Douro Continent

Chapter 566 Sea

The auctioneer's words caught Tang San's attention. At that moment, a hostess from the auction house brought out a brocade tray covered with a red cloth on the auction stage, on which was a rather strange-looking item.

This object is spindle-shaped, with a dragon-head-like front end and a fish-tail-like upright tail. It has four fin-like wings on each side. It is milky white all over, as if it were carved from jade. It is about one foot long from head to tail. Even though the Shrek Seven Devils were sitting in the last position, they could still feel the energy fluctuations emanating from this object.

The auctioneer loudly proclaimed, "This soul tool is the Dragon Abyss Boat. There's only one of its kind; it's an ancient artifact. Its effects are extremely unique, requiring a soul master to activate it with soul power to reveal its true form. In its original form, it's approximately twelve meters long and two meters in diameter at its widest point, capable of accommodating twelve to fifteen passengers. It can navigate the ocean, both on the surface and underwater. It's said to be able to dive to depths of up to three hundred meters. With it, one need not fear any storms on the high seas. If the waves are too high, one can immediately dive into the deep water. It's truly a uniquely valuable life-saving vessel. It's perfectly suited for sightseeing or for rescue purposes. When it transforms into its true form, it's completely transparent, allowing one to see everything in the ocean from any angle. It's incredibly miraculous. Furthermore, it can withstand soul skill attacks from hundred-year-old soul beasts. Since terrifying sea soul beasts often roam the deep sea, we advise the winner not to use it to venture into the deep sea to avoid danger."

After listening to the auctioneer's introduction, Tang San couldn't help but feel a surge of goodwill towards this auction house. Generally speaking, auction houses, in order to fetch a good price for their items, will praise the advantages of the items as much as possible, while only briefly mentioning the disadvantages. However, this auctioneer explained the advantages and disadvantages of the Dragon Abyss Boat very clearly. This ability to do so was enough to prove that this auction house could be trusted.

"The starting price is 10,000 gold soul coins. Distinguished guests, you may now place your bids." The auctioneer announced the price.

Ten thousand gold soul coins is a considerable sum, but it's still far from enough compared to the value of this Dragon Abyss Boat. The Dragon Abyss Boat can dive to a depth of three hundred meters, demonstrating the superior quality of its materials; it's definitely a rare and invaluable soul tool.

However, after the auctioneer announced the reserve price, no one bid, and the scene suddenly became deserted.

No one bid, not because the Dragon Abyss Boat was bad, but because its function was rather impractical. Ordinary boats were perfectly capable of navigating shallow waters. A decent pleasure boat only cost one hundred gold soul coins. The Dragon Abyss Boat's only added function was diving, yet it cost a hundred times more. Even nobles wouldn't be so extravagant as to buy it. The reason was simply that the open sea was too dangerous. Even in shallow waters, thousand-year-old soul beasts could appear. The Dragon Abyss Boat's defensive capabilities were far from reassuring.

A hint of disappointment flickered in the auctioneer's eyes. In fact, this wasn't the first time the Dragon Abyss Boat had been auctioned; it had failed to sell several times before, each time ending in a lackluster auction. However, for the sake of the auction house's reputation, they dared not exaggerate the Dragon Abyss Boat's defensive capabilities. After all, only Soul Masters could wield such a weapon. In today's world, who dared offend a Soul Master?

Actually, another reason why the Dragon Abyss Boat couldn't be sold was due to the location of Han Hai City. The vast majority of Soul Masters living there were Sea Soul Masters, possessing the ability to stir up storms and swim freely in the sea. Given this, what use would they have for the Dragon Abyss Boat?

"Any VIPs have placed a bid?" the auctioneer asked habitually. He sighed inwardly; it seemed another day would end with no bids.

"Ten thousand gold soul coins." A clear voice came from the back row. It immediately attracted everyone's attention, but unfortunately the auction house was dark, and all they could see was the raised glowing auction paddle.

The auctioneer's eyes lit up. "Alright, Mr. Number 366 bids 10,000 Gold Soul Coins. Any further bids? 10,000 Gold Soul Coins, first bid, second bid, third bid, sold!" His voice betrayed his barely concealed excitement and eagerness, as if he feared the bidder might back out, and he quickly completed the transaction.

The auction continued, with item after item being presented in an orderly fashion. The one who had previously won the Dragon Abyss Boat was none other than Tang San.

