549: Lu Xueqi (26)

Su Han stepped forward.

He cupped his hands and asked, “Are you Elder Li?”

The old man slowly raised his head.

His cloudy eyes glanced at Su Han.

His voice was hoarse.

“Who are you?”

“This Junior’s surname is Su.

I wish to inquire about the shipping route to Liu Po Mountain from you, Elder.”

Upon hearing the three words “Liu Po Mountain”, the old man’s body trembled violently.

An extremely complex light burst forth from his eyes.

There was pain.

There was hatred.

And a hint of... madness.

“Get out!”

He roared hoarsely.

“I don’t know anything about Liu Po Mountain! Get out!”

Su Han did not move.

He looked at him calmly.

“Elder, this Junior did not intend to stir up your painful memories.”

“But Liu Po Mountain is involved in something significant, perhaps related to your son’s disappearance.”

“This Junior only wishes to uncover the truth.”

The old man suddenly stood up.

He excitedly waved his scrawny arms.

“Truth? What truth? My son was swallowed by that cursed place!”

“All you outsiders, one by one, you all want to go to your deaths! Don’t bother me!”

Su Han was silent for a moment.

He took something out from his in arms.

It was a pitch-black token.

Its Material was neither metal nor wood.

A strange rune was carved on it.

This was found on the black-robed man who attacked them earlier.

It was the only valuable item.

He handed the token to the old man.

“Elder, do you recognize this item?”

The old man’s previously agitated gaze froze the moment he saw the token.

He stared intently at the token.

His body trembled even more violently.

He stretched out his withered hand, seemingly wanting to touch it, but dared not.

“This... this is...”

His voice was filled with unbelievable fear.

“You... where did you get it?”

“From the person who attacked us,” Su Han said in a deep voice.

“Elder, you’ve seen something similar, haven’t you?”

The old man stumbled back two steps, collapsing onto the wooden stool behind him, as if all his strength had been instantly drained.

He lowered his head, his shoulders shaking, letting out suppressed sobs.

After a long while, he finally looked up, tears streaming down his face.

“It... it’s my son...”

“Half a year before he disappeared, he... he also carried a similar wooden token...”

“I asked him where it came from, and he stammered, only saying he picked it up by the sea and that it could ensure safe passage at sea...”

“Later... later he followed Wang Dadan...”

The old man couldn’t continue.

Su Han’s heart was stirred.

It seemed this token was indeed related to Liu Po Mountain.

Moreover, its influence might have already permeated this coastal area.

“Elder,” Su Han’s voice softened.

“Behind this token, a huge conspiracy might be hidden.”

“Your son’s disappearance might not have been an accident either.”

“We need to go to Liu Po Mountain to uncover everything.”

The old man looked up at Su Han.

His eyes were no longer filled with the previous repulsion and madness, but with sorrow and a faint glimmer of hope.

“You... you really want to go?”

“Yes,” Su Han said unequivocally.

The old man remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he shakily stood up and walked towards the dilapidated house.

“You... come with me.”

Su Han followed the old man into the dim house.

The interior was cluttered, piled with various shipbuilding tools and Materials.

The old man stopped in front of an old wooden chest.

He fumbled for a long time, then pulled out a rusty key and opened the large copper lock on the chest.

Inside the chest, carefully placed, was a tightly wrapped bundle in oilcloth.

The old man carefully took it out and slowly spread it on the table.

It was a huge sea chart.

The Material was special; although ancient, the lines were still clear.

The sea chart covered an extremely wide area and was rich in detail.

Many dangerous areas were meticulously marked.

In the southeastern corner of the sea chart, an area of the sea was specifically circled with cinnabar, and next to it, three small ancient characters read — Liu Po Mountain.

Around that sea area, numerous hidden reefs, whirlpools, and large areas of dense fog were marked.

There was also a small annotation: "Eerie fog devours souls, treacherous currents swallow boats; only a Spirit Boat can cross."

“This is a sea chart passed down by our ancestors,” the old man said, stroking the lines on the map, his eyes full of reminiscence.

“My family has built and sailed ships for generations; we once reached as far as here.”

His finger pointed to a small island on the outskirts of Liu Po Mountain.

“But the ancestral teachings strictly forbid descendants from approaching the core area of Liu Po Mountain.”

“He said... a power that should not be disturbed slumbers there.”

Su Han carefully examined the sea chart, committing every detail to memory.

“Spirit Boat?”

The old man nodded.

“Ordinary boats simply cannot withstand the treacherous currents and reefs there, let alone the eerie fog.”

“A specially made boat, crafted from Materials imbued with spiritual power and inscribed with protective Formations, is needed to have a sliver of hope.”

He looked at Su Han.

“I can help you build such a boat.”

“But the Materials are hard to find, and it will take a long time; I’m afraid...”

Su Han shook his head.

“Time is pressing.

We cannot wait that long.”

“Elder, do you know where we can find a ready-made... Spirit Boat?”

The old man pondered, “Ready-made... perhaps there’s only one place it might be.”

“Where?”

“Black Water Port,” the old man uttered three words.

“That place is the three-no-matter zone of the East Sea, gathering all sorts of desperadoes and Loose Cultivators.

Occasionally, some illicit good items flow out.”

“But it is extremely dangerous, fraught with peril.”

Su Han noted the name.

“Thank you for your guidance, Elder.”

The old man looked at Su Han and said solemnly, “Young man, if you can truly reach that Liu Po Mountain...”

“If... if you find any trace of my son...”

“Please be sure to tell me.”

His eyes were full of pleading.

Su Han solemnly promised, “I will.”

Carrying important information, Su Han returned to the inn.

He informed the two women of the situation.

“Black Water Port...” Bi Yao frowned.

“It doesn’t sound like a good place.”

Lu Xueqi said, “It’s a place where Dragons and snakes mingle; we need to be extra cautious.”

Su Han said, “But this is currently the fastest way to obtain a Spirit Boat.”

“We’ll rest for a night and depart for Black Water Port tomorrow.”

Bi Yao rubbed her fists, “Alright! It’ll be good to meet those monsters and demons!”

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly, indicating agreement.

That night, Su Han stood by the inn window, gazing at the dark sea in the distance.

The fog of Liu Po Mountain seemed to be getting closer and closer.

And Black Water Port would be the first checkpoint to the fog.

The future was uncertain, but his mind was made up.

The next day, the three left Wang Hai Town early in the morning.

Following the direction described by Elder Li, the shipwright, they headed northeast towards Black Water Port.

Black Water Port was several days’ journey from Wang Hai Town, located in a remote bay.

Along the way, the population gradually thinned, and the terrain became rugged.

Three days later, as the three crossed a mountain, a chaotic and noisy port appeared before their eyes.

It was less a port and more a huge shantytown.

Crude houses were built densely against the steep mountain wall.

The ships docked in the port were also varied, ranging from dilapidated small fishing boats to strangely decorated large ships flying skull flags.

The air was filled with the smell of fish, sweat, and a faint hint of blood.

People with fierce appearances and unfriendly eyes moved back and forth, filling the air with curses, quarrels, and wild laughter.

This was a lawless land, Black Water Port.

Su Han took a deep breath and whispered, “Let’s go in.

Be careful with everything.”

“Try to keep a low profile.

Find a shipyard or a black market to inquire about information regarding Spirit Boats.”

Lu Xueqi and Bi Yao nodded.

Concealing their Qi, they followed Su Han and merged into the chaotic crowd.

The moment they stepped into Black Water Port, countless eyes, both overt and covert, seemed to sweep over them, filled with scrutiny, greed, and ill intent. (End of chapter)