Chapter 702: Travels in the Outer Sea (Part 3)

Furthermore, the captain knew that Qi Deficient Spearfish were social creatures, typically living in groups of one male, several females, and their young. The one before them was a female. If the much more ferocious male were to appear, they would be utterly finished.

“Fire!”

A volley of Reversing Water Halberds, each comparable to a High-level Technique, plunged toward the Qi Deficient Spearfish. Their crystal-clear tips struck the water, sending up massive splashes.

The attack forced the Qi Deficient Spearfish back slightly, and streaks of blood tainted the seawater, but the beast refused to leave.

“Why? What does it want?”

The captain muttered to himself. He was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator himself, but he was getting on in years and had lost the drive to pursue further breakthroughs. All he wanted now was to safely transport this haul of fish back to his territory and feed his people.

Just then, the warning Array installed on the hull blared an alarm. Two Foundation Establishment Cultivators were rapidly approaching from a distance.

The third mate in charge of lookouts turned pale. He scrambled to the upper deck to find the captain.

“Two Foundation Establishment Cultivators are heading right for us! They don’t look friendly. Should we strike first?”

The captain’s graying beard twitched. After a few moments of thought, he had the third mate fetch the Stargazer.

“Go and ask their purpose. If their intentions are good, persuade them to keep their distance. If they’re hostile, stall them, give me the signal, and we’ll attack immediately.”

This Stargazer was a Cultivator at Late-stage Qi Cultivation. Becoming a Stargazer required extensive knowledge of astronomy and geography. This included, but was not limited to, identifying and handling sea beasts, celestial navigation, and various other skills.

The sea was full of dangers—undercurrents, whirlpools, sea beast territories, tides, and celestial phenomena—any of which could claim the lives of an entire crew. Thus, someone was needed to study, catalog, and learn about these threats.

It was an extremely time-consuming profession that also depended on natural talent. While not as prestigious as Alchemy and Talisman Making, it was still a role that no ordinary Cultivator could fill.

Anyone who could become a Stargazer was far from a fool. Therefore, sending the Stargazer to negotiate with the two approaching Foundation Establishment Cultivators was a much better choice than sending the panicky third mate.

Of the dozen or so Cultivators on the ship, only the captain was at Foundation Establishment; the rest were all at the Qi Cultivation stage. This was also one of only two fishing vessels their family owned.

The Stargazer flew up into the air from the ship. From several miles away, he spotted a man and a woman in the distance. The moment he laid eyes on them, the Stargazer felt a wave of relief.

Just based on their appearances, he could tell they were different. The Male Cultivator had a heroic air, while the Female Cultivator was gentle and serene. They lacked the fierce, predatory aura common among the Outer Sea People.

The Female Cultivator was especially beautiful. Her exquisite eyes were so gentle they seemed to speak, causing the young Stargazer’s heart to skip a beat.

“Seniors, may I ask your purpose for coming here? The Zhou Family of the Quicksand Islands is currently hunting. It would be best not to get too close. Please forgive any discourtesy.”

The two were, of course, Lou Yuan and Jiang Wanqin. Since departing from Songyun Island, they had been observing the various fishing vessels of the Outer Sea. They were now far from the Quicksand Islands and hadn’t expected to run into a ship battling a sea beast.

“Do you need a hand? It looks like you’re having a hard time.”

Jiang Wanqin asked in a gentle voice. Lou Yuan remained silent. As long as they weren’t getting involved in a conflict between Cultivators, he was content to let Jiang Wanqin take the lead when it came to dealing with sea beasts.

“Thank you for your kind offer, Senior, but it’s just a sea beast. Nothing to worry about…”

“Ah! Another, bigger one is here! No, not just one—a whole pod!”

Before the Stargazer could finish, furious shouts erupted from the fishing boat. His words took a sharp turn.

“Of course, if you Seniors don’t mind the trouble, the Zhou Family would be eternally grateful and would be sure to reward you handsomely!”

The three quickly came to an agreement. Led by the Stargazer, Lou Yuan and Jiang Wanqin flew to the fishing boat and met the captain.

“And these two are?”

The old captain asked the Stargazer, though his eyes darted toward Lou Yuan and Jiang Wanqin. Lou Yuan simply smiled at the captain’s cautiousness. ‘In situations like this, I shouldn’t take the lead. This is all for Jiang Wanqin’s experience,’ he thought.

