The sea breeze, rustling the rugged reefs of Black Reef Island, also stirred Lin Feng’s taut heartstrings.
He lay prone on the highest reef, like a crouching leopard, his gaze piercing through the hazy sea mist, fixed intently on the massive silhouette breaking through the waves.
As the distance closed, the ship’s outline became clearer. This was a medium-sized wooden sailing ship, far larger than the Lin Family’s dilapidated flying boat!
The ship’s hull was slender and streamlined, not at all the clumsy design of a Mortal vessel. Its bow was carved with a lifelike golden Dragon, scales fluttering and claws extended. The Dragon’s eyes seemed to be inlaid with some kind of gem, shimmering with a cold, eerie light in the dim sky. The hull was covered with thick, dark brown wooden planks, seemingly soaked in tung oil, and faint, intricate Talisman runes could be seen flowing across them, clearly enhanced with Reinforcement and Lightness Formations.
Three thick, towering masts pierced the sky. The massive canvas was not ordinary hemp, but “Wind Whisper Silkscreen,” shimmering with a faint silvery-grey luster. At this moment, it was fully distended by the strong sea breeze, emitting a dull, powerful “flapping” sound, propelling this colossal vessel through the waves.
Most striking was the flag hanging at the top of the main mast—on a deep blue background, a large, ancient-looking, golden, shining copper coin intersected with an anchor entwined with a chain, forming a majestic and prosperous emblem.
“Golden Scale Merchant Guild!”
Lin Feng’s pupils contracted slightly, and the name of this well-known merchant guild in the Canglan Sea Region flashed through his mind. The Golden Scale Merchant Guild was renowned for its decent reputation, deep background—rumored to have a Golden Core Cultivator overseeing it—and its extensive, interconnected routes. They primarily focused on passenger transport and cross-sea trade, occasionally stopping at islands near their routes for resupply or small transactions.
For a desolate place like Black Reef Island, the arrival of this merchant ship was an unexpected event.
Was it a blessing or a curse?
Lin Feng’s thoughts raced.
The Golden Scale Merchant Guild’s reputation was at least a hundred times more reliable than an unknown pirate ship.
They prioritized peace and would not easily plunder forces along their routes, especially nominal local powers like the Lin Family.
In his current predicament, this ship seemed to be the only solution. However, one must always be on guard against others. There were too many secrets on the island; no outsiders could be allowed to land and investigate!
He quickly made his decision.
Returning to the stone house, he grabbed the cold, rough Water Mist Maze Formation Formation Plate and unhesitatingly poured Spiritual Power into its core! Buzz! A thin but resilient layer of grayish-white mist instantly rose, like a giant inverted bowl, enveloping the entire core area of Black Reef Island, including the stone house, the Spiritual Plant field, and the main Mortal residential area.
The mist swirled, greatly interfering with vision and Divine Sense detection. Only after completing this layer of protection did he walk towards the dilapidated small flying boat provided by the Lin Family, which was moored by the shore.
This flying boat was only about a zhang long, its hull old, and the inscribed floating Formation patterns were severely worn. Its propulsion core was also of inferior quality. Lin Feng, feeling a pang of pain, took out ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones and embedded them into a slot at the tail of the flying boat.
Hum… The flying boat groaned under the strain, rising shakily three feet off the ground, and flew towards the massive Golden Scale Merchant Ship. He deliberately restrained his aura, suppressing his cultivation to the state of having just broken through to Qi Cultivation stage five layer, and hung a bronze token representing a Lin Family garrison Cultivator at his waist.
Approaching the merchant ship, he could feel the oppressive presence of its sheer size even more strongly.
The ship was several tens of zhang long, with numerous figures on the deck. Several guards with strong auras stood by the rail, vigilantly observing the approaching small flying boat.
“Who goes there? State your identity!” A booming voice came from the deck, tinged with scrutiny.
“Lin Feng, a Lin Family Cultivator stationed on Black Reef Island! I have business to discuss!” Lin Feng steadied his flying boat and responded loudly, simultaneously displaying the Lin Family token at his waist.
