At the Edge of the Sea

After more than a month on the road, Hao Nhien’s party finally reached the southern coast of the Ling Van Continent.

The road beneath the carriage wheels had gradually changed from narrow dirt tracks winding through forests and mountains into a broad stone-paved highway, wide enough for several merchant caravans to travel side by side.

More and more rest stations, warehouses, and settlements appeared along the major transport routes.

From time to time, heavily loaded caravans passed them, their wagons marked with the symbols of merchant associations Hao Nhien had never even heard of.

But what caught his attention most was not the bustle.

It was the wind blowing continuously from the south.

There was a faint taste of salt in it, mixed with moisture and the smell of seaweed.

The closer they came to their destination, the clearer that scent became.

It was completely different from the dry heat of the Western Wastes or the forests and mountains he had crossed before.

Hao Nhien sat near the carriage window, watching the low hills gradually recede behind them.

When the carriage reached a higher stretch of road, the view ahead suddenly opened.

Across the flat land stretching toward the horizon stood an enormous city wall.

Blocks of dark stone streaked with red had been stacked into a massive barrier that extended so far in both directions that its end was almost impossible to see.

Tall watchtowers stood at regular intervals along the wall.

Flags belonging to different powers and merchant associations snapped in the wind.

Behind the walls were layers of buildings rising at different heights, interspersed with towers of unfamiliar design.

And farther beyond them—past the rooftops, past the port district—a gray-blue expanse of water stretched all the way to the horizon.

The Sea Region.

Hao Nhien unconsciously straightened.

He had seen great rivers.

He had stood high above broad lakes and vast stretches of land.

But the scene before him still felt entirely different.

There was no opposite shore.

No visible place where the water ended.

Under the afternoon sunlight, glittering bands of light stretched across the sea.

Far in the distance, several enormous dark silhouettes moved slowly through thin layers of mist.

Hao Nhien could not tell whether they were warships or merchant vessels.

But their size alone was enough to make him understand that the Sea Region was unlike any body of water he had ever known.

Lang Tuyet, seated farther inside the carriage, noticed his expression and closed the notebook she had been reading.

“What do you think, Little Brother Hao Nhien?”

Hao Nhien watched for a while longer.

“Much larger than I imagined.”

“I was asking about Sea City.”

“I was talking about Sea City.”

Hao Nhien turned toward her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“If the Sea Region were not behind it, a city built on land alone might never have developed to this scale.”

Lang Tuyet blinked.

Then she laughed.

“That’s fair.”

“Looks like you’ve already seen part of the reason Sea City is so prosperous before we’ve even entered.”

She leaned slightly toward the window and looked toward the distant port.

“Sea City is one of Southern Border’s most important centers of trade.”

“Most goods from the continent that are headed into the Sea Region pass through routes like this.”

“And countless goods brought back from the sea gather here before being distributed to other cities.”

Hao Nhien looked toward the broad roads leading to the gates.

“No wonder there are so many caravans.”

“This is only the land route.”

“When you see the port, you’ll understand why even the largest merchant associations don’t dare underestimate Sea City.”

The carriage continued forward.

The closer they came to the city gates, the denser the traffic became.

There were ordinary merchant caravans.

Cultivators carrying weapons.

Wagons pulled by demonic beasts.

Convoys transporting spirit metals and sealed cargo protected by formation markings.

Hao Nhien saw one group of merchants dressed in thick fur clothing from the Frozen North.

Walking beside them were sun-darkened travelers in short, light clothing, carrying bags that smelled strongly of the sea.

Several cultivators from Dong Nguyen wore long swords across their backs.

Others carried strange weapons Hao Nhien had never seen before.

Large formations had been carved directly into the city walls.

Looking upward from below, Hao Nhien could sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth circulating along the formation lines, forming defensive layers that covered large sections of the city.

He observed them for a while.

But he did not attempt to understand the entire structure.

His soul had recovered considerably compared with the days immediately after waking at U Minh Mountain.

His ability to circulate True Qi, however, was still limited.

He had no intention of carelessly probing the formations of a major city with his spiritual sense before he even knew the local rules.

When their turn came, Lang Tuyet took out a token of the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association.

The official responsible for inspection only glanced at the mark and verified her identity.

The carriage was immediately directed toward a passage reserved for registered merchant convoys.

The place where the author publishes this story carries the chapter; this copy was made without permission.

Not long afterward, the three of them entered Sea City.

The scene inside was even livelier than what Hao Nhien had seen from beyond the walls.

The streets were broad.

Shops stretched along both sides, their signs belonging to merchant associations, medicine pavilions, and businesses specializing in spiritual artifacts.

Multi-story buildings of pale stone stood beside large wooden structures.

Some had formation lines running along their eaves to resist the moisture carried in from the sea.

