"Tide Walker," he called to the shark. The shark instantly moved with great speed toward him, settling to his right. Tide Walker's smile was wide, but its eyes were sharp, like a maniac ready for battle. "We don't know if they are hostile, but if they decide to attack, protect them," Liu Xing said, shooting a glance toward Fang Ruxue and her companions. The shark looked at them too, then nodded. "Regardless if this ends up in a battle or not, I'll give you treats later."

As Tide Walker began to circle him with a happy smile, he ordered one of his Eyes of Lightning to monitor the women while the other flew forward, hopefully undetected. He would have liked to increase the number of his Eyes of Lightning, but now was not the time.

As his turtle floated toward the sailing ships, and they, in turn, approached him, he desperately hoped this would not end in a fight. To that end, he intended to hide the fact that he was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. It seemed one of his fellow sect members had decided to back a demonic sect, and as a result, he and everyone else from the Purple Moon Sect in the Wild Tide Region suffered for it.

As the turtle and the ships drew closer, he cleared his mind and focused on two goals. First, he needed to verify their current location. If they were close to the Mirror Tide Empire, he would drop the group off there. If not, he would find a nearby island for them. Second, he wanted to determine where the fleet was going. He was aware that the Wild Tide Region was at war with the Nether Lotus Sect, and knowing the state of that war was crucial. He also intended to help, though he decided to finish his missions first.

Soon, the distance between them closed to the point that he could clearly see the people on the ships. While ten ships flew a yellow flag with the character for "Reflection," these were not the only banners they raised. Some were blue with symbols of an ocean and a spear, some a lion and the sky, some bore the character "Meng", some bore the character "Zhao", and many more. The people on the ships, likewise, were not dressed uniformly. The majority wore yellow cultivator robes, while others wore blue, red, black, and gray. Seeing this, Liu Xing suspected they were a coalition of different sects and groups, with the Mirror Tide Empire as the dominant force.

Soon, they were so close that he could have leaped onto the nearest ship. He could see many people looking up at him. He sensed that the closest ship was filled with almost a hundred cultivators. The lowest among them was at the third stage of the Lock Opening realm, while the strongest person on the vessel was at least at the fifth stage of the Core Splitting realm. That person, whether by coincidence or design, was standing at the prow of the ship with his hands clasped behind his back.

He was a man with long dark hair and a well-combed beard. His skin was tan and his face was weathered, like a man hardened by war. His eyes were just as sharp, and Liu Xing instantly got the impression that this man was a general. Instead of a cultivator's robe, he wore black armor with gold-colored plates on his chest and black-and-gold pauldrons on his shoulders. The man looked straight at him, and because his turtle hovered in the air, the man had to look up, while Liu Xing had to look down. For a moment, he thought his position was not optimal. It looked as if he were positioning himself above them, which, judging by the clenched fists and sharp glares thrown in his direction, likely offended them. Still, he decided not to lower the turtle; if they were truly hostile, he could easily take off.

Soon, the turtle and the ships stopped moving. Waves crashed against the stationary vessels, and a strong wind blew, whipping at Liu Xing's drenched robes and hair. He looked down at the general, and the general looked back at him. The fact that they were not attacking was good news, though the situation still felt tense.

Finally, the general broke the silence. "Greetings, fellow cultivator," he said, clasping his hands.

"Greetings," Liu Xing said, clasping his hands as well.

"My name is Zhao Ming," he began. "I am a general of this naval army, assigned by His Highness the Emperor the duty of securing this South Sea. I sensed a great disturbance of qi here. Can I assume you were the source of it?"

"A great disturbance of qi?" he said. "It was probably because two spirit beasts were fighting not far from here," he pointed back. "They were quite ferocious. One was a giant octopus at the Core Splitting realm, while the other was a giant seaweed creature at the peak of the Lock Opening realm."

The general looked into the distance, then his gaze returned to Liu Xing. "I assume you're the one who handled them?"

"Indeed," Liu Xing nodded.

Hearing his answer, murmurs began to ripple across the ten ships.

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"He must be lying! Two giant spirit beasts, one at the Core Splitting realm and the other at the peak of Lock Opening? Even we couldn't deal with that so easily!"

"Can't you sense his cultivation? He is at the very least at the Core Splitting realm. It's not out of the realm of imagination!"

"How is that stone turtle flying? Is it some kind of treasure?"

"I feel there's something wrong with him. Either he's lying about what he did or he's exaggerating. While it's true that him defeating two spirit beasts isn't out of the question, don't you see? He isn't even out of breath, and he's still brimming with qi."

