After Xiao Yifeng and Su Miaoqing departed the main deck, Crown Prince Zhang Tianzhi turned to the elderly Daoist beside him.
"Daoist Master Bichen, what is your assessment of their origins? Could they be spies for the rebel forces?"
Daoist Bichen stroked his beard, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Unlikely. Those two possess an extraordinary bearing. Despite their youth, they conduct themselves with a measured grace—knowing exactly when to press forward and when to yield. Their conversation is refined; I suspect they hail from a major sect and simply wish to travel incognito."
He chuckled softly. "More importantly, their behavior lacks the subtle malice of the wicked. They carry an air of righteousness. If we can forge a good karmic bond with them, it would be to our advantage."
"I share your thoughts," Zhang Tianzhi laughed, relieved. "They hold themselves with integrity. They certainly don't look like villains."
Back in his cabin, Xiao Yifeng didn't rest immediately. He turned his attention inward, checking his condition.
The Profound Frost Ice Python slumbering within him had a stable aura, though there was no telling when the beast would wake. As for the sword spirit, Zhan Xian, she had gone completely dormant. Ever since Su Miaoqing had joined him, the spirit had been lying low to avoid attracting the Senior Sister's suspicion.
After a brief meditation to restore his energy, Xiao Yifeng stood up and walked to the adjacent cabin. He knocked lightly.
"Senior Sister, have you rested yet?"
The door opened almost instantly. Su Miaoqing stepped aside to let him in. Her room was a mirror image of his own—simple, functional, and swaying gently with the sea.
She closed the door and let out a long breath, smiling. "Xiao Feng, I thought I’d die of boredom flying over the ocean these past few days. Finally, I can get a proper night's sleep."
Xiao Yifeng offered a bitter smile. He knew a pampered genius like her wasn't accustomed to the fatigue of long-distance travel, but he had to temper her expectations.
"Senior Sister, don't get too comfortable. I suspect this leg of the journey won't be smooth sailing. Did you notice how cautious the fleet's formation is? They are guarding against something. We likely won't have a peaceful trip."
Su Miaoqing frowned, her nature direct and averse to convoluted schemes. "Then why did you agree to stay?"
Xiao Yifeng shook his head. "It’s a calculated risk. If we blend into this mortal fleet and conceal our Qi, even if Senior Brother Lingxu tracks us this far, he won't be able to pinpoint us. He isn't likely to charge into a massive fleet and search every single cabin. Besides... I'm tired of flying."
"It really is exhausting," Su Miaoqing admitted, nodding. "All day long, it's just birds, fish, and endless blue water. It’s nice to see human faces again. If trouble does come, we can just use our strength to solve it for them. Consider it our payment for room and board."
"Agreed," Xiao Yifeng said. "But for now, we keep a low profile. Stay inside as much as possible. We can't risk Old Daoist Lingxu spotting us."
For the next few days, the two adhered to a strict policy of seclusion. They rarely left their cabins, much to the disappointment of Zhang Tianzhi, who had been eager to curry favor with the mysterious cultivators.
Xiao Yifeng’s caution proved prophetic.
Late one night, a terrifying pressure descended from the sky. It was the vast, sweeping Divine Sense of an expert—Daoist Lingxu.
The invisible mental wave scanned the ocean, brushing over the fleet like a searchlight. Xiao Yifeng reacted instantly. He clamped down on his own aura, erasing his presence, and extended his energy to shield Su Miaoqing in the room next door.
The Divine Sense swept past them, finding nothing but mortals.
Once the pressure faded, Su Miaoqing slipped into his room, her face flushed with excitement. "We did it! We actually tricked Senior Brother Lingxu!"
"Don't celebrate yet," Xiao Yifeng warned, his voice low. "He’s crafty. He might double back."
Su Miaoqing nodded, understanding that impatience could ruin their escape. They returned to their seclusion, waiting in tense silence.
However, the peace was short-lived.
A few nights later, the jarring clang of alarm bells shattered the silence. The ship’s deck erupted into chaos.
Xiao Yifeng’s eyes snapped open. Here it is.
