The grand ship was fully equipped with sailors, and even several servants remained aboard to attend to their needs.

Fresh water, vegetables, meat, and fish were all readily available; relying solely on what the vessel carried, this company only needed to remain comfortably on board, completely unconcerned with stopping to procure supplies, allowing them to reach Jiangzhou in leisure and ease.

To achieve maximum speed, Ye Wen had even divided the sailors into three shifts, taking turns maneuvering the large ship, traveling non-stop; they pushed forward as much as possible even through the night, only anchoring and waiting for dawn if the weather was poor or the night was so dark that even the moonlight failed to penetrate.

This massive vessel not only allowed the Shu Mountain Sect members to remain comfortable, spared from the misery of rough seas, but the few cabins were also spacious and luxurious. The largest one was clearly reserved for the county magistrate's personal enjoyment, featuring not only an incomparably comfortable grand bed but also several windows through which one could recline and directly watch the seascape.

However, what Ye Wen enjoyed most was standing at the bow, experiencing what it meant to cleave the waves, what it meant to be like the Titanic!

"Not impressive enough!"

After standing for a long time, he only saw the water at the bow slowly parting before the ship, yet not a single splash rose high enough to soak him, not even if he leaned down from the bow and reached out.

Moreover, they had been sailing south along the coastline the entire way, allowing him to see the shore scenery with just a turn of his head. Being so close to the coast naturally meant no major gales or high seas, thus making it hard to feel that sensation of a powerful sea wind blasting his face so hard he couldn't stand steady.

"It seems if I want to truly experience the Titanic, I'll have to wait until the expedition to conquer the Demonic Cult!"

He scanned his surroundings and noticed the nearby seawater reflected a faint shade of jade green, which, based on his knowledge of the ocean, indicated that the water was not deep. But then again, this small wooden boat (though considered quite large by Pingzhou fishermen) would be capsized by ordinary waves if it recklessly charged into the deep sea, even without a storm.

After watching for a while, Ye Wen began to feel bored. But when he turned, Ning Ruxue was still excitedly looking around. Having lived her whole life on the mountain, this was her first encounter with the sea. Standing at the bow, she couldn't look enough, marveling at how much water there was in the world—truly a magnificent sight.

"Senior Brother... look over there... there isn't even a speck of land in sight! I wonder how vast this ocean really is? Why don't we sail a bit further in that direction to see if we can spot any land?"

Ye Wen smiled but did not reply. A nearby sailor casually responded, "This little boat of ours dares not sail over there; it's extremely dangerous! If you want to go that way, you'll need a much bigger ship."

Ning Ruxue looked at the sailor with a confused expression, turning her head, "This ship isn't small?"

"Of course it is. This ship is only good for cruising near the shore... When the waves get rough, we have to rush back to land quickly so we don't get capsized! If we go much further out, even normal waves will be too much for us to handle!"

Ning Ruxue was completely puzzled and didn't quite grasp the situation. The sailor sighed and explained, "The farther you sail from the shore in this ocean, the higher the waves become... It is said that people who have sailed out far in large ships encountered waves several zhang high even on clear days, and the crests could even hit the people aboard. If you stand at the bow, you could easily be knocked into the sea by a wave and never be rescued!"

"How formidable!"

This was the first time Ning Ruxue had heard such things; she found it novel rather than terrifying. She was also bold due to her high martial attainment, confident that mere small waves couldn't possibly knock her over, given her skills.

Finally, Ye Wen patted Ning Ruxue's shoulder and said, "Do you remember Lin Hai, the leader of the Tiang Le Gang, Junior Sister?"

"Of course, I remember!"

Ye Wen nodded, "Lin Hai's martial arts were all comprehended from the ebb and flow of the tides. Do you think Lin Hai's skill was weak?"

Ning Ruxue had witnessed Lin Hai's fight with Ye Wen firsthand, and Ye Wen had later explained the details to her, so she knew Lin Hai's skills were formidable. Although she was no longer afraid of him now, Lin Hai had died many years ago; if he had lived and continued cultivating until now, no one knew how profound his internal energy might have become.

Furthermore, Lin Hai hadn't relied on any heavenly treasures like the Cold Pond Azure Fruit to achieve his level of power, which was something Ning Ruxue deeply admired.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wen continued, "Lin Hai's internal force all imitated the rising and falling of the tide, but in terms of sheer power, even Lin Hai’s full-force strike would struggle to withstand a single wave casually raised in this true ocean!"

