The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 134. The Maiden Who Fell From The Sky

Chapter 134: 134. The Maiden Who Fell From The Sky

The sun hung high in the sky, an unforgiving orb of heat casting its golden rays over the vast, shimmering expanse of the sea. The noon light glared off the water’s surface, creating blinding flashes that made it difficult to look directly at the horizon. The sea seemed endless, stretching out in every direction with only the faintest hints of distant islands, barely discernible under the haze of heat.

A colossal ship sailed steadily through the mid-ocean waves, its massive sails catching the hot breeze that did little to ease the sweltering temperature. The deck was alive with activity as the crew members—sweat glistening on their brows—cast lines into the water, their hopes pinned on the chance of catching something worthwhile. Above them, seagulls and frigatebirds circled lazily, their cries echoing faintly against the rhythmic sound of the waves lapping against the hull.

Amidst the bustling crew, a little girl who looked no more than ten years old soared through the air, clutching tightly to the hand of Lily Gomes. Lily stood confidently on her flying sword, the wind tugging at her hair and clothing. A wicker basket was strapped securely to her back, swaying slightly as they glided through the air above the ship.

Silvia, the young girl, held a prana stone in her hands, its soft glow barely visible under the harsh sunlight. She looked at it with intense concentration, her brows furrowed in determination. Lily, ever watchful, stayed close, her presence a calming anchor as she guided Silvia through the process.

"Steady now," Lily murmured, her voice soothing and firm. "Focus on the stone. Let it guide the energy, and don’t force it."

Silvia nodded, taking a deep breath. She could feel the prana pulsing within the stone, a force just beyond her full control. Though Lily was an Aura user, She still made sure that nothing wrong happened. If anything goes dangerous she might stop it in the middle.

The air around them shimmered as Silvia channelled the prana, forming a delicate yet powerful magic circle on the surface of the water below. It glowed faintly at first, then grew brighter, etching itself into the sea’s surface. Silvia’s heart raced with excitement, but as the seconds passed, nothing happened. The sea remained calm, undisturbed by the magic she had woven.

Silvia’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I thought it would work..." she whispered, her voice small.

Lily landed gracefully on the deck beside her, kneeling to gently pat Silvia on the head. "You did well, Silvia. Magic doesn’t always happen immediately. Sometimes, it just takes patience."

Just as Silvia was about to reply, a subtle disturbance in the water caught her eye. Bubbles began to form where the magic circle had been cast, growing larger and more numerous. Silvia’s eyes widened in surprise, and Lily’s hand moved to steady her.

Suddenly, the sea erupted with life as fish began leaping out of the water, their scales flashing in the sunlight. With quick reflexes, Lily unstrapped the basket from her back and held it out. To their amazement, the fish seemed to defy gravity, arcing gracefully through the air and landing neatly in the basket as if guided by an unseen force.

Silvia’s face lit up with joy as she watched the fish settle into the basket. She had done it—she had successfully used her Beast Tamer abilities to summon the fish. Lily smiled warmly at her, pride shining in her eyes.

"Well done, Silvia," Lily said, her voice filled with approval. "You’re growing stronger every day."

Silvia beamed, her earlier disappointment forgotten. Together, they watched the last of the fish leap from the sea into the basket, the magic circle fading from the water’s surface as the noon sun continued to blaze overhead.

"I wonder what Big Brother Tyler is doing?" Silvia mumbled.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Under the sea, the water was a vast and tranquil expanse. In this stillness, Tyler floated, his presence commanding the energies of the ocean around him. His eyes were closed, and his thoughts resonated with the ancient wisdom he had absorbed.

"There is nothing gentler than water. There is no gap it cannot seep into. Water is supple, fluid, and silent, yet it can be big and violent. There is nothing that can stop water," He chanted in his mind, feeling the truth of those words in the steady pulse of the ocean’s currents. The energy around him surged calmly, swirling with the latent power of the sea.

