Heading South to the South Sea

Time passed, and two days went by.

They had originally planned to seek out the monk from the South Sea yesterday to treat Wenren Lingmeng, but some things came up and delayed them, so they waited another day.

For the past two days, Mu Zibai had hardly left her side.

For some reason, Mu Zibai had a persistent feeling that Wenren Lingmeng was about to wake up. That feeling grew stronger by the day.

If that really happened, there would be very little time left to earn points. Mu Zibai could only hope that she was worrying over nothing. For now, the best thing to do was rack up as many points as possible.

Over the past few days, no one had come to disturb them except Wenren Qingyi, who occasionally stopped by to check on Wenren Lingmeng.

After her last lesson, Wenren Qingyi had reined herself in a little, but she and Mu Zibai still couldn't stand each other. She was always picking a fight, yet she was all bark and no bite, and ended up at a disadvantage every time. Mu Zibai treated the whole thing as a way to tease a child.

Their destination in the South Sea was clear, and the journey by Immortal Boat would take only two days.

Mu Zibai had heard that Wenren Longhong and the others had gone south to search for a renowned doctor, and it had taken them half a month just to track down the monk from the South Sea.

He refused to leave his mountain. Anyone seeking treatment had to go to him in person. Mu Zibai didn't know what this monk from the South Sea was capable of.

But having hope was a good thing. They said his medical skills were extraordinary, and that he could bring someone back to life as long as they still drew breath.

If he truly had the skill to back up his reputation, then there was a real chance Wenren Lingmeng could recover.

The group consisted of Mu Zibai, Wenren Lingmeng, Wenren Longhong, Wenren Qingyi, Xiao E, and a number of guards.

Mu Zibai sat on the deck with Wenren Lingmeng, gazing at the view outside. Flawless white clouds stretched across the sky; looking down, she saw mountains and rivers spanning thousands of miles.

It was Mu Zibai's first time aboard an Immortal Boat. She had to say, her legs were shaking!

The Immortal Boat consumed an enormous amount of Spiritual Power as it traveled, so someone had to pilot it. She watched as the crew took turns at the helm, taking pills to rest between shifts.

Wenren Longhong came over and said to Mu Zibai, "The South Sea lies on the border of Great You, and it's mostly islands, so there are plenty of pirates. Be careful when we get there. Stay inside the temple as much as possible, and don't go wandering around."

"What's the situation at Tianling Temple?" Mu Zibai asked.

"The South Sea is King Qi's fief. It's remote, and the fief has been passed down through the generations. Tianling Temple has a long history, but I don't know the details. There are many Buddhist Dao masters in the temple, too. I don't know what they have in reserve, but they probably don't have anyone at the Phoenix Nirvana Realm guarding the place.

"Tianling Temple occupies an island, apparently by special permission from King Qi. The temple sits against a sheer cliff, and there's only one path up. It's easy to defend and hard to attack. But there isn't much food on the mountain, so they have to rely on supplies from below."

Wenren Longhong analyzed the situation.

Mu Zibai: "..."

She fell silent. Why did Wenren Longhong's analysis make it sound like they were planning to attack Tianling Temple?

"Um, I was just asking what customs or rules Tianling Temple has."

She gave him an earnest, awkward, yet polite smile. Wenren Longhong had spent years fighting barbarians on the northern frontier; he was used to storming cities and seizing strongholds.

Apparently, it was a occupational hazard.

"I haven't paid much attention to that. It should be about the same as anywhere else," Wenren Longhong said after thinking it over.

"All right."

Life aboard the Immortal Boat was much the same as anywhere else. They spent most of their time on deck and rarely went back to their rooms. For one thing, the rooms were too dark; for another, the air wasn't as fresh as it was outside.

So they might as well enjoy the view.

The two days passed without incident. The only thing worth mentioning was that Wenren Qingyi clung to Xiao E every day, asking her to tell stories from Dream of the Red Chamber.

Wenren Qingyi had been cooped up for two days and was going stir-crazy. Wenren Longhong spent most of his time cultivating, and Mu Zibai was always with Wenren Lingmeng. Whenever Wenren Qingyi met Mu Zibai's gaze, she would stick out her tongue, pull a face, or roll her eyes.

Wenren Qingyi couldn't stand being alone, so she had no choice but to go find Xiao E. Xiao E told her stories from Dream of the Red Chamber. Mu Zibai hadn't expected Wenren Qingyi to enjoy it.

The Immortal Boat had now entered the South Sea. Mu Zibai stood at the side, looking down at the scenery below.

Only three or four tenths of the South Sea's territory was land; the rest was sea. There were hundreds of islands of all sizes scattered across the waters. From afar, buildings could be seen on only a few of the islands near the mainland. The rest remained undeveloped.

Wenren Longhong explained, "Most of the outer area is occupied by pirates or demon beasts. Clearing them out would be a hassle. We sent troops twice, but those pirates are too clever to catch. Besides, we're not good at naval warfare and often take a beating. In the end, we just let it go."

"Pirates? Demon beasts?" Mu Zibai looked out at the lush, green mountains below.

Wenren Longhong said, "Immortal Boats and merchant ships basically don't dare venture beyond this area. If they do, they're sure to be attacked. But the pirates don't dare come closer either, so for now, we're at a standoff. Still, pirates often sneak onto the islands, so be careful."

"Right. And what about the demon beasts?"

"Mostly Sea Demons. Some can live on land. The South Sea is also close to the Dragon Palace, with its affiliated forces nearby. Twenty-three years ago, the Imperial Advisor personally led two hundred thousand naval troops and drove the South Sea Dragon Palace into a rout. Ever since, the South Sea Dragon Palace has had to pay tribute to Great You every year.

"But those Dragon Palace fellows are proud by nature, so they're obviously not happy about it. I reckon they're itching for trouble again these past few years. Demon beasts have often been stirring things up along our coast, and the Dragon Palace is probably behind it."

Mu Zibai nodded.

Wenren Longhong rested a hand on Mu Zibai's shoulder and laughed heartily. "But don't worry. Great You is now one of the strongest nations under heaven. No one would dare offend us lightly."

Mu Zibai knew how much weight Wenren Longhong's words carried. Only strength mattered most. If Great You weren't powerful, everyone would try to kick it while it was down. The border regions in particular would likely suffer constant harassment from other nations, leaving the people in misery.

That was how things had been in the past. Now, Great You was powerful and the people lived in peace. Everyone who encountered someone from Great You went out of their way to avoid them, not daring to cause trouble. It was all thanks to the powerful nation standing behind them.

Thirty years ago, Great You had been beset by internal and external crises, teetering on the brink of destruction. At the critical moment, the Imperial Advisor backed the Grand Princess and helped her ascend the throne, making her an Empress of an age.

Afterward, the Empress put the realm in order at home, while the Imperial Advisor fought abroad. In just ten years, she had not only reclaimed all the occupied and ceded lands, but had also fought every one of the powerful nations around them, firmly establishing Great You's position today.

Great You then entered a twenty-year period of recovery, growing stronger still. The neighboring nations dared only to scheme in secret and play petty tricks; they wouldn't risk making any overt moves.

For one thing, Great You was powerful. For another, the Imperial Advisor kept them in check. No one dared offend Great You lightly, lest the tragedy of more than twenty years ago happen all over again.

"Get your things together. We should be there in about an hour."

"Okay."

Mu Zibai returned to her room to pack. She only had a few necessities for eating, dressing, and daily use.