Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wilderness, Chapter 120: Sea of Fury

The great ship set sail once more.

Even in the night, one could feel the vessel’s immense speed. The bow rose high, only to plunge back into the surging waves. The shattered spray, like mist and snow, roared as it transformed into a tempest of wind and rain. In this scene, one felt as though dancing upon the crest of a wave, heart-strings pulled taut, accompanied by the howl of the wind and the vast, impenetrable darkness in every direction. For a moment, it felt as though they had fallen into chaos, destined to sink and never return. Yet, they pressed onward, into the depths of that chaos, toward the ends of the sky, toward the ends of the sea...

However, the ship had a new master.

Yu Ye stood upon the quarterdeck, gripping the helm tightly. He did not know the sea routes, nor could he discern the direction; he simply steered the great vessel, letting it run with the wind.

The pirate ship was much like the merchant vessels of the Cheng family. The helm was located atop the stern’s quarterdeck. After more than an hour of frantic effort, Yu Ye, Gan Xing, and Qiu Yuan had finally managed to set the ship in motion. With only three of them on board, they had to take turns at the helm to avoid exhaustion. When Yu Ye was on watch, Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan rested on the deck.

Once upon a time, leaving Star Field Valley felt like a grand journey, and traveling to Spirit Flood Valley to hunt was but a dream. Who would have thought that, a mere two years later, Yu Ye would be riding the waves on the open sea, his dreams seemingly having sprouted wings of their own? Yet, even in this vast expanse of sea and sky, could he truly soar freely?

The long night passed, and dawn broke.

Yu Ye handed the helm to Qiu Yuan and walked alone to the bow.

The corpses of the twenty or thirty pirates had all been cast into the sea, but traces of sword strikes and patches of dried, blackened blood remained everywhere.

At the bow stood a wooden post wrapped in iron hoops and carved with a mortar—a strange contraption known as a "Thunder Crossbow," used by the pirates. Beside it lay piles of arrows, ropes, iron anchors, axes, and bamboo poles.

Yu Ye picked up one of the arrows.

What they called an "arrow" was actually a sturdy wooden shaft over a zhang long, connected to a rope and tipped with iron barbs. Once fired from the Thunder Crossbow, its power was immense, capable of piercing even the protective mana of a Qi Refining cultivator.

Yu Ye dropped the arrow and continued his inspection.

The axes, palm-sized and rusted, were also attached to ropes—another lethal weapon for close-quarters fighting at sea.

The pirates they had encountered were exceptionally fierce, cruel, and possessed formidable means. If left to run rampant, they would surely bring disaster upon many more innocents. This was one of the reasons Yu Ye had killed them and seized their ship.

Evil must be rooted out completely!

Yet, he had not expected to be abandoned, nor for Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan to be implicated. Fortunately, the ship was still sailing; as long as they kept the wind at their backs and headed south, they should be able to reach Qi Prefecture.

"Parting ways might not be such a bad thing," Gan Xing said, coming to his side.

Yu Ye did not reply, looking out into the distance.

A red sun leapt from the horizon, the sea and sky glowing in magnificent splendor.

Gan Xing stood with his hands behind his back and spoke, "Tao Feng and his lot were useless, only good at causing trouble. If they had listened to Bu Yi's wise counsel earlier, they wouldn't have ended up in such a state..."

Yu Ye frowned, unable to help but interrupt, "What 'wise counsel'? Could you enlighten me?"

"Submitting to the Yunchuan Immortal Sect and assisting them in searching for overseas treasures in exchange for pills, spirit stones, and cultivation manuals was, without a doubt, a fine path for the declining Daze Daoist sects."

"If that is so, why kill the elders and disciples of various families? For instance, Hong Gu of Xuanhuang Mountain—did she die at the hands of Bu Yi?"

"Those who refuse counsel deserve to be punished. One must balance benevolence with severity. As far as I know, Bu Yi did not kill Hong Gu..."

"And my thirty-two clansmen of the Yu Family Village? Did they not suffer and die innocently due to these very entanglements?"

"This..."

"Do you truly not know where Chen Qi has gone?"

"His whereabouts are tied to Bu Yi; it is not for me to ask. Since our grievances are settled, why dwell on this?"

Perhaps in Gan Xing’s eyes, Yu Ye was different from the typical Daoist disciples. They had joined forces against an enemy and were now in the same boat. It was only natural to deepen their connection. He had not expected their views to diverge so sharply when it came to the grudges between Qi Prefecture and the Daoist sects.

"Heh!"

Yu Ye let out a laugh, though there was no warmth in his expression.

"Our grievances are settled, but that is only between you and me. It does not mean I will let Chen Qi go. The thirty-two lives of the Yu Family Village would not agree to that."

Gan Xing nodded.

"What is Bu Yi's cultivation level?"

"Fifth level of Foundation Establishment."

"When does he return to Qi Prefecture?"

"I do not know."

"Do the immortal sects of Qi Prefecture have any masters at the Nascent Soul stage?"

"I have never heard of any."

"Oh..."

Yu Ye asked no more.

Gan Xing lingered at the bow for a moment before turning away in silence.

When the two had first resolved their conflict, there had been a sense of mutual respect. But after sharing the ship, a certain reserve—or perhaps caution—had grown between them.

Unnoticed, another ten days passed.

