Chapter 110: The Princess and the Skiff

Along the shores of the Eastern Sea, the coastline, typically veiled in perpetual mist, presented an unusual spectacle today. The winds howled fiercely, the waves crashed violently, and leaden-gray clouds pressed down so low they seemed poised to collapse, threatening to engulf the entire world below.

In the air, the salty tang of the sea breeze intertwined with a chilling sword intent, stinging all who felt it on their faces.

A colossal ancient warship, crafted entirely from ‘Azure Nether Ironwood,’ lay silently docked in a secluded port, forbidden to mortals. Its hull was long and sleek, its lines sharp and aggressive.

Intricate wave-breaking runes, etched in ancient seal script, adorned its sides, while its prow bore the lifelike sculpture of a saber-toothed white tiger, its eyes wide and piercing, exuding an inherent might without a hint of rage.

This was the Wave-Breaking Skiff, one of Qingyun Sect’s most treasured possessions, a third-tier magic tool warship that had remained unused for a millennium.

Upon the skiff’s deck, the most elite inner disciples of Qingyun Sect stood in formation. Each wore snow-patterned robes and gripped their sword hilts, their expressions solemn.

They formed silent sword arrays, their formidable sword intent surging heavenward, stirring the dark clouds above into a colossal vortex.

Standing before them all, beside the white tiger sculpture at the prow, was Gu Chang’an.

She remained clad in her immaculate white sword robe, her raven hair tied high without a single strand out of place. The sea wind whipped at her robes, yet it could not sway her in the slightest.

Her gaze, colder than the churning waters of the Eastern Sea beneath her feet, stretched toward the direction of the legendary Penglai Immortal Palace, shrouded in endless mist.

Behind her, the chief disciple, Liu Qingfeng, swiftly approached and reported in a low voice, “Senior Sister, all supplies and personnel are in position. By the Sect Master’s decree, we may set sail immediately.”

Xuanweizi had not come.

When Gu Chang’an had departed on the Wave-Breaking Skiff, the Sect Master had remained silent for a long time. Eventually, he had waved his sleeve, sending forth a golden talisman order, and simply said, “Go. Bring more people. Shen Zhaoqing is, after all, a disciple of our Qingyun Sect. We have wronged her.”

Gu Chang’an nodded slightly, her voice as clear and cold as ice. “Issue the order, set…”

Before the word “sail” could fully leave her lips, an incredibly arrogant voice erupted from the distant horizon without warning.

“Hey, I say, how could you sneak off and set sail without me for such a big event? Are you afraid I’ll snatch the credit for rescuing little Zhaoqing?”

That voice!

The faces of all the Qingyun Sect disciples on deck changed in unison, their hands instantly tightening on their sword hilts, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Gu Chang’an spun around sharply.

Across the distant sea, a golden-red streak of light surged forward with incredible speed, parting the turbulent waters like Moses dividing the sea, creating a straight path.

In the blink of an eye, the streak of light was upon them.

Only then did the crowd realize it wasn’t merely a streak of light; it was a ferocious sea beast, its body the size of a small mountain, covered in golden scales, and sporting a single horn on its head.

Perched atop the sea beast’s head, Yuange stood with a beaming smile, adorned in a red and gold feather robe and a crimson feather cloak. Her dark hair danced wildly in the wind, and her amber-gold eyes sparkled with cunning.

Behind Yuange, a formidable contingent of demon warriors followed. They rode ‘Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beasts,’ creatures resembling sea lions but with eyes that shimmered with peculiar golden light.

Each warrior wore an arrogant expression, their gazes at the Qingyun Sect disciples akin to looking at a group of landlubbers who had never seen the world.

“Demonic fiend! How dare you trespass into my Qingyun Sect’s forbidden port!” a hot-blooded young inner disciple roared.

Yuange didn’t even deign to glance at him. Instead, she fixed her intrigued gaze on Gu Chang’an, a corner of her lip curling into her characteristic small fangs. “Gu Chang’an, don’t look at me with such murderous intent. I’m not here to fight today.”

She patted the head of the colossal beast beneath her feet and declared in a clear voice, “I, Yuange, Princess of the Myriad Demon Kingdom, have been ordered by my father, the Demon Emperor, to assist our allies in conquering Penglai!”

“Allies?” Gu Chang’an’s voice was so cold it seemed to drop ice shards. “Since when did my Qingyun Sect become allies with your Myriad Demon Kingdom?”

