The next day, after purchasing a speedboat in Seven Water City, Yun Lie set off alone.
He had placed the women into his Inner World.
After greeting Mayor Iceberg, Yun Lie felt more at ease.
After all, the shipbuilding company had a long-term partnership with the World Government, and the World Government's special permit plaque hanging at the entrance was the best protective charm.
Even if the Red Hair Pirates truly pursued him to Seven Water City, they would have to think twice and wouldn't dare to cause trouble there easily.
As the engine roared to life, the speedboat shot out like an arrow from a bow, its bow cutting through the waves and splashing large amounts of white spray.
The speedboat was very fast, and the fuel he carried in his personal space was enough for the speedboat to travel at super speed without interruption.
"We're finally here," Yun Lie muttered, putting away the speedboat and tearing open a spatial rift with both hands.
As soon as he entered, a bone-chilling wind assaulted him, making it impossible to open his eyes.
The higher he flew, the thinner the air became, and breathing became difficult.
When the altimeter reached seven thousand meters, an island floating above a sea of clouds finally appeared before his eyes.
Knowing the location, he could instantly teleport there, and in the next moment, he was above Sky Island.
His location was very open and uninhabited, showing no signs of human life.
He walked inward for about three hours before finally seeing a small town made of clouds.
In the town, he could still see some people with wings on their backs walking around, just like the angels on Angel Island before.
Upon arriving in the town, Yun Lie became the center of attention because he had no wings, making him an anomaly among a group of winged people.
He found a young girl who seemed to bear him no ill will and asked, "Hello, little girl, is this Liuyun Island?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a lollipop and handed it to her.
The little girl took the candy and replied crisply, "Yes, this is Liuyun Island, Big Brother, are you from the Blue Sea?"
Yun Lie nodded, "I just came up from the Blue Sea. Is there an inn here? I'd like to stay for a while."
The little girl pointed to a large building in the distance, "That's the inn. Blue Sea people who came here before all stayed there. But Big Brother, you must be careful, never go out at night, it will be dangerous."
"Dangerous? Why is it dangerous at night?" Yun Lie squatted down, his eyes filled with a hint of curiosity as he asked.
The little girl skillfully tore open the lollipop wrapper, put the pink candy into her mouth, and, with bulging cheeks, mumbled, "Because night is when the Rogue Monks are active. They are notorious villains on the island, and when they see Blue Sea people, it's like they've seen enemies. They're really fierce!"
"Rogue Monks?" Yun Lie stroked his chin, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "This is interesting."
Information about the Supernovas immediately came to his mind—among the pirates who debuted at the same time as Wang Lufei, there was a Rogue Monks Pirate Crew, whose members all had distinctive wings on their backs, rumored to be from Sky Island.
If he wasn't mistaken, the people the little girl was talking about were most likely the group who would become one of the Twelve Supernovas two years later.
"Thank you for the warning, I'll remember it," Yun Lie casually asked about the local customs and traditions of the island, then walked towards the inn the little girl had pointed out.
The inn was indeed quiet, with only a few scattered guests in the lobby, mostly travelers in a hurry. Yun Lie quickly glanced around and then walked towards the Rogue Monks Temple on the edge of the town.
From a distance, the temple looked somewhat eerie, with moss clinging to its mottled walls.
Pushing open the door, there was no one inside, only scattered food scraps on the floor and candelabras still emitting faint smoke.
It seemed the Rogue Monks had indeed gone out, but the traces they left behind seemed to silently announce their presence.
After circling the vicinity a few times, when he returned to town, the setting sun had already gilded the clouds.
The food street was bustling with activity. Children from Sky Island chased and played, running past Yun Lie. His wingless appearance clearly piqued everyone's curiosity, and he was met with curious glances all along the way.
However, Yun Lie didn't mind and simply strolled leisurely.
The stalls on both sides of the street wafted with the rich aroma of seafood. After all, on Sky Island, where land was scarce, vegetables and fruits were rare, making seafood the undisputed star.
The charred aroma of grilled fish, the fresh sweetness of steamed shellfish, mixed with the scent of special sauces, made people's mouths water.
Yun Lie walked and bought, and without realizing it, he had spent a full hour wandering down this not-so-long street.
His appetite was astonishing, and he was generous with his spending, so all the shop owners brought out their best skills, hoping to show off in front of this "big customer."
Fortunately, the Sky Island currency he had before hadn't run out. All the eating and drinking added up to only 100 million Ik, which was only 10,000 beli.
Yun Lie, contentedly burping, secretly stuffed a good amount of special delicacies into his Inner World—after all, Nami and the others were waiting to taste them.
Yun Lie, having tasted all the delicacies of Liuyun Island, was finally ready to leave when he reached the end of the street.
At this moment, an angry roar suddenly erupted: "Urouge, you scoundrel, you're eating and running again!" The familiar name made him pause, and his gaze immediately turned towards the direction of the sound.
Following the sound, Yun Lie turned into a nearby alley and saw several burly men in monk robes cornered by a red-faced owner.
The bald, muscular man leading them was Urouge. He scratched the back of his head, his face plastered with a fawning smile: "I'm so sorry, Uncle Yun, but this time we're really broke, and our stomachs are rumbling. Could you perhaps make an exception for this meal?"
As he spoke, the several burly men in monk robes uniformly bowed, looking as sincere as could be.
The owner was so angry that veins pulsed on his forehead. He pulled out a crumpled ledger from somewhere, shaking it so it rustled: "Last time, the time before that, the time before that! When haven't you used that excuse? You eat more than whales, you've emptied my inventory! You have to settle the bill today!"
Urouge's eyes suddenly lit up, and he moved closer with a cheeky grin: "How about this? We work for you for free, no wages, just food. What do you think?"
His subordinates behind him also nodded and bowed, their faces full of anticipation.
This completely ignited the owner's fury: "You want to eat and take? Dream on! Get out! Get out right now!"
The owner grabbed a broom from the corner and made to hit them.
"Alright! Thank you, boss! We'll come back to your business next time!" Urouge showed no embarrassment on his face, bowed again with his brothers, and took off running.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to shout that last remark, which almost made the owner throw the ledger at him. He stomped his feet and cursed, while Yun Lie, watching the farce from the shadows, couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle softly.