Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 198 - 195: Living Dragon Gate, Mermaid Meat

Chapter 198: Chapter 195: Living Dragon Gate, Mermaid Meat

Perhaps to accommodate a few more passengers setting out to sea, Wang Yuan’s vessel, despite the passengers’ persistent urging, only truly set sail in the afternoon.

"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails!"

Following the ship captain’s whistle, a dozen sailors chanted as they steered the ship, carrying around a hundred passengers, away from the dock and slowly toward the open sea.

"All the sailors have the same dead-fish eyes, bodies strong as oxen, constantly mentioning ’Lord Shan,’ ’Scaleless Young Master,’ and ’Wiseman’ whenever they speak.

I have urgent matters this time and can’t bother with you followers of Weird Divine entities.

I hope you don’t foolishly provoke me, otherwise, I might just have to use the ’Seven Kills Ghost-Slaying Talisman’ to shed some blood today."

In the best cabin on the upper deck, Wang Yuan, leaning by the window, slowly withdrew his gaze and frowned as he waved away the persistent fishy smell lingering at his nostrils.

Red-Tail Island, fixed with a Deceit Market portal, is far more distant than Changshan Island where many foreign merchants gather clandestinely.

This hard-sail ship travels at about three knots, roughly equivalent to twenty-two li in one ’Two Hours’.

Reaching Red-Tail Island would probably not happen until early tomorrow morning, the darkest period just before dawn.

Considering the sailors, who outwardly seem ordinary but worship Weird Divine entities and ooze strangeness, Wang Yuan couldn’t help thinking more about it.

Under normal circumstances, he might even investigate thoroughly.

Explore the background of this ’Lord Shan,’ who, like the ’Deceit Immortal: One-Eyed Stone Man,’ holds many titles.

But Wang Yuan’s next ’Calamity’ was approaching, needing him to conserve and gather strength, preferring not to meddle in affairs unless absolutely necessary.

Even though each ’Calamity’ offered him a chance to rapidly enhance his Taoist ability, it also significantly endangered his life.

Even prepared to face difficulties head-on and take the offensive, he didn’t want any unnecessary complications, accidentally entangling with beings that sounded extremely troublesome.

"What exactly will happen on Red-Tail Island is unclear for now.

Upon arrival, the first step should be to find the clearly targeted Zhou Jinhuan.

The current Prince Jing might be a target for both ’No-Life Dao’ and ’Killing Temple.’

And anyone with clear sight can see how much the Xue family has meddled in the ’Long Water Camp,’ and Xing’er said that ’Killing Temple’ has likely already joined forces with Mr. Wufeng.

With internal strife and external threats, this person is indeed in a pitiable state."

Having settled on a plan, Wang Yuan didn’t intend to waste the rest of the day.

He summoned Golden Official Nie Hongying, dressed in white athletic attire, with a slender waist and long legs, looking spirited and vigorous.

He was ready to merge with the spirit and cultivate together, continually refining the ’White Tiger Military Skill,’ hoping to soon advance to the third realm, ’Dao General,’ and unleash the true power of ’Ten Thousand Enemies Skill.’

Suddenly, a chorus of exclamations from the passengers came from outside the window:

"Look, the ’Living Dragon Gate’! It’s truly magnificent!"

"A clear division between yellow and blue, Jingwei distinct, truly miraculous."

"..."

Wang Yuan peered out and saw that the ship was slowly leaving the mouth of the Turbid River, and a line of yellow and blue transitioning was not far ahead.

The side near the coast was yellow like the Turbid River, while the side farther from the shore was the normal blue of seawater.

This was the third Dragon Gate beyond the first ’Yu Dragon Gate’ and the second ’Xuanlong Gate’ of the Turbid River—the ’Living Dragon Gate.’

It is also the starting point of the ’Leaping Dragon Gate’ and the first serious challenge for a group of fish, turtles, shrimps, and crabs.

It is called the ’Living Dragon Gate’ because the Turbid River has changed its course five times historically, and this Dragon Gate at the river mouth has also moved "homes" five times.

Every time the Turbid River changes its course, the Dragon Gate grandly opens once every thirty-six years at the new river mouth, a marvel of nature’s mysteries.

"The ’Living Dragon Gate’ is the starting point for ’Leaping Dragon Gate’ and also the end point for ’Flood Dragon Sea.’

Thirty-five years ago, my mother probably turned from a flood dragon into a dragon right here, right?"

Huang Wu, still looking somewhat pale, quietly appeared next to Wang Yuan, gazing at the magnificent Dragon Gate under the sunset, her mind drifting.

As those passengers and the little ghost girl were immersed in the spectacular seascape.

Nobody noticed.

The sailor cooking in the cabin emotionlessly slit his own wrist, spilling slightly yellowish blood into the food.

...

The night was deep.

The pitch-black water looked like an unfathomable abyss, making those accustomed to living on land feel weak in the knees and uneasy at just a glance.

A solitary ship slid across the gloomy sea surface.

