"Heh, I didn't offer any flattery," the ox said. "We're busy planting the fields; nobody saw anyone."
"If that's the case…" Pei Ming took a step forward.
The farmers raised their pickaxes at once and began to shout at him. "Trampled! He trampled it!"
Pei Ming frowned. "Trampled what?"
"You trampled the crops that they so painstakingly planted," the ox stated. "You'd best apologize."
Pei Ming looked down. "Aren't these just weeds, if I'm not mistaken?" he asked patiently.
The ox gave him a puzzled look. "What would a belligerent general like you know? We're the ones who do the planting. Wouldn't we know better than you whether those are crops or weeds?"
Xie Lian could tell the people of Yushi Country were giving Pei Ming a hard time on purpose, but he too couldn't help but wonder whether those were crops or weeds.
Pei Ming was the esteemed Martial God of the North— why would he apologize to a bunch of farmers for such a nonsensical reason? He ignored them and took a few more steps over the boundary, then raised his voice to call toward the cottage.
"Qingxuan, come out! Your brother is going through his Heavenly Tribulation right now, and things aren't looking good. Something bad is going to happen!"
"..."
Shi Qingxuan had decided to hide in the cottage, as he knew Pei Ming wouldn't dare break in. However, the moment he heard this he rushed outside.
"What?!"
Pei Ming gave the ox a look, then said to Shi Qingxuan, "I knew you'd come running here!"
Shi Qingxuan was dumbstruck but snapped out of it and leapt back. "Y-y-y-you can't fool me! How could it have come so fast? It's too sudden! I thought he'd have at least another few months!"
But at the Heavenly Capital, the Water Master had indeed departed in a hurry, like he had left to take care of something critical. Shi Qingxuan immediately brought two fingers to his temple. That was the hand seal for connecting to the spiritual communication array, and he belatedly remembered he had lost his powers. There was no time to be depressed, so he frantically grabbed on to Xie Lian.
"Your Highness, help me ask, is it true?"
Xie Lian and Ming Yi both entered the spiritual communication array. Sure enough, inside the array it was as utterly confused as a pot of stew and full of upset. Many of the heavenly officials were watching a display projecting the action taking place in the East Sea and mumbling to themselves.
"My heavens…this battle stance… As expected of the Water T yrant!"
"B-b-but will he pass successfully…?"
The stronger the powers of a heavenly official, and the more Heavenly Tribulations they had passed, the more perilous their next trials would be. Shi Wudu reigned over the waters, dominated the path of wealth, and this was his third Tribulation. It was easy to imagine how things would proceed from here.
"It's true," Xie Lian confirmed.
The ox was still blocking the path, and Pei Ming couldn't force himself through. He called out from afar:
"You're not a child anymore! Who would lie to you about something like this?! Passing a Heavenly Tribulation isn't like planning a dinner where you can pick a date and change into new robes. It comes as it wills—and without warning! He's currently above the East Sea and the waters are surging. No one can enter, and no one can escape. He was battling the waves when someone reported that you ran away, so how can he possibly focus on passing his trial?!"
"Then why don't you tell him I'm in Yushi Country?!" Shi Qingxuan responded.
Xie Lian listened to the direct relay of the situation in the communication array. "It's no use. A frenzied spiritual field has been released over the entire area where Lord Water Master is undergoing the trial. He's probably in turmoil right now—no one can reach him!"
Shi Qingxuan charged toward Pei Ming. "T ake me to him!"
Pei Ming extended his hand. "Come!"
However, Ming Yi raced over and blocked Shi Qingxuan's way, his expression dark.
"Ming-xiong, what is it?" Shi Qingxuan asked.
Ming Yi remained silent, his brows locked into a furrow.
Xie Lian could guess what he was probably thinking—why he felt that he had to stop Shi Qingxuan.
Was helping Shi Wudu pass his Heavenly Tribulation really the right thing to do?
If the fate-changing had occurred, the Water Master must receive an equally grave punishment. Was it really appropriate to help him climb to a new level of power before investigating the matter?
Xie Lian could guess such a thing because he was pondering the very same question. Shi Qingxuan hesitated for a moment but eventually exhaled a long breath.
"...Ming-xiong, I…thank you. But no matter what, that's still… I'm still worried, so let's just focus on passing this trial first!"
He rushed to Pei Ming's side and turned his head to call to the rest.
"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Lord Rain Master! Thank you, Ox! Thanks, everyone! I'll repay this one day!"
They hurried away. Ming Yi stayed where he was for a moment before following after them. Xie Lian watched their retreating backs, but he didn't move. Hua Cheng leisurely stepped out of the cottage.
