Chapter 530 "Isle of a Thousand Piles" Stodd

It was just an ordinary cargo ship. There might have been professional adventurers on board to guard it, but in the face of the siege by the Wind-Seed Octopus and the sahuagin, even their corpses had already been swallowed by the waves.

Naturally, there couldn't be any Rare enchanted equipment or high-quality combat techniques among the spoils.

Deep within the cargo ship's hold, two sailors discovered a massive chest secured tightly with iron chains.

Its distinct appearance among the surrounding cargo caught their attention immediately, and they spent a great deal of effort struggling to undo the chains.

It was the contents of the chest that made them run back excitedly to report their find, looking as though they had just achieved some great merit.

"Deep-Sea Resonance Stones?"

Lorraine stared at the pile of crystalline rocks filling the chest before her, an expression of confusion on her face.

Having learned that close contact posed no ill effects, Xia Nan casually picked one out of the chest and held it in his hand to examine it.

The rocks Lorraine called "Deep-Sea Resonance Stones" were each about the size of a fist. They had irregular geometric shapes with smooth surfaces and were a translucent deep blue. Under the sunlight, a flowing luster could faintly be seen within.

His Perception subtly went to work.

Xia Nan could feel the magic particles near the rock reacting to some invisible influence—rising and falling rhythmically like a tide, being drawn in and then pushed back out.

Without a doubt, these "Deep-Sea Resonance Stones" were no ordinary rocks; they possessed some unique property.

Standing nearby, Hein was the team's only Spellcaster and the one most knowledgeable in arcane matters.

She chimed in to explain, "These Deep-Sea Resonance Stones are usually processed from sea rocks found deep within underwater caverns. They exert a certain degree of control over magic and serve as substitute casting materials for some spells."

"Because of the environment they are mined in, this material is relatively scarce, and the processing requirements are harsh, so they fetch a very handsome price."

"A chest this large should sell for at least 300 gold."

The staff-wielding druid looked confident, clearly very familiar with this kind of material.

"So these things are purely just spellcasting materials?" Xia Nan asked casually, weighing the crystalline rock in his hand.

"You could say that, but—" Hein said, her gaze sweeping over Xia Nan.

For some reason, the aura he exuded after the battle felt a bit more profound to her.

Pausing for a moment, she revealed another use for the Deep-Sea Resonance Stones.

"Because this material inherently possesses a unique control over magic, some people also use it as an auxiliary component in magical rituals."

"Rituals?" Lorraine, standing nearby, seemed to catch a keyword and pressed further. "Is that why those sahuagin attacked this cargo ship?"

It was already known that the sahuagin's recent aggressive activities were tied to some kind of sacrificial ritual they were planning to hold.

Hearing Hein say this, Lorraine instinctively connected the Deep-Sea Resonance Stones to the sahuagin.

"It's certainly possible," Hein nodded, though her tone remained uncertain. "But the Sea Rhythm Festival marks one of the periods when the magic tides in the Southern Archipelagos fluctuate the most violently throughout the year, meaning the effects of 'Deep-Sea Resonance Stones' will also be drastically amplified."

"In theory, as long as there aren't any specific restrictions, many rituals can use this material for support. It always sells like crazy on the market around this time of year, so it might just be a coincidence."

Regardless of what they were originally intended for, this chest of Deep-Sea Resonance Stones was now the spoils of the Blade of Vengeance Fleet.

Taking one last look at the deep blue crystal in his hand, Xia Nan tossed the stone back into the chest.

"Let's haul it back for now and deal with it once we return to Barracuda Bay," Lorraine called out to the sailors following behind her.

As one of the traditional customs during the Sea Rhythm Festival, the Lunar Tide Banquet was a massive feast held every three years in the outer seas of the Southern Archipelagos.

Whether they actually attended or not, every figure of any standing would receive an invitation.

In its earliest days, powerful Class Holders at the Transcendent Tier or even the Legendary rank would participate.

But the Lunar Tide Banquet was, after all, a public event belonging to the Sea Rhythm Festival. There was no strict screening of the attendees' identities. Over the years, the participants had devolved into a motley mix of fish and dragons, even giving rise to several scandals and vicious incidents throughout its history.

Consequently, the prestige of the banquet steadily declined year by year.

By this year, while the name of the Lunar Tide Banquet might still ring loud, it had essentially become a large-scale event primarily attended by pirates, low-to-mid-tier adventurers, and ordinary nobles.

