The rise of the Wuhun Empire, the subversion of the continent's structure, and the people gathered around him... the fate of his fate was not only within his expectations, but also full of unexpected variables.
Seeing that Xuan Ming remained silent, Ning Fengzhi's refined face revealed a helpless, bitter smile.
He adjusted his glasses, his voice tinged with weariness. " The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is now completely bound to the Spirit Hall Empire's war chariot, with no way out. Back then... assisting the Spirit Hall in eliminating the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan completely ruined our sect's reputation in the Soul Master World, leaving no possibility of recovery."
He paused, his gaze shifting to his daughter Ning Rongrong, who was speaking quietly with Zhu Zhuqing not far away. A deep worry and a hint of pleading flickered in his eyes. "I have done my utmost for the rise and fall of the sect. Now, I only hope you can take good care of Rongrong. Although the empire is powerful, its internal affairs... are rife with contradictions, aggressive expansion, and numerous hidden dangers. I have a persistent, uneasy feeling."
His concerns were not unfounded.
The Spirit Hall Empire expanded too quickly, its foundation was not stable, and it was riddled with internal factions with sharp conflicts between the old and new forces. It relied entirely on Bibi Dong's iron fist and powerful military force to forcibly suppress and integrate them.
If the core fails, this behemoth could collapse rapidly from within.
Xuan Ming finally withdrew his gaze and looked at the meticulous Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School Master, slowly saying, "She can indeed be too impulsive at times. If necessary, please offer your advice. If you cannot persuade her..."
Xuan Ming pondered for a moment, then said, "Just say it's my idea. Perhaps she'll listen to a word I say."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's eyes flashed with surprise, which quickly turned into a deeper sense of complexity.
He hadn't expected Xuan Ming to say such a thing, and he certainly hadn't realized that Xuanming's influence over the Pope seemed to be deeper than he had imagined.
He nodded solemnly. "I understand. I will do my best."
He knew that this was perhaps the greatest promise and arrangement Xuan Ming could offer.
Soon, the last batch of supplies was loaded onto the ship's side, and it was time to depart.
"Do you think this empire can succeed?" Ning Fengzhi suddenly asked.
The Spirit Hall Empire, to be honest, is too powerful.
Before Bibi Dong announced the establishment of the nation, he never imagined that the Spirit Hall would develop and expand to this extent in just twenty years.
In twenty years, the power of the Spirit Hall, under Bibi Dong's leadership, had grown to a level that could shake the two great empires.
Although the Spirit Hall was powerful in the past, it was only powerful within the Soul Master World. Moreover, the Spirit Hall was loosely managed, and neither power nor information was centralized, somewhat like the situation of the Heaven Dou Empire.
However, the Spirit Hall's power is now so concentrated that it is even stronger than that of the Star Luo Empire.
Nearly 70% of the Soul Master' power across the entire continent is forcefully controlled by the Spirit Hall. Relying on its powerful Soul Master army, the Empress of the Spirit Hall Empire has instilled great confidence in the people below.
Especially the Soul Master who participated in the war, they were all thinking about how to become nobles and prime ministers in the future, as if the victory of the Spirit Hall Empire was inevitable.
Everyone yearns for war, for slaughter, for glory, and for plunder.
He couldn't judge right or wrong; from the moment the Spirit Hall Empire was founded, this matter had nothing to do with right or wrong.
The victor is king, the loser is villain!
"Success?" Xuan Ming's gaze fell on the sea.
"The success of an empire has never depended on the size of its territory or the strength of its army."
He paused, then turned his gaze back to the giant ship that was about to carry them on their voyage, and to the girls on the deck who were filled with uncertainty, anxiety, or anticipation about the future.
"It depends on whether it can bring true order and peace to the people of this land."
" Bibi Dong... she was too hasty. She tried to forcibly forge everything with iron and fire, but she ignored the cracks and undercurrents deep within people's hearts. The foundation of the empire is not built on absolute force, but on... hope."
When plunder and conquest become the only melody, when ambition devours reason, collapse... may be just around the corner.
Ning Fengzhi stared blankly at Xuan Ming. These words, spoken by someone who had emerged from the City of Slaughter City, with hands stained with blood, carried a chilling sense of incongruity and... insight.
He seemed to have long seen through the fragile foundation beneath the empire's prosperous facade.
"Then why..." Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but ask, why did you still push all of this forward?
