The Haul

Liu Yu's injuries were relatively light. After meditating for over an hour, he rose and thanked Yuan Zifeng.

Yuan Zifeng waved a hand, a trace of emotion crossing his face.

"I never imagined Zhao Yi was so strong!"

"He killed two cultivators at great completion of Meridian Opening in succession, then fought a fierce battle with one at perfection of Meridian Opening before joining forces with you two to kill him. He really kept his depths hidden!"

"Hehe, Senior Brother is always friendly with others and doesn't like showing off."

Liu Yu said with a smile.

"After this battle, it'll be hard not to stand out!"

"Even without Senior Chen, no one will dare look down on Linghua Island again! Zhao Yi has shouldered the burden of Linghua Island!"

Yuan Zifeng spoke with considerable feeling.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, where is that senior from the Zhao Family who stopped Mo Wufei for us just now? I'd like to thank him in person!"

Liu Yu asked again.

"That was Zhao Xingyu, the Zhao Family's seventh elder. He oversees the enforcement team and is leading them in maintaining order at the docks right now."

Yuan Zifeng pointed ahead.

Tap, tap! Tap, tap!

Footsteps sounded behind them. The two turned to see two female cultivators approaching. One of them, a tall woman who was slightly older, smiled faintly, offered a bow, and spoke.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, Fellow Daoist Liu, I am Wu Xiuzhu of Peach Blossom Island. On Elder Liu's orders, I have brought ten graded spirit peaches and a bottle of Spring Return Pills for our two fellow Daoists from Linghua Island, in the hope that you both recover soon!"

Liu Yu hurriedly bowed. "On behalf of my senior brother, I thank Senior Liu of Peach Blossom Island. Once Senior Brother has recovered, we will certainly pay a visit!"

Yuan Zifeng took the spirit peaches, raised his eyebrows at the two women, and smiled. "Any for me?"

The tall woman smiled faintly. "Peach Blossom Island and Black Wind Island have always been on good terms. Of course there are."

Then she replied to Liu Yu, "Fellow Daoist Liu, there's no need to be so polite. Peach Blossom Island and Linghua Island have always watched over and helped one another, weathering difficulties together! Just focus on recovering, both of you. Leave the rest to us on Peach Blossom Island!"

"Then thank you for Peach Blossom Island's help!"

Liu Yu bowed again.

The four tidied up the area. After reducing the bodies of the three men from Sea Shark Island to ashes, the two women from Peach Blossom Island left. Liu Yu carried the miscellaneous belongings, while Yuan Zifeng supported Zhao Yi as they headed back.

Zhao Yi did not wake until late that night.

Looking at the ship's planks overhead, Zhao Yi shifted his body and grimaced in pain. He called weakly, "Liu Yu! Liu Yu!"

"You're awake, Senior Brother."

Liu Yu walked over from the side.

"Mm. Liu Yu, how are your injuries?"

"Not bad. I took a Spring Return Pill, and my injuries have stabilized."

"Mm. What about the spirit rice? Did you sell it?"

"Yes. I went to the merchant ship this evening and sold it for a hundred and twenty-five Spirit Stones. Together with what we had before and what we searched off Daoist Ghost Shark and his two disciples, we had three hundred and fifty-four Spirit Stones altogether."

"That much! Then did you buy everything we needed?"

"I bought two bottles of Essence Origin Pills, one bottle of Qi-Replenishing Pills, one bottle of Spring Return Pills, five bottles of Origin-Nourishing Pills, three Attribute Spirit Stones each of the water, earth, and wood elements, six jin of rice seed, four mid-grade Golden Light Talismans, a magical armament bow, and ten Talisman Arrows. They cost three hundred and fifty Spirit Stones altogether."

He continued, "I gave two Golden Light Talismans to Yuan Zifeng to thank him for lending a hand. We have just four Spirit Stones left now."

"Oh, right. We found two bottles of Essence Qi Pills, half a bottle of Red Ginseng Pills, one bottle of Essence Origin Pills, three Pure Origin Pills, some pills for healing and replenishing qi, two cultivation manuals, and a bell on the three men from Sea Shark Island!"

