Jin Xiaochai

Half a day later.

While the other young men and women remained trapped in their dreams, the four who had awoken, including Shi Mu, didn't dare make a move in the room.

After witnessing Ma Feiyun's death, Han Xiangxiu's face had gone deathly pale. She stayed close to Shi Mu, seemingly still badly shaken.

Shi Mu leaned against the cabin wall and continued resting with his eyes closed.

Who knew how much longer had passed when, suddenly, a loud bang rang out. The entire ship shuddered, and an old man's furious voice carried from somewhere nearby.

"Ning Ping, you dare enter Great Qi's territory and injure my sect's welcoming guards? Don't think you'll get away so easily this time!"

As soon as he finished speaking, another thunderous crash sounded outside the ship, and its hull shook violently once more.

"So it's you, Brother Zhao. I wondered who'd come. But since you know I'm not alone, you must have brought other helpers too. Why not have them come out?" The blue-robed man's voice rang out from outside, calm as could be.

"Since Daoist Ning has put it that way, I won't stand on ceremony." Another man's cool voice suddenly rang out.

"Yu Qianji, you?" The blue-robed man, who had sounded so composed, lost his voice upon seeing a second enemy. There was a hint of fear in his tone.

"Heh heh, Ning Ping, you never would've guessed, would you? Junior Brother Yu was already nearby. He came running the moment I notified him. Call Bone Tiger out. This time, we'll teach the Black Demon Sect a lesson!" The old man burst into laughter.

"Since Daoist Yu, a Star Rank sorcerer, has shown himself, how could I, Bone, pass up the chance to properly test his skill?" Another voice, sinister to the extreme, rang out. It was clearly wary of Yu Qianji.

Immediately, the sounds of rushing air and explosions echoed outside the ship without end, making the vessel sway from side to side as if caught in massive waves.

"It's the Black Tortoise Sect!"

"Thank goodness! That means we're saved!"

The curly-haired, broad-mouthed youth and another handsome young man whispered excitedly.

Han Xiangxiu was even more elated.

A hint of joy flashed across Shi Mu's face as well.

Compared with the blue-robed man, whose origins were shrouded in mystery, joining the Black Tortoise Sect would naturally be the best outcome.

"Yu Qianji, even if we're no match for you, don't think you'll be taking these disciples back alive! See how powerful my Startling Water Talisman is!"

A moment later, the blue-robed man's furious voice came from outside the ship.

The words had barely left his mouth when a colossal wave crashed. Water surged high alongside the ship, and after a shudder, the entire vessel slowly began to tip toward the river.

"Not good, the ship's going to capsize!"

Shi Mu and the others were startled. They quickly stood and pressed themselves against the cabin wall to keep from falling.

The unconscious youths and maidens had no such luck. They slid and tumbled about. A few unfortunate ones slammed into tables and chairs, even splitting their heads open and drawing blood.

Astonishingly, despite their severe injuries, they remained unconscious.

What a powerful drug. It was countless times more potent than the one recorded in the Zhong Craft Secret Manual.

Shi Mu was somewhat horrified by the sight.

"Think you can poison us? Not so easily! Black Tortoise Overturns Heaven!"

Just as the entire ship was about to capsize, the old man's voice rang out.

Another tremendous crash came from the opposite side of the hull.

The ship rocked twice, then miraculously righted itself.

Just then, the blue-robed man cried out in pain before speaking in furious frustration.

"Fine, fine! I never thought you old fool had cultivated your Black Tortoise Force to such a level. Next time we meet, I'll make you pay! Brother Bone, let's go!"

With a rush of air, the blue-robed man and his companion fled after suffering a heavy loss.

The awakened people in the cabins below naturally broke into delighted smiles.

Sure enough, before long, someone opened the door to Shi Mu's room from the outside. A handsome young man who looked barely twenty stepped in, dressed in a golden robe.

"Oh, there are this many people awake in this room. Good! Given the circumstances, you've done quite well. Everyone, get up to the deck. We need to recount everyone. Here, I have a bottle of pills. Give them to the others first." The handsome young man sounded a little surprised to see the four of them. His voice was exceptionally cool. He was the very Yu Qianji they had heard called a Star Rank sorcerer earlier.

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man tossed a small bottle toward the curly-haired, broad-mouthed youth.

The youth caught it and respectfully agreed, then gave the pills inside to each of his still-unconscious companions.

Yu Qianji turned around, seemingly about to leave the room.

"Senior Yu, I discovered the Demon Soul Sect's scheme. It seems they planted Wind Fire Sect Divine Fire Thunder beneath the ship." Han Xiangxiu suddenly rushed forward and blurted this out to Yu Qianji in a fluster.

"What? Divine Fire Thunder! Where did they put it? How do you know?" Yu Qianji's expression changed drastically. He immediately turned back and asked her.

"Senior, there's no time. I'll show you where the Divine Fire Thunder is hidden first, then explain everything afterward." Han Xiangxiu stopped a few steps away, her face full of alarm.

"Fine. I'll take you to see Senior Brother Zhao first." The young man frowned, then promptly made up his mind.

He blurred forward, grabbed the young woman by the wrist, and swept out of the room.

Shi Mu and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

Then, all of a sudden, the golden-robed young man roared and jerked his wrist, hurling the girl he'd just grabbed hard against the nearby door.

Just as she was about to smash her head open, a "giggle" rang out. Her figure blurred, and she seemed to switch places, appearing on the ceiling, feet up and head down, hanging there steadily.

The young man glared at her. He flicked his golden sleeve, and with a bang, a half-foot-long black snake dropped to the floor. Its body was completely stiff, and it seemed to be dead.

"Black Demon Snake! Such a sinister trick. You're Jin Xiaochai of the Black Demon Sect!" Yu Qianji only had to glance at the black snake on the floor before he spoke, his face full of fury.

"As expected of the Great Qi Kingdom's most promising genius, the one most likely to break through to become a Moon Rank sorcerer. You recognized me so quickly. Still, you were a little careless, weren't you? How did you like my little darling's bite? After taking that bite, you probably won't sleep well for the next three or four years." At Yu Qianji's words, Han Xiangxiu laughed, her figure swaying like a flower in the breeze.

"Bone Tiger, Ning Ping, you two actually dared to come back!"

At that moment, another rumbling vibration came from outside the ship, accompanied by Senior Brother Zhao's furious roar.

(What a sweat. I'd finished writing this before eleven, but while checking it, Wang Yu found a logical problem. I ended up revising it extensively, and now it's this late.)