Chapter 232: Boundless Sea, going out to fish
"Let's go; time to buy stuff." Chen Xun stood up and looked at the big black ox and Little Red. "We need to buy some sea beast and spiritual herb illustrations; otherwise, we won't even know what we're encountering."
"Moo~" The big black ox was already overjoyed, as their long-time dream was about to come true.
Little Red jumped up as well, breathing heavily with excitement. Finally, they were about to leave Great Li.
They jogged off, wandering through various shops and buying things, while also learning about some taboos, like how there were many unknown forces in the Western Sea that shouldn't be provoked lightly.
When hunting sea beasts, it's best to follow a merchant guild since they have the most complete sea charts and many connections, which helps avoid dangerous situations.
Chen Xun laughed heartily after hearing this and had a great conversation with these Foundation Establishment shopkeepers, clasping his hands together in farewell.
The next day, inside the teleportation array in Pingyun City, Chen Xun suddenly shouted:
"Brothers, let's go!!!"
"Moo!!"
"Roar!!"
Buzz.
The teleportation array flickered with brilliant light, tiny starlights rising from within. The cultivator operating the array looked quite grim; just now, this senior's loud shout had made his head buzz.
In an instant, the teleportation was complete. The three figures disappeared with a swoosh, leaving the cultivator to wave his sleeve in irritation and let out a cold snort.
Guiyi City.
A massive cultivator metropolis near Great Li's western coastline. Enormous boats hovered in the sky, draped with the banners of various merchant guilds, slowly sailing into the distance.
The colorful array of formations surrounding them painted the sky over Guiyi City in magnificent hues.
The noise inside the city was overwhelming, with returning giant boats carrying huge sea beasts, drawing gasps of awe wherever they passed.
The sky over Guiyi City had just cleared after a rainstorm. The sky was bright and blue, and at this moment, a rainbow appeared gracefully on the horizon, stretching out like a gorgeous silk ribbon unfurling in the air.
A small flying boat rose from within the city, weaving swiftly among the giant boats as it sped toward the western coast.
"Woohoo! Brothers, charge!"
"Moo!"
"Brother Xun, the ocean!!!"
They stood at the front of the flying boat, their eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at the vast sky and endless ocean ahead, unsure where the sky ended and the sea began.
The Western Sea surged, with towering waves like mountain ranges rolling in from the distant, dark horizon, roaring and crashing toward the shore with the force of a tidal wave.
The waves slammed against the mighty rocks on the coast, sending up snow-white sprays and producing thunderous sounds.
If one's eyesight was sharp enough, it would seem as if countless islands were floating in the sea, large and small, stretching endlessly into the distance. From time to time, fierce sea beasts leapt out of the water, churning up massive waves.
They drew closer and closer, gazing out at the vast blue sea stretching far and wide, extending from the shore into the distance until it met the sky.
At the point where the sea and sky met, hundreds or even thousands of giant boats sailed across the water, with many cultivators standing on them, shimmering in the bright sunlight.
"Holy..." Chen Xun was dumbfounded. "It's... it's this big?"
"Moo~~~" The big black ox let out a long breath, feeling its whole body go limp. So, this was the ocean—far more terrifying than any river.
Little Red's lips trembled, clutching the big black ox tightly, too shocked to utter a word. The vastness of the Western Sea had completely surpassed anything it had ever imagined.
At this moment, the powerful, deep sea breeze blew in from the distance, stirring their hearts.
Their heartbeats slowed, a sense of tranquility and comfort washing over them. It was like their minds, just like the cloudless sky above, were expanding and calming. They felt a profound joy in simply being alive.
An hour later, they arrived at a deserted beach, feeling the waves crashing against the shore.
Little Red crouched on Chen Xun's left side, while the big black ox stood on his right, all of them standing there in a daze.
Chen Xun's eyes were filled with melancholy as he breathed in the scent unique to the sea, his excitement now fading into quiet contemplation.
