It was suicide, really. Anyone with the most basic level of mon sense would agree. To leave the protection of the traveling ship while on these perilous waters was akin to self mutilation at best, and immediate and unquestionable death in any other circumstance.
But the two young lovers had, to a large extent, bee numb to the sensation of danger. It wasn’t because they expected Cliff to help them - he stayed true to his word and never interfered. At most, he would offer them an early warning should they be about to encounter an enemy far beyond their cultivation level.
The reason they had bee numb was because they had, time and time again, overe unbelievable odds through their advanced techniques and incredible teamwork. While sometimes they became a little conceited, it only lasted until the next time they encountered danger to remember that even their techniques and the tips on their teamwork came from Cliff, so they were never ungrateful to him.
This was already far more than what most could hope to get, which was why they didn’t even hesitate once when Cliff asked them to endure lethal danger to investigate something.
Naturally, since this was something Cliff had asked them to do, he made sure to help them avoid detection of most underwater monsters, however there was nothing he could do against the tumultuous tides and rising waves. Those were obstacles they had to overe on their own.
The journey was unexpectedly long, causing them to travel by boat for nearly two weeks. Though they were traveling by rowing boat, their speed was not slow, which only alarmed them to the extreme range of Cliff’s awareness. How had he detected something so far away?
That was a question they wouldn’t get an answer to, however, soon enough they found the thing that attracted Cliff’s attention.
Black cracks appeared in the air above the sea, almost like cracks formed in glass. The spirit energy around the cracks was chaotic, and space itself became extremely tough to move through, suppressing the two so much that they couldn’t even approach the cracks if they wished.
Cliff, however, seemed unbothered by the pressure. Instead, he appeared and stared at the cracks in a daze.
The reason for that was quite simple. One of the earliest quests Lex had ever gotten was to establish a permanent guest district inside the Midnight Inn where guests could reside forever. However, to establish that district was far from simple.
There were a number of prerequisites to fulfil, some of which were easy and some of which were hard. Two of the most difficult requirements were to grow a Winding Road Vine, and own at least one Karmic Lily.
Growing that vine wasn’t simple or easy, which is why he hadn’t distracted the turtle by asking him to grow it - he already had too many projects on hand.
Similarly, finding a Karmic Lily was easier said than done. Even now, Lex had no real leads on the lily, yet right in front of him Lex could see cracks in space. Much more important was the fact that within those cracks, Lex could see Winding Road Vine!
Now that he was laying his eyes on the vine himself, he could finally understand why it was so valuable. The vine was not an actual plant, but was a mutation in space laws. Its applications in space were numerous, and even Lex could think of many uses for it - especially in his necklace!
In fact, a new idea started to form in Lex’s mind, and he altered his plans for the necklace somewhat. An absurd thought flashed through his mind. What if... Lex created his own space wherein he was akin to a Sovereign?
But he pushed that thought away. What even was a Sovereign? Why did they have such incredible powers? Why did the universe love them so much? These were things he did not quite understand, but he had a few guesses. Maybe if he...
Lex flicked his finger, and sent a certain technique into Pearl’s mind. The technique, once used, would allow her to remove the Winding Road Vine from the cracks and submit it to the necklace. It would not be easy for her to do before being a Nascent Soul cultivator though, which is why he also taught her how to create a space anchor which she could then later use to teleport back here through a formation targeting that anchor.
Moreover, he even taught her ways to hide the existence of these cracks so that no one else would discover them.
While the couple got to work, not wasting a single second, Lex continued to stare at the cracks, and a soft smile began to form on his lips. The fires of ambition once again began to burn in his heart, and all the suffocation and suppression he felt from his defeat at the hands of Stalker disappeared.
Suffering a defeat was no big deal, even if his losses were substantial. He would take back everything he had lost, and he would e back stronger than ever.
Within the Midnight Inn, Jack changed his plans abruptly. He set off to find Dr. Charles. He needed to consult the good doctor on certain matters regarding Taro’s Journal. It was unfortunate that his plans about keeping his second identity unconnected to the Midnight Inn were ruined, but what that connection was could still be defined by him.
No one needed to know the specifics of the connection between him and Lex. As for his connection to the Innkeeper, he intended on leaving it ambiguous.
Plans, once made, could still be changed. What was important was being flexible enough to reap the most benefits from any given situation.
Lex didn’t mind using up the Winding Road Vine for himself rather than saving it for the Inns quest. Honestly, he wasn’t fond of the thought of permanent guests inside the Inn anyway. Though, technically, it was a system quest so he was certain that there was some reason behind it, and some distinction from other guests who could just pay to stay as long as possible.
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