Chapter 321 - 289: A Little "Roaring" Trouble

Chapter 321: Chapter 289: A Little "Roaring" Trouble

Thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning as he rapidly analyzed the situation.

The Sea View Map’s ability was simulation.

By calculating changes in the surrounding marine environment, it could simulate events that were about to occur.

Although not one hundred percent accurate,

it could predict potential future scenarios based on subtle changes in the current environment, climate conditions, and other complex factors.

While the prediction wasn’t perfectly precise, the probability of the event occurring was still over sixty to seventy percent.

Fortunately,

there was still some time before the disaster truly struck.

This meant he had a precious window of opportunity to act and avert a catastrophe that could destroy the entire ship.

And when it came to dealing with disasters of this magnitude,

the Crew Leader had done it several times before.

CLANG—!

CLANG—!

Two crisp rings of a bell echoed throughout the entire Dharma Ship.

In an instant,

the expressions of all the sailors changed drastically, regardless of what they were doing.

Except for a few who absolutely could not leave their posts,

every other sailor assembled on deck, standing in neat rows before the Crew Leader with solemn expressions.

The General Manager came to the Crew Leader’s side. His expression turned grim when he saw the image of the overturned Dharma Ship on the Sea View Map.

"Tsunami."

That single, soft-spoken word confirmed the General Manager’s suspicion, and his brow furrowed instantly.

"Activate the Array!" the Crew Leader ordered the sailors before him directly.

"Aye!"

The sailors roared in affirmation. Then, from their Storage Bags, each produced a pearl-like Magical Artifact the size of a fist.

The General Manager also produced a pearl, but his was far larger than the others—as big as an infant’s head.

Upon seeing this, the Crew Leader shouted:

"Hundred Jue Water-Suppression Array—activate!"

At the Crew Leader’s command, a thunderous cry erupted from the once-silent deck, as overwhelming as a tsunami.

Each sailor held the pearl-like Magical Artifact.

With steady gazes, they began pouring all their Magical Power into the artifacts in their hands.

The pearls shimmered in the sun with a profound luster, swirling with an azure, watery light.

Each sailor took their designated position.

They raised the pearls over their heads and began chanting an ancient Spell.

Their voices were low and rhythmic, like the cadence of waves against a reef, their chants weaving and echoing through the air.

The pearl Magical Artifacts began to float slowly, releasing halos of ethereal blue light.

The halos intertwined like merfolk at play, forming an invisible, massive net that enveloped the entire Dharma Ship in a gigantic shield of Defense.

The enormous pearl in the General Manager’s hand was especially conspicuous.

He held it high overhead, and the Magical Power within surged out, forming a brilliant column of light that shot toward the heavens before pouring back into the protective Array, further reinforcing its power.

Once the Array was active, the very space around the Dharma Ship seemed to subtly change.

The sea around the hull rippled strangely.

The wind blew across its surface but could not penetrate it; the sea churned below but could not breach it.

Even the roiling undercurrents were temporarily held at bay by the Array’s power.

The crew held their breath, focusing all their energy on powering the Array. Their expressions were grim, for they knew this was a critical moment that would decide the fate of everyone on board.

The Crew Leader stood at the Array Hub, his command unwavering. His sharp eyes were fixed on the Sea View Map, ready to face the impending storm and its monstrous waves.

...

"What are they doing?"

The two bell chimes that had echoed through the ship and the commotion of the sailors forming the Array had been too loud to ignore.

Even Jiang Xu, who had been engrossed in assembling his Star Map, was jolted from his concentration. He opened his cabin door and peered outside.

Just then, Master Fatty from the adjacent cabin also opened his door, and their eyes met.

This was Jiang Xu’s first time on board a ship; he was completely clueless.

So, he humbly decided to consult the experienced senior next to him.

Master Fatty looked perfectly at ease, completely unfazed by the grand spectacle outside.

"Ah, it’s nothing serious. Just a bit of rain."

Jiang Xu sighed in relief.

’Just a bit of rain? That’s not so bad...’

’Huh?’

’Wait!’

’Why would they need such a massive formation for a little rain?’

