Treasure Island.
After getting off the train, the sea breeze carrying a damp, salty tang rushed toward him.
In the distance, waves rolled in and slapped against the reefs with sharp cracks.
Four ghosts floated out of his body and hovered in midair, taking in the surroundings.
"We're home!" Xiaoxiao cheered, spinning lightly through the air.
The other three ghosts smiled as well, looking as though nowhere was better than home.
Xiaoxiao flew over and asked, "Uncle! Are you going straight home, or are you going to look around?"
"I'll look around," Wu Heng said.
"Oh! Then you can go back by yourself. Sister Beni and I are going to stroll around the streets," Xiaoxiao immediately said.
"Go ahead. Come back early once you're done wandering around," Wu Heng said with a nod.
With a wave of her hand, Xiaoxiao flew ahead with Beni.
Wu Heng also headed toward the Residential Area, while Granda and Empress Dowager followed at his sides.
As they entered the port district, Wu Heng slowed slightly.
Port One, once packed with masts like a forest, now had only a sparse scattering of Merchant Ships docked there.
Under the Church's shadow, most merchant associations had chosen to protect themselves, either staying out of it or purchasing Treasure Island's goods through secret channels for resale.
"These merchant associations have no backbone at all," Empress Dowager muttered.
"Merchants won't offend the Church over business," Granda said quietly before turning to Wu Heng. "Wu Heng, I think shifting the commercial focus to Nether Inner City would be more secure. To the outside world, it's still an autonomous region."
Wu Heng nodded slightly.
Treasure Island was no longer short on funds, nor did it need to sell all sorts of goods just to make money like it had in the