Chapter 51: Setting Foot in the Sea of Ten Thousand Stars

Nascent Soul ancestors are figures so elusive that even within the entire Southern Heaven cultivation world, they are rarely seen, like legendary dragons that reveal only their heads and never their tails. Among the cultivators aboard the spirit ship, the highest rank was merely Foundation Establishment; encountering the manifestation of a Nascent Soul ancestor in the vast ocean was nothing short of a stroke of luck.

Hearts racing, hands trembling, the excitement never truly ceased. The spirit stones in their hands seemed no different from sacred relics; there was no need to tally them up—one could easily imagine how many cultivators secretly resolved to one day become a Nascent Soul ancestor themselves.

In his room, Shen Lian, too, was trying to calm his emotions. He hadn’t even glimpsed the true visage of that mighty Nascent Soul figure, yet the pressure alone had nearly crushed him. He reckoned that the ancestor had restrained their aura; otherwise, their passing would have left a trail of thunder and lightning, reducing all living things along the way to bloody mist.

The Nascent Soul ancestor was heading south; whether it was for the reasons Shen Lian imagined mattered little. He was now in the Sea of Ten Thousand Stars, and the affairs of that remote corner of Chu Kingdom were no longer his concern.

He much preferred to imagine that, should he ever become a Nascent Soul ancestor, he might joyfully scatter some riches upon hearing the reverent cries of cultivators, playing the part of a high-minded recluse.

“Riding the winds, free to roam the heavens and earth…”

After murmuring this sentiment, a flash of spiritual light appeared in Shen Lian’s hand, and the Five Element Mountain materialized before him. Now that he had harmonized the five energies, he could attempt to refine this artifact.

Refining a Foundation Establishment artifact wasn’t much different from refining a Qi Condensation artifact; the main difference lay in the cultivator’s own strength. Shen Lian carefully examined the Five Element Mountain, pondered for a moment, then placed it back into his storage pouch. He was only at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation; if any unusual phenomena arose during the refining process and the Foundation Establishment cultivators aboard the ship noticed, it would attract too much attention.

He could not afford to stand out. If he refined a Foundation Establishment artifact at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation, others would surely try to win him over, perhaps even coax him with heartfelt sincerity.

Now that they had entered the sea region, it wouldn’t be long before he could disembark; a few days’ delay was nothing.

A month after entering the sea region, a massive island appeared before the travelers. Standing at his window, Shen Lian gazed out at the giant island. According to the sea chart, this was Thousand Leaf Island, the nearest large island with an immortal city to the wilderness.

The spirit ship would stay here for two days before continuing into the deep sea.

Once the ship docked outside the sea city, Shen Lian gathered his belongings, disguised himself anew, and followed the crowd ashore.

He paused in an open area outside the city, surveying his surroundings. The island’s city was built around the docks; numerous treasure ships and spirit boats traversed the waters, and trade was far more prosperous than in Chu Kingdom.

Many Qi Condensation cultivators piloted spirit boats of all shapes and sizes. The scenes were indeed quite different from those on land.

“Fins of the Deepsea Giant Bone Shark—can be crafted into second-tier artifacts. Only thirty spirit stones, a bargain you won’t regret.”

“Fresh gall of the Deepsea Demon Dog—guaranteed to bring joy to your partner after consumption…”

“Tricolor clam pearls—one spirit stone apiece; plump and lustrous, everyone who uses them sings their praises.”

…

Before even entering the city, Shen Lian saw the crowded stalls lining both sides of the road outside. There was no need to inquire; just by listening, he could tell that water-attribute spirit items were much cheaper than those in Chu Kingdom.

His gaze swept across the spirit items at the stalls, but Shen Lian felt no urge to buy. He lacked the sharp eye to spot bargains and had no interest in haggling with vendors. He much preferred to purchase spirit items from reputable, long-established shops.

After half an hour wandering around Thousand Leaf City, Shen Lian acquired a detailed sea chart. Finally, he found a tavern and ordered two simple dishes.