What Ye Wen said sent a tremor through Ning Ruxue. Her delicate mouth parted as she looked at the seemingly calm sea surface, unable to fathom that the gentle, turquoise water held such immense power.

"Senior Brother, are you perhaps trying to fool me?"

Ye Wen playfully tapped Ning Ruxue's head and laughed, "When we meet up with the other Daoist friends, we’ll take a large ship out to sea, and then you’ll know. Just try not to cry when you get scared then!"

Ning Ruxue immediately looked displeased, glaring fiercely at Ye Wen, "You're the one who'll cry!" With that, she stopped paying attention to Ye Wen and continued wandering around the deck, observing the scenery.

Since the ship sailed close to the coast, the rocking was minimal. Although the others felt slightly unwell at first, they quickly adapted to life on the boat.

By the time they entered Dongzhou territory, the Shu Mountain Sect members had grown accustomed to life at sea, yet being confined to such a small area all day left them terribly bored.

"Bored? If you're bored, go find a spot to practice standing meditation and horse stances!"

None of the disciples showed any sign of resistance. Since the Sect Leader commanded them to stand meditation and practice stances, they would comply; at least it would be something to occupy their time.

However, once they began practicing, the disciples realized it wasn't that simple. Although the ship dared not venture into the deep sea, the near-shore waves were somewhat smaller. Nevertheless, the vessel was constantly rocking, making it difficult for the disciples to maintain their center of gravity. Before long, their horse stances warped out of shape.

Seeing the disciples in such a sorry state, Ye Wen let out a triumphant snort, thinking to himself, So the real Sect Leader can’t handle you guys?

But this exercise wasn't mere idle fooling around. If these disciples could master the knack of maintaining their stances on the rocking ship, it would greatly benefit their martial arts. Later, when fighting others, the influence of external environmental factors on them would be reduced to a minimum. Moreover, it keenly honed their adaptability; constantly adjusting their center of gravity was extremely demanding for building responsiveness.

While Ye Wen was instructing and urging on his disciples, Ning Ruxue had pulled Hua Yi into a secluded corner. After ensuring no one else was around, the two women began speaking in low tones.

After glancing around, Ning Ruxue started by asking, "How have things been these past few days?"

A blush spread across Hua Yi's face, showing a hint of shyness, as she replied, "In the beginning, your servant could still bear it, but Master has become increasingly formidable these days, and he changes his methods every day..." Unbeknownst to her, Ye Wen had slowly learned how to utilize his Innate Violet Qi to restore his Yang essence, and since this technique recovered energy rapidly, he naturally grew more vigorous with each encounter.

As she spoke, her face grew redder, and even Ning Ruxue felt her own cheeks flush hot. "This..."

Seeing this, Hua Yi suddenly leaned in toward Ning Ruxue, "Madam, why don't you just consummate your relationship with Master? You two already have an established bond outside; surely a few months of hesitation shouldn't matter, right?"

Ning Ruxue shifted away slightly, mumbling, "I... I'm afraid..."

Hua Yi covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "What is there to be afraid of? Madam will belong to Master sooner or later, whether it's a day sooner or later; won't this happen regardless? Besides, conjugal relations with Master can actually enhance your cultivation! Isn't Madam frustrated by the slow progress of her own cultivation? This is a perfect chance for Master to help!"

The moment cultivation was mentioned, Ning Ruxue stopped avoiding the issue and instead looked closely at Hua Yi.

Hua Yi's cultivation had advanced rapidly these days, and since Hua Yi hadn't hidden this fact from her, Ning Ruxue was perfectly aware. Seeing Hua Yi approaching the threshold of Innate Perfection while she remained stuck, the three critical barriers felt like towering mountains blocking her path, forcing her to watch as her Senior Brother pulled further and further away.

"Doesn't Madam think the same logic applies? Perhaps tonight you should consummate your relationship with Master!"

Hearing Hua Yi's words, Ning Ruxue genuinely felt tempted. Yet, the thought of engaging in such a shameful act filled her with both fear and apprehension. At that moment, she looked up and caught sight of Hua Yi’s eyes, which held a hidden smile, and she suddenly realized, "Did Senior Brother send you to persuade me?"

