“Young Master, a letter from the Sea Beast Division has arrived.”
Bai Can’s voice sounded from outside the room. Lin Sheng opened his eyes, a black glint flashing through them.
“Come in.”
Soon, the door opened, and Bai Can stepped inside. As soon as he entered the room, he shivered subconsciously.
Although he already knew that Lin Sheng was cultivating the Supreme Heavenly Demon Scripture, every time he got close and felt that chilling sensation, it still made him quite uncomfortable.
“This chilling sensation is getting stronger and stronger.”
Bai Can thought subconsciously, then handed the letter in his hand to Lin Sheng.
“You may leave.”
Noticing Bai Can's discomfort, Lin Sheng waved his hand, dismissing him.
Although he could now control the backlash of the demonic charm within a three to four-meter radius of himself, the closer one entered this range, the greater the impact of the backlash.
Even though Bai Can was a Divine Form Middle Stage Martial Artist, he might not be able to endure it for long.
He didn't rush to check the letter. Instead, he took a deep breath, fully digesting the backlash, before opening the letter.
The letter was written by Wang Degui. After reading its contents, a smile appeared on Lin Sheng’s face.
The letter stated that the dragon blood pearl had been appraised and confirmed to be a dragon blood pearl over ten thousand years old.
It was of great benefit to the cultivation of Vicious Beasts.
“In that case, perhaps there's no need to spend too much effort searching for Heaven And Earth Treasure anymore.”
Lin Sheng thought to himself.
He immediately wrote a reply, instructing Bai Can to deliver it to the Sea Beast Division.
Naturally, he instructed them to feed the Long-toothed Lacquer Fish with the dragon blood pearl and also to bring some herbs collected in recent days to the Sea Beast Division.
At this point, three days had passed since his last visit to the Sea Beast Division.
Presumably, the warship was almost ready.
He wondered if, with the nourishment of the dragon blood pearl and other Heaven And Earth Treasure, this Long-toothed Lacquer Fish could successfully break through its shackles.
It was indeed as he had guessed.
That afternoon, Lingyu Princess had already sent a message, informing him that the warship was ready and they could depart tomorrow.
What surprised him was that, in addition to Lingyu Princess's message, another letter had been delivered to him.
At dusk.
In a room on the second floor of the inn.
Lin Sheng toyed with the letter in his hand, his gaze falling on the blue, scale-like ornament on the letter's surface.
Within the Eastern Continent, any Martial Artist with cultivation would recognize this blue scale ornament at a glance.
It originated from the Sea King Sect.
“Young Master, this was sent by someone from the Sea King Sect. I wonder why they would seek us out?”
Shui Zhi frowned slightly. They had no entanglement with the Sea King Sect on this trip.
In fact, their whereabouts had been kept secret all along, so they shouldn't have been noticed.
Lin Sheng didn't answer. He opened the letter, scanned its contents, and then directly shattered it.
Then, he shook his head slightly, sighing helplessly.
As he had expected, this letter was indeed from the Young Lord of the Sea King Sect, Mo Yun Gong Zi, known as the 'Boundless Sea'.
The content was simple: an invitation for him to meet, to fulfill the so-called duties of a host.
There was no need to think; the matter would certainly not be as simple as the letter stated.
“What a bother.”
Lin Sheng pinched his brow, speaking softly.
He was truly a bit helpless about this trouble that had come knocking.
Looking at the puzzled Shui Zhi, he spoke indifferently.
“There’s no need to pay it any mind. We will set sail tomorrow and won’t stay long in Wanghai City. After resolving the matter in the Misty Sea Area, we will return to Northern Yan.”
As he spoke, Lin Sheng had already quickly written a letter and handed it to Shui Zhi.
“Send someone to deliver this letter to the people of the Sea King Sect.”
“Alright.”
Hearing Lin Sheng’s arrangements, Shui Zhi nodded.
Since they were setting sail tomorrow, there was indeed no need to get too entangled with the local powers of the Eastern Continent.
The next day.
As dawn broke, several carriages had already departed from Wanghai City.
On the east coast.
What met their eyes were three colossal ships, each over two hundred meters long and thirty meters high.
Dragon-shaped insignias were engraved on their hulls, the emblem of the Nanqi Military Department.
Seeing these large ships, even the well-traveled Shui Zhi couldn't help but exclaim.
“As expected of Military Department warships. Such behemoths are enough to cope with the harsh weather in the Misty Sea Area. If I’m not mistaken, the hull is also primarily made of black gold iron wood.”
“black gold iron wood, Brother Shui Zhi, what is that?”
Bai Can asked with some curiosity.
He and Jin Yang had always lived inland and had little contact with maritime affairs, so they didn't know much about ships.
“black gold iron wood is a special kind of wood that is extremely tough and highly malleable. It has a long production cycle and complex steps. It can resist the attacks of high-level Vicious Beasts, and its price is no less than that of a 300,000-year-old beast ore.”