As for the high-level bigwigs active in the Southern Archipelagos, they typically wouldn't show their faces at the banquet, opting instead for smaller, private gatherings with much higher thresholds and stringent requirements.

For Xia Nan, this was naturally a good thing.

His target was "Algae Scale" Dodd.

More accurately, it was the key to the [Dream Weaving Corridor] that Algae Scale had allegedly looted from Lyle Morton.

When the time came, if negotiations fell through, there was no telling what kind of chaos might break out.

If high-level Class Holders were present, everyone would likely be constrained and burdened with too many concerns, making it difficult to operate freely.

Although Xia Nan was very confident in his actual combat abilities, he didn't believe he could pull off a cross-tier battle against someone at the Transcendent Tier, even if he activated Stage 2 of [Ember Echoes], which carried a thirty-day cooldown.

Therefore, when he had previously learned the specifics of the Lunar Tide Banquet from Lorraine, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It was worth noting that "Algae Scale" Dodd was a great pirate who had run rampant across the Southern Archipelagos for years, only going into hiding after being placed on the wanted list by the Servia Kingdom.

Recently, however, he had reversed his previous strategy of lying low. Not only were there increasing sightings of his fleet's activities at sea, but he had also actively taken charge of hosting this year's Lunar Tide Banquet, footing the vast majority of its expenses.

This led many well-informed and astute individuals to speculate whether this great pirate—who had been so low-key he seemed virtually retired—was using this banquet as the springboard for his grand comeback.

There were even rumors circulating that Algae Scale's retreat back then was only partially due to the kingdom's wanted posters; the other reason was that he was seeking a breakthrough in his Class Level.

Making such massive waves now clearly suggested that he had achieved tangible results in taking the next step on his professional path.

Of course, these were ultimately just rumors with low credibility, merely one among the countless tall tales spreading across the seas.

Nevertheless, out of his habitual caution, Xia Nan still factored this possibility into his plans.

He planned to first scout out the situation at the banquet and, ideally, discover the exact location of the [Dream Weaving Corridor] key.

If the key truly was in Algae Scale's possession, and if the man refused a peaceful trade—all while possessing strength far beyond what Xia Nan could handle—then Xia Nan would just have to bide his time and plan for the long term.

Honestly, Xia Nan was highly confident in the speed of his own improvement.

It had only been about two years since he transmigrated, yet he had already grown from a rookie adventurer who had just entered the trade into a Class Holder who was Lv3 on the surface but possessed combat techniques far exceeding his level.

Now that he had acquired the [Proof of Diligence], his growth rate had accelerated even further.

With a little patience, waiting a few more years at most, "Algae Scale" Dodd would likely have no choice but to willingly hand over the key to the [Dream Weaving Corridor], no matter how reluctant he might be.

The attack from the Wind-Seed Octopus and the sahuagin was merely a minor interlude on their voyage, costing them very little time.

Coupled with their deliberate decision to depart many days in advance, their margin for error was vastly increased.

When the Blade of Vengeance Ship finally neared their destination, they were a full three days ahead of schedule.

—

The venue for this year's Lunar Tide Banquet was an island called Stodd.

Mentioning just the name alone, the vast majority of ordinary people living in the Southern Archipelagos probably wouldn't recognize it.

But if its alternate name was brought up, it would be resounding like thunder in their ears. Even if they had never visited it personally, they would have definitely heard of it from the lips of bards.

—"Isle of a Thousand Piles" Stodd.

To be completely honest, Stodd Island itself wasn't actually that large. It was roughly on par with Hare Island and Wild Berry Cliff, falling into the below-average, small-to-medium category. Placed within the entirety of the Southern Archipelagos, it could hardly be called conspicuous.

What truly allowed it to stand out in the Southern Archipelagos Waters from the countless larger and better-situated islands was its exceptionally superior geography.

It sat at the core of a massive reef shoal, providing it with vast stretches of stable, shallow waters that facilitated expansive construction, completely freeing it from the size constraints of the island proper.

Even more critically, there was a specialty on Stodd Island known as Water-Iron Wood.

No one knew the origin of this peculiar tree, nor could anyone figure out why it would only grow on Stodd Island and resisted all attempts at transplantation.

Some speculated it was a magical creation left behind by an ancient maritime empire, while others believed it might have been blessed by some deity.