Seeing her scheme exposed, Hua Yi could only stick out her tongue lightly, "Madam, please don't blame me; it was Master who told this servant to say those things!"

Ning Ruxue snorted twice, "That despicable Senior Brother... he only thinks of these things!"

But upon reflection, she realized she was no longer young, and these matters truly couldn't be delayed. She longed to bear Ye Wen a son to continue the Ye family line.

She subtly glanced at Hua Yi, considering that Hua Yi had already been taken into Ye Wen's chambers. If Hua Yi were to become pregnant, and she hadn't even crossed that threshold, wouldn't that be too improper? Thinking about this, her resolve strengthened.

Meanwhile, Hua Yi was unaware of Ning Ruxue's thoughts. She just saw the Madam frowning in deep thought, occasionally glancing at her, unsure of the meaning. However, she had long established her position as a maidservant, and whatever the mistress thought of her was of little consequence. Thus, she stood obediently, allowing Ning Ruxue to look as she wished.

"That... that kind of thing, will it be very painful?"

"Ah?" Hua Yi was startled, but then she whispered, "It might be slightly uncomfortable at first, but it stops being painful after a moment!"

Ning Ruxue made a few choked sounds and suddenly declared, "Aunt Zhao told me that kind of thing is very painful, and it even bleeds!"

"That's not true!" Hua Yi wasn't entirely knowledgeable, but based on her own experience, she explained continuously upon hearing Ning Ruxue’s words, "Although Master always likes to play tricks, he never hurts this servant, nor has he injured me; naturally, there is no blood!"

"Really?" Ning Ruxue was both surprised and doubtful, still extremely hesitant.

As she pondered, Huang Rongrong suddenly appeared from somewhere, "Oh! So Sister Ning is talking about that kind of thing!"

This single sentence nearly caused Ning Ruxue to release sword energy in fright. Fortunately, her control over her energy was absolute, and she stopped her move the moment she recognized Huang Rongrong.

"Rongrong, you startled me!"

Huang Rongrong seemed unbothered, instead skipping cheerfully next to Ning Ruxue. The two women huddled together and chattered animatedly for quite a while, interspersed with occasional gasps of "Oh!", "Ah?", and "Really?"

Hua Yi, however, had already retreated. Upon reaching the front deck, she saw Ye Wen standing at the bow, staring blankly at the sea. She knew Ye Wen was practicing his energy, so she stood silently behind him, keeping watch so no one would disturb him.

Ye Wen was indeed circulating his energy, but he wasn't using his full power; his awareness was still monitoring his surroundings. However, upon sensing Hua Yi's arrival, he became unrestrained and devoted his full attention to his cultivation, trusting that Hua Yi knew what she needed to do.

He stood like that for a day and a night. Recently, having indulged in playful intimacy with Hua Yi had accumulated a considerable amount of Yin energy within him. Now, this Yin energy was providing increasingly negligible benefits to his cultivation, eventually becoming almost useless. After all, the Yin energy was just a trace of essence; it was highly beneficial the first time it was used, but the effect naturally waned with subsequent uses until it disappeared entirely. That Ye Wen benefited for so long was already quite remarkable.

"I thought I had discovered a method for dual cultivation, but it turns out I'm just destined to be a furnace!"

Recalling how Hua Yi received immense benefits every time, he felt deeply unbalanced.

"It seems I'm purely serving the public!"

He spent the journey indulging in fanciful thoughts, staring blankly at the sky, occasionally watching the sunrise or sunset, hugging Hua Yi, and flirting with his Junior Sister. By the time Ye Wen finally set foot on land again, nearly a month had passed.

"We're finally here!"

As soon as they stepped into Jiangzhou territory, those with deep cultivation were fine, but the few disciples felt as if they were walking on cotton wads. Even on flat ground, they felt a swaying sensation, experiencing discomfort to the extreme.

When Dongfang Sheng saw the state of the disciples, he suggested, "Why don't we find a place nearby to rest for the night first?"

Ye Wen glanced at the group of disciples and waved his hand, "No need. We still need to go out to sea shortly to encircle and suppress the Demonic Cult. If we cannot adapt to this life of constant rocking, how can we confront them? We will proceed directly to your association's headquarters! Miss Dongfang, please lead the way!"

