"I'm not blowing smoke here. I ran into seven or eight Sword Cultivators on the island earlier.
They tried to attack me the moment they saw me, but I sheared all their heads off with just my sword."
Zhang Song.
No, to be precise, he should have been called Zhang Congxin.
He was boasting to the others.
"Look, the scars are still here, aren't they?"
Zhang Song stuck out his backside.
Monk Changqing said, "Benefactor, look, there's an ox flying in the sky."
Zhang Song looked up. "An ox? Where? How could an ox fly?"
"You blew it up there with all that hot air," Monk Changqing said mildly. "Those scars on your backside were clearly wolf bites."
The sailors who had been listening with such enthusiasm all cast scornful looks at Zhang Song.
Zhang Song protested, "That wolf was a Demon Wolf, and it was huge, all right?"
"Pfft!"
Everyone made dismissive noises.
Zhou Youcai shook his head. He was still too impetuous, after all.
His gaze fell on Li Ping'an, a smile spreading across his face.
"My Brother Li is still the best."
"Get aboard. It's time to set off!"
"All aboard!"
Everyone called out to one another.
Li Ping'an opened the Wine Gourd and took a sip.
Then he let Old Ox have a sip too.
"Hey, don't drink it all. Leave me some."
Li Ping'an stood up. It was time to set off again.
Many of life's beautiful things were encountered unexpectedly along the road.
Off they went!
"Hey, Brother Li, do you believe me? I really wasn't lying. That Demon Wolf was this big!"
Zhang Song tugged at Li Ping'an.
Li Ping'an smiled without a word.
Two months later.
Seagulls circled endlessly over the little island, sometimes flapping their wings, sometimes coming to rest.