Yes, the Dragon Abyss Boat was a useless piece of junk, but it was extremely useful to them. First, it was easy to carry; second, even if the Dragon Abyss Boat's defenses were weak, they were inside. With everyone's soul power, the Dragon Abyss Boat's power would be amplified during its journey. Plus, Tang San had some other ideas, so he decided to buy it. Tang San trusted his judgment; this Dragon Abyss Boat was definitely worth the money.

After the auction ended, Ning Rongrong paid the money and retrieved their auction items. Due to Fatty's health condition, they didn't have time to see the night view of Hanhai City, and the group quickly returned to the hotel.

"Fatty, tell me. What were your feelings about facing those two Sea Soul Masters?" Dai Mubai asked curiously. Before resting, everyone decided to hear Fatty's experience first.

Ma Hongjun said, "They're very difficult to deal with! If it weren't for my ability to fly, and the fact that fire counters water, I probably would have lost today. Without these two abilities, even if there was only one opponent, I wouldn't be able to win. Those two sea spirit masters are very skilled at using their advantage in the water. They can easily manipulate water with their spirit skills to attack me. It looks no different from ordinary spirit skills. But in reality, with water as a medium, they can save a lot of spirit power. Of course, conversely, without water, their strength will be greatly reduced. Overall, if we encounter sea spirit masters in the ocean, it's best to avoid them as much as possible. We must never engage in underwater combat with them, as that would put us at a great disadvantage. We don't understand the properties of water at all."

Tang San nodded and said, "Fatty is right. Sea Soul Masters are probably more difficult to deal with than we imagined. Let me give you a simple example. Fighting a Sea Soul Master with a water-attribute martial soul in the water is like fighting Fatty in a volcano. The power of water can increase their strength exponentially. Take today's battle, for example. If the battlefield had been in the open sea, Fatty would almost certainly have lost. I'm certain that these Sea Soul Masters are most terrifying in the ocean. If Fatty continues to fight them the way he did today, trying to change the temperature of the ocean is just a joke. Therefore, we must be extremely careful on this voyage."

Everyone's expressions turned serious, and they all nodded.

Tang San said to Bai Chenxiang, "Xiangxiang, we're setting sail early tomorrow morning. I'll have to ask you to work hard then. It'll be a ten-day voyage, and I require you to maintain at least six hours of reconnaissance in the air every day to ensure our safety."

"Okay." Bai Chenxiang readily agreed. She would only feel excited if she could demonstrate her own value.

Tang San turned to Ning Rongrong, "Rongrong, in the ocean, our main fighting force is Fatty. His Phoenix Flame can effectively counter seawater. Therefore, if we encounter trouble, you should prioritize boosting Fatty to ensure his attack output."

Ning Rongrong said, "No problem."

Tang San then looked at Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai, "Boss, Zhuqing. When the battle takes place in the sea, we'll fight in groups of three. I'll use the Blue Silver Emperor to keep the three of us together. I'll explain our fighting style to you in detail later."

Tang San's gaze finally settled on Oscar and Ma Hongjun. He said, "On this voyage, our greatest reliance will be on the two of you. Fatty, you will be our main offensive force. In battle, you must conserve your soul power as much as possible and only strike when the opportunity arises."

"Little Ao, you need to be ready to produce at least eight flying mushroom sausages at any time. We won't drink water. With flying mushroom sausages, we can at least guarantee temporary flight."

"That's all I can think of. Does anyone have anything to add?" With their journey on the sea about to truly begin, Tang San had become noticeably more cautious. As the soul of the team, he had to think things through thoroughly.

Oscar said, "I'm fine on my end. I've prepared quite a few replica Mirror Sausages along the way. When combined with the Flying Mushroom Sausage, it will at least guarantee that we can fly in the air for a certain period of time. Moreover, with the flying abilities of Xiao San, Xiang Xiang, and Fatty, our continuous flight time will be even longer. However, there's one thing I think I need to mention: in the ocean, we can't fully unleash our strength. What if we encounter a sea spirit beast that's over ten thousand years old? I think that's a very real possibility for a ten-day sea voyage."

Tang San nodded and said, "I've thought about that. If it's just an ordinary ten-thousand-year-old soul beast, it won't pose too much of a threat to us. We have another way to save our lives. After we embark on our journey tomorrow, I'll first test the effect of the Vast Ocean Universe Cover on the sea. If it can still keep us invisible, then the Dragon Abyss Boat's effect can be maximized."

