Chapter 90.1: Why Are There Foolish Criminals Everywhere I Go? (I)

The vast, boundless sea stretched in every direction as a great ship sailed steadily toward the Fire Dragon Kingdom. Clusters of islands dotted the horizon like scattered stars, so numerous that from a glance it seemed like there were well over a hundred small islands ahead.

Splash.

Lu Changsheng sprang out from beneath the seawater and landed lightly on the deck. A layer of blood qi spread over his body, radiating an intense heat that dried his clothes in the blink of an eye.

This had become his method of cultivation during these long days at sea. Every day, he leapt into the ocean, clung to the side of the ship, and immersed himself in the rolling tides, seeking to comprehend Wave Intent.

He had encountered several fierce storms along this voyage. They had been effective, at least at first. In just a few short days, his progress in Wave Intent had reached five percent. But eventually, his progress stagnated.

Even when the winds howled and the waves surged, the insights he gained grew weaker and weaker. This method proved far from sufficient in delivering the sudden clarity of true enlightenment that he chased.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Nearby, Yun Haitang watched in silence. Although she had already seen Dao Shier practice martial arts many times, each time still left her quite astonished.

"Brother Dao, your martial arts are truly unusual," she remarked. "To think that cultivation requires leaping straight into the sea! Aside from yourself, I doubt many would dare train with such risky methods."

Lu Changsheng made no reply. Instead, his gaze shifted toward the chain of islands ahead.

That should be the Fire Dragon Kingdom. At this pace, we should reach shore in another hour or two.

A trace of curiosity flickered across his eyes as he surveyed the scene before him. Countless islands crowded the sea, surrounding a massive central island, as though they were standing guard. Though this would be his first visit, he had no doubt that the immense island at the center was the Fire Dragon Kingdom.

Before long, the great ship slowly pulled into the harbor. People started to file out of the cabins and disembark. Long Sha, however, was nowhere to be seen. He had deliberately hidden himself inside his cabin, fearing that Dao Shier might take offence to his presence.

Sophie was one of the last to emerge from her cabin, yawning leisurely as she stepped onto the deck.

"We're finally here. Aside from spices, many of the fruits currently in season are said to be excellent. Mr. Dao, would you like to come ashore and take a look with us?"

"Miss Sophie, I'm afraid I won't be joining you, as I plan to go ashore alone," said Lu Changsheng. After all, this trip to the Fire Dragon Kingdom was merely a detour. His goal for this trip was to spend time at sea to gain insights into Wave Intent.

"When will you be departing back to Zhanhai City?" he asked.

"We plan to purchase a large quantity of spices and local specialties," Sophie said matter of factly. "We should be setting sail in about five days. If you wish to return to Zhanhai City with us, I'd advise you to be punctual."

"Very well. I'll return to the docks in four days." Lu Changsheng deliberately left himself one extra day, just in case anything unexpected occurred.

With that, he disembarked from the ship. At the same time, Yun Haitang stepped down as well. She looked at Lu Changsheng and said proudly, "Brother Dao, I must also attend to my own matters now. This is where we part."

Lu Changsheng had long sensed that Yun Haitang's journey to the Fire Dragon Kingdom carried its own story and purpose, but she had never offered an explanation. Perhaps she understood all too well that they were nothing more than strangers brought together by chance, and that she could not ask him for help. This suited Lu Changsheng just fine as he had no intention of pursuing the matter.

"Very well. We shall meet again in four days then," Lu Changsheng said.

Yun Haitang watched him turn and disappear into the crowd.

"Four days later... I wonder if I will even be alive by then..." Yun Haitang murmured to herself.

She knew this journey to the Fire Dragon Kingdom was fraught with danger, and yet she had no choice but to see it through. There was no one in the jianghu who she could truly rely on. This might be her only chance to advance into the Divine Strength Realm, and all she could do was depend on herself and herself alone.

Having steeled her resolve, Yun Haitang also blended into the crowd, vanishing without a trace.

***

Lu Changsheng strolled through Volcano City leisurely. The city was famous for its countless volcanoes, and eruptions were a common occurrence here. However, their range was limited and their destructive power mild, so rather than disasters, the eruptions had become a peculiar kind of scenic attraction.

He spent the entire morning wandering the streets, gaining a genuine taste of this foreign land. After all, the Fire Dragon Kingdom was entirely different from the Da Yu Dynasty. However, some sights were only worth a passing glance, and it was not long before the scenery became tedious to him. His thoughts began to wander to the rare treasures he might find here.

The Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique had seven layers in total, with each layer requiring a different rare treasure. So far, Lu Changsheng had only obtained a single one, namely the Four-Eyed Toad Treasure. Now that he was in the Fire Dragon Kingdom, he would test his luck and see whether he could acquire any of the remaining rare treasures.

With that in mind, he made his way to a large shop. It looked well-established, and it specialized in selling rare items. As he stepped inside and looked around, a sharp-eyed attendant quickly approached him.

"Honored guest, how may I assist you today?"

"I'm just browsing," Lu Changsheng replied. He paid no further attention to the attendant and continued examining the items on display. Unfortunately, none of them were the rare treasures he sought.

The attendant stayed by his side the entire time without pressing him, quietly assessing Lu Changsheng as he finished looking around. It was only when Lu Changsheng was about to leave that the attendant spoke again.

"Honored guest, many of the rare items belonging to the Grand Emporium of Rarities are not displayed plainly in the shop. If there is something in particular that you seek, please, do tell. While we would not dare claim to possess all the treasures under heaven, we do have quite a collection of rare items gathered from across the four seas."

Lu Changsheng fixed his gaze on the attendant. "What I seek is beyond your discernment. Have someone of higher authority come see me."

Though calm, his tone was bold enough to fluster the attendant, who quickly excused himself and scurried off deeper into the shop.

Soon, a middle-aged man approached Lu Changsheng. He introduced himself as a steward of the Grand Emporium of Rarities and carefully examined Lu Changsheng from head to toe before asking, "Honored guest, what rare treasure do you seek?"

Lu Changsheng answered without hesitation, listing the remaining six rare treasures required by the Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique.

A frown creased the steward's brows. He could tell that these were genuine rare treasures of the highest order. Unfortunately, he had never seen most of them, or even heard their names before.

The steward thought about it carefully before saying tentatively, "Honored guest, we might possess

one

of the treasures you just mentioned."

Lu Changsheng felt a spark of surprise. After all, he was merely testing his luck here; he hadn't had much hope that this store actually had any of the treasures he needed.

"Which one?" Lu Changsheng asked eagerly.

"The Hundred-Year Thunder Fruit."

Lu Changsheng had to suppress his excitement. "Is that so? How much?"