[Vol. 7] Chapter 1: The Homebound Ship
The sea, a vast and boundless world, far greater than the lands it surrounds.
It holds endless resources, an abundance so rich that it seems limitless.
But beneath its unexplored depths, countless hidden dangers lurk. Threats capable of claiming lives in an instant.
On land, accidents might still allow for rescue.
But if a ship capsizes in the deep sea, survival becomes a near-impossible gamble.
That’s why even the most skilled and experienced sailors treat the ocean with deep reverence, carefully drawing what they can from its vast expanse without tempting fate.
Simply put, most people avoid venturing too far from shore.
In the Western Seas of Western Kingdom, nearly all fishing boats and cargo ships operate within a 500-mile radius of the coastline.
Because beyond that distance, the risks increase exponentially.
Of course, there are always exceptions.
“Still no good… So this place is also covered by the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array?”
A black-haired girl sat up from the bed in her cabin, retracting the thought projection she had been attempting to send outward.
Through the window, she gazed into the dark night sky outside, her mind drifting in silence.
After a moment of contemplation, she pulled out a large map she had acquired from Spirit Veil Immortal Island.
This map depicted the entire western sea region of the [Ancient Spirit Realm].
Spreading it across the table, she studied it carefully.
Then, after a brief pause, she tapped a spot along the red-marked routes, where a location had already been pre-designated.
It had been over a week since they set sail from the coast of Western Kingdom.
By now, the [Noah’s Ark] had ventured into the far reaches of the ocean, at least ten thousand miles from the shore. A place where no ship from the [Ancient Spirit Realm] had ever dared to explore.
And yet, they still had not reached the edge of this world.
The connection between the [Ancient Spirit Realm] and the [Origin Realm] was strange and complex.
According to the experiences of previous explorers, as well as the intelligence Violet had gathered. The two realms were both like continents separated by an ocean, yet at the same time, they were conceptually divided into two distinct worlds.
The [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array was an “Absolute Barrier” of Divine Law, constructed by the Fox God, Konghen, with the assistance of 24 powerful spirit beasts.
Not even spiritual senses or causal links could penetrate it.
Meanwhile, the [Origin Realm] was also sealed by an unknown world barrier.
This barrier primarily prevented outside entry. It was relatively easy to leave, but getting back inside was hundreds of times more difficult.
If only one of these two barriers existed, then Xiao Kong could have used her spatial authority to send Violet back instantly, just as she had done before.
However, with the [Ancient Spirit Realm]’s lockdown still in place, the only way to enter the [Origin Realm] was to cross the ocean manually, navigating the uncertain, shifting boundary between the two worlds.
According to Xiao Kong, divine beings who possess a divinity, those who represent concepts and laws, are usually too vast in scale to pass through the world’s gap.
Violet wasn’t entirely sure whether she would be able to make it through, but she had to at least try.
Her urgency to return to the [Origin Realm] stemmed from two reasons. On the one hand, because of Hen’s instruction. And on the other hand, during the brief moment when Spirit Veil Immortal Island descended, a portion of the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array had been temporarily lifted.
This had allowed Violet to re-establish contact with some of her companions outside the realm.
This temporary release of the barrier was actually part of a plan set in motion before [Dawn] left.
Without doing so, Violet wouldn’t have been able to summon the Celestial Guardian Army, which [Dawn] had created, to aid the Four Nations of the [Ancient Spirit Realm].
Their presence had been critical in stabilizing the battlefield and buying time for Violet to cast her ultimate magic.
Even though the summoning process had relied on Spirit Veil Immortal Island’s assistance, Violet herself had been an essential link. Without her, the army would not have come at all.
The priestess had originally planned to use that opportunity to send a quick message to her number one and beloved dragon, just to let her know she was safe.
But to her surprise, after sending the message, she received no response.
It was like sending a text message and seeing it left on read, disappearing into the void without a reply.
Soon after, the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array was fully reactivated, and Violet lost her chance to try again.
In reality, having her pet contract link ignored wasn’t exactly unusual.
After all, it was more of a spiritual connection rather than a forced command. It was similar to sending a message on a phone.
Even if the notification pops up on the other end, the recipient might be busy and simply not notice right away.
Unless the other person was actively waiting for a message, a delayed response was perfectly normal.
During her previous travels, Violet had encountered similar situations plenty of times.
So this wasn’t enough to assume that Xiao Guang was in danger.
In fact, the pet contract’s spiritual feedback remained stable, which meant that her little dragon girl was safe and sound.
But…
There’s a saying, “When you care, you worry.”
Even if it was just a small possibility, when it involved someone she cared about deeply, it was impossible not to let her imagination run wild.
That was why Violet had decided to return to the [Origin Realm] as soon as possible.
To reconnect with her dragon there and figure out what was going on.
After all, she had already been in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] for more than half a year.
For humans, that was a long time.
And considering that the Holy Empire had just undergone a massive upheaval, no one could predict what would happen next.
As the strongest of the Five Great Nations, its every action had the potential to shake the entire world.
“Sigh…”
Pushing aside the uneasy thoughts, Violet turned her gaze back toward the dark, silent ocean stretching into the night.
There was no moon in the [Ancient Spirit Realm].
This was because, when the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array was first constructed, its influence was deliberately isolated from the world beyond, in order to prevent the spread of destructive energy and suppress the growth of Yin energy forces.
Back when the cycle of day and night shifted, on the final day of Four Saints Calendar Year 999, there was a moment when the barrier’s sealing power was at its weakest.
That was the very night when Hen was able to send Violet into the [Ancient Spirit Realm].
And on that night, for the first time in centuries, the moon briefly appeared in this world.
The priestess had witnessed it with her own eyes.
The sun represents Yang, while the moon represents Yin.
And for certain forces, the power of the moon was their greatest source of nourishment.
But now, with the moon isolated by the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array, the night sky over the ocean was left dark and quiet, only scattered with stars.
Beyond the glow cast by the [Noah’s Ark], the waters stretched into complete darkness. A vast, silent abyss.
The longer one stared into it, the easier it was to feel that deep-sea fear creeping in.
Despite appearing like a massive wooden ship, the [Noah’s Ark] was far more than it seemed.
It was a Holy Artifact-tier item, capable of withstanding nearly all attacks below demigod level, navigating autonomously with its AI system, reaching speeds of over 1,000 kilometers per day.
As long as Violet issued commands and provided a mapped route, her AI assistant, 01, would automatically adjust the course, requiring no sailors for operation.
Of course, Violet, Le Qiaoqiao, and Hongyan weren’t the only ones aboard.
The ship also carried a group of merchants from the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, set to travel to the [Origin Realm]. Several Spirit Veil Tribe members, assigned to oversee and manage them.
A large shipment of trade goods. So, in reality, this was a merchant ship, personally escorted by the boss herself.
As for the official leader of the voyage, it was none other than the capable and busy Chief Administrator Ming Lan.
Ever since the Haomiao Yimeng allowed the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild to expand into the [Origin Realm], trade between the two worlds had been thriving.
They regularly exchanged rare resources for profit, which was also how [Ancient Spirit Realm] natives, like Mr. Dead Soul had made their way into the [Origin Realm].
Normally, crossing the ocean’s world boundary was an extremely difficult task.
The Spirit Veil Merchant Guild had to spend months preparing for each voyage, ensuring every possible safeguard was in place. Yet even then, shipwrecks had still occurred.
But since Violet was already headed there, she decided to bring along this trading expedition.
It would liven up the journey, preventing the massive ship from feeling too empty and lifeless.
And besides… Helping the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild make money was the same as making money for herself~
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Seventh Volume's Illustration (open image)