The sea region separating Southeast Beginning State and the Eastern Sea Fisher State was called the Eastern Sea by the world, also known as the Human Purgatory.
The reason was simple—the depths of the Eastern Sea had various natural disasters, as well as countless sea beasts.
Old fishermen with decades of experience only dared to operate in the ocean waters near the continent. Unless they had a death wish, they wouldn’t pilot their boats into the deepest regions seeking thrills.
Of course.
The more dangerous the region, the more it had various opportunities and treasures. And because these areas had remained untrodden for years, they remained undiscovered.
Though the continent’s martial artists knew the Eastern Sea was a great treasure trove that had never been exploited, they didn’t dare venture there easily. After all, as land creatures, even if their strength was formidable, they’d feel a bit uneasy once they arrived at the ocean.
Over ten thousand years, the people who had died in the Eastern Sea’s depths were countless. Even powerhouses like Martial Emperors and Half-Saints couldn’t escape this fate. It was said that several thousand years ago, a Martial Saint had also perished there, so it was cloaked in an even more terrifying shroud!
“Whoosh!”
Across the azure firmament, an ancient sailboat emanating archaic aura sped forward at extreme velocity, leaving behind faint trails of flowing light.
Given mainly a distant camera angle, it didn’t look particularly special. But with a close-up shot, the warship traveled dozens of li in the blink of an eye.
“What was that that just flew past?”
Many fishing boats were conducting trawling operations in the ocean waters near the continent, and there were also quite a few merchant and passenger ships. Those aboard witnessed flowing light flash past overhead and all widened their eyes.
They could only see the residual light lingering in the air—they couldn’t see clearly what it actually was.
“Too fast!”
Ye Xingchen, sitting at the mast, pressed down on his hair with both hands, intense shock welling up in his heart.
At first, he hadn’t taken the Ancient Penetrating Warship seriously. Only after it started did he realize—this speed might be impossible for even high-level Martial Saints to catch up with!
In the pilot’s cabin.
The lame old man likewise wore an expression of disbelief. After gradually calming down, he gave his professional judgment: “Sect Master Jun, at our current sailing speed, we can reach the Eastern Sea Fisher State in half a month at the fastest.”
“Half a month?”
Jun Changxiao shook his head and said, “That’s a bit too slow.”
“…”
The lame old man nearly collapsed to the ground.
Since ancient times, going to the Eastern Sea Fisher State required a year and a half. To arrive in just over ten days, and he actually thought it too slow!
Moreover, that year and a half assumed no dangerous situations along the way. Otherwise, at best they’d get lost in the ocean, at worst the ship would be destroyed and everyone would perish.
“What is your honored surname, senior?”
“My humble surname is Luo.”
“Roger?”
“Luo Zhilong.”
“Oh.”
Sect Master Jun smiled and said, “Senior Luo, we’re counting on you to command us on this journey to the Eastern Sea Fisher State.”
“Sect Master Jun!”
Luo Zhilong hurriedly cupped his fists and said, “This old one absolutely cannot bear the title of senior.”
Regarding Jun Changxiao and the Eternal Ages Sect, they were the most discussed topics on the Xingyun Continent. Though his cultivation wasn’t much, he had naturally heard of them.
If he had to evaluate them, he could completely use the words “fierce person” and “fierce sect”!
To be honest, precisely because of this, when Jun Changxiao recruited navigators with great fanfare, Luo Zhilong took the initiative to step forward. Because his intuition told him that this person could bring him to the Eastern Sea Fisher State!
“Then I’ll just call you Old Luo.”
“Alright!”
“Senior Luo, what happened to your right leg?”
System: “…”
Luo Zhilong didn’t dwell on him calling him Senior Luo again. Instead, he said with a bitter expression, “Decades ago when returning from the Eastern Sea Fisher State, I mistakenly entered a sea beast’s territory. Though I narrowly survived, I also had a leg bitten off.”
That’s right.
His right leg was a prosthetic, which was why he walked with a limp.
After Luo Zhilong appeared, Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and the others had already detected this with their spiritual thoughts. They just weren’t as blunt as the Sect Master in asking about it.
“It seems.”
