Rendezvous

Half a month later, the large ship passed by Sea Billow Island and joined the Zhang Household's fleet, which included members of the Sea Fish Gang.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, it's been a long time! Your cultivation has improved so much!" Zhang Lingyu flew over to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, please don't say that. I'm still a little short of catching up to you."

Canglan, the leader of the Sea Fish Gang, nodded to Shen Ge and Fairy Miaoyin as a greeting before returning to his own ship.

Zhang Lingyu glanced at Fairy Miaoyin and then transmitted his voice to Shen Ge, saying, "Fellow Daoist Shen, not bad."

Zhang Lingyu was short and chubby, dressed in a blue robe. From a distance, he looked like a winter melon. However, he wasn't ugly; his round, chubby face was quite comical.

However, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. Although this short, fat man looked kind and approachable, he actually had the cultivation level of the Middle Golden Core Stage.

As for the leader of the Sea Fish Gang had already returned, he looked like a burly man with a beard and wearing a one-shoulder fish skin shirt. He exuded a fierce aura and was also in the Middle Golden Core Stage. However, Shen Ge was not very familiar with him; he could only say that they knew each other.

"What do you mean, 'okay'? We're just friends. Don't blame me for disowning you if you keep talking nonsense." Shen Ge replied, then patted Zhang Lingyu on the shoulder and said, "Come on, Brother Zhang, the wine that Fairy Miaoyin and the others use to entertain guests is quite good. Let me treat you to a drink."

"You're quite the schemer, offering me someone else's fine wine. Be careful, or Fairy Miaoyin might kick you off the stage."

"Not at all, not at all," Fairy Miaoyin chuckled. "You two are distinguished guests; it's just some wine. Drink as much as you like."

The Fairy Miaoyin, dressed in red, did not appear gaudy; rather, she possessed a stunning beauty. She stepped aside and said, "Fellow Daoist, please."

After sailing for more than ten days, the fleet met up with the Canghai Sect on Sea Spirit Island. The journey was smooth and there were no troublesome Demon Beast.

As for the Dragon Heaven Merchant Association from Sea Whale Island, they did not accompany us, seemingly intending to travel with the Yaoguang Immortal Sect.

Beyond the territory of the Yaoguang Immortal Sect lies a stretch of the Desolate Sea, the domain of pirates, where Demon Beast are more active, making it a relatively dangerous area.

Fortunately, the distance wasn't very long, only ten thousand li, and it passed in a day or two.

Standing at the bow of the ship, Shen Ge looked at the vast sea and said, "No matter how many times I see it, I still feel that this sea is very dangerous. Who knows how many Demon Beast are hiding beneath the surging waters?"

"It's alright. Thanks to the efforts of countless sages, there aren't many powerful Demon Beast in the near seas within the Seven Islands area. It's in the open seas that the real Demon Beast roam and rampage." Fairy Miaoyin slowly stepped forward and sat down at a table on the deck, where an ancient zither was placed.

This zither was not her Yaoqin, but an ordinary one. However, it had been played by the Fairy Miaoyin, and now it carried a faint spiritual light, showing a tendency to evolve into Law Artifact.

The Fairy Miaoyin raised her hand and gently beckoned, instantly producing a melodious zither tune. In that instant, all other sounds vanished, leaving only that lingering, distant melody.

Soon, the Fairy of Fairy Miaoyin moved her hands like a fairy, and a light and ethereal zither melody rose and flowed as she swayed among the large ships.

After the piece was finished, Shen Ge closed his eyes to enjoy it for a while, then clapped his hands and said, "As expected of a fairy, even mortal music seems to possess a magical power to purify the soul in your hands. It's truly admirable."

"Fellow Daoist Shen is joking. What difference is there between celestial music and mortal music? They are all music. It's just that celestial music is played with spiritual energy, which makes it easier for us to resonate with it. Some celestial music is even inferior to mortal music."

Shen Ge flipped his hand and took out two zithers, one black and simple in design, the other white and exquisite in design.

Shen Ge placed the white guqin on the table in front of Fairy Miaoyin: "I feel a little bad for listening to you play so many pieces, so I'll give you this guqin named White Frost."

Fairy Miaoyin took the guqin and gently played it to test the tone. Then she looked up at Shen Ge and chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Shen, what about this black one? Are you planning to keep it for yourself? These two guqins look like a pair, don't they? You don't have any intention of expressing something through this, do you?"

"You figured it out, fellow Daoist." Shen Ge chuckled and sat down opposite Fairy Miaoyin, setting down his guqin. "Teach me to play. It doesn't need to be anything too advanced, just enough to play a tune."

Fairy Miaoyin looked at Shen Ge with slight surprise and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, why would someone who plays with swords learn to play the zither?"

"To calm my mind and, when I have some free time, to play it for myself."

Fairy Miaoyin stared at Shen Ge for a while, then smiled and gently stroked White Frost, saying, "Since Fellow Daoist Shen is willing to learn, then of course I will teach him. Besides, you've already paid the tuition; I can't refuse."

It's important to know that the zither Shen Ge gave away was a top-grade magic Law Artifact. Although the boost it provided was a bit small for someone at their level, it wasn't something that could be given away casually.

After a while, under the guidance of the master musician Fairy Miaoyin, Shen Ge was able to play a piece skillfully. Although it was just a mortal piece, it was still considered a fast learning pace.

Just as Fairy Miaoyin was explaining the musical score, a wave rose from the sea not far from Thousand Sounds Workshop. Shen Ge raised his hand and waved it lightly. A stream of light rushed straight to the center of the wave. The sword light flashed and the wave, which was about to surge and roll, stopped immediately.

After the light returned, a stream of blood slowly stained the sea red.

"Fairy, please continue."

Not far away, on the Zhang Household's large ship, Zhang Lingyu watched the sword light fly out and then fly back, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Why is Fellow Daoist Shen so temperamental today?"

About half a month later, the fleet passed by Yuheng Island. Fairy Miaoyin introduced it to Shen Ge: "Yuheng Island is larger than Yaoguang Island, but it is different from Yaoguang Island. Yuheng Island and the surrounding area are divided up by two different sects. These two sects are dominant here, and there are no other forces."

"I know, the Sea Heaven Sect and the Yuheng Sect," Shen Ge nodded.

"The Sea Heaven Sect rose to prominence three hundred years ago. Its sect leader is a Nascent Soul Realm expert. Although its foundation cannot compare to that of the Yuheng Sect, its strength is not weak after years of rapid development."

As they were talking, a streak of light flew in from afar, and soon a figure stood in the air, saying somewhat arrogantly, "This is the territory of the Sea Heaven Sect. You know the rules, so I don't need to repeat them, do I?"

"So you're a fellow Daoist from the Sea Heaven Sect. Don't worry, we know the rules." Zhang Lingyu flew forward, exchanged a few polite words, and then took out a Storage Bag and handed it over. "Fellow Daoist, this is ten thousand Spirit Stone, please keep it safe."

After putting away the Storage Bag, the man smiled and said, "Friends from Yaoguang Island, I wish you a fruitful trip."

After saying that, he flew away without stopping at all.

"They pluck feathers from geese as they fly by, and leave skins from beasts as they roam. This is the Sea Heaven Sect. All ships passing through the Sea Heaven Sect Sect's waters must pay Spirit Stone, ostensibly as a protection fee."

"But this really does provide protection; since this program was established, almost no one has had any incidents in their waters."