere to land, they would truly be stuck!

“Mentor mentioned that Round Pot Mountain lies two thousand miles offshore. What fishing boat would travel that far? Even merchant ships going back and forth are rare. I don’t even know if there are people living near Round Pot Mountain. If not, even merchant ships probably don’t go there. I wonder how Mentor and the others reached it back then. Could they all have flown over by sword flight? That sounds too absurd!”

Surveying the boundless, misty expanse of water, Mu Yuan felt rather helpless. Furthermore, his purpose in traveling overseas to Condense Evil Energy wasn’t solely for refining the Yin Spirit. If he could find suitable Earthly Evil energies aligned with Metal and Fire, it could also prepare him for his future Elixir Formation.

Thus, this wasn’t a simple journey straight to Round Pot Mountain. Stopping to investigate any islands they encountered was essential.

He considered whether to rent or buy a large ship. After all, silver and coins were practically useless ornaments to him. He didn’t have them readily on hand, but any item from the cultivation world sold in the secular market would be priceless treasures. Exchanging for a large vessel would be effortless.

If he were alone, Mu Yuan might well have just fashioned a raft and drifted out to sea. It seemed light and carefree, carrying a sense of freedom sailing the lakes and oceans. But traveling with a senior sister like Qi Wei, he couldn’t be that shabby. As they walked along the coast, observing ships and people, he actually spotted a large ship preparing to hoist sails and set sail. Mu Yuan inquired about the overseas territories. The ship owner knew of Round Pot Mountain, and moreover, the sea region not far from it was a bustling archipelago full of thriving commercial activity!

“Absolutely fate smiling upon us!” Mu Yuan thought internally. He promptly approached the ship owner to negotiate passage.

It was a grey, large ship, divided into two levels, measuring ten zhang long and three zhang high. Though countless vessels sat moored along the shore, this one stood out like a crane among chickens. The owner of the ship was a burly, powerful man, his muscles tightly corded. Perhaps from years at sea, his skin had a healthy, bronze-like tan. Paired with his towering stature, he stood like a giant ape, radiating an imposing aura!

Naturally, Mu Yuan didn’t mind. Even if the captain were a hundred times stronger, it wouldn’t register in his eyes. He stated his business, and the captain proved very straightforward. With a broad wave of his hand, he charged only twenty silver taels per person, arranging two ship cabins for Qi Wei and Mu Yuan.

Two days later, the ship set sail. Mu Yuan and Qi Wei boarded early, tidied their rooms, and heard the loud crackle of firecrackers outside, followed by the shouts and calls of a group of men. The boat vibrated slightly, then steadied as flat as land. The ship had left the harbor.

The vessel was loaded solely with cargo. As the captain said, they were headed for Glaze Island, near Round Pot Mountain. There, the goods’ value would multiply greatly. Then, they’d bring back local specialties from the island, profiting handsomely from the round trip. The ship’s passengers were merchants. Coincidentally, two rooms happened to be empty, right when Mu Yuan needed them.

After travelling about half a day, Mu Yuan felt somewhat stifled. He went out for air, heading to the bow. Turning to look back, he could no longer see the port. All around was the vast expanse of the sea. Though it seemed calm, hidden currents stirred beneath the surface. Gazing into the distance, he saw clouds draping the horizon like a dragon drinking water, an exceptionally grand spectacle. This shocking expanse could wipe away all thoughts and cleverness, evoking a profound sense of insignificance. Through the ages, across the cosmos and the eight directions, one’s self felt like a mote of dust, a drop of water, utterly trivial.

Through his cultivation of the Tidal Flow, Mu Yuan had always focused on its mutable, formless potentials. Observing the sea now, its boundless immensity shook him deeply. He suddenly realized his past understanding had been incomplete!

The power of water comes and goes without form; a hundred rivers flow to the sea, yet its source remains unknown.

The ship wasn’t particularly fast. Seeing no one around, Mu Yuan leaped directly overboard. Shielded by his shimmering Zhenqi, he parted the waters. Beneath the surface, currents spun, swirled, churned, and surged relentlessly. Mu Yuan spread his Tidal Flow. A profound black glow erupted as he released a vast wave of Tide True Qi, covering a full thirty zhang radius. Mysteriously dense yet placid, it seemed like the unbroken surface of the sea, smooth as a mirror. To the eye, it appeared similar, but within lay fierce, shifting Zhenqi, surging endlessly, erupting unpredictably, making it indefensible!

Fish and sea creatures were forcefully repelled by Mu Yuan’s Zhenqi. Deep below, the Essence of Northern Water was thick and potent. The profound black curtain released by Mu Yuan gathered and contracted this water-spiritual energy. It flowed into Mu Yuan’s body, circulating through channels to be refined drop by drop. Immediately, over ten more droplets coalesced within his Dantian, floating suspended. Meanwhile, the violet thunderbolts and dark cloud vault created by the Dragon King’s Dynamic Force also intensified noticeably!