Shui Zhi slowly explained.
“No less than a 300,000-year-old beast ore!?”
This surprised not only Bai Can but even Lin Sheng.
A 300,000-year-old beast ore was extremely valuable.
The three giant warships before them weighed at least tens of thousands of tons.
Thus, the value of these three warships had reached an unimaginable level.
“No wonder it took several days to prepare.”
From a large ship approaching the group, a figure gracefully descended to the ground.
“I apologize for the wait, Your Excellencies. Everything is ready. Lingyu Princess is already on board. Please follow me to board the ship.”
This was a burly general in light armor, clearly there to escort the group onto the ship.
Lin Sheng and the others didn't stand on ceremony and followed the general onto the central giant warship.
On the deck, a graceful figure stood with her back to the group, gazing at the boundless East Sea.
Hearing the movement behind her, she slowly turned around, revealing a stunning face.
It was none other than Lingyu Princess.
At this moment, she wore form-fitting leather armor, with a sheathed longsword at her waist. Her entire demeanor, unlike her usual gentleness, had a touch of competence and sharpness.
“These three warships were built by our Nanqi Military Department over several years and are sufficient to handle most situations in the Misty Sea Area in the future.”
She smiled, nodding to Lin Sheng.
Then, she spoke softly.
“I heard that Moyunzi wanted to meet Your Excellency Lin Sheng. Is that true?”
“It is true, but I did not accept the invitation.”
Lin Sheng nodded.
Wanghai City was, after all, the Military Department's territory, and given their special identities, there were undoubtedly Military Department experts watching outside the inn where they stayed.
It wasn't surprising that Lingyu knew about this.
“That’s good. Moyunzi appears gentle, but he is actually narrow-minded and not to be deeply befriended. It’s best for Brother Lin not to have any contact with him.”
Lingyu Princess said earnestly.
She understood that Moyunzi sought out Lin Sheng most likely because of her, which was why she offered the warning.
“Thank you for Your Highness’s kindness. Linsheng Pavilion has a mission to accomplish on this trip and does not wish to have too much contact with the Sea King Sect.”
Lin Sheng nodded.
“Brother Lin, rest assured, I have already sent a message to Moyunzi, so he should not bother you further.”
Lingyu Princess said softly.
Then, she changed the subject, continuing.
“The Misty Sea Area is quite large. Brother Lin, where do you plan to start?”
Hearing this, Lin Sheng's gaze fell on Shui Zhi beside him.
The latter immediately stepped forward and said.
“We plan to enter from the west side of the Misty Sea Area and proceed in the direction of Storm Reef.”
“I am not familiar with the Misty Sea Area. You can discuss the specific arrangements with Vice General Hong Ye.”
Lingyu Princess said.
As her words fell, the burly man who had led Lin Sheng and his group onto the ship had already begun discussing with Shui Zhi.
On the deck, Lin Sheng and Lingyu Princess stood facing each other, their gazes both fixed on the endless sea below.
“Every time I come to the East Sea, I find it hard to imagine that such a vast ocean exists in the world, connecting Northern Yan, Southern Qi, and the distant Siro Country. I’m afraid no country in the world has ever explored the entire East Sea.”
Lingyu Princess said with emotion, as if thinking of something.
“Indeed. However, besides the Siro Country, does Your Highness know of the existence of any other great nations?”
Lin Sheng asked softly.
He had always had this question in his mind. The information he could access naturally couldn't compare to that of Lingyu Princess of the Nanqi imperial family, so it was a good opportunity to ask this lingering question.
“Other great nations? I haven't heard of any, but I have heard from people from the Siro Country that several million li further west of the Siro Country, there once existed a powerful Empire called the Guluo Empire. However, it was destroyed over ten thousand years ago, with no survivors, and even its original land disappeared, leaving only a vast ocean.”
Lingyu Princess slowly recounted, as if recalling something.
“Guluo Empire!?”
Hearing Lingyu Princess’s words, Lin Sheng’s face showed a hint of surprise.
A vast Empire suddenly destroyed, and even more strangely, with no survivors, and even the land disappearing—such a thing seemed like a myth or legend.
Lingyu Princess also realized that what she said was a bit too sensational, and she laughed wryly.
“This happened over ten thousand years ago. The people of the Siro Country only treat it as a story. This matter cannot be taken as truth. Even our Southern Qi has never heard of any Guluo Empire existing. How could a great nation, whose power is no weaker than, or even stronger than, the Siro Country, suddenly disappear? Even its people and land vanished. Even a powerful being like the legendary Nether Lord would absolutely be unable to achieve this.”
“Your Highness is right, such a thing indeed sounds like a storybook tale.”
Lin Sheng nodded, also maintaining a skeptical attitude about whether the so-called Guluo Empire ever existed.
He thought of the most powerful Vicious Beast he had ever seen to date, the being named Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord.
Presumably, even the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord couldn't achieve this.
