After collecting the spirit stones, a cultivator riding a flying boat indeed arrived in response, leading Nan Zhi and the others to board the ship.
The closer they got, the clearer the scenery on the colossal tower ship became, though its bow remained hidden in the clouds, making it difficult to see clearly.
A massive bodhi pattern was carved on the stern, allowing anyone to recognize from afar that this was the symbol of the Wuwei Sect.
Every ten meters along the gunwale stood a bronze-carved Vermilion Bird head. Its wings were full of feathers, looking as if it might spread them and take flight at any moment.
The Vermilion Birds held bright pearls in their beaks, and hanging from the end of each pearl was an incredibly thick black iron chain. Up close, they exuded a bone-chilling cold; as the clouds and mist collided with them, a layer of white frost coated their surfaces.
Oddly enough, this treasure tower ship had no sails. Instead, two massive chains of the same material—yet as thick as mountain ranges—draped over the giant whales, pulling the ship forward like oxen or horses pulling a cart.
“Mistress, Mistress, look! There are so many spirits just like me!”
The deck was crowded with people, a bustling mix of mountain spirits, cultivators, and demon beasts. Watching from afar, Hongluo hugged Nan Zhi's forearm and couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation.
“I used to only hear about how prosperous the immortal realm is, but I never expected there to be such a massive treasure ship, with so many spirits and immortals on board! Such a beautiful big ship... If I had to stay on this ship for the rest of my life, I'd be happy to!”
The child's innocent words made everyone burst into laughter.
No one mocked them for being country bumpkins. Most offered warm, friendly jests, and the female cultivator leading the way even pursed her lips and smiled.
“Little hedgehog, this isn't the immortal realm. The immortals are still in the Nine Heavens, above the Heavenly Pillars. The Nine Heavens are so vast and boundless that this treasure ship, compared to them, is as tiny as a single mustard seed!”
This was no ordinary mortal place. Everyone coming and going possessed cultivation, so they could naturally see through Hongluo's true form as a hedgehog.
“We come from a small place and have never seen such a grand treasure ship, nor have we ever been to the Rakshasa Sea Market. We have long heard that the Wuwei Sect has a deep heritage and is teeming with talent. Seeing it today, it is indeed true.”
Nan Zhi pulled Hongluo closer and asked with a smile:
“Fellow Daoist, I wonder what kind of rare spirit beast is pulling this ship? To think it can fly over the Wuwang Sea, where not even a goose feather can float.”
“Those are Kunpeng whale hybrids specially bred by our sect. They are a unique species of the Wuwang Sea, born from Kunpeng and deep-sea whales.
This species is naturally capable of flying over the Wuwang Sea and can pull objects a hundred times their own weight. Pulling this tower ship is child's play for them.”
The female cultivator was young and also at the Foundation Establishment stage. Hearing Nan Zhi's praise, her smile widened, and she intentionally slowed down the flying boat to explain further:
“Since this is your first time boarding, you should know the taboos on this ship. Otherwise, if you break the rules, you will be thrown off.”
With that, the female cultivator began to list them one by one.
Flying on swords was forbidden on the ship, as was flying with dharma treasures.
Private feuds were strictly prohibited. If one wished to fight, they had to go to the arena, where life and death were disregarded. If there was a blood feud, as long as both parties entered the arena and signed a life-and-death waiver, even if they skinned each other alive, the Wuwei Sect would not interfere.
This ship was called the Splendid Platform. If any cultivator damaged property on the ship, they had to pay a hefty compensation. If they couldn't afford it, they would naturally have to sell themselves into servitude and could only leave once their debt was fully cleared.
“Not only that, but everything you could need is available on board—food, clothing, jewelry, and pills. Quite a few people are born on the Splendid Platform and die on the Splendid Platform, never once stepping off it in their entire lives.”
Seeing that all three of them were female, the cultivator added another piece of advice:
“The crowd on the ship is a mixed bag, mostly consisting of people from the twelve nations of the four directions of the southern seas. Some of the foreign races have eccentric temperaments and are extremely bellicose. Be careful not to provoke them, lest you invite unnecessary trouble.”
“Thank you for the advice, fellow Daoist. We will keep that in mind,” Nan Zhi thanked her.
