Chapter 81: The Bronze Dragon Chariot

The sun in the firmament emitted a dazzling light, piercing into the unruly Forbidden Sea, stirring up waves that rolled toward the sky and emitting low, rumbling roars.

Before the echoes had faded, the waves crashed down, splashing up large amounts of black sea foam that scattered high into the air and sprinkled onto the protective layer of Xu Qing’s magic boat.

Xu Qing stood at the bow, watching the sea with vigilance; he raised his hand to form a seal, and as the protective spiritual energy fluctuated, the sea water containing dense strange substances that had splashed onto it slowly dissipated.

Just like the God’s Remnant Face in the sky, this Forbidden Sea that surrounded the entire Nanhuangzhou was forever a realm of trembling and awe for people, not only because of its vastness and depth, but also because it was an eternal mystery in everyone’s heart.

This mystery caused Xu Qing to raise his head and gaze at the distant sky and the Forbidden Sea; in his eyes, the two seemed to merge together at an unknown end.

Compared to the vast sea, the boats coming and going from the Seven Blood Eyes were like a few feathers, drifting lightly and insignificantly.

As for the people on the magic boats, it was even more so.

Xu Qing was silent; he looked at the endless distance, at the boundless Forbidden Sea, and a sense of insignificance welled up in his heart.

"The Sea Records say that disciples going out to sea for the first time will mostly feel their own insignificance. This is a normal psychological change, and at the same time, they will often develop the urge to conquer while in this state."

Xu Qing looked at the boundless black sea surface; this was his first time out at sea, and also his first time truly seeing the sea while in the sea.

Yet he did not develop any urge to conquer.

He had no great ideals, nor any vast ambitions; he just wanted to survive in this chaotic world.

If he could live a little better, that would be even better.

Therefore, at this moment, Xu Qing’s inner vigilance was very intense; even when sitting cross-legged to cultivate, he would still divide his focus to remain alert to his surroundings.

Just like this, time flowed by amidst the echoing sound of the waves, until around noon, a series of noisy sounds coming from behind caught Xu Qing’s attention.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he turned his head to look.

Those were seven or eight magic boats coming from the direction of the Seven Blood Eyes port, whistling as they approached, noisy and boisterous.

Except for the one at the very front, most were of the fifth or sixth grade.

As for the magic boat at the very front, judging from the spiritual energy fluctuations, it was around the eighth or ninth grade; it looked quite luxurious, golden all over, and plastered with golden feathers, shining brightly under the sunlight.

In the black Forbidden Sea, it was exceptionally dazzling, like a pheasant trying to learn to fan its tail like a peacock, exuding ostentation and carrying a sense of vulgarity.

The bow of the phoenix bird should have contained elegance, but under this gold and luxury, it had lost its soul, exuding a sense of showing off for fear that others would not see it.

Watching all this, Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and drew his dagger.

Although the main city of the Seven Blood Eyes was dangerous and cruel, at least there were certain rules in existence, such as Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely taking action against Qi Condensation, but Xu Qing knew that on the sea... there was only the law of the jungle.

Whether it was foreign races, the human race, or the dangers of the sect itself and the Forbidden Sea, it was all like this; if one was unlucky and encountered a foreign Foundation Establishment cultivator or higher with malicious intent, life and death would be decided in a single thought of the other party.

Anyone could instantly become an enemy.

Especially since the arrival of these magic boats was too ostentatious, and on that phoenix bird boat, there was also the voice of someone he detested.

The wind on the sea was a bit strong, and the sound it carried over was very clear.

"Senior Sister, many people are curious about how many spirit stones this Phoenix boat of mine cost. I actually don't really want to answer this question, because my answer would make them feel frustrated. After all, you should also have felt it; from childhood to adulthood, spirit stones are just an endless trouble for people like us."

"Actually, it's just so-so. I don't know why, but among the sect's magic boats, the ranking of boat grades has sought my opinion many times, insisting on raising mine to seventeenth. It doesn't matter to me anyway; I don't care about these things."

"To me, I don't care how many spirit stones this Phoenix boat cost; what I care about is that it carries my dreams. Look, my dream is to be like a phoenix, one day able to soar in the firmament."

"Senior Sister, I hope that by my side while soaring, there will be a beautiful figure accompanying me, to watch the scenery with me, to pursue dreams, and to confide troubles to each other."

The voice carried by the sea breeze was none other than Zhao Zhongheng, whom the Captain called a straw bag.

He stood on that golden Phoenix boat, and beside him was a young woman wearing a light purple Daoist robe.

This woman was in her twenties, with a moving appearance; seen from afar, she stood gracefully, her purple robes like a flower.

Only, facing Zhao Zhongheng’s words, her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and her pretty face already held a look of impatience.

At this moment, as the sea breeze blew and her purple skirt danced in the wind, she seemed to notice Xu Qing on the distant magic boat.

Under the sunlight, between the two boats, a bearded whale broke through the water surface and soared into the air.

A low moan, as if transmitted from ancient times, came from its mouth, echoing like the sound of a flute, as if making everything become ethereal.

As it fell, water vapor drifted and obscured the view.

In the woman’s eyes, the sunlight seemed to be separated into seven colors; the colorful light beams appeared with a moment of brilliance, reflecting on Xu Qing’s Daoist robe, making his face unclear.

But that charm left a deep impression on the woman.

Until the magic boat of their party slowly drifted away.

Xu Qing gazed for a long time, and after confirming that they were indeed just passing by, he put away his dagger and continued to cultivate.

Time passed, and gradually, in this cultivation, as the magic boat went deeper, the grimness and eeriness of the Forbidden Sea also slowly entered Xu Qing’s perception.

He saw schools of rotten fish, which seemed to have retained their will from before death, turning into black pollution and spreading past under the magic boat.

