Chapter Forty-Three: So This Is All There Is to Entering the Profound Realm

Thus, the brief scare passed, leaving behind only faint ripples. All those powerful cultivators rushing toward the Ancient Realm now fixed their gazes on Leng Tian’s great ship below. Clearly, although flight was possible over this endless sea, should any unexpected danger arise, there would be nowhere to rest or recover one’s energy. In such a situation, this large vessel was the ideal means of travel.

Wang Mang cupped his fists respectfully toward Luan Yudie and Leng Tian, who stood below, and said, “I would like to ask for your permission to board your ship. Would you be willing to grant me this favor?”

Luan Yudie replied with a hint of annoyance, “Brother Wang, must you be so overly polite with me? The ship is so large—surely there’s room for you!”

Wang Mang was left somewhat embarrassed by her words. He laughed awkwardly, and with a flash, landed on the deck below. “Don’t be angry, Sister Yudie. I was just joking, you know how my tongue works!”

Leng Tian merely stood smiling quietly to the side, watching the subtle contest of words between the two leaders.

“Brother Li, forgive my intrusion,” Li Tianzheng descended from the sky, his black robes fluttering in the wind, his expression icy as he thanked Luan Yudie.

“You’re too kind, Brother Li. On this journey, I’ll be counting on you both for protection!” Luan Yudie replied with a charming smile, nodding gracefully in salute.

“There’s no need for such words, Sister Yudie. With your cultivation, who would dare trouble you? If anyone does, I’ll certainly step in. Besides, with Brother Li here, the three of us together will surely travel safely,” Wang Mang said meaningfully, glancing at the receding figure of Li Tianzheng as he entered the cabin. Luan Yudie only returned his look with a coquettish smile and replied, “Then, Brother Wang, I’ll be relying on your care along the way.”

“Rest assured, should anyone fail to cherish a beauty and dares to bully you, I’ll be sure to teach him a lesson.” Wang Mang left these words behind, not waiting for her response, and turned to enter the cabin, finding a room for himself to meditate and recover his energy.

“Forgive my unannounced arrival; I am Yan Nanfly.” Clad in blue, Yan Nanfly greeted Leng Tian and Luan Yudie with elegant courtesy.

“No need for formality, Brother Yan. Please, make yourself comfortable,” Leng Tian replied, returning the gesture.

Soon after, Du Qingfeng boarded, followed by several from the Demon God Realm, and finally another group of some twenty people caught up to the ship. After some brief exchanges, all entered Leng Tian’s vessel.

Leng Tian was left speechless; he hadn’t expected his whim would end up accommodating so many self-important powerhouses. As more and more people crowded onto the deck, though he made it clear they were only to recover their energy and then leave, it was obvious that if they chose to stay, there was little he could do.

After greeting Luan Yudie, Leng Tian withdrew to his cabin to rest. He had no desire to be treated as a curiosity by dozens of profound cultivators just because he was a Heaven-ranked martial artist.

Once Leng Tian left, Luan Yudie and Guoguo also returned to their cabins. This was an ocean-going vessel with dozens of rooms, more than enough for everyone to rest.

Of the last twenty to board, some entered the cabins to rest, while a dozen or so remained on the deck in meditation.

Among those left on deck were two stewards from the Savage City: Violent Dragon and Zhuang Jinlian. The two sat cross-legged far apart, and from the look of contempt in Violent Dragon's eyes, his dislike for Zhuang Jinlian was obvious.

Zhuang Jinlian, however, remained composed, refusing even to glance at Violent Dragon. She was inwardly delighted. So what if Violent Dragon was favored by the City Lord? Did that mean he alone could enjoy the benefits? If he could enter the Ancient Realm, so could she. In the City Lord’s eyes, he was not the only one who mattered.

Violent Dragon seethed inwardly. Why did this woman have to come? With her limited ability, entering the Ancient Realm was tantamount to courting death. What was the City Lord thinking? Perhaps she was sent to keep an eye on him, suspecting his intentions. If so, she was hardly a worthy monitor—she’d be lucky just to keep herself alive!

In a remote corner of the ship, space rippled almost imperceptibly. A pair of eyes appeared, surveying the surroundings before settling on the corridor of the cabins.

“Golden Dragon Warrior, your life belongs to me, Dark Night. I’ll let you live two more days—Ancient Realm shall be your grave!” The eyes closed and vanished.

As the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Dark Night believed no one aboard could sense his presence. Yet atop the mast, another pair of eyes watched him intently.

“Gold-ranked assassin Dark Night of the Blood-Drinker Alliance—how dare such a petty organization stir up trouble! Since you’ve been so arrogant of late, I’ll take this opportunity to clip your wings. Perhaps then you’ll realize this world is far deeper and broader than you imagine!”

The speaker was none other than the mysterious masked man who appeared at the Hive. From his tone, he clearly regarded the Blood-Drinker Alliance with utter contempt, suggesting an extraordinary background.

Inside a cabin, Du Qingfeng’s closed eyes snapped open. His spiritual sense swept outside, probing where Dark Night had appeared. After searching several times, he frowned and withdrew his senses, murmuring, “Could I have been mistaken? No... that spatial fluctuation was definitely artificial.”

Finding nothing, Du Qingfeng closed his eyes again and resumed his cultivation.

