73: Wind Chasing Boat

The enormous sound waves crashed against their eardrums, a cacophony of various dialects, slang, haggling, calls to friends, and cries of grief and rage.

At the edge of the plaza, towering black steles stood erect, with blood-red characters scrolling across them, constantly publishing new conscription missions, battle merit reports, and exchange lists.

However, the battle merit reports were mostly bad news.

Cultivators dressed in the dark blue uniforms of the Law Enforcement Hall moved through it like worker ants, maintaining a fragile order, guiding newly teleported Cultivators to different areas.

“You!” The cold-faced Law Enforcement Cultivator who brought Lin Feng pointed to a grand stone hall at the edge of the plaza, heavily guarded and shaped like a giant black turtle, “Go to the ‘Law Enforcement Hall’ yourself to report and register! The Star Positioning Ring will guide you.

You have three hours to rest and purchase supplies. After three hours, you must go to the Law Enforcement Hall to receive your assigned mission! If you are late, the Star Positioning Ring will automatically activate punishment!”

After speaking, he no longer paid attention to Lin Feng and led his subordinates directly to another busy teleportation array.

A faint directional pulsation came from the Star Positioning Ring on his wrist, like a cold navigator.

Lin Feng took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation in his heart and the indescribable worry for his Family, and squeezed into the surging crowd.

Three hours…

Guiyuan Island, as the hub of the rear, had far more abundant supplies than the Sea Serpent Market, but prices also soared, and many popular goods were already controlled or prioritized for the front line.

Lin Feng had a clear goal and went straight to “Myriad Treasure Street,” where Cultivators gathered.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and people jostled each other.

Lin Feng first found the Hundred Refinements Pavilion's branch on Guiyuan Island, and with his token, he finally obtained the third-tier Low Grade Flying Boat he had been longing for. Lin Feng named it—Wind Chaser Flying Boat.

The Flying Boat was a deep ink-blue all over. Its streamlined hull was crafted from deep-sea sunken ironwood core, covered with processed ink-dragon skin, making it exceptionally tough and with restrained spiritual light.

The boat body was covered with intricate Formation patterns, and at its core was a Formation Plate refined from the powdered inner core of a Mirage Sea Beast, which allowed it to perfectly blend into the sea mist environment when activated.

It felt slightly heavy in his hand. Lin Feng satisfactorily put it into his large Storage Pouch. This would be his important reliance for survival in the chaotic sea region.

After replenishing some Talismans and Medicinal Pills, Lin Feng walked into an old-fashioned shop called “Vast Sea Relics.”

The shop was dimly lit, and the shelves were filled with all sorts of bizarre items covered in the dust of ages.

His gaze was drawn to an unassuming jade box in the corner.

The jade box was half-open, revealing a section of strange metal as thick as a baby's arm, completely deep profound black, yet with specks of silver light flowing on its surface, as if a miniature galaxy was Sealed within it!

“Starfall Sinking Silver!”

Lin Feng’s heart suddenly leaped!

This was precisely one of the core auxiliary materials required for refining the “Overturning Sea Sword Embryo”!

This material was formed when an extraterrestrial star fell into the deep sea, and after tens of thousands of years of geological pressure and special water element tempering, only a small piece could be formed. It contained the essence of star gold Qi and the nature of heavy water, making it extremely rare!

He had seen its description in the records of the “Overturning Sea Sword Art,” and he never expected to encounter it here!

“Shopkeeper, how much is this item?” Lin Feng suppressed his excitement, trying to keep his voice steady.

Behind the counter, an old man with white hair and beard, who seemed half-asleep, raised his eyelids. His cloudy old eyes swept over Lin Feng, and he slowly said, “Young man, you have good eyesight. This is ‘Star Sinking Mysterious Silver,’ obtained from a ten-thousand-fathom sea trench. I also acquired it by chance. One price, eight thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, no bargaining.”

Eight thousand! Lin Feng’s eyelids twitched slightly.

But this item was crucial to him. If he missed it, he didn't know when he would encounter it again!

“Five thousand!” Lin Feng tried to bargain.

The old man didn't even lift his eyelids: “Eight thousand.”

“Six thousand five!”

“Eight thousand.”

“…Seven thousand! Plus a bottle of jade emperor honey!” Lin Feng gritted his teeth and took out a jade bottle.

He still had to keep a large amount of Spirit Stones for emergencies, and besides, the Spiritual Vein on Xuanlei Island was still waiting to be upgraded.