He also saw the terrifying figure of a giant-toothed shark, carrying incomparable cruelty as it tore apart its prey.

Besides this, there were some areas on the sea where, when Xu Qing passed by, he felt a deterrent force from the seabed, as if it were radiating out at every moment, lingering in that area and also permeating Xu Qing’s heart, making his vigilance even deeper.

Although he had seen this situation in the Sea Records and knew that this was the norm for going out to sea, his alertness remained intense.

And the strange substances were extremely dense on this Forbidden Sea, as if the entire sea was transformed by strange substances, which caused Xu Qing’s shadow to become darker than ever before, as if it had turned into ink, with a sense of flowing on its own...

After noticing this scene, Xu Qing did not hesitate and directly operated the suppressing power of the purple crystal, suppressing it several times with a boom. Only after the shadow became faint again did he stop with a calm expression, feeling slightly relieved about the shadow in his heart.

Just like this, sunset approached, and the first night of Xu Qing’s voyage was about to arrive.

Perhaps because this sea area was very close to the Seven Blood Eyes, Xu Qing did not encounter too many dangers during the daytime voyage.

Only at this moment in the sunset, some aggressive swordfish appeared on the sea surface; they leaped up in groups, turning into arcs, and then fell back into the sea.

In the afterglow, their cyan bodies emitted a white light, possessing a unique beauty.

Perhaps because of the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale following, most of these swordfish did not get too close to Xu Qing, but occasionally a few would still bump into the magic boat’s protection, making banging sounds as they bounced back into the sea.

Watching the swordfish bumping against the protective layer, at such a close distance, Xu Qing could observe them more clearly.

These swordfish had sharp, grim teeth and looked very ferocious, with red light in their eyes, carrying cruelty.

Xu Qing waved his hand expressionlessly, and drops of water formed, seeping outside the protective layer to act as a buffer, so that the swordfish bumping into it would not be killed by the impact.

The Sea Records Hall had warned all Seventh Peak disciples going out to sea that when sailing in the Forbidden Sea, if not necessary, it was best not to kill too many sea beasts, because the more one killed, the more it would attract the gaze of certain eerie existences within the Forbidden Sea.

As for what kind of eerie existences, the Sea Records did not say, but on the first night of the voyage, Xu Qing did not cultivate all night; his entire focus was placed outside the magic boat, and any slight disturbance made him extremely vigilant.

The danger level of the sea at night, according to the description in the Sea Records, was far more dangerous than during the day.

On the sea, anything was possible.

Although the Sea Records also mentioned that because the Forbidden Sea was vast, although it was full of crises, most of the time it depended on luck; some people were unlucky and were buried in the sea on the first day, while some were lucky and were safe and sound even after months at sea.

Xu Qing’s luck was not bad; on the first night, apart from the sound of the waves and the wailing of the sea breeze, nothing eerie happened outside.

Until the moment dawn was about to arrive, he closed his eyes slightly, preparing to ease his mind, but just at this moment, a sense of palpitation that had reached its limit, like a volcanic eruption, suddenly roared in his mind.

Xu Qing’s body suddenly tensed up, his eyes opened abruptly, and the magic boat’s protection was opened to the maximum degree in an instant.

Along with his eyes opening, the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale under the cabin also opened its eyes.

The Dragon Whale’s eyes were an extension of Xu Qing’s senses; the moment they opened, there was nothing in the pitch-black seabed, but faintly, there came bursts of sounds like teeth grinding.

Ka-ka, ka-ka!

As this sound echoed, the intense palpitation made Xu Qing’s breathing slightly rapid; just like when he heard the singing in the forbidden zone forest, a feeling of icy cold seemed to spread from the deep seabed to the surface of the sea.

This scene made Xu Qing’s expression freeze, his whole body tense, his cultivation base operating, and the magic boat was instantly prepared for a defensive posture.

Gradually, with a vigilant expression, Xu Qing used the Dragon Whale’s vision to see a huge humanoid creature far away in the depths of the pitch-black seabed.

This creature was covered in tentacles, and as they swayed constantly, on its shoulder, it also carried a thick iron chain; the chain extended to the distance, and one could vaguely see that at the end, it was surprisingly a bronze dragon chariot.

This dragon chariot was dilapidated, covered in copper rust, and full of the traces of time, but the tall carriage body, with exquisite and majestic carvings, caused an imperial aura to permeate from it.

At this moment, this giant was pulling the bronze dragon chariot, taking large strides on the seabed, walking away step by step; with every step that fell, the sea stirred up silt currents, pulling the waves to spread.

It seemed it was just passing through this sea area, and because the distance was too far, everything Xu Qing saw was very blurry, but the sense of palpitation and the sound of teeth grinding, even from such a distance, still clearly echoed in Xu Qing’s mind, making his whole body instinctively tremble, his pupils contract, and his alertness reach its peak.

Until this huge humanoid creature slowly moved away, the trembling sensation gradually weakened, and the palpitation also slowly disappeared.

"What is that." Xu Qing suddenly raised his head, his face pale, he took a deep breath, walked out of the cabin, and stood at the bow; in this dawn, he looked toward the sea.

In the Dragon Whale’s vision on the seabed, the huge figure on the seabed had already moved away, leaving only a blurry outline.

At this moment, the darkness before dawn was gradually receding between heaven and earth, and a glimmer of light slowly appeared between the sea and the sky.

It was like a lit torch, burning the pitch-black sea water, forming deep, gloomy clouds, burning more and more fiercely, constantly spreading.

Eventually, the entire sky was burned, a piece of red clouds.

This was the dawn of daybreak.

A-Qing has finally gone to sea~~

Begging all you great powers for protection~~~