Silence fell on the deck for a moment, as if verifying his identity. Soon, a thick gangplank was lowered from the ship’s side, resting beside Lin Feng’s flying boat.
“Lin Daoyou, please come aboard for a discussion!” It was still the same booming voice.
Lin Feng took a deep breath, suppressing a hint of nervousness, put away his flying boat, and leapt onto the wide deck of the Golden Scale Merchant Ship. Beneath his feet was a thick, hard ironwood deck, polished smooth. The air was filled with the unique scent of tung oil, sea breeze, and various mixed goods.
A burly man wearing half-body leather armor, whose aura had clearly reached Qi Cultivation stage eight layer, came forward to greet him. He had a rugged face, sharp, eagle-like eyes, and a curved saber in a sharkskin sheath at his waist, clearly the captain of the guard.
Behind him followed a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe, with a fair, beardless face and a benevolent smile, whose aura was slightly weaker, at Qi Cultivation stage seven layer. He was likely the ship’s shopkeeper.
“Lin Daoyou, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Captain Xiong Lie, the guard captain of the Golden Scale Merchant Guild’s ‘Golden Scale’ ship.” The burly man cupped his fists, his voice resonant.
“This old man is Qian Fu, humbly serving as the shopkeeper of this vessel. Lin Daoyou, please follow me.” The brocade-robed shopkeeper smiled amiably and turned to lead the way.
Lin Feng returned the greeting impassively and followed the two through the deck. The deck was quite lively, with passengers in various attire leaning against the rail to watch the sea, sailors organizing ropes, and some vendors selling simple food and sundries in the corners. The entrance to the cabin was a bit crowded.
Qian Fu led Lin Feng directly to a relatively quiet compartment on the second floor of the cabin.
The compartment was small and simply furnished, with a hard wooden table, a few chairs, and sea charts hanging on the wall. Spiritual Tea was already prepared on the table.
“Lin Daoyou, please have a seat.” Qian Fu greeted him warmly, “May I ask what kind of transaction Lin Daoyou requires? Although this ship mainly focuses on passenger transport, we also have a small reserve of various Cultivation resources, Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, Spiritual Plants, and Talismans. Acquiring Materials is also our business.”
Lin Feng did not touch the Spiritual Tea and went straight to the point: “Shopkeeper Qian, Captain Xiong Lie, to be frank, I am stationed on Black Reef Island, and the island is barren. However, the Family’s tasks are heavy. Recently, I have accumulated some Yao Beast Materials and a portion of Spiritual Plants, which I wish to sell in exchange for Spirit Stones and needed items.”
He deliberately emphasized “Family tasks,” packaging his personal actions as official Family business.
“Oh? May I know what Materials they are? And in what quantity?” Qian Fu’s eyes lit up slightly, and the smile on his face deepened.
Lin Feng didn’t waste words. He untied the half-worn Storage Pouch at his waist, which was already bulging, and placed it on the table. He then pointed to his other equally bulging new Storage Pouch at his waist, which contained some Spiritual Rice, and said in a deep voice: “All the Materials are here, and there are quite a few Spiritual Plants as well. Please estimate their value, Shopkeeper.”
Qian Fu gestured, and Captain Xiong Lie stepped forward, picked up the Storage Pouch, and probed it with his Divine Sense.
A hint of surprise first flashed across his rugged face, then it turned serious as he carefully began counting. Silence fell in the compartment, broken only by Captain Xiong Lie occasionally reporting the names and quantities of the Materials: “Ironclad Crab pincers, thirty-seven pairs… Reefback Turtle back shell spikes, fifty-eight pieces… Sawtooth Arrowfish scales, main bone spines… And this Black Iron Worm carapace powder? Hmm, good quality first-grade Spiritual Rice, a thousand catties…”
As Captain Xiong Lie reported more and more, the smile on Qian Fu’s face grew deeper, and his gaze towards Lin Feng also held a different quality.
For a Qi Cultivation stage five layer Cultivator stationed in a place like Black Reef Island to produce so many well-processed Materials and high-quality Spiritual Rice was truly remarkable! Behind this, perhaps the Lin Family was indeed operating?
