Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor
Chapter 475: Legend of the Ghost Ship

Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Legend of the Ghost Ship

After the meal, Shi Feng stood at the bow of the ship, facing the fierce sea breeze, his long hair billowing in the wind, gazing at the raging waves of the great ocean. Beside him was Shi Jinsuai for company, and it was at that moment Shi Jinsuai suddenly spoke, "Brother Shi, I wonder how Old Master Ling Wei of the Ling Family is doing in terms of health these days?"

Hearing this question from Shi Jinsuai, Shi Feng turned to look at him.

Seeing Shi Feng look his way, Shi Jinsuai smiled and said, "Brother Shi, you needn’t be surprised. Many years ago, my Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Building had some dealings with the Ling Family, and I vividly remember the White Tiger Green Armor Army. I never expected that Brother Shi, at such a young age, would possess such Martial Arts Power and become the illustrious White Tiger Green Armor General. Your future achievements are unimaginable!"

Shi Feng now understood why Shi Jinsuai had invited him, and why he had spared no expense in using Eighth Grade Saint-Level Spiritual Medicine to brew the exquisite wine for their gathering. It turned out that Shi Jinsuai mistook him for a Green-armored Battle General of the Ling Family based on the white tiger under his command.

Then, Shi Jinsuai changed the subject and said to Shi Feng, "It’s just that our Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Building hasn’t had any dealings with your Ling Family for many years. We always felt quite regretful about that. I wonder which merchants the Ling Family has cooperated with over these years?"

Though his words sounded casual, Shi Feng knew he was trying to coax information from him. A merchant, indeed, is always a merchant.

However, Shi Feng shook his head and replied, "I’m not sure!" Shi Feng truly had no clue since he was not actually a member of the Ling Family, let alone a White Tiger Green Armor soldier.

"Ha ha, no matter!" Shi Jinsuai said generously upon hearing Shi Feng’s response.

After that, the two of them continued to watch the rolling waves in front of them. Due to their earlier conversation, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward and the mood somewhat heavy.

A short while later, Shi Jinsuai broke the silence and asked proactively, "Brother Shi, it looks like this is your first time at sea, isn’t it?"

"Indeed!" Shi Feng nodded. It was indeed his first time at sea in this life, but even in his former life, even though he had flown over the sea, he had regarded it the same as flat land and had never looked at it as closely as he was doing now.

Shi Jinsuai laughed and said, "This ocean is vast and boundless, larger even than all of the Tianheng Continent combined. The world beneath the sea is even more wondrous and infinite. There are countless members of the Sea Clan, countless Sea Beasts, and rumors of countless treasures. There are also innumerable strange tales. The thing I’m most curious about, though, is the legendary Ghost Ship."

"Ghost Ship?" Shi Feng shook his head in puzzlement, but from the sound of it, he guessed the Ghost Ship must somehow be related to yin spirits and the like.

Shi Jinsuai smiled once more and continued, "It is said that in the oceans, from times of ancient antiquity, there has been a pitch-black ship shrouded in dense fog sailing the seas. This ship, nobody knows where it comes from or where it’s going, nor do they know what resides upon it.

Sometimes, ships that come across the Ghost Ship hear the sound of women’s weeping, sometimes it is the clamor of men’s shouting and cursing, sometimes the wailing of infants like the dire screams of Fierce Ghosts. In the rumors, there are many versions of these sounds. And it is said that this Ghost Ship has appeared in the East Sea, South Sea, West Sea, North Sea, and Central Sea."

In Tianheng Continent, there are Four Domains and the Central State, each with its own sea.

"Has no one ever gone aboard the Ghost Ship to have a look?" asked Shi Feng.

"There have been, with so many brave souls in this world, naturally, some have!" laughed Shi Jinsuai, then he explained to Shi Feng, "However, there are numerous tales about those who went aboard the Ghost Ship. Some say that after entering the Ghost Ship, they never returned. Others heard chaotic noises before boarding, but when they actually got inside, they found the ship empty and eerily silent.

There are also stories of people who visited the Ghost Ship and then mysteriously died after they returned. Anyway, opinions vary widely."

"Ha ha, young master, I hear you were discussing the Ghost Ship!" It was then that an Elder Cang’s laughter came from behind Shi Feng and Shi Jinsuai.

Upon hearing the laughter, Shi Feng and Shi Jinsuai turned around and saw an old man with white hair. But Shi Feng quickly noticed that the elder was missing an arm, his right hand replaced by an iron hook.

"Ah, it’s Uncle Hao!" Shi Jinsuai greeted the old man with a smile, then turned to Shi Feng and said, "In his youth, Uncle Hao encountered the Ghost Ship. His hand was severed aboard the Ghost Ship."

"Oh?" Shi Feng examined the old man with even greater curiosity after hearing Shi Jinsuai’s words.

"Yes!" confirmed Uncle Hao with a nod, then he sighed sorrowfully, "Ah!"

"What did you encounter on the Ghost Ship?" Shi Feng inquired, addressing Uncle Hao.

Uncle Hao shook his head and, with a smile, replied, "Actually, I don’t know what it was. As soon as I got on board, I saw a child, maybe seven or eight years old. I don’t know if he was human or ghost, but after seeing him, I passed out. I don’t know what happened next, but when I awoke, I was drifting in the ocean, and this hand of mine..."

When mentioning his hand, Uncle Hao lifted the hand with the iron hook and continued, "When I woke up, this hand had been bitten off."

"A seven or eight-year-old child?" Shi Feng murmured softly.

Then, he listened as Uncle Hao added with a chuckle, "Maybe I am lucky. Drifting at sea, I washed up on a deserted island and managed to survive in the end.

Later, a merchant ship passed by the island and took me away. But those who boarded the Ghost Ship with me were not so fortunate. The ship that we were on when we encountered the Ghost Ship has since vanished without trace, and after all these years, there’s been no word from any of my companions. They likely all perished."

As he spoke these words, Uncle Hao’s face betrayed his sadness, and he was lost in memories.

Shi Feng, observing the elder who now seemed somewhat lonely, turned back and faced the boundless ocean, the rolling waves. He murmured under his breath, "Ghost Ship, huh? I would like to see what it is exactly. Hmph, ghosts! Let’s see if there truly are any ghosts!"

Afterward, Shi Jinsuai shared with Shi Feng more of the strange and wondrous things of the great ocean: Sea Beasts, Sea Demons, Sea Treasures, and the great races of the sea.

As night began to silently fall upon the sea, a sudden clap of thunder rang out overhead. In an instant, lightning flashed, thunder roared like a Thunder Dragon tumbling through the night sky, and a torrential downpour began!