Once Matters Were Settled, It Was Time to Put to Sea

In the days following this Wind Calamity, every resident of Liuli Island received orders requiring each and every household to inspect the Island Protection Array for damage.

The inspection method was simple. Liuli Prefecture would distribute a spirit talisman; all one had to do was hang it in the home for several days and nights and observe whether any red light emerged.

As for the various remote corners of the island, dedicated personnel were assigned to inspect them one by one.

"The Island Protection Array has 367,800 nodes. We must ensure that every single node is free of abnormalities." Under the immortal master's will—and for the sake of their own lives—all matters on Liuli Island were halted, with maintenance of the Island Protection Array given top priority.

In the past, the immortal master would oversee the array's inspection and repairs. But this time, it was said that the spirit stones sustaining the array's operation were nearly exhausted, so the immortal master had returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island to retrieve more.

Li Fan received a spirit talisman as well.

He hung it in his home. When he focused his senses, he could vaguely detect an invisible ripple spreading out from it.

After expanding outward for some distance, it seemed to encounter some sort of obstacle and rebounded.

As the ripple returned, the talisman lit up with blue light.

Several breaths later, the blue light went out.

The ripple began to form again.

Over and over, in an endless cycle.

"The array's self-inspection treats 360 flashes of the talisman as one minor cycle, and 360 minor cycles as one major cycle. So long as no red light appears during a major cycle, the array is unharmed." Li Fan recalled the instructions he had received when the talisman was distributed.

"This Island Protection Array is so vast, yet so exquisitely precise. It is truly difficult to imagine how it was built."

"Ten Thousand Immortals Island is said to be where the vast majority of cultivators in this Congyun Sea gather. It is extraordinarily mysterious; even Steward Zhao knows little about it.

"All that is known is that if mortals on the island can cleanse the miasma from their bodies and achieve Qi Induction, an immortal master will descend and take them to Ten Thousand Immortals Island."

"It seems that will be my goal in this life."

But everything had to be done step by step. First, he had to secure a place in the seafaring fleet, thereby gaining an opportunity to enter the Purification Spirit Pool.

Li Fan had endured several centuries already. Naturally, he was in no hurry over this brief stretch of time.

Time quietly passed amid the uneasy prayers of the island's residents.

Five days later, the result that made everyone on the island breathe a sigh of relief arrived.

The Island Protection Array had not been damaged.

And when the immortal master returned with enough spirit stones, the island's residents finally put their hearts completely at ease.

Life on Liuli Island gradually returned to normal.

Over the following months, refugees from other islands occasionally came to Liuli Island seeking shelter.

Only a small number of them had survived. The overwhelming majority of people on their islands had died in the recent Wind Calamity.

Upon learning that an immortal master was stationed on Liuli Island, the refugees' faces showed deep envy.

The Congyun Sea was vast and boundless, with islands large and small beyond counting.

Only those islands that produced special resources would have immortal masters stationed upon them.

Li Fan had not been idle during these months either.

By diligently cultivating the Profound Yellow Heart Cleansing Mantra every day, he finally saw results.

Name: Li Fan

Realm: Mortal

Physical Age: 41/88↑

Mental Age: 504/1119↑

Both the upper limits of his physical age and Mental Age had increased again. Although the increase was not great, it still excited Li Fan.

From then on, Li Fan cultivated even more diligently. Other than eating, he spent every day practicing the Heart Cleansing Mantra.

Another month passed like this, and Li Fan finally received word sent by Steward Zhao.

The Wind Calamity in the Congyun Sea had completely vanished. The fleet would soon set sail again! Three days later, at Liuli Island's docks.

Liuli Island's seagoing ships were even slightly larger than the Taiyan Boat's second form, each measuring two to three hundred meters in length.

More than a dozen great ships stood in orderly rows, moored upon the sea in a magnificent sight.

Because of the Wind Calamity, the fleet had been grounded for a long time. Liuli Island had also fallen behind on a considerable amount of supplies it was required to hand over.

Thus, the island lord ordered the entire fleet to set out this time.

This was a rare grand occasion. In the past, for the sake of safety, only one or two fleets would sail at the same time.

The docks were packed with residents who had come to watch the spectacle.

Whenever they spotted someone they knew aboard a ship, they waved enthusiastically.

Following one of Steward Zhao's men, Li Fan boarded a seagoing vessel called the Cangyuan Ship.

Quite a few of the crew members, like Li Fan, were setting out to sea for the first time. Their faces brimmed with excitement, their eyes filled with hopes of becoming rich overnight.

The veteran sailors, however, were the exact opposite.

Not only did they show not the slightest excitement, their faces were full of worry as they grumbled without end. "Who knows what madness the island lord has caught, coming up with some kind of assessment. The fleet that brings back the least harvest this time will be deemed unqualified and lose its right to sail in the future! What are we supposed to do?"

"Ah, don't mention it. It's all because of the Wind Calamity. I heard privately that Coral Island in the south was completely razed to the ground after its Island Protection Array shattered. And the supplies Coral Island was supposed to hand over have now fallen onto Liuli Island's shoulders."

"What kind of nonsense is this? How are we supposed to live from now on?"

"I heard it's only temporary. We just need to make up what we owed before."

Everyone let out a round of sighs and lamentations.

"Look at you lot, acting so pathetic! Why don't you think about the bright side? Doesn't first place get a reward too? The share of the harvest goes from thirty percent to fifty percent!"

"Fifty percent! Do you understand what that means? If we can haul in a big score, we won't need to put to sea for the rest of our lives!"

At that moment, a bronze-skinned man walked over and gave the crew a thorough dressing-down.

"Boss, stop dreaming. First place? You know our fishing skills better than anyone. When have we ever done more than barely complete our catch quota?"

"Exactly. If you ask me, this will be our last voyage!"

"Why don't we just not come back? How carefree would it be to become pirates?"

Clearly, the crew all had a good relationship with the man. Rather than being frightened by his scolding, they began jeering and egging one another on.

Hearing their wild talk, the man did not grow anxious.

Instead, he planted his hands on his hips, wearing the look of someone with a plan already in hand.

"What is it, Boss? You have an idea?" The crew knew the man extremely well, and they immediately asked when they saw his expression.

The man said smugly, "Don't worry. We have an expert aboard this time. I guarantee everyone will return with a full load."

As he spoke, he pointed at Li Fan standing behind him.

"Him?"

"He looks so clean and delicate. Has he ever even gone to sea?"

The crew stared closely, only to grow disappointed. They shook their heads one after another, clearly unconvinced.

"You blind lot, unable to recognize a distinguished man! This gentleman is a great talent personally invited by Steward Zhao. Before long, he'll be taking over our ship! Show some respect!" the man roared, seeming thoroughly enraged.

The moment they heard this, the Cangyuan Ship erupted into an uproar.

The bronze-skinned man turned back to look at Li Fan and quietly revealed a sly smile, as though his scheme had succeeded.