"Gege's not going?"
After some thought, Xie Lian shook his head. "This matter is beyond me. I can't help," he said slowly. "Let's see how they resolve this themselves first."
Shi Qingxuan was the central figure of this mess, but he still couldn't figure out what he should do and was troubled by his own indecision. Although Xie Lian could understand why Shi Wudu did what he did, he still didn't agree with the method. The ideal resolution would be for Shi Wudu to admit to his crimes and turn himself in to receive punishment. Ming Yi probably hoped for the same thing, which was why he had stopped Shi Qingxuan. However, considering the Water Master's imperious, arrogant personality, this scenario was most likely impossible. After sitting in such a high position for so many years, no one would willingly step down.
If this were anyone else, Xie Lian would probably report the affair to the Heavenly Court straightaway. But he keenly remembered the Wind Master's warmhearted friendship, and Xie Lian couldn't turn his back on Shi Qingxuan when his older brother was facing such a dire situation. He couldn't kick a person when they were already down, couldn't disregard past affections. The only thing he could do was sit back and see how they would take care of this themselves.
However, if their chosen course of action was untoward… Having thought to that point, he turned to Hua Cheng.
"San Lang, your advice from before was probably right," he said in a self-deprecating tone. "Gosh, what a mess this is."
Hua Cheng smiled and was about to speak, but Xie Lian's expression changed at the sound of Ling Wen's distressed voice within the spiritual communication array.
"What?! Hundreds of fishermen's boats got dragged in?!
Did this have to happen right now?!"
Xie Lian was aghast. "Fishermen? Dragged in where?
The East Sea?" he responded anxiously.
If the communication array had been as confusing as a pot of stew earlier, the stew had now just toppled onto the ground and fed the dogs. Ling Wen didn't even have time to respond to him anymore, though her voice remained considerably collected.
"Excuse me, which martial god is on duty? Ol' Pei?"
Pei Ming responded in the communication array. "Don't worry. I have Qingxuan with me, and we're rushing over. Lord Earth Master is here too. First, figure out how many people got pulled into the storm so we can bring them all back. We'll try not to lose a single one."
"Thanks for your trouble," Ling Wen said. "Since Lord Water Master has explosively released the spiritual field, forbidding others to enter the perimeter of his trial, any Middle Court officials will be blown to smithereens if they attempt to enter. Upper Court officials can perhaps still try to break through the barrier, though. There were probably over two hundred individuals pulled in, so just the two of you might not be enough. We'll need another martial god. Which highness is present right now? General Nan Yang? General Xuan Zhen?"
"Weren't those two generals placed in confinement for tearing up the Heavenly Capital?" someone responded. "They won't be able to heed the call…" "What about T ai Hua? Has His Highness T ai Hua returned?"
"No! He's been assigned out!"
"Qi Ying?"
"Who knows where he ran off to?! He blocks all messages and listens to no one; you already know that!"
Other than those few, there weren't any other martial gods worth a dime. Although he was anxious, Xie Lian couldn't help but feel a little woeful. Was his Scrap God aura so strong that everyone forgot he came from a martial god background?
"Me! I'm present!" he responded hastily. "Let me go. It's just rescuing the fisherman in the East Sea, right?"
"Your Highness, the winds and waves of the East Sea are perilous, and your spiritual power only works occasionally.
What if—" "It's fine," Xie Lian said. "I've fished in all four seas, and every single time it was storming. I've often drifted on the waters for half a month at a time, so I'm very used to it."
"..."
All the officials couldn't help but wonder, You've done that too?! Just what else have you done?!
The situation was dire and didn't allow room for more thought, so Ling Wen acquiesced. "Very well. Thank you for the trouble. General Pei, get coordinated!"
"Sure thing!" Pei Ming responded.
Xie Lian closed the communication array and turned to Hua Cheng. "San Lang, in the East Sea…" When he turned his head, he saw that Hua Cheng had unexpectedly already changed into a refreshing fisherman getup. He tossed up a die and caught it as it fell. His other hand was on the door.
"Let's go!" he said simply.
Xie Lian was briefly stunned, but soon smiled and hurried to his side. "All right!"
When the door opened, it wasn't the interior of a cottage that greeted them but an expansive, gloomy seashore.
The two emerged from a small fisherman's shed on the beach; this little shed was one of the most-used connection points for the teleportation array on the East Sea. Beyond the beach was the boundless ocean, stretching to the ends of the horizon. The beach was gray not because the sand was gray but because the skies and sea were both that steely color.
Gloom pressed down, and black clouds rolled; the malaise was oppressive and suffocating.
