When the great waves had subsided and the dark sea surface returned to stillness, the fleet blocking the航道 had vanished entirely. Zhang Yuanqing looked out far and wide, focused his senses, and found no anomalies in his vision—no sense of eerie atmosphere either. Only then did he exhale, saying, "The crisis has been temporarily lifted." "Ahhh…" The group breathed out silently, their tense bodies relaxing. Even now, recalling the relentless barrage of cannon fire, they still felt shaken. Had it not been for Xiahou Aotian’s solid family background, their caravans and vessels would have been sunk during that wave of attacks—this was only the beginning, and they had already faced a major threat. Indeed, a true S-tier quest. "Monkey-mad, monkey-mad!" Red Chicken Brother couldn’t stop praising. Xiahou Aotian gave a light scoff, lifted his noble chin, and said, "In every story, the protagonist is always the one who saves the day and makes the decisive impact, while the supporting characters merely admire and follow. 'I, Xiahou Aotian, am born to be the protagonist—your steadfast anchor." Here, I'd like to specifically commend Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Though he've been largely inactive throughout, offering little direct assistance, the necklace he gifted me has successfully deflected several attacks, allowing me to assemble my counter-offensive cannon. Immediately thereafter, his gaze swept over Yin Ji and Xia Shu Zhi Lian, and with a raised brow, he smiled and said, "You two look quite attractive—make an effort to win my favor, and I'm sure you'll secure a place in my harem." Then, turning to Free Eagle, he remarked, "You're not up to par. Born in the Beautiful Federation, you simply aren't beautiful enough." Free Eagle's mouth twitched with effort, his fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly. Xia Shu Zhi Lian took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. Yin Ji, on the other hand, turned her head away, her gaze fixed on the tranquil, deep sea, as if afraid she might lose her composure. "It seems his condition has worsened," Red Chicken Brother evidently possesses a sharp mind—he's clearly noticed the shift and made a perceptive judgment that Xue Hou Ao Tian's mid-tier syndrome has intensified. Indeed, the condition has worsened—thanks to the lucky necklace and his over-the-top personality, he's now so awkward it feels like his soles have scraped out a seabed. Who in their right mind would open a harem in an S-tier dungeon? Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat and said, "Then, sir, please return the necklace to me." Xia Hou Ao Tian immediately furrowed his brow, displeased. "Master Yuan Shi, you show absolutely no awareness of being a supporting character. You should hand over the item to me and then pray for my protection so that you may join the main cast successfully. Fine—after all, it's you who missed the opportunity." He didn't cling to the item stubbornly; instead, he removed the lucky necklace and tossed it over. It was clear he still upheld a certain moral standard. Zhang Yuanqing took the necklace and closed his inventory. Without the lucky necklace, Xia Hou Ao Tian recalled the words just spoken, and his expression froze instantly. Even as a self-proclaimed passionate hero of a热血 manga, he found those remarks deeply embarrassing. Yet, without the lucky necklace, he found himself remembering something incredibly important… The cannon itself was not particularly valuable; what mattered was the energy package, a strategic-grade equipment pre-allocated by the Xiaohou family to its Masters-level members. At eight million each, the energy packages were too costly for the family to directly gift to its outstanding younger members, as the family’s finances could not bear such an expense—yet they could not afford to leave it unprovided. Thus, the family elders, who had grown indifferent, suddenly conceived a rather ill-conceived plan: they pre-allocated the energy packages to the younger generation. He'd have to liquidate several extraordinary artifacts, as well as real-world assets like real estate and stocks, to cover such a substantial cash outlay. Thus, Xiahou Aotian wanted to consult his teammates to see if they could jointly shoulder the cost. But just moments ago, he'd been full of grand promises about building an imperial harem and gathering loyal followers—now he was asking for an equal share, which felt rather embarrassing. In the end, money triumphed over face. Xiahou Aotian straightened his