Chapter 263: Cloud Ship Feiliu
Elder Mu smiled confidently. "Not a problem at all. My Cloud Ship is the Feiliu, the fastest one in the East Continent. If I weren’t worried about using up Wind Source Ore, I could shake these annoying guys off in minutes."
As he spoke, Elder Mu extended his palm and pressed down into the air. Instantly, golden runes began to glow across the Cloud Ship’s deck as streaks of light flashed past.
The entire Cloud Ship then erupted in a brilliant glow, shooting forward with a WHOOSH. It became a streak of light, leaving a long trail above the Cloud Sea.
A glance behind them showed that the Business Alliance’s Cloud Ship had vanished from sight.
"How about that?"
Elder Mu shot Shen Daoxing a smug look, his lips parting in a wide grin to reveal a mouth full of white teeth.
"Impressive!"
Shen Daoxing slowly gave him a thumbs-up.
However, just as Shen Daoxing raised his hand, the mist churned in the Cloud Sea ahead. A massive Cloud Ship suddenly emerged, blocking their path.
"Hm?"
Startled, Elder Mu stared intently for a moment before shouting, "It’s a Cloud Ship from the Daqi Empire’s Business Alliance! They were waiting for us up ahead."
The moment Elder Mu finished speaking, a pitch-black cannon barrel extended from the distant Business Alliance Cloud Ship and took aim. Flames began to churn within the barrel.
BOOM!
The next moment, a massive fireball shot out like a blazing meteor.
"A Spiritual Essence Cannon!"
Alarmed, Elder Mu quickly thrust his hand downward into the air. Golden runes rose from the Cloud Ship’s deck, and the vessel glowed brightly as it banked sharply to one side.
WHOOSH!
The massive fireball streaked past, grazing the air just above the Cloud Ship’s deck and leaving a long trail of flames. They had dodged it by a hair’s breadth.
However, just as Elder Mu dodged the attack and began to level out the Cloud Ship, he saw flames churning once more in the opposing vessel’s pitch-black cannon. Another massive fireball was about to shoot out.
"Xin, bring out our big one, too!" Elder Mu shouted.
"You got it!"
Xin’s clear voice rang out. He scrambled to the ship’s railing, jumped up, and pulled down on a rope with all his might.
Instantly, a section of the deck at the bow folded open, and a massive, pitch-black cannon slowly ascended into view.
"Did you think you were the only ones who had one?"
Elder Mu scoffed. As he spoke, he reached out and pressed his palm onto the massive cannon.
Instantly, golden runes materialized on the cannon, and it began to glow.
BOOM!
A massive fireball erupted forth, soaring through the sky like a flying Wandering Dragon.
KA-BOOM!
The two massive fireballs collided violently above the Cloud Sea, bursting into a shower of sparks that bathed the entire area in a crimson glow.
Suddenly, the red sparks churned, and one fireball burst through, smashing into the opposing Cloud Ship with a THUD. A plume of black smoke began to rise.
Clearly, Elder Mu’s Spiritual Essence Cannon was more powerful.
Elder Mu couldn’t help but smile smugly. "Heheh, my Feiliu is no ordinary Cloud Ship."
But the words had barely left his lips when the Cloud Sea ahead began to churn. In the next instant, four more Cloud Ships slowly rose into view, forming a line to block their path.
"Huh? So many?"
Startled, Elder Mu quickly shouted, "Everyone, grab onto something and hold tight!"
Then, he pointed a finger forward and hooked it upward.
The Cloud Ship Feiliu erupted in golden light, its bow slowly lifting before it shot straight up with a WHOOSH.
Of course, the Business Alliance’s Cloud Ships wouldn’t let them go so easily. They also raised their bows and gave chase, ascending as well.
The Feiliu was fast.
But the Business Alliance’s Cloud Ships had already blocked their way and had their Spiritual Essence Cannons at the ready.
The Feiliu could only use its superior speed to weave between them, but it couldn’t manage to shake them off.
This delay gave the Cloud Ship that had been tailing Shen Daoxing and the others enough time to finally catch up.
At its bow stood Wang Mingxuan. With his long hair and flowing green robes, he cut a refined figure, but his signature smile was gone. The ghastly wounds that had previously covered his body had vanished, and he appeared to have made a full recovery.
Standing beside him was a portly old man in opulent silken robes—Jia Daifu, one of the elders of the Business Alliance and an expert at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Transformation realm.
Jia Daifu took a step forward to the bow, cleared his throat, and then shouted, "Mu Yiheng, stop being a fool! Do you have any idea what the consequences are for helping Shen Daoxing and offending the Celestial Profound Sacred Land? Don’t be so stubborn. I can promise you, right here and now, that if you stop and hand over Shen Daoxing, the Celestial Profound Sacred Land will let bygones be bygones. What’s more, all past grudges between you and our Business Alliance will be wiped clean. What do you say?"
’All grudges wiped clean?’
Hearing the words carried from afar, Elder Mu chuckled. "If I believe you again, then I really am a fool!"
As he spoke, the Cloud Ship Feiliu flashed with light and, contrary to their expectations, began to accelerate.
Jia Daifu shook his head in feigned regret. "Still so stubborn!"
As he spoke, he pointed two fingers to the sky. A point of light shot from his hand and exploded in the air.
As if they had received an order, the Daqi Empire’s Cloud Ships extended their pitch-black cannon barrels, all taking aim at Shen Daoxing and his companions. Yellow flames began to slowly materialize.
"Xin!" Elder Mu roared urgently.
"Coming!"
Xin responded and darted to the bow in a flash. He glanced ahead, then began turning a lever on the side of the cannon with a CREAK, and the barrel slowly swiveled.
BOOM!
A massive fireball shot out and struck an incoming one, exploding in a dazzling shower of sparks.
But the other Cloud Ships had already fired their Spiritual Essence Cannons.
Shen Daoxing tapped his toes on the deck and shot high into the air. The Venerable Seal in his hand flared with a brilliant white light as he smashed it down onto an incoming fireball with a BANG.
BOOM!
Brilliant sparks flew in all directions.
The fireball shattered instantly.
But even with both Elder Mu and Shen Daoxing taking action...
BOOM!
BOOM!
With two thunderous roars, two more massive fireballs still came flying toward them.
Seeing this, Shangguan Yiran’s figure flickered, and she suddenly appeared before one of the fireballs. A flash of light crossed her palm, and a greatsword materialized in her hand.
She immediately raised the greatsword high and swung it down fiercely.
BANG!
Dazzling sparks flew everywhere.
The massive fireball shattered instantly.
At that moment, however, a tremor ran through Shangguan Yiran’s body. Her face flushed crimson, and she suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of blood.
Nearby, Fu quickly stepped forward and said with concern, "Commandery Princess, your injuries haven’t healed yet. You can’t engage in combat."
But in the next instant, the other massive fireball was already flying straight toward her.
Shangguan Yiran was startled. Suddenly, Shen Daoxing’s figure appeared before her. He struck out with his sword, and the fireball instantly shattered.
"Commandery Princess, please go and rest. You can leave this to me!" Shen Daoxing said, turning to Shangguan Yiran.
Shangguan Yiran stared blankly for a moment. She looked at everyone else busily fighting, then back at her own weakened state, and a sudden rush of complicated emotions washed over her.