After a flurry of Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, several corpses lay in pools of blood on the deck of the Breaking Sky.

Elder Ji's right arm had been severed. He knelt on the deck, glaring up at Luo Xiu with fury in his eyes.

"I don't understand... How exactly have we offended you that you must be so ruthless!"

Luo Xiu's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh? So now you want to talk about reason?"

"When you descended to the Lower Realm for that so-called harvesting ceremony, did you ever bother with reason when dealing with the Lower Realm Mortals?"

"When you came here to steal their ship, did you bother with reason?"

Elder Ji clenched his teeth. "The weak are prey to the strong, and might makes right! That's just how the world is! Why would we need to reason with lowly mortals from the Lower Realm? Why would we need to reason with these Starry Sky Bandits?"

"To say otherwise is simply laughable!"

Luo Xiu suddenly laughed. "There you have it... I'm stronger than you. Why should I have to reason with you?"

Elder Ji was at a loss for words.

After a long moment of silence, Elder Ji finally spoke, "Then just you wait... I've already crushed the Soul-leading Talisman and sent an image of your Divine Sense back to the Divine Church's headquarters!"

"From this day forward, the Heavenly Moon Cult will hunt you to the ends of the earth and will not rest until you are dead!"

Luo Xiu cracked a small smile and suddenly asked, "Do you know why I'm not in a hurry to kill you?"

As he spoke, he advanced slowly, looking down indifferently at Elder Ji. The black qi in his hand gradually condensed into a sword.

"I was just giving you time to send a message to your Divine Church."

As Luo Xiu's words fell, a tremor ran through Elder Ji's gaze, and his body stiffened.

He slowly lowered his head to look at the sword that had pierced his chest. "You... just you wait..."

Luo Xiu kicked Elder Ji's corpse aside and looked up at the endless expanse of stars beyond the ship's protective Barrier, his expression contemplative.

Elder Ji's words still echoed in his mind.

This is how the world has always been.

What does 'has always been' even mean?

I have heard such words countless times, and I have met countless people like that. But what I want is a world where reason prevails, not one where violence decides right and wrong.

Suddenly, footsteps approached.

Zuo Qianhuang came up behind Luo Xiu. After a moment of thought, he decided to address Luo Xiu differently, cupping his fists. "Thank you, Mister Asura, for saving us."

Luo Xiu returned to his senses and turned to look at Zuo Qianhuang. "Please take care of these corpses, Captain Zuo."

"It's a small matter."

Zuo Qianhuang smiled and thanked him again. "Mister Asura, I am truly grateful for your help this time."

Luo Xiu replied, "I should also thank you for taking the two of us in."

Zuo Qianhuang laughed and shook his head. "If not for the young lady's intervention that day, I'm afraid we would still be trapped in the Tianhe Secret Realm."

He sighed, looking at the corpses. "Mister Asura, you may not realize this, but for us Tianhe Wanderers, our ship is our life, and it is our home."

"If you hadn't righteously stepped in today, I really don't know what I would have done... I suppose we would have been forced to endure the bullying of these so-called righteous sects."

Luo Xiu asked curiously, "Why are you called wanderers?"

Zuo Qianhuang replied, "To my shame, we Loose Cultivators are all orphans from various realms. We have no support and no legal status to settle down anywhere. We were even exiled, so we have no choice but to wander the Tianhe our entire lives, making our ships our homes and taking on life-threatening jobs."

He continued, "However, we're different from the Starry Sky Bandits. Those bandits are wanted fugitives from various realms who burn, kill, and plunder throughout the Tianhe, committing every evil imaginable."

"We Tianhe Mercenaries only engage in legitimate business. We do not bow to the mighty, nor do we bully the weak."

Luo Xiu nodded. "Captain Zuo, I actually have a request."

"Please speak freely, Mister Asura."

Luo Xiu stated his purpose directly, "I'd like to trouble you to take me to Jucui State."

Zuo Qianhuang laughed. "No problem. We happen to be heading that way. It's on our route."

"Then I am in your debt. Additionally, I have some matters regarding cultivation that I'd like to ask your advice on."

Hearing this, Zuo Qianhuang's eyes widened in disbelief.

With a mere wave of his hand, this man had slaughtered four Dao Jade Four experts as if they were dogs.

How could someone with such strength possibly need to seek cultivation advice from him, a mere Dao Jade Two?

"Mister Asura... Surely you're not joking?"

Luo Xiu scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"..."

「Jucui State. Middle Domain City. Inside an inn.」

Lin Shanshan opened her eyes, climbed out of bed, and walked to the window. Staring out at the magnificent cityscape, she was suddenly overcome by a feeling of loneliness.

Dad, where are you?

Could it be true... that you're dead, just like that person said?

Snow Kirin suddenly burst into the room carrying a pile of food. "Master, Master, I bought you breakfast! Fresh serpent meat buns!"

Lin Shanshan reached out, took a bun, and bit into it fiercely.

Snow Kirin also took a bite, her cheeks puffed out as she said, "We'll be setting out soon."

"Mm."

"But Master, where are we going? The Upper Realm is too terrifying. I actually want to go back to Earth."

Lin Shanshan said, "We need to find a way to get to Stunning Phoenix Swan State and find my mother first."

Snow Kirin asked, "And then?"

Lin Shanshan's expression darkened. "Then I'll look for my dad. If he's still alive, I must find him. If he's dead, I'll overturn the entire Upper Realm to avenge him!"

"Sigh!"

Snow Kirin sighed and said no more.

For the past ten days, the two of them had been relentlessly pursued by the Demon Beasts of the Wan Yao Forest.

However, thanks to the Green Lotus Petal Luo Xiu had left her, Lin Shanshan always managed to escape every peril. She could even fight an Emperor Realm Expert like Ai Kun.

Their battle, however, had ended with both sides heavily injured.

The two women fled all the way to Middle Domain City.

They found temporary peace there, as a city law prohibits any Cultivator at or above the Earth Immortal Realm from fighting.

After gaining a rough understanding of the survival rules and customs of the Upper Realm, Lin Shanshan decided to take a Starry Sky Ferry from Jucui State to Stunning Phoenix Swan State to find Lin Xiyue.

***

After quickly packing up, the two left the inn and headed for the port to buy tickets and board a Starry Sky Ferry.

「Somewhere in Middle Domain City.」

Ai Kun gazed up at the departing Starry Sky Ferry, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk.

Once you leave Jucui State, let's see where you can run!

A demon beast that resembled a cross between a dog and a sheep ran up to Ai Kun and asked, "King, you're seriously injured. Are you really going to pursue them yourself this time?"

"That woman's petal is eerily potent. Perhaps we should..."

Ai Kun shot the demon beast a cold glance. "If I can't even handle two young women, how can I ever make my way to the Heaven Azure Empire? How could Emperor Hao ever place his trust in me?"

With that, he took out a square crystal stone and imbued a strand of his Divine Sense into it.

A moment later, the crystal stone began to glow, projecting a palm-sized human silhouette.

Ai Kun said, "Shark King, a Starry Sky Ferry named 'Pillar of Creation' is about to leave Jucui State. Keep an eye out for those two women on board for me. Whether you capture them dead or alive, I will reward you handsomely."

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