Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 79: A Newcomer Sets Sail

The midday sun beat down with oppressive intensity.

Xu Qing navigated the bustling streets, mentally cataloging his debts. He owed Zhang San for the boat refinement; he would need to provide a return on that investment when the opportunity arose. The same applied to Zhou Qingpeng’s Ghost Desire Horseshoe Crab. Debts in the Seven Blood Eyes Sect were dangerous things to leave unpaid.

Though he had yet to see the upgraded Dharma Boat, Xu Qing calculated that the Spirit Stones Zhang San had burned through during the refinement process far exceeded the initial two hundred.

Filing the matter away, Xu Qing kept his gaze sweeping over the crowds and alleyways. He tracked the flow of foot traffic and assessed the ambient tension. Everything appeared normal.

The mermaid youth’s death hadn’t caused a single ripple in the main city. The Homicide Department remained indifferent. Or perhaps, the information simply hadn’t circulated to the right buyers yet.

Weighing these variables, Xu Qing adjusted his course toward the Sea Chronicles Pavilion.

The Pavilion was a mandatory stop for any disciple preparing for their maiden voyage. It functioned as a vault of survival data—a comprehensive archive compiled from the blood-soaked experiences of countless Seven Blood Eyes disciples, detailing the bizarre anomalies and myriad sea beasts of the Endless Sea.

The data’s value was astronomical. Naturally, the Sect strictly prohibited copying. Access required hard currency, and disciples had to pay a premium just to browse the texts in person.

Furthermore, the Sect operated a lucrative bounty system for new intelligence. Disciples who survived encounters with undocumented phenomena or unclassified sea beasts could sell their findings to the Pavilion. Once verified, the Sect issued a substantial reward. The rarer the intel, the higher the payout.

However, without physical proof, the verification process for partial intelligence could drag on for centuries. The Sect’s bureaucracy was ruthless; it ensured no one could defraud the system with fabricated tales.

Unverified claims were discarded. Only data paid for in blood and corroborated by multiple survivors earned a place in the archives.

Xu Qing absorbed the texts with surgical precision. Every classified entry, every behavioral pattern of a deep-sea predator, was a potential lifeline.

He had already plotted his course. The sea chart looted from the mermaid youth’s Storage Bag was exceptionally detailed. After cross-referencing the coordinates, Xu Qing locked onto his primary objective: an isolated landmass marked on the map.

The island sat beyond the West Coral archipelago, surrounded by a treacherous labyrinth of hidden reefs. It was a molting ground for the local fauna, earning it the name Sea Lizard Island.

Sea Lizards were rare, hyper-aggressive pack hunters that dwelled in the abyssal trenches. They only surfaced to molt. Their shed skin was a highly volatile commodity; it had to be harvested immediately. If exposed to the elements for too long, its spiritual properties evaporated, rendering it worthless.

This narrow harvesting window made the material exceedingly difficult to acquire. Its structural integrity far surpassed standard materials, classifying it as a high-grade component for Dharma Boats. Xu Qing recalled checking the market rates at a Sixth Peak shop: a single pelt from a mere Qi Condensation Layer 3 Sea Lizard commanded a price of 30 Spirit Stones.

The profit margins scaled exponentially with the beast’s cultivation base. A Layer 5 pelt fetched 150 Spirit Stones. He had even seen a Layer 8 pelt listed at an exorbitant 500 to 600 Spirit Stones.

Such staggering profit margins turned Sea Lizard Island into a bloodbath, constantly drawing ruthless foreign cultivators from across the Forbidden Sea to fight over the spoils. Without sufficient combat power, venturing there was a gamble of nine deaths and one life.

That was exactly where Xu Qing was going.

Hours bled away as he processed the Sea Chronicles. By the time dusk settled over the city, Xu Qing had finally committed the thick volume to memory. He closed his eyes, reviewing the data one last time, then turned and left.

“Everything is ready. All that’s left is the Dharma Boat.” Walking the twilight streets, Xu Qing gazed out at the sea. The sound of crashing waves filled his ears, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Finally, as twilight faded and the moon rose, Xu Qing arrived at the Transport Department.

The laborers who had toiled all day were leaving in groups. As Xu Qing approached from the side, he spotted Zhang San squatting on a pile of cargo, smoking a pipe.

In the dim lamplight, Zhang San’s figure was somewhat blurred. Only the weariness on his face, highlighted by the flickering glow of his pipe, stood out clearly to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing felt a pang of guilt. As he moved closer, his gaze swept over the laborers who had grown tense at his presence. Among them, he spotted a familiar, slender figure.

It was a girl—Li Zimei, who had entered the Sect with him. She also saw Xu Qing. Though she appeared reserved, a sincere smile spread across her face.

Under the moonlight, that smile was genuine.

Xu Qing offered an encouraging smile in return, watching her depart before walking over to Zhang San.

“You know her?” Zhang San asked curiously.

“Yes. Her name is Li Zimei. She entered the Sect in the same batch as me. She has a resilient character,” Xu Qing said softly, glancing at Li Zimei’s retreating back.

Zhang San nodded.

“A good girl. Since you know her, I’ll look out for her more in the future.”

“Thank you,” Xu Qing said, looking at Zhang San with solemn gratitude.

“It’s nothing. Come on, let me show you your Dharma Boat.” Zhang San’s eyes lit up as he spoke. He jumped down from the cargo pile and led Xu Qing to the back, this time heading to a different, larger warehouse.

As they entered, a massive vessel with an imposing aura came into view, causing Xu Qing to halt in his tracks.

Though he had mentally prepared himself for a drastic transformation, Xu Qing was still stunned by the Dharma Boat before him.

