<b>Chapter 425: Ferry</b>
Li Qiye became even more certain after hearing Peng Zhuang's description. It was just as he had predicted. Now, he was completely assured; as long as he opened the Prime Ominous Grave, he would be able to find the lost mythical island.
Another disciple shook his head and said: “Haha, Brother Li, don't listen to Peng Zhuang's lies. At that time, the dark sky didn't have anything else, let alone celestials. Everyone saw a pitch black sky. Elder Zhi and the other elders said that they couldn't see through the sky even with their Heavenly Gazes, so how could there be any stars or a moon?”
“I speak the truth!” Peng Zhuang couldn't help but loudly protest.
Li Qiye said with a smile: “I believe Peng Zhuang. Nothing is impossible in this world that is full of wonders and mysterious occurrences. It is not that strange for Peng Zhuang to see something different.”
Peng Zhuang found solace and said: “Right? Brother Li trusts me, unlike little children like you guys.”
The other five disciples burst out in laughter. The girl in the group said: “Brother Li just doesn't want to embarrass you. Do you really think he is being serious?”
They were in the same tribe and grew up together so their relationships were quite good and they didn't mind teasing each other.
“Are all of you purposely banding together against me?” Peng Zhuang glared with his bullish eyes and asked: “Is your skin itchy? Want a beating or something?”
Another disciple laughed and lightly said: “Pfft, you alone want to fight against the five of us? Do you have what it takes?”
Peng Zhuang put on a fierce look and laughed: “What is the big deal about one versus five? Today, I'm gonna show you your uncle's amazingness!”
Li Qiye smirked while looking at the six of them bickering with each other. Having friends to grow up together with was a happy thing.
But suddenly, a sarcastic voice appeared: “Oh, if it isn't the group of country bumpkins from the Snow-shadow Tribe? You guys dared to come here?”
A group with both males and females that numbered more than ten came by. They exuded a cold air and had dark clouds over their heads.
The expressions of Peng Zhuang's group dimmed after seeing this group: “Hmph! So it is a bunch of kids from the Black Cloud Tribe. Don't tell me Nightsea belongs to you!”
The atmosphere immediately became quite tense.
This group of young men came from the Black Cloud Tribe, a tribe right next to the Snow-shadow Tribe; however, their relationship was quite bad. The Black Cloud Tribe was a bit stronger than the Snow-shadow Tribe so every conflict resulted in minor losses for the Snow-shadow Tribe. This forced the Snow-shadow disciples to harbor repressed anger in their minds.
The leading young man was the young lord of the Black Cloud Tribe. He led his group forward and looked at Peng Zhuang's group with disdain.
The Black Cloud Young Lord arrogantly said: “Nightsea does not belong to our tribe, but with your shoddy skills, you guys still dared to come to Necropolis? Haha, heed my kind advice, be good little children and go back to your den. Otherwise, you will die without a burial at Necropolis.”
“This is none of your business.” Peng Zhuang sneered and said: “We can go wherever we want. Haha, watch your own backs.”
Both groups were laughing and making provocative gestures. Meanwhile, the young lord looked at the six disciples and then Li Qiye, then he shook his head to say: “Peng Zhuang, we have more people. If we fight you guys now, people will make fun of us for bullying with numbers.”
“Sixteen or seventeen people aren't that many.” Peng Zhuang snappily countered: “We seven can still fight you guys, one versus three isn't an issue for us!”
“Seven?” A Black Cloud disciple looked at Li Qiye and laughed. He then pointed at Li Qiye and said: “Are you counting this human brat? Peng Zhuang, your Snow-shadow Tribe is becoming more and more unsightly. Mixing together with the weak human race… Truly causing our ghost race to lose face.”
“So what if he is human!” A Snow-shadow disciple angrily quipped: “If you think you are so amazing as a ghost, then go challenge the Distant Cloud's Thousand Carp River or Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom.”
“Haha, you don't like my words?” The Black Cloud Young Lord smirked and said: “You immediately defended this human brat so fast… Could it be that your Snow-shadow Tribe can't handle living in the Nether Border and want to go to the Distant Cloud to join the human race?”
Li Qiye only smiled in the face of their provocation; he was too lazy to bicker with a bunch of juniors.
Peng Zhuang was a frank and outspoken fella, so he stated: “Bah, Little Black Ghost, come out here and fight me solo if you have the ability!”
The Black Cloud and Snow-shadow Tribes had been enemies for generations, so now with the young lord's provocation, Peng Zhuang became very furious and wished to fight him.