It was afternoon. The sky remained overcast.

The sea winds grew stronger, the waves more violent, and the ship’s speed increased. Yu Ye paid it little mind.

After several consecutive cloudy days, the ship’s course remained steady. He sat on the deck at the bow, surrounded by an invisible barrier. Sailing day and night had turned the novelty and excitement of life at sea into a dull routine. Now, no matter how fierce the wind and waves, how the ship pitched, or how the scenery changed, he remained unmoved, hiding within his barrier to cultivate.

Effort yields results.

The *Nine Escapes of Heaven and Earth*, studied by the Flood Dragon shadow, was finally taking shape. She had merged several escape techniques into one, possessing not only the god-like speed of the Dragon Escape but also the abilities of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire escapes, naming it the "Divine Dragon Escape." As for its true power, only practice and trial would reveal it.

"Can the Divine Dragon Escape pass through walls?"

"Yes!"

"Can it fly invisibly?"

"Yes!"

"Can it escape into earth-fire or traverse the deep sea?"

"Yes!"

"Can it soar into the clouds and travel the four corners of the world?"

"No! This technique is limited by your mana. If you fall into the sea or get trapped underground and exhaust your cultivation, it will still cost you your life!"

"Oh..."

"All divine abilities are merely techniques and tools. Do not be overly greedy. Practice it first, and if there are flaws, we shall refine them!"

"Hmm..."

*Pitter-patter—*

As Yu Ye conversed with the Flood Dragon, raindrops fell, only to be blocked by the barrier, bursting into clouds of mist.

A moment later, the rain poured down in sheets, and waves rolled over the bow, crashing down with a roar that echoed even through the barrier.

Yu Ye sensed danger and withdrew his barrier.

He heard Qiu Yuan shouting, "The wind and waves are too strong! Lower the sails!"

He heard Gan Xing shouting, "Lowering the sails now would have unpredictable consequences!"

The ship plunged deep into a trough, then was suddenly thrown high into the air. Gan Xing stood beneath the mast, gripping a rope, at a loss. At the helm, Qiu Yuan struggled to maintain control, shouting in desperation.

Yu Ye grabbed a rope just in time to avoid being tossed off the deck.

Looking out, beneath the dark, heavy sky, waves several zhang high rolled in, one after another, making the massive ship feel like a tiny leaf tossed in the storm.

The sea seemed to have gone mad—it was boiling.

"Yu Ye! What should we do?"

Handling a great ship is no easy task; handling one in a gale is even harder. Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan were panicked and divided, looking to Yu Ye for a solution to survive the crisis.

"I don't know either!" Yu Ye shouted, his heart sinking.

The three of them were supposed to be extraordinary beings, yet a single storm had reduced them to their original state. Cultivators, masters—in the face of nature's wrath, they were all so small, so humble, so helpless!

"Brother Gan, the wind is too strong! The mast might snap!"

"Lower the sails halfway!"

"That plan could work!"

"Yu Ye—!"

"Coming—!"

Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan reached an agreement and shouted for help.

Yu Ye answered, but just as he released the rope, the bow pitched upward. Caught off guard, it then plunged back into the sea.

Yu Ye was instantly thrown high into the air, soaring past the sails and the mast in the blink of an eye. He flailed his limbs, as if walking on wind and rain. Below, the sea raged, and the rain poured down from the sky. He and the small wooden ship struggled between the roaring, boiling sky and sea.

Why had the ship grown smaller? Why were the masts growing further away?

As panic set in, Yu Ye realized with a jolt: *This is bad!*

He had been thrown into the sea!

Suspended in mid-air with nothing to leverage, buffeted by the wind and rain, he was helpless. He had not yet mastered the escape technique, knew no sword-flying, and had no talismans—what was he to do?

As he fell, a thought flashed in his mind. He thrust both hands out. Several barriers formed out of thin air; though colorless and formless, they blocked a portion of the wind and rain. He kicked off the air, bursting through a cloud of mist, and used the slight momentum to dive downward.

"Yu Ye—!"

Gan Xing was still shouting. Yu Ye had clearly been at the bow, just a moment ago. But one wave had swallowed him.

Had he fallen into the sea?

Just then, a figure descended from the sky. Perhaps the momentum was too great, for he slammed onto the deck with a *thud*. A flash of a blue dragon silhouette appeared and vanished, and Yu Ye was already scrambling to his feet.

Gan Xing was secretly astonished, envy flickering in his eyes, but he dared not delay. "Lower the sails!"

Yu Ye, breathless, lunged forward.

They worked together to undo the ropes, lowering the sails halfway and tying them down before rushing to the other mast. Before they could finish, the ship plunged once more. At that instant, a wave over ten zhang high crashed down upon them.

*BOOM—*

*CRACK—*

As the wave struck, a heart-wrenching sound of splintering wood followed.

Yu Ye squeezed his eyes shut, hugging the mast with all his might, fearing he would be thrown into the sea again.

Amidst the chaos, he heard another *crack*, followed by Qiu Yuan’s terrified scream:

"The helm is broken!"

A moment later, the wave passed, and the ship rose again.

The helm was broken, and two masts had snapped. The broken masts and sails were gone, vanished without a trace. Only half a mast remained, with two men clinging to it.

The monstrous wave rolled in again, roaring toward them.