A barely perceptible flicker of sorrow passed through Lu Shang's eyes.
Wen Siyue's father, Wen Qiang, had served the Six-Link Hall for years. Who would have thought that, in so little time, she would have fallen to such straits?
"Is something wrong?" Wen Siyue asked, looking at Lu Shang in confusion.
"Nothing. But since you mentioned it, I've only been to Tianxing City once or twice myself. If you really know the city, I could pay you spirit stones to show me around."
"Really?" Wen Siyue's eyes lit up.
Am I finally going to land a job? Wen Siyue murmured almost inaudibly.
Wen Siyue's joy shone openly on her face, impossible to hide.
Just then, however, Lu Shang's divine sense detected something amiss.
The demon beasts that had remained beneath the sea began swimming toward the surface one after another.
"All right, Tianxing City is still half a day away. Go get some rest first. The sea seems to be getting restless," Lu Shang advised.
Wen Siyue thought Lu Shang was saying that because she looked a little tired.
Yet just as she was about to speak, a huge demon beast suddenly leaped up beside the ship.
Though it was only a fourth-stage demon beast, its body was enormous. Even a brief collision sent the bow rocking.
Lu Shang pulled Wen Siyue behind him with one hand and sent it flying with a fierce punch.
"D-demon beasts! There are demon beasts around Tianxing City in the Inner Sea!"
As the others noticed them, panic began to spread.
Lu Shang stepped over to Wen Siyue and urgently gripped her arms in concern. "How are you? Are you hurt?"
That startled Wen Siyue, but she quickly recovered and answered shyly, "N-no, I'm fine."
Lu Shang froze for a moment before realizing he had been far too forward.
He hastily withdrew his hands.
I hope I didn't frighten her.
Lu Shang rested one hand on Wen Siyue's left shoulder.
Wen Siyue had still been struggling to keep her footing as the demon beasts battered the huge ship, but the instant Lu Shang placed his hand on her shoulder, her legs steadied.
Wen Siyue looked at him in surprise. Lu Shang explained, "Just a little trick. As long as you're all right."
Wen Siyue merely nodded slightly.
Only then did the ship's steward emerge. "Rest assured, everyone! The formation has been activated. Don't panic! The demon beasts here can't break through it. We're already heading toward Tianxing City at full speed. Rest assured!"
The captain kept shouting at the top of his lungs, but the demon beasts' battering never stopped.
The back of an enormous demon beast even appeared in the distance.
A moment later, the others spotted that distant back as well. Some cried out in panic, "Look! There's a gigantic demon beast over there!"
"Don't panic, everyone! We'll be within Tianxing City's boundaries soon. The Star Palace's formation will protect us then. Don't panic!"
Only after hearing this did quite a few people relax a little, though they still stared tensely into the distance.
"A seventh-stage demon beast..."
Lu Shang's hands itched to act.
Seventh-stage demon beasts were hardly uncommon in the Inner Sea, yet under ordinary circumstances, they were difficult to encounter even in the Outer Sea.
Had he not already been near Tianxing City, the Star Palace's main territory, Lu Shang would certainly have killed it.
But he had important business to attend to. Unless it came down to the very last moment, he would not act.
Beside him, Wen Siyue stared into the distance in terror.
Though Lu Shang's help had stopped her from swaying about, she still could not suppress the fear rising from deep within.
Several demon beasts kept ramming the formation protecting the ship, while a seventh-stage demon beast approached from ahead. Any low-rank cultivator would have been afraid.
Without realizing it, Wen Siyue had pressed close against Lu Shang's right side.
Feeling the warmth against his right side, Lu Shang looked over and discovered that the seemingly carefree Wen Siyue had become like this when faced with a seventh-stage demon beast.
Lu Shang reached his right hand around her back and rested it on her right shoulder, comforting her. "Don't worry. We'll be near the formation soon. Everything will be fine."
After a moment, Wen Siyue slowly collected herself.
Just then, a laser-like attack flashed before everyone's eyes with lightning speed, reducing the seventh-stage demon beast ahead to ash in a single strike.
At the sight, everyone immediately erupted in delight.
"We're within the Star Palace's territory! Rest assured, everyone. Everything's all right now!"
The Star Palace's strength isn't too shabby, it seems. Still, that was only a mere seventh-stage demon beast. If they could kill eighth-stage demon beasts just as easily, what would be left for the Inverse Star Alliance to do? Lu Shang casually mocked the present-day Star Palace in his thoughts.
The Twin Saints are far too dependent on the Magnetic Divine Mountain now. They've merely spun cocoons to imprison themselves. If the previous master of the Star Palace were still here, how could a mere nascent soul middle stage cultivator strut around like a fox borrowing a tiger's might?
Clearly, in Lu Shang's eyes, Jin Kui was nothing more than a fox borrowing a tiger's might.
He relied on the Twin Saints, both at the nascent soul late stage, while possessing little real strength himself. Otherwise, the likes of Wan Tianming or Ji Yin would have been trifles to dispose of with a wave of his hand.
Before long, Lu Shang arrived in Tianxing City with Wen Siyue.
Along the way, Wen Siyue regained her carefree manner.
Lu Shang guessed she had reacted that way because it was her first time encountering such a situation.
After all, in his eyes, Wen Siyue was a woman who presented a strong exterior.
She buried her troubles deep in her heart and dealt with them herself.
The demon beasts had simply appeared too suddenly this time. Had Lu Shang not intervened, their collision with the ship would have given Wen Siyue quite a fright.
Fortunately, the seventh-stage demon beast had been far away. Otherwise, Lu Shang might not have been able to resist claiming its demon core.
Once the two entered the city, Lu Shang asked curiously, "You don't seem to be a Tianxing City local either. How did you manage to memorize everything about it?"
Wen Siyue explained proudly, "I've always had a good memory. Though I'm not a local, I looked all around Tianxing City the last time I came and committed it to memory."
"This time, I went to the outlying islands to add information about the surrounding area to my final map. I just never expected to run into a demon beast attack."
"Oh, right, Senior, what would you like me to help you buy? I know Tianxing City very well!"
Looking at Wen Siyue's bright, innocent face, Lu Shang could not help smiling.
"How about this? I want to rent a cave abode. Take me to have a look!"
In truth, Lu Shang did not need anything, but since he had already said he did, he could only make something up.
"Of course! I know the prices charged by every cave abode broker in Tianxing City. With me leading the way, no one will be able to swindle you, Senior!" Wen Siyue declared proudly, planting both hands on her hips and puffing out her chest.
Lu Shang then took out a small boat-shaped magical artifact.
The magical artifact immediately expanded to nearly ten feet in size.
Then Lu Shang said, "This is a flying magical artifact that qi refinement cultivators can use. You only need to control it with spiritual power. You can give it a try."
"How could I accept that?" Thinking Lu Shang meant to give her the magical artifact, Wen Siyue hurriedly refused.
After a moment, Lu Shang realized she had misunderstood him.
Since that's how it is, I might as well make do. In any case, when it comes to flying magical artifacts, there isn't one in the Human Realm worthy of my attention.
"Since you're leading the way, naturally you'll need to control the magical artifact. Besides, I already have another one to use. If I'm giving it to you, just accept it!"
But how could Wen Siyue accept it? She continued to refuse.
After a while, Lu Shang could hardly force her to accept it, so he could only drop the matter for now.
Before you continue