The next day.
The sky was a pristine blue, washed clean of clouds.
Li Zhexian set off westward with his friends, heading straight for the vast, boundless sea.
Qian Daoliu followed them in secret.
He claimed that traveling with the younger generation made him uncomfortable, and that he did not wish to dampen their spirits.
But Li Zhexian understood in his heart…
More than anything else,
it was a hesitation akin to homesickness mixed with timidity.
At the thought that he would soon see that woman again,
Qian Daoliu ultimately lacked the courage to face an old acquaintance head-on.
...
Several days later.
The western coastline drew near.
Before they even arrived, the sea breeze reached them first.
Unlike the dry inland winds, it carried moist air and a faint scent of seaweed, rushing toward them and soaking into their clothes in an instant.
Inside Vast Sea City, the long streets stretched like silken ribbons.
The people passing by all bore the marks of the ocean:
Fishermen went bare-chested, their bronze skin gleaming as they carried rough ropes still dripping with water over their shoulders, laughing and chatting with bright white smiles.
Fishing women with colorful headscarves wove through the crowd, bamboo baskets slung over their arms. Inside were freshly mended nets, their fingers still dusted with fine grains of sea salt.
On both sides of the street, stalls were piled high with all manner of oddly shaped seafood.
Looking past the rooftops, one could see the distant harbor, masts standing like a forest, and several massive ships rising like mountains, imposing and grand.
Such a scene—
For those who had long lived inland—
Was rare enough to make it hard to look away.
Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, and the other girls linked arms, laughing as they lingered at a stall selling seaside ornaments.
Meanwhile, Li Zhexian and Yu Tianheng's group chartered a large ship, agreeing to depart in two days.
Afterward, they turned and found a well-known local tavern.
The moment the tavern door was pushed open,
a scent mixing fermented wine with fresh sea breeze rushed toward them.
Li Zhexian's mouth immediately watered. He eagerly took a seat by the window and called out for a cup of the local brew.
The clear, cool liquor slid down his throat.
After savoring it for a moment, his eyes lit up and he nodded in praise.
"Not bad. You should all try it."
Yu Tianheng and the others drained their cups as well, nodding in agreement.
Feng Buyu asked with a smile:
"Brother Zhexian, as a seasoned wine connoisseur, what do you think of the liquor in this seaside city?"
Li Zhexian gently swirled the wine in his cup and replied with a grin:
"It has its own distinct charm."
"The sea provides abundant moisture, small day–night temperature differences, and combined with the unique 'wine-sea' aging method, it produces this gentle, refreshing flavor… in short, it's quite good."
Seeing the youth sway slightly—
Growing animated the moment wine was mentioned—
Feng Buyu, Huo Wushuang, and the others all gave him a thumbs-up.
"When it comes to drinking, Brother Zhexian really is the expert!"
"This is what you call professional, damn it!"
The group drank heartily.
Suddenly, a few rough-looking sailors at the neighboring table raised their voices:
"A few days ago, the waves near Demon Island were damn cursed! Blew my fishing boat straight into a reef—nearly didn't make it back!"
"What, you didn't hear? A mysterious expert from Demon Island was cut down by Lord Sword Wine from the mainland—with a single sword strike!"
Yu Tianheng, Feng Buyu, and the others popped slices of raw fish into their mouths, exchanged glances—
Then turned sideways together with Li Zhexian.
Listening with interest as they drank.
"Again with Lord Sword Wine—this is getting ridiculous! Even our Vast Sea City is full of stories about him now!"
"The greatest prodigy in history! He fell protecting Heaven Do, then reincarnated and returned—truly dazzling! I'd love to see him myself!"
"Demon Island sits high above us, and we worship the Sea God, but when has the Sea God ever bestowed blessings? It was Lord Sword Wine who brought peace to Vast Sea City!"
"Careful with your words! When gods clash, we mortals should just watch!"
"Brother Zhexian's fame has reached the seaside cities already!" Feng Buyu murmured in amazement.
