Chapter 4978 — Until We Meet Again

If it came down to raw strength alone, he did not truly regard Okuda Qi as a threat—but the problem was that Okuda Qi was no ordinary expert of the Kaishan stage. He was the captain of a warship!

Had Wei Zhao been standing aboard an ordinary treasure ship, Chang Minghui would have struck without hesitation, just as he had on Thunder Plain Island. An ordinary treasure ship could not withstand his full-powered attack unless its defensive formation was pushed to maximum output. But this was an ancient warship!

Not only were its defensive formations far more formidable than those of a treasure ship, but more crucially, this thing was equipped with exceedingly powerful offensive formations. Never mind a late Kaishan stage expert like himself—even his cousin Chang Tianwen, a late Pidi stage expert, would not dare challenge such a terrifying ultimate weapon alone. Quite apart from anything else, the Starfall Formation alone was enough to strike terror into the hearts of all!

Chang Minghui could only watch as the warship departed in grand style, yet he did not dare give chase. If he pursued onto the open sea and Okuda Qi simply unleashed the Starfall Formation on him, there would not even be bone fragments left. Okuda Qi was a man of boundless audacity, and there was bad blood between them—such a thing was not beyond him.

He had been right on their trail, and yet in the end he could only watch helplessly as Wei Zhao escaped. Chang Minghui was nearly mad with fury.

Mad with fury or not, Chang Minghui was utterly powerless in this situation. He could not even entertain the thought of venting his anger on the people around Wei Zhao, for he was only a late Kaishan stage expert—not a late Pidi stage figure like Chang Tianwen. If he dared go alone to Morning Star or Morning Pride to kill and make trouble, there would be only one outcome: death.

Watching Chang Minghui frozen in bitter frustration above the Yellow-Rank harbor, Wei Zhao could not help but smile. To retain his reason even in such a rage—the fellow was no fool after all.

"What a pity. The thing didn't take the bait!" Okuda Qi said, slapping his thigh in annoyance.

"You really wanted to kill him?" Wei Zhao asked in surprise. He had assumed Okuda Qi was merely talking, never imagining the man had actually harbored such an intent.

"Of course. Ever since I watched you operate the Starfall Formation last time, I've studied that technique thoroughly, and I feel I've made great progress. I was all set to use that fellow for practice, but who knew he'd turn out to be such a coward? What a fucking letdown." Okuda Qi curled his lip in displeasure.

"Aren't you afraid there'll be repercussions if you kill him? He has a cousin named Chang Tianwen—a late Pidi stage expert," Wei Zhao felt compelled to remind him.

"What's a late Pidi stage worth? Was that sea dragon we ran into last time any weaker?" Okuda Qi's face was full of disdain, and his expression turned wistful. "Compared to the true top-tier beings of the boundless ocean, these people aren't worth a fart. I command an ancient warship—I can roam the endless seas. Would I fear the likes of them? If he dares come, I dare kill!"

Wei Zhao was left speechless. The man was indeed a dangerous character. At their very first meeting, he had not hesitated to throw Wei Zhao—the West Island's son-in-law, no less—overboard to feed the sea beasts, without the slightest regard for all the prestige of West Island. Now that audacity was on full display, revealed in its fullest form. A man capable of roaming the great seas was truly no simple matter.

From the Eastern Continent to Middle Island, the route was much shorter than the one to West Island, yet it remained a perilous voyage. But aboard an ultimate weapon like an ancient warship, such dangers seemed trivial. A behemoth of such tonnage could not only withstand natural disasters, but also overawe the powerful sea beasts lurking restlessly in the deep.

Unless a situation like the last one arose, an ancient warship was all but invincible upon the vast ocean. And how many sea dragons existed in this world? What were the odds of encountering one?

Okuda Qi had roamed the seas for three hundred years and had seen this so-called god of the sea only once. The odds were lower than winning the lottery in the mortal world. As for being targeted by sea dragons twice in a row—such a thing simply did not happen.

The voyage passed without incident. When the massive, magnificent ancient warship docked at Middle Island, the harbor immediately erupted into a commotion. Unlike treasure ships, ultimate weapons like ancient warships had always existed only in the Eastern Continent. Unless an Eastern Continent delegation was visiting, such a thing was not normally seen in a place like Middle Island.

"Captain, thank you for this journey," Wei Zhao said in farewell to Okuda Qi, standing on the deck.

"What nonsense is that? I told you we're family—what's all this talk of thanks!" Okuda Qi gave Wei Zhao a somewhat displeased look, then asked, "By the way, how long do you plan to stay on Middle Island? Shall I wait for you? I've nothing important on my plate these days—I could make a side trip to North Island."

"No need. I'll be staying on Middle Island for some time, and unlike the distant Eastern Continent, getting from Middle Island to North Island is quite convenient. You needn't wait around for me, Captain," Wei Zhao said with a smile.

He indeed had many ways to get from Middle Island back to North Island—whether through the Heavenly Path Sect or the Hong Merchant Guild, arrangements could be made. The Eastern Continent was another matter entirely. Getting from the Eastern Continent to any other Cloud-Rank Island was exceedingly difficult. Without sufficient connections, the average person could only gaze out at the sea and sigh. Wei Zhao had only managed this time because he happened to meet Okuda Qi; otherwise, it would have taken considerable trouble.

"I see. Well, since you put it that way, I won't go out of my way to curry favor. I'll have them hang up an Eastern Continent flag and head back in a couple of days, so the bigwigs on Middle Island don't get jittery and start thinking I harbor some ill intent toward them!" Okuda Qi laughed heartily.

Wei Zhao could not help but smile. Okuda Qi's words were not entirely in jest. Whenever an ancient warship—such a sensitive ultimate weapon—appeared anywhere, its arrival was invariably reported in advance to the local authorities, lest it provoke unnecessary tension and conflict.

But this time the trip had been decided on the spur of the moment, and it was not an official visit with a delegation. Naturally, Okuda Qi had not given advance notice. Given the circumstances, it was already fortunate they had docked safely. Had they stayed any longer, the higher-ups in Middle Island's sovereign pavilion might well have lost sleep over it.

A single ancient warship might not be able to destroy all of Middle Island, but if it were to suddenly attack, Middle Island would undoubtedly suffer grievous damage. And the most maddening part was that no one on Middle Island could openly contend with such an ultimate weapon—unless the hidden old monsters of the sovereign pavilion were roused from seclusion.

"Captain, let us part here. Until we meet again!" Wei Zhao cupped his hands in farewell.

"Until we meet again. If anything comes up in the future, remember to look me up—don't forget you're still my honorary vice-captain." Okuda Qi laughed and clapped Wei Zhao on the shoulder. The journey had clearly brought them much closer. Though it was not yet enough to bind Wei Zhao fully to his warship, there was always time.