Chapter 270 Jingsha City-State
Chu Hengkong woke up from his dream and found the bed shaking slightly, like a cradle.
The last time he dreamed was when he returned from the wilderness. It had been so long since he had dreamed, and this time he dreamed of his boss again. Every time he thought of the scene at that time, he would blame himself for being immature at the time.
No matter what, he shouldn't have killed someone right in front of her. It's a bad influence on a child... Smashing the window directly was a bit too much. She really liked that car, otherwise she wouldn't have taken it for repairs later... And the tone of his voice at that time was like that of a gangster...
He found it hard to connect the boy from back then with the Chu Hengkong of today. Ten years was indeed a long time, long enough to change a person from the inside out. Could he still speak like he did as a child? Speaking Cantonese with a half-Hong Kong accent, adding English slang to every sentence to keep up with the trend?
"So stupid." Chu Hengkong laughed softly.
After a quick wash, he grabbed Finder, who was still sound asleep in his sleeping bag. He walked onto the deck, hoping to feel the fresh sea breeze, but was met with another wave of complaints.
"I can't stand it anymore!" Ji Huaisu leaned on the railing, "How much longer will it take..."
Gulibo was taped to the deck, his face pale. "It's been a few years, Bo..."
"Only two weeks." Chu Hengkong said.
“It feels like two years…” Gulibo’s face turned even greener. “Let me go, ugh ugh ugh—”
It struggled to free itself from the tape, rolled to the edge of the deck, and vomited violently. Unfortunately, this city-state animal, born and raised in this city, was prone to seasickness, and the past two weeks had been like a year for it.
Vander was woken up by the noise. He jumped out of his sleeping bag, his tentacles shining. "Oh, it's such a nice day. It's so comfortable to sleep on the sea~"
Compared to the utterly unlucky Gulbo, Finder enjoyed two weeks of good times. After entering the Sea of Illusions, he felt like a fish in water. For the first few days, he wanted nothing more than to jump off the boat and embrace Mother Ocean. Chu Hengkong strongly suspected the Twilight Library was an institution built on the seabed; otherwise, there was no explanation for the Eye Demons' affinity for the sea.
It is also possible that it is actually some rare seafood, otherwise it would not float from the coast to the Senluo Secret Realm.
"There's a stark difference between seafood and game," Ji Huaisu said. "Honestly, what do I have to do today? I'm tired of playing games these past two weeks."
"Go fishing, girl." Chu Hengkong shrugged. Ji Huaisu howled plaintively in response.
This time, they had reserved the entire dragon boat race. Aside from the three of them, Shu Yiyan, and Bo, the boat was completely empty of crew members. Meals consisted of reheated frozen meals, and if they wanted fresh food, they had to resort to sea fishing. Chu Hengkong took this opportunity to break his previous record for continuous fishing with a score of 62 hours. He hadn't been able to break 63 hours because Ji Huaisu had poked him in the head and yelled at him to get out if he didn't catch any more fish.
Logically speaking, the journey in the Shendong Realm would never be smooth sailing, and the tide of fate would not let them go no matter what. However...
Woo! Woo!
The shrill sirens blasted, the sea ahead was turbulent, and a voice announced from inside the ship: "Outlanders are attacking! Outlanders are attacking! All passengers, please prepare for battle!"
All the passengers huddled on the deck like dead fish, not a single one moving. Vander counted down with his tentacles: "3, 2, 1."
boom!
But a flash of blood swept past, followed by a loud roar. Two seconds later, the sea became calm, the alarm stopped, and nothing happened.
Ji Huaisu didn't even raise his eyes: "What's going on today?"
"It should be a Seismic Point 6 beast, contaminated by the devil." Chu Hengkong judged, "It will rank second in the next two weeks."
“Isn’t this the first…”
"The day before yesterday, while you were sleeping, a particle 6 outsider came over," Chu Hengkong said, "and ran away after just a few hits. Your military achievement will be discounted."
"Dad has extraordinary skills and is invincible~" Ji Huaisu yawned.