Today, this unreplicable specialty of Stodd Island had become one of the most sought-after wooden materials in the Southern Archipelagos.

While alive and growing, Water-Iron Wood absorbed massive amounts of nutrients from the seawater and specific minerals, causing its fibers to gradually "ironize," becoming both supple and incredibly hard.

After being felled and stripped of its bark, the sap within its fibers would undergo a unique chemical reaction with the outside air, forming a grayish-brown protective membrane with the texture of iron and stone on the surface. This drastically elevated the wood's durability.

Furthermore, the wood possessed a limited, innate ability to self-heal. If it only suffered minor damage like a few small cracks, there was no need to waste effort on repairs; it would mend itself.

The protective membrane formed by the sap also provided pest resistance, making it difficult for shipworms and certain rot-causing fungi to survive.

These superior qualities made it one of the most popular timber varieties in the Southern Archipelagos.

At the same time, thanks to the traits of Water-Iron Wood and the unique geography of Stodd Island, the native inhabitants had, over years of development, formed a traditional ecology entirely unique to this locale.

The indigenous people, known to outsiders as Pile Dwellers, would drive thick, sturdy Water-Iron Wood Piles deep into the shallow sea to serve as load-bearing supports.

They would then lay down thick planks, also crafted from Water-Iron Wood, atop the piles to create platforms for people to walk on.

Shacks, warehouses, workshops, and even the Church—building after building was moved from the island interior out over the ocean, tethered together by ropes and connected by rafts and suspension bridges.

With the island as the core, these maritime platforms built of Water-Iron Wood steadily expanded outward.

By now, almost no native inhabitants lived on the main Stodd Island itself; the entire landmass was used for cultivating Water-Iron Wood.

Taking their place were layer upon layer of wooden platforms completely built from Water-Iron Wood that encircled the island, spanning an area several times larger than the island's actual landmass.

If one had the chance to gaze down from high above, the entire region looked like the cross-section of an egg.

Stodd Island was the "yolk" at the very center, while the "egg white" consisted of the oceanic platforms wrapped around it.

Its scale was so massive and its traits so distinct that even Xia Nan—who hailed from a modern society exploding with information and had seen countless architectural marvels from all over the world—found it a fascinating novelty.

Standing by the railing at the edge of the deck, he gazed far out toward the horizon. At the sight of the towering, verdant island and the sprawling, grayish-brown "wooden land" fanning out beneath it, he mentally readied himself to disembark.

Thanks to its specialty product, Stodd Island had already fostered a sizable human settlement in the vicinity.

And because it was chosen as the venue for this year's Lunar Tide Banquet, the impending event made the area grow increasingly bustling.

The masts and flags at the docks formed an unbroken sea of colors, and the clamor of the crowds could be heard even from out on the water.

Just as he was thinking of discussing their plans after landing with Lorraine, Alton, and the others, Xia Nan turned around and noticed Sarissa. The ranger with a thin dragonborn bloodline was currently standing alone by a railing not far away, gazing off into the distance at the "Isle of a Thousand Piles."

After careful consideration, she had ultimately chosen to follow the Blade of Vengeance Fleet to the Lunar Tide Banquet's venue, planning to return to Barracuda Bay with them once the event concluded.

"First time here?" Xia Nan asked casually.

In response, Sarissa shook her head.

"I've passed by a few times with the fleet in the past, and we've stopped here for a few days to rest and resupply."

She said that, but the expression on her face looked somewhat odd.

There was no anticipation, yet it wasn't ordinary either; it betrayed an indescribable sense of suppression.

It was as if she was anxious or worried about something.

Given what he had seen of her during their time together recently, Xia Nan guessed that it might have something to do with the upcoming Lunar Tide Banquet.

Not intending to hold his tongue, he asked directly, "You don't seem very interested in the Lunar Tide Banquet?"

Not expecting someone to see through her thoughts, nor anticipating Xia Nan to be so blunt, Sarissa looked startled. Her already slightly tense face abruptly stiffened.

Only then did she force out a deliberate and strained smile to explain, "I was just thinking about Captain Ode and the rest, Mr. Xia Nan."

"If not for the Wind-Seed Octopus mission, our Black Tide Hunter crew should have already arrived here by now."

He glanced at the dragonborn's face again. Recognizing her words as half-truths under his Perception, Xia Nan didn't expose her. He simply gave a slight nod and turned to leave.