Chapter 379 - 281: Departing for the Overseas Secret Realm (Part 1)

"You don't have to say it, Brother Xiaowu!"

Unexpectedly, Erya interrupted Wu Liangchen with great resolve. She looked at him, her face full of sincerity, and spoke with the utmost seriousness.

"Brother Xiaowu, you're a great man who stands tall between heaven and earth. Of course you have your own important business to attend to. I'm your woman, so you don't need to discuss anything you want to do with me. Just go and do it boldly. I'll be here at home waiting for you to come back."

Hearing her words, Wu Liangchen was stunned for a moment. Then, he reached out, ruffled the young woman's hair, and smiled.

"What a... silly girl."

Though he called her silly, Wu Liangchen knew perfectly well that she had already guessed he was leaving.

She had just never said it out loud.

But that was precisely why it made his heart ache for her all the more.

Just then, Wu Mengchan, Yang Lian'Er, and the others returned.

With them, they brought several large chests. When opened, they revealed all sorts of exquisite trinkets and jewelry inside.

"Here, these are all for you. Take whatever you like," Wu Liangchen said with a smile.

"Really? Thank you, Brother!"

Seeing the uniquely styled hairpins, Wu Mengchan's eyes lit up, and she eagerly began to pick through them.

Yang Lian'Er was no exception.

After all, regardless of age, it's hard for any woman to resist such temptation.

Wu Liangchen also picked out a few things for Erya. Then, while the three women were excitedly trying on their new accessories, he called Zen Master Jingxin aside and took out several Martial Arts Secret Manuals he had brought from the Vajra Institute.

At first, Zen Master Jingxin didn't know what they were, but after taking them and looking closely, she was astonished.

"This... This is..."

"I brought these from the Scripture Pavilion in the Vajra Institute. The three of them have Cultivation that's too low. Even if I gave these to them, they wouldn't be able to understand them or practice them on their own," Wu Liangchen explained.

Zen Master Jingxin instantly understood Wu Liangchen's meaning. "So you want me to learn these Martial Arts and then teach them to the women?"

"That's right!"

This was something Wu Liangchen had planned in advance. After all, once he left, Zen Master Jingxin would be the only one in all of Huangpu Guard capable of holding down the fort.

Therefore, the stronger she became, the safer Erya and the others would be.

Not only that, but after she learned the arts, she could in turn nurture Erya and the others. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Zen Master Jingxin didn't act coy, but nodded with great solemnity.

"Alright."

She was well aware of Wu Liangchen's intentions, but that was precisely why she felt at ease.

Although she was receiving precious secret manuals, she would also be putting in a corresponding effort.

Meanwhile, the news of Wu Liangchen's triumphant return with a great deal of spoils caused a sensation throughout Huangpu Guard.

However, none of this concerned Wu Liangchen. His days now consisted of spending time with Erya. He saw almost no one else and paid no mind to any other matters.

This went on for ten days.

On the eleventh day, Wu Liangchen summoned Graham.

Graham hadn't been idle these past few days. He and his men had traversed all of Huangpu Guard, conducting a detailed commercial survey of the city.

The results left him thoroughly satisfied.

Though it was just a single city, its commercial value might be higher than that of the entire East Sea nation.

After all, while the East Sea nation had a large population, the vast majority were lower-class "rabble," with the noble class being the only ones with any real spending power.

This severely limited its consumer potential.

If they hadn't been mustering all their national strength to purchase firearms and warships, Graham likely wouldn't have even bothered dealing with them.

Huangpu Guard, on the other hand, was now in its prime.

Especially after the fall of Great Yan, freed from the constraints of the government, Huangpu Guard didn't fall into internal strife. Instead, it burst forth with vigorous vitality.

A massive influx of people caused all trades and industries to flourish. This pearl of the sea had truly become the paradise city from the rumors, a place where Gold and opportunity were everywhere.

Of course, besides Huangpu Guard's uniquely advantageous geographical location, Wu Liangchen himself was also partly responsible.

His presence ensured that no one dared to cause trouble in the city, and a stable social environment is the prerequisite for commercial prosperity.

Under these circumstances, Graham was brimming with confidence, wishing he could return to Folangji immediately and open up a new trade route.

But for ten whole days, he couldn't even get a meeting with Wu Liangchen, which inevitably made him anxious.

After all, time was tight. The voyage from here to Folangji would take at least a month, and the subsequent journey to the 'Horn of Heaven' would be another long one, so there was truly no time to waste.

Yet he didn't dare rush him and could only suppress his anxiety and wait.

Finally, on this day, when Wu Liangchen called for him, Graham felt a wave of relief wash over him.

Because Wu Liangchen's first words to him were, "Pack your things. We leave tomorrow."

Graham, of course, had no objections and went back to start packing immediately.

Meanwhile, Wu Liangchen spent a sweet night with Erya. Then, before the sun was up, he quietly rose, left Jufu Pavilion, and headed for the seaside docks.

He didn't inform anyone else of his departure this time, not even his Third Brother Xie San.

This was a deliberate move on Wu Liangchen's part, a contingency plan.

After all, as long as his destination was unknown, even those with ill intentions wouldn't dare to act rashly.

And by the time they discovered he was truly gone, Zen Master Jingxin would have likely already mastered at least one of the Martial Arts.

Furthermore, during those ten days, Wu Liangchen had also made proper arrangements for Chen Baimei, Ichida Keizai, and others. After ensuring all miscellaneous matters were settled, he boarded the waiting merchant ship and set sail.

The merchant ship sailed with a favorable wind, quickly leaving the harbor and disappearing over the vast, boundless sea.

At the same time, in Jufu Pavilion, Erya stood before a window facing the sea. She gazed fixedly at the hazy surface of the distant water and whispered, "Brother Xiaowu, I wish you a safe journey."

More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye. By now, the merchant ship had left the last island behind and entered truly uncharted waters.

Out here, as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but water.

This was the true test of a sailor's skill.

After all, without any reference points, even the slightest deviation from the course would lead them to parts unknown.

However, Graham and his men were veteran sea merchants who had spent years drifting on the waves. They were naturally well-versed in the art of navigating by the stars. Thus, the voyage proceeded without a hitch as they sailed steadily westward.

The weather on this trip was also surprisingly good; they hadn't even encountered any major storms. This led Graham to click his tongue in amazement, declaring that he was basking in Wu Liangchen's good fortune.

After all, in all his years of sailing and trading, he'd never had a journey go this smoothly.

But it seemed he had celebrated a bit too soon. Just as the ship was about to leave this vast, empty stretch of sea, disaster struck.