95: Chapter 95 Dragon Abyss Palace!

For the next few days, Jiang Hanzhou followed his routine.

During the day, he would step out of his cabin into the designated activity area on the ship, where he would encounter other Token Holders.

Although the white jade tower ship was massive, the passengers' range of movement was strictly limited to their cabins and this platform.

Servants stood quietly at the bow, stern, and deep within the tower, their gazes not fierce, yet conveying an air that brooked no transgression.

For the first few days, the atmosphere on the deck platform was quite subtle.

The nineteen young Martial Artists from all over the Donghai Prefecture were like beasts placed in the same cage, observing each other and probing cautiously.

Jiang Hanzhou observed every single one of them.

Zhao Yuanjing was undoubtedly the most conspicuous and adept at networking among the group.

His aristocratic demeanor did not diminish after boarding the ship; instead, he appeared even more composed.

Several people soon gathered around him: a Young Lord from a merchant guild in the West Sea, a youth from a cadet branch of a mid-sized Family in Donghai Prefecture, and a burly man who looked honest but had shrewd eyes.

The four of them moved together, occupying a corner of the platform, chatting in low voices while their gazes occasionally swept over the others, clearly assessing them.

"Forming cliques, they are certainly quick," Jiang Hanzhou thought, understanding the situation, yet he felt no disdain.

Within a Sect, resources are limited, and competition is fierce.

Forming alliances in advance to bolster one's influence was the most natural choice.

Especially for a disciple like Zhao Yuanjing, who came from a powerful Family and was well-versed in political maneuvering, this was almost instinctual.

Wu Huo continued to keep to himself, often holding his dark, heavy fishing rod, sitting on the edge of the platform, staring blankly at the sea, indifferent to the undercurrents around him.

The Blue-clothed Woman was similarly silent, standing quietly most of the time, her gaze beneath her veil as calm as water, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.

The dark-skinned burly man carrying a short halberd was quite forthright; he had taken the initiative to speak with Jiang Hanzhou, calling himself "Lei Hong" and hailing from an island in the East Sea that survived on fishing and pearl diving, speaking of his yearning for Dragon Abyss Palace.

The figure in the black robe remained perpetually shrouded in loose robes, rarely speaking, and the cold aura emanating from them made people reluctant to approach.

The youth dressed like a scholar called himself "Liu Wenzhou"; he was refined in speech and knowledgeable, able to chat with anyone, yet he did not get too close to anyone, handling social boundaries perfectly.

Jiang Hanzhou did not proactively recruit others like Zhao Yuanjing, nor did he feign coldness to push people away.

He kept in mind the survival wisdom from his past life.

Make as many friends as possible, and as few enemies as possible.

A Sect is different from wandering the Jianghu alone.

When traveling alone, you don't need to make friends, as long as you don't make enemies.

But a Sect is a massive organization with complex internal relationships; without a few acquaintances, it is difficult to move an inch.

Even a Genius, without basic connections, will be entangled in trivial matters, hampered in secret, or even buried.

Therefore, he adopted a different strategy: be gentle, friendly, but maintain a moderate distance.

When Lei Hong came to chat, he listened attentively, occasionally sharing some observations about the sea.

When Liu Wenzhou discussed certain records from the "Donghai Records" with him, he honestly shared his views and would also humbly ask for advice.

Even when the Young Lord from the merchant guild in Zhao Yuanjing's group struck up a conversation and asked where he was from, he simply replied, "A traveling physician from Donghai Prefecture," his attitude neither servile nor overbearing, neither overly enthusiastic nor cold.

Over the past few days, although Jiang Hanzhou had not joined any small clique, he had become a familiar face to most people.

The general impression of him was "steady," "doesn't speak much but has substance," and "cultivation cannot be seen through, but feels strong."

Zhao Yuanjing once commented to a few people beside him in private: "That Jiang Hanzhou is quite a smart man. He doesn't form cliques, nor does he isolate himself. Such a person is either truly indifferent, or... he has grander ambitions."

Others asked: "Brother Zhao, which one do you think he is?"