This was why the passengers were completely dejected. Despite the daily attacks, the voyage itself was uneventful, for Ji Qiufeng stood guard at the bow day and night. Whatever came their way was dealt with by the city lord in a single blow, leaving them no chance to stretch their legs.
"It will be time for you to stretch your muscles soon." A familiar laugh came, "Hengkong, come over and draw the talisman."
Ji Qiufeng hopped onto the deck, dragging a massive fish head with an unusually long nose. It was obvious the possessed demon had been clobbered with another blow, leaving not even a trace of it. Ji Huaisu lit a fire and went to grill the fish. Chu Hengkong followed Ji Qiufeng into the cabin and saw him pull out a bottle of fresh fish blood.
"Hengkong, I can't help but sigh at your incredible luck." Ji Qiufeng poured the fish blood into a dark bottle. "The materials needed to make this talisman aren't of the highest grade, but they involve a wide range of exotic beasts, each of which is rare and scarce. A few of the ferocious ones are even harmful to the local area. I was a little nervous before leaving, but unexpectedly, in just two weeks, the materials are already complete."
Chu Hengkong's face darkened: "Are you using me as bait?"
"Your bait is really effective, otherwise you wouldn't have to draw this talisman~"
Ji Qiufeng prepared ink with fish blood, moistened the tip of his brush, and in just a moment, he drew a talisman on a piece of old tree bark. When the talisman was finished, he suddenly slapped it against Chu Hengkong's forehead.
"Tell me your name, quickly." Ji Qiufeng said seriously.
Chu Hengkong didn't understand what was going on, but he still did as he was told: "Chu Hengkong."
The talisman was torn off with a snap. A quick glance revealed the ink on the talisman, which resembled red ropes. His name appeared beneath these red ropes, as if hidden within the talisman itself. Ji Qiufeng picked up his brush and added another vertical stroke to the three characters "Chu Hengkong."
"Eat it." He threw the talisman into Chu Hengkong's mouth.
Chu Hengkong swallowed and waited for his explanation. Ji Qiufeng put down his brush and visibly relaxed.
"The talisman you ate earlier is called the 'Anonymous Talisman,' designed by Piaomiao Fate Master himself," Ji Qiufeng said. "When you swallow the talisman, you'll retain the karma within your body. Apart from those you know, no one else, even with supernatural powers, will be able to find you."
"A causal safe house?" Chu Hengkong was surprised. "That's not necessary."
"You should have a clearer understanding of yourself. You just killed Fansalar not long ago. Do you realize the magnitude of that karma?" Ji Qiufeng said, a half-smile on his face. "The high-level beings from all the major sects must be searching for you right now. The one from the Spiral Tower is even more likely to go out personally. If it weren't for the Canxin Life Master's strike that shocked everyone, and if it weren't for the preparations within Huilong City, you would have been killed by now."
Chu Hengkong felt a little scared: "The natural disaster species are so vengeful... Well, they do hold grudges."
"Fortunately, your bad luck is also effective. With this talisman, you are somewhat safer." Ji Qiufeng said, "But remember, the talisman can avoid malicious intent, but not accident. If you are destined to encounter something, no matter how you hide, it will be useless."
"It's enough to not be crushed to death by the high-quality points. As for the others." Chu Hengkong laughed, "Let's see who crushes whom."
"Don't be too confident. There are many masters in the city-state."
Ji Qiufeng patted his shoulder and walked back to the deck. The air was filled with the aroma of burning fish; Ji Huaisu had already grilled the large fish head. She cut off two pieces and threw them to him, yawning repeatedly. "If you think it's too bland, add some salt yourself."
"Eat quickly, it'll be here soon," said Ji Qiufeng.
"Ah?" Ji Huaisu looked at the boundless sea. "Right away?"
A crimson aura enveloped the entire vessel, blazing fiercely and transforming into a supreme thrust. The Shenglong Ship's speed suddenly increased by an unfathomable factor of several dozen. The water surged up on either side of the ship like mountain peaks, and the air practically became solid, shattering layer by layer like piled glass. Fander, still catching the wind, soared into the sky, only to be caught firmly by Chu Hengkong's raised hand.
