"Have you even calculated the cost of putting to sea? Ship maintenance, supplies, freshwater reserves, charting the route... all told, one voyage would take at least half a year, and the gold you'd burn through would be enough to live comfortably here for three years."
Elonore drew her chopsticks back, looking a little guilty.
"And." Elena set down her pen. "That area on the sea chart is marked 'unknown,' which means no one has ever gone there and returned alive to draw a detailed map. Supply lines, weather patterns, sea monster distribution—it's all blank."
Saina had been turning the flatbreads in the pan by the stove, listening all the while.
"So what you're saying is, his cultivation is slow now?"
"Right." Su Li picked up a strip of pickled vegetables.
"How slow?"
"Very slow. It might take several years before I can advance again."
Saina flipped the flatbread over, the spatula scraping across the bottom of the pan.
"Then let it be slow."
Her tone was as calm as if she were merely saying today's flatbread was a little burnt.
"Anyway, we don't lack people to beat up right now. Who can beat you? Who can beat the four of us?"
She tapped the spatula twice against the rim of the pan, scooped out the flatbread, set it onto a plate, and brought it over.
"What's the rush? The ship isn't even finished yet, the vegetable plots haven't been planned out, and we haven't decided where to put the chicken coop. One thing at a time."
Su Li watched her set the plate of flatbread on the table and wipe her hands on her apron.
She was right.
There was nothing to rush about. Rank Five already stood at the summit of the entire continent. Going higher was to satisfy