Roaming the Four Seas: Chapter 129: The Might of Wind and Fire

Chen Miaoling stepped down from the high platform and chased out of the pavilion, wishing to express her gratitude to Su Ye for his rescue.

The old man scolded her: "I, the Island Master, have already invited Fellow Daoist Su to subdue the demon... Since it is his duty, do not add unnecessary complications."

Chen Miaoling removed the hairpin from her hair and hurriedly handed it to Luo Jinghong before retreating to the side. Luo Jinghong did not decline and tucked the hairpin into her jade gourd to avoid making the girl feel uneasy.

Seeing the actions of the two women, the old man sighed helplessly, turned around, and summoned a boat the size of a leaf from his jade pendant. He infused it with a wisp of spiritual energy, and it instantly swelled in the wind. It hovered outside the pavilion’s high platform, its bow and stern perfectly level with the Pegasus statues on the railing pillars.

Guan Xiong laughed playfully: "Since there is nothing left to do, why not continue the feast?"

"Indeed, that would be excellent." The man with the bronze mirror had already stowed his magical treasure back into his jade gourd and clapped in agreement. The others followed suit.

Luo Jinghong frowned slightly.

Standing on the boat, the old man’s tone was faintly impatient: "I’m telling you two, if you don't leave now, there will be no one left to teach you the art of artifact forging."

Su Ye gently tugged at Luo Jinghong’s sleeve. The two left the stone platform, climbed over the railing, and leaped onto the boat the old man had summoned. They had initially thought it was only as large as it appeared, but once aboard, they immediately realized this flight-capable spiritual treasure was far from simple. Its keel was exceptionally thick, and the four ancient seal characters—"Traversing Heaven and Earth"—quietly amplified the power of the Heavenly Profound Stone. Luo Jinghong carefully observed the construction of the boat and could not help but marvel at the old man’s craftsmanship.

Su Ye cupped his hands and asked: "May I be so bold as to ask for your esteemed name, Senior?"

The old man waved his hand dismissively and laughed: "My father hoped I would become a dragon among men, so he named me 'Wuji,' hence Mo Wuji. If you like, you may call me Island Master Mo; if not, just calling me 'Senior' will suffice."

Su Ye smiled: "Island Master Mo’s mastery of forging has truly opened my eyes. Even if I could learn but a ten-thousandth of it, it would be enough to roam the mortal world unchecked."

Mo Wuji lifted his chin slightly and chuckled: "You two have a good eye... unlike the people from the lower realms who come here; they always have long hair and short sights..."

Taking advantage of the old man’s good mood, Luo Jinghong asked: "Island Master Mo, how long does it take you to build a boat like this?"

Island Master Mo held up three short, plump fingers.

"Three days?"

The Island Master shook his head like a rattle.

"Three hours?"

He smiled faintly, shook his head, and revealed the answer: "It only takes three quarters of an hour to build a boat of this kind. If it is a lower-grade flight vehicle, I can forge it with a mere turn of my thoughts."

"How large can this boat be at its maximum?"

"It can hold the largest mountain in the lower realms."

"Mount Tiandao?"

"A mere trifle."

There was undoubtedly some self-aggrandizement in the Island Master’s words. Su Ye, having dealt with Mo Chen before, knew this well. Seeing through it without speaking of it was the discretion expected of a junior.

When a white-stone, palace-style building came into view, the three arrived at the Island Master’s private residence. The boat glided above the clouds, leaving a trail of white cirrus clouds in its wake.

A tall woman wearing a long dress with a dark blue short cape draped over her shoulders stood with her hands on her hips, her voice booming: "You old fool, where have you been gallivanting off to again?"

Upon seeing the woman, the Island Master’s expression turned into that of a mouse meeting a cat, his teeth chattering as he stammered: "I... I haven't been anywhere..."

Catching a glimpse of the two people beside him, he guiltily straightened his back. "I went to pick up these two honored guests."

The woman looked at Su Ye and Luo Jinghong, surprised by their appearance, though she quickly regained her composure. "Who are you, and why do you trespass on Lingxi Island?"

"This young friend understands the art of soul-binding," the Island Master said, reaching out to hold Su Ye’s arm. "The danger on the island may depend on him to resolve."