He threw open his door. Outside, the night was no longer dark; the ocean was illuminated by blazing fires. Su Miaoqing emerged from her room at the same moment. They exchanged a grim look and hurried toward the observation deck on the top level.
Zhang Tianzhi and Daoist Bichen were already there, gripping the railing, their expressions grave.
Xiao Yifeng followed their gaze. In the distance, several massive ships were cutting through the water toward them. These vessels were pitch black, without a single lantern lit. They moved silently through the night like ghost ships, ominous and relentless.
"Friends ahead!" Daoist Bichen’s voice boomed out, amplified by his Qi. "Which path do you tread? This is the fleet of the Heavenly Dragon Kingdom. Please detour! If you proceed further, we will not be polite!"
Bichen was a cultivator at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. Though he didn't shout, his voice carried clearly across the turbulent waves.
The ghost ships did not respond. They didn't even slow down.
Suddenly, the air filled with a sharp whistling sound.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A torrential rain of arrows erupted from the darkness, arching high and plummeting toward the Heavenly Dragon fleet.
Daoist Bichen snorted. He waved both sleeves, summoning a fierce gale that battered the incoming volley, sending the arrows skittering harmlessly into the sea.
But the enemy was prepared. As the arrows fell, the dark ships accelerated. Torches flared to life on their decks as they steered on a collision course, aiming to ram Zhang Tianzhi’s vessels into splinters.
"Counterattack!" Zhang Tianzhi roared, his demeanor shifting from refined noble to battlefield commander.
The fleet shifted formation with practiced discipline. Ballistas fired, and soldiers lined the rails.
The two armadas collided with a sickening crunch of timber. Instantly, the air was filled with the screams of dying men and the metallic clash of weapons. Blood sprayed across the decks.
Despite the chaos, Zhang Tianzhi commanded with icy calm. But the situation worsened rapidly—another group of large ships emerged from the flank, completing a tight encirclement of their fleet.
A sinister, mocking voice drifted across the water, magnified by magic.
"Crown Prince Tianzhi, your time is up! Hand over Princess Yuge, and I might let you live. Refuse, and don't blame me for disregarding our past sentiments. I will slaughter every last soul here!"
Zhang Tianzhi sneered, gripping the hilt of his sword. "You want my sister? Keep dreaming! Let's see what you're really made of, you treasonous filth!"
The negotiation failed instantly. The battle intensified, turning the sea into a cauldron of fire and death.
Countless stray arrows whizzed toward the command ship. Xiao Yifeng and Su Miaoqing stood in the shadows, flicking their fingers subtly. Invisible bursts of Qi knocked the deadly projectiles aside before they could strike anyone.
Su Miaoqing frowned as she watched the Heavenly Dragon soldiers falling. The enemy had the numbers, and the arrow fire was withering. Unable to watch the slaughter, she began expanding her range, secretly deflecting arrows that would have pierced the hearts of the defending crew.
But the enemy fleet was endless. More ships pressed in, tightening the noose around Zhang Tianzhi’s flagship.
"Brother... you should hand me over."
A soft, sorrowful voice broke the tension on the observation deck.
Xiao Yifeng and Su Miaoqing turned. A young woman had emerged from the cabin, supported by two trembling maidservants.
She wore a thin veil over her face, but her silhouette alone was enough to stir protectiveness in anyone who saw her. She appeared delicate, like a flower in a storm, yet her temperament was undeniably noble.
"Yuge!" Zhang Tianzhi’s face twisted in heartache. "Why did you come out? It’s dangerous here. Go back inside!"
"Li Gang is here for me," the Princess, Yuge, said slowly, her voice trembling but resolute. "How could I hide?"
She stepped forward, looking at the burning ships. "Brother, give me to them. The Heavenly Dragon Kingdom exists in name only. There is no need for you to die here. You can escape. Li Gang only wants me."
"What nonsense are you talking?" Zhang Tianzhi roared, his eyes red with fury. "Do you think I would hand my own sister to that beast, Li Gang? I would sooner die!"