Zhao Yi nodded, then asked, "A bell? What bell?"

Liu Yu thought for a moment before saying, "This bell should be for summoning that Ghost Shark at perfection of Spirit Awakening!"

"I'll figure out how to use it in a bit. That Ghost Shark should be nearby. If we can control it, we'll have it escort us back to Linghua Island. If we can't, we'll get rid of it!"

Zhao Yi frowned slightly. "If we can control that Ghost Shark, that would naturally be good. Once we're back on Linghua Island, we'll get rid of it. We can't risk keeping a demonic beast fed on mortal flesh and blood!"

"Since everything's bought, we'll return to Linghua Island first thing tomorrow!"

"By the way, have you met that Zhao Family cultivator who helped us?"

"Yes. I took all ten spirit peaches Peach Blossom Island sent us and gave them to him as a thank-you gift!"

"Who was the cultivator who saved us? Did he accept the gift?"

"It was Zhao Xingyu, the Zhao Family's seventh elder. He accepted the spirit peaches."

Zhao Yi nodded. Unable to hold on any longer, he sank back into sleep.

Liu Yu took the bell and went out.

Three days later, Zhao Yi walked out of the cabin with a crutch. Looking at Linghua Island not far away, he took out the bell and shook it three times.

An eerie ringing sounded, piercing to the ears and leaving one groggy.

A triangular dorsal fin suddenly appeared nearby, speeding toward the Linghua.

As it approached the Linghua, a savage-looking shark's head emerged from the water. Zhao Yi reached for two chunks of fresh meat and casually tossed them down. Before they hit the water, the shark leaped up and swallowed them.

"Senior Brother, when will we deal with this Ghost Shark?"

"Once my injuries have healed, I'll kill it! Let Wang Qing feed it for the next few days."

Zhao Yi smiled and tossed down another chunk of fresh meat.

Thinking back over the past few days, Zhao Yi had been extremely worried, afraid that people from Three Heroes Island would intercept and kill them on their return journey.

Now they were almost at Linghua Island, and nothing had happened yet. It seemed the people from Peach Blossom Island must have stopped Three Heroes Island. Otherwise, given Three Heroes Island's habit of avenging even the slightest grievance, they would certainly have come.

Before long, the Two-Masted Ship docked.

Carrying the bundle and supporting Zhao Yi, Liu Yu disembarked with him. Wang Qing and Li Hai were already waiting at the harbor.

Seeing the two return with Zhao Yi still injured, Wang Qing hurriedly took the bundle and found several islanders to carry Zhao Yi up the mountain.

Back at Linghua Abbey, Zhao Yi briefly explained what had happened and warned Liu Yu to be extra careful over the coming days, guarding against Three Heroes Island wheeling back for a surprise attack. Then he returned to his room to recover.

"Eldest Senior Brother has been injured every time he's traveled far these past two years. He should skip the next Trade Fair. I'll go with you instead, Second Senior Brother!"

With a little green turtle perched on his shoulder, Wang Qing spoke with a worried expression.

Beside him, Li Hai nodded his little head furiously like a chicken pecking grain, thoroughly agreeing.

"All right. As long as you reach minor achievement of Meridian Opening before next year's Trade Fair, I'll take you!"

"For this year's pills, I didn't buy the Essence Qi Pills the two of us use for cultivation. I bought Essence Origin Pills instead. With fighting breaking out constantly in these waters, Senior Brother needs to reach perfection of Meridian Opening sooner so he can protect us!"

Liu Yu shifted his tone and spoke sternly to Wang Qing. "Stop giving your cultivation resources to that sea turtle. You need to reach minor achievement of Meridian Opening sooner!"

Wang Qing gave a couple of sheepish laughs. "I understand, Second Senior Brother. From now on, I'll do my best to improve my cultivation and won't feed Guiwu anymore."

As he spoke, he stuffed the little green turtle into his pocket.

Guiwu was the sea turtle that had hatched from that Sea Turtle Egg. Wang Qing had given him the name.