Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
At that time, Gui Ya was taking Su Qian to look for masters in the Province of Widepool. In the future, when Su Qian gained great achievements, she would reap the benefits.
“Long time no see, Jiang Chen.” Su Qian wasn’t glad to see him. Her tone was very cold.
“I would rather we didn’t meet,” Jiang Chen said.
“Hum, are you going to the Province of Widepool, too?”
Su Qian recalled what Meng Fei had told her, so she thought Jiang Chen was heading for the Swordquest School, which made her very jealous.
Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. She beamed and said, “You didn’t reserve a bed, did you?”
“A bed?” She had her answer from Jiang Chen’s response.
“Good luck then.” Su Qian smiled mysteriously and stepped onto the deck. A crewman of the ship led her and Gui Ya into the cabin.
Jiang Chen would only be allowed to stay on the deck and live in a tent when he went aboard.
He didn’t know how things worked there until he asked a crew member.
The airship travelled much faster than other transportation, but it also had its downsides.
Since the sky wasn’t the human being’s territory, there was a chance that the airship could be attacked by demon bats somewhere between Greenhill and Ninedragons.
A demon bat was a ghost level beast. Human beings were delicious food for them. They were unable to destroy the Cloudbuster, but were able to cause casualties.
That was why the beds on the Cloudbuster cost a great fortune, and there were only a limited number. People who didn’t purchase a ticket with accomodations had to stay on the deck.
This was normal. It was impossible to provide everyone with a bed in an airship, since that would make the hull of the ship much heavier.
“The demon bats don’t attack us every time, but we are already out of beds. You have to make a decision now: get off or buy the ticket. You can’t change your mind after the Cloudbuster takes off,” the crew said.
“The next Cloudbuster will come in two weeks?”
“Exactly.”
“Fine.”
So, Jiang Chen paid like the other people on the deck, taking a chance.
But unlike other passengers, he was expecting the arrival of the demon bats to some extent. Besides, even if they did come, he was capable of warding them off.
They were only ghost level beasts.
To be honest, this airship can do nothing but fly. Airships like this one had been obsolete for a long time in the Sacred Zone of five hundred years ago.
Jiang Chen couldn’t help shaking his head while thinking this.
The airships of the Sacred Zone had been carved with tactical formations. The whole ship had wonderful attacking and defending power.
The warships of the Over Cloud Palace had been equipped with heavy artillery. One shot would have been enough to destroy a mountain.
“My friend.”
A young man came up to him while Jiang Chen was thinking about the past.
He was wearing a neat blue outfit, strong and good-looking. His eyes were especially bright. His gaze was very clear.
Jiang Chen was unhappy about being disturbed, but when he saw this guy’s delightful smile, Jiang Chen went easy on him. “What’s up?”
“You seem to be alone. Why don’t you come and join us? You won’t be too lonely, and we can take care of each other.”
Jiang Chen looked in the direction he gestured to, where a man and a woman were standing.
Jiang Chen realized that the demon bats preferred people who were alone. They grasped people’s shoulders with their sharp claws, took them into the sky, then loosened their claws and let them fall to their death.
That’s why the people on the deck tried to form groups, whether they knew each other or not.
Jiang Chen went aboard alone. Some people were confused about it, some sneered at him, and others had sympathy for him.
This young man had invited Jiang Chen with good intentions.
“Sure.” Jiang Chen stood up and walked with him towards the other two.
Jiang Chen found out the young man’s name was Meng Hao. Just like him, Meng Hao was also heading for the Ninedragons to join one of the forces.
Jiang Chen sized him up surreptitiously. He could tell that Meng Hao had talent. Besides that, he was good-natured. Most of the sects and schools should have been willing to accept him.
The two with him were called Ye Xiu and Shi Tian.
The three of them had come from the same place. They got to know each other and became companions.
“You are from the Hundred Thousand Mountains?!”
The three of them were surprised when Jiang Chen introduced himself.
There was no special reason, it was just because they were from a city next to the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
In their minds, the Hundred Thousand Mountains were a dangerous and savage place. People living there were primitive.
Ye Xiu and Shi Tian were looking at Jiang Chen with curiosity and some contempt, though they were unaware of it.
They exuded superiority because of their differences in social status.
“People say there are still savage people living in the mountains who can’t even speak, is it true?” Shi Tian asked out of curiosity.
“They can speak, but they use a different language.” Jiang Chen didn’t act inferior. He answered him casually.
“Isn’t it dangerous living there?” Ye Xiu recalled those horror stories about the Hundred Thousand Mountains that she had heard when she was small. She turned pale instantly and looked at Jiang Chen with sympathy.
“They also say that people go into the mountains to capture tribal men in order to keep them as slaves,” Shi Tian said.
“Stop. You’re being rude,” Meng Hao interrupted them before Jiang Chen had a chance to answer.
“Does it matter? I don’t think Jiang Chen minds.”
Shi Tian laughed unconcernedly. He put on an act, looking at Jiang Chen and saying, “Right?”
Jiang Chen didn’t answer or show any expression.
Shi Tian curled his lips, seemingly unhappy with Jiang Chen’s reaction. He thought Jiang Chen was putting on airs. They were only chitchatting. What did it matter?
But he didn’t lose his temper, for Meng Hao’s sake.
Ye Xiu asked, “Jiang Chen, are you trying to achieve something big by leaving the mountain? Are you going to join any sects or schools?”
“Certainly.”
“Hum, not bad for you to achieve the Gathering Yuan State by sixteen years old.” Shi Tian had just noticed Jiang Chen’s state and was surprised to see he was already in the Gathering Yuan State.
“There are many sects, schools, and gangs in the Province of Widepool. There are good ones and also bad ones. Jiang Chen, you have to be careful. Don’t join a gang by accident.”
Gangs were totally different from sects and schools. In a gang, you worked for others. There were poor prospects for success.
Meng Hao also told him about the positions of the sects and schools in Ninedragons.
The Natural Law School was no doubt the most powerful. They were equal to the Xia Dynasty and were listed in the top ten clans of the Fire Field.
However, it was very difficult to join.
It had never occurred to Meng Hao that Jiang Chen had the chance to join, so he was just mentioning it casually.
He put more emphasis on introducing the sects and schools second to the Natural Law School, like the Swordquest School.
It was Meng Hao’s dream to join it.
“Brother Meng Hao has mastered the sword point,” Ye Xiu was full of tender affection when she said this. Her cheeks were as red as a rose.
“It’s nothing.” Meng Hao smiled humbly.
“Jiang Chen, are there any youngsters who have mastered the sword point in the Hundred Thousand Mountains? Since you guys are a little behind in martial arts techniques there.” Shi Tian made the same mistake again, trying to show his superiority.
Jiang Chen smiled, not intending to answer.
Meng Hao coughed a bit and started another topic. He said, “Jiang Chen, which sect or school are you going to join? Each sect and school has a different requirement to recruit disciples.”
Although he wasn’t looking down on Jiang Chen like Shi Tian, he also thought the Hundred Thousand Mountains were a primitive place, not well-informed.
Since he said it with good intentions, Jiang Chen replied to him, “I want to join the Natural Law School.”