The ferryman was dumbfounded. Is it possible to do it this way? This kid confirmed with him whether a fishing failure could also be considered normal, all for this moment? It was clearly premeditated!
What shocked the ferryman the most was how sharp that short sword was!
He had already determined that the fishing line was extraordinary; although it was thin, it was engraved with countless symbols, more resilient than the fishing lines on his boat, virtually indestructible.
But now, it had been cut!
He thought Wang Xuan was being picky and unlikable in his words, seeking the best "bait," then taking a risky gamble to pull the scripture from the fishing line. Instead, this guy directly cut the line, taking away the foundation.
Wang Xuan didn't go to retrieve the stone tablet, letting it fall on the bamboo boat. He leaped onto the canopy, holding the short sword and gesturing toward the swaying fishing line.
This fishing line was tougher to cut than golden sunlight, exceptionally sturdy, imbued with a profound aura, undoubtedly a rare treasure!
The ferryman's eyes widened. This kid... did he really want to continue cutting the fishing line after taking the bait?!
He wanted to ask, are you planning to pull down the fishing rod too?
Looking at Wang Xuan's stance, the ferryman even thought he wanted to pull the fisherman down!
With the stone tablet lost, the fishing line floated gently, swaying in the night breeze, crystal clear, densely covered in runes, emanating a powerful aura.
Wang Xuan gestured a few more times but finally held back. Although he speculated that the creature fishing on the moon couldn't interfere with the mortal realm, he felt it was safer not to provoke that being.
He was delighted; not long ago, he had acted deliberately arrogant, and in the end, he had dealt a decisive blow, severing the stone tablet scripture!
"Not only can you fish, but I'm using my body as bait—fishing without rods, lines, or hooks!" Wang Xuan said with a beaming smile.
He landed on the bamboo boat and saw the ferryman staring at him wide-eyed, instantly becoming serious. He said, "Senior, please!"
"What do you mean?" The ferryman looked at him.
Wang Xuan spoke, "Please take a look at this strongest scripture first. Without your guidance, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to obtain this stone tablet."
"It has nothing to do with me; it's your own—" The ferryman realized there were no words to praise him and didn't want to say anything insincere.
However, he was genuinely moved; this stone tablet was of immense significance, placed before him—who could remain indifferent?
"Are you really going to show it to me?" The ferryman's fingers trembled slightly; he tried hard to restrain himself but still couldn't help wanting to touch the stone tablet on the boat.
"Senior, let's not be polite; we will be in contact often in the future," Wang Xuan said earnestly.
"Back in the day, among the top ten experts of the celestial immortals, two died because of the stone tablet scripture. My master didn't rank that high, but by chance, he obtained the scripture, and after it was discovered, he was hunted down and ultimately perished."
The ferryman felt sad; that was his master's father, incredibly powerful and kind, but he didn't have a good ending.
Wang Xuan was moved. A seemingly ordinary stone tablet was stained with the blood of celestial immortals—no wonder it was filled with cracks and obscured by mist, carrying so many stories.
He began to value this stone tablet even more; it might become the scripture he focuses on in the future!
The ferryman said, "You're willing to show me such a remarkable scripture? It could genuinely be one of the strongest scriptures."
He added, "According to the Old Testament, I have no right to demand that you show it to me."
Wang Xuan nodded. "Senior, I greatly admire your integrity and character. Even in the face of such scriptures, you're so sincere. Rest assured, I genuinely want to invite you to take a look."
He then added, "The stone tablet is surrounded by Mist. I'm afraid I won't be able to disperse it alone, so I'll need your assistance. Also, if you gain any insights, please enlighten me."
"I underestimated you. Willing to share such a truly supreme skill shows great spirit—stronger than some celestial immortals. If they could have seen things more clearly back in the day, they wouldn't have let immortal blood stain the skies."
The ferryman sighed, then became extremely serious, warning Wang Xuan, "Then I'll tell you some truths. It's better not to practice this scripture because those who do have encountered misfortune. Even among the oldest celestial immortals, two who became Buddhas or ancestors died because of practicing it."
"Not due to fighting or competition, but died because they practiced this scripture?" Wang Xuan was shocked.
"One was severely injured and practiced the stone tablet scripture, resulting in his death shortly thereafter. The other wasn't injured, yet after practicing this scripture, he also perished."
The ferryman, shrouded in darkness, had long lost his physical body; only the remnants of his extraordinary power remained. He was solemnly warning Wang Xuan that this scripture was terrifying.
"Since the scripture has issues, why practice it? It doesn't even deserve to be called a supreme scripture, right?" Wang Xuan felt confused.
