The King Ship Departs

Xiao Chen was filled with questions. Keke was a little orphan—it did not even know who its parents were. But now it seemed to be arguing with the dragon kings of the royal bloodline? And it was pressing its case with reason. Did it truly know so many things? It was too strange.

Suddenly, Xiao Chen recalled that Keke had been born with the Binding Art. Perhaps all of this was an innate inheritance. That would explain why it knew so much and why it argued so stubbornly with the dragon kings.

Ten savage dragons loomed overhead, their colossal claws hovering above the snow-white beast—the cyan claw of the Storm Dragon, the golden claw of the Lion King Dragon, the silver-white claw of the Evil Dragon... They all seemed to hesitate.

The Devil watched this scene with a sense of unease. If he had been surrounded by ten savage dragons, he could not have faced them without fear, as Keke did.

In the end, the ten savage dragons seemed to restrain their killing intent. One by one, they withdrew their claws of annihilation. What was beyond belief was that their attitude had shifted dramatically. When they looked at the snow-white beast, there was even a trace of affection in their eyes.

Such a change was far too sudden. Xiao Chen and the others felt it was almost impossible. Even the three skeletons silently clicked their jaws.

The snow-white beast showed no gratitude. Huffing angrily, it turned its plump body away, ignoring them completely. Instead, it waved a tiny paw at the Little Defiant Dragon, as if urging it to move.

It was a truly speechless sight.

Finally, the Little Defiant Dragon, covered in black dragon scales, bid farewell to the ten savage dragons with reluctance. It looked back with every step, walking toward the seashore with the snow-white beast, and in its large eyes, crystal tears glistened. Another young beast of profound intelligence!

The Devil stared at the snow-white beast for a while, then fixed his attention on the pitch-black little dragon, as if trying to see through its true nature. But the little dragon had a strong will of its own and ignored him completely.

"You should board the ship. I wish you a smooth journey." The Devil patted Xiao Chen on the shoulder. "I am certain we will meet again."

The deathly mist had dissipated. Xiao Chen, holding the burial shroud of the Ancestral God Suiren, led the way forward and stepped onto the black ghost bridge. At that moment, faint ghostly sounds seemed to echo in his ears, but Xiao Chen's heart was not troubled. He strode forward, and all discomfort vanished. The ghostly aura retreated, and their group boarded the King Ship without incident.

The Devil called out: "The moment the one who provided blood to summon the King Ship boards, it will set sail immediately. Do not wander recklessly on the ship. It is best to stay in one fixed area. Plant the burial shroud of the Ancestral God like a battle flag beside you—it will keep you safe. Remember, never venture into the depths of the cabin on your own. Stay on the deck."

These words made Yan Qingcheng uneasy. She looked at Xiao Chen and asked in a low voice, "Will there be trouble?"

"If we follow his instructions, there should be no danger," Xiao Chen replied. He waved to the Devil. "Thank you. Farewell."

Yan Qingcheng waved as well, her expression complex, bidding farewell to Dragon Island—a place she would never forget. The three skeletons also raised their bone palms and waved at the Devil a few times.

Keke jumped onto Xiao Chen's shoulder and whispered softly toward Dragon Island, as if saying goodbye. As for the Little Defiant Dragon, its eyes were already glistening with tears. It kept crying out to the ten savage dragons, a stark contrast to its usual aloof and battle-hungry nature.

The ten savage dragons raised their heads and roared long into the sky. They watched Xiao Chen's group board the Devil Ship and saw them off until they faded into the distance.

"A smooth journey!" the Devil shouted loudly.

"Farewell!"

"Farewell! Goodbye, Dragon Island!"

The ancient ship sailed farther and farther away until Dragon Island could no longer be seen clearly. Finally, it vanished.

