Ch 121: Sky Chaser
The flying boat bound for the Great Eastern City was a colossal vessel, easily the size of a small fortress.
At the front, its name, Sky Chaser, was carved in bold characters on a spiritwood panel.
It stretched nearly 100 metres long and 40 metres wide. Its hull was forged from reinforced spiritwood, layered with metallic inscriptions and interwoven formations.
A faint hum pulsed throughout the vessel as the formation arrays circulated refined spiritual qi.
Inside, the boat was divided into three tiers.
Gold Deck - The very top, closest to the main spiritual gathering array, enjoyed the strongest flow of spiritual qi.
Only a handful of suites existed here… no more than ten.
Each suite was vast and luxurious, complete with private cultivation chambers, jade furnishings, soft array-embedded beds, and wide windows offering panoramic views of the sky.
The old man’s suite was located here, a level reserved for guests of extraordinary status.
Silver Deck - The middle section, reserved for respectable cultivators, wealthy merchants, and mid-tier sect disciples.
More than a hundred private rooms lined the corridors.
Each Silver Class room came with a comfortable private chamber, a moderate flow of spiritual qi suitable for cultivation, and access to shared lounges and cultivation halls.
This was where Su Wen and Du Yue would be staying.
Bronze Deck - The lowest and widest level of the vessel, but also the most cramped. Rows of shared bunks were arranged like military barracks.
Over five hundred passengers could be accommodated here. Privacy was minimal, spiritual energy was sparse, and the noise never truly settled.
It was cheap and mostly used by poorer cultivators or ordinary locals.
Even so, travelling on a flying boat, even in the lowest class, was still far better than flying on one’s own.
They arrived at the docking bay terminal, drawn to the massive flying boat already crowded with boarding cultivators.
“Wow… amazing,” Su Wen murmured, clearly fascinated.
'A flying cruise ship, huh…' he thought, a faint trace of amusement flickering in his mind.
Du Yue looked quietly pleased, her blue eyes carrying a spark of curiosity, while Suzume’s gleamed with excitement.
Following the attendant, they climbed the stairs towards the Silver Class section. After a few minutes walking through the corridor, they stopped in front of a room.
“Honoured guests, this is your room. Please enjoy your stay,” the attendant said with a respectful bow.
Su Wen slid the door open.
A subtle wave of spiritual energy brushed against them… pure and steady, yet not overwhelming.
The room was modest but clearly designed with both comfort and cultivation in mind.
The walls were lined with smooth, light spiritual wood that glowed softly.
A plush bed rested against the far wall, covered in fine silk.
Opposite it sat a small tea table with two cushioned chairs.
In one corner, a Spirit Gathering Cushion marked the point where the array’s output was strongest, perfect for meditation.
A sealed window offered a view outside, currently revealing the massive internal docking bay.
“Not bad…” Su Wen nodded.
The attendant smiled. “Thank you for the praise, young master. We will be departing shortly."
He gestured to a jade token near the door. "If you have any requests, please use the communication talisman.”
“Thank you.” Su Wen smiled.
With that, the attendant gave a final bow and quietly left.
Du Yue settled onto the bed, pressing her hands lightly into the soft mattress, appreciating its comfort.
Su Wen turned to her and spoke gently,
“Wife, let’s head back to the mountain first and plant everything we bought from the Pill Pavilion.”
As he spoke, he set up a temporary entrance to the mountain on the inner side of the door.
“We can explore the flying boat tomorrow. I heard they have good training chambers, restaurants, and wine bars.”
Du Yue nodded with a soft smile.
“Alright, husband. With so many herbs and crops, we’ll need to expand the fields quite a bit.”
Su Wen glanced out of the window as he felt the faint vibrations running through the vessel.
“I’m planning to clear the eastern side of the mountain. It’s closer to the lake, so irrigation will be easier.”
Du Yue nodded in agreement.
Perched on Su Wen's head, Suzume suddenly chimed in, “Then I’m going to take a light nap… wake me up when it’s time to eat.”
She hopped off his head and flopped onto the bed lazily.
Su Wen smiled faintly and patted her tiny head before pulling a blanket over her.
Just then, a low, powerful hum began to rise from the core of the Sky Chaser, signalling its imminent departure.
Beneath the vessel, countless formations lit up in unison as it slowly lifted into the sky.
It rose vertically at first, then gradually surged forward, gaining altitude as it pierced through the clouds.
Watching it ascend, Su Wen reached for Du Yue’s hand.
Together, they stepped into the mountain entrance, vanishing from the room.
They arrived at the eastern side of the mountain, the land buried under thick snow, wild bushes scattered across the area.
“Wife…” Su Wen turned to Du Yue, tossing her a shovel which she caught instinctively.
