The next day.
Woo-woo-woo...
By the clear, blue sea, a gigantic vessel asuring at least four to five hundred ters long and one to two hundred ters wide started to move slowly, emitting a whining and hissing sound.
On that gigantic ship, the two shining golden characters ’Jade Dragon’ were engraved.
As expected, the ship’s power source wasn’t any turbine or steam-like engines from Earth, but rather a spirit array, consuming not gasoline or diesel, but sea crystals.
On this journey, it’s said that rely sea crystals alone would consu tens of thousands of pieces.
Onboard, the crew had all arrived.
Besides the fifty newly recruited crew mbers, there were also three hundred crew mbers originally from Jade Dragon Firm, along with Miss Xuan’s maid, servants, etc., totaling three hundred fifty-nine people.
The crew had two roles: firstly, serving as bodyguards. Even in the Great Luo Sea’s inhabited domain, it wasn’t absolutely safe; they often encountered sea monsters, and if unlucky enough to encounter so formidable ones, it would be dangerous. The crew could protect people or goods in tis of danger.
Secondly, the crew could set sails. Although the ship’s main power source was from sea crystals, it was still equipped with a gigantic sail. When there was a sea breeze, raising the sails would allow the ship to proceed, saving a considerable amount of sea crystals and thus reducing the cost of sailing. Moreover, if lost at sea and the sea crystals ran out, with the sails, the ship could move, offering hope.
After more than three hundred crew mbers boarded, under Jin Chi’s command, they were divided into pairs, especially the fifty new crew mbers who were each paired with an experienced hand.
The one paired with Su Chen was a dark-skinned, tall, talkative, and friendly guy.
The man was nad Huang Teng, over 2,400 years old, at the Second Level of the Humanity Daoism Realm, having been with Jade Dragon Firm for over three hundred years and had sailed over a hundred tis, truly an old hand on the ship with rich experience and knowledge.
At this mont.
With the wind power just right and direction favorable, Jin Chi required them to set the sails.
All crew mbers were under the large sails, swiftly raising them in an orderly manner.
Su Chen and Huang Teng were among them.
While skillfully raising the sails, Huang Teng said, "Su Chen. First of all, raising sails requires skill, especially coordination with others. Relying on just one person is like the strength of nine oxen drawing a feather, without much use."
Su Chen nodded.
He wasn’t adept at raising sails, trying it for the first ti.
"Certainly, whether you do well at raising sails isn’t that important. Considering boarding a ship for sailing, safety is most paramount. Now you might not feel it, but after being underway for so ti, you’ll realize how terrifying the storms at sea can be."
Huang Teng spoke, his expression noticeably more solemn, "Don’t be fooled by the size of our ship. If a real storm strikes, it could flip or even blow away this big ship. Rember, if a storm arrives, grab the sea rope nearby, and under no circumstances let go."
"Got it, Brother Huang." Su Chen gave a small smile.
Huang Teng continued:
"Besides terrifying storms, almost every sea journey encounters sea monsters."
"The area of the Great Luo Sea is said to be ten tis or even more than the Great Luo Heaven, vast beyond asure. Even the face of an inhabited domain is many tis larger than Great Luo Heaven’s; anyway, Great Luo Sea is all about one word—big. And within it, various sea monsters exist, extraordinarily diverse."
"There are even rumors that deep below ten thousand ters in the Dangerous Domain and Uninhabited Region, sea floor people have established cities and empires."
"Of course, these are rumors. Whether true or not, nobody knows."
"However, all sorts of sea monsters do indeed exist, and among them, so are highly aggressive, liking to attack big ships and craving human flesh, very frightening."
"If encountering sea monsters, never think about fleeing first. Instead, gather together—people united are stronger. We must gather all several hundred crew mbers together, then follow the orders of the Great Ship Martial Leader for joint attacks and defense for greater safety."
...
Su Chen kept nodding, inwardly feeling affection for this dark-skinned, frequently seafaring fellow, who was friendly and kind.
"Alas, this sea journey is no simple matter!" Huang Teng suddenly sighed as he spoke.
"Why is that?"
"This sea journey’s reward is more than three tis higher than usual," Huang Teng remarked with a hint of worry, "No one’s a fool. Given so much reward, it’s surely not straightforward..."
Saying that, Huang Teng lowered his voice, "It’s said we’re escorting Miss Xuan to Nanying Island on this trip. I don’t know where Nanying Island is, but the Sound Transmission is near the Dangerous Domain. This escort mission isn’t short and the closer we get to the Dangerous Domain, the more likely we are to encounter terrifying sea monsters! You’re new here, your first mission turns out to be such a task, kind of unlucky!"
Then, Huang Teng’s chatter didn’t stop, sharing many of his seafaring experiences.
Su Chen didn’t mind, patiently listening all along, always having a smile on his face.
Soon enough.
A few hours passed.
The shadow of Haiwu City was gone, and all around was endless sea.
The big ship’s speed increasingly slowed down, because the wind had abated.
"Take a break, everyone." Finally, Jin Chi spoke—it’s ti to use sea crystal power.
The crew mbers straightened up, wiped their faces, most appearing in good spirits, chatting and laughing, so taking out dried food from their Space Rings to eat, which was just various pickled sea fish.
The sea breeze blew, the sun hung high, making for good weather.
The ship was huge, and with a few hundred crew mbers slightly dispersed, it seed as if they had vanished.
"That area is off limits." Jin Chi raised his hand again, pointing to the area at the front of the deck, speaking solemnly.
The front area of the deck was the best spot, allowing one to enjoy the most beautiful sea view.
That belonged to Miss Xuan.
Excluding Wu Likai, even Jin Chi couldn’t go there.
Many crew mbers cast admiring glances and respectful looks towards the front of the deck. At this ti, Miss Xuan was leaning against the railing, resembling a beautiful scenery, elegant and solitary. By her side, her maid Little Qinn seed in high spirits, laughing rrily, conversing with Wu Likai.
Wu Likai likewise wore a pleasant smile, exuding a heroic aura, standing tall, speaking sothing—yet his eyes occasionally glanced at Miss Xuan. Evidently, he wished to converse more with her, hoping to catch her attention, but unfortunately, Miss Xuan seed not too talkative.
"If only one day I could join the Yunteng Sect and beco a Sect Disciple, how wonderful would that be!" Huang Teng was extrely envious, "I’ve dread of glorifying my family, but unfortunately, my talent for martial cultivation is limited."
Huang Teng looked up at Su Chen, earnestly saying, "Brother Su, you’re young, already at the First Level of the Heavenly Way now. If you strive harder, there’s a chance you might reach the Third or even Fourth Level by a thousand years old, then you’d have a good chance to enter a Small Sect, so keep working hard!"
Su Chen nodded.
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