Zhao Yuanjing shook his folding fan, his gaze profound: "I can't see through him. However, as long as he doesn't block our path, there is no need to make him an enemy."

Time passed quietly in this atmosphere of superficial calm and underlying currents.

Everyone either buried themselves in books in their cabins, seized the time to adjust their breathing and Cultivate, or, like Jiang Hanzhou, observed secretly and accumulated knowledge about their peers.

The morning of the seventh day.

Jiang Hanzhou finished a night of breathing exercises on the jade bed as usual, and just as he opened his eyes, he noticed something unusual.

Outside the ship, the faint mist that had always shrouded the white jade tower ship was dissipating and thinning at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, the tower ship, which had been sailing steadily, clearly slowed down.

There was a faint commotion outside the cabin; apparently, others had also noticed the change.

Jiang Hanzhou got up, adjusted his clothes, and pushed open the cabin door.

Several people had already walked out quickly in the corridor, exchanging glances, all seeing the anticipation and nervousness in each other's eyes.

"Are we here?" Lei Hong's voice carried suppressed excitement.

"Let's go see," Liu Wenzhou said in a deep voice.

Everyone quickened their pace in unison, rushing toward the deck platform.

When Jiang Hanzhou stepped onto the platform, more than a dozen people had already gathered there. Everyone was facing the direction the tower ship was sailing, holding their breath and gazing ahead.

The last wisp of mist surrounding the ship was wiped away as if by an invisible hand, disappearing completely.

The view suddenly opened up!

Then, everyone was stunned.

Including the knowledgeable Zhao Yuanjing, the calm and composed Blue-clothed Woman, and Jiang Hanzhou, who considered himself to have a firm will.

What they saw before them surpassed all their imaginations of an "island," or even a "Sect."

That was an island... no, that was a continent!

It stretched between the sea and the sky, boundless and limitless, its breadth and width unknown.

The most striking feature was the towering mountain range in the center of the continent, undulating and piercing the clouds.

The mountains were magnificent; some were straight like swords, piercing the firmament; some were round like bells, firmly anchoring the earth; some were continuous like dragons, winding and coiling.

Between the peaks, clouds and mist swirled, but that mist was no ordinary mist; it was suffused with a faint rosy glow, as if Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence flowed within it.

Higher up, sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto some particularly steep peaks where the outlines of pavilions and towers were faintly visible, their upturned eaves looming in the clouds and mist, as if they were immortal palaces.

Within the mountains, massive shadows occasionally swept past.

They were spirit birds with wingspans exceeding ten zhang, their feathers shimmering with a jade-like luster, emitting clear and long cries that shook the sky.

What was even more shocking was that surrounding that massive island, which was like a main continent, were countless islands of various sizes, scattered like stars!

These islands were not naturally formed; they were arranged in an orderly fashion, faintly forming an immensely large circular formation that guarded the central giant island.

The nearby islands were clearly visible, with neat houses, cultivated spiritual fields, training plazas, and figures wearing uniform attire moving between them.

The distant islands were shrouded in faint water vapor and spiritual light, with only their outlines visible.

Between all the islands, rainbow bridges spanned across, boats traveled back and forth, and streams of light frequently streaked across the sky.

Those were Martial Artists with accomplished cultivation flying!

Full of vitality, orderly, and with the flow of Dao rhyme.

How could this be some isolated overseas island?

This was clearly a... Cultivation kingdom built upon the endless ocean!

"Is... is this Dragon Abyss Palace?" someone's voice trembled, filled with disbelief.

"My god... how big is this?"

"Those islands, there must be hundreds of them, right? Are they all part of Dragon Abyss Palace?"

"Look at those rainbow bridges! Look at those flying streams of light! This... this is the true atmosphere of an immortal Sect!"

Exclamations, gasps, and murmurs rose and fell on the platform.

Even the haughty Zhao Yuanjing lost his words at this moment, just staring fixedly at the scene before him, his fingers gripping the folding fan trembling slightly from the force.

His three companions behind him were even more dumbfounded; the Young Lord from the merchant guild even subconsciously rubbed his eyes.

For the first time, a look of shock appeared on Wu Huo's weathered face, his lips moving as if whispering something.