Only then did Xiao Chen turn around. Both he and Yan Qingcheng were filled with emotion, and the three skeletons were no exception. They had silently watched toward Dragon Island, for it was their birthplace, where their past lay. The three skeletons were far from ordinary; the divine light of their souls flickered restlessly in their eye sockets. If one day they cultivated to the ultimate realm, perhaps they would come back here to chase their dreams, to investigate their identities.

Perhaps only the snow-white beast was the most carefree of the group. It had already buried its head in a coconut, drinking the juice, showing no sign of sorrow. As long as the Little Sacred Tree was by its side, it seemed content anywhere and felt no loss.

The aloof Little Defiant Dragon gradually calmed down as well, studying the King Ship just as Xiao Chen was.

Yin energy filled the ship. Without the burial shroud fluttering beside them, it would have been truly difficult to stay there. The ancient ship was enormous. In the direction of the cabin, deathly mist coiled, and a giant ghost lamp hung there, casting a pale white light that gave a very ill omen.

Xiao Chen firmly remembered the Devil's words. He did not wish to invite trouble by exploring the cabin—doing so would likely cost him his life. He trusted that Yan Qingcheng would not act recklessly, and the three skeletons were also obedient. His only concern was the snow-white beast.

"Keke, you must not be mischievous. This time we are crossing the Forbidden Sea at the risk of our lives. You absolutely cannot do anything rash. Never go exploring in the direction of the cabin." Xiao Chen had to warn it sternly. The little beast was not naturally a creature of restraint; preventive measures were necessary.

Hearing this, Keke looked up toward the cabin, and its large eyes immediately brightened.

"Stop right there! Don't you dare!" Xiao Chen felt that something was about to go wrong—he had unwittingly reminded the troublemaker.

"Ya-ya..." Keke nodded with a grievance, appearing listless.

"Little Defiant Dragon, you keep a good eye on it," Xiao Chen assigned the black dragon a task.

As the ancient ship sailed through the golden sea, golden waves rose and fell, breathtakingly beautiful—like a sacred realm painted by a divine hand.

Yan Qingcheng tried tossing a coconut into the sea. The moment it left the range of the dark light cast by the King Ship, it shattered instantly, vanishing without a trace, as if not even dust remained.

It was a terrifying image. If a living human body fell into that sea, there was no doubt the same would happen.

Xiao Chen inwardly felt fortunate. Though they had missed the Ancestral Dragon Ship, there was still the King Ship to carry them. Otherwise, a forbidden sea like this would be impossible for even gods to cross.

The golden sea was not as calm as it appeared from the shore. The farther in they went, the more turbulent it became. The Forbidden Sea stretched endlessly, a vast expanse of golden radiance. If one set aside its danger, it was truly magnificent and beautiful, intoxicating to behold.

Gradually, Xiao Chen noticed a problem: the King Ship seemed to be slowing down, as if meeting a great resistance. Yan Qingcheng noticed it too. At first they feared the hull had developed a fault, but they soon realized that was not the case. It seemed a strange force was obstructing the ancient ship from leaving these waters.

It could not compare to the speed at which the King Ship had been summoned. In the unseen depths, a force seemed to govern everything, as if it knew that the ancient ship carried people or things from Dragon Island and thus exerted its阻拦.

The speed had slowed, but it had not stopped completely. The ancient King Ship advanced sluggishly, still somewhat faster than a normal person's walking pace.

Yan Qingcheng frowned. "I thought we would leave the Forbidden Sea quickly. But at this rate, it may take many days. After all, legend says the golden sea is a thousand li across."

"There's no rush. No need to be so anxious." Xiao Chen smiled faintly. "You don't need to worry about that. You should think about the matter between you and me."

"You... what do you want? Don't come near me!" Yan Qingcheng seemed to think of something and stepped back in fear, but she dared not leave the area protected by the burial shroud.

"What did you think? Did you imagine I would put on a show in front of three skeletons and two little beasts? Even if you had the inclination, I don't have such a癖好. Some things require atmosphere and the right setting."