Sipping wine and listening to the conversations of passing cultivators, he learned that Thousand Leaf Island was the largest island within ten thousand miles; it was surrounded by countless smaller islands. Within this region, nine Foundation Establishment families and numerous Qi Condensation clans formed the Thousand Leaf Island Alliance.

On the surface, the strongest cultivators in this area were late-stage Foundation Establishment, and only two or three such individuals existed. Records showed that only once in the past century had a battle erupted between Foundation Establishment families, and it involved two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

There were no reports of false Core or Golden Core cultivators flaunting their presence in this region.

Considering these facts, Shen Lian felt that, given his current abilities, staying within the Thousand Leaf Island Alliance region would be quite safe.

His next priority was to advance to the ninth layer of Qi Condensation, preparing for Foundation Establishment.

Over the next few days, Shen Lian explored the city further and found that Thousand Leaf City was not suitable for secluded cultivation. It served as the central hub for trade among local families, and spirit ships from merchant guilds like the World Pavilion occasionally docked here, making for a highly transient population.

He would have to stick to his original plan: find a remote island for cultivation.

In the end, Shen Lian chose the White Sand Archipelago, located two thousand three hundred miles from Thousand Leaf Island. This cluster of over two hundred islands was sparsely infused with spiritual energy and only housed mundane towns.

The surrounding sea yielded little of value, offering scant profit, so few cultivators ventured there. More importantly, the archipelago was off the main shipping routes, so he needn’t worry about frequent passing fleets.

Spirit ships like those of the World Pavilion were costly and rarely used by families; most clans formed their own fleets to transport the vast quantities of low-grade resources produced on their islands.

Having made up his mind, Shen Lian did not linger in Thousand Leaf City and prepared to set out for White Sand Archipelago.

He made his way to the docks outside the city, hoping to find a passing vessel to hitch a ride. After asking around, he was forced to return to Thousand Leaf City, planning to purchase a spirit boat instead.

It was truly a fitting place for secluded cultivation—passing ships were rare, and the family fleets that did traverse the area were reluctant to take outsiders aboard.

Originally, Shen Lian had not intended to buy a spirit boat in such haste. To him, Qi Condensation cultivators piloting spirit boats seemed a bit ostentatious.

He was unlike those fellow Daoists swaying atop their spirit boats.

But if he had to fly to the White Sand Archipelago under his own power, Shen Lian would rather buy a spirit boat. Equipped with a core formation, a spirit boat could be powered by spirit stones, keeping his spiritual energy at peak levels.

If he flew there himself, the drain on his energy would be minor, but without a place to rest and recover, any sudden attack would pose a serious threat.

Inside Sea Spirit Pavilion in Thousand Leaf City.

“Fellow Daoist, this flying boat is called the Flying Fish. Its speed rivals that of a ninth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator. Price: one thousand eight hundred spirit stones.”

A spirit boat, jade-green and slender, appeared before Shen Lian.

“If that seems too expensive, consider this Turtle Shell, made from Blackwater Turtle armor. Its defense is unmatched, though it’s a bit slower. Only nine hundred low-grade spirit stones.”

The shopkeeper compared two half-foot-long spirit boats before Shen Lian. Shen Lian’s face was wrapped tightly, so the shopkeeper couldn’t discern his expression and received no response.

Then, from behind the counter, the shopkeeper produced an ugly, cracked wooden boat.

“Fellow Daoist, this is the standard sea model. Just two hundred low-grade spirit stones. Highly practical—everyone says it’s good.”

Shen Lian examined the three boats before him.

The Flying Fish was jade-like, shimmering with spiritual light.

The Turtle Shell was sleek and jet-black, exquisitely crafted.

The sea-standard model was battered and ragged, seemingly about to fall apart. Most Qi Condensation cultivators he’d seen used this type.

He promptly pointed to the Flying Fish and the wooden standard model.

“Shopkeeper, do you have a model as shabby as this wooden one, but with the quality of the Flying Fish?”