Hearing Tang San's words, everyone's eyes lit up. If they could use the Vast Ocean Universe Shield to help the Dragon Abyss Boat move stealthily, then encountering even a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast would be no problem, let alone a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast. These past few days, they had deeply experienced the benefits of the Vast Ocean Universe Shield. As long as they were within its protective barrier, they didn't need to worry about safety at all. Even if someone walked by, they wouldn't be able to detect their presence.

After use, the Vast Ocean Protective Shield creates a distorted space around it, causing any object or person enveloped within it to vanish as if into thin air. At least so far, the Seven Devils, through numerous experiments, have not found a way to locate the Vast Ocean Protective Shield. Whether a Soul Master stronger than them could do so remains uncertain.

Dai Mubai exclaimed, "Little San, you're so smart. I wonder why you bought this thing. If it's just for escaping, 10,000 gold soul coins is a bit too extravagant. Just as you said, if this Dragon Abyss Boat can work with the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, then even without renting a boat, we can easily reach Seagod Island."

Tang San said, "This is just my idea for now. We'll see if it works after we test it out on the open sea tomorrow. We still need to rent a boat. None of us are good swimmers, so a bigger boat will help us adapt more quickly. If no one else has any objections, everyone should get some rest. Fatty, especially you, you absolutely must recover your soul power tonight."

Ma Hongjun chuckled and said, "No problem."

Nothing more was said that night. The next morning, the Shrek Seven Devils, along with Bai Chenxiang, practically traversed the entire city, exiting from the west gate of Hanhai City. They descended the wide road specially carved out of the reefs outside the city and headed straight for the dock.

To get to the sea from Hanhai City Wharf, you have to take this road. So, although it is difficult to build a road on the reef, the Hanhai City authorities have spared no effort to keep the road in good condition.

The docks here are enormous, with at least twenty piers, each hundreds of meters long, extending into the sea and housing hundreds of ships. This place can be considered both the starting and ending point of maritime trade, and a huge source of revenue for the entire Hanhai City.

Although the sea is teeming with powerful spirit beasts, it also holds boundless wealth. Living off the sea has long been an unchanging truth in Hanhai City. Even though people perish at the hands of sea spirit beasts every year, this situation remains unchanged.

Located near the sea, the land is mostly saline-alkali soil, completely unsuitable for growing crops. Only the various marine creatures can bring benefits to Hanhai City. It is precisely because of the sea that the people here can exchange for various resources.

Soon, Tang San found the ship he and Xiao Ao had rented that day. It was a brand new ship, and it looked quite impressive. The entire hull was painted iron-colored. Only the deck was decorated with red and white paint. It was said that painting the hull iron-colored could minimize the chances of attacks from soul beasts.

The ship is fifty meters long and over twenty meters wide, which, while not large for a seagoing vessel, is still quite substantial. Upon closer inspection, one can see that beneath the iron-gray paint on the hull is a thick layer of iron armor protecting the ship.

Tang San and Oscar chose this ship because of its excellent defensive capabilities. Although chartering it cost a considerable amount of money, it was worth it if they could reach Seagod Island safely. As for the return journey, that would depend on their own abilities.

"Welcome to the Sea Demon." As the group boarded the ship from the deck, a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties came up and made a welcoming gesture while laughing heartily.

Tang San introduced to everyone, "This is Captain Haider of the Sea Demon."

Haider smiled graciously, "Welcome, beautiful ladies, and of course, handsome gentlemen. It seems this journey is going to be very interesting. I'm happy to serve you." As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd, but it didn't linger long on the four stunning women.

Upon seeing this, Tang San's pupils contracted slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Through Haider's introduction, everyone learned that the Sea Demon had a total of eight crew members: in addition to himself as the captain, there was a first mate and six crew members.

The Sea Demon has three decks: two on the upper deck and one below. As the ones paying, Tang San and his companions naturally lived on the upper two decks. The crew lived below.

The top deck offers a unique and panoramic view. There are six rooms on the deck itself, more than enough for eight people.

The rich scent of the sea assaulted their senses from the moment they boarded the ship. The sea breeze howled, bringing a chill to the late autumn air. Fortunately, none of them were ordinary people; their bodies were highly resilient, so the cold wind was nothing to them.

"Raise anchor, set sail!" With everyone present, Captain Haider gave the order, and the Sea Demon officially set sail.

Tang San specially copied a sea chart and gave it to him, instructing him to proceed according to the designated direction.

