Setting Sail

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, Chen Yuan hadn't completely let up on training. He seized the chance to stabilize his Skin Grinding - Major Accomplishment realm, familiarize himself with his surging strength, and further hone his Mist Manipulation divine ability—especially the costly but powerful Mist Burst.

On the third morning, just as dawn broke, the Lin Hai County docks were already buzzing with noise.

The Sihai Shipping Company's fleet was sizable. Besides two large cargo vessels loaded with goods, there were three clearly designated escort speedboats.

The sails bore the Sihai Shipping Company emblem—four pearls held aloft by crashing waves—flapping loudly in the morning breeze.

When Chen Yuan arrived at the docks, Wang Meng and Sun Yun were already there.

Wang Meng, as always, looked like he had energy to spare, dressed in a brand-new martial arts uniform, excitedly craning his neck in every direction.

Sun Yun stood quietly to the side, still wearing that aloof expression, but her eyes held a bit more sparkle than usual.

"Junior Disciple Brother, over here!" Wang Meng waved from a distance.

Chen Yuan hurried over. "Fifth Senior Disciple Brother, Sixth Senior Disciple Sister."

"Just waiting on you." Wang Meng clapped him on the shoulder, feeling the solid texture, and clicked his tongue. "Not bad, not bad. This Stone Skin Realm really is something else—sturdy feel."

Sun Yun gave a slight nod, her gaze lingering on Chen Yuan for a moment as if sensing the shift in his aura. She said softly, "The journey's not short. Be careful."

"Thanks for the reminder, Senior Disciple Sister," Chen Yuan replied with a nod.

Just then, Third Senior Disciple Li Wei walked over.

He wore a dark, practical outfit today, a blade at his waist, his aura steady and composed—sharp and capable.

"Good, everyone's here." Li Wei swept his gaze across the three, pausing an extra moment on Chen Yuan, a flicker of surprise and approval in his eyes. "I've heard about your breakthrough, Chen Junior Disciple Brother. Congratulations. For this escort mission, we need to work together, protect the fleet, and keep ourselves safe."

"Yes, Third Senior Disciple Brother!" the three answered in unison.

Soon, the head of Sihai Shipping Company's escort operation for this trip, a Head Escort named Zhou Tai, also approached.

He was around forty, not particularly tall but extremely wiry, with bulging temples and a surging aura—clearly a master at the Tendon Changing Realm.

Behind him followed over a dozen of the company's guards, all decently skilled, at least at the Qi and Blood Realm or even Skin Grinding.

"Brother Li, and you esteemed disciples of the martial hall, sorry for the wait." Zhou Tai clasped his fists, his voice booming. "This escort mission will rely on your efforts. The cargo is valuable, so we must guard against petty thieves. Especially the stretch through Black Mountain Corner—it's always been unstable. We need to stay extra vigilant."

Li Wei returned the gesture. "Head Escort Zhou, you're too kind. It's our duty. We've heard about Black Mountain Corner's situation. We'll be doubly careful when the time comes."

After a brief exchange, everyone began boarding the ships.

Chen Yuan, Wang Meng, Sun Yun, along with some other martial hall disciples and company guards, boarded the lead speedboat. Li Wei and Zhou Tai took command on the main cargo vessel.

"Weigh anchor! Raise the sails!"

At the Boat Captain's shout, the heavy iron chains clattered, the massive sails slowly unfurled, and the sea breeze filled them.

The fleet eased away from the dock, adjusted course, and sailed south along the coastline.

Chen Yuan stood at the bow, facing the slightly salty sea breeze, gazing at the endless ocean ahead and the walls of Lin Hai County shrinking in the distance. A surge of ambition swelled in his heart.

This was his first real departure from Lin Hai County, heading into a broader world.

Wang Meng excitedly pointed things out beside him, chattering about the scenery along the way and places they might pass.

Sun Yun quietly wiped her short sword, occasionally glancing up at the sea.

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The early part of the journey went smoothly. The fleet followed familiar routes, the wind calm and the seas gentle.

Occasionally, they spotted other merchant ships or fishing boats, exchanging flag signals peacefully.

Chen Yuan spent most of his time meditating in the cabin, solidifying his realm, and occasionally went up on deck to stretch, chatting with the guards to learn about escort experiences and the situation in the prefectural city.

These seasoned guards had seen a lot, regaling him with endless tales of local customs and strange events.

From them, Chen Yuan learned that Tian Nan Prefecture City was vast, with numerous factions and an extremely martial atmosphere. The biggest powers, aside from the government, were the Tian Nan Martial Alliance and branch halls of several ancient major sects.

Opportunities there were indeed greater, but the waters ran deeper and competition fiercer.

They ran into two minor incidents along the way. Once, a small group of clueless pirates tried to approach on skiffs, only to be driven off by a volley of crossbow bolts from the escort boats, fleeing in terror. Another time, a sudden squall kicked up rough waves, but the experienced fleet took shelter by the shore in time, escaping unscathed.

Chen Yuan didn't intervene in these small disturbances, just quietly observed, gaining a deeper understanding of the fleet's response capabilities and the command of Zhou Tai and Li Wei.

After four or five days, the fleet entered a wide river, turning upstream.

This was the Nan Cang River tributary leading to Tian Nan Prefecture City.

The scenery on both banks shifted from beaches to hills and forests, with denser settlements and frequent towns and docks along the shore.

That day, the fleet was about to pass through the "Black Mountain Corner" waters that Zhou Tai had specifically warned them about.

This stretch of the river suddenly grew steep on both sides, with dense forests and a winding, twisting channel.

Zhou Tai and Li Wei both ordered heightened alert—all guards had blades drawn, crossbows loaded, and lookouts fixed their full attention on the wooded slopes.

Wang Meng dropped his grin, clenching his fists with obvious vigilance.

Sun Yun silently appeared in the shadows by the gunwale, her sharp gaze sweeping across the water and the shore.

Chen Yuan took a deep breath, letting his blood energy circulate slowly as he pushed his spiritual perception to its limit, carefully sensing every movement around him.

In a tense silence, the fleet slowly entered the Black Mountain Corner stretch.

Yet, against all expectations, the anticipated attack never came.

The forests on both banks were still, broken only by birdsong and monkey calls. No suspicious vessels appeared on the river besides their own fleet.

Only when the convoy passed the most treacherous section without incident and the view ahead opened up again did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

"Strange..." Zhou Tai frowned, puzzled. "Normally on this stretch, even if we don't run into a large bandit gang, there's always some reckless fool taking potshots. Why so peaceful today?"

Li Wei mused, "Maybe the government's crackdown on bandits has intensified lately, or they caught wind of something and are lying low. Either way, a smooth passage is good news."

Though unexpected, no one complained about an uneventful journey. The fleet pressed on.

Two days later, the outline of a massive city emerged on the distant horizon.

Its walls rose high, stretching like a mountain range—far beyond the modest walls of Lin Hai County.

At the docks, masts stood thick as a forest, boats shuttled back and forth, and the clamor of voices filled the air.

"We're here!"

"Junior Disciple Brother, that's Tian Nan Prefecture City!" Wang Meng shouted excitedly, pointing into the distance.

Chen Yuan gazed into the distance at the mighty city crouched on the land like a great beast, his heart stirring with emotion.

Tian Nan Prefecture City—finally, they had arrived.