Following the information left by the disciple who rented the boat, Lin Mo quickly found the sea vessel he had arranged to rent.
The ship looked quite good; the hull was painted entirely in iron color, and the deck was decorated with red and white paint.
The ship is fifty meters long and over twenty meters wide, which, while not top-of-the-line among ocean-going vessels, is still quite large.
Moreover, beneath the iron-gray paint, there is a thick layer of iron armor protecting the hull, making its defensive capabilities quite impressive.
Lin Mo stood at the edge of the dock, examining the ship and nodding inwardly.
Judging from its appearance alone, the ship certainly justifies the rental fee he paid.
Dugu Yan, holding his arm, surveyed the boat with her emerald green eyes. " A-Mo, this boat looks pretty good. Much better than I imagined."
Lin Mo nodded. "Okay, let's go up and take a look."
The two walked up the gangplank onto the deck.
As soon as I stepped onto the deck, a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties came to greet me.
He was a burly man with a thick beard, dressed in a typical sailor's uniform, and wearing a captain's hat.
The captain was clearly surprised to see Lin Mo and Dugu Yan appear.
His gaze swept over the two of them, and he quickly determined from their clothing that the man and woman were both nobles. Upon realizing this, a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
"Welcome aboard the Sea Demon Ship, esteemed guests."
He said enthusiastically, "I am the captain of this ship, Hai."
Lin Mo nodded without saying anything.
Dugu Yan sized up the captain, a glint of approval flashing in her eyes.
Hai continued, "May I ask what brings you two guests to our Sea Demon Ship? Are you here to rent a boat for a sea voyage?"
If so, then you've come to the right person.
Our Sea Demon Ship is the fastest and most stable seagoing vessel in Vast Sea City. Wherever you want to go, we can take you.
Upon hearing this name, Lin Mo suddenly seemed to be deep in thought.
Sea? Sea Demon Ship?
If he remembered correctly, these guys seemed to be a group of pirates who specialized in robbing noble Soul Master.
In his memory, the reason Tang San and his group were unlucky enough to run into the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was because they had a conflict with this group of pirates.
When he sent his disciples to rent a boat, he specifically instructed them to choose a reputable boat owner.
Unexpectedly, these disciples, after going around in circles, actually ended up finding these guys.
Lin Mo sighed inwardly, but remained outwardly calm.
He took out a contract from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse at his waist and handed it to Hai.
Hai took the contract and examined it carefully.
A moment later, he raised his head, a more enthusiastic smile spreading across his face. "So it's the esteemed Soul Master! My apologies for not recognizing you; please forgive my ignorance."
He lowered his posture and spoke with great respect.
After both sides confirmed each other's identities, Hai greeted Lin Mo again:
"Respected Lord Soul Master, it's a pleasure to serve you. When do you plan to set sail? Our Sea Demon Ship is ready to depart at any time, just give the order."
Lin Mo waved his hand, indicating that Hai didn't need to be so polite.
"We'll depart in one day. You have one day to prepare. Stock up on all the supplies the ship needs. This voyage is not short, so be fully prepared."
Hai nodded hurriedly, "Don't worry, Lord Soul Master, we will make all the necessary preparations."
At this point, Lin Mo paused, his eyes fixed on the sea.
That gaze was calm as still water, yet it inexplicably tightened Hai's heart, and a tremendous psychological pressure washed over him.
Lin Mo said earnestly, "Captain Hai, you will keep your contract and deliver us to Sea God Island as promised!"
In Hai's perception, the young man before him was like a terrifying Sea Soul Beast lying in wait, as if he might suddenly attack and harm someone at any moment.
He swallowed hard, nodding hurriedly like a chick pecking at rice. "Of course, of course. Now that we've accepted your commission, we will naturally deliver you to your destination as promised."
The contract clearly states that our Sea Demon Ship will never breach the contract, so please rest assured, Lord Soul Master!
But under Lin Mo's gaze, he had a feeling that if he refused, something bad would definitely happen.
The feeling was so intense that he didn't dare to even entertain the thought of refusing.
Lin Mo nodded and looked away.
He turned to Dugu Yan, " Sister Yanyan, let's go, let's take a look around the boat and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings beforehand."