"Perhaps that stone turtle is what truly defeated those spirit beasts. It may be a powerful treasure."

"But who would have such a strong treasure? If a person like that existed within the Wild Tide Region, isn't it weird that we don't know him?"

As the general murmurs turned into a debate, Liu Xing calmed his mind and tried his best to ignore their speculation. Their deductions were generally correct. It was true that he had defeated the two spirit beasts without much exertion, and while they thought his turtle statue was responsible for the easy win, the truth was not far off. They just didn't know about the gun. Were they merely lucky? Or were they intelligent enough to deduce the truth? If the underlings were this smart, how much sharper was the general?

He kept his expression flat while staring intently at General Zhao Ming. The general, in turn, stroked his beard. "I have heard that several ships have been sunk by spirit beasts in this area. The reports were somewhat vague, but they mentioned giant tentacles that could easily sink a merchant ship. If what you say is true, then I would like to thank you for your service. This route can once again be used by merchant ships, giving the Empire a bit more leeway." The general nodded. "Logistics are important, after all, especially in this critical situation."

"Critical situation, huh," Liu Xing repeated. "Is the situation with the Nether Lotus Sect that bad?"

He tried to ask the question nonchalantly. Though it sounded like small talk, it was a crucial attempt to gauge how much turmoil the entire Wild Tide Region was in.

"Indeed. There has been a recent report, and I can say it is a critical time. The Han clan has been dealt a severe blow by none other than the Young Master of the Nether Lotus Sect himself. I heard it was the result of the sect's inner conflict. I've also heard more reports about the many places that have begun their retaliation against the Nether Lotus Sect. Some reports bring good news, while others bring bad. The most famous example is the situation on Blue Emerald Island. Currently, the names Lan Haishen and Soft Oracle are spreading through the Mirror Tide Empire like a tsunami, and some advisors are beginning to think it would be a good idea to reach out to them."

"General," one of the men behind the general said, stepping forward. He was a bit younger, with bushy eyebrows and a face similar to the general's. "Isn't that sensitive information? Is it wise to share it with a stranger?"

"He is indeed a stranger, but we know that he is strong," the general said, his voice dropping with emphasis. "As strong... as a seawater crocodile." He looked around as if to ensure everyone heard. Instantly, the voices across the ten ships died down. The crew looked at Liu Xing with sharpened eyes, furrowed brows, and even nervous glances that darted about, as if trying to decipher some hidden meaning. The general continued, "While it is true that the Empire has decided we need to be discreet, I think it is wise to let someone as strong as him know the situation. After all, we need every bit of manpower if we want to vanquish the Nether Lotus Sect and its vile backer, the Purple Moon Sect."

Liu Xing let out a hollow smile. "You are indeed wise, General Zhao Ming. No wonder the Emperor entrusted this naval army to you." He nodded. "Alright, since I don't wish to intrude further, could you direct us to the nearest island?"

"The nearest land is right there," the general pointed behind him. "It's the Mirror Tide Empire. But why are you in such a hurry? As a general, I must verify your claim, as well as prepare a gift for you. We cannot tarnish the Empire's reputation by giving nothing to a person who cleared a merchant route."

"Ah, no, I don't want to intrude upon the Mirror Tide Empire. What I did was nothing. Your appreciation is a sufficient gift," Liu Xing said, looking back toward his companions. Some of them stared at him with pleading eyes, as if begging him to move the turtle closer so they could jump ship and join the Empire's forces to seek revenge. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that. He knew for a fact that while General Zhao Ming's words were pleasant, he was merely bluffing. Comparing him to a "seawater crocodile" was some kind of code, and since he had brought up Blue Emerald Island and the Purple Moon Sect, the news about him must have also reached his ears. This meant the general knew he was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect, and Liu Xing knew they were ready to fight him. After all, while the people in plain sight were only slightly tense, his Eye of Lightning revealed that those hidden from view had begun to prepare their weapons.

The general shot him a look, and Liu Xing instantly knew that the general knew that he knew. "Nonsense. If words and appreciation were so valuable, this world wouldn't need spirit stones and coins to function. I insist that you come to this ship. I'll serve you some amazing tea and an extraordinary meal from our finest chef. While the chefs on my ship cannot compare to the Royal Chef, they are still the best of the best." He looked past Liu Xing, straight at Fang Ruxue and her companions. "I see that you have companions, and it seems because of your recent battle, they need a change of clothes. Come, I can prepare new outfits for all of you."

"As I said, General, we don't want to intrude," Liu Xing said.

The general, in response, cycled his qi, a hollow smile blooming on his lips. "I insist."

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