spine, cleared his throat, and said: "Um, I'd like to propose something to all of you. How about we split the cost of the energy packages? Once we leave the spiritual realm, each of you pays me eight million? I'll personally cover the full 32 million." He looked at them with hopeful eyes. Yet, they pretended to be enjoying the scenery, as if they hadn't heard a word. Free Eagle chuckled, "How terribly ordinary this protagonist is!" Xiaohou Aotian's handsome face turned crimson as he clenched his teeth and silently turned toward the stern of the boat, stepping aboard to take charge of the departure. The docked vessel resumed its movement. Due to the loss of many spiritual servants from Yin Ji, staffing was now insufficient. Zhang Yuanqing summoned the ghost bride and the young, lively attendant, assigning the two to serve as sailors. The young attendant, with sparse downy hair, blinked in innocent wonder, being gently carried by the ghost bride to step on the wheels. Everyone stood on the devastated deck, each gazing in a different direction, on guard for any movement on the sea. Now, the vessel had moved well away from the shore, and at a distance, the outline of the Yishan Island appeared faint and small. It would still take at least another hour to reach the island—soon, the next wave of danger would surely arrive. Zhang Yuanqing estimated the distance and formed a judgment in his mind. Though Xue Hou Ao Tian, with his financial backing, had shattered the fleet blocking the sea, Zhang Yuanqing didn't believe that fleet was the one the Mage King referred to as the main-thread ghost ship. It had been too straightforward. The previous team might not have possessed Xue Hou Ao Tian's cannons, yet they had been able to match the S-tier dungeon—surely each member was an elite, with the Mage King himself a prodigy, and with key assets from the Jianghu Branch and the Xie family. Defeating a fleet wasn't difficult. Therefore, the true ghost ship had not yet appeared. Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced, and he recalled the Vengeance Pillar. "Should I now draw out the Fúmó Chù and kneel before the Lady to request a final conclusion of this S-tier raid, or wait until a threat arises? I'll just keep waiting and see what comes next." Zhang Yuanqing spoke silently to himself. Summer Tree of the Lovers added, "The Executives are represented by Wind Mages. The Heavenly Judgment Organization began with two primary professions: Wind Mages and Thunder Mages. Wind Mages excel in speed and flight, and possess considerable offensive power; they formed the Executive Department, responsible for pursuing, arresting, and eliminating enemies. Thunder Mages are known for their strong, assertive nature and unwavering integrity, and thus established the Prosecutorial Department, tasked with addressing internal misconduct. Of course, their sense of integrity is relative—while this group is generally upright, do not imagine them as flawless, like the famous Qing Tian." "The Free Eagle hummed, 'In your land, there's an old saying: "When the forest grows large, every kind of bird will be found." Do you really think every member of the Five Elements Alliance adheres to discipline and integrity? Don't even count me—perhaps the Prime Heavenly Sovereign himself wouldn't agree, would he?' Zhang Yuanqing remained silent for a while, then offered a magical-eye-like smirk. 'You're absolutely right. Therefore, I shall cleanse the world!' The several sages beside him were momentarily startled by his expression. Zhang Yuanqing quickly chuckled, 'Just kidding—I'm merely imitating the Sovereign of the Magical Eyes.' Red Chicken Brother was genuinely taken aback. 'Though I've never met the Sovereign of the Magical Eyes, your smile just now was most peculiar.' The Free Eagle observed the Prime Heavenly Sovereign closely, frowning. 'Do you have some kind of mental illness? Your demeanor just now bears a striking resemblance to the obsessive-compulsive individuals I've encountered—something that wouldn't easily be faked by a normal person.' Red Chicken Brother, as usual, voiced his dissent. 