Yan Nanfly sat leisurely by a table, a thick ancient tome in hand. Before him were a jug of wine and a purple jade cup. Sipping his drink, eyes on the ancient text, he mused, “This journey to the Ancient Realm has gathered quite the elite—ha! I wonder how many will make it out alive?”

The ancient tome turned a page by itself. The wine jug floated up and refilled his cup. Yan Nanfly savored a sip and continued, “All are after the Azure Sea Divine Spring. That suits me just fine—it lessens the competition for my true goal. There are treasures there even greater than the Divine Spring. It remains to be seen if my luck will suffice to obtain them!”

Leng Tian was not cultivating. Absorbing the world’s energy could no longer advance him. He, too, sipped wine, though his expression was somber. “Why do I suddenly feel so uneasy?” A powerful sense of danger welled up, as though something hostile lurked nearby. The intuition was so acute that his usually calm heart could not find peace.

Unable to fathom what danger might befall him, he decided not to dwell on it. As they say, when water comes, use earth to stop it—worrying was pointless. In over two hundred years, he had faced every manner of peril. Why was he unsettled now? Clearly, his state of mind needed strengthening.

So, cradling his wine, he gazed out the cabin window at the night sea. Unbidden, the lovely face of Huo Wu came to mind, and a gentle smile softened his features. He truly cared for her, though his heart had always been devoted to cultivation.

Leng Tian knew well that without absolute strength, there could be no free or happy life on this continent, nor could his family find happiness. He wanted to give Huo Wu a safe, warm home, free from all threats. Yet how difficult that was! Ever since meeting Huo Wu and forging a bond as sworn siblings, his heart had been warmed.

In a room in Savage City, Huo Wu stood quietly by the window, gazing at the star-strewn sky. Her thoughts had flown across thousands of miles to the North Sea. “Brother, are you well? Xiao Wu misses you so much. You must return safely!” A shooting star streaked across the heavens.

Huo Wu quickly clasped her hands to her chest, closed her beautiful eyes, and silently prayed, “Please keep my brother safe and bring him back unharmed…”

“Hehe, making a wish for your brother?” Little Ke appeared at the window, her voice playful.

Huo Wu opened her eyes, hugged Little Ke, and said with determination, “We must work hard at our cultivation and reach the Profound Realm soon. Then we’ll be able to…”

“Then you can marry your brother!” Little Ke giggled mischievously.

“You little rascal, teasing your big sister! See if I don’t teach you a lesson.” Huo Wu’s cheeks flushed as she chased Little Ke about.

Meanwhile, Zhuanzhuang, his little legs dangling, sat sniffing a woman’s undergarment with great relish. After a moment, he glanced toward Huo Wu's room, his bear mouth splitting into a grin. “Kid, you’d better not disappoint us. When you return, your brothers will give you a big surprise!”

As the sun rose, a golden light spread across the sea. As the sun climbed higher, the golden glow reached toward the distant horizon.

Bathed in the warmth of the sunlight, those on deck awoke refreshed, their spirits at their peak, clearly fully recovered.

People began to emerge from the cabins one by one, stretching their arms and breathing deeply the fresh, salty sea air.

Leng Tian stepped out and immediately saw the deck crowded with people, all gathered at the railings to admire the sea.

“Well, well, am I seeing things? Even a Heaven-ranked martial artist wants to join the fun? Which young master’s son are you? With such pitiful cultivation, you want to enter the Ancient Realm? Boy, do you even know you’re courting death?” Leng Tian frowned and looked up. A short, stout man stood arrogantly in the middle of the deck, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on Leng Tian as though looking at a dead man.

“What, boy, not convinced? What are you staring at? Believe me, I could kill you with a slap.”

Leng Tian was helpless—what had he done to provoke this? First thing in the morning, and someone already had it in for him. It seemed he was the only easy target here. Still, he chose to keep a low profile. Although these Profound Realm cultivators did not threaten him, there was no sense in attracting attention.

He forced a wry smile, turned, and walked toward the railing, deciding it was better to avoid trouble at this moment.

“Well, aren’t you bold! A mere Heaven-ranked martial artist dares to snub me? Didn’t your mother teach you to bow and scrape before your betters?” The short man waved his hand and a blade of energy shot out like lightning, slashing at Leng Tian’s back, while the man laughed wildly, “The weak are but lambs for the strong to slaughter!”

At that moment, Luan Yudie and the other two leaders emerged from the cabin, just in time to witness the sneak attack. Their expressions changed, but none intervened—they wanted to see what Leng Tian was truly capable of.

Leng Tian’s face remained calm, though murderous intent surged within him. Insult him, and he could bear it, but insult his mother—even a god would be cut down!

All anyone saw was a flash of tricolor light as Leng Tian vanished. The next instant, he appeared before the short man, his body shrouded in a three-hued energy. Behind him, a colossal black mountain materialized, towering hundreds of yards high.

With a thunderous boom, the short man was crushed by immense pressure and sent hurtling into the ship, smashing a gaping hole through the deck.

Leng Tian withdrew the mountain’s force and, gazing with disdain at the man sprawled inside, said coldly, “So this is all the Profound Realm amounts to.”

Martial Dao: The Pinnacle, Chapter 43 – Profound Realm, Nothing More.