“Oh, come on! We just fought side-by-side in the Northern Reaches, and you’ve already forgotten? Are you human cultivators really that forgetful?” Yuange feigned an exaggerated sigh, then her tone abruptly shifted, becoming aggressive. “Or are you suggesting that with this rickety boat and these disciples who have never even left the Eastern Sea, you can break into Penglai Immortal Island?”

‘And somehow shake off that lotus immortal official to bring someone out?’

She extended a slender finger, tapping the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast beneath her, her tone filled with blatant pride. “See this? The Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast, a specialty of my demon race.”

“The Eastern Sea’s mist has lingered for millennia, concealing countless natural illusion formations and spatial turbulences. Your spirit skiffs would get lost within three days. But my treasures are born with the ability to see through all illusions and reach the source directly. With them leading the way, we can save half the time.”

“And time…”

“For our Zhaoqing, time is what she lacks most right now, isn’t it?”

“Hypocrisy!” Gu Chang’an roared, a terrifying sword pressure, characteristic of a Void Return Realm Grand Perfection cultivator, erupted and bore down fiercely on Yuange.

The surface of the sea instantly froze under this immense sword pressure, the crackling sound of ice forming incessant!

However, Yuange merely chuckled softly. A faint golden-red demonic energy ignited around her, effortlessly deflecting the chilling sword pressure.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, losing your temper now?” Yuange pouted, her tone growing even more playful. “Gu Chang’an, get your facts straight. The person was taken from your Qingyun Sect’s territory by that woman named Bai Zhileng. As her Senior Sister, you couldn’t even protect your own junior sister, and now you have the nerve to try and assert your authority here?”

“You!” Gu Chang’an’s sword-like brows shot up.

“Me what? Am I wrong?” Yuange crossed her arms, chin raised, her imposing aura not diminishing in the slightest. “My person was snatched, so of course I’m going to personally snatch them back! If you think you can do it, then hurry up! If you dare to waste another moment, my little Zhaoqing might just be sliced up by those sanctimonious hypocrites!”

“You shut up!”

“I won’t! Gu Chang’an, I’m telling you, today, on this ship, I’m going with you! Either we fight right now, and whoever wins calls the shots, or you obediently let me on board. Our goal is the same—let’s rescue her first.”

Yuange’s gaze swept over the tense Qingyun Sect disciples on deck, then returned to Gu Chang’an’s frozen face.

The Qingyun Sect disciples exchanged glances.

Gu Chang’an’s chest rose and fell dramatically, the knuckles of her hand gripping her sword sheath already white from the force.

Reason told her that Yuange was right.

The dangers of the Eastern Sea far surpassed any inland waters, and Penglai Immortal Palace was even more mysterious, guarded by powerful natural arrays, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. With the assistance of the demon race’s Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beasts, the chances of success would indeed greatly increase.

But…

This demoness had harbored ill intentions towards Zhaoqing since the Northern Reaches, and now she repeatedly referred to her as “my Zhaoqing” and “my person.”

Outrageous!

Liu Qingfeng, who had been standing by, finally couldn’t hold back. Braving the situation, he took a step forward and transmitted a secret message, “Senior Sister, think thrice. The demon race cannot be trusted, but what this woman says is not false. The Eastern Sea route is extremely perilous, and none of us are familiar with it.

If they guide us, it can indeed… buy Junior Sister Shen more time.” He dared not meet Gu Chang’an’s eyes, speaking quickly with his head bowed. “Sect records indicate that even True Monarch Xuanming was trapped in Penglai’s Heaven-Sealing Mist Array for seven days. The Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beasts are naturally endowed with illusion-shattering divine abilities. Perhaps they truly can counteract this array.”

Gu Chang’an closed her eyes.

The sea breeze caressed her cold cheeks.

‘Ultimately, it was my incompetence.’

After a long moment, Gu Chang’an slowly opened her eyes.

She looked at Yuange, her voice devoid of emotion: “You may board the ship.”

Yuange raised an eyebrow triumphantly.

“However,” Gu Chang’an’s tone suddenly sharpened, “you and your people can only stay on the aft deck. You are not permitted to step into the front cabin without my permission. Also, mind your tongue.”

“Deal.” Yuange agreed without hesitation.

She didn’t care where she stayed, as long as she could go along. As for anything else? Hmph, that depended on this princess’s mood.

She waved a hand at the demon warriors behind her. “Lads, get on board. Remember, we are guests. Don’t snatch territory from the hosts. The aft deck is more than enough for us to frolic.”

“Yes, Princess!” The demon warriors responded in unison.

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