The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 454. Fixing the Ship

In the middle of the vast ocean, beneath a sky heavy with mist and rain, a colossal beast surged from the depths.

A monstrous Carp, unlike anything seen in mortal waters, leapt high above the waves. Its razor-sharp teeth gleamed, and its massive body shimmered with red and violet scales, each one pulsing with ominous energy. The creature’s shadow swallowed the light as it descended toward the motionless ship below.

It opened its jaws wide, fully intent on devouring the vessel—a ship that dared to remain still, even as death approached.

But before its monstrous maw could descend—

Time froze.

Or rather, it reversed.

The beast suddenly halted mid-air. Its trajectory inverted as if someone had hit a rewind button on reality. With a splashing roar, the carp was hurled backward— slammed into the sea like trash being discarded.

Atop the ship’s deck, Su Fei stood near the edge, her elegant fingers brushing together in a light clap.

It was as if she’d merely shooed away a fly.

She dusted her palms with the same casual air one might use after swatting a mosquito. Her fox-like ears twitched in satisfaction.

Around the ship, crew members flew swiftly through the air, moving with practiced precision. Some wore harnesses with winged constructs, others stood on floating platforms, and a few zipped about on sleek hoverboards. They wielded odd-looking tools that resembled drill machines, yet instead of boring holes or screwing bolts, the devices emitted a clear liquid mist.

Wherever this liquid touched, it revealed glowing runes and hidden arrays along the damaged sections of the ship.

Once these intricate designs became visible, the crew shifted into action.

With a few quick button presses, the drill-like tools rotated, and from within the center, a pen-like nib extended. The nib glowed faintly blue. Crew members began drawing repair arrays and reinforcement runes directly onto the exposed framework, switching inks and configurations as they went. Some used scrolls to imprint pre-made arrays onto the hull, tearing them with care and pressing them onto the ship’s bones.

Where new and old arrays touched, the damaged portions dissolved cleanly —separating like puzzle pieces.

A large board-shaped piece of the ship peeled away from the hull and plummeted into the sea with a heavy splash.

Hovering nearby, a girl on a hoverboard zoomed closer. She adjusted her goggles and inspected the damage with keen eyes.

"Looks like only the outer layer was pierced," she said, reaching into her pouch.

She pulled out a glimmering pearl —a storage pearl specifically given to key crew members by their captain.

Without hesitation, she activated it.

A massive replacement part emerged from the pearl in a burst of light. The others, already prepared, moved in perfect sync. They grabbed the piece and attached it seamlessly into the exposed section of the ship.

As if rehearsed a hundred times before, they began the sealing process. The same drill-tools sprayed mist again. Then the girl took out an array scroll, tore it carefully, and slapped it across the junction. The arrays stitched themselves in, locking into place.

She gently traced her fingers across the connection, watching as circuits lit up, confirming full integration.

Meanwhile, other members of the crew hovered around the hull, patching, painting, and resonating arrays together. Each motion precise, each rune deliberate.

This was more than repair— it was Array-infused engineering.

—

Back on deck, Tyler walked slowly across the slick wooden surface, his footsteps echoing in the fading rain.

His shoulders drooped. His expression?

Miserably disappointed.

"Come on," said Mana, floating beside him. "You can use it next time."

Tyler sighed. "All that training, all that preparation... and I didn’t even get to use my Mystic Ice Arts. Not even once."

Mana, ever the playful spirit, smirked. "How about we go hunt some pirates ourselves? Mana is sure we can find one or two sailing nearby."

She winked.

Before Tyler could respond, a stern voice cut through the air.

"No one’s leaving," said Lily, striding past them with a clipboard in hand. "Once the ship’s fixed, we’re going into Shadow Mode."

Her tone was strict. Final.

Mana pouted dramatically, cheeks puffed. "Boo."

Tyler chuckled, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair. "Maybe next time."

Together, they made their way to the edge of the deck, where Su Fei sat cross-legged on a cargo crate. She had claimed this spot as her exclusive reading nook and Fishing spot also her dinner spot — complete with a large umbrella fixed above her. It looked like she was in a cruise.

A folded newspaper rested in her hands, its edges fluttering in the wind. Her three tails swayed gently behind her, and her tall fox ears twitched with curiosity.

"So, how’s life on the ship treating you?" Tyler asked.

Su Fei’s gaze remained on the paper, though her ears perked up at the question.

"I’m a prisoner," she replied, voice dry as ever.

"Cough... yeah, sure," Tyler said, scratching the back of his head. "But you’re practically allowed to do anything. Isn’t this a good life? Or do you want to go back to your world?"

She finally turned her gaze toward him.

"If I said yes... would you actually let me go?"

Tyler nodded, his expression serious. "Well, you’ve been helpful. Once I become stronger than you, sure—I’ll let you go."

Su Fei stared at him, deadpan. "So... after many years, then."

Tyler laughed softly and said, "It’ll take a few years."

Su Fei sighed, folding her newspaper in her lap.

"I’ll think about it. Honestly, I don’t really have anywhere to go anymore."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She looked up at the sky, her voice losing some of its edge.

"My home planet was devoured by a Time Entity in the void. Got reversed... one million years into the past. Everything just vanished. Those kinds of beings don’t usually bother with inhabited worlds. I guess I was just unlucky."

Tyler blinked. "There are entities like that... in space?"

"Plenty," she said, shrugging. "But don’t worry. No entities from the Void Realm would dare approach a planet in a Higher Realm like this one. Especially not a one that has imprint of Gods."

She turned back to her newspaper, leaving Tyler deep in thought.

He stared at the ocean, trying to imagine what a Time Entity even looked like and also thought of Adam who can easily travel in Space and Time like nothing.

"I wonder if he met something like that..." He thought.

What he doesn’t know is, that he even ate one. But that’s for an another story.

His gaze drifted to the folded newspaper in Su Fei’s hands.

The headline caught his eye:

> HUNTER PIRATES DEFEATED BY A MERCHANT SHIP!?