"No need for celebrations. My junior brother has always been competitive. We'll keep things low-key this time, so he doesn't discover my cultivation has broken through again," said Daoist Danhe with a somber tone.
However, his demeanor did not suggest any intention of hiding his advancement. On the contrary, Zhang Tian felt that this fellow intended to return and flaunt it to Daoist Yimei.
"Mmm, as expected of Master. He thinks of everything so thoughtfully," the胖子 chuckled, his flattery loud and clear.
Soon, the off-road vehicle drove out of the island.
Because the island had sunk earlier, the people on it had all gone to join the commotion. Zhang Tian and his companions, however, did not attract any attention.
Before long, they reached the familiar edge of the harbor. This was the same port where Zhang Tian had arrived by merchant ship previously. Okinawa was large and an outer island of Fuji Country, so to return to the mainland of Fuji Country, they still needed to take a merchant ship. Fortunately, this time Zhang Tian did not encounter the same situation as last time. He spotted a massive merchant ship with ease.
Many people were gathered around the edges of the merchant ship. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be a group of gold prospectors. Some looked disheveled, while others appeared well-groomed. Clearly, some had found what they were looking for, while others had returned empty-handed.
"Did you hear? That island over there actually sank! Such a large island sinking just like that, it's terrifying."
"Someone must have encountered explosives left over from World War II and detonated the entire island."
"Who would be so malicious? What good does it do them for the island to sink?"
"I don't know, but the sudden sinking of the island must have killed quite a few people."
As Zhang Tian and his group walked through the crowd, the surrounding discussions were incessant.
"They would never have imagined that beneath the island lay a grand tomb," Wang Banyue muttered softly.
"Shh." Wu Tianzhen made a gesture to quiet him. Wang Banyue immediately shut his mouth.
Following the crowd, Zhang Tian soon arrived at the entrance of the merchant ship. Several crew members were selling tickets and checking them at the entrance. Ships like this rarely had advance ticket sales; in this era, it would practically spell financial ruin.
"Hello, where is this ship headed?" Zhang Tian asked in fluent Fuji language.
The captain, a middle-aged Fuji man, seeing that Zhang Tian was Asian and spoke Fuji language, instinctively assumed he was a local. His attitude improved considerably.
"This ship is headed for Jingdong City. We can stop at a port along the way if you need," the captain explained softly. Zhang Tian nodded slightly.
"Alright, I'll take these tickets, heading to the Jingdong area." Zhang Tian's voice was not loud. The captain glanced behind Zhang Tian.
"That will be seven hundred Fuji Yuan in total." The captain's price was not too high. Zhang Tian nodded in agreement, paid the money, and his group boarded the ship.
After boarding, Zhang Tian and his companions discovered that the ship was already crowded. Because Zhang Tian's group was large and had paid a significant amount, or perhaps due to preferential treatment for fellow countrymen, the leading crew member led them directly to a slightly larger room.
"Given the large number of people on the ship, having a room at all is quite fortunate. The captain specifically instructed us to provide this room for you. As you are from Fuji Country, we will treat you well," the crew member said softly.
"We are not..." Fatty's words were cut short as Wu Tianzhen covered his mouth. Fatty made muffled sounds, unable to speak.
"What's wrong?" The crew member, seeing the strange actions of Fatty and Wu Tianzhen, showed a hint of confusion. Wu Tianzhen gave an awkward smile. He did not speak Fuji either, so he could only shake his head.
"It's nothing, they're just joking around. Thank you." Zhang Tian said, also handing over a few dozen bills. When the crew member saw the money, his face broke into a smile.
"Haha, please, come in." The crew member said, making a welcoming gesture. Zhang Tian nodded, and they walked into the interior of the ship. The cabin was indeed quite spacious and could accommodate Zhang Tian's group.
"Thank you for helping me buy the tickets," Nanxi said softly, lowering her head. Zhang Tian nodded slightly and looked towards a bunk at the far end.
"You can use that bunk. There are some things that would be inconvenient for you to see, so you understand, right?" Zhang Tian said gently. Nanxi was also very clever and nodded quickly after Zhang Tian finished speaking.
"Don't worry, I sleep very soundly at night," Nanxi said earnestly. "I won't hear anything you say." Zhang Tian said nothing. After all, even if she saw something, it wouldn't matter, and if she said anything, people likely wouldn't believe her.
"Long time no see, bed." Wang Banyue, looking at the somewhat dilapidated iron bed, even with slightly moldy bedding, jumped onto it without hesitation. Wu Tianzhen also sat wearily on the edge of a bed. Zhang Tian glanced around the room, covering any area that could provide concealment before sitting down on the lower bunk.
"Let's organize what we obtained this time. Regarding the elixirs, Lao Hu and I looked at them earlier. There are nearly a few hundred elixirs, some of which can be used, and some are unknown. I will distribute them based on the situation, ensuring everyone gets the most useful elixirs for them. Is that alright?" Zhang Tian asked Hu Bayi and the others, his gaze also falling on Wu Tianzhen.
Wu Tianzhen was momentarily stunned. He pointed at himself. "Young Master Zhang, were you asking me just now?" Wu Tianzhen was somewhat overwhelmed. He felt he hadn't contributed much, and had even caused the island to explode. Now Zhang Tian was going to give him some of the spoils? Even with Wu Tianzhen's thick skin, he felt a bit embarrassed at this moment.
"Yes, since you're here, you're all participants, and everyone gets something, more or less." Zhang Tian nodded slightly. This was also a way to stabilize morale. After all, the elixirs Wu Tianzhen and the other needed were nothing more than Qi Gathering Pills and similar items, and Zhang Tian had no use for such low-level cultivation elixirs anyway. Rather than letting them sit in his pocket, it was better to give them to Wu Tianzhen, thus further consolidating his loyalty.
"This..." Wu Tianzhen scratched his head. Wang Banyue also fell silent. He might be thick-skinned, but not to this extent.
"I know you've just started cultivating, so you attach great importance to improving your cultivation. You also helped a lot during this tomb expedition. These cultivation elixirs are for you. They are all low-level. As for why not high-level ones, it's because your meridians are too small, and using those would cause them to burst." Zhang Tian said, handing over six low-level Qi Gathering Pills.
Wu Tianzhen looked at the dark pills in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Honestly, if it were him, would he give such things to others? At this moment, Wu Tianzhen's trust in Zhang Tian deepened.
"Thank you, Young Master Zhang. I will definitely handle any matters you entrust me with." Wu Tianzhen's gaze was firm, and his words were spoken without hesitation. Zhang Tian nodded with satisfaction, his gaze then falling to the ground. The ground was covered with all the items obtained this time. Looking at the dazzling array of items, Zhang Tian felt a surge of excitement. These were definitely enough for them to cultivate for a long time!