Upon hearing the destination was the Azure Dragon Society, Dongfang Sheng's expression shifted several times. Ye Wen saw this and immediately knew she must have had a falling out with her father and brother, otherwise she wouldn't react this way.

Considering Dongfang Sheng's sudden appearance at the Shu Mountain Sect and her long stay without ever mentioning sending word to her family that she was safe, Ye Wen, who had been too busy with trivial matters before, now realized something was amiss.

"Miss Dongfang... is there some difficulty?"

When Ye Wen asked, Dongfang Sheng immediately forced a smile and replied, "Nothing at all, Sect Leader Ye, please follow me!"

She then walked ahead, leading the Shu Mountain Sect group directly toward the Azure Dragon Society headquarters.

The Azure Dragon Society was situated in Jiangzhou, specifically in Risheng County, the easternmost port city of Jiangzhou. Legend held that this was the very first port city constructed in the world.

Anything associated with being the "world's first" inherently elevates its status. Although Risheng County was not the main prefecture of Jiangzhou, its prestige and fame subtly overshadowed Jiangzhou Prefecture, making it the most renowned city-county in Jiangzhou. This was precisely why the Azure Dragon Society established its headquarters here.

The headquarters wasn't hidden away in some remote location; it was right inside the county town, very close to the pier. This was because many of the Azure Dragon Society's businesses relied on water routes. Jiangzhou's port had a unique location, serving as both a seaport and a river port—situated exactly where the great river met the sea. From here, one could sail upstream into the inland waterways, or head east directly into the vast ocean.

Along the way, Dongfang Sheng made conversation, filling Ye Wen in on quite a bit of knowledge about this world, especially concerning the ocean.

According to Dongfang Sheng, no one knew for certain if there were large continents overseas. Explorers who sailed out rarely found anything more than scattered islands; even when they believed they had found a large landmass, closer inspection revealed it was merely an extensive island.

Furthermore, these islands were rarely inhabited. In only two large islands had traces of people been found. Those inhabitants did interact with the Shang Dynasty, but the Shang people generally looked down upon these people from beyond the pale, even if their spoken language and many customs were nearly identical to those of the Shang Dynasty.

"Wait? So they aren't the Japs or Koreans?"

In his memory, those two nations, while sharing many customs with ancient Huaxia, still possessed distinct characteristics. The people Dongfang Sheng described sounded more like locals living in remote areas.

Because no foreign kingdoms were ever discovered across the sea, maritime trade had not developed much; sea transport was merely a convenient route for moving domestic goods north and south.

And since no formidable enemies ever arrived from the sea, the Shang Dynasty wasn't particularly keen on its navy. The annual military expenditure for the navy was less than one percent of that for the infantry. Hearing this figure made Ye Wen profoundly uneasy; he even considered whether he should remind his disciple: "Vigorously developing the navy is the way to dominate!"

However, considering he hadn't yet fully grasped the situation of this world, it was best not to jump to conclusions.

As they were talking, Dongfang Sheng suddenly pointed toward a vast estate ahead and announced, "We're here. That is the headquarters of the Azure Dragon Society!"

Ye Wen looked up and saw towering walls stretching before him; looking left and right, he couldn't see the end. A magnificent gate stood squarely in front, and the large plaque above it bore the three characters, Qīng Lóng Huì (Azure Dragon Society), exuding extraordinary might.

"This presentation... is quite lavish!"

The imposing grandeur of the Shu Mountain Sect's own mountain gate was certainly not inferior to the Azure Dragon Society's, but Ye Wen's was situated atop a high mountain, while the Azure Dragon Society had commandeered such a vast tract of land within a bustling county town—these were certainly not comparable concepts.

Dongfang Sheng glanced at the Azure Dragon Society with a complicated expression, "The Azure Dragon Society has taken nearly a hundred years to achieve this scale since its founding..."

Upon hearing that they had developed for a century, Ye Wen ceased his musing and began to contemplate, "I wonder what the Shu Mountain Sect will look like a hundred years from now? Will it be even stronger, or will it have vanished without a trace?"

Just as he was thinking this, Dongfang Sheng suddenly shouted angrily at the Azure Dragon Society disciple guarding the gate and slapped him hard across the face, "Are you blind? You don't even recognize me?"