"There's nothing wrong with the scripture. The powerful celestial immortals competing for it repeatedly deduced its feasibility. Once mastered, its power is unparalleled. However, it is incredibly difficult to practice."
The ferryman picked up the stone tablet enveloped in Mist. It was over three feet long, more than two feet wide, filled with cracks, and stained with black blood, most likely from the celestial immortals, not cleaned off.
"I'm merely reminiscing about the past, but I still hold great respect for this scripture. I dare not look at it or practice it, fearing something will go wrong." The ferryman wiped the Mist away and quickly untied the fishing line.
He turned his head, not daring to look, fearing he wouldn't be able to resist practicing the scripture and end up in ruins.
Wang Xuan stood beside him, carefully studying. On the not-so-large stone tablet, there were a total of nine images, each accompanied by dense and chaotic symbols.
Wang Xuan didn't recognize them, but spiritual imprints were conveyed, allowing him to understand the true meaning of the scripture and also gradually comprehend those chaotic, symbol-like characters.
Regardless of whether to practice or not, he needed to remember it first!
Soon, the ferryman sensed something was off; a mysterious light flashed on the stone tablet, entering his cloak and entangling with him, as if marking him.
The cloak was dark, revealing his blurry face. His expression changed several times as he quietly experienced it, then suddenly raised his head to look at the waning moon.
"There's a trap on this stone tablet; there are deep pits—indeed not so easy to take!" the ferryman said in a deep voice.
Then he felt even more uneasy; this stone tablet had nothing to do with him; it belonged to that kid!
At the same time, the fishing line drifted away, disappearing into the night sky.
"Senior, what's wrong with this stone tablet?" Wang Xuan asked, very concerned.
The ferryman's expression darkened. "You little brat, do you sense there's a problem and want me to take the blame?!"
He had just thought this kid had some spirit, but now he found him extremely displeasing; was this intentional? This kid had sensed the issue in advance, leading him to take the risk?!
"Senior, I really didn't know that the fisherman on the moon was so sinister. I thought I'd stolen a scripture from that monster; I didn't expect it to be so tricky, nearly impossible to guard against!"
Wang Xuan sighed, looking somewhat alarmed.
The ferryman carefully sensed the mark on him, and hearing his words, his face turned even darker. Hadn't you secured everything? It was I who had broken the defense, and you were here showing off?!
Wang Xuan looked up at the sky and said, "Sinister and vile! Such ancient monsters should be exterminated; not a single one is good, only thinking about scheming against future generations!"
The ferryman felt very uncomfortable, looking at him coldly. "Why do I feel like you're the one who tricked me?!"
"Not at all!" Wang Xuan refused to admit it at all, saying, "How could I have imagined that the fisherman on the moon had so many tricks up his sleeve? He's such a sly old fox!"
Then, he quietly asked, "Senior, the scriptures are fine, right?"
The ferryman was convinced that this kid had been on guard all along. Asking him to take the blame made him want to violate the Old Testament and give the kid a lesson.
"You're still worried about the authenticity of the scriptures?" the ferryman replied angrily.
Wang Xuan raised his short sword, ready to strike the stone tablet, saying, "I'm here to vent for you, Senior!"
"Don't destroy the tablet!" the ferryman quickly stopped him. He still wanted to use the tablet to reason with the fisherman on the moon.
Hearing this, Wang Xuan immediately felt assured that the scriptures on the tablet were fine!
He stared at the tablet and carefully studied it again; the nine human figures and the densely packed, ghostly symbols were all firmly etched in his mind—there was no problem at all.
Suddenly, the ferryman's hair stood on end as he looked up at the sky. The vanished fishing line reappeared, but this time it wasn't scriptures that descended; instead, a set of dazzling golden hooks came rushing towards him!
"Oh no!" He was shocked and then cast a murderous look at Wang Xuan, constantly trying to shield the kid from danger!
Those hooks were all made of solar gold, huge beyond measure. If they latched onto a person, they would instantly create massive wounds, as if a spear had been bent.
"It's a misunderstanding, it's not me!" the ferryman kept dodging, and then he held a fishing rod made from feathered divine bamboo, touching the hooks and trying to communicate with them.
"I am the ferryman of the lost land, the one who keeps the covenant. There's been a misunderstanding; I'm blocking disaster for others. I can return the tablet's scriptures to you!"
Wang Xuan saw the ferryman turn into a beam of light, dodging the massive hooks that left behind multiple afterimages, chasing him endlessly.
"Traps come one after another; it's all a ploy." Wang Xuan wiped a cold sweat from his forehead and added, "Senior, I thought you guys were on the same side, but it turns out the creatures on the moon have no kinship; they even want to fish you away!"