"Oh, right. There might be a tsunami and some waterspouts later. That’s a little more troublesome," Master Fatty added with a bored yawn, as if recalling a trivial matter.

Jiang Xu’s mouth twitched.

’Tsunami?’

’Waterspouts?’

’A little... more troublesome?’

’Judging by the absurd display outside, it’s got to be more than just a *little* trouble, right?!’

Seeing the other man’s pretentious act, Jiang Xu fought the urge to punch him and once again asked humbly.

"Um, Fellow Daoist Ying."

"This Array they’re setting up... what is it? Is it actually effective against that... ’little’ bit of trouble you mentioned?"

Master Fatty shot Jiang Xu a sidelong glance.

"You don’t know the Hundred Jue Water-Suppression Array?"

Jiang Xu shook his head.

"Then you must at least know about the Merfolk, right?"

Jiang Xu shook his head again.

Master Fatty sighed. He looked at Jiang Xu as if he were a complete hick, probably wondering what backwater village the young man had crawled out of.

"The Merfolk of the East Sea. The largest among them reach five to six feet in length. They have the form of a human; their eyes, brows, mouth, nose, hands, and head are all like that of a beautiful woman, utterly perfect. Their Skin and Flesh are as white as jade and without scales, covered instead by fine, soft, five-colored hairs one or two inches long. Their hair is like a horse’s tail, five to six feet in length. Their private parts are no different from human men and women. Widowers and widows by the sea often capture and raise them in ponds. During intercourse, they are no different from humans, and they do not cause harm."

"That is the description of the Merfolk."

"The Merfolk are the darlings of the sea, born of the water itself. They can practice Cultivation through Taoist Techniques like humans, or they can pursue the path of Demon Techniques."

"The Jue Pearls they produce are supreme Treasures for suppressing the seas and pacifying floods."

"The pearls the sailors held were Jue Pearls from Merfolk of the Qi Cultivation Realm. The one the General Manager holds is from the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"This Hundred Jue Water-Suppression Array was developed by Array Masters specifically for seafarers like us. Its uses are myriad, and it can handle a few small waves without a problem."

Master Fatty yawned again, his eyes heavy with sleep.

"My explanations are no substitute for seeing it with your own eyes. Just watch. I’m heading back inside."

Jiang Xu couldn’t understand why a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would even have a habit of sleeping.

’What the hell!’

’Wasn’t being in the middle of a tsunami enough to get his adrenaline pumping?’

’Jiang Xu remembered that when he first met the man on the ship, hadn’t his words shown a great fear of the dangers of sea travel?’

’So why was he so calm now?’

’Could it be...’

A thought suddenly made Jiang Xu’s heart skip a beat.

’He’d overlooked something.’

’Different people have different experiences. Their definitions of "danger" are also different.’

’What seemed like a massive crisis to Jiang Xu might genuinely be child’s play to Master Fatty, who had sailed these seas countless times.’

’In that case... what kind of danger would it take to actually scare Master Fatty?’

’Just what kind of threat would that have to be?’

As Jiang Xu was lost in thought, a single, fine drop of water landed silently on his face, startling him back to reality.

He looked up at the sky and was stunned.

The once-clear night sky was now blanketed in dark clouds.

A heavy layer of clouds stained the heavens like spilled ink, blotting out the stars.

The bright moon was also obscured, leaving only a hazy, indistinct halo that pulsed within the clouds, creating an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.

A flash of lightning tore through the night, illuminating the entire surface of the sea. It was followed by a deafening crash of thunder that sounded like the roar of some ancient beast.

The once-calm sea began to churn restlessly. The wind turned sharp and biting in an instant, its damp, cold breath whipping at their clothes.

The Crew Leader stood watching the Sea View Map, issuing a steady stream of commands.

At the same time, the Hundred Jue Water-Suppression Array aboard the Dharma Ship began to glow even more brilliantly.

The blue curtain of light surrounding the hull seemed to shine all the more dazzlingly amidst the wind, rain, and lightning.

The sailors within the Array attended to their duties, the light from the Jue Pearls in their hands intensifying.

Only after seeing all this,

did Jiang Xu truly understand what Master Fatty’s "little bit of trouble" actually looked like.