With an oppressive aura, the Black Cloud Young Lord walked forward and sneered: “Haha, Peng Zhuang, you think I am afraid of you? We'll fight then, I'm going to let you taste the ground in three moves!”
“This is not the place to settle the disputes between our two tribes.” A cold yet pleasing voice appeared. Qiurong Wanxue had returned.
The young lord's expression quickly changed after seeing Qiurong Wanxue. Although she was still young, she was the chief of the Snow-shadow Tribe, and her power was about the same as an elder from their Black Cloud.
“If your Black Cloud Tribe wishes to fight, then my Snow-shadow Tribe will accept your challenge at any time.” Qiurong Wanxue slowly spoke with a dignified look: “I won't bully you juniors, tell your chief to come here.”
Eventually, the Black Cloud Young Lord left this sentence behind: “Our chief will meet you once we leave Necropolis.” Then, he and the other disciples quickly escaped.
“Hmph! What a coward.” If the chief didn't show up, then Peng Zhuang would have taught that pretty boy a good lesson.
Qiurong Wanxue then told the rest of them: “Come, I found a ferry.”
The group followed Qiurong Wanxue to a corner of the sea that had a parked ferry. A handler was sitting on the boat; he was tall and thin like a bamboo shoot and sat at the stern with a hat on his head.
The moment they got close, the handler stared at them with his ghastly eyes, causing the group of Peng Zhuang to shiver.
He then spoke: “One drop of Longevity Blood per person per day. We will go out to sea once there are five.” [2. The second part of this sentence didn't make a lot of sense to me either since the group has 8 people, but I believe that he isn't really looking at the number; maybe the author is trying to say that it is more of a robot/dead being who is quite automatic with this remark.]
The handler's voice sounded like sand being ground. Along with it being ice-cold and ruthless, his voice sent fear into the hearts of listeners.
“Everyone take out a drop of Longevity Blood.” Qiurong Wanxue commanded the group. She also took out a drop of her own.
The group of Peng Zhuang followed suit. Cultivators greatly valued their Longevity Blood, but Peng Zhuang's group was very young, so they could accumulate even more in the future, unlike older cultivators. At a certain age, they would find that their blood energy would weaken and their Longevity Blood would dry up.
One must pay the handler to go out to Nightsea with a ferry. The payment was in neither refined jades nor Yang Nightfish, but was Longevity Blood instead.
After everyone gave a drop to the handler, he opened his mouth and swallowed them. The group of youths shivered at the sight.
They then understood why the handlers seemed different from the ghosts back at Necropolis — the ones without any blood energy. So it turned out that these handlers drank the Longevity Blood of cultivators. No wonder they had a faint blood energy on their bodies.
After accepting the blood, the handler allowed for the group of Qiurong Wanxue to get on the boat.
The moment the group boarded, a different group that consisted of both men and women came from afar.
They arrived at the beach in just the blink of an eye. Their blood energy was quite vast so it was apparent that they were all experts. The one leading them was a young man that wore a draconic robe as his body exuded a faint moonlight, causing him to seem dazzlingly handsome. Moreover, his vitality was quite majestic; he was surely a great master.
The young man appeared to be quite happy to see Qiurong Wanxue.
“Miss Qiurong, long time no see.” He then clasped his hands together and smiled: “Is Miss Qiurong also going out to sea? What a coincidence, so are we. How about we share a boat?”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at him and shook her head: “Prince of Yin Moon, our small boat can only take seven or eight people. Prince should find a bigger boat instead.”
However, the Yin Moon Prince did not give up. He looked at Li Qiye and said with a smile: “Fellow Human Friend, I am in a rush to go out to sea to catch some Nightfish, how about you let me have your spot? I will pay you.”
Li Qiye looked at the Yin Moon Prince then Qiurong Wanxue, and while as nonchalant and relaxed as ever, he shook his head in denial: “Sorry, I am also in a rush to go out to sea.”
The answer annoyed the prince, but he didn't immediately show his anger.
“Goodbye, prince of Yin Moon, we will go before you.” Qiurong Wanxue didn't want to linger any longer and told the handler to start rowing.
The Yin Moon Prince was not happy, but he had to clasp his hands together to say goodbye.
The handler seated at the back gently rowed as the boat slowly shook back and forth into Nightsea.
Li Qiye, who was sitting next to Peng Zhuang, then glanced at Qiurong Wanxue who was seated at the bow and asked: “Who was that group earlier?”
“He is the prince of the Yin Moon Tribe. This tribe is considered a second-rate sect in the Nether Border — quite formidable.” Peng Zhuang took a glimpse at the chief seated at the front and whispered: “The Yin Moon Prince fancies our chief and has always been trying to court her.”