Chapter 385: Ghostly Harbor

The captain's hand grew back on the third day, perfectly restored and showing no signs of abnormality.

Xu Qing paid close attention and gained a more precise understanding of the captain's regenerative abilities.

"A severed limb takes three days, anything below the waist takes half a month, and the entire body below the head takes a month."

Xu Qing realized this would allow for better tactical planning with the captain during their future major operations.

After this incident, the captain's interest in non-human races seemed to grow significantly. Consequently, in the following days, he and Xu Qing both enjoyed looking down from the flying boat.

Witnessing this, Wu Jianwu pondered deeply. Perhaps to improve his poetic skills, he also joined them.

As time passed, after two teleportations, their group left Quzhao State.

Along the way, Xu Qing saw more local customs and landscapes, the captain gained more insights into non-human races, and Wu Jianwu's gains were equally substantial.

His poetry finally returned to its former peak, even showing slight improvements.

"My eyes encompass all living beings turning into myriad things; I alone wield heaven and earth, refining the sword heart!"

In the strong wind, Wu Jianwu stood, laughing heartily, his voice echoing in all directions.

"Idiot," the captain muttered, curling his lip.

Xu Qing ignored Wu Jianwu's eccentric behavior. At this moment, he looked down at the land below, where a storm was sweeping across, making countless trees bend in unison, appearing as if they could be uprooted at any moment.

This was the unique climate of Yunfeng State.

Unlike Yinghuang State and Quzhao State, Yunfeng State was almost constantly subjected to strong winds. Consequently, the various forces here were not only more adept at speed but also possessed unique methods for body cultivation.

Furthermore, the wind here differed between day and night.

The daytime wind was violent, while the nighttime wind was cold and often accompanied by strange phenomena.

While non-human races existed, exotic beasts were more prevalent.

For instance, in Xu Qing's sight, on the storm-swept land, there were hundreds of giants, each several hundred zhang tall.

These giants were naked, emitting a foul stench that even the wind could not disperse.

They had grey skin, crimson eyes, blackish-yellow teeth, and appeared to possess limited intelligence.

On the ground, some were running, some sitting, and others were tearing at each other like wild beasts.

Many giants could also be seen carrying cages woven from tree bark.

Inside these cages, various numbers of myriad race beings were imprisoned, most of them on the verge of death.

These were the giants' food, being poured by some into simple stone altars and then pounded into a pulp with a massive pestle before being consumed.

"These are the Cloud Beasts of Yunfeng State. They have little intelligence, behaving like wild beasts. They cannot be completely eliminated as they regenerate naturally between heaven and earth, feeding on all living creatures," Immortal Zixuan said, her voice reaching Xu Qing's ears.

Her figure had appeared beside Xu Qing at some unknown moment.

The familiar fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Xu Qing did not dodge; he had grown somewhat accustomed to it.

Throughout the journey, Immortal Zixuan had mostly been in seclusion within the ship's cabin, rarely coming out. Now, standing beside Xu Qing, she no longer displayed the casual demeanor she had when they were alone, but appeared somewhat more dignified.

Xu Qing quickly bowed in greeting, and the captain and Wu Jianwu also swiftly lowered their heads.

However, their thoughts differed.

Wu Jianwu felt profound awe.

The captain, on the other hand, secretly thought, "Immortal Zixuan really knows how to play her role—sometimes charming, sometimes teasing, sometimes dignified. Who could resist that?"

"Little A-Qing, you need to step up!"

Thinking this, he gave Xu Qing an encouraging look.

Xu Qing ignored him, not dwelling on it as much as the captain.

"The flesh and blood of these Cloud Beasts have a special use; they are designated as a form of ticket. You two go down and hunt one each to bring back," Zixuan said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing nodded and, with a sway of his body, shot down from the flying boat towards the ground below.

The captain blinked, then immediately flew out as well. Nearing Xu Qing, he winked and transmitted a message.

"Little A-Qing, I think you should seriously consider my earlier suggestion!"

"Yield to Immortal Zixuan, of course." After saying this, the captain accelerated and departed a step ahead.