Yan Qingcheng was left speechless with anger. It was obvious he was teasing her, using her to divert his own emotions.

"What do you want?"

"I'm considering whether I should cut a beautiful flower with a ruthless hand." As he said this, Xiao Chen's expression gradually turned cold. It was no joke.

Yan Qingcheng could clearly feel his killing intent. She did not want to die. Fear surged in her heart, especially when she had just seen hope of leaving Dragon Island. If that dream were shattered now, it would be too cruel.

"There seems to be no room for reconciliation between us. If I don't kill you, you will always be a threat."

Yan Qingcheng understood that he was not merely threatening her. Now that they had escaped Dragon Island, he no longer had to fear loneliness. The dreadful prospect of being stranded alone on a desolate island was gone. He could kill her now. In fact, she had no further value.

After thinking quickly, Yan Qingcheng calmed down. "You cannot kill me. You know that I had no genuine sectarian feelings for Prince Wind and Liu Yue. Seeking revenge for them back then was merely to uphold the sect's honor. In truth, there is no real hatred between us."

"There was no real hatred at first, but the facts now stand before us. There is no turning back." Xiao Chen looked at her calmly.

His calm only made Yan Qingcheng more uneasy. She spoke: "I swear I will never reveal that you killed members of the Undying Sect. All grievances between us can be resolved without further obstacles."

"That is not a convincing reason. It is merely an excuse for me to let you go."

"Let me finish." Yan Qingcheng continued, "In truth, the matter of Prince Wind and Liu Yue can be completely put to rest now. But the fact that you killed my uncle Wang Hao was seen by everyone on the Divine Ship. If you kill me and enter the World of Immortality, you will face great trouble. Only by keeping me alive will you be safe."

"Oh? Explain." Xiao Chen watched her quietly. In truth, the reason he had not acted was precisely this.

"Spare me, and I will help clear your name." Yan Qingcheng had fully calmed down now.

"How will you clear my name? And how can I trust you?" Xiao Chen held absolute control, for he held Yan Qingcheng's life in his hands.

"Many saw my uncle attack us, and in the end, you killed him. Both in the eyes of others and in truth, it appears we were on the same side—we were in the same boat. Only by cooperating can we escape the killing intent of the Undying Sect. We can put all the blame on my uncle, saying he was jealous of my talent and wanted to kill me, his junior, and thus dragged you into it. In fact, his behavior that day was very poor; many can testify to that. The situation is very favorable to us."

"Yet many know that I captured you and made you my slave. Who would believe we are cooperating?"

At the word "slave," Yan Qingcheng's face flushed and paled by turns. She was deeply furious, but she could not afford to show it.

Yan Qingcheng gritted her teeth. "Everything can be overturned. We were actually allies. That earlier act was a charade—all for survival on treacherous Dragon Island. It was meant to mislead outsiders so we could spring surprises when needed. We can ask Yizhen, Liu Ruyan, Liu Mu, and others to testify. Especially me, the 'victim'—if I insist on that story, outsiders will be even less suspicious."

Xiao Chen smiled. "You speak very well. But once we enter the World of Immortality, who knows if you will overturn everything and throw me into danger? It would be simpler to kill you now."

"You underestimate the Undying Sect. If you truly kill me, and add to that the death of Uncle Wang Hao, once your whereabouts are discovered, you will die without a burial place. Do not harbor any侥幸. Many have already seen your profound arts; word will surely spread to the Undying Sect. From now on, unless you never use martial skills, you will be exposed sooner or later."

"Can keeping you alive truly free me from all danger?" Xiao Chen was calm and composed, but his killing intent had not diminished.

"Yes. I promise we will both benefit. I can swear an oath." Yan Qingcheng genuinely felt Xiao Chen's murderous intent, forcing her to make a decision. For the sake of survival, she could even forget her former capture.

"But I cannot trust you. That is the biggest problem—unless you have some way to convince me."