Chapter 99 - 94: Premeditation, Sudden Change

Chapter 99: Chapter 94: Premeditation, Sudden Change

After boarding the ship, Chen Jianghe overheard the other Cultivators talking.

In the past, the massive ships heading to Qinghe Marketplace usually carried seven or eight Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators, rarely exceeding ten. Ships with seven or eight Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators never encountered any accidents. Now that there were thirteen, it was even less likely for anything to go wrong.

"Little Black, how did you visit your home so quickly?" Chen Jianghe transmitted his voice to Little Black through the Spirit Platform.

Even when Little Black was stored inside the Spirit Beast Space, they could still communicate through the Spirit Platform. Chen Jianghe had discovered this recently. It was evident that the Spirit Platform Mark was far more profound and mysterious than any so-called Spirit Pet Contract.

"Didn’t you tell me to be quick?

"I just told my old man not to believe the rumors anymore. It’s all hogwash meant to scare turtles into ending up on the dinner table.

"Mediocrity is a blessing," Little Black said in a serious tone.

He mused over the idea that mediocrity was a blessing.

It actually seemed to be true.

The Cyan-Scaled Fish in Jingyue Lake, which possessed a Second-Grade Lower-Class Bloodline, had become a dish on the dining tables of Cultivators, and their blood was used as the Main Material for making Spiritual Ink. Then there was that White Egret who worked so hard delivering letters, unwilling to accept mediocrity. It had finally reached the Entry Tier and become a Spirit Beast, only to end up as a Roasted Whole Egret.

He had to admit, Little Black made a very good point!

"Master, when will we find a new place to stay?"

"What’s the rush? We just left."

"But I want to focus on my Cultivation."

"You don’t need to hint at it. Don’t worry, you won’t be shorted a single bit of the resources you deserve. I’m keeping track of it all."

Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes. This guy’s intelligence was getting higher and higher; he was even learning not to state things explicitly and had started beating around the bush.

A turtle was actually playing social mind games.

"Master, you have to understand. I’m not fighting for resources for myself. I want to work hard on my Cultivation so that I can grow strong enough to protect you.

"Honestly, it really doesn’t matter if I get resources or not," Little Black said with absolute sincerity, every word ringing true.

"Alright, alright, I feel it. Just go to sleep," Chen Jianghe replied, rendered completely speechless.

Four days later.

The massive ship finally left Xingyue River and entered Youxian River. Chen Jianghe had officially left the Jingyue Lake territory, but he was still within the Eastern Territory, having entered the domain of another Foundation Establishment Immortal Race.

By this time, Chen Jianghe was on high alert. It was his first time leaving the Jingyue Lake territory, and he had no idea what the outside world was like. However, according to the Yun Family Magazine, the outside world was nowhere near as safe as Jingyue Lake.

Therefore, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"The Jingyue Lake territory is mostly rivers, but here, the mountain ranges stretch on endlessly," Chen Jianghe murmured, looking at the massive mountains outside his window. Under the setting sun, the endless mountain ranges seemed to be inlaid along the horizon, looking exceptionally magnificent.

He pondered, "This mountain range must stretch for thousands of miles, and there are probably many Demon Beasts within. The Demon Hunters in Qinghe Marketplace must venture deep into mountains like these."

Chen Jianghe thought of the letter Zhou Miaoyun had written; her father and uncles had worked as Demon Hunters. Although this profession earned a considerable amount of Spirit Stones, it was extremely dangerous. Most Cultivators who worked as Demon Hunters long-term only lived into their fifties or sixties.

The casualty rate was simply too high. Demon Beasts were similar to Spirit Beasts, but they were far more ferocious and brutal. It required at least three Cultivators of the same Realm to suppress and kill one.

KNOCK KNOCK.

Along with the knocking, a voice called out from outside. "Fellow Daoist, do you have a moment?"

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe put on his bamboo hat to conceal his face, then walked out of the room. During the boat ride to Qinghe Marketplace, no Cultivator would choose to focus on their Cultivation; they were likely all cautious and on high alert.

He looked at the person who had knocked and sized him up. He appeared middle-aged with an honest face, sporting a friendly smile. Dressed in blue and white silk, he also wore a bamboo hat, but his face was unhidden. Judging by the aura of Magical Power fluctuating from him, he was also a Seventh-Layer Qi Refining Cultivator.

"What is it?" Chen Jianghe asked, his hoarse voice carrying a tone that kept people at a distance.

While on this massive ship, he did not want to interact with anyone. He only wished to arrive at Qinghe Marketplace safely and securely. Anywhere outside the Marketplace was unsafe. This was Chen Jianghe’s firm belief.

"There is a gathering for Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators tomorrow, and I’d like to invite you, Fellow Daoist."

"A gathering?" Chen Jianghe looked puzzled.

