The ferry didn't stop for long. After Cao Gao came back, it was about time to set off.
Chen Xia stumbled back onto the ferry, just in time to run into Cao Gao.
They were both startled. Cao Gao hurriedly greeted, "Greetings, senior."
Chen Xia was somewhat puzzled, "Going begging?"
Cao Gao's current attire was indeed unpresentable, too messy, not much different from a beggar in the mortal world.
Cao Gao also realized this was unseemly, especially in front of Chen Xia. He brushed his hair aside, revealing his pale face, and cracked a smile.
"No, no, just some accidents happened."
"What accident could make you slap your palm print on your face?" Chen Xia was even more curious, and leaned against the hull.
He always liked finding things to lean on.
"The difference between high and low, strong and weak among cultivators, survival of the fittest, you should know about it." Cao Gao touched his cheek. There was indeed a very deep palm print on it, as if it was about to swell up.
This was hit intentionally hard, Cao Gao knew, to leave the palm print on his face.
To engrave shame on him.
Like training a dog with a leash.
"It seems this person has profound research on slapping." Chen Xia commented blandly, with no detectable emotion.
"More or less." Cao Gao nodded slightly, and smiled, "Please go back and rest, we'll be setting off soon."
"Alright." Chen Xia nodded. His body leaning against the hull straightened up and he walked towards his cabin. Halfway there, he suddenly turned his head and said.
"Use your hair to cover it a bit, maybe it'll look better."
"If you don't want to cover it, then use something else."
Chen Xia didn't say what that something else was. He ambled slowly back to his cabin.
The ferry was docked at the Jade Terrace Mountain pier for about three days, waiting for boarding and disembarking cultivators to finish up, then set off again, sailing towards the stars.
It was too boring in the cabin. Chen Xia would sometimes wander around, and told Cao Gao not to be too deferential to him, in case his identity was exposed.
Although Cao Gao nodded in agreement, that inherent restraint was still hard to change. But it was definitely much better than at the very beginning.
When they had nothing to do, they would observe the starry sea from the upper deck of the ferry. Cao Gao hadn't seen some of those stars either, twinkling in the distance, just a flicker and gone.
"What's in the starry sky?" Chen Xia leaned on the railing, curiously asking.
"Opportunities and dark invasions." Cao Gao thought for a while, gave his heartfelt answer, and explained at the same time.
"You should understand opportunities. For our line of work, we especially value opportunities. If lucky, we can really make a good profit."
"If unlucky, we may lose our lives. As for dark invasions, it should be unique to the starry sky. No one can say for sure what exactly they are. Some speculate they are the lingering souls of the great emperors of the heavens, corroding cultivators' souls."
"Many guesses, not one confirmation. However, cultivators below the Daohai realm really can't wander the starry river alone. If someone like me at the Moving Mountain realm went alone, I'd probably go insane within a year."
Chen Xia nodded, "I feel some of it, like whispering words echoing in my mind, continuously resounding."
"How do you deal with it then?" Cao Gao asked curiously.
"Spacing out." Chen Xia chuckled lightly, pointing at his own head.
"As long as my mind is empty enough, it has no way with me."
Cao Gao was stunned for a moment, then laughed blankly, "You really are amazing."
Hurried footsteps suddenly came from above the ferry deck. A winged figure rushed over, first glanced at Chen Xia, then quickly retracted his gaze, and said to Cao Gao.
"Captain, I'll be returning to the clan after the next pier. I came to bid you farewell in advance."
"Oh, alright." Cao Gao nodded, groped inside his clothes for a while, took out an ancient purse, and asked,
"I've settled your wages, should be 300 Spirit Stones right?"
"Yes, yes." The winged figure hurriedly nodded.
"Is 300 enough? Or should I give you some more? I remember you were originally exiled from the clan because you didn't have enough Spirit Stones to pay the clan fees." Cao Gao asked concernedly.
"Enough, enough. You aren't well off either. I'll be fine with 300 Spirit Stones."
"How am I not well off, I'm still a ship captain. I won't lack a mere 200 Spirit Stones. Take it, don't let the clan look down on you when you return."
Cao Gao chuckled and took out 500 Spirit Stones from his pocket, handing it to his subordinate.
The subordinate took the Spirit Stones, pursed his lips, repeatedly saying, "Thank you captain, thank you captain..."
"It's nothing. Remember to take care of yourself. If you're not treated well in the clan, feel free to return to the ferry. It's more relaxed here." Cao Gao chuckled.
After excitedly giving thanks, the subordinate quickly left.
This was just a small interlude.
"You have quite a good temper." Chen Xia said with a smile.
"Can't say it's that good." Cao Gao touched his cheek and chuckled lightly, "After suffering bitterness myself, there's no need to impose more hardship on others."
Chen Xia didn't say anything.
Cao Gao's expression showed more apprehension. He quickly said, "My thinking may be a bit naive. Don't mind me, just take it as my nonsense."
"Why did you become a ferry captain? Being an elder in a small sect should give you a better life, no?" Chen Xia suddenly asked.
Cao Gao shook his head slightly and replied, "The reason I became a ferry captain is simple. One, I can earn more money. Two, relatively more freedom."
"Joining a sect, I could become an elder, but so what. I'd still be suppressed by those above me. To live well, I'd mostly have to suppress those below me."
Cao Gao glanced at Chen Xia's expression. Seeing no surprise, he continued.
"My thinking may be too naive. Because where I grew up, the concepts of immortals and chivalry were combined into one called immortal chivalry."
"I can't become immortal, nor can I be chivalrous. I just want to try my best to get close to that. Being a ferry captain, I have freedom and can help some cultivators in trouble. It's quite fitting."
"If I stop being a captain in the future, I'll probably find a star to live in seclusion, waiting for a natural death."
"Quite interesting." Chen Xia chuckled in evaluation.
The swaying ferry sailed in the starry sky, carrying heavy dreams.
Chen Xia stood high up with his white clothes fluttering. Among the stars, he turned his head, as if relying on the stars, chuckled and asked.
"Are you among the million stars?"
Cao Gao was stunned, unable to respond for a long time. After a long while, he finally opened his mouth.
His mouth shape seemed to form "yes", but when he spoke, it carried thick bitterness.
"No."
Driving a Mercedes at 17, without relying on parents, all thanks to the previous owner forgetting to take the key out.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