The former crocodile head at the bow had been redesigned. It was no longer slender but flatter, with a black horn concealed within the beast’s forehead, seemingly ready to pierce through anything upon release.

This modification toned down its previous flamboyance, adding weight and concealing its ferocity.

The hull had undergone an even greater transformation. It was no longer the 20-zhang-long willow-leaf shape; instead, its length was reduced while its width increased, giving it a diamond-like appearance reminiscent of a giant turtle shell.

Every plank was covered in scales and engraved with dense formations.

Four massive wheeled legs had been added to the sides, seemingly retractable, allowing movement on land and concealing sharp spikes.

The cabin had also been significantly altered, now resembling a two-story building. This layered design saved space, with the extra areas engraved with tiered formations emitting spiritual energy fluctuations.

Most striking were the eight massive, blade-shaped sails resembling celestial blades.

Four were positioned at the front, symmetrically tilted on either side, while the other four were at the back, angled similarly. From a distance, they looked like wings or sharp blades.

Beneath the hull was a large recess, seemingly capable of accommodating a sea beast.

The entire Dharma Boat resembled a colossal beast within the warehouse, exuding a heavy, intimidating presence.

“This…” Xu Qing was momentarily speechless. The scale of the transformation left his mind reeling.

Seeing Xu Qing’s reaction, Zhang San’s weary face broke into a proud, smug grin. He spoke nonchalantly.

“Your previous Dharma Boat was poorly refined, so I gave it a major overhaul this time. I mainly modified the hull structure, side structure, deck structure, bulkhead structure, bow and stern structure, and superstructure.”

“I replaced the keel for better stability. The structural adjustments maximize strength and rigidity. I also left room for future upgrades.”

Zhang San leaped onto the Dharma Boat.

“The black horn at the bow contains marrow from a Devouring Beast. When it pierces a sea beast, it can absorb its spiritual energy and store it in the hull’s formations.”

“As for these four legs, each contains 3,600 sharp fragments. In emergencies, they can detach and explode outward as needed.”

“I didn’t touch the Spirit Gathering Formation, but I enlarged the recess to hold up to 50 Spirit Stones at once. In extreme situations, this Dharma Boat can disassemble, discarding excess parts to transform into a fish boat, doubling its speed at least.”

“And these sails.” Zhang San pointed at the sails, his expression brimming with pride.

“This is my original design. Watch closely.” Zhang San placed a Spirit Stone into a formation at his feet and stomped. The formation activated, and the eight blade-like sails retracted, forming a protective shell.

Looming before them, the upgraded Dharma Boat resembled a colossal, armored snapping turtle—a monolithic leviathan perfectly balanced for impregnable defense and brutal slaughter.

“Forged over the vessel’s innate array barriers, this dual-layer carapace renders the hull virtually indestructible,” the voice explained. “But it is not merely a shield. When fully deployed, these heavy armored plates violently fan outward into a jagged perimeter of blades, unleashing catastrophic severing power upon anything caught in your wake.”

“As for that massive concave indentation forged into the keel… it is designed to seamlessly lock onto the spinal ridge of a Spirit Sea Dragon Whale. Should you face a life-and-death crisis, you can command the beast to breach the surface, physically hoisting the entire massive hull out of the ocean for brief, explosive airborne maneuvers.”

“Xu Qing, this is a true Level 7 Boat. Well, satisfied?” Zhang San jumped down, standing before Xu Qing with his hands behind his back, chin raised, speaking casually.

Xu Qing’s heart surged with waves of emotion. After a long moment, he took a deep breath, stepped back, and bowed deeply to Zhang San with a cupped fist salute.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang. This boat… I am extremely satisfied!”

“When this Dharma Boat advances to a Dharma Ship later, based on your power source, I’ll help you design it again. A Dharma Ship—that’s the real weapon!”

Zhang San maintained his lofty demeanor, speaking calmly. Xu Qing’s respectful attitude pleased him greatly, but his weariness eventually overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t help but yawn.

Seeing this, Xu Qing bid a respectful farewell, placed the Spirit Stones nearby, stored the Dharma Boat, and left the Transport Department.

Only after he had gone did Zhang San sigh wearily.

“I lost money on this. I couldn’t help myself and refined it too well… This was a huge loss.”

“I hope that kid makes something of himself someday…” Suppressing his heartache, Zhang San picked up the Spirit Stones, shook his head, and left the warehouse. Before departing, he remembered Xu Qing’s fellow disciple and took out a communication jade slip to make arrangements.

“Since I’ve already invested, I might as well invest a bit more. No choice—I’m in too deep now.”

As Zhang San lamented, Xu Qing returned to the 79th Harbor. At his berth, he released his Dharma Boat. With a roar from the water, he gazed at the massive, imposing vessel, his heart stirred with excitement. He leaped onto it and began studying it meticulously.

The night passed slowly.

Throughout the night, Xu Qing thoroughly examined every inch of his Dharma Boat, filled with admiration for Zhang San’s craftsmanship. As dawn broke and sunlight spilled over the horizon, Xu Qing took a deep breath, standing at the bow and squinting at the distant sun.

After a while, he raised his right hand and formed a seal.

“Set sail!”

Instantly, the Dharma Boat roared to life. As the surrounding seawater churned, his Level 7 Dharma Boat slowly shifted from the berth, turned its bow, and under the watchful eyes of other disciples on their boats, sailed toward the harbor gate.

Like a beast unleashed from its cage, its momentum was majestic.

On the deck stood a handsome youth, his long hair fluttering in the sea breeze, his figure tall and straight like a pine tree. His gray Daoist robe billowed, harmonizing with the morning clouds in the sky. The sunlight passed through his hair, refracting into a dazzling spectrum.