It seemed to be skirting the edge of a deep abyss, ready to be swallowed whole by some terrifying entity from the sea depths.

"I’m so hungry, too hungry!"

A figure appeared at the cabin door, eyes still bleary, muttering to himself.

It was the traveling merchant who had glared fiercely at the ship captain during the day.

He had eaten dinner on the ship that evening, yet for some reason, only a few hours later, he felt as if he hadn’t eaten for three days.

His stomach was continuously spasming.

He even thought of biting furiously into his own arm.

Awakened by hunger in the middle of the night and unable to fall back asleep, he could only come out to find something to eat, trying to quell the raging hunger within.

"Huh? Is that... the Ship Captain, and those sailors? What are they doing?"

Just as he was scanning around with eyes green with hunger.

He suddenly discovered a group of people squatting on the deck, forming a circle, and chewing loudly on something.

At the same time, an extremely strong fishy smell drifted into his nostrils.

This intense and pungent smell should have been nauseating, but at that moment the traveling merchant could not help but swallow his saliva and called out to them:

"Hey, what are you eating? Share some with me, I’ll pay for the meal."

Upon hearing this.

The dozen or so people squatting on the ground silently raised their heads, the dozen pairs of lifeless, dead fish eyes all staring at the traveling merchant together.

A creepy smile appeared on their faces, and a glaring streak of blood slowly slipped down from the corner of their mouth.

"Ah!"

The traveling merchant felt a chill down his spine and screamed involuntarily, retreating several steps in a row.

At the same time, more and more passengers who had been woken up by hunger in the middle of the night surged onto the deck.

Once the traveling merchant gained the courage from the crowd and steadied his mind, and turned his head to look back at the Ship Captain and the sailors.

He discovered that they had already wiped the blood from the corners of their mouths, and had thrown a fish, now reduced to just bones from being eaten, into the sea.

"Tsk, they were eating raw fish in the middle of the night and gave me quite a fright.

But the taste of these people is too much! The flavor of ’sashimi’ is originally extremely beautiful and fresh, yet they even ate the unbearably stinking internal organs.

Could it be that staying at sea for so long changes one’s taste to be like that of a fish?"

The traveling merchant let out a sigh of relief, completely unaware that he had also just drooled over this pungent smell.

"I’m so hungry, Ship Captain, hurry up and make us some food!"

"Exactly, exactly, we’re starving!"

"I didn’t eat enough at dinner."

At this time, the Ship Captain and a group of sailors had already gotten up and were placating the passengers with apologetic smiles:

"Dear guests, it’s unfortunate, but we were supposed to reach Red-Tail Island before dawn, so the ship only prepared food and water for last night.

There really is nothing left to cook now."

The extremely hungry passengers were not ready to listen to his explanation and were about to make a fuss.

Suddenly someone shouted:

"Stop quarreling for a moment, everyone listen, what is that sound?"

The crowd stopped to listen carefully.

Soon they discovered a small island not far from the sea ship. There was an exceptionally beautiful, melodious song being sung from the island.

Someone suddenly exclaimed joyfully:

"It’s a mermaid singing!"

"Are we that lucky? To encounter a mermaid just as we get near Red-Tail Island?"

"Eating mermaid meat grants immortality!"

Countless people by the sea had heard legends about mermaid meat.

But not to mention having eaten mermaid meat, there were very few who were fortunate enough to even see a mermaid’s true form.

They couldn’t believe such good luck had befallen them.

In this world, most of those who dared to venture out to sea were not exactly kind folk.

Hearing the beautiful song of the mermaid, the already extremely hungry passengers turned instantly ravenous:

"Land on the island! Eat the mermaid!"

At this moment, Wang Yuan, who was practicing cultivation with Nie Hongying, was also awakened by the noise on the deck.

But upon hearing the song, his expression changed instantly, and with a gesture of "Five Ghosts Moving Mountains," he summoned an unknown sea fish from the water.

He sliced off a piece of fish as thin as a cicada’s wing and swiftly stuffed it into his mouth.

It was all because the "Deceit Object - Heart Communication Conch" he had obtained from Xing’er suddenly whispered in his ear:

"Taboo: Eating raw fish while hearing a mermaid’s song can save your life!"

Ability of "Heart Communication Conch": To listen to the "Weird" and "Deceit Object’s" thoughts, and understand their precepts and taboos.

As long as it is within thirty feet of a weird or deceit object, placing the conch to one’s ear will produce the relevant "Precept Taboo" amidst the sound of waves.

Note: Especially the undisclosed hidden taboos hold the greatest value, which can be used as a brilliant tactic to pit against enemies.

Precept Taboos:

"At least every three days before using once again, depending on the "knowledge" gained, a human sacrifice must be offered within the next three days.

If no sacrifice is made, the conch will devour its old master and pledge itself to a new owner during the next use."

The next moment.

The sea ship, at the request of all its passengers, turned its head and veered off course, speeding towards the small island nearby!