Dugu Yan nodded, took his arm, and the two began to stroll around the boat.
Hai stood still, watching the two leave.
After they had gone far away, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a gloomy expression.
He squinted, his gaze fixed on the backs of Lin Mo and Dugu Yan, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
Lin Mo led Dugu Yan on a general tour of the Sea Demon Ship.
The ship was much larger than he had imagined; in addition to the cabins on the deck, there was also a cargo hold and crew quarters on the bottom.
The two walked around the ship and saw all the crew members of the Sea Demon Ship, who were busy at their respective posts.
After touring the entire ship, Lin Mo had a general understanding of the crew's capabilities.
This confirmed his suspicions once again!
All eight crew members on this ship were Soul Master.
The captain of the ship was Five-Ring Soul King, his first mate was Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, and among the other six Soul Master, there were two three-ring Soul Masters and four two-ring Soul Masters.
Such a configuration would be considered luxurious on any civilian seagoing vessel.
A normal ocean-going ship cannot afford to hire so many Soul Master as crew members.
Although Dugu Yan was somewhat puzzled by Lin Mo's behavior, she still took his arm and accompanied him for the rest of the journey.
She didn't understand why Lin Mo would make a special trip to the ship, but she believed Lin Mo must have his reasons.
Just before leaving the Sea Demon Ship, Dugu Yan deliberately stopped.
She turned around, looked at the sea standing on the deck, seeing them off, and asked in a playful tone:
"Captain, don't you recognize us?"
Hai was taken aback for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. "How could I not recognize you? You are both our honored guests, esteemed Lord Soul Master."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan smiled meaningfully, then took Lin Mo's arm again and leaned against him as they left.
Sure enough, it's unclear whether it's because Vast Sea City is too remote, or because Sea Soul Master have always been indifferent to information about land Soul Master.
It seems that no one in this Vast Sea City knows Lin Mo.
After walking a distance from the dock, Dugu Yan suddenly spoke.
" A-Mo, these people are not simple."
She said, "They are all Soul Master. Although I don't know how they concealed their Soul Power fluctuations, Soul Master are still different from ordinary people."
Lin Mo nodded. "Yes, one fifth ring, one fourth ring, two third rings, and four two-rings."
Given the disparity in strength between the two sides, no matter how sophisticated the pirates' disguises were, they couldn't escape his mental detection.
His mental strength was already comparable to that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.
Dugu Yan said thoughtfully, "A crew composed entirely of Soul Master —this is not something an ordinary seagoing vessel could have."
"And the way Hai looked at us always made me feel so comfortable."
Lin Mo smiled and stated his guess:
"If I'm not mistaken, these people should be a gang of pirates who specialize in robbing noble Soul Master."
He paused, then continued, "Normal ships wouldn't have such extravagant features."
"Furthermore, I don't believe that the small amount of Gold Soul Coin we pay is enough to hire such a luxurious all- Soul Master sea vessel to serve us."
Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.
She looked at Lin Mo, a look of worry flashing in her eyes, "Should we change to another boat?"
Lin Mo shook his head.
"No need, they're fine."
"There are very few ships confident enough to sail such a long distance, and with Sea God Island as the destination, not many normal ships would dare to accept our commission."
He glanced at the Sea Demon Ship, which was anchored on the sea in the distance, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
"Now that these pirates have accepted our order, fulfilled the contract, and received the deposit I gave them..."
Once they're out at sea, whether or not they go to Sea God Island is no longer up to them; it's a matter of whether they go or not.
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Dugu Yan's face.
She leaned against Lin Mo and whispered, " A-Mo said that the subordinates of the Five-Ring Soul King can't cause any trouble for us."
She spoke casually, completely disregarding the pirates.
Let alone Lin Mo, even if she were to fight alone, those eight people combined would be no match for her.
Once the Jade Phosphor poison spreads, those people will be no different from lambs to the slaughter in her presence.
Lin Mo nodded and didn't say anything more.
Soon, Lin Mo and Dugu Yan strolled around the surrounding harbors again.
The docks here are enormous, with at least twenty piers, each hundreds of meters long, extending into the sea and housing hundreds of ships.
The dock was bustling with people.
Urged on by Dugu Yan, the two inquired with the captains of several other seagoing vessels.
