In the Eastern Sea, the tides splashed as waves glittered and danced against the port. Once the mist over the sea cleared, a bustling town came into view, adorned with large buildings featuring colorful shell roofs, much like a wild sea of people swirling about.
Well, it wasn’t just the people swirling.
Haichi Town was the last port before entering the Eastern Sea and was at the very edge of the Ten Earths among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
This place didn’t fall under the jurisdiction of Da Yu; rather, it belonged to the Penglai Star Sect and the Sea Clan, surrounded by floating islands that stretched far and wide.
Of course, compared to the boundless sea, this was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Legend had it that the original land area was much larger, but whether due to the relentless tide of time or the meddling of powerful beings, the continent sank into the sea, flooding cities that once stood proud, now waiting for lucky souls to unearth their long-lost treasures.
Every now and then, some fortunate chap would stumble upon rare relics or unique marine specialties to trade, eventually giving rise to the famed “Curiosities Market by the Sea.”
“Basically, it’s just the Sea Clan and humans gathering for a big fair, right?”
As the cloud of his doubts dissipated, Li Mo stepped onto the scene, listening to Elder Qian’s introduction.
Sporting a pair of sunglasses—not because the sun was scorching over the sea but simply because he thought it made him look cool—he surveyed the bustling market, eyeing the gigantic fishbone ships rocking at the dock and the broad expanse of the ocean stretching before him.
Feeling the vibe, he couldn’t help but exclaim:
“I’m going to find treasure deep in the sea! I’m destined to be the Pirate King!”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a fishbone ship glided near, and down came a robust middle-aged man who looked as if he’d spent a lifetime baking under the sun, sporting a headscarf that screamed, “I’m one with the ocean!” His expression was one of achievement as he barked orders at his crew, directing the unloading of box after box brimming with bl**d coral, whale mucus, and sparkling gold and pearls. It was blindingly shiny!
“Folks! This trip has been a treasure trove! Those who came with me have struck it rich!”
“This ship’s coming back fully loaded! What a pity I went out and came back with nothing!”
“Not getting anything is one thing, but my brother still hasn’t come back from the sea!”
“Guess it’s all about luck.”
Excited chatter erupted around from folks either gearing up to set sail or just returning.
“Luck? If only that little bean sprout, Shang Li, had come along…”
Li Mo chuckled, shaking his head. He didn’t particularly need luck; grabbing things from the sea would be way more convenient than fishing out the treasures.
Just then, the chubby middle-aged man spotted Li Mo and his eyes lit up as he trotted over.
“Hey, little bro! You look like quite the force of nature! How about we partner up for some ocean diving? We can split the expenses down the middle.”
“?”
“Let’s share the spoils, 70-30.”
“Why only 70% for me?”
“Little bro, 70% is my cut… after all, I’ve got the experience and expertise of the sea, including treasure-finding! A good haul can net a couple of thousand taels…”
“No thanks, that’s way too slow for my taste.”
“?”
Li Mo waved him off, just as Elder Qian shot a wary glance at the man before pulling Li Mo aside, away from the crowd.
Once the middle-aged man was out of sight, Elder Qian breathed a sigh of relief.
“Little Mo, you’re quite sharp; you sensed that ocean diver wasn’t playing it straight.”
Li Mo blinked, a little perplexed. He didn’t go around scanning everyone with divine vision: “How did you know?”
“…..”
Elder Qian fell into deep thought.
So, you really think the cash flow from that wasn’t impressive enough?
With the fortune of the Qingyuan Sect heavily pressing on him, Elder Qian suddenly felt the urge to squat and draw circles on the ground.
“Elder Qian, what was wrong with that guy?” Li Mo pressed on.
“Ah… those folks aren’t really ocean divers; they’re scammers. The way he called everyone ‘family’ felt fishy to me.”
Elder Qian began to share his street wisdom.
Teaming up for ocean diving could be a viable idea, but bad luck could mean not pulling anything in for months or even years. Over time, some folks developed twisted minds, using ocean diving as a ploy to con outsiders.
Some would bury their treasures in the sand beforehand, offering a glimpse of success but far from being worth the ticket price; and there were worse tricks…
“So if I actually went out with them, even good luck would just mean losing money, right? Bad luck could get me killed?”
They say the Eastern Sea is deep.
Today was finally the day Li Mo discovered just how deep it really was.
Li Mo’s little companion kept quiet but quietly activated his divine vision.
…….
In the crowd, observing Ke Mo and Qian Bufan disappearing into the distance, the stout man furrowed his brow.
He returned to the ship. The cabin was surprisingly well-appointed, resembling a cozy study with sandalwood incense wafting through the air.
At a desk sat a young man, cheeks puffed up, face square, exuding an intimidating presence, dressed in a colorful patterned purple robe.
Behind him stood an elder in similar attire, his deep aura suggesting he was quite the heavyweight.
The elder’s appearance bore a resemblance to a younger version of himself.
“Junior Sect Master, that kid’s quite alert, and he has a senior from his sect by his side, which thwarted our plan to lure him out to sea.”
The middle-aged man clasped his hands in respect.
“Did you mention the potential spoils from the sea?” the Junior Sect Master asked, puzzled.
“I did.”
“Even with that, he didn’t bite? Could it be we misjudged him?” The Junior Sect Master muttered to himself.
The old man chimed in: “The Qingyuan Sect has little to offer; even if Ke Mo has some kind of other inheritance or Shang Wu as a master, it can’t be worth much. He seems to be wary, but I can tell that he has some thoughts simmering underneath.”
“Junior Sect Master, this Eastern Wilderness region ought to be ours to govern.”
“Whatever belongs to us, we must reclaim it by our own hands!”
The elder had a rather tempestuous nature.
“I understand your eagerness, but hold your horses.”
The purple-robed youth rubbed his temples and pondered seriously:
“Our previous analysis should be spot on; the Qingyuan Sect is running low on funds, yet rare treasures surface only at the Eastern Pearl Building.”
“We simply have to make sure Ke Mo and Qian Bufan are short on cash, and they’ll soon follow the bait, perhaps even daring to set sail.”
“How do we pull that off?”
“By helping them spend their money! Spending money? That’s my forte!”
The purple-robed youth’s smile was filled with confidence and nonchalance.
…….
Qian Bufan said, “Let’s go shop around first.”
The market was a mix of treasures and junk, making it hard to distinguish the valuable from the worthless, spending energy might not guarantee a good find—but, hey, budget constraints, right?
Old Qian was all about getting big wins from small investments.
“Let’s hit the Eastern Pearl Building instead.”
Ke Mo shook his head, not wanting to waste time on that.
“Little Mo, the Eastern Pearl Building offers only the crème de la crème, but they take a hefty commission of half a tael…”
“That’s highway robbery!”
“No choice; they have the best reputation and stand firm on this rule. We should check out the market first…”
“Not necessary!”
Little Ke Mo’s smile radiated confidence and ease, as if he had just uncovered the solution to some vexing puzzle:
“Being the owner of the Eastern Pearl Building, isn’t that the way to go?”