'I think it's just the heat. I'll brew you a pot of soup later to cool you down.' The somewhat reserved Yin Ji turned to carefully observe Yuan Shi Tian Zun. By then, Zhang Yuanqing had already regained his cheerful, sociable demeanor, chuckling and saying, "Since I was diagnosed with mental illness, my mental health has improved a lot." The Free Eagle, still harboring lingering feelings about his love for Xia Shu, glanced at the Red Chicken brother and remarked, "This stalwart leader of the Deer-Horn Clan—under which elder's guidance does he serve? You don’t need to explain. In this world, ninety percent of independent practitioners who reach the Saint Realm have a strong backing behind them. As for grassroots independent organizations, small-scale ones may not count, but any that have grown in size and influence are invariably supported by major organizations or noble families from the Spiritual Realm." "It's the Deer-Horn Clan," the Red Chicken brother corrected, half-closing his eyes and smiling. "There are seven elders in the Bao Tang Province, only two of whom are fire specialists. Can you guess who they are?" At that moment, this fire specialist radiated both assertiveness and authority, truly revealing the presence of a true elder statesman. Are there any well-established civilian independent organizations that are backed by official institutions or noble families from the spiritual realms? This has always been something I hadn't considered before. The existence of Zhishā Palace has shaped my initial impression of civilian organizations, but in reality, there aren't many such organizations that possess genuine autonomy—like Zhishā Palace itself. Seeing the atmosphere had shifted, Zhang Yuanqing turned to Yin Ji, asking, "As the Executive Officer Yin Ji, do you know what specific items the Jianghu Branch and the Xie family have lost here? These aren't mentioned in the reward tasks?" This question indeed captured the attention of the Sages. Yin Ji didn't hesitate, speaking gently, "The Xie family's items were part of a rule-based artifact—the exact details are somewhat unclear to me. I only know that this rule-based artifact was the Xie family's ancestral treasure. It was lost here because the ancestor who entered the realm was the great-grandchild of the Xie family's elder patriarch, a remarkably talented individual with strong potential to become the next family head." "As for the props from the Jianghu division, it should be the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk—it also has another nickname: the 'Rough-and-Tumble Disk.' Part of the rule-based props?" The audience's eyes lit up. "A family treasure from a spiritual realm lineage, it's likely a master-tier rule-based prop. Even just a portion of it could make the present saints wealthy." "Why is it called the Rough-and-Tumble Disk?" asked Hong Ji. Yin Ji recalled: "The Yin-Yang Rotating Disk has one half white and one half black—white represents life, black represents death. If the pointer points to white, nothing happens. If it points to black, it consumes the vital energy of all living beings besides the owner. However, as long as one can answer its questions, they gain a chance to restart. These questions are quite unseemly, hence the nickname 'Rough-and-Tumble Disk.' As for the specific questions, I don't know them." After all, it was a prop from the Five Elements Alliance—she knew this much, which was already quite impressive. How incredibly unseemly is that... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt a strong curiosity. "This prop sounds rather informal," Red Chicken Brother remarked, to which the three ladies nodded in agreement. Silence fell. The elegant female instructor, Xia Shu Zhi Lian, glanced at Zhang Yuanqing's waistband several times, and with a touch of curiosity asked, "Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun, what's inside your waistband?" Don't mention my waistband... Zhang Yuanqing remained composed, asking, "Why do you ask?" Xia Shu Zhi Lian smiled gently, "It's nothing, just curious." At that moment, Yin Ji, who had been gazing toward the distance, turned her head and said softly, "Because Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun has been deliberately avoiding me, fearing I'd notice his waistband." With these words, everyone turned their attention to Zhang Yuanqing's waistband. Xia Shu Zhi Lian smiled, "I see—you've also noticed." As a seasoned steward, she would never willingly expose someone else's secrets—yet she had noticed that Yuanshǐ Tianzun consistently used his body to shield his satchel, as if afraid that Yin Ji would notice. In fact, his "nervous" gestures had already been observed by Yin Ji, who several times deliberately glanced at Yuanshǐ Tianzun's satchel. That's why Xia Shu-zhi had brought this matter to light, gently reminding Yuanshǐ Tianzun. How obvious is this, indeed? Zhang Yuanqing maintained a composed exterior, yet gritted his teeth