Giant waves surged and collapsed in the distant sea like magnificent fortress walls that rose from flat ground before crumbling in an instant. Water pillars resembling dragons roared into the sky and thrashed like tornados before hurtling back into the depths. Ominous lightning crawled across the skies, twisted and savage.
A large, newly built ship was berthed by the beach.
There had to be a place for them to stand on the open sea; if they attempted to fly, they might get struck by lightning, so a seafaring vessel was needed to carry them out. Naturally, this wasn't an ordinary ship. Shi Qingxuan, Pei Ming, and Ming Yi were already on board, and the moment they saw Hua Cheng and Xie Lian exit the fisherman shed, Pei Ming called out.
"Your Highness!"
Shi Qingxuan sighed. "Your Highness, you…! Sorry for the trouble. I truly am."
Xie Lian boarded the ship. "Only doing my duty. How do we start the ship?"
Pei Ming noticed Hua Cheng, who had his arms crossed and appeared quite at home. "Nonessential individuals must leave. This tempest isn't a joke," he warned.
Hua Cheng was dressed in plain, patched clothes and looked like a winsome little fisherman. Nonetheless, nothing could hide away his bright handsomeness.
"I'm not nonessential. I'm just following My Highness," he laughed.
"He's from my palace," Xie Lian explained.
But Pei Ming had already flashed an inch of his blade from its sheath. "Stand down," he stated, unrelenting and determined.
Xie Lian hadn't yet responded when Hua Cheng answered with unusual firmness. "No. I have to go with you on this trip."
Both sides were only in a stalemate for a moment, but Shi Qingxuan was living seconds as if they were seasons. He turned to Pei Ming.
"General Pei, this man is fine. Let's just go!"
During their exchange, lightning violently struck the surface of the sea. The current coursed through the waters and crackled outward, brightening the sea to an aqua color. It looked like a giant heart that had suddenly started pulsating and breathing. It was a spectacular sight but also terrifying.
Pei Ming didn't want to wait any longer and barked an order to leave.
"Start!"
The ship gave a violent shudder. With the rumbling sounds of shafts whirling, the ship steered itself without any manual control. It left the beach and sailed out with great speed. As lightning flashed and thunder roared, the ship opened a path between crashing waves.
The storm was huge, but Xie Lian, Hua Cheng, Pei Ming, and Ming Yi all stood steadily. As for Shi Qingxuan, it was only thanks to Ming Yi's support that he hadn't fallen over.
"Can the ship hold out against this storm?!" Xie Lian yelled.
"It's manageable right now, but it'll be hard to say as we move forward!" Pei Ming replied.
The ship was already moving at an extremely fast pace, spearing through the waves and creating huge splashes of its own in its wake. Yet Shi Qingxuan still asked, "Can't this thing go any faster?!"
"Running this ship burns spiritual power; this is already the fastest it can go!" Pei Ming replied.
Shi Qingxuan clenched his right fist. That was the hand he used to hold the Wind Master fan. With just one swing, it could've provided a tailwind and made the ship go at least four times faster. Yet now, that hand was empty. He couldn't help but exhale another long sigh.
Hua Cheng tapped Xie Lian lightly and whispered, "Gege."
Xie Lian turned his head, and his eyes widened. About thirty meters out, there was a small fishing boat spinning in the waves. He could vaguely see a few figures that seemed to be calling for help, but their cries were being swallowed by the noise of the waves.
The fishermen in distress!
This was why he was here. Ruoye shot out and wrapped around the fishermen's midsections, then hauled them in.
Their legs almost gave out the moment their feet touched the ship's deck. Pei Ming immediately opened the door of one of the cabins and threw them inside. When the fishermen opened the door again, they would find themselves back on shore.
Hua Cheng and Xie Lian fished up thirty or forty fishermen. While they were doing so, the ship was carried by the turbulent waters closer and closer to the center of the tempest. Right now, there were surely many heavenly officials watching this frightening scene from afar, and there were surely many mortals staring in awe and terror at the might of heaven. The lightning struck at the ship with increasing frequency—attracted to sources of spiritual power, it would pursue and strike at those who stood out. This was why other officials generally stayed far away when someone was undergoing a Heavenly Tribulation, lest they fall victim.
Shi Qingxuan was mortal right now, Xie Lian only had enough power to communicate through the array, and Hua Cheng's powers were tucked away neatly, as he had no need to use them. Thus, the lightning focused on Pei Ming alone.