Suddenly, Tyler’s eyes snapped open, their blue depths mirroring the colour of the water around him. With a smooth motion, he snapped his fingers, and his forefinger morphed into a sharp, claw-like appendage. He made a swift cut on the back of his other hand, intending to draw blood and attract some of the larger sea creatures that dwelled in these waters, eager to test his new techniques.

But as soon as the cut was made, the surrounding water shimmered and began to glow softly. The injury on his hand sealed itself almost instantly, the flesh knitting together as if it had never been wounded. Tyler watched, momentarily startled, before shaking his head with a wry smile.

"Oops, I forgot," he thought. The Kun Healing Ability—an extraordinary gift he had inherited from the Kun Peng ruins—activated whenever he was submerged in the ocean. It was a power so potent that even self-inflicted wounds could not persist for long.

Realising that his plan to bait the fish had been thwarted by his own abilities, Tyler sighed. His mood for practice had vanished as quickly as the cut on his hand. The ocean, while an ally, sometimes had its own way of reminding him of the powers he wielded.

With a fluid motion, Tyler propelled himself upward, breaking through the surface of the water with ease. He blinked against the harsh midday sunlight, scanning the horizon for his ship. His eyes widened in shock when he spotted only a tiny speck in the distance.

"Oh shi— My ship!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic.

Without a second thought, Tyler dove back into the water, his body cutting through the waves like a torpedo. He swam with the speed and grace of a creature born of the sea, his form a blur as he raced toward the rapidly disappearing dot on the horizon.

Tyler finally reached the ship, his powerful strokes cutting through the water like a blade. As he approached the ship, he caught sight of a scene that made him burst into laughter. Dangling from a fishing pole over the side of the ship was Mathilda, the ship’s alchemist, tied up like a giant bait.

Tyler couldn’t help but laugh out loud as he launched himself out of the water. With a graceful leap, he caught Mathilda mid-air and, with another powerful jump, landed smoothly on the deck of the ship.

"Hahaha... I won the bet! Give me Lydia!" Mathilda exclaimed triumphantly, still cradled in Tyler’s arms.

Tyler barely had time to register her words before Mathilda wriggled free, planted a quick kiss on his cheek, and then darted off to collect her winnings from Lily, Mana, Silvia, Taka, and Darla.

"B-Boss... I lost," Taka muttered, shaking his head in disappointment as he handed over his share.

"Boss... I trusted you," Darla added, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she reluctantly gave Lydia to Mathilda.

"Hmph... Brother Tyler is always Uncle Horny," Silvia quipped with a mischievous grin.

Mana and Lily exchanged amused glances before handing over their own stacks of Lydia, their smiles betraying their amusement.

Still confused, Tyler finally managed to ask, "Ok... Explain what happened?"

Mathilda, her eyes gleaming with victory, jumped up and down in excitement. "It was a bet! I told them that we could easily lure you back to the ship using a woman as bait. Hmph... I didn’t expect them to use me as the bait, but I still won!"

"What the—That’s an insult!" Tyler protested, feeling both flustered and slightly indignant. He jumped back onto the deck, hands on his hips as he declared, "Why would I go after women? Remember, only girls should go after boys, not the other way around!"

Lily, never one to miss an opportunity for wordplay, quickly countered, "If a girl goes after a boy, it means he must have stolen her wallet."

Tyler almost lost his balance, teetering on the edge of the deck. "Listen, I don’t have to go after girls. Girls will fall for me."

"Fall? Like falling from the sky?" Silvia asked innocently, tilting her head.

Before Tyler could respond, a shadow suddenly loomed overhead. In the very next second, he was struck by a figure falling from above. The impact sent both him and the unexpected maiden crashing into the sea below.

The crew rushed to the edge of the ship, peering down at the water in shock and disbelief.

Mathilda, still clutching her winnings, burst into laughter. "Well, he wasn’t wrong—girls really do fall for him!"

Meanwhile, Tyler sputtered as he surfaced, the maiden in his arms. His day had taken yet another unexpected turn, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, even as he tried to figure out who this mysterious girl was and why she had literally fallen from the sky.