Chapter 606

"The situation arose suddenly; there was no written document." Pan Yun told the two of them solemnly about Chen Han and Pu Min's condition, and relayed the decision made after Li Wenying and Chen Wen had discussed it.

Zhang Ning hesitated, but ultimately chose to trust Pan Yun—after all, emergencies demanded flexibility.

He immediately went to notify the others, but as he reached the door, he suddenly remembered and turned back to ask: "What about the galley?"

Pan Yun snapped: "What time is this to be worrying about the galley? Don't worry—you won't go hungry tonight, and tomorrow you'll get your share over there."

Deep into the night, they had long left the mainland behind; without lighthouses to guide them, they navigated solely by compass.

Pan Yun sat cross-legged in the cabin, propping her chin as she watched Hu Jing.

Hu Jing shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze: "Why are you staring at me? Coming to Quanzhou to join the anti-pirate mission was Wang Cong's idea."

Pan Yun glanced at Wang Cong.

Wang Cong immediately said: "Little Master, it was my idea. We agreed beforehand to meet in Quanzhou, after all, that…"

Afraid of walls having ears, Wang Cong's eyes nearly twitched from the strain—his meaning was obvious: he was here for the Japanese pirates' treasure.

Pan Yun said: "Then why didn't you come find us? If we hadn't run into you at sea, you two would've been alone on a ship—how dangerous."

Wang Cong: "There are many disciples from the Imperial Academy on this ship. I studied there once—I'm their senior. Master Li is even the senior of Third and Fourth Masters—they'll look after us."

Pan Yun tilted her chin toward Hu Jing: "What about him?"

Wang Cong's voice lowered slightly: "I told them he's my close friend. The junior disciples and fellow students all promised to watch over us."

Pan Yun: "Still, be careful. If his identity is exposed, it will greatly affect Mount Sanqing—and strain relations between Long Hushan and the Wu Lin Alliance. From now on, you two will stay with me."

Wang Cong immediately agreed. Hu Jing, well aware of Pan Yun's capabilities, nodded as well.

They thought "staying with her" meant everyone staying together—but in the late hours, the ship gave a slight stir.

Both instantly opened their eyes and stepped out of the cabin to see two ships had drawn close, their helmsmen maneuvering them to a steady distance of barely seven or eight meters apart.

Long planks extended from the other ship, and bold martial artists had already crossed swiftly through the sea wind.

Those fearful of the sea were each carried by Pan Yun's hand, swiftly stepping across the planks to the other vessel.

Wang Cong and Hu Jing stared in shock. When they saw Seeing Miao Zhen and others crossing the planks, they instinctively followed—only for Pan Yun to grab them by the arm: "You're not going."

Wang Cong: "... Little Master, why are they going over?"

Pan Yun: "For safety."

Wang Cong humbly asked: "Then what about us?"

"Your martial skills far surpass theirs. The Celestial Master's Mansion and the Wu Lin Alliance have more important tasks for you."

Hu Jing's face lit up immediately: "What task?"

Pan Yun greatly approved of his righteous heart: "You two will stay with me as bait to lure the sea bandits aboard. Don't worry—I'm here, you won't be harmed."

Hu Jing agreed at once.

Wang Cong stared at Pan Yun silently, with a mournful expression: "So 'staying with you' means this?"

Pan Yun asked him: "Don't you wish to live or die with me?"

Could Wang Cong say "no"? Naturally, he could not.

Besides the two of them, Ah Xin and two soldiers—Guo Dashan and Chang Wenzhuan—remained to handle the helm.

Oh, and one cat. Pan Yun pulled it out of the cabin and introduced it to Ah Xin and the others: "This is Pan Xiaohei. If an emergency arises, speak to it—it will lead you to me, carry your messages back, and in critical moments, it can save your lives."

Chang Wenzhuan and Guo Dashan stared blankly. Ah Xin nodded instantly, his expression one of absolute conviction.

He had witnessed the cat's supernatural nature.

The vast ship now held only six people and one cat. Pan Yun glanced at the other vessel and waved to Seeing Miao Zhen and the others.

Li Wenying had appeared behind Seeing Miao Zhen, locking eyes with Pan Yun across the water.

They exchanged a single nod. Li Wenying signaled his men: "Turn the helmsman."

Pan Yun ordered the wind lanterns raised.

These were lanterns provided by the Chen family; said to be hung at sea, their unusual design featured glass casings that blocked wind while allowing air to swirl through multiple bends inside, keeping the flame burning steadily.

The lanterns were small, their light faint—but in the darkness, they were enough for Li Wenying's ship to identify and follow at a safe distance.

By day, she replaced the lantern with a brightly colored flag.

Oh—it was the flag of Wu Dahai's pirate gang.

Pan Yun glanced at the flag, its red paint smeared like blood, crudely drawn with gaping holes and white bones, and recoiled in disgust—but still hung it up.

From afar, it looked exactly like a pirate vessel.

With fewer people aboard, the space grew roomier—and the galley felt spacious enough to prepare more food.

Pan Yun boiled a large pot of noodles, tossed in a generous handful of bean sprouts, and they ate them crisp and crunchy.

Ah Xin stared blankly at the bean sprouts in his bowl, puzzled: "These sprouts… today's the third day since we left—how are they this long already?"

Wang Cong ladled noodles for Chang Wenzhuan, thinking to himself: What third day? These beans were soaked yesterday. Last night, while we talked, they just grew upward—barely half a day passed.

Wang Cong glanced enviously at Pan Yun, thinking: Little Master really has too much Qi—wasting it on sprouting beans.

Wang Cong handed Chang Wenzhuan a large bowl of noodles and asked: "Want some Shan Zhu Yu sauce?"

Chang Wenzhuan, from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, blinked in confusion: "Shan Zhu Yu sauce?"

Wang Cong pointed to a jar of dark red-black paste on the table: "It's made from pork and Shan Zhu Yu berries, stir-fried with tons of ginger threads—perfect with noodles. Try it?"

Chang Wenzhuan quickly declined: "No, thank you."

Hu Jing, a northerner who favored bold flavors, scooped up his own bowl of noodles and said: "I'll take it!"

The Shan Zhu Yu sauce Wang Cong carried had already been finished by the two of them—this jar belonged to Pan Yun.

Hu Jing had watched her pull noodles earlier and suspected she ran the galley on this ship solely through her collection of seasonings.

Hu Jing scooped a large spoonful, had barely swallowed two mouthfuls, when Guo Dashan, manning the helm, shouted: "Island in sight! I see it!"

Pan Yun immediately dropped her bowl and ran out, seeing the island gradually emerging ahead.

"How long until we reach it?"

Guo Dashan looked up at the wind speed, estimated for a moment, then said: "At fastest, half an hour."

"Oh, then it's fine. Hold your course and go eat noodles—I'll keep watch here."

Wangyue Island grew ever closer; A Xin and the others tightened up, growing tense, and Pan Yun could not help but feel tense too.

She turned her head to look back the way they'd come—across the vast sea, not a single ship in sight, she had no idea where Li Wenying and the others had hidden.

She turned back to stare ahead at Wangyue Island, knowing they were in grave danger now.

A faint smile curled at her lips; she was excited.

Pan Xiaohei sensed her excitement and thought she was crazy.

【The more dangerous, the more excited—you're insane?】

Pan Yun: 【That's called adrenaline surge—do you understand science?】

Pan Xiaohei muttered under his breath, staying tightly by her side: 【This is the ocean, not land—you've got to protect me. If I fall in, I'm dead for sure.】