The Merchant Ship Arrives

At dawn on October 27, with the sky barely light, Zhao Yi and Liu Yu each carried a sack of spirit rice on his back to wait at the dock.

Quite a few cultivators had the same idea as Zhao Yi. By the time the two arrived, seven or eight cultivators were already standing on the dock.

The Zhao Family had also sent cultivators to maintain order, issuing everyone numbered tokens so they could board in sequence.

Zhao Yi received his token: number seven.

Time slowly passed, and more and more cultivators arrived at the dock, gathering in groups of three or five and talking in hushed voices. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Something was wrong with the atmosphere. Rogue cultivators spent their days rushing about and toiling away; when did they have time to visit friends and relatives? Only at the Trade Fair could they see their friends and get together.

In the past, the dock would have been a boiling sea of voices at this time, but now it seemed distinctly quiet.

Zhao Yi and Liu Yu exchanged a glance, knowing that word of what had happened on Red Sand Island must have spread.

Liu Yu gave Zhao Yi a slight signal, then set down his spirit rice and wandered around the dock.

A long while later, Liu Yu returned with a grave expression, pulled Zhao Yi along, and found a shady spot on the dock where they could hunker down.

"Really?" Zhao Yi looked astonished!

"It should be true!"

"No wonder everyone on the dock is clustered in groups. So they're all guarding against this."

The news Liu Yu brought truly shocked Zhao Yi.

After last year's Trade Fair, Red Sand Island had not been the only one wiped out. Cultivators from seven islands in total had been ambushed and killed on their way home.

How many years had it been? Twenty or thirty, surely. The Yunsha Sea Region had always been peaceful.

Yet now there had been seven cases of bandit cultivators ambushing and killing people.

Zhao Yi lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up and gestured toward the Zhao Family patrol.

Seeing this, Liu Yu seemed to suddenly understand. So this was aimed at the Zhao Family. It seemed some island did not want to see the Zhao Family expand its influence.

At that thought, Liu Yu's heart settled back into place.

The Zhao Family would not stand idly by. They would certainly use thunderous measures against the island playing dirty tricks!

The two continued hunkering down there, waiting for the merchant ship. They had thought it would arrive that morning, but they waited until noon before Fubo Pavilion's seagoing vessel finally reached the harbor.

Fubo Pavilion's vessel had four masts, a hull thirty zhang long and eight zhang high, and three decks. At its widest point, it measured ten zhang across.

A ram made from a One-Horned Whale's horn was fitted to its bow, and magical arrays were inscribed on its sails, allowing it to turn, reverse course, or summon wind to accelerate at any time.

"One-Horned Whale" was written on the port side: the ship's name. Liu Yu guessed that this ship must be worth several thousand spirit stones.

The ship docked in the harbor, while the cultivators on the dock craned their necks in anticipation.

Before long, three Spirit Attraction Stage cultivators flew off the ship on flying swords and stood in the air, their robes snapping in the fierce wind.

Two of them wore blue robes and one wore red. All three were in their thirties or forties, and judging by their positions, the red-robed cultivator was their leader.

When the many rogue cultivators on the dock saw them arrive, the clamor gradually faded until not even a crow or sparrow could be heard. Everyone watched the three cultivators.

At this sight, the red-robed cultivator nodded in satisfaction and gave a light cough.

"Fellow Daoists, Fubo Pavilion's merchant ship has arrived at Little Wave Island. Those wishing to trade aboard may board in the order of their numbered tokens. Each token admits two people. Remember: no wandering about the ship, no loud disturbances, and absolutely no entering the second deck. Violators will be killed!"

That final word, "killed," rolled like thunder, cowing everyone present!

Before his voice had faded, the three returned to the ship.

A little later, a Cloud Ladder extended down from the ship.

At this, the Zhao Family cultivators immediately began maintaining order, arranging the cultivators into a queue according to their numbered tokens.

Zhao Yi had arrived early and held token number seven, placing him near the front. He waited as the six people ahead boarded one after another.

Carrying their spirit rice, Zhao Yi and Liu Yu also stepped onto the Cloud Ladder.

Stepping on the Cloud Ladder felt like stepping on a bale of cotton, and Zhao Yi nearly wrenched his back.

The two gathered their wits and took several quick steps.

Once aboard, they found a young attendant in green, with red lips and white teeth, standing before them.

"Immortal masters, I am your guide, responsible for showing you around the merchant ship. The fee is one spirit stone per visit."

"Can we do without a guide?"

The attendant smiled without answering, and Zhao Yi nodded.

Those who did not know were not at fault. After all, this was their first time aboard. Though Zhao Yi had attended several Trade Fairs, his master had always come aboard alone to buy and sell.