The old man’s nose twitched slightly, and his cloudy eyes finally brightened a little: “jade emperor honey? The quality is acceptable… Fine, I like the look of you, deal!”

Lin Feng endured the heartache, handed over the Spirit Stones and jade emperor honey, and carefully placed the jade box containing the Starfall Sinking Silver into the deepest part of his Storage Pouch, feeling a huge weight lift from his heart.

The Sword Embryo was within reach!

Just as he walked out of Vast Sea Relics, a peculiar young seedling at the entrance of a nearby shop specializing in spiritual plant seeds, named “Spiritual Seedling Garden,” caught Lin Feng’s attention.

The young seedling was only about a foot tall, its entire body a warm, pale gold. Its branches were gnarled like a Dragon, and its leaves resembled clasped Buddha palms, exuding an aura of peace, tranquility, and insight into the human heart.

The base of the young seedling was wrapped in special spiritual soil and placed in a jade basin inscribed with Buddhist scriptures.

“Buddha Fruit Tree?”

Lin Feng’s pupils constricted slightly.

This tree was a sacred tree of Buddhism, growing extremely slowly, requiring hundreds or even thousands of years to mature and bear fruit.

Its fruit, the “Buddha Fruit,” was a third-tier top-grade spiritual fruit, containing pure Buddha Power and life essence. Not only could it greatly enhance Body Refining effects and temper muscles, bones, and skin, but it could also calm the mind and spirit, resist external demonic intrusions, and had miraculous effects on the Heart Demon tribulation during a Breakthrough to a major Realm! It was a treasure coveted by Body Cultivators and all Cultivators attempting to break through to a higher Realm!

“Shopkeeper, how much is this young tree seedling?” Lin Feng asked.

The shopkeeper of the Spiritual Seedling Garden was a kind-faced old woman. Hearing this, she sighed, “Young friend, you have good taste. This was something I fortunately obtained years ago in the ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple.

The Buddha Fruit is precious, but its growing conditions are harsh, and its maturity period is even longer. It is difficult for those without great power or profound fortune to cultivate it.

I have guarded it for over a hundred years, and I feel my fortune has run out.

If you truly want it, twelve thousand Spirit Stones, and you can take this ‘Pure Heart Jade Basin’ with it.”

The price was high, but Lin Feng thought of his Heaven-Defying Rain Prayer Divine Ability… A maturity period of several hundred years?

Perhaps in his hands, it could be shortened by ten times, or even dozens of times!

“Ten thousand Spirit Stones!” Lin Feng bargained again.

The old woman shook her head: “Although this tree is a young seedling, it contains a trace of Buddha Origin. Twelve thousand is already my bottom line.”

Lin Feng no longer hesitated and paid the Spirit Stones. The moment the Buddha Fruit Tree seedling and the Pure Heart Jade Basin were put into his spiritual field space, he seemed to see golden, radiant holy fruits in the future, helping him advance bravely and steadily, impervious to Heart Demons!

Three hours passed in a flash.

A continuous, warning-like burning sensation came from the Star Positioning Ring on Lin Feng’s wrist.

He did not dare to delay and followed the guidance, walking towards the Law Enforcement Hall stone palace, which resembled a giant black turtle.

The hall was vast and desolate, dimly lit.

An invisible pressure permeated the air, causing those who entered to involuntarily hold their breath and concentrate.

At the very front, on a high platform, sat an old man dressed in a deep purple star-patterned robe. The old man’s face was ancient and unadorned, and when his eyes opened and closed, there were faint flashes of thunder. His aura was as deep as the sea, clearly a Great Cultivator of the Purple Mansion Late Stage! He was the Elder guarding the Law Enforcement Hall of Guiyuan Island—Lei Zhenzi!

Below the high platform, dozens of conscripted Foundation Establishment Cultivators stood respectfully with their hands down, the atmosphere heavy.

“Name, cultivation, Origin.”

Lei Zhenzi’s voice was not loud, but it rumbled through the hall like muffled thunder, clearly reaching everyone’s ears, carrying an unquestionable authority.

“Lin Jiu, Foundation Establishment, Loose Cultivator from the Eastern Sea Region.” Lin Feng stepped forward and answered calmly.

Lei Zhenzi’s gaze lingered on Lin Feng for a moment, especially on Lin Feng’s physique, which was unusually strong for a Foundation Establishment, and the faint fluctuation of the Vajra aura on his wrist. He nodded slightly and did not ask further questions.

A steward quickly recorded the information.