Chapter 75: Newcomers Set Sail

The midday sun was intense.

Xu Qing walked down the street, telling himself that in the future, when possible, he would help Zhang San to repay him for crafting the magic boat this time. Similarly, he resolved to reciprocate Zhou Qingpeng's help with the Ghost Desire Horseshoe Crab at an appropriate moment.

Although he hadn't yet seen the refined magic boat, Xu Qing felt that the spirit stones Zhang San had spent on it must have far exceeded two hundred.

After imprinting this thought in his mind, Xu Qing observed the crowds and his surroundings as he walked. He noticed nothing different from previous days. It seemed the mermaid boy's death had caused no stir in the main city, nor had it with the Capture Department. Of course, it was also possible that few people knew about it yet.

As Xu Qing pondered, he walked towards the Maritime Records Hall in the city.

The Maritime Records Hall was a mandatory destination for every disciple before their first voyage.

This was because the hall stored extremely valuable information: comprehensive records compiled over countless years from the strange and varied experiences of countless Seven Blood Eyes disciples at sea, along with innumerable details about sea beasts.

Its value was immense.

Therefore, no copies could be made. To view the records, one had to pay a fee and personally consult them.

Furthermore, if a disciple encountered anything unusual or a new sea beast during a voyage, they could report it to the Maritime Records Hall. If verified as true after review, a substantial reward would be given, with more valuable information typically yielding richer rewards.

However, unless there was concrete proof, fragmented information could not be verified for authenticity, leading to extremely long review periods—sometimes even hundreds of years. This prevented fabricated stories from being used to fraudulently claim rewards.

Unverified information was not included in the Maritime Records Hall.

Only information that was true and had been verified multiple times was entered into its records.

Thus, Xu Qing read with great diligence, knowing that any piece of information within could potentially save his life at a critical moment.

Xu Qing had also decided on his direction for the voyage.

The sea chart he found in the mermaid boy's storage bag was comprehensive and detailed. After studying it, Xu Qing decided his ultimate destination for this voyage would be an island marked on the chart.

This island lay beyond an archipelago called Xishan, an area riddled with treacherous reefs. It was known as Sea Lizard Island because it was where nearby sea lizards shed their skin.

Sea lizards themselves were fierce and rare, schooling creatures mostly inhabiting the deep sea, only emerging to shed their skin. Their shed skin was only valuable if collected within a very short time; otherwise, its spiritual essence would dissipate, rendering it worthless.

Thus, it was extremely difficult for outsiders to acquire.

Moreover, its defensive properties far surpassed similar materials, classifying it as a high-grade component for magic boats, incomparable to mid or low-grade materials. Xu Qing had once seen sea lizard skin from a third-level Qi Condensation beast for sale at the Sixth Peak's shop, costing thirty spirit stones per piece.

As the sea lizard's cultivation increased, this price would skyrocket. Sea lizard skin from a fifth-level Qi Condensation beast cost 150 spirit stones, and Xu Qing had even seen an eight-level Qi Condensation sea lizard skin priced at five to six hundred spirit stones.

This astonishing value meant that Sea Lizard Island perpetually attracted fierce foreign cultivators from the Forbidden Sea, making it extremely dangerous.

Therefore, without sufficient strength, a trip to this place was almost certainly a death sentence.

Sea Lizard Island was Xu Qing's destination.

As he perused the maritime records, time slowly passed. Before he knew it, dusk had arrived. Xu Qing had finally committed the entire thick volume to memory. After closing his eyes to recall it once more, he turned and left.

“Everything is ready, just waiting for the magic boat,” Xu Qing murmured as he walked along the dusk-lit street. He gazed at the sea, the sound of waves reaching his ears, and a look of anticipation in his eyes.

Finally, as dusk faded and the bright moon rose, Xu Qing arrived at the Transportation Department.

The porters, busy all day, were now leaving in groups. As Xu Qing approached from the side, he spotted Zhang San in the distance, squatting on a pile of goods and smoking a pipe.

Under the dim lights, Zhang San's figure was somewhat indistinct, but the exhaustion on his face was clearly visible to Xu Qing, illuminated by the flickering light of his pipe.

Xu Qing felt a pang of guilt and was about to draw closer when his gaze swept over the porters who had become reserved due to his presence. Among them, he noticed a familiar, slender figure.

The figure was a girl, Li Zimei, who had joined the sect at the same time as him. She also saw Xu Qing and, despite her shyness, a smile appeared on her face.

Under the moonlight, her smile was genuine.

Xu Qing offered an encouraging smile, watched her walk away, then approached Zhang San.

“You know her?” Zhang San asked curiously.

“Yes, I do. Her name is Li Zimei; she entered the sect in the same batch as me. She has a very strong character,” Xu Qing said softly, glancing at Li Zimei’s retreating back.

Zhang San nodded at his words.

“A good girl. Since you know her, I'll keep an eye out for her,” Zhang San said.

“Thank you,” Xu Qing said earnestly, looking at Zhang San.

“It's nothing. Come on, I'll show you your magic boat,” Zhang San said, his eyes lighting up. He jumped down from the pile of goods and led Xu Qing to the back, this time to another large warehouse.

As they entered, a massive boat, radiating an astonishing aura, came into Xu Qing's view, causing him to involuntarily halt.

Despite having mentally prepared himself for a significant transformation of his boat, Xu Qing was still stunned by the magic boat before him.

The boat's bow, once a giant alligator head, had been reshaped. It was no longer slender but much flatter, with a single black horn hidden within the beast's forehead, appearing capable of piercing anything if it were to extend.

