Chapter 83: A Hundred Sounds Become Yin

Xu Qing had done paid favors many times in the scavenger camp. Although the price he asked for this time was exorbitant, he did not think he was in the wrong. Helping was not a responsibility, so it was only natural to charge for it; if the attitude was poor, raising the price was also reasonable.

The moment he spoke, Senior Sister Ding seemed lost in thought, while Zhao Zhongheng’s expression turned gloomy; he wanted to say something, but did not open his mouth.

If this had been before, he certainly would have mocked him, but now he hesitated.

Xu Qing swept his gaze over these people, and seeing they had no intention of paying, he said nothing more and began to maneuver his magic boat to leave. At this moment, Senior Sister Ding, looking at Xu Qing’s profile, suddenly spoke.

"No problem!"

As she spoke, she waved her hand to take out her own magic boat, which landed on the surface of the sea. She leaped onto the boat and steered it to approach Xu Qing.

Zhao Zhongheng was stunned and suddenly became anxious.

"Senior Sister, you..."

Senior Sister Ding did not turn her head and did not even look at Zhao Zhongheng. Her magic boat was like a willow leaf; while very elegant, it was also full of agility. As it approached, the surrounding vines immediately coiled over, and a crisis was imminent.

Xu Qing waved his hand, and a black elixir instantly landed in front of Senior Sister Ding’s magic boat. As it fell, the vines immediately recoiled, allowing her boat to pass through smoothly. After she reached Xu Qing, she quickly put away her boat and leaped onto Xu Qing’s vessel.

Because of the defensive barrier, she stood on it somewhat unsteadily.

Xu Qing frowned and looked at Senior Sister Ding.

"Thank you, Junior Brother, for helping me. My name is Ding Xue. I should be older than you, so you can call me Senior Sister. My magic boat is not suited for navigating this area. I will give you another twenty spirit stones; is it alright if I stay here temporarily within this region?"

Senior Sister Ding had vaguely grasped Xu Qing’s habits. She gave a sweet smile and took out a forty-spirit-stone spirit voucher from the Seventh Peak, gesturing to Xu Qing from outside the barrier.

Xu Qing glanced at the spirit voucher, observed this Senior Sister Ding’s cultivation base, and swept his gaze over her neck before opening a gap in the barrier to let Senior Sister Ding land on the deck. He then raised his hand to grab the voucher from the air to inspect it.

Confirming it was real, he said no more, carefully placed the voucher into his pocket, and began to maneuver the magic boat. He was not afraid of the other party having ill intentions while on his boat; the moment she arrived, she had already been exposed to his poison.

It was just that this type of poison required him to mix it with another to trigger an outbreak.

At this moment, in the sunset, Xu Qing’s figure inside the magic boat was tall and straight, incomparably handsome. Beside him, Senior Sister Ding had a graceful figure and a charming smile, her hair dancing in the sea breeze, her brows carrying a moving charm. This demeanor was something that had been absent when she was with Zhao Zhongheng.

The arrival of the sea breeze also carried Senior Sister Ding’s soft voice from the vessel.

"Little Junior Brother, what should I call you?"

"Little Junior Brother, this magic boat of yours is very special; I have never seen one like it."

"Little Junior Brother, which department are you from?"

Seeing this scene, Zhao Zhongheng became anxious. The Senior Sister he had worked so hard to invite out had boarded someone else’s boat, which made him feel incomparably annoyed. He gritted his teeth fiercely and took out a red talisman paper.

This was clearly a talisman treasure.

Looking at Xu Qing and Senior Sister Ding, who were about to leave, Zhao Zhongheng endured the heartache and slammed the talisman treasure into the sea surface. The talisman treasure immediately burned, forming a heaven-shaking blast of air that spread in all directions.

The vines around the Phoenix Bird were instantly enveloped; most were torn to pieces in an instant, and the rest retracted rapidly.

Taking advantage of this retraction, Zhao Zhongheng shouted loudly.

"Senior Sister, wait for me!"

As he spoke, he maneuvered the Phoenix Bird with all his might, sparing no consumption to make its speed explode, and charged straight out. Behind him, his cronies all hurriedly shouted for help.

"You all wait here. I have already told my grandfather; the sect will come to save you soon." Zhao Zhongheng had no time to pay attention to them and sped forward.

But there were too many vines in this area, and soon his boat was entangled again. In his anxiety, Zhao Zhongheng gritted his teeth against the pain and continued to use the talisman treasure to blast them.

Just like that, blasting and chasing all the way, he gradually broke through the vines and closed the distance with Xu Qing.

The roaring behind them finally drew Senior Sister Ding’s attention away from Xu Qing. She frowned and looked back, seeing the Phoenix Bird and Zhao Zhongheng at a glance.

Watching the other party’s bombardment with the talisman treasure, Senior Sister Ding widened her almond eyes and sneered.

"Zhao Zhongheng, I originally did not intend for you to follow. It was you who insisted on taking me to the Xishan Archipelago. I said not to take this route, yet you insisted on being stubborn. Being trapped here is one thing; although I am anxious to reach my destination, I can understand your helplessness. But you actually had a way to escape and didn't use it before!"

