Chapter (16): The Sea Scuffle
The Port City was not only vast but teeming with life. Upon arrival, the group headed straight for one of the most bustling restaurants. After ordering a few dishes, they slipped the proprietor some silver to inquire about Jiuye.
The proprietor confirmed that while Jiuye lay across the ocean, it was not a direct port of call. He warned them that if they intended to go, they had to move immediately. Ships only crossed to the distant port near Jiuye once a year, and the final vessel was set to depart shortly. If they missed this boat, they would be stranded for another year.
The group dared not linger. They couldn't even finish their meal before racing toward the docks. However, when they heard the boarding fees, they froze in collective shock. The cost to cross the sea was five gold rods per person. Yan Tangtang was the most stunned of all; she had once believed gold bars were the highest form of currency, only to realize that gold Rods—each worth ten bars—were the true standard here.
The group huddled to discuss their options. While five gold Rods wasn't impossible for them, they hadn't even spent half that amount during their entire journey from home. To make matters worse, the ship demanded three gold Rods for a single horse. At that rate, each person would be spending eight gold Rods. They couldn't leave the horses behind; the animals were well-trained, accustomed to them, and experienced in long-distance travel.
Mu Yanxing spoke up, "I never expected this amount. It might be manageable for us now, but according to the books, the closer we get to the cultivation border, the more expensive everything becomes. We'll be paving our way with gold, so we must be frugal."
Everyone agreed. Regardless of their wealth, they had a long journey ahead and had to conserve resources. They could no longer afford the mindset of pampered young masters and mistresses.
Chen Zhao added, "I've checked, and five gold Rods only covers a tiny single cabin. If we rent a double room and squeeze everyone in together, we can save a few rods."
Everyone, including Yan Tangtang, supported the idea. Yan Tangtang had already declared she had brought a hundred gold bars from home—having covertly pulled them from her storage bag into her travel pack when the others weren't looking.
Since a hundred gold bars equaled ten gold rods, and she didn't need to pay for a horse, her share of the communal room would only be two gold rods. This was a price she could still comfortably afford.
Initially, the group was reluctant to take her money, offering to split the cost among the four of them, but Yan Tangtang protested vehemently. Eventually, the group relented, largely due to Chen Zhao's quiet reasoning:
"We've already been more than kind by bringing him along, and the brat knows it. If we don't accept his share, he'll feel burdened and uncomfortable. He has the money, so let him pay. The journey is long; his few gold bars won't last forever. If we want to help him, we can do it when he truly hits a dead end."
His words made sense. They hadn't charged Yan Tangtang for anything so far. Even on the road, while she bought her own dry rations, the group always shared their fresh kills with her.
And so, their five-month voyage across the sea began.
Once aboard, Yan Tangtang understood why the price was so steep. Though the ship was massive, there were few passengers—mostly a handful of merchants and a few hedonistic young masters. Almost no one else had reason to cross to the other side. Consequently, even the smallest cabins were exorbitant. The luxury suites cost nearly eight hundred gold rods, yet remarkably, those were fully occupied.
The most vacant areas were the standard cabins, and in the lowest-priced tier, only Yan Tangtang's small group resided.
The "Cultivator" group: "..."
Despite being practitioners, they couldn't even enjoy the luxuries of common wealthy young masters. If senior cultivators heard of this, they would surely die of laughter.
In truth, they could have paid for luxury without blinking if they didn't have such a long road ahead, but they were far more passionate about the path of cultivation than a life of opulence.
The room was cramped, but they didn't mind. The four spent nearly all their time cultivating, resting only when absolutely necessary. Thus, the only person maintaining a regular schedule of eating and sleeping was Yan Tangtang.
Just before boarding, Yan Tangtang had made a frantic run through the port market to buy a fishing net, a large quantity of crushed chili powder and spices, a small portable stove, charcoal, a few pots, and a kitchen knife. She loved seafood above all else, but in her past life, it was a luxury she could never afford to eat to her heart's content. Now that she was going to be on the ocean for five months, she planned to eat until she never wanted to see a fish again.
Chen Zhao had scolded her for wasting money when she bought the items, but since it only cost a few silver pieces, he hadn't stopped her.
Three days into the voyage, Yan Tangtang had finally recovered from the exhaustion of the road. Happily, she dragged her gear out onto the deck.
She muttered under her breath, "Sweet, fresh seafood, your jie-jie is here! Hehe... you better treat me well!"