Xu Qing glanced at the captain's retreating back but said nothing.

The two quickly descended to the ground.

The giants on the ground were not particularly strong in combat, relying entirely on their physical bodies. Most were only comparable to those in the second or third tier of Foundation Establishment, with only a few — four or five of them — emitting Qi and blood fluctuations similar to a Golden Core cultivator.

For Xu Qing and the captain, hunting prey of this level was incredibly simple. Thus, Xu Qing quickly appeared before a Golden Core-level giant with astonishing speed.

The giant was currently pounding vigorously in a mud altar. Sensing danger, it looked up, opened its mouth, and roared at the approaching Xu Qing. As a foul stench assailed him, it raised its right hand and lunged to grab Xu Qing.

Compared to the giant, Xu Qing's stature was like that of an ant.

However, in Xu Qing's eyes, this massive giant was the true ant.

He did not dodge at all. He rammed his head into the giant's grasping palm. In an instant, the giant shrieked, and the back of its right hand shattered and exploded.

Xu Qing's figure penetrated from within, his speed surging as he shot directly towards the giant's brow. Upon approaching, he raised his right hand and suddenly pressed down.

Terrifying magical power emanated from his body, spreading from the giant's brow throughout its entire form, destroying everything in its path and extinguishing its life force.

The next instant, the giant's body trembled and then crashed to the ground with a loud bang. At the same moment, the captain also completed his kill, and a Golden Core giant similarly collapsed.

However, neither of them immediately collected the giants' bodies. Instead, they both simultaneously looked into the distance, their eyes gleaming with sharp light.

In the direction they were looking, two long swords were whistling through the storm, approaching.

Their power was astonishing, tearing through the storm to instantly draw near. However, their targets were not Xu Qing and the captain, but other giants.

In a blink, as the flying swords swept across, three giants shrieked, their bodies trembled, and they were impaled through the chest by the swords, their life force extinguished from within.

At the same time, two figures also emerged from within the storm, approaching with a whistle.

These two, a man and a woman, both wore white robes with cloaks on their backs. In the dim light, their robes seemed to have dark fiery patterns, making their arrival resemble two flames.

Xu Qing recognized their attire at a glance: they were Sword Bearers.

He had seen the male cultivator among them before.

The captain also recognized him immediately.

This was the same Sword Bearer they had encountered when patrolling the Immortal-laden Myriad Ancient River, who was pursuing the old Golden Core demon.

At that time, he knew the old Golden Core demon wasn't completely dead and deliberately gave Xu Qing and the captain an opportunity to salvage the corpse.

Now, these two Sword Bearers charged out from the storm, heading directly for the giants. After dispatching and collecting the bodies of the giants they had slain, they looked towards Xu Qing and the captain.

Without exchanging any words, the two Sword Bearers nodded at Xu Qing and the captain, then turned and departed, disappearing back into the storm.

Xu Qing had not seen the female Sword Bearer before. He noticed she was carrying a seven or eight-year-old girl on her back.

This little girl was not human; she had two slowly wriggling tentacles on her forehead and a black band covering her eyes, tied at the back of her head.

She lay silently on the woman's back, as if asleep.

Watching the two Sword Bearers depart, Xu Qing glanced at the captain, who spoke in a low voice.

"They aren't Sword Bearers from Yinghuang State."

Xu Qing had also noticed this. After all, during the Sword Bearer selection that day, all Sword Bearers from Yinghuang State were present, and despite their large numbers, he had paid attention to them.

"They must be on some mission," Xu Qing said, as he collected the giant he had slain. The other giants in the area had already scattered, disappearing into the wind.

Xu Qing took a look, then, urged by the captain, quickly ascended and returned to the flying boat through the storm.

Soon after, the flying boat departed, traversing the storm. After flying for over half a month, they finally arrived at Yunfeng State's first transit station at dusk that day.

Xu Qing only knew the general route of this journey, not the specifics. Everything had been planned by Immortal Zixuan and the Five Peaks Master for everyone's safety, and this plan was a secret; apart from Xu Qing and the captain, no one else, not even the general route, was known.