Zhao Zhongheng felt bitter. The posture he had when they first set out to sea was long gone, and he hurriedly explained.

"Senior Sister, you misunderstood me. This... this was for me to save my life, given by my grandfather. There aren't many uses left..."

Senior Sister Ding snorted coldly and turned her head, ignoring him.

Zhao Zhongheng felt even more anxious. He dared not blame Senior Sister Ding, so he looked at Xu Qing’s magic boat, finding it more and more displeasing the longer he looked.

But the other party was clearly very strong, so he had to suppress his anger and used the talisman treasure a few more times. Until the talisman treasure collapsed and dissipated, he finally broke free and caught up to Xu Qing’s magic boat.

"Senior Sister, come back. I know I was wrong..."

Senior Sister Ding seemed not to hear him. She looked at Xu Qing’s profile with a sweet smile and said softly.

"Little Junior Brother, are you hungry? I have some snacks here." As she spoke, Senior Sister Ding took a small box out of her storage bag.

Xu Qing was expressionless. He shook his head and looked at Senior Sister Ding.

"Senior Sister Ding, we have left the vine area. Please disembark."

Hearing Xu Qing’s words, Zhao Zhongheng was suddenly invigorated, thinking to himself that this kid was at least sensible, so he looked at Senior Sister Ding with anticipation.

"Little Junior Brother, what direction are you heading? Perhaps we are going the same way." Senior Sister Ding said with a sweet smile.

Zhao Zhongheng’s expression turned ugly in an instant.

Xu Qing frowned slightly.

Seeing Xu Qing frown, Senior Sister Ding’s bright eyes flickered. After thinking for a moment, she tried to speak.

"Little Junior Brother, the place I am going to is the Xishan Archipelago, which is only a five-day sea journey from here. If you are not going that way, I will leave now. If you are, I am willing to pay another two hundred spirit stones as travel fare. What do you think, Junior Brother?"

As Senior Sister Ding spoke, she took out two spirit vouchers, her beautiful eyes gazing at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing looked at the spirit vouchers, feeling extremely tempted.

He had not expected that after setting out to sea, there would be a day when earning spirit stones would be so easy.

The Sea Lizard Island he was going to was located deep within the Xishan Archipelago, so naturally, it was on the way. If the other party wanted a free ride, he would definitely not agree, but if she gave two hundred spirit stones...

After thinking it over, Xu Qing felt it was very reasonable.

Two hundred spirit stones seemed astonishing, but since she had boarded his boat, according to the sect’s traditions, he had a responsibility to protect her, which could be considered taking on a temporary mission.

And the sea was so dangerous, and the mission was somewhat urgent, so it was normal to give more spirit stones. Thinking of this, Xu Qing nodded.

Senior Sister Ding’s smile became even sweeter as she placed the spirit vouchers in Xu Qing’s hand. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhongheng on the Phoenix Bird had his expression change from ugly to miserable. When he looked at Xu Qing, even though he knew the other party was extraordinary, he could not control the fire in his eyes.

Xu Qing ignored Zhao Zhongheng’s gaze and maneuvered the magic boat to speed forward.

Along the way, he was in a good mood. Thinking that he could earn two hundred spirit stones just by being on the way made Xu Qing feel it was very worthwhile. The only thing that made him feel somewhat uncomfortable was that Senior Sister Ding talked a lot, asking this and that, as if she had endless questions, most of which were related to him.

There was also her gaze, which was always fixed on his face. This annoyed Xu Qing, and he mostly faced her with silence.

Yet the more silent he was, the more enthusiastic Senior Sister Ding became, which made Xu Qing speed up his magic boat, wanting to finish this journey as soon as possible.

As for Zhao Zhongheng, his state of mind had already exploded along the way. The fire in his eyes merged with the fire in his heart, seemingly turning into substance. Especially when he thought about how he had tried everything, even having his grandfather come forward to communicate with the other party’s elders, just to win this opportunity for solitude and performance, he never expected... to be hijacked by a disciple from the mountain base.

This made him feel frantic, his whole body trembling, and the countless grievances in his chest felt as if they could explode at any moment.

"That stinky woman, she wouldn't come even when I didn't charge for my boat, but she insists on spending money to get on that pretty boy’s boat. This is clearly because she has taken a fancy to him. Is she blind? Am I, Zhao Zhongheng, not countless times better than that kid!"

"In terms of spirit stones, I have countless assets; in terms of status, I am a core disciple; in terms of background, my grandfather is an Elder of the Seventh Peak. How can this kid compare to me? He isn't even worth a single hair on my body!"

”

"What does he have? Besides having a Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale, he is useless in every other way. A poor wretch from the mountain base—isn't he just good-looking? Can being good-looking be eaten as a meal?"

”

Amidst the waves of Zhao Zhongheng’s intense jealousy, the sun set and the twilight faded.

The evening sea was even more mysterious in its depth. In the distant sky, the red sunset glow was still burning, reflecting on the undulating waves, rendering them as if fire were spreading, flickering and rolling, one wave higher than the next.

