Chapter 424: Chapter 1: Meteor Islands, True Man Fufeng’s Request

Three months later, the Endless Sea Domain.

Aboard the ship.

Lin Chen lay on the deck, basking in the sun and enjoying the sea breeze.

He could hear the sound of the sailor cultivators chatting and bragging.

Today was a rare sunny day.

So Lin Chen stayed on the deck to enjoy the breeze.

"Brother Lin," the passing sailors greeted him a few times.

Lin Chen smiled and nodded in return.

At this moment, the figure of a little girl approached; it was Fufeng Xiaoya.

She spoke mysteriously:

"Brother Lin, do you still have that Shadow Stone from before?"

Xiaoya seemed a bit expectant.

For a teenage girl, the time at sea was hard to endure.

After completing her cultivation tasks for the day, she came over to see.

Lin Chen smiled and handed over two shiny stones.

These were Memory Stones, used to record some interesting scenes.

Although the Cultivation Realm didn’t have movies, there were similar forms of entertainment like "drama" or "play".

Not only mortals liked them, young cultivators like Xiaoya did as well.

Xiaoya returned the previous Memory Stone and quietly took the new ones to enjoy in her room.

Lin Chen called her back and handed her some pastries and snacks.

"Pastries bought from Wenda City, to enjoy while watching?"

Xiaoya’s eyes lit up, almost drooling, and she ran off with the treats and Memory Stones.

Lin Chen continued to lie on the deck, savoring the rare moment of leisure.

Unbeknownst to him, nearly a year had passed since that battle.

Lin Chen had been on the deck for over three months.

He became quite familiar with the sailors and had a decent relationship with the Fufeng Clan.

Especially with Fufeng Xiaoya, her innocence was untouched by cultivation.

Of course, during these three months, Lin Chen hadn’t neglected his cultivation.

His strength had recovered to its peak, and he had practiced several Water Element Techniques and Techniques.

In this Endless Sea Domain, the Water Spiritual Qi was incredibly rich.

Most of the sailors had also practiced Water Element Techniques.

If Lin Chen hadn’t, it would have been a waste of opportunity.

However, Lin Chen was slightly concerned about his master and a few senior and junior brothers.

It had been a long time, and he wondered how they were doing?

"Sigh, going to Ying State, I won’t be back anytime soon..."

Lin Chen shook his head and got up to gaze at the vast, endless sea.

He wasn’t sure how far he had traveled, but he thought it must be thousands of miles.

"Calculating the days, we should reach Ying State in two more days, right?"

Lin Chen felt a slight anticipation in his heart.

...

A few days later.

Lin Chen stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the distant horizon.

Cheers erupted from the crew and cultivators on the ship.

"We’ve arrived, to Ying State! Ahead are the Meteor Islands!"

The sailors cheered joyfully.

Sighting the coastline safely meant they had survived this journey.

Even though the shipping mishap rate was only ten percent, surviving was still a cause for joy.

Most importantly, the goods the sailors and seamen brought were valuable.

One trip’s earnings would suffice for their cultivation in the next ten years.

The ship slowly navigated into the port of the Meteor Islands.

In the harbor, only a few large ships were docked, with most being smaller vessels for coastal voyages and fishing.

Evidently, not many clans possessed the capability for inter-state sea transport.

The Fufeng Clan was quite renowned even in these Meteor Islands.

After docking, the Fufeng Xingchen brothers took the credentials and mooring permits ashore and soon returned.

Then, they addressed all the sailors on the ship:

"Ahem, everyone... This voyage was very smooth."

"I believe you all had a fruitful trip. If anyone wants to avoid the hassle, our Fufeng Clan can purchase your goods at ninety percent of the market price."

"Of course, selling in the market could earn you more, but it would take some time."

"The next voyage won’t be for another ten years... Make sure to keep enough for your cultivation needs, don’t spend it all..."

The Fufeng Xingchen brothers pragmatically advised.

But the sailors and loose cultivators on the ship were too eager.

"Boss, let us off the ship first! It’s been ten years since I last saw Cuihua, I’ve missed her terribly!" a burly cultivator shouted from the ship.

Soon, other cultivators joined in the commotion.

Having spent over a year of monotonous life at sea,

most cultivators, upon disembarking, sought entertainment in places of leisure.

Over the months, Lin Chen noticed too.

The crew on this ship primarily focused on cultivating power, not the heart.

They had realm and strength, but their Dao hearts...

Seemed to lack a desire for purity and abstinence, as if their cultivation was solely for power and the enjoyment of Spirit Stones.

After all, they never knew if a maritime disaster might have them swallowed by a Fifth Tier Sea Beast...

Ten percent odds didn’t mean it was impossible.

The Fufeng Xingchen brothers, somewhat helpless, waved their hands, signaling the sailors and loose cultivators to disembark.

Soon, half of the cultivators on the ship had left.

However, the bloodline disciples of the Fufeng Clan were obviously much more orderly. Although yearning for land, they waited patiently for family instructions.

They were to go to various marketplaces and stores to sell goods.

Lin Chen watched the departing sailors and loose cultivators, the distant islands, and the endless sea behind him...

And murmured to himself, "It’s time to leave now..."

Lin Chen thought for a moment and took out a Storage Bag.

This Storage Bag contained ten Golden Yuan Pills and a set of pills for breaking through from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul, all of upper grade quality.

