Chapter 99: Tempestuous Waves

“I am transmitting a secret technique to him,” Lin Qingmiao said calmly, cutting off the incessant chatter of the woman in the green robe.

“Can’t you just pass on the technique verbally? Why must you hold hands?” The woman in green looked incredulous.

Lin Qingmiao was momentarily taken aback, then annoyed. “I told you not to read those romance novels every day, mocking the scholars’ wild fantasies while still indulging in them. After reading so many stories about talented scholars, beautiful women, fox spirits, and monsters, just look at what fills your mind.”

With that, she stepped off the bow and headed into the cabin.

Fang Yue, noticing the green-robed woman’s unfriendly expression, dared not remain alone and quickly followed, retreating to his small room inside the cabin.

Once inside, Fang Yue lay on the narrow berth, his mind fully immersed in the “Dragon Turtle Breath Suppression Technique” that played repeatedly in his thoughts.

This was clearly a new mystical art for him—a system entirely unfamiliar and not easy to comprehend.

Fortunately, Lin Qingmiao seemed to have anticipated this, as the content she passed along included detailed annotations.

Fang Yue slowly worked to understand the material, absorbing it bit by bit.

...

“I can only grasp a small portion so far; the rest will require time to fully comprehend. But for now, it’s enough to deduce the first level of the Dragon Turtle Breath Suppression Technique and put it to use.”

Fang Yue sat up on the narrow bed, summoned his merit system, and began deducing the technique based on what he had understood.

Having just caught his breath, Fang Yue suddenly heard a commotion outside—a panicked uproar whose cause was unknown.

An accident at sea could spell major trouble.

After some thought, Fang Yue emerged from his small cabin.

He overheard the sailors shouting in alarm: the ship had been circling within the same area for quite some time.

Out on the vast ocean, surrounded by water in all directions and lacking any coordinates for reference, it was difficult to notice the ship was going in circles.

However, experienced sailors could detect something amiss if the ship kept turning in place, making no real progress.

Once they sensed the anomaly and observed carefully, the problem became clear.

In other words, the ship Fang Yue and the others were on had encountered what was called the “ghost wall” at sea.

Some timid sailors knelt at the bow, frantically bowing their heads, praying to the sea gods for protection, begging the force behind this “ghost wall” not to trouble them.

Seeing the sailors so fearful, the other passengers paled and became frantic.

Fang Yue glanced at Lin Qingmiao and the woman in green, Xiao Huai, who had emerged behind him. Even he didn’t fully understand the situation.

Noticing that Lin Qingmiao and Xiao Huai remained calm and unflustered, Fang Yue felt somewhat reassured.

---

“It must be aimed at us sisters,” Lin Qingmiao said, staring at the sea.

“Foolish creatures,” Xiao Huai sneered, clearly not a woman to suffer fools lightly.

Fang Yue felt a chill—these were enemies, no doubt, of comparable level.

Though Fang Yue did not know their exact cultivation levels, they could easily see through his current abilities, while he sensed no danger from them.

Moreover, Lin Qingmiao was able to transmit secret techniques through palm contact.

Judged by martial standards, their level surely surpassed the innate realm, and it was not impossible they even exceeded the Martial Saint stage.

If a fierce battle erupted on the ocean, the aftermath would be extremely perilous for everyone on board.

The standoff did not last long before the sea grew turbulent again.

A massive storm suddenly arose, waves roiling sky-high.

With the storm came torrential rain and thunderclaps flashing across the sky.

It was a terrifying scene straight out of an apocalypse.

The ship pitched violently like a toy amid the storm. All aboard staggered, struggling to remain upright.

Even Fang Yue barely managed to stand, drenched to the skin by the downpour.

Only Lin Qingmiao and Xiao Huai stood steadily, unfazed. Not a drop of rain fell on them.

Lin Qingmiao glanced at Xiao Huai, who frowned reluctantly.

“Alright, alright, sister, I understand,” Xiao Huai muttered unwillingly.

She knew Lin Qingmiao was accumulating human virtue merit and would not allow the passengers to come to harm, especially since the trouble was caused by their own invitation—it would severely damage their merit.

“What a headache,” Xiao Huai grumbled, then released her aura.

In an instant, the ship, which had been violently tossed by the storm and waves as if about to capsize, suddenly steadied.

No matter how fierce the storm, the ship remained calm and stable, without even the usual swaying from sailing.

Standing on the deck felt like standing on solid ground.

The sailors and passengers, who had been stumbling and falling, froze in place, baffled.

Soon, some perceptive sailors and passengers knelt on the deck, exclaiming joyfully, “It’s the sea god! The sea god is protecting us!”

Many others followed suit, kneeling and shouting, “Blessings of the sea god!”

Such a powerful storm and massive waves, yet the ship remained unscathed and steady.

---

In the midst of the passengers’ relief and amazement, Fang Yue’s expression was grave, for he knew this was only the beginning.

He was also in a bit of trouble—when Xiao Huai unleashed her aura, she deliberately suppressed him with it.

She was careful not to let Lin Qingmiao notice, so it was subtle, but enough to weigh heavily on Fang Yue.

He felt as if burdened by a great weight, struggling just to stand.

His irritation was palpable, yet there was nothing he could do—the disparity was too great. If others wished to tease him, he couldn’t even resist.

Glancing at Lin Qingmiao, he saw her eyes fixed on the storm at sea, with no attention to spare.

He could not possibly seek her help over such a trivial matter and disrupt her focus.

Besides, asking for help in this way was too humiliating.

He simply sat on the deck, adopting an expression of indifference as if scorning any hardship.

Xiao Huai was somewhat displeased with his passive acceptance but refrained from further action.

Because the enemy at sea had already revealed itself.

A giant sea monster burst through the waves from the depths, appearing at the heart of the storm.

The sailors and passengers who had been joyfully praying to the sea god were silenced instantly, as if their throats had been strangled.

Fear and despair swirled in their hearts.

The ship was large enough for a long voyage, its captain’s quarters measuring several dozen feet.

Yet this monster dwarfed it completely.

The sea creature was at least ten times larger than the ship, its body flat and fish-like yet unlike any fish.

Most striking were its grotesque eyes—one large, one small.

The large eye was the size of a small house, dominating most of its face.

The smaller eye was still as big as a door.

The mismatched eyes looked bizarre and unsettling.

Yet both eyes shared the same fierce, violent glare.