Until the fire in the firmament slowly extinguished, the flames of the sea also gradually dimmed, and the world turned pitch black.

Looking from afar, the dim sea surface had layers of ripples, and the sea breeze had also lessened, as if the whole world were gradually calming down at this moment.

One could not sail at night, as the danger was much greater than during the day, so Xu Qing chose to anchor. Senior Sister Ding sat beside Xu Qing, took out food from her body, and handed it to Xu Qing with a smile that remained sweet.

Xu Qing did not eat it. After thanking her, he returned to the cabin and opened the inner defensive barrier to go into seclusion.

"Is Little Junior Brother going to cultivate? I will guard you." Senior Sister Ding did not mind Xu Qing’s coldness at all. After saying this with a smile, she actually sat cross-legged outside the cabin.

This scene made Zhao Zhongheng on the Phoenix Bird go crazy again, but looking at Senior Sister Ding’s beautiful face, he endured it and spoke in a low voice from the Phoenix Bird.

"Senior Sister, I have some sea fish here, we..."

"Not interested." Senior Sister Ding said indifferently.

"Senior Sister, I..."

"No need."

"I..."

"Please be quiet and don't disturb Little Junior Brother’s cultivation." Senior Sister Ding looked up and glanced at Zhao Zhongheng impatiently.

Zhao Zhongheng’s face turned black. He gritted his teeth and stared fixedly at the cabin where Xu Qing was cultivating, his heart frantic to the extreme, but helpless, he could only sit in meditation out of spite.

Just like that, time passed slowly, and soon it was late at night.

As the three of them meditated, in the deep, dark seawater under the night sky, an abnormal change began to rise quietly, unnoticed by anyone.

One could see that in the middle of the sea, dots of starlight gathered, gradually becoming strands of ghostly shadows that slowly drifted up from the sea surface... These shadows were like a mysterious and profound dream woven by the black Forbidden Sea for those traveling.

However, as the shadows constantly changed into various ferocious shapes in the sky, turning into the forms of evil ghosts—there were those who drowned, and those who rotted—in the next instant, they changed from their original stillness to shrillness. Bursts of sharp sounds that shook the soul broke through the air and spread in all directions.

This sound was exceptionally tragic, making one’s scalp tingle.

Instantly, this dream... became a nightmare!

The three of them opened their eyes instantly. Zhao Zhongheng’s pupils contracted, Senior Sister Ding’s expression was solemn, and her right hand was on her storage bag.

Xu Qing walked out of the cabin, his gaze fixed.

Looking out, the entire sea, at the moment the night fell, saw countless evil ghosts rising into the sky, as if they had received a summons, flying crazily toward the end of the pitch-black firmament.

In groups, in swarms.

Eerie, bizarre.

This was... the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade.

Xu Qing raised his head, gazing at all of this, watching those evil ghosts rising into the sky amidst the shrill, tragic sounds. In his mind, the description of the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade from the Sea Records surfaced.

"The Forbidden Sea has strange music, which mortals may not hear. Serving the Red Sun Golden Crow as a companion, a hundred sounds become a melody, called the Heavenly Sound to welcome the moon."

"The gods delight in it, eyes closed in longing; the Forbidden Sea becomes a restriction, and the hundred sounds become Yin."

"Should disciples of our sect encounter it, do not move, do not touch, do not disturb..."

The words in the Sea Records describe a story.

The story informs all disciples of Seven Blood Eyes who go out to sea that this ocean surrounding Nanhuangzhou was originally named the Endless Sea.

In years past, before the arrival of the god's remnant face in the firmament, strange music would occasionally echo across this Endless Sea; this music was extraordinary, and ordinary people could not hear it even if they went out to sea.

Only cultivators could hear a note or two while at sea, amidst the drifting music.

As for the origin of this music, the story also provides an introduction.

The sun in the sky is not a star, but a giant divine bird, the Jin Wu, named Chiyang; it flies out from its sleeping palace located in the depths of the Endless Sea every morning and returns at night, repeating the cycle as if carrying out a mission, never once stopping.

And every time it returns to the sleeping palace at night, musicians within the palace play music for it; this music contains hundreds of notes, forming a dreamlike quality, and as for the name of the music, it is called Heavenly Sounds Welcoming the Moon.

Every time the music sounds, the bright moon rises into the sky to replace Chiyang in patrolling the heavens and earth.

Until one day, the god's remnant face arrived; floating outside the world's firmament, she heard this music and was very pleased, so she squinted her eyes and looked over.

The moment her gaze fell, the Endless Sea boiled, and an unimaginably dense eruption of strange substances occurred, turning the Endless Sea into a forbidden sea permeated with thick strange substances.

The hundreds of notes that formed the music were also invaded at this instant; the sounds became yin, like death, and transformed into ghosts.

Thus, the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade came to be.

Seeing that some handsome guys are guessing Er Gen's age, fine, fine, I confess, I admit it, I am not in my twenties, I am already thirty...