The Southern Moon Archipelago, April Island.
After leaving the academy, Zhu Ziyang and his group of four made their way at top speed and arrived at April Island in the shortest time possible. Coincidentally, Xu Jianwei had just returned from January Island. Judging from the smile on her face, Zhu Ziyang immediately realized that the Southern Sea Fleet of the Sun-Moon Empire on January Island had likely already been taken under their control.
That was great news.
Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan directly sought out Xu Jianwei and explained their purpose.
"You're going out to sea? To search for the Eastern Continent? This is part of the Moonlight Trial?" Xu Jianwei looked astonished as she sought confirmation.
"Yes, Great-Aunt!" Zhang Lexuan nodded. "We'd like to know if the Moon Lineage or the Yin Clan possesses any nautical knowledge or artifacts."
"..." Xu Jianwei was silent for a moment, then replied with a single word: "Yes."
"Really?" Both Zhang Lexuan and Zhu Ziyang showed surprise and delight. "Then please, tell us! It could be very helpful!"
"Wait here a moment. I'll retrieve it." With that, Xu Jianwei got up and left.
After she departed, Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan began guessing what she might bring back. Hopefully, it was a nautical map that pointed to the Eastern Continent's location. Of course, any seafaring knowledge or artifact would be welcome—they lacked everything: a seaworthy ship, a directional chart, even experienced sailors.
Their wait wasn't long. Xu Jianwei soon returned, but she came back empty-handed, which puzzled them both. Before they could ask, however, Xu Jianwei summoned a palm-sized model shuttle into her hand.
The shuttle looked unremarkable—smooth exterior, unclear interior—as if it were an abandoned prototype. Strange, indiscernible patterns were etched at the top, resembling an array, but neither Zhu Ziyang nor Zhang Lexuan could identify it.
"This is the Moon God Shuttle," Xu Jianwei said with reverent pride etched across her aged features.
"Moon God Shuttle?" Both of them echoed the name with curiosity.
"Yes, the Moon God Shuttle. A tenth-rank soul tool passed down through the generations of the Silvermoon Priestess Lineage!" Xu Jianwei's voice grew even more reverent and proud. Holding up the shuttle, she explained, "This was the final masterpiece of the Moon Lineage's founder and the Yin Clan's greatest matriarch, the Silvermoon Empress Yin Lihua. It was also her very first tenth-rank soul tool—a permanent functional soul tool!"
"A tenth-rank soul tool!" Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan were truly stunned. Even though they didn't know much about soul tools, they understood the significance of a tenth-rank one. More shockingly, this meant someone from the Sun-Moon Empire could craft a tenth-rank soul tool even ten thousand years ago! The gap in soul tool advancement was staggering!
"I'm sure you can tell, the Moon God Shuttle is a shuttle-craft," Xu Jianwei continued, "It was meticulously crafted from a complete Moon God Gem over fifty years. The Empress imbued it with a now-lost navigation map said to chart all the continents surrounding the Sun-Moon Continent. For your upcoming voyage, it's an invaluable asset."
"A map of all nearby continents!" Zhu Ziyang's eyes lit up. "Even if we're unsure of what lies east of the Douluo Continent, having this is far better than nothing!"
"In addition to the map," Xu Jianwei went on, "the shuttle can hold ten passengers, withstand a full strike from a Super Douluo, and travel ten thousand miles in one hour! Of course, all of this depends on the user's cultivation—you need to be at least a Soul Douluo to activate it. Lexuan, now that you've reached Title Douluo, this Moon God Shuttle is yours to keep."
"Mm. Thank you, Great-Aunt!" Zhang Lexuan accepted it without hesitation—whether in terms of present use or future inheritance, this artifact was destined to be hers.
"That's all I can help you with now. The rest is up to you," Xu Jianwei said. "May the Silver Moon protect you!"
After bidding farewell to Xu Jianwei, Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan found Jiang Nannan and Qian Lingyi, who were gathering supplies in town.
Only now did Qian Lingyi truly realize they were going out to sea, leaving the Douluo Continent in search of the mysterious Eastern Continent. Naturally, the girl felt a trace of anxiety and even frustration. The former was understandable—who wouldn't be unsettled by the unknown? But the latter was directed at Zhu Ziyang. She felt he didn't trust her. After all, she had always stood by him, yet she was the last to learn of this.
She was so upset that she swore not to talk to him for three days.
In reality, she barely lasted an hour. As soon as Zhu Ziyang and Zhang Lexuan found them, he pulled her aside.
Qian Lingyi stared at him, cheeks puffed, lips pouting—was he pulling her aside to do something… unspeakable?
"Lingyi, are you mad at me?" Zhu Ziyang smiled at her puffed cheeks and sulking lips. "Okay, okay, it was my fault. I shouldn't have kept it from you. I was wrong—don't be angry, alright?"
"Hmph! I'm not mad!" Qian Lingyi turned her head with a pout. "Why would I be mad over someone who doesn't care about me? Go tell your Nannan everything from now on!"
"See, you are mad!" Zhu Ziyang laughed. He placed his hand on her shoulder, gently turning her toward him. "Stop sulking. I have something important to tell you."
"What?" she responded on instinct, then quickly added with a pout, "Let me guess—I'm the last to know again?"
"Uh…" Zhu Ziyang hesitated, then smiled wryly. "I won't lie. You are the last among the four of us to know."
"Huh?" Qian Lingyi's eyes turned red with tears. "Then why even bother telling me? Why make such a fuss over someone you treat like an outsider?"
"Don't cry!" Zhu Ziyang gently wiped away the tears trickling down her cheeks. "Listen to what I have to say, and you'll understand why I didn't tell you earlier."
"...Fine. Say it." She forced herself to push down her pain.
"We're not going to sea just for experience," Zhu Ziyang said seriously. "The real reason is to complete my God Position trial."
"G-God Trial?" Qian Lingyi was stunned, her sorrow scattered by the shock of this revelation.
"Seems like you've heard of it. Good, then I don't need to explain much." Zhu Ziyang continued, "I've inherited the legacy of a god named the God of Death. Our voyage to the Eastern Continent is part of my seventh Death God Trial."
"Originally, I planned to bring only you. But as fate would have it, Nannan and Sister Lexuan both got involved in the trial. So I need to bring them too."
"What? How are they involved?" Qian Lingyi had just started feeling sweet and hopeful, but her joy turned to panic at his next words. Their alone time—ruined!
"Their trials and assessments are to assist me in completing the seventh Death God Trial." Zhu Ziyang's words were a direct hit—Qian Lingyi was utterly floored.
She stared at him with wide, blinking eyes like someone hearing the end of the world.
(End of Chapter)
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