He frequently needed to strike bolts back with his sword, though he managed it with considerable ease. Xie Lian was rather impressed by his show of skill. This was why Middle Court officials were not permitted to come—if they were present, they'd surely be chased away with lightning hot on their tails, and they certainly wouldn't be able to strike back.
After crossing through the barrier, Shi Qingxuan yelled, "Ge!"
Xie Lian looked upward. Sure enough, Shi Wudu floated there in the skies, surrounded by seven or eight roaring water dragon pillars. His hands formed a battle hand-seal, and his white robes whipped wildly in the wind.
Although he was still suppressing the great waves, he seemed somewhat unfocused and his control was unsteady.
The frenzied water dragons stalked him relentlessly and seized upon every chance to get closer and devour him whole. Each time, he only barely dodged. The ship was dozens of meters away from him; if the Wind Master fan was still usable, Shi Qingxuan could've pushed the waves down a notch. In his current mortal body, even his voice couldn't reach very far, and he could only watch in distress.
When Pei Ming spoke, his voice was broadcast powerfully and widely.
"Water Master-xiong! We've found Qingxuan!"
As soon as he spoke, Shi Wudu opened his eyes.
Another giant wave surged to the skies and crashed back down. The ship was thrown high into the air, but it didn't keep up with the speed of the collapsing waters. It hung there for a brief second before falling rapidly. Xie Lian used the Thousand-Pound Weight spell to steady himself and grabbed Hua Cheng's hand tightly.
"Watch out!"
It was a funny feeling. Hua Cheng was clearly taller than him, and it took him no effort to carry Xie Lian with one hand.
But Xie Lian always felt that Hua Cheng was light as a feather —like if he didn't pay attention, he would disappear. And so Xie Lian held him firmly, and Hua Cheng clutched his hand in turn.
"Water Master-xiong, focus!" Pei Ming called out. "If you don't push those waves of yours down, you'll drown your little brother!"
Shi Wudu saw the ship in the distance and heard his words. Anger flashed across his face. His hand seal changed, and a spiritual shield burst from around him. It struck the water dragons that had been circling him, and they exploded into a deluge of water that crashed soundly into the sea.
The raindrops hurtled like rocks against the deck and pelted their bodies painfully. However, after this assault, the storm slowed and calmed somewhat. Shi Wudu carefully descended and landed on the ship. Everyone was drenched from head to toe like drowned dogs.
Shi Qingxuan wiped his face and mumbled with trepidation, "...Ge."
Shi Wudu's face was still dark, and he approached in large strides. "I told you to stay put, but you had to run away!
Will you finally be satisfied if I'm angered to death?!"
Shi Qingxuan really didn't know what to say to that.
When he couldn't see his brother, he'd worry, but now that he had seen him, he could only think about that whole awful business. His heart just couldn't get over it.
"...I'm only just… I…" In the end, he scratched his head and sighed. "As long as you passed your trial, that's all that matters. I think, I still think…" Shi Wudu cut him off. "Who said my trial is over?"
Shi Qingxuan was taken aback. "Wasn't that it?"
Pei Ming made use of the water to slick back his hair.
"Don't relax so soon. This is your brother's third Heavenly Tribulation, so it's not gonna be that easy. It'll take at least seven days and seven nights. What you just saw was only the opening act."
Truth be told, even if it were his first Heavenly Tribulation, it wouldn't be so easy. The "Heavenly Tribulation" that prompted Shi Qingxuan's ascension was heavily diluted compared to everyone else's. He must've come to that conclusion as well, and his face grew glum.
Xie Lian's primary concern was the original goal of this journey, so he asked in the spiritual communication array, "Ling Wen? We've entered the area where Lord Water Master's Heavenly Tribulation is taking place. Can you tell us the location of the fishermen who were dragged into the storm?"
"Please wait a moment," Ling Wen replied. After a pause, she said, "This is troublesome. T oday, two hundred and sixty-one fishermen were pulled into the perimeter of the Heavenly Tribulation, and they're scattered all over the place…" Her voice started to break up, and Xie Lian couldn't really understand her anymore.
"What's wrong? Ling Wen?"
He thought his powers were low again, but when he looked up and saw Pei Ming's face, it was obvious that he was experiencing the same thing. Before they could discuss the matter, Xie Lian saw more little broken boats not far away from them.
"Maybe the aftershocks of the opening round were too great and affected spiritual communication. It might improve in a bit. Ling Wen said two hundred and sixty-one fishermen were scattered by the waves, so let's just save as many as we can."
Naturally, no one objected.
"Water Master-xiong, why don't you go inside and rest for a bit?" Pei Ming suggested. "Your trial only just started, and who knows when the next round will come. You're pretty unlucky to have dragged in so many mortals this time."
