The Divine Bird Qingluan and the Fierce Wind Eagle also stood at the bow, watching the dim and turbulent sea ahead.

Qingluan turned and let out a few chirps toward Li Jun.

“Brother Teng, Xiao Qing says that this chaotic sea stretches two to three thousand li, and it’s impossible to cross with a ferry.” Li Jun looked at Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan gazed at the turbulent waters and laughed nonchalantly, “A mere two or three thousand li? This chaotic sea isn't much worse than the Nine-Bend Ghost Realm of Moon Island!”

“You two rest. By tomorrow morning, the Wumu boat will have crossed this stretch of water,” Teng Qingshan said, then turned and headed toward the mast, lowering both sails.

Li Jun’s eyes widened. “Brother Teng, you’re going into the sea again?”

“Xiao Jun, get inside the cabin.” Teng Qingshan said no more, kicked off his shoes, and tossed them into the cabin.

Then, he strode to the bow, hoisted an iron chain onto his shoulder, turned back to Li Jun with a grin, “Get a good night’s sleep. Come out when the Wumu boat stops rocking.”

“Be careful,” Li Jun managed to say.

The moment the words left her mouth, Teng Qingshan leaped up, plunging into the dark, chaotic seawater like an arrow released from a bow.

Splash! Water sprayed everywhere.

The iron chain sank deeper and deeper into the sea until, with a resounding clang, it became taut and perfectly straight.

Swish-swish~~

A powerful, irresistible force transmitted through the chain to the entire Wumu boat. The boat, which had been moving slowly, instantly surged forward—

Boom—

It sliced through the waves!

The Wumu boat dashed through the chaotic sea like a swift swordfish.

The sudden burst of speed caused Li Jun to involuntarily stumble two steps backward. “Yoo~~ Yoo~~~” The Fierce Wind Eagle and Qingluan also let out excited cries upon realizing the Wumu boat’s acceleration.

Their cries echoed across the sea!

This Wumu boat sailed through the 'Demon Sea'—a stretch of ocean that made the people of the North Sea Continent turn pale at the mere mention of it—at an astonishing speed.

…

Night fell, and the Wumu boat continued its swift journey.

Dawn broke, and the boat’s speed did not lessen.

The sun rose above the horizon, climbing higher and higher until it hung high in the western sky. Only then did the Wumu boat finally clear the turbulent waters.

The afternoon of the second day after leaving the chaotic sea, the ocean appeared calm, and the Wumu boat slowly steered northward.

On the deck of the Wumu boat.

“Yoo~~” The Fierce Wind Eagle carried an Iron Leaf Fruit in its beak and carefully placed it next to Qingluan.

Qingluan glanced at it, then closed its eyes to rest, refusing to eat it at all.

Seeing this, the Fierce Wind Eagle blinked its eyes, helpless.

“Brother Teng, look at Xiao Hui and Xiao Qing.” Li Jun was smiling so widely her eyes were reduced to crescent moons. Just then, “Xiao Jun, look quickly!” Teng Qingshan’s voice cut in. Li Jun turned her head in surprise and saw Teng Qingshan pointing toward the northwest.

In the northwest, there was an island.

“Brother Teng, we saw an island before; it was completely barren,” Li Jun examined the distant island closely. “Are there people on this island?”

“Smoke!”

Teng Qingshan’s eyes lit up as he focused on the island. With his vision, he could indeed see several wisps of thick smoke rising from the distant landmass.

“If there is smoke, there must be people,” Teng Qingshan said quickly. He lowered the canvas sail, then grabbed the two long oars with both hands, his immense strength propelling the oars with fierce speed.

Swish-swish~~

The Wumu boat’s speed immediately increased as it rushed toward the island.

Moments later—

“It really is thick smoke,” Li Jun exclaimed with pleasant surprise.

Teng Qingshan smiled, yet felt a wave of emotion wash over him. He had been traveling for more than half a year, or precisely, including the nearly four months spent on Moon Island, he had been at sea for almost a year.

“Finally, I see people from the North Sea Continent,” Teng Qingshan murmured, his gaze suddenly sweeping across a distant patch of sea.

“Hmm?” Teng Qingshan frowned.

In the distance, a massive sea vessel was departing from the far side of the island they were approaching. Because of the distance, even a giant ship looked as small as a fingertip from Teng Qingshan’s position.

‘This island is in contact with the outside world via a fleet?’ Teng Qingshan mused internally.

While he pondered, the Wumu boat quickly reached the shore.

“Brother Teng, there must be people on this island. And quite a few of them!” Li Jun declared confidently.

“Oh?” Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun with a smile.

“Look at the beach—lots of footprints,” Li Jun pointed out.

Teng Qingshan smiled, dropped the anchor, and stabilized the Wumu boat.

“Let’s go, disembark.” Teng Qingshan picked up the Wheel of Reincarnation Spear and jumped off the Wumu boat with Li Jun.

“Yoo~~” Qingluan immediately flew over, turning back to call out to the Fierce Wind Eagle. The Fierce Wind Eagle let out a sharp cry, obediently circling the Wumu boat twice before landing back on the deck.

Li Jun covered her mouth, laughing. “Brother Teng, Xiao Qing is making Xiao Hui stay behind to watch the ship.”

“Can’t be helped. He’s just unwilling. Qingluan’s strength also compels him to obey,” Teng Qingshan laughed as well. The relationship between the Fierce Wind Eagle and Qingluan was a frequent topic of conversation between him and Li Jun while at sea.

