Once the three had laughed their fill and settled in, they began to discuss their plans for the future.
Although Nan Zhi had a fair amount of wealth, she did not intend to simply live off her savings until they ran out. She planned to follow the crowd and earn spirit stones on the ship while gathering information about the Rakshasa Sea Market.
Wanniang and Hongluo were also unwilling to be a burden to Nan Zhi, and both proposed finding ways to earn spirit stones themselves.
“Helping someone in an emergency is one thing, but supporting them through chronic poverty is another. Since I’ve made up my mind to see the Rakshasa Sea Market with you, I’ve already made preparations. I can’t rely on you for everything.
“Even if you are kind-hearted and don’t mind supporting me, I would look down on myself if I lived off you forever.”
Wanniang smiled behind her hand.
“I’ve been paying attention along the way, and I heard people saying there’s a ‘Wine Battling Assembly’ on the Splendid Platform. I’m not good at much else, but when it comes to competing with others over wine, I have some experience.
“Once I’ve earned enough silver and spirit stones, I’ll buy some materials to brew wine again. When that time comes, you must give me your honest opinion on the wine I brew with my own hands.”
Wine Battling had been popular for a time in the Great Song as well. It was somewhat similar to Guanpu; a house would provide a jar of wine and invite various brewers to taste it.
The brewers would then write down the ingredients they identified in the wine on paper and place them in a secret slot. The winner was determined by whoever guessed the most ingredients correctly.
A brewer could also use their own wine to challenge the house. If the house could not accurately identify the ingredients, the brewer would win the match.
Having grown up brewing wine with her father and collecting recipes from across the land, and now possessing a wine worm like the Wine Immortal, Wanniang was truly in her element.
Nan Zhi wasn't interested in brewing wine, but she remembered Xue Huan mentioning a Demon Slaying Board when they boarded. If she was truly short on funds, she could go there and take a look.
Both women had found their path, but Hongluo thought for a long time and still didn't know what she could do. Her face scrunched up in distress.
“I saw you enjoyed studying herbs earlier, and you were quite efficient when helping people with their wounds. You seem to like it quite a bit.”
With a flick of her wrist, Nan Zhi produced a set of medicine-pounding tools and an Encyclopedia of Herbs.
“I happen to be planning to study the path of alchemy. Why don’t you stay in the room, read more books, and practice by pounding some herbs when you’re free?
“That way, we can rely on you to identify any herbs or spiritual materials we don't recognize. In the future, when I refine pills, you can act as my assistant and watch the fire for me. How does that sound?”
“Okay! I’ll definitely memorize everything carefully. I won’t let you down, Mistress!”
Seeing the Encyclopedia of Herbs, Hongluo was indeed delighted. She happily took the medicine pestle and sat cross-legged on the floor to begin her studies.
...
...
Although Wanniang looked as delicate as a willow in the wind, she was nearly at the level of a blue faced ghost wraith. Furthermore, Wuwei Sect disciples patrolled the ship constantly, so Nan Zhi wasn't worried about her.
After the two parted ways, Nan Zhi headed straight for the deck. Sure enough, only a few stray flying boats remained at Jueming Cliff.
The Splendid Platform only stayed at each location for three hours.
Once no one else was boarding, the massive floating logs on the right side of the deck were retracted. The Kunpeng whale hybrids pulling the ship let out low, resonating cries.
“Voom—Eee—”
The deck beneath Nan Zhi’s feet vibrated slightly. A second later, the massive, opulent ship plunged into the clouds.
The unique, salty scent of the sea, carried by a somewhat coarse sea breeze, hit her face along with the damp air.
“Phew...”
Nan Zhi stood atop the Vermilion Bird head at the edge of the ship. Beneath her were swirling clouds and a bottomless abyss. Swaths of eerie, shifting black mist floated heavily over the sea.
The Splendid Platform moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it was a hundred miles from the shore. The black mist floating on the sea almost completely covered the water’s surface; looking down, there was only an endless, pitch-black void.
Was this the true face of the Wuwang Sea?
Sensing someone approaching with ill intent from behind, Nan Zhi leaped into the air. Like a sea swallow, she landed gracefully back on the deck.
It was a woman from the Sea Dragon Nation she hadn't seen before.
“Pah!”
The woman’s gaze was full of hostility. She spat toward Nan Zhi, her mouth revealing a flickering snake tongue.
