Chapter 258: Boarding the Ship

Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Boarding the Ship

The giant ship was a veritable behemoth. Its length rivaled a mountain and its width was astonishing. The tall hull was solidly constructed, its well-defined silhouette exuding an unshakable sense of power.

Unique patterns were carved into the bow, gleaming under the sun. The deck was broad and crisscrossed with ropes. The massive ship’s reflection on the calm sea surface made for a majestic and imposing sight.

Jiang Xu stared dazedly at the giant ship before him.

In his previous life, Jiang Xu had only ever seen such warships on television; he had never witnessed one in person.

’To think that it would be here, in the Cultivation World, that my horizons would be broadened like this.’

The people ahead of Jiang Xu were clearly experienced, flying directly toward the giant ship.

Jiang Xu didn’t follow them, choosing instead to observe what they did.

Once they got within a certain distance of the ship, they stopped. A person then flew out from the vessel and led them toward it.

A protective barrier formed by an Array was clearly visible along the path. But when they all presented their Passage Orders, the Array automatically opened a gap for them, and no one was obstructed.

After observing silently for a while and seeing that everyone else followed the same procedure, Jiang Xu finally flew toward the giant ship.

He flew up beside the giant ship and waited quietly for a moment. Soon, a Cultivator in the Qi Cultivation Realm, dressed like a sailor, flew out from the vessel.

"Senior, please show your Passage Order," the sailor said politely.

After Jiang Xu presented his Passage Order for inspection, the sailor led him through the Array and onto the giant ship.

The two of them arrived on deck, where many other Cultivators were already waiting for the ship to depart.

The sailor then took a Token from his Storage Bag and handed it to Jiang Xu.

"Senior, please keep this safe. This is the Token for your quarters on the ship. If you lose it, you’ll have to sleep on the deck."

Jiang Xu glanced at the Token. It looked much like a typical Array Token used for renting a residence.

Seeing the sailor about to leave, Jiang Xu quickly called out to him.

"Wait a moment. I’d like to ask, roughly how long until this ship heads for the Demon Spirit State?"

"We set sail as soon as we’re full. Judging by the rate people are boarding, it will likely be within the next day or two."

’Within a day or two.’ Jiang Xu mulled it over for a second, then asked, "And roughly when will we arrive at the Demon Spirit State?"

The sailor shook his head.

"I don’t know for sure. It depends on many factors. Sometimes we reach the Demon Spirit State in just over half a year. Other times, it can take over a decade."

"Over a decade? Why?"

"The open sea isn’t always smooth sailing. There are countless hardships out there, and who knows what might suddenly happen. Anyway, I have to go greet the next passenger. Oh, right. The fare is one thousand Spirit Stones. Someone will come to your quarters to collect it later."

Then, before Jiang Xu could say anything to stop him, the sailor had already flown off in a hurry.

Jiang Xu felt a pang of regret as he watched the sailor fly away.

When it came to the Youxian Sea and this shipping route, he was completely in the dark.

For someone as cautious as him, this was pure torture.

Just as Jiang Xu was wondering how to get more information, he sensed someone on deck walking toward him.

Puzzled, Jiang Xu raised his guard as he heard the person speak:

"Excuse me, Fellow Daoist. I couldn’t help but overhear your questions. Is this your first time on the Demon Passage?"

Jiang Xu remained wary as he turned to look.

The speaker appeared to be in his twenties or thirties. He wasn’t tall, but he was incredibly fat. As he walked, his entire body jiggled, making Jiang Xu’s eyelids twitch just watching him.

He had a beaming smile on his face, his eyes narrowed into slits. Jiang Xu suspected the man saw with his Divine Sense rather than his eyes.

Seeing a stranger, a recent habit of Jiang Xu’s kicked in, and he couldn’t help but start analyzing the man’s features.

’Cultivation: early Foundation Establishment Realm. He doesn’t look like he recently achieved Foundation Establishment; rather, he has been at this level for many years. His Cultivation is stable, but he hasn’t made much progress. It’s unlikely he will ever break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.’

’The Magical Artifacts he’s wearing are valuable.’

’His Magic Robe is Tier Two Lower Grade. It has a soft luster and a fine texture. On closer inspection, the material is a rare Water-attribute Silk, a specialty of the Youxian Sea.’

’He’s also wearing a Jade Pendant, a Ring, and a pair of Bracelets, all of which are Tier Two Magical Artifacts.’

’And those were just the Magical Artifacts Jiang Xu could see. There were likely even more hidden from view.’

’Furthermore, the man seems very calm. Compared to the other Cultivators who are clearly boarding for the first time, he is far more composed. This probably isn’t his first trip.’

’This fatty is no simple character!’

Jiang Xu guessed the man had approached him because of his earlier behavior, but he couldn’t yet fathom the man’s true intentions. After all, he had only just laid eyes on him.

But Jiang Xu was confident that if the man kept talking, he could get more information out of him.

The portly man had no idea that Jiang Xu had sized him up so thoroughly in a single instant. He just stood there, still smiling, waiting for a reply.

"You are correct, Fellow Daoist. Your eyes are sharp. This is indeed my first time taking this Dharma Ship, and my first time on the Demon Passage."

Jiang Xu spouted a bunch of pleasantries, waiting for the other man’s response.