Are there Vicious Beasts stronger than the Thousand-Eyed Nether Lord in this world?
Lin Sheng didn't know, but it was highly probable there were not.
Otherwise, how could there be no news of such a powerful existence in this world?
“However, I heard that the situation in the Siro Country has not been good recently. It seems a phenomenon called the ‘Black Calamity’ has erupted within its borders, making it difficult to deal with.”
Lingyu Princess seemed to be in a talkative mood and began speaking of the Siro Country again.
“Black Calamity?”
Hearing this unfamiliar name, Lin Sheng was startled.
He already knew quite a bit about the Siro Country, but this Black Calamity was the first he had heard of it.
The Siro Country's strength was not weak, even comparable to Northern Yan and Southern Qi.
Whatever could make it struggle to cope was definitely no ordinary thing.
“Is it a kind of harsh weather?”
Lin Sheng's first thought was that it was caused by natural reasons.
But Lingyu Princess shook her head.
“It’s not weather, but a rather eerie black mist. Anyone who comes into contact with it will rapidly lose their life force. Ordinary people, upon even a slight touch, instantly dissolve within it. Even Divine Form Realm Martial Artists find it difficult to last long when immersed in it.”
“According to the people of the Siro Country, this mysterious Black Calamity continuously grows stronger. When it was first discovered, it was merely a small patch of thin black mist. However, after only a few months, it had already engulfed an entire city, with only Divine Form Realm experts managing to escape.”
“This caught the attention of the Siro Country’s high-ranking officials. They implemented various measures against this eerie Black Calamity, but all had minimal effect. Later, they discovered that god seed could temporarily curb its growth, which allowed them to temporarily control the situation. However, they don’t know how long it can last and can only collect large quantities of god seed to buy time, hoping to research a method to counteract the Black Calamity as soon as possible. It remains to be seen whether the Siro Country can ultimately resolve this Black Calamity.”
As a member of the imperial family, she was quite knowledgeable about the affairs of the Siro Country.
Lin Sheng listened quietly and understood that seeing many golden-haired, blue-eyed Siro Country people in the Nanqi Military Department likely meant that the Siro Country and Nanqi had reached some kind of agreement.
But what exactly was this Black Calamity?
“Black mist that can devour life force.”
He felt a strange sense of familiarity in his heart, but quickly shook his head and stopped thinking about it.
Whether it was the Siro Country or the Black Calamity, they were still too far removed from his current situation.
More empty speculation held little meaning.
His current priority was to increase his strength as much as possible.
The two chatted for a while longer, allowing him to learn many secrets, which was quite a gain.
Afterward, he bid farewell and returned to the cabin prepared in advance, beginning his daily cultivation.
Clearing the route to the island would definitely not be completed in a short time.
He had already asked Shui Zhi, estimating that it would take at least twenty days at the fastest, and even more than a month if their luck was bad, which was quite normal.
Given such a long period, he naturally wanted to push his cultivation to the Bones Transformation Peak as much as possible, completing the Demonic Skeleton transformation.
At the same time.
Wanghai City.
“I apologize, Young Master Mo Yun. Lingyu Princess has already left Wanghai City.”
In Wanghai Villa, the butler spoke with a full face of apology to Mo Yun Gong Zi, who wore a gentle smile.
“Oh? Has Lingyu Princess actually left? Has she returned to the imperial city!?”
Mo Yun Gong Zi’s smile faltered for a moment, but quickly returned to normal as he asked.
“That is not the case. I only know that Lingyu Princess has gone to sea and will not be back for a while. Also, this is a letter Lingyu Princess asked me to deliver to you, Young Master.”
As he spoke, the butler took out a letter from his embrace and handed it to Moyunzi.
“Lingyu Princess left a letter for me.”
A hint of surprise appeared in Moyunzi’s eyes. He then took the letter, nodded to the butler, and turned back into the carriage.
“That bitch actually went to sea? It’s a shame that this Young Master invited her to go out to sea and play many times, but she refused. However, that bitch actually knew to leave a letter for me, so she still has some sense of propriety.”
He tore open the envelope, but as soon as he saw the contents of the letter, his eyes immediately narrowed.
The content of the letter was not what he had expected; instead, it urged him not to pester Lin Sheng, so as not to affect the cooperation between the two parties.
Although the words were quite polite and contained no hint of blame, the anger in Moyunzi’s heart instantly surged.
Crushing the envelope in his hand, he closed his eyes and said coldly.
“Hai Zhanglao, where is that boy named Lin Sheng? Take me to him. I want to see just how important this crucial partner is.”
“Young Lord, we just received news that those Dark Star people have left Wanghai City and should be heading towards the East Sea.”
The old man in green robes slowly spoke.
“By the sea!?”
Moyunzi immediately thought of something, opening his eyes abruptly and gritting his teeth.
“That bitch actually went to sea with that boy. Very good… very good…”