Hao Nhien saw many goods he had never encountered in the northern cities.

There were ordinary beast cores and spiritual medicines.

But also pearls as large as fists.

Dark green scales taken from aquatic demonic beasts.

Massive sections of fish bone.

And spirit metals with surfaces that shimmered as though covered by a thin layer of water.

One shop displayed the jawbone of some unknown sea beast.

It was large enough for a grown man to stand comfortably inside.

Not far away, several merchants were inspecting wooden barrels filled with pale blue liquid.

Spiritual fluctuations moved through the liquid in changing waves.

Hao Nhien watched everything with interest.

In the past, whenever he entered an unfamiliar major city, his first instinct had been to study the defenses.

The active powers.

The places that might become dangerous.

That habit had not disappeared.

But he no longer felt the need to understand everything immediately.

Sea City was too large.

There were too many things worth studying.

If he tried to observe all of it in a single day, he would probably end up understanding almost nothing.

As the carriage passed along a street near the port, Hao Nhien’s gaze stopped on a water-attribute crystal core displayed inside a shop.

Inside the crystal, pale blue currents of spiritual power moved slowly in several layers.

They did not circulate at the same speed.

Nor did they all move in the same direction.

Yet the entire structure remained stable.

Hao Nhien watched for several breaths.

During the month-long journey, the condition of his meridians had changed slightly.

The strands of True Qi produced by his Golden Core no longer disappeared immediately after leaving the dantian as often as before.

Sometimes they could travel through several secondary meridian branches and meet again at a relatively unobstructed point.

But the circulation remained unstable.

It was still not enough to form a complete cycle.

Looking at the spiritual power moving through the crystal before him, Hao Nhien became curious about the way different forms of power maintained their movement.

Wind force could alter direction according to the environment.

Fire force often erupted violently when conditions were suitable.

Lightning force formed through particular imbalances and fluctuations, something Hao Nhien had borrowed many times in combination with his sword techniques.

The water force before him was different.

The currents remained in motion.

But they did not necessarily need to share one direction or one speed.

Ahead, Lang Tuyet turned around.

“We’re here.”

Hao Nhien followed where she pointed.

Before them stood a large building of white stone streaked with blue.

The familiar symbol of the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association was mounted above the roof.

Two stone pillars carved with intricate patterns flanked the entrance.

Inside, people moved constantly in and out, some carrying cargo boxes, others holding sealed documents.

This was one of the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association’s important branches in Sea City.

Lang Tuyet stepped down first.

Someone immediately came out to receive her.

A middle-aged man in blue robes recognized her and hurried forward with cupped hands.

“Miss Lang, you’ve arrived.”

“We received word from Dong Nguyen.”

“Everything has been prepared.”

Lang Tuyet nodded.

“First, handle a shipment I accepted on the road.”

“The original transporter was Chu Thanh. The assignment belonged to a delivery route bound for Southern Border.”

“I completed the transfer procedure on behalf of the branch, but the item still needs to be formally received here.”

The middle-aged man immediately understood.

“Please come inside.”

The three of them were led to a room used specifically for receiving sealed cargo.

Lang Tuyet took out the metal box she had accepted from Chu Thanh and placed it on a stone table.

She presented the transport papers and transfer certification alongside it.

The person responsible did not immediately open the box.

Instead, he used a command token to inspect each seal and compare the markings with the shipment records.

Hao Nhien watched from the side.

When part of the protective casing was opened to verify the condition of the cargo, he saw the gray-black metal fragment inside.

He only looked for a moment.

When Chu Thanh had first transferred the item to Lang Tuyet, Hao Nhien had already noticed that the patterns on its surface seemed unusual.

But there had not been enough evidence for any conclusion.

The examiner resealed the box after inspection.

“The seals match.”

“The item shows no sign of damage.”

“We will transfer it into secure storage and begin appraisal according to procedure.”

Lang Tuyet signed the acknowledgment.

“Investigate the sender’s background and the earlier transport route as well.”

“Someone controlled demonic beasts and pursued the escort convoy for several days.”

“That means information about the shipment may have leaked.”

“This subordinate will arrange an investigation immediately.”

“Don’t make it too conspicuous before we have evidence.”

“For now, simply determine which stage of the transport process could have exposed the information.”

The middle-aged man cupped his hands.

Hao Nhien watched Lang Tuyet manage the matter.

He found it somewhat interesting.

In Dong Nguyen, she usually spoke to him casually and sometimes deliberately teased him.

But when dealing with merchant-association affairs, her manner became clear and decisive.

She did not need to raise her voice.

Everyone around her still understood exactly what needed to be done.

After the transfer was completed, Lang Tuyet led Hao Nhien and Lanh Hoa to the residence prepared for them.

It was a small courtyard in the merchant association’s guest district, not far from the central streets.

