The Yunmeng Great Marsh's expanse exceeded imagination. Even with cultivator speed, plus obtaining a simple second-hand wooden boat inscribed with basic wind-riding talisman arrays, Xiao Qi and Liu Yun spent nearly half a month barely crossing this misty, wave-like water region.
When the boat broke through the last reed marsh and the view suddenly opened up, a gust of salty, vast wind rushed to meet them, ruffling their garments.
It was the sea wind!
As far as the eye could see, where water met sky, lay an endless, deep azure ocean! Waves rose and fell, churning white foam, emitting. Unlike inland rivers and lakes, this ocean emanated an ancient, mysterious, and powerful dignity.
Looking northward along the coastline, a massive city silhouette gradually became clear. The city was built against mountains and facing the sea. White city walls gleamed in sunlight. Countless masts stood like forests in the huge harbor. Various boat-type magical artifacts, and even some uniquely shaped floating sail ships, came and went. Above the city, colorful lights flew to and fro. Energy fluctuations were mixed and powerful, far more prosperous than Qingrong City yet more orderly, carrying a special vitality belonging to the sea and trade.
That was Wanghai City, the largest human cultivator gathering place on the Eastern Sea shore, and an important gateway to the endless ocean and overseas world!
We finally made it. Liu Yun gazing at that magnificent seaport city, exhaled deeply. The exhaustion from days of travel and marsh crossing seemed to lessen.
However, Xiao Qi's eyes were even more grave. The more prosperous and important a place, the more complex the competing forces, and the deeper the Shadow Snake Pavilion's reach. He dared not slacken.
The two disposed of the boat, disguised themselves slightly, condensed their auras, and mixed into the stream of people heading toward Wanghai City.
Wanghai City's inspections were far stricter than Qingrong City's. At the tall city gate, city lord's mansion guards in unified spirit armor guarded, interrogating and registering all entering individuals, and collecting substantial entry taxes. The city walls were inscribed with complex formation runes, faintly emanating terrifying energy fluctuations.
Xiao Qi and Liu Yun paid spirit stones, registered as temporary rogue cultivators, drew no attention, and smoothly entered the city.
Inside the city, a richer briny smell mixed with spices, fish catches, and various spiritual material and ore scents rushed to meet them. Streets were wide, paved with sturdy blue stone, enough for several carriages side by side. Building styles differed greatly from inland areas, mostly constructed from white stone and corrosion-resistant spiritual wood, lines bold and practical.
The docks were bustling with noise. Laborers shouted while moving goods. Merchants loudly bargained. Cultivators from everywhere shuttled through, seeking outbound ships or purchasing sea products. Shops selling various sea beast materials, pearls, coral, and outbound necessities like water-blocking talismans and wind-riding talismans were everywhere.
Xiao Qi and Liu Yun moved slowly through the city like ordinary travelers, observing, listening.
Did you hear? 'Sea Dragon' returned from 'Storm Cape' this time, having fished up a complete third-rank sea beast 'Thunder Eel' skeleton! That's excellent material for forging thunder-attribute magical artifacts!
Recently, tickets to 'Mist Island' went up again. They say it's not peaceful there, with dangerous pirates about.
The city lord's mansion posted a new bounty to eliminate a group of 'Iron-Tooth Sharks' that have been frequently attacking merchant ships in nearby waters lately. The reward is substantial!
Sigh, getting a decent ship for offshore exploration now is really hard. Most are monopolized by those big merchant guilds, prices are extortionate.
Various information flooded in. Xiao Qi noticed that in Wanghai City, shipping and trade were the absolute themes, controlled by several powerful merchant guilds. Among them, Four Seas Guild and Golden Toad Guild were mentioned most frequently.
However, in unremarkable corners, or in some cultivators' whispered conversations, Xiao Qi acutely caught discordant notes.
. the goods have already been shipped out via 'Black Tide.' The arrangements are made on that end, right?
Don't worry. 'Shadow Snake' people have taken over. Foolproof.
Recently inspections are strict. Be careful with shipments. Don't let the city lord's mansion 'Patrol Sea Guard' notice.
News from 'Snake Den' says to watch for two young cultivators from the west who might be injured, a man and woman, matching the bounty description.
Shadow Snake! Snake Den!
Xiao Qi's heart sank heavily. These coded phrases undoubtedly pointed to the Shadow Snake Pavilion! They had indeed infiltrated Wanghai City, and seemed to control a secret shipping route called Black Tide, conducting some underground deals! More terrifying, the kill order had also spread here. They were still searching for him and Liu Yun!
He calmly pulled Liu Yun's sleeve, signaling her to leave this noisy street and turn into a relatively quiet alley.
Seems Wanghai City isn't either. Liu Yun's face looked bad, whispering. The Shadow Snake Pavilion's reach is truly long!
Mm. Xiao Qi's gaze sharply swept the surroundings. They control part of the underground shipping, which means they have the ability to silently transport people or goods overseas, or receive from overseas. This is very unfavorable for us.
If the Shadow Snake Pavilion also learned that the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal might be in the Eastern Sea, they could completely use this secret route to act first.
So what do we do? Liu Yun asked. Do we still inquire about 'deep within clouds and mist' in the city? Won't that be too risky?
Xiao Qi deliberated for a moment, then shook his head: Directly asking about our target is too obvious. We need a reasonable identity and reason to stay in Wanghai City and engage with shipping matters, so we can slowly search for clues without raising suspicion.
He remembered Tianjizi's words, and also the method used in Qingrong City.
We need a place to stay, then. perhaps take some city lord's mansion missions again. Xiao Qi said. We can earn spirit stones and learn about the Eastern Sea situation. We can also use the city lord's mansion guest advisor (even temporary) identity to, to some extent, avoid Shadow Snake Pavilion harassment.
Wanghai City was vaster than Qingrong City, its order relatively stronger, the city lord's mansion's authority not to be challenged. This was both a challenge and an exploitable condition.
The two found a clean-looking small inn called Tingtao Pavilion in a remote part of the city. After settling in, Xiao Qi went alone to Wanghai City's city lord's mansion.
Wanghai City's city lord's mansion was located in a white castle at the city center, grand and imposing. The mission posting area was several times larger than Qingrong City's, with missions more sea-related.
Xiao Qi displayed his Qingrong City temporary guest advisor token. Though its effectiveness here was limited, it served as identity verification. He carefully browsed the mission board, finally taking a Grade-C Superior mission: assist the Patrol Sea Guard in investigating recent merchant ship attack incidents in nearby waters, and gather information on the attackers (suspected variant sea beasts or pirates).
This mission's risk wasn't too high, but required going to sea, which suited him perfectly.
Just as he completed the intake procedures, the corner of his eye caught a Four Seas Guild-attired manager in the mission hall's corner, in low conversation with a city lord's mansion deacon, attitude quite respectful. After the deacon accepted a bulging storage bag, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Xiao Qi. It seemed the Shadow Snake Pavilion's infiltration likely extended beyond Black Tide underground channels. Even this seemingly dignified city lord's mansion might not be clean.
Wanghai City's troubles had already quietly brewing beneath the calm sea surface. Xiao Qi and Liu Yun were about to step onto this more complex and dangerous stage. The road to searching for the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal was destined to not be smooth.