The weather was fine today, the sea was calm, and the Sea Demon was quite large. After weighing anchor, with the help of the sailors, it easily sailed away from the harbor and into the open sea. Once the Sea Demon was completely out of the harbor, Captain Haider gave the order, the mainsail was hoisted, the ship adjusted its course, and they sped towards their destination.

The scenery of the sea is irreplaceable by any other sight; without truly experiencing the ocean, one can never truly feel its grandeur. The sea stretches to the horizon, where the water meets the sky in the distance. At this moment, the sun is rising slowly from the east, illuminating the shimmering surface of the sea.

The Shrek Seven Devils, without exception, stood on the second deck of the Sea Demon, gazing at the captivating seascape. Even Xiao Wu, whose eyes had been vacant, stared blankly at the water. The sea breeze, though a bit chilly, seemed to open their hearts, filling them with an indescribable sense of exhilaration and excitement.

This feeling of excitement lasted until noon.

Lunch naturally featured seafood: a few simple fish boiled in plain water with some vegetables sourced from Han Hai City. While nothing particularly special, everyone ate with great relish. Captain Haider, in particular, added several large crabs for them. This delicacy, rarely found inland, delighted the Shrek Seven Devils.

However, by lunchtime, only Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Bai Chenxiang could maintain this mindset.

In the afternoon, the wind and waves gradually picked up, and the Sea Demon began to rock with the waves. At first, there was nothing wrong, but as time went on, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Oscar all began to experience seasickness.

Xiao Wu was fine; Tang San simply put her into his Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical pouch). But Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Oscar started vomiting violently, causing the sailors on the ship to burst into laughter. Haider told them that they would get used to it after a few times.

Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun were also feeling unwell, but their physical condition was the best among the Seven Devils, so they could barely endure it. As for Bai Chenxiang, as soon as she felt unwell, she flew into the air, both to scout ahead and to avoid the seasickness.

A day passed quickly, and all around them was the endless sea, with no trace of land in sight. At the beginning of their journey at sea, everyone felt much more comfortable than on land. But by the end of the day, they were all pale.

Occasionally, when the sea was calm, Tang San would release Xiao Wu from his Ruyi Hundred Treasures Pouch to let her breathe some fresh air. But how long could the calm last on the open sea? However, Xiao Wu adapted better than he had imagined. After experiencing seasickness a few times, her symptoms disappeared even faster than Zhu Zhuqing's and the others'.

Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong didn't dare to cultivate or even eat anything during the day and night. They vomited repeatedly, making them look pale and as if they might collapse at any moment.

However, they were all Soul Masters above level 60, and their bodies had undergone multiple modifications, making them extremely adaptable. They were gradually able to adapt to the rough seas.

By noon the next day, the sea had finally calmed down again. The cabin was warm under the direct sunlight, and the seasick crew managed to drink some fish soup before resting. As they adjusted to the sea voyage, their bodies began to recover.

Tang San stood on the deck, gazing into the distance. At sea, one could only determine direction by the sun. He roughly calculated that the Sea Demon's course was correct; it was approaching Seagod Island.

Haider approached Tang San respectfully and said, "Respected Soul Master, based on our current journey, we should reach our destination in about eight days. However, after about half a day's travel, we will enter an area where soul beasts are active. We will need your help then."

Since seeing Bai Chenxiang flying at high speed through the air, the captain has become much more respectful to everyone.

Tang San calmly asked, "Captain Haider, you often go on long voyages, right? Generally speaking, how do you deal with powerful spirit beasts?"

Haider smiled slightly and said, "Generally speaking, soul beasts rarely attack ships. Only a few extremely irritable soul beasts have a history of actively attacking ships. So, as long as we don't provoke the sea soul beasts, we'll mostly be fine. If we really encounter those particularly powerful and short-tempered soul beasts, we can only consider ourselves unlucky. After all, no matter how sturdy a ship is, it can't withstand those terrifying creatures. Every year, many people die at sea. It's like a sacrifice for these sea soul beasts. But you can rest assured, our ships are coated with a special medicine to repel soul beasts. Soul beasts hate this smell and generally won't come near. Captains of ships that dare to sail the ocean have a nautical chart in their minds. With this chart, we can usually guarantee the safety of our passengers."

"Oh? What kind of nautical chart is it?" Tang San asked curiously.

Haider said, "A map showing the distribution of powerful sea spirit beasts. Sea spirit beasts are similar to land spirit beasts in some ways. They also have their own territories, and their territorial concept is even stronger than that of land spirit beasts. So, as long as we don't enter the territories of those particularly powerful sea spirit beasts, we won't anger them and cause trouble." As he said this, a hint of pride appeared on his face.