Yu Tianheng and Huo Wushuang looked at Li Zhexian, who was shaking his head with a wry smile, and teased him:
"Brother Zhexian, how does that feel?"
Li Zhexian gently set down his wine cup and said with a smile:
"I never intended to become an enemy of Sea God Island. I only wish to settle an old grievance."
He brushed his sleeve and rose to his feet.
"Let's go."
"Since we've come all the way to the seaside,"
"we may as well enjoy ourselves for two days before setting sail."
...
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the wind was just right and the clouds were light.
Li Zhexian and his companions boarded a massive vessel, hoisting its sails as they headed toward the legendary Sea God Island.
The sea was a deep indigo, stretching endlessly to the horizon, merging seamlessly with the crystal-clear sky.
Li Zhexian stood alone at the bow, his white robes fluttering.
At his side was his beloved Zhu Zhuqing, along with close friends such as Yu Tianheng.
Looking out over the boundless ocean lifted the spirit and stirred heroic ambition.
From time to time, enormous sea Spirit Beasts leapt from the water, their scales reflecting sunlight as they sent up towering waves.
The sight drew repeated exclamations of amazement.
An elderly helmsman with dark, weathered skin held the rudder, smiling broadly as he looked at the vibrant group of youths:
"Judging by your accents and looks, you're not from Vast Sea City, are you?"
"And yet you're set on heading into the Demon Island waters? Heh—aside from an old man like me, there aren't many boatmen who'd dare take this job."
A glint flashed in Li Zhexian's eyes as he recalled what he had heard in the tavern days earlier. Smiling, he asked:
"Uncle, how much do you know about Demon Island?"
"That's a mysterious island," the old helmsman replied. "There are many formidable sea Spirit Masters living there. They say… even the Sea God himself resides on that island."
As he spoke,
the old man pulled out a pouch of charred, crispy shellfish from his chest and handed it to the youths.
Feng Buyu, Huo Wushuang, and the others took a bite and immediately spat it out with "ptui, ptui."
Li Zhexian frowned slightly and chewed slowly.
The old helmsman gave Li Zhexian a thumbs-up, laughing as he tossed several large shells into his own mouth.
"Young man, I bet you've heard people say that the Spirit Masters on Demon Island are aloof and arrogant."
Li Zhexian said nothing.
Beside him, Feng Xiaotian answered:
"Isn't that true?"
"I don't think so." the old helmsman said, grimacing as shell fragments caught in his throat, his voice turning measured.
"People like me, with meager Spirit Power, live purely on experience. What we eat all year depends on whether heaven shows mercy."
"Out here at sea, more than half the days in a year are far from peaceful."
"Sea Spirit Masters above Spirit Saint level are people only large fleets can afford to hire."
"With them aboard, even howling winds and raging waves can be weathered safely."
"But most people are like me…"
His voice grew heavy.
"When I was young, I once encountered a hurricane at sea."
"The way it looked…"
"It was as if the entire ocean had come to a boil."
"My ship—and many nearby ones—were on the verge of capsizing."
"But I saw it with my own eyes…"
"Figures beneath the sea, using their hands to hold up the hulls, saving the lives of most people that day."
"My family enshrines Lord Sword Wine's longevity tablet, but we also revere those Spirit Masters of Demon Island who protect Vast Sea."
The old helmsman's words echoed in the wind.
Yu Tianheng, Feng Buyu, and the others fell silent for a long moment before sighing:
"What Brother Zhexian said before was right—if bloodshed can be avoided, that's for the best."
"But that titled sea Spirit Master chose to defend Dai Mubai. Since he made that choice, he has no one to blame but himself for his death."
Li Zhexian gazed silently into the distance.
The sea breeze stirred his robes.
His conscience was clear.
That sea Spirit Master had chosen to stand on Dai Mubai's side, to block his path on the day of the one-year promise.
If he was killed, then so be it.
When stances are opposed, there is no right or wrong.
...
At the same time,
on the shimmering Sea God Island,
the surrounding waters suddenly churned violently, as if boiling.
Six sacred pillars standing across Sea God Island erupted with towering pillars of azure light.