The reply was given.
They were all unwilling to set off with Sea God Island as their destination, not even if it was nearby.
" Sea God Island? That's forbidden territory, no way!"
"Young men, if you're looking to die, don't drag us down with you. Once you go to that place, you're never coming back."
"Two thousand members of the Spirit Hall perished there. Wouldn't it be suicide for us to go there in this small boat?"
An elderly captain with gray hair earnestly advised, "Young men, you don't seem like those vicious pirates. Why go to such a place to die?"
No matter how high the price Lin Mo offered, these people remained unmoved.
It seems that the Sea Demon Ship has become their only option at the moment.
Dugu Yan sighed, "Looks like we'll have to take that pirate ship."
Lin Mo smiled. "That's fine too. At least we don't have to worry about the ship owner backing out halfway through."
Just as Lin Mo and his group were preparing to rest in Vast Sea City for another day before heading to Sea God Island.
The scouts sent by Ning Fengzhi had compiled the information they had gathered about Lin Mo and sent it to the palace as quickly as possible.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.
Qian Renxue sat behind her desk, holding a newly presented secret report in her hand, her eyes fixed on its contents.
She frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
The secret report contained only a few lines, yet it plunged her into deep thought.
Lin Mo and his group headed west, their destination the coastal city of Vast Sea City.
Along the way, they even slaughtered a group of Wolf Bandits who had been roaming the Heaven Dou Empire for a long time, rescued a group of young women who had survived the Wolf Bandits, and sent them to a nearby city.
They have been staying in Vast Sea City for some time now, and judging from their destination, it seems they are preparing to set sail.
Qian Renxue closed her eyes and slowly rubbed her throbbing temples.
Unlike the others who were confused, she already had a definite guess about where Lin Mo and his group were going.
Vast Sea City is the largest port city in the Heaven Dou Empire. From there, you can only go to a few places by sea.
Lin Mo's destination for this trip is most likely Sea God Island.
She remembered what her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, had once told her.
Years ago, his grandfather gave Lin Mo a nautical chart and suggested that he visit Sea God Island if he had the chance.
It now seems that Lin Mo really intends to follow his grandfather's advice and go to Sea God Island for some training.
Qian Renxue opened her eyes, a complex expression flashing within them.
If Lin Mo can truly obtain the divine inheritance on Sea God Island, then he would be a perfect match for me.
The Angel Inheritance, the Sea God Inheritance.
Two major Godhood.
At that time, with the two of them joining forces, the Spirit Hall's great cause of unifying the continent will be without any obstacles.
Thinking of this, Qian Renxue's lips curled up slightly.
Now that Lin Mo has set off for his training, I can no longer continue playing house in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
She stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the distance.
The situation within the Heaven Dou Empire has stabilized, and the Empress will now live a secluded life, no longer making frequent public appearances and attracting little attention.
Moreover, the Eight-Ring Soul Douluo who once impersonated her has been hiding in the shadows all these years and could be reinstated at any time.
And even if their identities are exposed, it doesn't matter.
The Heaven Dou Empire is now completely under their control and can no longer cause any trouble.
The worst-case scenario exposed would simply be the premature commencement of the plan to unify the continent.
She turned and walked back to her desk, spread out a sheet of paper, and dipped her brush in ink.
A moment later, a secret letter was written.
Qian Renxue folded the letter and put it in an envelope.
" Pufferfish."
She called softly.
A figure appeared silently in the hall; it was none other than the Porcupinefish Douluo.
"Young Master." The Porcupinefish Douluo bowed respectfully.
Qian Renxue handed him the letter, saying, "Take this letter to the Worship Hall and personally deliver it to my grandfather."
The Porcupinefish Douluo accepted the envelope with both hands and nodded respectfully, "Yes."
He turned around, and his figure disappeared into the darkness once more.
Qian Renxue walked to the window, opened it, and looked out at the distant sky.
More than a decade of infiltration and disguise is finally coming to an end.
Once she returns to the Spirit Hall, undergoes the Angel Trials, and officially begins her path to godhood, this world will inevitably belong to her.
And Lin Mo...
A slight smile played at the corners of her lips.
When he returns from Sea God Island, he'll be so surprised to see me!