internally—he was genuinely worried that Yin Ji would notice the King of Cats speaker inside the satchel. His concern was precisely what made him attentive. Just as he was at a loss for words, a soft voice from across the distance came from Yin Ji: "I don't care at all." With that, she turned her gaze back to the vast ocean. If you knew there were audio recordings of you calling the Magistrate "my good brother," you wouldn't have said that—Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself, simultaneously exhaling in relief. Yin Ji’s words were actually meant to comfort him. Indeed, she was a truly gentle and empathetic big sister—Zhang Yuanqing had met many women throughout his life, but few had ever made him feel at ease and relaxed like Yin Ji had. And this was even though she had deliberately maintained a distance from everyone else. Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense that the魔君 had grown deeply fond of her. After all, a once-temperamental, fallen soul who had endured countless ups and downs in life, suddenly encountering someone so warm, kind, and stunningly beautiful—would naturally find in her a haven of the heart, and fall in love with her, wouldn’t they? Alas, their love would be a destined fate of hardship. As for the matter of the cat king’s speaker now in my hands—if this were to become known, I’m certain I’d be pursued and hunted down by the magic king’s other longtime companions. That would surely be far more dangerous than being watched over by an evil organization. At that moment, a voice from the stern of the ship rang out—Xia Hou Ao Tian: “Something’s off, everyone. It seems we’ve been standing still all along.” The sages immediately stopped chatting, turning their heads toward the sea to find reference points and determine their position. Indeed, the distant Cliff Mountain Island remained small and the coastline still far away, though it had not vanished. Half an hour passed, and yet they seemed to remain motionless, as if frozen in place. Yunmeng nodded. Instantly, white feathers sprouted across her skin in large patches, bursting through her garments. Her arms expanded into broad wings, her neck lengthened into a slender column, her head shrank, and her lips extended into a sharp beak. Within just a few seconds, she transformed into a snowy crane standing 1.5 meters tall. The crane spoke in human voice: "I'm off!" It flapped its wings and took flight, heading toward the distant Cliff Island. Everyone watched it closely. As the crane flew a short distance, it suddenly turned around and flew back, then began circling above the vehicles and boats. "That's just the ghostly wall effect!" Red Chicken Brother pointed at the crane, now spinning foolishly, and looked at the two star officials. "No," said our protagonist, Xiahou Aotian, stepping forward on the creaking deck with steady strides and speaking solemnly. "This is an array!" From the moment we boarded the vessel, we've been caught within the array's influence—both beneath the sea, on the surface, and even in the sky. That's problematic. Free Eagle asked, "What should we do?" When no one responded, she took a deep breath, setting aside the reserve and pride of the Free Federation, and asked in Mandarin, "Then how do we penetrate the array and reach Yashan Island?" Xue Hou Ao Tian pointed to the dark sea and said, "We have to go underwater and break through the array!" Red Chicken Brother and Free Eagle both exclaimed, "Are you mad?" "Without entering the lion's den, how can one ever emerge as a lion? Without placing ourselves in a state of certain death, how can we possibly revive?" Xue Hou Ao Tian stood tall and declared, "This is precisely the standard trial for the protagonist." Red Chicken Brother expressed doubt, "I feel you're simply bearing the cost of eight million and giving up." Xue Hou Ao Tian's expression stiffened, and he snapped, "You crude fire master—stop mentioning eight million! How could the protagonist ever lose their resolve over such an amount?" To go underwater and break through the array? Zhang Yuan had a sudden flash of insight and realized what the魔君 meant by "defeating the ghost ship." Perhaps, the魔君 wasn't referring to the battle on the sea surface, but rather the one beneath the waves. The fierce struggle beneath the sea was actually the original core mission of "Yashan's Sea." Yin Ji gazed steadily into the deep sea for several seconds, then turned her gaze to Zhang Yuan, her eyes shining gently, and spoke softly: "Master Yuan Shi, what do you think?"