"Shut up! I don't want to talk to you!" the ferryman replied, furious.
Although he was a remnant of extraordinary power, he knew very well that when his physical body was still intact, he was a person from the era of the Celestial Immortals. As for the fisherman on the moon, that was hard to say.
The lost land was far too ancient, predating the Celestial Immortals!
Finally, the ferryman used the feathered divine bamboo to block the set of hooks made from solar gold again, whispering as if he were quickly explaining something.
However, the hooks trembled, as if they were still trying to exert force.
Wang Xuan seized the opportunity, leaping up and swinging his short sword, making a clanging sound as he severed the fishing line, causing the entire set of hooks to fall!
The ferryman was dumbfounded; he was still talking when that kid took the chance to strike. His hand was too dark, and he was too tricky!
Wang Xuan said, "Senior, he can't interfere with the lost land. When it's time to act, we have to strike; there has to be a balance between softness and hardness!"
The bamboo boat rocked violently, nearly capsizing; that set of hooks was too heavy and shone brilliantly.
Wang Xuan approached but didn't dare to touch them, yet his eyes sparkled—this was a pile of solar gold!
"Don't even think about it; you have to return it!" the ferryman said.
"Why should I? He wants to fish; I'm just counter-fishing!" Wang Xuan said, dissatisfied.
The ferryman advised, "I really don't understand the creatures on the moon, but I'm afraid if we force them, something bad will happen."
"Then let me keep one hook!" Wang Xuan insisted, selecting one from the set of hooks.
"What do you want it for? You want to fish too?" the ferryman asked in confusion.
"Such a big hook, if I straighten it, wouldn't it be a long spear? A spear forged from solar gold is said to specifically pierce through evil spirits and gods. Who wouldn't be tempted?!" Wang Xuan firmly insisted on keeping one.
The ferryman looked at him, truly at a loss for words, and after a long time sighed, "Fine, keep a hook as a spear. Just return the tablet."
Wang Xuan was unwilling and read the tablet again before giving in.
In the end, only a shiny golden hook remained in the boat, which could measure two meters long if straightened.
The ferryman brought the tablet and hooks close to the fishing line, but as soon as they touched, whoosh, those items were pulled up into the night sky and disappeared, returning to the moon.
Finally, calm returned. The ferryman stared at Wang Xuan, his expression unfriendly.
Suddenly, his face changed again. The mark from the tablet that had entered his body began to glow, vibrating slightly, conveying a very clear message.
"The cross-domain war of the lost land may start at any time. Please prepare for battle, seed contestants! It may take ten years, or it may happen today; be ready for expedition at all times!"
The ferryman was petrified, almost unable to believe his ears. There was no end to how bad this could get!
After covering for that kid, the negative reactions continued to escalate, one trap after another. Not only did he block disaster for the kid, but now he also had to fight in the expedition? Was he still allowed to live?!
Wang Xuan realized this and genuinely felt that the creatures on the moon were difficult to deal with. It was simply a series of traps.
If he hadn't been cautious enough to let the ferryman test the waters first, he would have been utterly doomed. He thought he hadn't been fished up to the moon, and after getting the tablet's scriptures, he believed he had successfully counter-fished and was filled with a sense of achievement. In reality, the traps had only just begun!
"I'm still too young; these are interconnected traps. The fishermen are too cunning, and one careless move could sink the boat!" Wang Xuan sighed.
The ferryman's cloak was pitch black; he felt like he was going to explode, especially after hearing Wang Xuan say this. He was utterly distressed.
He coldly replied, "It's me who sank, okay? I've been covering for you all along!"
Naturally, he could not just let it go. He absolutely would not participate in the battle on behalf of that kid and had to think of a way to correct this.
Seeing the situation was not right, Wang Xuan immediately said, "Senior, I'm going to practice the strongest scriptures on the tablet right now. Once my strength is strong, I will avenge you and stand up for you!"
"Don't practice; you'll die! Let me correct today's mistake first, and then you can practice!" The ferryman quickly stopped him.
Wang Xuan was troubled but resolute, saying, "I have to practice! I feel like I'm about to undergo another transformation, and my body's cellular activity is surging. I want to seize this rare opportunity to change my cultivation method and lay the foundation for my future!"
"You'll practice yourself to death!" The ferryman was frantic; he still wanted to transfer that mark to Wang Xuan somehow.
"Then please guide me and protect me; I'm going to start!" Wang Xuan sat cross-legged on the bamboo boat.
The ferryman seriously considered slapping him to death; he had caused so much trouble and now wanted him to protect him. He was utterly fed up! But he genuinely felt at a loss for what to do because Wang Xuan really couldn't die right now!