Jun Changxiao said, “The route to the Eastern Sea Fisher State is very dangerous then?”
“More than dangerous.”
Recalling his round-trip experience, deep fear surfaced on Luo Zhilong’s face as he said, “It was simply hell!”
Jun Changxiao asked with interest, “If it’s hell, why does Senior Luo want to go there again?”
“Because…”
Luo Zhilong paused briefly, clenched his fists, and said, “To find my closest friend!”
There’s a story.
Definitely a story.
Going to the Eastern Sea Fisher State would take time, and there wasn’t much to do anyway, so Jun Changxiao sat down, cupped his cheek, and said, “Senior Luo, can you tell me your story?”
Luo Zhilong’s emotions were clearly somewhat out of control. His expression shifted from painful to fierce, then he raised his head with difficulty and said, “Sect Master Jun, if your friend encountered a life-or-death crisis, would you choose to flee?”
“No.”
Jun Changxiao answered.
Given his personality, if a friend encountered danger, he definitely wouldn’t flee. Instead, he’d directly grab his weapon and fight the opponent until heaven and earth turned dark. Even if he couldn’t win, he’d have to find a way to help resolve the danger.
“I ran.”
Luo Zhilong lowered his head again.
He clenched his fists with such force that his fingernails dug into his flesh.
Going to the Eastern Sea Fisher State and falling into a sea beast’s territory was like a nightmare tormenting him. Abandoning his closest friend and fleeing that year constantly disturbed the deepest parts of his heart, causing him tremendous pain and torment.
“Couldn’t win?” Jun Changxiao asked.
“The enemy was too powerful. If I had been a step slower in fleeing, I would have long since turned into bleached bones,” Luo Zhilong said.
Jun Changxiao said, “When you can’t turn the tide in adversity, the consequence of charging forward is mutual death. It’s truly better to flee. After all, where there’s life, there’s hope.”
“Sigh.”
Luo Zhilong shook his head and said, “I thought the same thing at the time. But after returning, every time I think of my closest friend being trapped in danger because of me, my conscience aches—a heart-rending pain!”
Jun Changxiao said, “It seems you and your closest friend have reached the level of best friends.”
Luo Zhilong didn’t understand the meaning of “best friends.” He said solemnly, “We played together since childhood, went to sea together, fished together—closer than blood brothers.”
“You’re volunteering this time to go avenge your closest friend?”
“Correct!”
“Can you win?”
“No!”
“Can’t win and still going—isn’t that just seeking death?”
“When I abandoned my closest friend and left that year, it tormented me for decades. This time, since I have the opportunity to go to the Eastern Sea Fisher State again, I don’t care even if I die!”
Jun Changxiao fell silent.
This old man’s eyes already revealed a will to die.
“If I hadn’t come to Bohai City and hadn’t recruited navigators, would you go to the Eastern Sea Fisher State?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because with my current condition and cultivation, I wouldn’t even reach the Eastern Sea Fisher State before being buried at sea.”
“You’re still afraid of death.”
“No!”
Luo Zhilong became emotional, his voice hoarse as he roared, “I just don’t want to die at sea. If I must die, I want to die at the Eastern Sea Fisher State and meet my closest friend in the netherworld!”
Big brother!
Even if this world has reincarnation, after decades your best friend would have long since been reborn, married, and had children!
“I understand.”
Jun Changxiao stood up and said, “Old Luo, as long as you guide this seat to the Eastern Sea Fisher State, I will let you…” He paused, his gaze turning grave. “Die a worthy death!”
“…”
Outside the pilot’s cabin, the corner of Li Qingyang’s mouth twitched slightly.
This old man clearly cared too deeply about relationships and already had a will to die. How could the Sect Master add fuel to the fire instead of actively counseling him to live strong?
Though he was gradually becoming an infrastructure maniac, that kind heart still persisted.
In a world that revered martial prowess, maintaining kindness was such a laughable thing. How many people would call him brain-dead? But this was Li Qingyang. No matter how Jun Changxiao led him astray, he always adhered to his true heart, upholding his convictions!
Please give your applause to the Eternal Ages Sect’s second disciple.
…