“Come on, let’s explore the island.”

Teng Qingshan glanced at Li Jun. “Stay by my side, don't wander off.” Li Jun felt his concern, nodded, and obediently followed close to his flank. Qingluan flew overhead, soaring above them.

The island was not small.

After walking about half a li, Teng Qingshan’s expression shifted abruptly as they reached a deserted, overgrown path.

“What’s wrong?” Li Jun asked, surprised.

“A scorching smell!” Teng Qingshan’s gaze sharpened. “The smell of burnt corpses!”

“Ah.” Li Jun gasped sharply.

Teng Qingshan’s five senses were extremely sharp; though they were still far away, Li Jun couldn't smell it, but he could. “Brother Teng, what happened on this island? The smell of burnt flesh? Are you sure you aren’t mistaken?” Li Jun found it hard to believe.

“I am not mistaken,” Teng Qingshan replied, frowning, his hand gripping the Wheel of Reincarnation Spear.

They walked another four or five li.

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun arrived at a place where people had once lived.

“This, this is—” Li Jun’s face was rather pale.

Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes, a faint cold glint flickering within them. On the ground ahead, corpses were scattered everywhere. Some had their heads severed; others bore large, bloody holes in their chests. Fragments of bodies lay strewn about.

Some of the wooden huts and dwellings were still burning, emitting sporadic crackling sounds.

Just in the immediate vicinity, at least a hundred people were dead.

‘A massacre?’ Teng Qingshan wondered. Even on the land of the Nine Provinces, mass slaughter was an outrage against both gods and men. Bandit gangs sometimes wiped out a village, but only to intimidate others.

Massacres were rare in the Nine Provinces.

“Xiao Jun,” Teng Qingshan noticed that Li Jun’s face was pale and her eyes looked distant.

“Xiao Jun, what is it?” Teng Qingshan walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Li Jun suddenly threw her arms around him, tears streaming down her face. Teng Qingshan, being perceptive, suddenly remembered… Years ago, Li Jun’s entire family had been slaughtered when bandits stormed their home. Only she and her mother had escaped, and eventually, even her mother was killed.

Slaughter...

“Sigh…” Teng Qingshan gently patted Li Jun’s back.

After a while, Li Jun’s emotions stabilized, and she pulled away from Teng Qingshan’s embrace. She whispered, “Brother Teng, I’m sorry, I got your clothes wet.”

“It’s fine,” Teng Qingshan comforted her. “Xiao Jun, you must learn to be stronger!”

“Mhm!” Li Jun looked up at Teng Qingshan and nodded in assent.

“Let’s go see if there are any survivors on this island,” Teng Qingshan felt that Li Jun’s state of mind was quite turbulent, so he took her hand and continued forward.

They advanced together.

Li Jun looked up at Teng Qingshan walking ahead of her—his tall frame, his determined gaze, and the warmth emanating from his large hand holding hers. It made Li Jun feel like a lost, drifting boat that had finally found a harbor; her heart grew calm.

A faint, shy smile touched her lips, and Li Jun allowed Teng Qingshan to lead her onward.

…

On this island, Teng Qingshan held Li Jun’s hand and walked for a long time. Every path they saw was lined with bodies—roughly seven or eight hundred people! If they counted those Teng Qingshan hadn't seen... the entire island likely held no fewer than a thousand dead.

Not a single survivor!

‘That’s ruthless!’ Teng Qingshan looked at the thick smoke billowing around them, and suddenly recalled the large sea vessel he had seen before they landed. A thought struck him. ‘It’s highly likely that the people on that large ship are responsible for the deaths of so many on this island!’

“Brother Teng,” Li Jun pointed toward a noticeably larger residence not far away. “Look at the ground over there.”

Teng Qingshan’s gaze swept over and immediately locked onto a half-burned, incomplete book lying on the soil.

‘A book?’ Teng Qingshan felt a jolt of excitement in his heart.

“Right… Emperor Yu, he went to the North Sea Continent several millennia ago! After several thousand years, who knows what the current North Sea Continent has become?” Teng Qingshan understood this clearly.

According to Emperor Yu, when he was present, the population of the Nine Provinces was only a few hundred million.

Now, it was tenfold that amount!

After thousands of years, what had the North Sea Continent become? No one knew.

“The book!” Teng Qingshan immediately ran over and picked up the book. For him, relying on books to increase his understanding of the North Sea Continent was currently the best approach.

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun both stared at the tattered volume. Its cover was made of yellowed parchment. As Teng Qingshan carefully opened it—

“Hmm?” Teng Qingshan frowned.

Li Jun also blinked.

“Brother Teng…” Li Jun looked at Teng Qingshan, and Teng Qingshan looked back at Li Jun. Their expressions were as innocent as they could be.

“This is exactly what I feared!” Teng Qingshan managed a wry smile.

The characters in the book were also block characters, but every stroke and line was oddly stiff. Each character seemed more like a drawing than writing.

“We can’t read it!” Li Jun’s face was also filled with helplessness.

She, a young lady from a wealthy family, had received impeccable tutoring since childhood, mastering the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But now... she was illiterate, a true illiterate.

“This is what worried me most! When Emperor Yu arrived at the North Sea Continent, there were already millions of people there. It’s likely that writing had already formed then! Having its own lineage, even with changes over several millennia, it’s unlikely to be identical to the script of the Nine Provinces,” Teng Qingshan sighed with a helpless smile. “I never expected that I’d become an illiterate too. Even if I get a book, I won’t understand it.”