This modification made its former flamboyant appearance more subdued, adding a sense of formidable solidity while concealing its ferocity.

The hull had undergone even greater changes. It was no longer a willow-leaf shape over twenty zhang long but had reduced in length and increased in width, appearing like a massive rhomboid, resembling a giant turtle shell.

Every plank on its surface was covered with scales and intricately carved with dense array patterns.

Additionally, four massive, retractable wheeled legs had been added to its sides, allowing it to move on land, each concealing sharp spikes.

Simultaneously, the cabin had also changed considerably, now resembling a two-story building. This layered design saved space, allowing the freed areas to be inscribed with layers of arrays emitting spiritual energy fluctuations.

Beyond these, the most eye-catching feature was the magic boat's massive, blade-shaped sails, like celestial knives.

There were eight in total: four in the front row, symmetrically slanted and upright, and four in the back row, angled similarly. From a distance, they resembled wings, yet also sharp blades.

As for the hull, there was also a large concave groove, seemingly capable of accommodating a sea beast.

Within the warehouse, the entire magic boat resembled a colossal beast, imposing and full of deterrence.

“This…” Xu Qing was somewhat dazed. The sheer scale of the boat's transformation left his mind buzzing.

Seeing Xu Qing's reaction, a look of pride and triumph appeared on Zhang San's weary face as he spoke nonchalantly.

“Your previous magic boat was poorly refined, so this time I gave it a major overhaul. The main modifications include the hull structure, side structure, deck structure, bulkhead structure, bow and stern structure, and superstructure.”

“I replaced the keel for you, which will improve stability. The structural adjustments maximize strength and rigidity, and I’ve also left room for future upgrades.”

Zhang San leapt, landing directly onto the magic boat.

“Inside the black horn at the bow, I’ve incorporated the marrow of a Devouring Beast. When it pierces a sea beast, it can absorb the opponent’s spiritual energy and store it within the array on the boat planks.”

“And these four legs, each contains three thousand six hundred sharp fragments. In dangerous situations, they can detach on your command, launching out and exploding.”

“I didn’t alter the Spirit Gathering Array, but I enlarged its slot so you can add fifty spirit stones at once. In extreme situations, this magic boat can decompose, shedding its superfluous parts to transform into a smaller fishing boat, increasing its speed by at least a factor of two.”

“And these sails,” Zhang San said, raising a hand to point at them, his expression proud.

“These are my unique creation. Watch closely.” As Zhang San spoke, he took out a spirit stone, placed it into an array at his feet, and stomped. Instantly, the array activated, and the eight blade-like sails retracted, impressively forming a protective shell.

At that moment, the magic boat resembled a giant snapping turtle, capable of both offense and defense.

“Combined with the boat’s inherent defenses, this dual protection makes the vessel even sturdier. When opened, the sails can still act as sharp blades, inflicting considerable damage.”

“The groove at the bottom of the boat allows for better attachment to the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale, enabling it to control the Dragon Whale to ascend and lift the magic boat into the air for a short period in special circumstances.”

“Xu Qing, this is a true Level Seven boat. What do you think? Are you satisfied?” Zhang San leaped off the magic boat, stood before Xu Qing with his hands behind his back, and spoke nonchalantly, chin raised.

Xu Qing's heart surged. After a moment, he took a deep breath, stepped back a few paces, cupped his fists towards Zhang San, and bowed profoundly.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang. This boat... I am extremely satisfied!”

“Later, when your magic boat upgrades to a magic vessel, I’ll design it further based on your power source. A magic vessel—now that’s a true weapon!”

Zhang San spoke with the air of an expert, Xu Qing’s demeanor making him feel very comfortable. However, the surge of exhaustion still made him yawn involuntarily.

Upon seeing this, Xu Qing respectfully bade farewell, took out the spirit stones and placed them aside, then collected his magic boat and left the Transportation Department.

Only after Xu Qing had left did Zhang San sigh, his face crestfallen.

“I lost money. I couldn’t help myself, refining it so well… This time, I’ve suffered a huge loss.”

“I hope this kid makes something of himself in the future…” Zhang San winced at the pain of his loss, picked up the spirit stones, and shook his head as he left the warehouse. Before departing, he remembered Xu Qing's fellow disciple, so he took out a communication jade slip and gave instructions.

“Since I’ve already invested this much, I might as well invest a bit more. No choice, I’m committed now.”

Amidst Zhang San’s lamentations, Xu Qing returned to Port 79. At his berth, he released his magic boat. As the water rumbled, he gazed at the imposing behemoth before him, his heart stirring. He leapt aboard and began to examine it meticulously.

The night slowly passed.

Throughout the night, Xu Qing thoroughly examined every inch of his magic boat, inside and out, filled with immense admiration for Zhang San’s craftsmanship. As the first light of dawn appeared and sunlight spilled forth, Xu Qing took a deep breath, stood at the bow, and gazed at the distant sun, his eyes slowly narrowing.

After a long moment, he raised his right hand and formed a hand seal.

“Set sail!”

Instantly, the magic boat roared. As the surrounding seawater churned, his Level Seven magic boat slowly moved from its berth, turned its bow, and, under the gaze of other magic boat disciples, headed towards the harbor gate.

It moved like a behemoth unleashed, its aura magnificent.

Standing on the deck, the handsome young man's long hair danced in the sea breeze. His figure was as upright as a pine, his grey daoist robe fluttering, reflecting the morning glow in the sky. The sunlight, passing through his hair, refracted into a dazzling spectrum of colors.