“I know you. You spoke with that Yaksha; you’re no good. Looking at your gutless appearance, do you actually intend to go down and kill sea beasts in the Wuwang Sea?
“Be careful you have the life to go down but not the life to come back up. It would be best if you died in the mouth of a Sky Demon.”
This was the first time Nan Zhi had faced such a blunt and vicious curse from a stranger.
All because a dead Yaksha had given Hongluo a pearl as an apology.
The thought only crossed her mind for a moment before Nan Zhi replied expressionlessly:
“That pearl was an apology for the Yaksha’s rudeness. I am not acquainted with that Yaksha, nor do I have any interest in interfering in the conflict between the Yaksha and Sea Dragon nations.
“You should be glad you didn't try to push me just now. Otherwise, I’m afraid your head would be on the ground by now, reduced to a pile of mush.”
“Really?”
The Sea Dragon woman glared at her with half-belief, as if weighing her words. After a moment, she said resentfully:
“Anyone who talks to a Yaksha is no good. I’m not so despicable that I’d attack from behind. You’re the one occupying my Vermilion Bird Lock. Move.”
With that, she glared at Nan Zhi and stepped forward. From the Vermilion Bird’s mouth, she grabbed a black iron chain that hung along the side of the ship, fastened it around her waist, and then leaped straight into the vast abyss!
“!”
Nan Zhi was startled and stepped forward to look. Unfortunately, the hull was shrouded in mist, and the black mist below was so thick that her divine sense could not penetrate it. She had no idea what the situation was like down there.
She turned to observe the people nearby. Sure enough, there was a bronze bird mouth every ten meters, and each bronze bird held a pearl in its mouth that was attached to a similar black iron chain.
Someone glanced at Nan Zhi, seemingly mocking her for making a fuss. They followed the Sea Dragon woman’s example, tied a chain around their waist, and jumped—
Fifteen minutes later, Nan Zhi stood before a massive, smooth white jade board on the deck, listening to a Wuwei Sect disciple explain how to use the Vermilion Bird Locks.
“I can tell this fellow daoist is a newcomer. You clearly don't know that there are ways to earn spirit stones all over this ship.
“If fellow daoist is skilled in drawing talismans, refining pills, crafting artifacts, drawing formations, raising Gu, or taming ghosts... you can simply go to the Mysterious-grade area and find a shop. I guarantee you’ll be an honored guest and earn plenty of spirit stones.
“If you aren't skilled in any of those, there are also gambling dens, taverns, eateries, inns, and spirit beast shops where you can do odd jobs. Why bother following them down to the bottom of the ship to kill sea beasts and Sky Demons?”
Seeing that Nan Zhi didn't look destitute, the Wuwei Sect disciple offered a few words of advice. But seeing her persistence, he finally explained:
As it turned out, even a goose feather will not float on the Wuwang Sea, yet it was constantly plagued by swarms of mindless hungry ghosts and even high-level Sky Demons that harassed passing merchant ships.
The Splendid Platform did not sail alone; merchant ships from various clans and sects followed in its wake.
The Splendid Platform was protected by a grand formation that could avoid high-level Sky Demons, but low-level hungry ghosts would inevitably crawl up from the black mist and gnaw on the ship's hull.
Over time, the role of Demon Slayers was established. They would fasten themselves to the long Vermilion Bird Locks and descend to the bottom of the ship to clear the hungry ghosts from the hull.
This allowed cultivators to earn a few spirit stones, while the Wuwei Sect saved a significant amount on ship maintenance.
It was a win-win situation.
“What is beneath the Wuwang Sea? That black mist is so thick that even divine sense cannot penetrate it.”
Nan Zhi didn't ask why they didn't hire high-level cultivators to do the clearing—since ancient times, capital had proven one truth: low-end labor was often the cheapest consumable.
“What else could there be? Nothing but the vast ocean, rampaging sea beasts, and a scattering of small islands.”
The yellow-robed cultivator waved his hand.
“Unless you’re truly out of spirit stones, you’d best not ask. Descending from the ship with a Vermilion Bird Lock to kill hungry ghosts isn't a job just anyone can do.
“If your luck is good, you might kill a large sea beast and get a demon core to trade for spirit stones, which could cover a day or two of room fees. If your luck is bad, you’ll end up in a ghost’s mouth without even a corpse left. If you run into a Sky Demon, even your soul will be chewed up and swallowed. Tsk tsk.”
Rate on N.U.
