The Black Wind Thief behind him was also scared witless.

The burly man had practiced a Body Refining Skill, and his Defense Power was considered the best among the Black Wind Thieves, second only to their leader who had reached Core Formation. ’If even he could be killed in a single blow, how could the few of us left possibly resist?’

Huan Xi turned to flee but was bound by a cyan vine and trussed up like a pig. As for the other Black Wind Tribulation Cultivator, the cyan vine tightened and instantly shattered the Protective Spirit Light of his Defensive Spiritual Artifact.

The situation had turned on a dime. Before the Independent Cultivators could even react, the three Foundation Establishment Tribulation Cultivators had been dealt with cleanly.

With a wave of his sleeve, Yang Jing pulled the two living men into his Inner World. He then took the Storage Bag from the bald man’s corpse.

’I need to construct a Flying Boat and a Blood Pool next, both of which are enormously expensive projects. They’ll cost at least five to six hundred thousand Spirit Stones.’ The financial pressure meant Yang Jing couldn’t afford to pass up even the most trivial gains.

After collecting his spoils, he turned his gaze to the Independent Cultivators behind him.

Having witnessed Yang Jing’s unfathomable Power, the Independent Cultivators became as timid as mice, not daring to make a single move.

"If I’m not mistaken, the direct descendant of the Bishui Zhang Family that the Black Wind Thieves mentioned is among you, correct? This old Daoist is willing to escort you back to the Bishui Zhang Family’s clan lands, provided you pay a price that I find satisfactory."

The Independent Cultivators glanced at each other.

After a moment, a rugged, burly man stepped forward, revealing the Cultivation of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Sir, I am a member of the Zhang Family. My name is Zhang Pan. As long as you can escort these two young masters back to our clan lands, the Bishui Zhang Family will agree to any demand you make."

As soon as he finished speaking, the forms of the two young men hiding behind him flickered. They transformed into two children, a boy and a girl about three or four years old, both with extraordinary features.

A Jade Pendant shimmering with Spiritual Light hung around each of their necks. It was clearly these pendants that had allowed them to alter their forms.

Yang Jing glanced at the burly man and nodded.

"Then we must leave this Flying Boat first. The Black Wind Thieves have already assessed the situation, yet they still dared to attack the Lu Family’s Flying Boat. The Golden Core Cultivator guarding it is likely no match for the Black Wind Dao Leader."

After seeing Yang Jing so cleanly dispatch the three Foundation Establishment Tribulation Cultivators, the rugged man was thoroughly convinced and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"I will charge out first to draw the attention of the Black Wind Thieves outside. Once you are clear of the Flying Boat, scatter and flee. Whether you escape with your lives will depend entirely on your own luck."

Yang Jing said to the Independent Cultivators who had been following him.

Having already memorized the Flying Boat’s general layout when he boarded, he took the lead, guiding everyone in a rush through the vessel.

The Black Wind Thieves were, after all, a gang formed from Tribulation Cultivators. They could maintain a semblance of order while their leader was present, but once he left to engage the Lu Family’s Golden Core Cultivator in Magical Combat, their true nature was revealed. They scattered to plunder the valuables aboard the Flying Boat.

Even the Black Wind Thieves who had been standing guard outside rushed onto the Flying Boat, hoping to score a windfall.

Yang Jing used nothing more than his Golden Light Qi Sword Spell. Most of the Tribulation Cultivators were finished with a single strike. Any who could withstand two or three were deemed key members of the Black Wind Thieves by Yang Jing, who subdued them and pulled them into the Yin Qi World within his Inner World.

Soon, he had led all the Independent Cultivators out of the Flying Boat to safety.

Seeing no Black Wind Thieves blocking their path outside, the Independent Cultivators unleashed their ultimate trump cards the moment they were clear of the vessel, fleeing for their lives.

Yang Jing, along with Zhang Pan and the two direct descendants of the Bishui Zhang Family, blended into the dazzling display of Tunneling Lights and escaped.

’If these Independent Cultivators had used such techniques against that Body Refining Cultivator, their attacks wouldn’t have felt like mere tickles.’

When the Black Wind Thieves saw so many Independent Cultivators escaping, they were thrown into a panic. They gave chase at once, afraid their target would escape by blending in with the crowd.

Unfortunately, while Independent Cultivators were far inferior to clan Cultivators in Magical Combat, they were exceptionally skilled when it came to running for their lives.

The Black Wind Thieves gave it their all but only managed to catch a few unlucky souls who had run out of tricks.