Tang San glanced at him thoughtfully and said, "It seems the captain is quite knowledgeable about soul beasts."

Haider's expression changed slightly, and he said, "To make a living at sea, you need to know as much as possible. That way, you can live longer. Don't you think so?"

Tang San smiled but said nothing more, turning his gaze back to the sea.

Time flies at sea, and soon night falls. It's a beautiful night; the stars and moon are clearly visible. The sight of the moon rising over the sea is truly captivating.

Thanks to the good weather today, the seasick people had mostly recovered. They weren't in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery and went to bed early.

Tang San held Xiao Wu as they lay half-reclined on the bed in their cabin. The cabin wasn't large, and besides the bed, there wasn't much space to move around. Through the window, they could see the bright moonlight.

Although the sea breeze was not strong, the temperature at sea was still very low late at night, and a chill seeped in through the cracks in the door, making the cabin not very warm.

Tang San folded the thick mattress into two layers and laid them on the inside of the bed so that Xiao Wu could feel softer and more comfortable lying on it. He then covered Xiao Wu with the entire quilt. He himself lay on the outside, fully clothed, to shield Xiao Wu from the cold.

Although the conditions were somewhat harsh, Tang San enjoyed the feeling. Being able to shelter his beloved from the wind and rain was a kind of happiness for him.

Xiao Wu leaned on Tang San's shoulder, fast asleep. One small hand rested on Tang San's chest, her long eyelashes draped over her eyelids, occasionally fluttering slightly. Looking at the moonlight outside, and then at the person in his arms who was more beautiful than the moonlight, Tang San couldn't help but be captivated.

Just as Tang San was drifting off to sleep, his consciousness hazy, he suddenly felt a slight movement in his spiritual energy. When he opened his eyes alertly, he saw a wisp of red light slip out of his body and quietly merge into Xiao Wu's body. And Xiao Wu, who was in a deep sleep, opened her eyes.

Their eyes met, and Xiao Wu's beautiful eyes regained their sparkle as she gazed at Tang San, though her eyes were filled with resentment.

Before Tang San could speak, she blurted out, "Brother, how can you be so careless with yourself?"

"I..." Looking into Xiao Wu's eyes, Tang San's heart was filled with emotion.

"Get up quickly." Xiao Wu gently nudged Tang San, helping him get out of bed. She quickly folded the mattress again, a blush rising on her pretty face, and pulled Tang San back onto the bed. Then she covered them both with the blanket.

"Brother, I need to ask you for a favor. Can you promise me?" Her voice trembled, and so did Tang San's heart.

"Go ahead," Tang San said softly. He lowered his head and kissed away the glistening tears on Xiao Wu's delicate face.

You have to promise me first.

Tang San's heart stirred, and he said, "Okay. As long as it has nothing to do with your resurrection, everything else is negotiable."

Tang San said solemnly, "But that's not enough for me. What I want is to be with you forever, and to have a complete Xiao Wu. Everything else is negotiable, but this is non-negotiable. I must bring you back to life."

Xiao Wu said anxiously, "But that would hurt you a lot! All the soul skills you worked so hard to obtain would be wasted. Your soul power would never be able to reach level ninety again. I don't want you to pay so much for my sake."

Tang San kissed Xiao Wu's forehead and sighed softly, "Silly girl, this isn't fair. Why can you sacrifice yourself for me, but I can't do the same for you? Now you only have two paths to choose from. One is to follow my instructions and obediently wait to be resurrected. Cooperate with me to successfully revive yourself, and then we can be happy together. The other path is simple. I can choose not to revive you, but I will die right in front of you."

Tang San's gaze was calm and steady as he stared at Xiao Wu. "Xiao Wu, you should understand that I'm not joking with you. Perhaps it wouldn't be easy for others to kill me. But if I'm determined to die, no one can stop me. Listen to me, don't discuss this with me again. There's no room for discussion."

"Brother..." Xiao Wu suddenly threw herself into Tang San's arms, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Of course, she knew Tang San wasn't joking. Although Tang San usually seemed very gentle, once he made up his mind, he would never change it. His decisive and ruthless side was absolutely unmatched among the Shrek Seven Devils.

-

Sorry for the lateness, I just finished. Sorry to have kept everyone waiting.

(End of this chapter)