Shi Wudu did appear somewhat tired. He nodded, pushed open the door of another cabin, and went inside to meditate. Shi Qingxuan looked like he wanted to say something serious to him, but since his Heavenly T ribulation wasn't over, he couldn't bring himself to speak. He could only swallow his words and mope off to the side with Ming Yi.
However, Shi Wudu opened his eyes again and said sharply, "Don't go running around. Come and sit right here."
And so, Shi Qingxuan could only crouch down next to Shi Wudu.
More than half a day passed thus. As the night darkened, the ship floated farther into the deeper part of the East Sea.
Although spiritual communication still only worked sporadically, they managed. Xie Lian and company rescued over two hundred fishermen during this period. The fishermen had gone to sea to fish as always, but stormy winds and waves suddenly surged, and they were pulled too far out. It would've been impossible to drift back on their own if help hadn't come—and if left to drift, they would've floated endlessly until they died from starvation or dehydration, their corpses desiccated under the sun. They were understandably overjoyed at this miraculous ray of hope that saved them from the brink of death.
Who knew how many days and nights it'd take for all the drifting fishermen to be rescued from open water? And Shi Wudu's third Heavenly Tribulation had still not officially started. Danger could rear its head at any moment, but even at a time like this, Pei Ming still acted as he always did. In the evening, they came upon a few terrified fisher-girls needing rescue, their faces smeared with tears. He held them in his embrace and soothed them with gentle words. It was a true show of honey-sweet romance, an affectionate, charming display. Only after he charmed the girls did he send them off to the cabin, and the girls were all reluctant to leave, clearly hoping that when they opened the door, he would still be there.
Shi Wudu cracked open his eyes. He'd been meditating for a while now, and his complexion looked better.
"Don't you usually have high standards?"
Although the fisher-girls were in the full bloom of youth, they were still only average; they were nowhere near the standard of targets Pei Ming usually hunted.
Now that he'd held some women, Pei Ming's face was glowing. He rubbed his chin as he laughed. "After rescuing so many old, scraggly-bearded fishermen, any woman looks like an outstanding beauty in comparison."
Upon hearing this, both Shi Qingxuan and Ming Yi didn't want to look at him anymore. Xie Lian actually found it rather funny and shook his head. He and Hua Cheng sat down next to each other at the side of the ship, and he felt the emptiness of his stomach a moment later.
Everyone else on the ship didn't need to eat. Shi Qingxuan was a mortal right now, but Xie Lian suspected Shi Wudu must've given him some sort of holy pill, the kind that could fill a stomach for a few days; even now Shi Qingxuan didn't show any sign of hunger. This ship wasn't built in the Mortal Realm, so it wouldn't carry any rations. Xie Lian was about to get up and try catching some fish when Hua Cheng passed something over. Xie Lian looked down to find that it was a soft, snow-white steamed bun.
He sat back down and whispered, "Thank you, San Lang."
"T ake this for now, gege," Hua Cheng whispered back.
"It'll get better soon."
They split the steamed bun in half to share, and the two sat together to slowly munch on it. Pei Ming heard them whispering to each other from where he stood on the other end of the ship. He slicked his hair back again.
"Have you two discovered something? Why don't you leave your little world for a moment and share with the rest of us?"
Xie Lian was about to say something to put him off but frowned instead. "Don't you all sense something strange?"
Ming Yi frowned as well and looked up. "Yes."
Xie Lian rose to his feet. "The ship seems to be going much slower. Is it running out of power?"
"How could that be?" Pei Ming said. "The ship's stores of spiritual power should allow it to run for several more days at sea."
Xie Lian approached the side and set his hands on the railing. "But I keep getting the sense that the ship got heavier…" He abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Shi Wudu and the others gathered where he stood.
"What is it?"
But there was no need to ask—with just a glance, they understood. Despite the darkened sky, the draft of this ship's hull was visibly abnormal; the hull was much lower in the water than before, and the waterline was still climbing!
"Is the hull leaking?!" Xie Lian asked. "Did we hit a shoal? Is there something in the water that tore a hole?"
"That's impossible!" Pei Ming exclaimed. "How would we not notice hitting a shoal? And this isn't some ordinary ship, nothing should be able to pierce the hull, unless…" He choked as though he had abruptly realized something.
"Unless what?" Ming Yi demanded.
"Oh no," Pei Ming said.
"What do you mean, 'oh no'?" Shi Qingxuan demanded.
Pei Ming whirled around. "Ships immediately sink in ghosts' territories. We've drifted into the Black Water Demon Lair."