From the sky, this transit point looked more like a disorderly market.

It contained many mud huts that offered shelter from the storm, and there were many cultivators of various races.

Inside, there were also some black-clad figures with many earrings and fierce ghost tattoos on their faces.

As these individuals walked through the market, all foreign cultivators showed great apprehension towards them.

"This is the territory of the Ghost Tattoo Sect, one of the major powers in Yunfeng State. They raise fierce ghosts, and their techniques are sinister."

Immortal Zixuan's voice echoed in Xu Qing's mind; it was a private transmission meant only for him.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing took a few more glances at the black-clad figures.

From the tattoos on their faces, he faintly sensed some subtle fluctuations, somewhat similar to the strange ghosts he had seen in the Ghost Caverns.

The arrival of their group also attracted the attention of the local cultivators.

However, as Immortal Zixuan stepped off the flying boat, everyone in the entire market fell silent. The pressure of a Return to Void cultivator caused the expressions of the black-clad figures to change.

Several black-clad figures immediately came forward, respectfully greeting them and escorting them to the market's inn.

"Rest for the night. Tomorrow, as night transitions into day, at the moment of dawn, a ghost ship will arrive at this Underworld Port, and we will proceed by it."

"As for this market, it transforms into a ghost market at night. If you lack the ability, do not venture out recklessly."

Inside the inn, Immortal Zixuan spoke calmly. After she finished, she entered her room, and the others, suppressing their curiosity about the ghost market and the ghost ship Zixuan mentioned, returned to their respective lodgings.

"What's a ghost ship from Underworld Port?" the captain asked curiously, standing beside Xu Qing.

Xu Qing shook his head; his curiosity wasn't that strong, but he was somewhat interested in the ghost market Immortal Zixuan had mentioned.

This reminded him of the market he had visited within the Phoenix Forbidden Zone.

Late night soon arrived. As the wailing wind continued to echo outside, Xu Qing, who was cultivating cross-legged in his inn room, shifted his expression.

He sensed that the aura outside, in that instant, was as if yin and yang had reversed, and life and death had alternated. He had experienced this before and was not unfamiliar with it.

Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes. After a moment of thought, he walked to the window.

Standing there, he pushed open a crack and looked outside.

What he saw was a vastly changed market outside.

Countless grotesque ghosts floated in the streets, appearing like a nocturnal parade of a hundred specters.

Numerous workshops had also appeared, selling items required by the deceased.

In the distance, at the center of this market, a massive foot was bound by numerous iron chains, floating in mid-air.

This large foot, entirely blue, floated in mid-air, appearing eerie. At the same time, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. He faintly felt that this blue foot seemed to originate from the same source as the monk's head he had seen in the Phoenix Forbidden Zone's ghost market.

"Dismembered and scattered across different ghost markets?" Xu Qing pondered, then simply pushed open the window and leapt out.

During his last visit to a ghost market, he had seen many good items but couldn't afford them. Since arriving in Yinghuang State, he had killed many beings. Although he hadn't deliberately collected heart blood, he had accumulated quite a few souls, which could also be used as ghost currency.

Xu Qing felt he could go and explore again.

However, to avoid the trouble caused by his shadow's reaction last time, Xu Qing did not let his shadow conceal him this time. Instead, he activated his Third Heavenly Palace, allowing the aura of the Poison Restriction Pill to emanate from his entire body.

Only then did he enter the ghost market, blending in among the specters.

Time passed, and Xu Qing's journey through the ghost market was very smooth; he purchased many ghost-poisonous items.

As dawn, mentioned by Immortal Zixuan, drew near, Xu Qing was about to return. However, not long after he set out, as he passed a certain workshop, a faint, ethereal opera singing drifted from within.

The ghost market was generally silent, with only this opera singing faintly audible.

The appearance of the sound also felt natural, blending seamlessly with the surrounding ghost market.

"Past lives do not come, future lives always exist, cutting off lovesickness and painting dust."

The moment the opera singing reached Xu Qing's ears, his footsteps halted, and he abruptly turned his head to look.