Liu Yu handed over a spirit stone. The attendant quickly bowed his head to accept it, then straightened and led the way ahead on their left.

Zhao Yi walked in front with the spirit rice on his shoulder, and Liu Yu followed behind.

Looking at the sack of rice on his shoulder, Zhao Yi thought, It's really inconvenient not having a Storage Bag. I have to carry everything in my hands or on my shoulders, looking like a porter. Once I have spirit stones to spare, I must buy a Storage Bag.

"Immortal masters, what would you like to buy or sell?"

The attendant asked as he walked ahead.

"Take us to a shop that sells spirit rice first!"

"Certainly! Please follow me!"

The attendant led them briskly across the first deck and into a passage on the right. Shop after shop appeared before Zhao Yi, each with a sign hanging outside.

They continued farther in and stopped at one of the shops. Zhao Yi looked at its sign: "Rice" on the front and "Ding Four" on the back.

"Immortal masters, this is Shop Ding Four, which trades in spirit rice. You may go inside. I'll wait out here for you both."

"All right!"

Zhao Yi nodded, walked up to the shop, and knocked twice. The door opened on its own.

The two strode inside carrying their spirit rice, and the door closed automatically behind them.

Upon entering, the first thing they saw was a large rice vat with a sheet of red paper pasted on it, bearing the large character for "rice."

Behind the rice vat was a counter, where a middle-aged cultivator in a blue brocade robe patterned with clouds sat. His cultivation was impossible to discern, but it was certainly higher than Zhao Yi's.

Seeing them enter, the middle-aged cultivator promptly rose to greet them with a smile, showing not the slightest neglect.

"Haha, have you two fellow Daoists come to sell spirit rice? Hurry and put it down, then sit and we'll talk!"

Zhao Yi and Liu Yu set down the spirit rice and each returned his greeting. "This is our first time selling at your esteemed pavilion. Please forgive us, Senior, if there is anything we don't understand. This is low-grade spirit rice, White Jade Rice, two hundred jin in total. Please inspect it, Senior."

"You're both too courteous. Everyone who enters this shop is a guest. We certainly won't disappoint you!"

Seeing how well the two understood proper conduct, the middle-aged cultivator felt thoroughly pleased and spoke with a beaming smile.

"Someone come inspect the spirit rice!"

The cultivator turned back and called into the rear of the shop.

Before long, two assistants emerged. The blue-robed cultivator pointed at the sacks, and the two assistants went over to inspect the spirit rice's quality and weight.

"Shopkeeper, this is low-grade White Jade Rice. The grains are plump and rounded, with fairly abundant spiritual energy, no insect damage, and no foreign matter. Exactly two hundred jin in total."

The blue-robed cultivator nodded slightly, and the two assistants withdrew to stand behind him.

"Fellow Daoists, the spirit rice is of good quality. The market price is one spirit stone for two jin, so two hundred jin comes to one hundred spirit stones. How does that sound?"

"Agreed!"

Zhao Yi nodded readily. This was a very fair price.

His master had taken him to sell spirit rice at Fubo Pavilion on Azure Cloud Island before, so he knew that spirit rice prices were quite stable.

The two assistants poured both sacks of spirit rice into the rice vat in the center.

Even after both sacks had been emptied into it, the rice did not mound above the rim. Zhao Yi clicked his tongue in amazement. He had not expected this rice vat to be a magical artifact too.

"Senior, I would also like to buy four jin of White Jade Rice seed."

Zhao Yi continued.

"Very well. Four jin of rice seed costs ten spirit stones, so that leaves ninety spirit stones for you, young friend."

The blue-robed cultivator signaled for an assistant to fetch four jin of rice seed from the back and put it in a sack.

He also took ninety spirit stones from the counter behind him, placed them in a small pouch, and handed both bags to Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi quickly accepted them and passed the spirit stone pouch to Liu Yu, who opened it and began checking the stones.

Zhao Yi, meanwhile, scooped up a handful of rice seed, rubbed it lightly, and sniffed it. He could clearly sense the vigorous vitality within.

This White Jade Rice seed was of very good quality. Liu Yu also nodded to Zhao Yi; there was nothing wrong with the spirit stones.

"The goods and payment are settled. Thank you, Shopkeeper!"

After Zhao Yi thanked the blue-robed cultivator, the two turned and left.

Outside the shop, five or six rogue cultivators were already waiting. Seeing this, the two quickly cleared the doorway and stepped out sideways.

When their guide saw Zhao Yi emerge, he waved to them both. Zhao Yi saw him and walked over.

"Immortal master, do you have any further instructions?"

"Take us to a shop selling pills!"

"Certainly!"