Yang Jing’s group of six soon escaped over a hundred li away. Zhang Pan wanted to keep going, but Yang Jing stopped him. After all, Yang Jing wasn’t actually afraid of the Black Wind Thieves.

"We’ll rest here for a moment."

He chose an inconspicuous cave and said to the five people with him.

Although Zhang Pan wanted to put more distance between them, he didn’t dare disobey this unfathomably powerful elder and could only lead the two children into the cave.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, I hear the Bishui Zhang Family is in a rather difficult situation these days. Wouldn’t it be perfectly safe for you to stay in the Celestial Square Marketplace of my Five Elements True Spirit Sect with these two direct descendants? Why take such a great risk returning to your clan lands?"

Yang Jing said, looking at the two still-uneasy children.

Zhang Pan hesitated for a moment before saying to Yang Jing:

"Fellow Daoist, this matter concerns a secret of my Bishui Zhang Family and shouldn’t be told to outsiders. However, you saved the three of us from certain death, so you are hardly an outsider. Our Bishui Zhang Family’s ancestor had a full-blooded sister. But because of a certain incident long ago, she left the Zhang Family and joined the Five Elements True Spirit Sect."

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed as a guess formed in his mind.

"She is none other than Bai Shui True Monarch, the Hall Master of the General Affairs Hall, one of the Three Halls of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect."

As Zhang Pan said this, his confidence seemed to swell.

"Bai Shui True Monarch holds an extraordinary position within my Five Elements True Spirit Sect. The predicament of your Bishui Zhang Family could be solved with a single word from her. So why have things come to this?"

Yang Jing said quietly.

Hearing this, the confidence in Zhang Pan’s heart instantly vanished, and he stammered,

"Back then... our ancestor and the True Monarch had a rather nasty falling-out. The ancestor had me bring the young master and miss to the Celestial Square Marketplace, hoping that the True Monarch might help the Bishui Zhang Family for the sake of the children."

Yang Jing understood immediately. ’Based on my knowledge of Bai Shui True Monarch, if the Bishui Zhang Family had merely asked her to take in these two children, she definitely would not have refused.’

’It seems the Zhang Family must have made an excessive demand.’

’Given the Zhang Family’s way of doing things, if I want to obtain their Flying Boat’s Refining Atlas smoothly, I’ll probably have to employ a few more tricks.’

"I’ve heard that the Bishui Zhang Family has inherited a Flying Boat Refining Atlas passed down from the Upper Realm. Fellow Daoist Zhang, could you perhaps enlighten me?"

Zhang Pan’s heart skipped a beat. ’I can’t believe this old Daoist is after the Flying Boat’s Refining Atlas! That’s the ancestor’s most prized possession. He would never hand it over, not even to repay the debt of saving the two direct descendants.’

’But this old Daoist’s Power is unfathomable, and we’re out here in the middle of nowhere. For now, we have no choice but to bow to his overwhelming might.’

"But of course," Zhang Pan said, his tone turning proud. "In its early years, the Bishui Zhang Family produced several Sect Leaders for the Profound Pure Sect. The Profound Pure Sect itself was founded by an Innate Great God from the Upper Realm, so its pedigree is far deeper than the other five of the Six Sects."

He continued with considerable pride:

"My Zhang Family has collected a total of five designs for refining Flying Boats. The first is the Five Teeth. This Flying Boat is a Warship from the Upper Realm’s Celestial Court, and its power is extraordinary. Once successfully refined, it can rival a Divinity Transformation Cultivator. The second is the Sea of Waves, a vessel of the Celestial River Navy, particularly adept at naval combat and capable of Overturning Rivers and Seas. The third is the All Things. Though called a Flying Boat, it’s actually a gigantic Magical Treasure that can take on countless forms and wields infinite power. The fourth is the Earth Dragon, which can travel through the earth at a speed of ten thousand li per day. The fifth is the True Spirit. This design emulates the might of a True Spirit and can even transform into one directly."

Yang Jing’s interest was piqued only slightly as he heard about the first four. ’They sound infinitely powerful, but if the Zhang Family couldn’t even refine one during their golden age, it just shows how difficult the process must be. They’re certainly beyond my capabilities.’

It was only when he heard about the True Spirit boat that his eyes lit up.

"This True Spirit Flying Boat... its refining must require True Spirit Blood, correct? But True Spirits vanished from the Nine Heavens World ages ago. How could anyone possibly find such a thing?"

For on his person, Yang Jing just so happened to have a bottle of Essence Blood left to him by the West Sea Great Saint.