Sufficient to repay the fleet for saving his life.

Lin Chen glanced around and saw Xiaoya approaching.

He waved and said:

"Xiaoya, come here for a moment."

Fufeng Xiaoya came bouncing over happily and said:

"Brother Lin, we’ve finally arrived at the Meteor Islands! Want to explore the Marketplace on the islands?"

Lin Chen shook his head and said:

"Brother has some things to handle. Can you give this Storage Bag to your grandpa?"

Upon hearing this, Fufeng Xiaoya’s expression instantly fell, nearly bursting into tears.

"Brother Lin, are you leaving?"

"Grandpa said we shouldn’t accept anything you give..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen frowned slightly.

In his decades in the Cultivation Realm, he prided himself on having witnessed the warmth and coldness of human relationships, the plots and intrigues.

A life-saving grace, naturally hard to repay.

Yet when someone refuses a reward, it can only mean they want more.

Just as Lin Chen was frowning, he suddenly received a message.

"Taoist Friend Lin, would you care to come and have a talk?"

Lin Chen looked in the direction of the Spirit Ship, which led to Patriarch Fufeng’s room.

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Chen said to Fufeng Xiaoya:

"Xiaoya, wait here for me for a moment. I need to see your grandpa."

...

Soon, Lin Chen entered Patriarch Fufeng’s room.

For the past three months, this was Lin Chen’s first time coming in.

Patriarch Fufeng led a simple life, spending most of his time in his room, only taking action when the fleet faced danger.

Upon seeing Lin Chen, Patriarch Fufeng pointed to a chair, indicating Lin Chen could make himself comfortable.

Lin Chen sat down, respectfully bowing: "Senior Fufeng."

Patriarch Fufeng nodded and asked:

"Taoist Friend Lin is here to bid farewell, I presume? What are your plans after arriving at the Meteor Islands?"

After hearing this, Lin Chen thought for a moment and said:

"I plan to find a place with Uncle Wang to settle down and cultivate properly."

"Once my cultivation is successful, I’ll return to Wenda City to seek revenge..."

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Fufeng was silent for a few breaths before suddenly asking:

"Even with your cultivation, you’re unable to get revenge... Did you provoke the Demon Sect?"

Hearing this, Lin Chen’s hairs stood on end.

When did he expose himself? Did True Man Fufeng see through his cultivation?

Though astonished internally, on the surface, Lin Chen shook his head and said:

"Senior, you jest. A Golden Core is nothing in Wenda City... Besides, if I had provoked the Demon Sect, how would I still be alive now?"

Lin Chen assumed that True Man Fufeng was likely testing him.

But unexpectedly, True Man Fufeng smiled and said:

"Taoist Friend, your puppet seems to have quite a lineage... I once saw it at the Puppet Hall."

"It seems to be the flesh body of the illustrious True Man Luoming from several millennia ago..."

"Additionally, your clan uncle is probably not human either, but a Guardian Puppet, correct?"

"Your clan uncle hasn’t eaten or drunk for several months, avoiding grain... Yet doesn’t consume even a bite of Spiritual Food, and his flesh body is robust, his steps heavy..."

True Man Fufeng spoke casually, pointing out Lin Chen’s flaws.

Listening to these words, Lin Chen fell silent.

Yet internally, he felt helpless:

"Alas, a seasoned veteran after all, these indeed are flaws, and they’ve been spotted..."

"Now, this makes things difficult!"

Lin Chen looked at True Man Fufeng before him, feeling a bit troubled.

His origins couldn’t withstand scrutiny, and if investigated, it could easily be exposed.

Even the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect could possibly be implicated.

But the problem is, should he kill to silence?

Lin Chen didn’t think he could bring himself to do it.

Patriarch Fufeng wasn’t a bad person and had even saved his life.

Over the past few months, he had gotten along pleasantly with the crew and Xiaoya.

As Lin Chen hesitated, True Man Fufeng spoke again.

He smiled, looking at Lin Chen, and said:

"Taoist Friend Lin need not worry. This matter is known only to me. My granddaughter, grandsons... and the hundreds on the ship are unaware..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen was taken aback and asked tentatively: "Only Senior Fufeng knows?"

After receiving True Man Fufeng’s affirmative response, Lin Chen was at a loss.

Good grief, isn’t this forcing him to kill to silence?

If he killed True Man Fufeng, no one would know...

But Lin Chen thought it over and decided to forfeit that notion.

Killing a lifesaver, what kind of deed would that be!

Lin Chen sighed and said:

"Senior Fufeng, if there’s anything you wish to say, please speak openly. I am not one to be ungrateful."

True Man Fufeng seemed very composed and smiled, saying:

"Taoist Friend Lin’s character, I naturally believe in."

"But it is not a matter of trading favors... My Fufeng Clan has encountered some trouble and needs your assistance."

After hearing this, Lin Chen nodded and said:

"Senior Fufeng, what trouble do you have? Just speak openly."

At this moment, True Man Fufeng began narrating slowly:

"Taoist Friend Lin, having just arrived at the Meteor Islands, you naturally don’t know the situation in Ying State."

"Ying State is large, even larger than Qing State, but it’s fragmented, with many unknown archipelagos. The Meteor Islands is one of the more famous ones."

"And on the Meteor Islands, there are three main islands, each with nearly a hundred small islands under them..."