A month later, an azure gleam suddenly broke through the emerald waves. The tiger-headed prow cast from Dark Iron tore through the billowing spray, revealing a beast's head covered in Sea-Suppressing Runes.
Mo Huaian stood with his hands behind his back before the carved railing on the third level, watching the inky seawater churning beneath the deck-not ordinary waves, but the lingering blood of sea beasts ground to pieces by the tiger-headed prow.
This was a High-Grade Second Tier Spirit Boat-the Black Tiger Boat.
Seventy to eighty zhang long, over ten zhang wide, and five zhang tall, the vessel had three stories of towers and pavilions. Grand and imposing, it could travel thirty to forty thousand li a day.
On deck, three Managers led by Hua Tieshou were directing more than thirty Outer Sect and Servant Disciples to pour Spiritual Power into the various Water-Control Banners.
The damp air stirred up by the fluttering banners carried the heavy fishy stench drifting from the lowest hold.
At that moment, the Foundation Establishment Protector Zhu Qi looked puzzled as he asked Mo Huaian, who stood at the prow, "Island Lord, why did the sect requisition only a single High-Grade Second Tier Spirit Boat? Isn't that far too trifling?
"To secure the border and suppress the bandits of Three Corpses and the Cold Mountain Archipelago, shouldn't we send a Spirit Boat of the War Treasure Ship class? To display our sect's might.
"Since subjugating and exterminating the other Three Sects, our Condensed Jade Sect's fleet of War Treasure Ships has increased from five to seven!"
Zhu Qi was precisely the man who had discovered the shattered soul tablet of "Nine Swords True Person" that night.
He was burly, with a square face and bright, piercing eyes.
This time, besides requisitioning Mo Huaian, "Xin