Since the other four were busy cultivating, they usually left her to her own devices, so they had no idea what she was up to.
Just as she was setting her things down and picking up the net to fish, a haughty, arrogant voice rang out.
"What is this trash!?"
Yan Tangtang looked up to see a man in his early twenties who practically had 'I am very rich' subtitled across his forehead. (Note: This is sarcasm regarding his gaudy, expensive clothing.)
The man looked at her with pure disgust.
"Are you actually planning to catch fish and cook them right here? On this deck!?"
While Yan Tangtang couldn't cultivate yet, her companions were not people ordinary mortals should mess with. She had backup; who was he to bully her?
She replied nonchalantly, "That's right. Seafood is best when it's fresh. I'll catch it on the deck and eat it on the deck. Master, would you like some too?"
The wealthy young master immediately shrieked in revulsion.
"Pah! This master only eats what is prepared by professional chefs! Don't you dare think of performing your lowly behavior in front of my eyes! Either you throw that junk into the sea yourself right now, or I'll have my men do it for you. Choose!"
Yan Tangtang glanced at the burly bodyguards behind him, but she wasn't frightened in the least.
"Oh? Young Master, do you own this ship? Even if you did, let me tell you—I paid my way onto this boat too! I have every right to be on this deck. If you're not satisfied, travel on your own private ship. Aren't you supposed to be incredibly rich?"
Since this was a spat between the ship's wealthiest guest and someone from the poorest group, the crew had no desire to intervene. Other passengers even stepped out to watch for entertainment.
"You!! You little brat!!! Come here! Throw this trash into the sea and give this dog of a boy a lesson he won't forget!"
Yan Tangtang hadn't chosen a spot far from their cabin. Given the man's loud shouting, it was impossible for those inside not to hear. Before his lackeys could even reach her, their cabin door swung open. Mu Yanxing stepped out first, looking slightly worried as she heard Yan Tangtang's voice.
"Xiao Tang, what happened?"
Yan Tangtang knew her backup would arrive. she immediately explained the situation.
"Xing Jie-jie, I just wanted to catch some fish and roast them here, but this man came over boasting about his wealth for no reason and wants to throw my things overboard. When I wouldn't listen, he ordered his followers to 'teach me a lesson.'"
Having grown close to Mu Yanxing, she knew that while the woman was kind, she had absolutely no patience for baseless bullies. She detested people like this.
Mu Yanxing's temper flared instantly.
"What business is it of yours to throw away Xiao Tang's things? Those belong to him!"
When the man saw Mu Yanxing, his gaze shifted. Being a wealthy young master, he particularly enjoyed toyed with women. There were currently no women on the ship he found worth his time. Mu Yanxing wasn't a peerless beauty, but she had a youthful, serene aura that was quite attractive and caught his interest. Since he saw them emerging from the cheapest cabins, he assumed they were people he could easily manipulate.
However, before his foul words could even begin, Mu Yanchan stepped in front of his sister, his voice cold as ice.
"I'm warning you: if you don't fix your gaze this instant, you're going to lose your eyes."
The man's retort—"You dare! My father is—"—was cut short as his entire group was subjected to a one-sided thrashing by Mu Yanchan.
Once the group had been beaten like dogs and fled back to their cabins like scurrying pigs, everyone turned to look at Yan Tangtang.
Mu Yanxing asked softly, "Xiao Tang... are you out of dry rations?"
She assumed Yan Tangtang was trying to fish because she had run out of food. They had been in such a rush at the port that they barely had time to buy supplies, and Yan Tangtang had spent her time buying these cooking items instead. Mu Yanxing had wanted to tell her to buy food then, but seeing how happy the girl was, she had simply bought extra herself, intending to share. However, she had been so busy with cultivation that she'd forgotten to give her any.
Yan Tangtang shook her head. "I still have dried meat. I just wanted some fresh seafood for a change."
Since they were always traveling, they mostly ate dried meat or wild game. Understanding her desire, Mu Yanxing smiled.
"In that case, why didn't you call us? How are you supposed to catch anything yourself? Come... Xiao Chan, you're in charge of the fishing."
The net Yan Tangtang had bought was quite large, so she didn't refuse Mu Yanxing's help. She set about preparing the cooking area.
First, boil the water and make the spicy dipping sauce. Then, blanch the seafood and eat it simply.
While Yan Tangtang was beaming with joy, the former pampered young master Mu Yanchan stood there holding the fishing net, looking utterly disgruntled.
"Sister... you really know how to put a man to work."