"Moo?" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, wondering what he was still waiting for.
Little Red also slowly turned to look at Chen Xun, confused as always by his unreadable expressions.
"Board the ship."
Chen Xun took a deep breath. Five-colored divine light surrounded his body as he shot into the sky, and a massive illusion slowly appeared over the sea before them.
Boom!
Boom!
A gigantic flying boat crashed onto the sea with a thunderous roar, sending waves echoing like a thousand valleys resonating or a myriad of cliffs being shaken.
A radiant black-and-white tree stood proudly atop the giant boat, constantly emitting a soft glow as it swayed in the sea breeze, its grandeur awe-inspiring.
They burst out laughing, soaring into the air, and landing in front of the Crane Spirit Five Elements Tree.
The big black ox swung its hooves, and five-element formation flags emerged from its Nascent Soul, positioning themselves at five points inside the boat. The five elemental energies between heaven and earth began to gather wildly, while Chen Xun activated the boat's five-elemental power.
Little Red stood nearby, watching the sea and waiting for the boat to set off.
Buzz—
Buzz—
The sea breeze blew in wave after wave as the giant boat officially set sail, cutting through the waves and heading into the vast sea, where direction no longer mattered.
"Old Ox, Little Red, cast the net, cast the net!!" Chen Xun shouted anxiously from atop the tree, seeing large schools of fish swimming everywhere in the sea. "Quick, use the net made from the Thousand-Strand Spiritual Vine and catch them all!"
"Moo moo!!"
"Got it, Brother Xun!"
The big black ox and Little Red ran across the deck, pulling a massive net and casting it into the sea.
"Hahaha!" Chen Xun laughed, pointing and directing from above. "Yes, that way, there's definitely a big catch!"
"Moo?!" The big black ox shot Chen Xun a glance, as if to say, "Stop shouting; we're busy here."
Little Red focused intently, pulling the net, and standing on the edge of the boat, eyes fixed on the sea. These sea creatures were a feast for it as well.
Half an hour later.
"Whoa, reel it in, Old Ox, hurry!!" Chen Xun was sipping tea when his expression suddenly changed. "We've got a big one, Little Red, Old Ox, pull it up!"
"Moo!!" The big black ox snorted hot air, feeling the weight in its hands.
"Brother Ox, let's go!" Little Red laughed, and with a great heave, the enormous net broke the surface of the water, shimmering with crystalline seawater.
The net was full of large fish, shrimp, and crabs, each one bigger than the last, though none had spiritual energy—just ordinary sea creatures, not sea beasts.
But among them was a large turtle, the one Chen Xun had noticed earlier, struggling fiercely with a cultivation level in the Qi Refining stage.
The deck was soaked as the sea creatures flopped around, their strength considerable, but under the power of two Nascent Soul cultivators, it was all in vain.
"Let the big turtle go; it's useless," Chen Xun said with a pout, having hoped for a Foundation Establishment Sea beast.
"Moo moo~" The big black ox grinned at Chen Xun, tossing the turtle back into the sea. The startled creature quickly fled, disappearing in an instant.
"Brother Xun, what do we do with these sea creatures?" Little Red laughed, shouting up to him. "They're way too easy to catch."
"Little Red, this net was created by your Brother Ox and me. These sea creatures don't even realize it's a trap." Chen Xun's eyes gleamed with dominance as he gazed out at the sea. "The Western Sea is vast. We can go wherever we please and catch whatever we want!"
"As for these sea creatures, leave them to me—I'll cook."
"Moo~~~" The big black ox excitedly ran across the deck, its tail swinging wildly. This was too much fun!
Little Red's eyes sparkled. It had never tasted Brother Xun's cooking before.
At night, a crescent moon reflected on the sea, as if it had fallen from the sky. A gust of wind blew, breaking the moon's reflection into several pieces as the waves rolled.
The giant boat floated on the sea, though if one looked closely, it wasn't completely submerged but hovered a few inches above the water, incredibly steady.