The woman’s narrow eyes squinted, sensing the early-stage Guiyuan Realm energy. While it was situated near the sea of consciousness, which was strange, the cultivation level was ultimately too low to handle a demon with powerful soul strength.

"He... I’m afraid he won't do." Facing the guests, the woman’s arrogant attitude softened slightly.

Su Ye cupped his hands and spoke clearly: "This junior, Su Wuming, greets the Island Master’s wife."

The woman was startled: "We are meeting for the first time, and I maintain the appearance of a young maiden... How did you know my relationship with him?"

"This junior has met Mo Chen and found him quite agreeable."

"So, you are a friend of Chen’er," the woman smiled for the first time. "Since honored guests have arrived, how can we stand here and talk?"

The Island Master hurried to say: "Please, enter."

Su Ye and Luo Jinghong deliberately slowed their pace to observe the Island Master and the youthful-looking Madam Mo.

"If I catch you drinking at a flower-house again, you won't be leaving the house ever again," the woman whispered, yet her voice remained clearly audible.

"I truly went to pick up guests," the Island Master insisted, forcing a lie. If forced to the brink, he could even blame the demon that had imprisoned him.

"This old couple... they are quite interesting," Luo Jinghong smiled.

Su Ye remained silent, carefully observing the stone gate. It was a vaulted structure with four stone pillars carved with white elephant patterns, featuring three entrances—one large, two small. The center was the path for people; the sides were for beasts. The moment he stepped through the stone gate, he felt a heavy tension in his heartstrings.

"Jingle..."

The Wind Demon Bell hanging from his waist emitted a crisp, pleasant chime. Its surface felt warm.

A jet-black cat with its tail held high ran toward the woman. Its pupils, each a different color, flickered with the light of intelligence.

Su Ye smiled: "This cat... is quite beautiful."

"Its name is Heixuan. It is a cat with great human-like intuition."

"May I hold it?"

"Of course." The woman smiled and handed the unwilling black cat from her arms to the smiling Su Ye.

Su Ye took the surprisingly heavy cat and pretended to stroke its head, immediately drawing it into the Dream Realm of the Ten Directions. Between reality and deathly silence, he found the demon that had possessed the cat's soul.

"That stupid woman actually handed me over to you," the demon transformed into black mist and lunged at Su Ye. "But that's fine—it’s the perfect time to switch into a new body!"

The fingers of Su Ye’s right hand flickered with a faint light. His left ring finger and right pinky flickered again, turning his conceptualized "Wind Assisting Fire" into reality within the Dream Realm. The Primordial Sword, constructed by his will and wrapped in raging flames, swiftly struck at the attacking demon.

The powerful, fire-bathed sword energy seemed to come from the flames of hell itself. It could incinerate soul-breath dreams and, indeed, everything in the world. Sensing the danger, the demon hurriedly tried to flee into the distance.

"Yin-Yang Mirror, activate!" Su Ye commanded.

The Yin-Yang Mirror within his body lit up its first ancient seal character. His aura surged violently. A fire dragon formed from sword energy roared as it flew from the tip of his sword. Sparks drifted from the dragon’s whiskers, and a resounding dragon’s roar echoed through the Dream Realm. The power of Yin and Yang, mixed with the vast power of Buddha, stunned the fleeing soul-demon.

The fire dragon opened its maw, and its sharp fangs pierced the demon’s body. The power of compassionate soul-guiding dissolved, transforming into a cage that imprisoned the soul-demon.

A slender figure suddenly appeared in mid-air, wielding a sword of fire and carving a crescent arc. With the Yin-Yang Fire Void, the soul was extinguished instantly. The soul-demon let out a shrill scream, like embers in a sea of stars, gradually fading into nothingness.

The fire dragon returned to the dream, and the surroundings grew bright once more.

Su Ye’s hand, which had been resting on the cat’s head, slid smoothly to its neck as he praised: "This cat is very well-behaved."

"Don't let it being a cat fool you; it has actually been cultivating for nearly a thousand years," the Island Master said with a proud smile. "It can transform into human form... into a young girl with a graceful figure, you know."

Upon hearing this, Su Ye threw the cat in his arms to Luo Jinghong as if it were a hot potato. In this day and age, one cannot simply pet any cat they see.