Before they parted, Nan Zhi intended to slip her a bottle of pills, but the other woman caught her hand and declined with a gentle smile:
“I don't know why, but the moment I saw you, I felt an extraordinary sense of familiarity and connection, which is why I ended up talking so much.
My surname is Xue, and my given name is Huan. If you encounter any difficulties on the ship, just come to the thirteenth floor to find me.”
“My surname is Ma, and I am the ninth in my family, so everyone calls me Ma Jiu. These are my traveling companions, Qu Wan and Hongluo.”
Nan Zhi seized the opportunity and smoothly gave her fake names:
“We've just arrived at your noble sect's Splendid Platform and are unfamiliar with the place. Meeting such a warm-hearted person as Fellow Daoist Xue is truly our good fortune. Once I settle down in a couple of days, I will definitely visit you to discuss pills and the Dao.”
Xue Huan nodded, steered the flying boat down to the deck, and after a few more polite exchanges, they parted ways.
...
The Splendid Platform was incredibly prosperous; the deck alone was packed with a sea of people.
Xue Huan was right. The majority of the people on the ship belonged to foreign races, and human cultivators mixed among them seemed like the odd ones out.
A slender-waisted woman with fish scales on her face walked past, leading three children with fish heads and human bodies. They appeared to be from the Sea Nation.
A hunched, white-haired old man with a bird's nest on his head walked by. With every step he took, he left a dark footprint on the ground. He was likely from the Black Crow Nation.
There were also members of the Yaksha Nation walking past, bare-chested. They were tall and fierce, covered in long hair, with teeth like halberds and eyes that flashed like twin lanterns, looking entirely like wild beasts.
Most of these Yakshas wore only pants or skirts to cover their lower bodies. Regardless of gender, a string of perfectly round, bright pearls hung across their chests.
The larger a Yaksha's build, the more bright pearls they wore, and the rounder and fuller the pearls were.
“Whatcha starin' at me for?! You human cultivator, you tryin' to steal my bone tuzi or somethin'?!”
Carrying tridents, several Yakshas passed by Nan Zhi. Noticing their stares, one thrust its hideous face forward, menacingly threatening Hongluo:
“Keep lookin' and I'll gouge your eyeballs out, grind 'em up on a rock, and feed 'em to the crabs!”
“Fellow Daoist, the child only looked at you a few times because she thought you looked majestic. Why frighten her?”
Nan Zhi shielded Hongluo and Wanniang behind her back, her voice sinking as she said:
“I have heard that the Yakshas of the twelve nations of the four directions of the southern seas are tall and fierce, tearing live deer apart with their claws to feast, and loving nothing more than deep-sea clam pearls. Regardless of gender, they delight in battle.
If you are looking for trouble on purpose, there is no need to use a child as an excuse. Let us sign a life-and-death waiver and have a satisfying fight in the Life and Death Arena.”
The Yaksha stood a full half-body taller than Nan Zhi. Hearing this, it was momentarily taken aback, clearly not expecting the female cultivator before it to be so unyielding.
It bared its teeth, its lantern-like eyes peering closer. It was just about to speak when it saw Nan Zhi looking back without a hint of fear or arrogance. Suddenly, a strange sense of closeness welled up in its heart.
The other Yakshas felt the same way.
They looked at one another, completely baffled by what was happening to them.
This human cultivator's rapid-fire speaking was really quite endearing.
Oh my, look at those eyes, they really looked like eyes; the nose looked like a nose, and the mouth like a mouth.
—They had never seen a human cultivator who looked so pleasing to the eye.
She was just like a black pearl spat out by a giant clam at the bottom of the sea.
Smelled nice, too.
Like seaside rocks right after a downpour, warmed by the sun, carrying the salty, earthy scent of the ocean breeze.
It was the same satisfaction and joy they felt after a massive rainstorm when they did absolutely nothing but lie lazily on a rock, pulled a fat worm out of a crevice, and took a bite.
“You... you... me... me...”
The leading Yaksha, who wore over fifty bright pearls around its neck, scratched its head. Looking at the wary Nan Zhi, it took a long while before it managed to squeeze out a sentence in a strained, high-pitched voice:
“You look real striking—the Life and Death Arena isn't good, people die easily there. If you wanna blow off some steam, how about I just stand still and let you slash me once?”
Rate on N.U.
