Ten days later, on the Endless Sea.
Shi Bolong let out a long yawn, feeling a bit bored.
Finally, he couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, "Boss, aren’t you curious?"
Zhao Ya, who was writing something with his head down, looked up at Shi Bolong, "Curious about what?"
"The plan I set up in the Lower Mountain Fierce Tiger Realm was so ingenious. Aren’t you curious about what fate awaits Zhou Zheng?"
"What’s there to be curious about? Whether Zhou Zheng dies at the hands of those vengeful Martial Artists, or if he kills them, it has nothing to do with me, and I don’t want to hear about it either," Zhao Ya said calmly.
Shi Bolong looked defeated but didn’t dare say anything further, so he just shut his mouth.
Nearby, the Snake Woman who was attending them was moved upon witnessing this scene.
Back then, Shi Bolong, as the Master of the Black Ship, was an unrivaled existence for her and the many creatures on the Black Ship.
But now, in the face of Zhao Ya, he appeared even more humbled than she once was.
This couldn’t help but make the Snake Woman feel a sense of wonder.
"Ahem, boss, tomorrow marks another ten-day period. By then..." Shi Bolong’s voice grew quieter and eventually turned into a sheepish grin.
Because at that moment, Zhao Ya put down the pen and looked at him coldly.
"So, are you reminding me?"
"Of course not, I’m just giving you a heads-up so you don’t forget when the time comes!" Shi Bolong chuckled dryly.
Zhao Ya ignored this and casually tossed out a small medicine bottle.
Shi Bolong’s eyes lit up as he quickly maneuvered his wheelchair towards the spot and managed to catch the bottle.
"This is tomorrow’s antidote. I’m giving it to you today in advance because you’ve behaved well lately. Consider it your reward."
"Thank you, sir. You’re so generous!" Shi Bolong said excitedly.
Zhao Ya smiled and then ignored Shi Bolong altogether.
By now, they had ventured into the true depths of the Endless Sea, where Zhao Ya spent most of his days comparing sea maps and making notations in his personal journal.
Though it might not be of any use now, as long as he continued to record, it would undoubtedly become invaluable firsthand data.
Shi Bolong grew more excited with each passing day.
He didn’t even need to return for real. As long as they entered the Pure Bright Realm’s domain, he could find a way to contact the sect. By then, he swore to make this guy suffer dearly.
Shi Bolong silently made up his mind, yet outwardly, he appeared even more deferential.
Others might not notice this, but the Snake Woman, once Shi Bolong’s personally raised pet, saw it very clearly and felt naturally anxious.
So she quickly snuck off to tell Zhao Ya about her discovery.
After hearing the Snake Woman’s report, Zhao Ya smiled slightly, "Is that all?"
The Snake Woman nodded solemnly, "Yes."
Then she quickly added,
"Sir, you must not underestimate this Shi Bolong. He’s no saint. No matter how submissive he seems now, his heart is surely full of defiance. If you let him contact the people from the Wuyou Longevity Palace, even though you are strong, being alone could lead to a huge setback!"
It was clear that the Snake Woman was genuinely anxious.
After all, she no longer had any way out. If Shi Bolong regained power, she would surely die in a very miserable manner.
"Alright, got it." Zhao Ya stopped teasing her and nodded firmly.
Seeing that Zhao Ya was taking it seriously, the Snake Woman finally relaxed and voluntarily left.
After she left, Liu Yuhuan suddenly jumped out from an unknown hiding spot and asked expectantly, "Sir, are you going to take action against Shi Bolong?"
A strange glint flashed in Zhao Ya’s eyes.
Because just moments ago, he hadn’t even noticed Liu Yuhuan’s presence until she suddenly jumped out.
This was somewhat mind-boggling for Zhao Ya.
Even Martial Artists on the same level or higher couldn’t achieve such stealth.
But by now, Zhao Ya was somewhat used to it.
Since leaving Beyond the World and entering the Endless Sea, his power had begun to surge, and Liu Yuhuan’s abilities were also advancing by leaps and bounds.
Shi Bolong was absolutely envious of this and had mentioned several times to Zhao Ya that Liu Yuhuan’s astonishing talent evidently proved her pure Qingqiu Fox Race lineage.
A Fox Woman so excellent in both appearance and bloodline was a rare treasure in the Ten Thousand Realms, one that could easily fetch a high price.
He proposed that once they reach the grand world, Zhao Ya should auction off Liu Yuhuan. Finding the right buyer could fetch a price equivalent to half a Black Ship.
Zhao Ya remained noncommittal on the matter.
He would, of course, not sell Liu Yuhuan.
For now, he was only curious about Liu Yuhuan’s ancestry.
No matter how you looked at it, she didn’t seem like a child born of a small Profound Fox Tribe.
Not to mention the Profound Fox Jade Canon, whose usage Zhao Ya had yet to figure out, making Liu Yuhuan’s origins all the more mysterious.
Soon, Zhao Ya suppressed these thoughts and spoke coolly, "Who said I was going to act against Shi Bolong?"
"Hehe, I just heard what the Snake Woman said..." Halfway through, Liu Yuhuan didn’t dare continue.
"Oh dear, I suddenly remembered something else I need to do, so I’ll get going."
With that, Liu Yuhuan quickly ran off, almost as if escaping.
Watching her retreating figure, Zhao Ya’s eye gleam gradually faded.
The reason he was so stern with Liu Yuhua, sometimes even harshly scolding her, was that the girl was too clever.
Once she sensed your intentions change, it would be difficult to regain control.
In the following days, everything went on as usual.
The days of sea voyages were honestly quite dull and monotonous.
Especially in the seemingly boundless Endless Sea, unless one entered a bustling sea route or approached the grand world, encountering other ships was nearly impossible.
Well, except for pirates.
But surely no pirate would be so foolish as to target something like the Black Ship.
Thus, the journey continued smoothly, and soon they approached the first bustling sea route of their voyage.
Looking at the sea chart marking this route, Zhao Ya couldn’t help but ask, "Where does this sea route lead, and why is it marked so importantly?"
"Oh, this sea route connects the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Realm and the Profound Celestial Upper Mysterious Realm, linking a dozen or so different worlds, making it incredibly bustling indeed."