A small pond sat inside.

Several willow trees grew along the edge.

The rooms were arranged with enough privacy to allow proper rest without the noise of the streets outside.

Lanh Hoa inspected the area before returning.

“Clan Chief, this place is relatively safe.”

“This subordinate will stay in the outer room.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“You should rest as well.”

“We’ve just spent more than a month traveling.”

“There’s no need to behave as though we’re on a battlefield every moment.”

Lanh Hoa acknowledged him.

Hao Nhien knew he would remain alert anyway.

Lang Tuyet looked at the two men and smiled slightly.

“I still need to visit the auction house to confirm several things.”

“You two rest first.”

“I’ll return this afternoon.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“If there’s news about the Bow Tree, let me know.”

“Of course.”

“That is one of the main reasons we came here.”

With that, she left the courtyard.

Lang Tuyet returned in the late afternoon looking fairly satisfied.

Hao Nhien was drinking tea beside the pond.

Lanh Hoa had just finished practicing swordsmanship in the rear courtyard.

Lang Tuyet sat across from Hao Nhien.

“The auction will take place in three days.”

“The schedule hasn’t changed.”

“If no one purchases it after the auction, I’ll be able to take it with us.”

Hao Nhien set down his teacup.

“Three days isn’t long.”

“Exactly.”

“So for now, we can rest.”

“Or we can go see what Sea City has to offer.”

Hao Nhien looked at her.

“Haven’t you been here many times?”

“Coming for work and walking around are different things.”

Lang Tuyet answered naturally.

“Every time I come here, I have to meet merchant-association people, inspect cargo, discuss transactions, or review transport routes.”

“Sometimes I stay an entire week without ever visiting the harbor market.”

She looked at him, the corner of her mouth lifting.

“This time I have company.”

“I also want to see whether there’s anything worth buying.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“That sounds like you’re looking for someone to help spend spirit stones.”

“You just accepted quite a few records from me.”

“Don’t tell me you still expect me to pay for everything.”

“Then today I’ll pay.”

Lang Tuyet raised an eyebrow.

“Remember you said that.”

Hao Nhien turned toward Lanh Hoa.

“Coming with us?”

Lanh Hoa immediately put away his sword.

“Wherever Clan Chief goes, this subordinate follows.”

Lang Tuyet laughed.

“I suppose there was never going to be another answer.”

The three left the courtyard while the afternoon light still covered the rooftops of Sea City.

The market near the harbor was even busier than the streets Hao Nhien had seen when they entered the city.

Stalls of every size lined both sides of the road.

Some specialized in spiritual medicines harvested from offshore islands.

Others displayed scales and bones from aquatic demonic beasts.

Several shops hung sea-route maps on their walls, marking areas that had already been explored and regions where safety could not be guaranteed.

The smell of saltwater mixed with grilled food, medicinal herbs, and cargo freshly unloaded from ships.

It created an atmosphere unique to the port.

Hao Nhien saw several strange plants with soft, almost transparent bodies.

They were kept in jars of water sustained by spiritual energy.

Nearby were pearls that gave off faint blue light.

When brought close to the ear, they produced a soft sound like moving water.

Lang Tuyet occasionally stopped to ask prices.

She did not buy much.

But whenever she inspected something, she did so carefully.

Some items she dismissed after a glance.

Others made her ask about the place of origin, method of collection, and storage requirements.

Hao Nhien realized she was not simply sightseeing.

For someone involved with the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association, observing what appeared in the market was also a way of understanding trade.

Rare items.

Abnormal prices.

The sudden appearance of a new resource.

Any of those could reveal a change somewhere in the larger commercial network.

Still, she did not turn the outing into an inspection.

When she found something genuinely interesting, she stopped like any ordinary customer.

Sometimes she even pulled Hao Nhien over to ask his opinion.

After a while, the three turned onto a street specializing in old items recovered from the Sea Region.

Compared with the spiritual-medicine market, this place was much more chaotic.

The stalls displayed things of uncertain purpose.

Broken spiritual artifacts.

Spirit metals corroded by seawater.

Ancient objects recovered from shipwrecks or reefs.

Some truly contained spiritual power.

Others merely looked unusual while the sellers attached stories to them that were impossible to verify.

Lang Tuyet glanced around.

“There is one interesting thing about the old-goods market near the harbor.”

“Sometimes people recover genuinely valuable items.”

“But most of what you see is broken junk or ordinary metal.”

“If you don’t know how to appraise things, buying here is no different from gambling.”

Hao Nhien smiled.

“So you brought me here to test my luck?”

“I only wanted to see whether there was anything unusual.”

“If you truly enjoy gambling, I recommend saving your spirit stones for something else.”

The two had not walked much farther when the sound of an argument came from a stall near the corner of the street.