The Blue-clothed Woman's veil stirred slightly, and the immortal scene reflected in her exposed eyes, her calm finally broken.

Lei Hong opened his mouth wide, only managing to spit out a phrase after a long while: "Oh my mother..."

Jiang Hanzhou took a deep breath; the sea breeze no longer brought just the simple salty fishy smell, but a complex aura mixed with rich Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence, the fragrance of vegetation, and some indescribable, mellow "Dao rhyme."

Just by taking one breath, he felt his Dantian blood pellet heat up slightly, and his entire body's Qi and blood became more active.

"Such rich Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence... it's more than ten times stronger than the outside world! No, I'm afraid it's dozens of times stronger!" Jiang Hanzhou was shocked in his heart, "Cultivating in such an environment, one day might be worth more than a month of hard work outside! No wonder Dragon Abyss Palace can become the Holy Land of the East Sea!"

Just then, steady footsteps came from the direction of the bow.

Fei Jingxing had appeared at the bow at some point, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the incomparably magnificent Sect foundation ahead.

Even on his face, which was always calm and waveless, there was now a faint smile, a smile that carried pride as well as a softness of looking back at his homeland after experiencing the vicissitudes of life.

He turned around, facing these shocked and speechless young people on the platform, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"That's right, this place is Dragon Abyss Palace."

He raised his hand and pointed to the giant island that looked like a central continent: "That is the main island of Dragon Abyss Palace, also known as 'Ancestral Dragon Island.' The Palace Master, the Elders, the Inner Sect True Disciples, as well as the Sect's most important Scripture Pavilion, Alchemy Hall, Artifact Refining Workshop, Dao Enlightenment Stele Forest, and other core important areas are all located on it."

His finger swept across the surrounding scattered islands: "And these are the three hundred and sixty-five 'Star Islands' where Outer Sect Disciples Cultivate, live, and fulfill their duties."

Fei Jingxing's voice carried an unquestionable majesty and pride:

"These three hundred and sixty-five Star Islands were not naturally formed; they were moved here by the Sect Founding Ancestor of Dragon Abyss Palace, 'Immortal Master Cangming,' three thousand years ago using great Divine Ability, transporting Spiritual Vein islands from all over the East Sea and arranging them according to the profound principles of the movement of the celestial stars!"

"Three hundred and sixty-five islands, corresponding to the number of the celestial heavens, resonate with Ancestral Dragon Island, drawing upon the endless water spiritual earth veins of the East Sea, finally forming this—"

He paused, speaking word by word, as if proclaiming the ultimate truth of heaven and earth:

"The Celestial Star Sea-Suppressing Array!"

"Once this array is formed, its applications for gathering spiritual energy, defense, offense, trapping enemies, and manifesting the Dao are endless. Even if an external enemy could break through the layers of the East Sea's defenses and approach the palace gates, under this array, they would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, courting their own destruction."

"For three thousand years, Dragon Abyss Palace has sat steadily in the East Sea, guarding the Human Race's maritime borders and protecting the peace of the region; this array has contributed significantly."

Fei Jingxing's introduction struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer, blow after blow.

Moving islands!

Setting up a celestial array! Guarding the maritime borders for three thousand years!

What kind of heaven-defying means is this! What kind of profound foundation is this!

The imagination everyone previously had of Dragon Abyss Palace was completely overturned at this moment, elevated to a height that was awe-inspiring and even shudder-inducing.

Zhao Yuanjing's face turned pale; the little sense of superiority he held as a scion of a noble Family was crushed to pieces before such a magnificent Sect.

He finally understood why his Family Elders always spoke of Dragon Abyss Palace with undisguisable awe and yearning.

Wu Huo took a deep breath, the shock in his eyes gradually turning into incomparable determination.

The Blue-clothed Woman clenched her fists slightly.

Lei Hong and the others were so excited that they were trembling all over.

Jiang Hanzhou only felt a rush of hot blood surge to his head, as if something was burning in his chest.

This is the place I want to come to!

This is the stage where the power and Realm I pursue should exist!

Just as everyone was immersed in this unprecedented shock and agitation—

An anomaly descended without warning.