Xuan Ming did not answer, but simply said, "Take care of yourself. The future of the empire may not be as hopeless as you think."
After saying that, he turned around, his black robe billowing in the sea breeze in a clean arc, and strode toward the gangway to board the ship.
Ning Fengzhi stood there, watching Xuan Ming's departing figure, pondering the profound meaning of those words, and the uneasy premonition in his heart grew stronger.
Soon, the last batch of supplies was loaded onto the ship's side, and it was time to depart.
The group boarded the ship one after another.
The massive anchor was pulled up with a creaking winch, the sails billowed, and the soul-guided engine hummed, propelling the behemoth slowly away from the bustling port and into the boundless blue sea.
The coastline gradually blurred and shrank behind us, eventually disappearing from sight.
All that remained was the vast sky and the unfathomable sea.
Seagulls circled and cried at the stern, and a fresh sea breeze carrying the feeling of freedom swept across the deck, temporarily dispelling the tension and gloom that had been hanging over everyone's hearts for days.
Most of the girls gathered on the deck, curiously observing the magnificent ocean view. Even the usually aloof Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Lingling had a hint of curiosity in their eyes.
Little Ah Yin ran around excitedly, her silvery laughter filling the deck.
Xuan Ming stood at the bow of the ship, with Gu Yuena standing quietly beside him. Her silver hair and purple eyes shimmered faintly in the sunlight as she calmly gazed ahead.
Hu Liena stood a little behind, looking at the backs of Xuan Ming and Gu Yuena standing side by side, her eyes filled with complex emotions, but they quickly became firm again.
Ah Rou gently held Xiao Wu's hand and whispered something to her.
Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others also leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance, their thoughts drifting with the waves to the unknown horizon.
Shui Bing'er and Huo Wu leaned against each other, gazing at this unfamiliar territory. They felt both unease about the unknown and a sense of temporary relief at being away from the conflicts on the continent.
However, this initial novelty and relaxation did not last long.
As the ship sailed fully into the open sea, the waves became noticeably more turbulent.
The massive ships began to rise and fall with the waves, no longer possessing the stable feel of the inner harbor.
At first, it was just a slight bump, which was within an acceptable range.
But as time went on, the waves grew larger and larger, and the ship rocked more and more violently.
"Hmm..."
The first person to feel unwell was Ning Rongrong.
Her pretty face, which had been gazing into the distance from the railing, turned slightly pale. Her slender fingers unconsciously gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. She frowned slightly, as if trying to suppress the nausea rising from her stomach.
Next was Ye Lingling. She was already aloof and quiet, and now her lips were tightly pressed together, her face was almost transparently pale, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and her body trembled slightly, as if she was trying her best to endure great pain.
Dugu Yan's condition wasn't much better. She was holding onto the gunwale, her breathing became rapid, and her eyes began to glaze over.
Even Zhu Zhuqing, who was in good physical condition, frowned slightly at this moment. Although she could still stand steadily, her complexion was noticeably less rosy than before, and she was obviously enduring discomfort.
They were all Soul Master who had grown up inland; how could they have experienced such a long period of rough seas? Their bodies' balance systems were challenged like never before.
"Vomit--!"
Finally, Ning Rongrong could no longer hold back. She bent over and started gagging out of the ship's side, but because she hadn't eaten anything, she couldn't vomit anything. She just felt dizzy and lightheaded, and tears welled up in her eyes.
The others weren't in much better shape. In an instant, the relaxed atmosphere on the deck vanished, replaced by suppressed groans and painful gasps.
Only Xuan Ming, Gu Yuena, and Little Ah Yin were completely unaffected.
Fortunately, before going to the Slaughter City, Xuan Ming had already told Ah Yin about this and found her a lot of nautical knowledge.
After everyone who was originally doing their own job started to cause chaos, the Blue Silver Emperor's vines quickly extended to every part of the ship, controlling its navigation.
Chapter 306 The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King
However, seeing the girls slumped over on the deck, suffering terribly, Xuan Ming couldn't bear to watch any longer.
"I have a way to solve your seasickness problem," Xuan Ming said.
"Would you... like to give it a try?"
The group weakly raised their heads, their eyes filled with a glimmer of hope and even more doubt.
Ning Rongrong's eye twitched slightly, as if recalling some unpleasant memory. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Could it be... that move?"
"Which move?" Huo Wu felt like she was about to vomit bile. She leaned against the gunwale, her face pale, and asked weakly.
