Chapter 4768 — Bullfrog or Toad

At this moment, the Western Isle docks were dominated by a vessel of such monstrous grandeur that it beggared description. Weizhao had thought the giant treasure ship from the Northern Isle was the pinnacle of scale—and then he saw this one from the Eastern Isle, several times larger still, in an entirely different class altogether. Freshly scrubbed and gleaming, it looked so solemn and magnificent that awe rose in the heart unbidden.

What truly staggered Weizhao was that formation arrays flickered again and again across the hull of that colossal treasure ship, and the dreadful aura seeping from them made his heart quail.

"That ship is incredible!" Weizhao could not help blurting out in genuine admiration.

Beside him, Ning Xuefei's eyes had gone wide and starry; from the look of her, she would have happily taken the whole monstrous thing apart to study it. The treasure ships were the crowning achievement of the artifact-forging lineage of Cloudstep Isle, and this one before them was the peak above all peaks—the very goal she had pursued all her life.

"Legend says the mighty ones of the ancient age poured their life's blood into building it. Unlike the other treasure ships, this one is an ancient warship!" Huo Yudie had somehow ended up in line behind the two of them and leaned in with a smile to explain.

"An ancient warship?!" Weizhao was startled on the spot.

A treasure ship could cross the endless sea, and though the arrays set upon it were all defensive in nature, they were formidable enough in their own right. Yet beside an ancient warship of this kind they were nothing but a child's toy. A treasure ship could only carry passengers; a warship could storm cities and seize territory without exerting the slightest effort. Once its offensive arrays were activated, it could likely take a whole city with ease!

Gazing at that vast and magnificent monstrosity, Weizhao swallowed hard without meaning to. He had felt nothing much before, looking at the giant treasure ships, but now, staring at this ancient warship, a thought surfaced in his mind unbidden: if only he could have one of these himself!

Of course, that was plainly a fantasy. Even the Northern and Western Isles had no such vessels; likely only the Eastern Isle possessed a few—perhaps even just the one. Never mind that Weizhao was merely a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator; even if he were at the Mountain-Splitting or Earth-Rending stage, it would make no difference. He could only dream.

Discussing the many legends of the ancient warship, the three queued to board. Before boarding, all belongings had to be inspected, lest someone carry something dangerous aboard and threaten everyone's safety—the most basic of rules.

Just then a commotion broke out somewhere behind them. From a distance, they saw the orderly queue thrown into disarray; two men, it seemed, were escorting a third and forcing their way through, accompanied by haughty, high-and-mighty shouting.

"Out of the way, all of you! Let Junior Sister Jiali board first!" The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Weizhao looked closely—it was Yi Xiaotian, whom he had encountered before. He and Ren Zhongyuan were now escorting Yao Jiali as they brutally cut straight through the line. Those ahead who reacted a beat too slowly were kicked aside outright, and every one of them swallowed their fury in silence.

Weizhao frowned at the sight. Liu Ziqi was still at the back saying his farewells to Ning Shanghe, and these two dared to be so brazen and unbridled—clearly they had grown used to throwing their weight around!

In a trail of trampled chaos, Ren Zhongyuan and his companions soon reached them, already raising a foot out of habit to kick someone aside—but a single cold glance from Weizhao stopped them dead.

After all, the people blocking their path were no ordinary sorts: one was Ning Xuefei, Princess of the Western Isle, the other Huo Yudie, personal disciple of Liu Ziqi. If they dared treat the two women the way they treated everyone else, never mind returning safely to the Eastern Isle—they likely would not even make it off the Western Isle.

"Get to the back of the line!" Weizhao said coldly, eyes sweeping over them.

"You—!" Ren Zhongyuan, Yi Xiaotian, and Yao Jiali were struck dumb. Rage boiled in their bellies, yet they truly did not dare do anything to Weizhao and the others.

That people like Ning Xuefei and Huo Yudie had not boarded first, but were instead dutifully queuing here like everyone else—that was utterly beyond expectation!

They had assumed such privileged personages would long since be aboard, which was why they dared throw their weight around so recklessly in this place. As for those ordinary disciples and attendants, in their eyes they had no standing whatsoever—to be struck or cursed at will. Who would dare resist?

Who could have known they would be thwarted here? Ren Zhongyuan and the others could not help cursing inwardly: were the brains of Ning Xuefei and her lot all addled? They could plainly have boarded first, yet they had nothing better to do than stand here queuing—their heads must be waterlogged!

Now that Ning Xuefei and Huo Yudie stood in their path, even they dared not force their way any further. This was still Western Isle territory; slap on the charge of affronting the Western Isle's princess and they would be locked in confinement the moment they returned. Sullenly, they had no choice but to take their places at the back.

Weizhao paid them no mind and went on chatting and laughing with Ning Xuefei and Huo Yudie, as though Ren Zhongyuan and his companions did not exist. Frankly, at Weizhao's present level, to still regard them as worth noticing would have been to overrate them far too much.

Ren Zhongyuan already harbored a bellyful of resentment toward Weizhao, and now, seeing him act as if no one else existed, his fury surged anew. At once he put on a swaggering face and lowered his voice to warn: "Boy, you're nothing but a paltry disciple of the Northern Isle. Don't think becoming the Western Isle's consort makes you anything special—over in our Eastern Isle you're less than nothing, a pitiful frog at the bottom of a well!"

"Oh? Then what sort of frog might Your Lordship be, I wonder? A bullfrog or a toad?" Weizhao countered with a light laugh.

"I'm—" Ren Zhongyuan nearly fell for it; only when he saw Huo Yudie and Ning Xuefei covering their mouths and giggling did he catch on. His face flushed crimson with rage, and he snorted: "Hmph! I can't be bothered wasting breath on you. If you don't want to die, be a good little Western Isle consort and keep away from my Junior Sister Yudie—otherwise you won't even know how you died!"

Huo Yudie and Ning Xuefei's expressions changed at these words, and they were about to speak up in rebuke when Weizhao reached out a hand to hold them back. With a lazy smile, he said: "Is that so? Since Your Lordship is so very formidable, might I ask one question—just how exactly will I die?"

"Tch! Listen well, you ignorant whelp—Brother Ren is the leader of this ship, and everything aboard is for Brother Ren to decide. So tell me, how will you die?" At that moment two lackeys popped out from behind Ren Zhongyuan—none other than Li Yuzhou and Sun Baolu.

Ever since Liu Ziqi had said he would deal with them, the two had lived in constant dread, and after much agonizing had concluded that only by clinging desperately to the legs of Ren Zhongyuan and Yi Xiaotian could they grasp a thread of survival. So even after Ren Zhongyuan had given them a savage beating, they still put on the airs of loyal curs. Now that a chance to prove their loyalty had presented itself so plainly, of course they would not let it slip.