Gulibo clutched the tape and burst into tears: "I - feel - seasick -"
"I haven't finished eating yet!" Ji Huaisu also shouted.
The crazy girl jumped up, grabbing the fish's head, and sat on the railing, laughing as the wind blew. The demons in the shallow waters were alarmed and rushed towards the ship, but were burned to ashes in the burning anger.
For the first time, Chu Hengkong truly understood the source of his girlfriend's personality. Now it seemed like a case of the upper beam being crooked, because her father wasn't a reasonable person either. While normal martial artists would use Burning Night as a means of risking their lives, Ji Qiufeng used the secret teachings as a accelerator to propel his ship!
In just a few minutes, the coastline came into view. Ji Qiufeng gradually regained his composure. As the ship returned to its normal speed, the continent beyond finally emerged. Beneath the deep brown mountains lay a carpet of green grass, the shadows of cattle and sheep scattered among the tall grass. At the foot of the mountain, quaint wooden houses clustered together like a city, forming a beautiful pastoral scene alongside the flowers that blanketed the mountain.
Ji Huaisu put down the fish bones, his eyes full of intoxication: "The city-state is so beautiful..."
"Look there." Ji Qiufeng smiled, "Look up."
"ah?"
She followed Ji Qiufeng's lead, her gaze grazing the brown mountain range all the way up. The peaks were majestic and massive, like a high wall at the edge of the world. The main peak towered over the sky, and no matter how far she looked, she could not see the end. She only saw the mountains hidden in the clouds, the clouds a bright green.
“No way…”
Vander muttered to himself, "Oh my God!"
Those weren't mountains at all; they were the roots of an old tree, a tree as vast as the world! Dotted wooden cities were built upon its roots, and the vast plains were filled with flowers and plants beneath the tree. The "clouds" were actually the crowns of the old trees, a whole floating continent high in the sky.
A towering spring gushed from the nearby sea, lifting the dragon boat high into the sky. They approached the clouds, but they didn't stop, instead, carried by the current, they continued to climb. Above the tender green clouds lay another continent. Far beyond, land masses of varying heights drifted like kingdoms woven around a vast tree. Countless people floated on the gentle breeze, carried back and forth between kingdoms like flocks of birds dancing among the trees.
"Its habitable area is 41 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately a quarter of the total area of Senluo Secret Realm. Its current population exceeds 1.5 billion. Supported by the Sephiroth-7 sacred tree, 'Jingsha,' it is the largest and oldest city-state in the Shendong Realm." Ji Qiufeng concluded his introduction. "Welcome to the heart of Senluo Secret Realm, the free and open city-state of Jingsha."
The dragon boat came to a stop with a thud, stuck in the harbor of the second continent. Several creeper-like plants grew from the shore, forming a stairway leading directly to the deck. Chu Hengkong was the first to exit the boat, and even he, known for his composure, felt a surge of excitement. A small, hamster-like creature on the shore saw him disembark and immediately blew a horn-like horn.
"So hospitable?" Vander was delighted.
The echoing blast of trumpets echoed from all directions, and the world instantly turned brown. Thousands of heavily armed soldiers emerged from the foliage, their bowstrings creaking, their arrows flashing a poisonous dark green. All soldiers adhered strictly to drill instructions and maintained a safe distance, waiting for the command to unleash their arrows!
The squirrel with the trumpet quickly passed the archers and stood beside a large slipper. It saluted: "Captain Trek, the encirclement is complete."
"Very good, very good. Little thing over there, don't move."
The words were followed by the sound of sipping juice. The man who spoke slowly finished half a cup of iced juice and dropped the cup into the squirrel's paw. He took off his sunglasses and looked past the archers to Chu Hengkong's face.
"These little heretics really don't know the rules. They dare to come here and act wildly in broad daylight." Trick gestured, "Drag them away and behead them."
(End of this chapter)
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