Translator: CinderTL
The Giant Flying Ship streaked across the sky like a shooting star.
Shi Man stood at the helm, skillfully piloting the vessel forward.
The ship glided over a vast, misty river. Ahead, a thin layer of bluish-gray mist gradually enveloped the landscape, marking the edge of the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
Tang Gui, Sang Bu, and Song Wen stood at various points on the deck, their eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilant alertness.
Just then, Chi Pei emerged from the Ship Tower, straightening his slightly disheveled robes as he walked.
"The Rotting Miasma Ridge is fraught with peril," he declared. "You must remain vigilant and cautious, leaving no room for carelessness." Chi Pei seemed to believe his current appearance undermined his authority, and he sought to divert the attention of the four crew members on deck by issuing an order they were already diligently executing.
"Understood!" the four responded in unison.
No sooner had their words faded than Qi Luo also emerged from the Ship Tower.
"Young master," she said, "this is merely the outermost edge of the Rotting Miasma Ridge. There's no real danger here. Why don't we return to our quarters and rest?"
Chi Pei rubbed his aching lower back, his expression darkening.
"No. A major battle is imminent. We must conserve our strength and remain vigilant, ready for action at any moment."
Qi Luo curled her lip, a flicker of mockery flashing deep within her eyes, as if ridiculing Chi Pei's perceived weakness and incompetence.
Her gaze then instinctively drifted toward Song Wen.
Song Wen noticed Qi Luo's gaze but pretended not to notice, remaining vigilant as he scanned their surroundings.
The Giant Flying Ship navigated through the miasma fog at a moderate pace.
Time slipped away unnoticed as they journeyed onward.
Two months passed.
Shi Man continued to pilot the ship with meticulous precision, the surrounding miasma growing increasingly dense.
She glanced sideways at Chi Pei, who sat nearby.
Chi Pei's face was pale and gaunt, his brow furrowed with deep fatigue.
Though he had declared his intention to rest and recuperate, he had dragged Qi Luo back into the Ship Tower the very next day.
What dark magic has this vile woman used to make Young Master Chi Pei so infatuated with her? Shi Man wondered, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward Qi Luo.
The latter leaned languidly against the ship's railing, her expression indolent.
Shi Man sensed something amiss.
Yet Chi Pei, the person most directly involved, along with Tang Gui and Sang Bu, seemed oblivious to any impropriety. They simply attributed Qi Luo's influence to her exceptional "skills."
Tang Gui and Sang Bu's gazes toward Qi Luo now carried an undisguised lust.
Suddenly, the terrain ahead began to rise sharply.
The concentration of miasma surged abruptly.
The group's sensory range plummeted from a hundred miles to a mere few dozen yards.
The six individuals' expressions grew solemn.
Shi Man unconsciously slowed the Giant Flying Ship to a crawl.
As the terrain rose, the ship ascended with it, maintaining a height of about thirty meters above the ground.
After roughly fifteen minutes, the towering mountains that had dominated the landscape vanished beneath the ship, replaced by a vast expanse of shattered rocks.
This was the site of the legendary battle between the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape and the Earth Barbarian Bull, and the location Song Wen had identified as a potential haunt of the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape in his intelligence report to Chi Pei.
At Chi Pei's command, the six disembarked from the ship and landed among the scattered boulders.
"Split up and search for any traces left by the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape," Chi Pei ordered.
The group dispersed, each vanishing into the swirling miasma fog as they scoured the area.
Soon, Shi Man, who had been searching westward, called out from the dense, bluish-black miasma:
"Young Master Chi Pei, I've found something!"
The others, their figures obscured by the fog, followed the direction of her voice.
Song Wen was among them.
When he reached Shi Man's side, he noticed a towering mountain before them.
The mountain had collapsed, leaving only a jagged peak that pierced the sky like a colossal sword.
Scrawled across the cliff face were four claw marks, each stretching dozens of meters long.
Chi Pei leaped to the claw marks and ran his hand over the rock within.
"These claw marks were left by some kind of humanoid giant beast. It seems the information Ye Hua obtained was indeed accurate. The Blood-Eyed Giant Ape likely did appear here," Chi Pei said, his face beaming with undisguised delight. "Ye Hua, you've accomplished a great feat!"
"Young master, you flatter me. This is merely what I should be doing," Song Wen replied humbly.
"Young master," Shi Man suddenly interjected, her voice tinged with concern. "Even if the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape once appeared here, judging by the weathering of these claw marks, the battle must have occurred at least twenty years ago. The ape has long since vanished. How can we possibly find it now?"
Chi Pei dismissed Shi Man's worries with a wave of his hand.
"In the Rotting Miasma Ridge, every powerful demon beast has its own fixed territory. Since the Blood-Eyed Giant Ape appeared here, its lair must be nearby."
Shi Man glanced around at the swirling miasma and pressed further.
"Young master, how should we search for its lair?"
Chi Pei replied, "The Blood-Eyed Giant Ape prefers to dwell near mountains and water. We simply need to systematically investigate the nearby rivers and lakes to locate its lair."
"Young Master, should we split up again?" Shi Man asked.
Chi Pei shook his head. "It's best we stay together."
He surveyed the group before continuing.
"Tang Gui, you lead the way. Sang Bu, you bring up the rear. Remember, everyone stay close—no more than thirty feet apart."
With his orders given, Chi Pei was about to signal the group to move out when Song Wen suddenly voiced a dissenting opinion.
"Young Master Chi Pei, I have a thought, but I'm not sure if I should speak."
Song Wen had just performed a great service, so Chi Pei remained cordial.
"Speak freely."
Song Wen said, "My lord, in my humble opinion, these ruins were caused by a battle between two demon beasts. As you mentioned earlier, demon beasts each have their own territories and rarely trespass on another's domain. Therefore, this place is likely the border between two demon beast territories, which explains why two powerful demon beasts would appear here simultaneously. Searching outward from this location as our center would be unwise."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Chi Pei's eyes.
He had to admit, Song Wen's analysis was remarkably insightful.
"Then which direction do you think we should search?" Chi Pei asked.
"This humble servant believes we should search south," Song Wen replied.
"Why?" Chi Pei pressed.
"Earlier, when I searched to the north, I discovered massive hoofprints left on the ground, likely from the demon beast that fought the Blood-Eyed Giant Ape. I speculate that the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape held the upper hand in their battle. However, its opponent was no pushover; though defeated, it managed to escape with its life. Those hoofprints mark its retreat, and the direction of its flight likely leads to its lair. Therefore, the opposite direction—south—is the most probable location of the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape's lair."
Song Wen's analysis was both thorough and incisive.
Chi Pei and the other four members of the group stared at him in astonishment.
"Ye Hua, I've underestimated you all this time," Chi Pei said. "I never imagined you possessed such a sharp mind. From now on, you shall serve at my side."
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (RDC) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c1324. [+2]
🔑Read upto Ch1140 for FREE visit 🄲🄸🄽🄳🄴🅁🅃🄻.🄲🄾🄼!
💥Translated (8) Series, (5.9K+) Chapters, (8.6M+) Words.
🎉 Two New Books Launched [I Made a Slight Move and Reached the System's Limit] & [Hijacking the Timeline].