Jiang Wanqin was quite direct. She immediately produced her Great Zhou Academy Token. This was a symbol of status. One needed a significant background and immense financial resources to possess such a Token, not to mention a clean record. The Token’s appearance signified that the Great Zhou Academy itself vouched for its holder.

“So, you are a noble lady from a great sect! Forgive my disrespect. I am Zhou Ji, an Elder of the Zhou Family. It is an honor to meet you, noble lady!”

The address was one of deep respect, adhering to the Zhou Li. The moment Jiang Wanqin presented her Great Zhou Academy Token, Zhou Ji immediately put his full trust in her. The value of his fishing boat, and indeed his entire Zhou Family, could not compare to the weight that single Token carried.

Understanding this, what could someone like Jiang Wanqin possibly want from him?

“Tell me exactly what’s going on.”

By now, Jiang Wanqin had lost much of her initial indignation at the state of the world. After seeing enough of it, she had grown accustomed to certain realities. However, her kind heart remained unchanged. The moment she saw the ship in distress, her first thought was to come to their aid.

After the old captain explained their ordeal, Jiang Wanqin’s sharp senses told her there had to be something on the ship that was keeping the female Qi Deficient Spearfish from leaving.

“What did you catch just now? Did you notice anything unusual?”

The old captain’s expression changed at her words. He immediately realized there must be something out of the ordinary in the haul they had just brought aboard.

“We were attacked by the spearfish as soon as the nets were in. We haven’t had time to sort the catch. Quick, open the fish hold! Please, noble lady, have a look.”

Jiang Wanqin paid no mind to the filthy fish hold. She simply lifted the hem of her robes slightly, approached the opening, and extended her divine sense deep inside.

A sinister, cold aura suddenly washed over her, causing her to shudder slightly.

For an object to provoke such a reaction from her, its quality had to be high—at least high-grade second-tier, perhaps even third-tier.

“There’s something in here. It must be the culprit attracting the Qi Deficient Spearfish. Take it out, and if you’re willing to part with it, Captain, throw it to them. A small price to pay to avoid disaster, wouldn’t you say?”

Jiang Wanqin offered her advice. The old captain was decisive in his response.

“You need strength to hold onto a windfall. I just want to catch enough fish to feed my family. There’s no need to complicate matters. Thank you for your guidance, noble lady.”

The old captain ordered his men to retrieve the object. It was a splintered piece of pitch-black wood. It looked unremarkable on the surface, but its color was so deep it seemed to absorb one’s gaze.

“So this is it. It must be some sort of cultivation resource favored by these Qi Deficient Spearfish. Perhaps the main pod wasn’t home when you ‘raided their nest,’ so to speak. Now you can return it to its rightful owners.”

Jiang Wanqin spoke reassuringly, and the old captain chuckled in agreement. He raised his hand to throw the wood, but Lou Yuan, who had been standing to the side, suddenly spoke up.

“Wait. I have a way to drive off these sea beasts, but on one condition: you must sell this object to me. Of course, I will make sure you won’t be at a disadvantage.”

At his words, both Jiang Wanqin and the old captain turned to look at him. Lou Yuan, however, remained perfectly calm. He had no choice. The Master of Ten Thousand Spiders residing within him desperately wanted the piece of rotten wood and was currently flooding his mind with thoughts of desire.

Lou Yuan had to speak up for the old ghost’s sake. Besides, thanks to the generous reward Fang Qingyuan had given him earlier, Lou Yuan was now incredibly wealthy. He had more than enough to buy the entire fishing boat, let alone this piece of wood.

Jiang Wanqin looked at the unusually assertive Lou Yuan and blinked, but she was tactful enough not to say anything. ‘He must have his reasons for acting this way,’ she thought.

Still, Lou Yuan’s uncharacteristic behavior sparked her suspicion.

Seeing her expression, Lou Yuan sighed inwardly beneath his calm facade. ‘Just as I thought. No matter how well you hide a secret, spending every day with someone will inevitably reveal some clues. Jiang Wanqin is already starting to sense the existence of Wanzhu.’

‘If she truly discovers Wanzhu one day… what am I going to do?’