"It’s like this: we are all in the Late Stage of Qi Refining, and we are traveling to Qinghe Marketplace together. Though some plan to settle down there long-term, others are just going to purchase resources.

"However, getting together to exchange insights and get acquainted, as well as sharing our respective strengths, might prove useful in the future," the middle-aged man explained with a chuckle.

"Thank you, but I’ll pass." After saying that, Chen Jianghe turned back into his room and shut the door.

This was the sort of gathering meant to exchange personal information and figure out who could be of use to whom. For Chen Jianghe, this was something to avoid at all costs. Why would he ever attend?

"Something isn’t right," Chen Jianghe muttered, feeling that something was off.

If they were going to hold a gathering, it should be at Port No.1 or wherever they were settling down. How could they host it on a ship? Even though they were traveling together, they were out in the wild. Everyone was tense and on edge; who would be in the mood for a social gathering? Even if ships traveling between Qinghe Marketplace and Jingyue Marketplace truly hosted such gatherings regularly...

Chen Jianghe still couldn’t bear to stay in his room any longer. For the sake of safety, he had to relocate to a place well-suited for a quick escape. They had already left the Jingyue Lake territory. If all went smoothly, they would arrive at Qinghe Marketplace in another six days.

Once these thoughts surfaced, he couldn’t suppress them.

First, he checked to see if the middle-aged Cultivator had left. Upon finding the coast clear, he changed into a pre-prepared boatman’s outfit. He removed his bamboo hat but kept his face veiled before stepping out of his room, making sure to hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. After that, he headed straight to the bottom cabin. Looking exactly like a genuine boatman, he began to busy himself with work.

He couldn’t stay on the first or second floors. As a Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator without a Concealing Breath Secret Technique, he would definitely stick out like a sore thumb and be far too conspicuous. Therefore, only the operational cabin beneath the deck was suitable for hiding.

The main reason was that the boatmen weren’t all grouped together, nor did they all know each other. Adding one more to their ranks wouldn’t raise suspicion. Most importantly, these ordinary mortals couldn’t sense the fluctuations of Magical Power.

Another two days quickly passed.

Chen Jianghe, who was rowing vigorously in the operational cabin, had half his chest bared as he shouted loudly along with the other boatmen.

HEAVE-HO!

Sweat, condensed from his Magical Power, beaded on his skin and dripped onto the floorboards.

He wondered, "No movement? Was I being too paranoid? Is a gathering actually just a normal occurrence?"

If a gathering was an ordinary affair, then there wouldn’t have been any incidents over the past two days. But if it was premeditated—a ploy to probe the background of every Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator—then a major incident would surely have occurred by now.

In other words, their ship might have been targeted by Tribulation Cultivators before it even set sail. But since nothing had happened so far, it meant he might have been making a mountain out of a molehill.

Still, just to be safe, Chen Jianghe had no intention of leaving the operational cabin. He had already played the role of a boatman for two days; he didn’t mind doing it for a few more. He would reassess the situation once they reached Qinghe Marketplace. Naturally, in his heart, he hoped nothing would go wrong.

"Young man, why do you have your face covered? Heh heh, don’t worry, we’re all proper boatmen here, and we’ve all got wives at home." A burly, muscular man reached out, patted Chen Jianghe’s smooth arm, and teased playfully.

"That’s right! We’re all proper men here. Isn’t that right, folks?"

"You bet. My old lady is gorgeous; I wouldn’t be interested in a man no matter how pretty he is."

"Haha!"

Chen Jianghe glanced at his arm. Although it was a bit pale, it wasn’t delicate and fair like a woman’s. He was quite sturdy, with visible muscles on his arms. He was absolutely not some effeminate pretty boy.

He never expected that a macho guy like himself would be teased by a bunch of older men.

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning cleaved through the deck and struck directly into the operational cabin. It blasted the burly man who had just patted Chen Jianghe into a charred husk, emitting a scent resembling burnt pork belly.

"There really was a problem," Chen Jianghe gritted out, violently dodging to the side. Looking at the man reduced to a cinder, he knew this was far more powerful than the Thunder-Attracting Talismans he used.

"Oh no, it’s Tribulation Cultivators! Brothers, jump into the water!" a boatman yelled at the top of his lungs.

Right at that moment, Chen Jianghe heard chaotic noises coming from above, accompanied by the explosive blasts of Magic spells clashing.

He thought, "This ship really was targeted. No wonder there were so many Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators on board. I just don’t know if those two Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Great Cultivators are part of the Tribulation Cultivators."

If those two Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Great Cultivators were also Tribulation Cultivators, then at least half the Cultivators on this ship were doomed.

"This is... the Divine Sense of a Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivator!" he realized with alarm.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chen Jianghe used his Magical Power to blast open the floorboards and executed the Water Escape Technique to flee.

The boatmen who hadn’t yet had the chance to jump were sent tumbling into the water as the floorboards exploded beneath them.