Chapter 644 - 275: The Dark Sea’s Way of Hospitality

Chapter 644: Chapter 275: The Dark Sea’s Way of Hospitality

When Fang Shuwen first arrived in the East Sea, he learned a few things about the Dark Sea Territory from Zuo Xuan in connection with the Seven Fiends of the Dark Sea.

The area was riddled with reefs and whirlpools. Years ago, a group of bandits, hunted by the Heroic Dao of the East Sea with nowhere left to run, had fled into this area and unexpectedly discovered a navigable route.

Thus, they made their escape and established a foothold.

And so began the Dark Sea’s long era of chaos.

The bandits who ran rampant in the Dark Sea Territory would retreat deep into the Dark Sea whenever they saw members of the Heroic Dao arriving to punish evil, only to emerge at other times to rob and plunder.

Since then, any ship passing through the area suffered endlessly.

Even back then, Fang Shuwen had felt, ’Solving a problem like this shouldn’t be too difficult.’

’All you’d have to do is find someone familiar with the route. Whether by torture, threats, or temptation, you could always get the path out of them and venture inside.’

’And yet, no one ever did...’

Fang Shuwen’s current comment—"This is quite simple"—was in reference to this very matter.

Luo Shuqing was speechless for a moment. ’The matter is indeed simple, but it depends on who’s doing it.’

The waters of the Dark Sea ran deep.

It seemed to have no connection to any other powers, but in reality, it was intricately entangled with them.

The Eight Forbidden Lands of the East Sea were hardly Renowned and Righteous Sects, and the Four Saints of the East Sea weren’t ethereal masters detached from worldly affairs.

To get them to turn a blind eye, who knew how much tribute the powers of the Dark Sea had to offer each year.

The so-called efforts to suppress the bandits were nothing more than a show.

Those who truly could solve the problem didn’t dare to.

Those who dared to act lacked the ability.

And those with the ability... were the ones who benefited from the current state of affairs.

And so, round and round it went, and the Dark Sea remained untouched.

Only someone like Fang Shuwen—a man of unrivaled Martial Arts who held everything in contempt, looking down on both the Eight Forbidden Lands and the Four Saints of the East Sea—would dare to do something that, in the eyes of many, was tantamount to defying the entire world.

But Luo Shuqing said nothing...

Besides, even if Fang Shuwen hadn’t come this time, the Dark Sea Territory was likely doomed to be destroyed anyway.

The secret treasure was located in the Dark Sea Interior.

For the sake of the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror, anyone who dared to stand in the way would have to die.

Fang Shuwen and Luo Shuqing didn’t bother dealing with the bodies on their ship. They hoisted up Cheng Bali and first went over to the large vessel beside them.

Thanks to Cheng Bali spotting Fang Shuwen’s group early, everyone except for the guards from before was still alive.

Some were simply tied up, while others had been immobilized with pressure-point strikes.

A crowd of people huddled on the deck, unable to move.

After freeing them, Fang Shuwen told those who knew how to sail to leave the area at once.

Once that was done, he returned to his own ship with Luo Shuqing and Cheng Bali.

The situation on his ship remained unchanged, except that more and more vessels were now following them...

Over the past half a month, people from Nightlet Valley, the Profound Ice Hall, the Lingbo Sect, and Wuyan Island had all arrived.

Just as Taishi Dao had predicted, the true whereabouts of the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror had been revealed.

To prevent the artifact from falling into the wrong hands, the four Sect Leaders of Nightlet Valley, the Profound Ice Hall, Wuyan Island, and the Lingbo Sect had all personally taken action.

They simply hadn’t shown themselves to Fang Shuwen yet.

Fang Shuwen, for his part, had no intention of picking a fight with them at the moment. For now, an unspoken truce held between them.

It was just as Shui Tianxin had said: the secret treasure in the East Sea would require a great many trailblazers.

These people were all top figures in the East Sea. To find the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror, their help would be needed.

Ordinarily, Fang Shuwen wouldn’t have been interested in something like the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror.

But this time was different. He genuinely wanted to obtain it.

First there was Dragon Abyss, then the Eight Forbidden Lands of the East Sea; by now, Fang Shuwen had become wary of any talk of a so-called "Great Calamity."

If such an event were to truly occur, the Profound Nether Copper Ship that could be forged from the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror would surely be of great use.

For that reason, Fang Shuwen was willing to curb his temper for a while.

Once the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror was found, however, it would be every man for himself.

He reckoned that after this business was concluded, it would be smooth sailing all the way until they reached Qingxiao Pavilion on Mi Yin Island.

...

...

Tossing Cheng Bali onto the deck, Fang Shuwen called Zuo Xuan over.

"Send word to the ships behind us. From now on, our vessel takes the lead. They are to follow us deep into the Dark Sea Interior."

Zuo Xuan glanced at Cheng Bali on the ground and nodded in acknowledgment.

Fang Shuwen then lightly patted Cheng Bali’s shoulder.

"What happens next depends on your performance. If you do well..."

Though the rest of the sentence was left unsaid, Cheng Bali understood the implication. Without needing Fang Shuwen to say more, he nodded repeatedly.

Fang Shuwen knew the man had likely misunderstood something, but he didn’t care.

He just looked up at the sky, his brow slightly furrowed.

Although he didn’t have much experience sailing, he knew that the weather at sea was supposed to be unpredictable.

But a long time had passed since he first arrived in the East Sea.

There hadn’t been so much as a storm, not even a single drop of rain.

Every day had been sunny and pleasant, which was clearly abnormal.

This was especially true after reaching the Dark Sea, a place rumored to have constant storms of varying intensity.

Yet now, there wasn’t a single raindrop.

But the dark, heavy sky was suffocating, pressing down on one’s spirit.

The air was humid, and it felt as if a torrential downpour could start at any moment... The feeling was deeply unsettling.

Luo Shuqing came to Fang Shuwen’s side.