"Come here." Xuan Ming beckoned to Huo Wu.
Huo Wu was skeptical, but she suppressed her dizziness and nausea and staggered to Xuan Ming's side.
Xuan Ming slowly raised his head, looked at her pale, pained face, and said softly, "Goodnight."
Before he finished speaking, he swiftly sliced Huo Wu's nape with his right hand, fingers pointing like a knife.
The force was just right.
Huo Wu didn't even have time to react. She only felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, her body went limp, and all the dizziness and nausea vanished instantly. She lost consciousness and fell limply backward.
Xuan Ming reached out and supported her limp body, laying her flat on the soft cushions that had been laid out beforehand on the deck.
Huo Wu's breathing became even, her brows relaxed, and she had fallen into a deep sleep, with no trace of pain visible on her face.
A deathly silence fell over the deck.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene, momentarily forgetting even their painful groans.
"This... this is the method you were talking about?!" Shui Bing'er's voice changed, filled with disbelief and terror.
Knock someone out?! What kind of method is that?!
"Hmm." Xuan Ming nodded without changing his expression, his gaze sweeping over the other pale-faced, swaying girls. "Physical anesthesia, highly effective, no side effects. Who's next?"
Everyone: "..."
This method... is so simple and brutal it's outrageous!
But looking at Huo Wu expression, as if she were merely asleep, and comparing it to her own agonizing pain... perhaps... it wasn't entirely unacceptable?
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
With a swift stroke of the knife, a bunch of beautiful young girls lay sprawled on the deck, each breathing steadily and sleeping soundly, a stark contrast to their earlier state of agony and vomiting.
The sea breeze ruffled their hair, and sunlight shone on their peaceful sleeping faces; the scene... possessed an eerie harmony and tranquility.
Only Xuan Ming, Gu Yuena, Ah Rou, and Little Ah Yin remained standing.
Gu Yuena's silver-purple eyes swept over the "Sleeping Beauties" on the deck, then looked at Xuan Ming, who had a calm Xuan Ming, and the corners of her lips slightly turned up.
"At least... it's quiet now."
As night falls, the deep sky is dotted with stars, echoing the boundless, dark sea below.
The sea breeze grew cool, caressing the people still asleep on the deck.
These past few days, apart from being awake only for a few periods, everyone has mostly chosen to sleep to avoid seasickness.
Xuan Ming was sitting quietly in the cabin when he suddenly opened his eyes. A sudden, inexplicable feeling of palpitation gripped his heart, as if he were being watched by something extremely terrifying in the darkness.
Xuan Ming suddenly stood up, strode onto the deck, and called over Little Ah Yin, who was lying on the ship's side, curiously watching the glowing planktonic creatures.
" Ah Yin, are you sure the flight path is correct?"
Little Ah Yin blinked her big eyes and nodded her head firmly. "That's right! My feeling can't be wrong! It's this road; if you keep walking, you'll see the island's aura!"
But Xuan Ming's unease grew stronger and stronger.
The surrounding ocean was too quiet; even the usual sounds of nocturnal Sea Soul Beast had vanished, creating a deathly, suffocating atmosphere of oppression.
Just then, Gu Yuena appeared silently beside him. Her expression was equally grave, her silver-purple eyes sharply scanning the surrounding dark sea. She whispered, "Something is approaching... It's very strong. This aura... is vast, ancient, filled with the pressure and violence of the deep sea, almost comparable to Di Tian's."
She frowned slightly, recalling the information about the ocean that Di Tian had once reported to her. A name came to mind. "It's it... the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King!"
As if to confirm her guess, the seawater below began to surge violently without warning. It was not caused by wind and waves, but by some unimaginably huge entity rapidly rising from the deep seabed!
A chilling pressure, as if it were a tangible force, emanated from the deep sea, causing the sleeping girls on the deck to furrow their brows in unease, even in their dreams.
"There's no time to dodge!" Xuan Ming's eyes flashed sharply.
Without any hesitation, he leaped over the ship's side in a flash and stood in mid-air.
Faced with the terrifying presence rapidly approaching from below, he spread his arms, unleashing an immense and unrestrained surge of Ultimate Ice power!
" Ice Seal!"
Click--!
Centered on him, the vast sea below instantly froze!
It's not just a simple freeze; it's a terrifying Ice Seal, tens of meters deep, as hard as ancient ice that has stood for millennia!