“If one could cultivate within the sea, progress in the Tidal Flow would truly advance a thousand miles in a single day!” Since his three primary streams of Zhenqi had condensed and solidified within his Dantian, taking diverse solid manifestations, Mu Yuan’s body, which could previously no longer absorb essence, now resembled a bottomless pit. The sheer volume of Zhenqi within him now was a full thirty percent greater than before.

Savoring the profound fullness and might within his body, Mu Yuan rejoiced. Testing the Water Profound Truth he’d just grasped, he was about to rise to the surface when he noticed surging undercurrents in the distance. A vast surge of water power rushed violently. Mu Yuan focused his senses and peered into the depths. A huge silhouette of a creature, inky dark and massive, shimmered with sleek, glossy skin like gleaming jewels. Swinging its tail, it shot forward at astonishing speed, almost like a huge crossbow bolt whistling through the sea!

Mu Yuan could feel it clearly—the aura emanating from this creature was ferociously wild, overwhelmingly vast, seemingly even more powerful than the Mountain Elf and Saber-Toothed Drake he had encountered before!

“They say the deep sea holds unfathomable things, how true! Out at sea less than half a day, and already we face such a colossal behemoth!” Before Mu Yuan could fully react, the creature’s massive aura suddenly churned upwards, shifting its violent charge into a powerful lift with natural ease, fluid as water!

“Bad news! Above it is our ship! Should this monstrosity strike it, the vessel would shatter instantly, reduced to splinters and dust!”

Instantly, Mu Yuan transformed into a rushing stream himself, spinning violently through the water. With a slashing gesture, he unleashed countless streaks of Sword Qi, intending to draw the beast’s attention!

It worked! His Sword Qi shrieked, tearing through the currents like sharp spikes piercing a liquid void. The beast, lacking Mu Yuan’s mental agility and constant watchfulness, combined with its very bulk—all sixty Sword Qi strikes struck true!

The beast’s attention snapped onto Mu Yuan. Swinging its massive tail upwards, it threw its head back and spat a violently spiralling jet of water. Mu Yuan had never fought such a watery fiend before and felt a surge of excitement. He flicked his hand, and his Six Harmonies Sword Pills shot out in a whirling flurry, infused with his Tide True Qi. An intense chill radiated from them! Instantly, the rapidly approaching water jet froze into a solid chunk. Further gripped by his Zhenqi, it shattered into countless ice crystals!

“Let me show you my Qi Condensation into Threads technique!” At Mu Yuan’s current cultivation level, he could condense a maximum of six Qi threads. However, these threads were markedly more potent than his Sword Qi Division. From each of the six Sword Pills, over a dozen Sword Qi tendrils erupted, twisting and weaving together to form a single, stronger thread—each shimmering white and solid. Zing! Zing! Zing! With sharp whistles, they pierced six gaping holes into the behemoth. Penetrating its body, they detonated instantly! Flesh and blood splattered everywhere!

Despite the beast’s immense physical power, its hide’s defenses were weak. Pierced repeatedly by the condensed Qi threads, it began roaring in agony within moments. It thrashed violently, shaking the very waters, sending immense waves crashing to the sea surface! Waves layered upon waves churned, scaring the ship’s captain terribly. He hastily commanded his crew to steer clear of the surging wall of water!

“What madness is this? Broad daylight brings such waves from nowhere!” Though anxious as the swells grew larger, the captain remained composed, methodically directing his men. Waves slammed against the hull. The ship rocked violently, threatening to capsize. All merchants scrambled to the safety of their cabins. Yet Qi Wei calmly stepped onto the deck.

A sailor rushed towards her. “Miss! Waves are rising! Get belowdecks quickly!”

Qi Wei merely offered a reassuring smile. “It’s fine.”

When stepping out, she had sensed Mu Yuan’s absence from his cabin. She knew this sudden churning of the sea was surely his doing. Spreading her mind-sense, she detected the monstrous creature’s colossal aura. Casually, she tossed a bronze-colored wheel into the sea. Instantly, the violently churning waters calmed. Simultaneously, as if swept by an immense gale, the ship surged forward with explosive speed!

This wheel was called the Reincarnation Wheel. True Lord Qinghua, having cultivated the Longevity Palace’s Heaven and Earth Reincarnation Art to a profoundly high stage, had materialized its concepts into this external manifestation. It excelled at redirecting force—using a great tool for a small task proved its miraculousness now.

The astonished sailors cried out, believing they had received the Sea God’s blessing, and knelt in deep reverence. Qi Wei merely smiled faintly without comment, spreading her mental senses deeper to observe the underwater battle unfolding below.