Jade Dragon City

The cramped space, the damp chill in the air, the stifled breathing, and the ceaseless, teeth-grinding creaks of the hull as it sailed through deep water—this was the feeling the ferry gave.

Leaning against the cold, slick cabin wall, Xu Yuan half-closed his eyes and continued reading the Foundation Establishment section of the Yin Wood Heavenly Heart Art.

Beyond the most basic cultivation methods, the Foundation Establishment section also included methods for refining two powerful natal artifacts.

Even with his unreasonable talent, he would need some time to learn all that.

The voyage seemed especially long. Just as fatigue and suffocation dragged many into a half-conscious stupor—Thud!

A dull, massive crash, utterly unlike the previous impacts with underwater debris, suddenly came from beneath the hull.

The entire cabin shook violently. Caught off guard, many people were flung hard to the side, and screams rose one after another.

Then came a scalp-numbing cracking sound from below the boat, like countless tiny bones grinding together, or damp wood slowly being snapped apart. It grew clearer and clearer!

Along with it came a powerful, pungent stench—a mixture of old corpse water and rotting weeds—that abruptly seeped through the cracks in the floor and walls of the cabin!

"The—lower hold!" someone stammered through chattering teeth. Seemingly recalling Wang Hunchback's warning, he was scared out of his wits.

"Something—something down there is coming up!" another person screamed in terror, desperately trying to squeeze deeper into the crowd. That immediately sparked even greater chaos.

"Quiet!"

The hoarse voice, like gravel scraping together, rang out again. But this time, there seemed to be a trace of urgency in the boatman's voice.

"Don't move! Don't make a sound!"

But under such circumstances, it was naturally impossible to make this motley group of low-level Rogue Cultivators and mortal martial