“The future of this mountain rests on your shoulders,” Su Wen said solemnly, as if sending a general to war. “Show me your true power…”
Du Yue rested the shovel on her right shoulder and glanced at him calmly.
“I want something delicious for dinner tonight.”
Su Wen’s eyes twitched.
“I’ll make pizza for you tonight.”
“Pizza? What’s that, husband?” Du Yue asked, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Su Wen placed a hand on her shoulder and said proudly,
“It’s something very delicious… but you’ll have to work hard for it.”
A faint smile appeared on Du Yue’s lips, a hint of expectation flickering in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, husband. These minor tasks are nothing to me.”
She rolled up her sleeves and strode across the snow-covered land, shovel in hand like a seasoned worker.
She cleared snow swiftly, scooping it aside before using the mountain’s power to transport it elsewhere.
A casual wave of her hand unleashed her Grade 4 Sword Intent, reducing bushes and debris into fine powder.
Su Wen watched her working intensely and smirked to himself.‘My dumb wife… a single pizza in exchange for a Golden Core labourer… not a bad deal at all.’
Afternoon sunlight bathed a handsome young man in white robes and a striking woman in blue.
The young man held a sickle, the woman a shovel.
They worked in quiet coordination, digging and clearing the field with practiced ease.
Neither used spiritual energy to reinforce their bodies; instead, they channelled qi into their tools so they wouldn’t break.
Even relying on physical strength alone, their movements were faster and more precise than ordinary cultivators.
Within an hour, the soil was ploughed and tilled, stones and hidden roots removed.
Drainage channels had been dug to the frozen lake, ensuring smooth irrigation.
“My wife is amazing,” Su Wen said, slightly breathless as he arranged the formations purchased from the Treasure Tower.
“You’ve done far more work than I have, yet here I am, sweating… and you barely look affected.”
Du Yue rested her right elbow on the shovel, casually crossing her legs. She waved a hand with a smug smile.“It’s nothing, husband. You’re just a little weak.”
A vein twitched on Su Wen’s forehead.“Wife… are you looking down on me? Wait until my final three refinements are complete. Once I break through to the Golden Core realm, I’ll show you…”
Du Yue smirked, clearly enjoying his reaction.“Yeah, yeah… by then, I’ll probably be close to the Nascent Soul realm, if not already there. But since you’re my husband, I won’t bully you too much.”
“Hmph… Wait...! What do you mean by ‘not bully me too much’?” he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
Du Yue averted her gaze and murmured,“I’ll show you later… cough…”
She quickly straightened and spoke righteously,“I mean… no one can bully you while I’m around.”
Su Wen remained unconvinced.
Listening to her reassurance felt less like security and more like trusting a thief with a treasure.
For the sake of his dignity, he decided to stay vigilant.
He quickly changed the subject.“Alright, the formations are ready... Four Seasons Harmonization, Verdant Growth Acceleration, Spiritual Qi Gathering, Sunlight, and Soil Nurturing. All Grade 3.”
“They serve different purposes, but together create an environment suited for crops with specific needs.
They’ll enhance growth and improve the quality of spiritual qi. I have five sets of each.
We’ll divide the land into five fields and arrange them to simulate different conditions.”
“Mm,” Du Yue nodded, only half-listening. She needed instructions, not the long-winded explanations.
Su Wen smiled faintly and began setting up the formations with careful precision.
After around thirty minutes, all five fields were covered.
“These formations are easy to place… just the plates in their spots. But the cost to run them…” Su Wen murmured.
Turning to Du Yue, he said,“Wife, the formations are ready. Let’s plant all the seeds, plants, and herbs.”
Over the next hour and a half, they worked diligently, finishing the planting.
They then teleported to the lake where all the irrigation channels converged.
Su Wen had already set up a minor Heat Control Formation to melt part of the frozen lake.
Each drain’s temperature was carefully adjusted to melt only the ice required for its corresponding field.
Glancing at the setting sun, Su Wen said,“Finally… all the farm work is done. Now only one task remains.”
Du Yue looked at him with curiosity.“Hmm? One more task?”
Su Wen nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.“We need to build an underground wine cellar.”
Du Yue’s brow furrowed slightly,“Hmm?”
Without a word, Su Wen took her left hand and teleported them to the back of the house.
Scanning the area with his Soul Sense, he finally said,“Wife… let’s build an underground chamber here. I plan to brew high-grade wines and store them here. Minor formations will control temperature and humidity.”
Du Yue nodded and began working without hesitation.
Su Wen watched his beautiful wife labour diligently, a swell of pride rising in his chest.‘Who needs excavators when I have my strong, beautiful wife?’
With the same determination, he joined her, helping to build the cellar.
The sun had long set, and outside the temperature had dropped significantly, darkness spreading across the sky like a heavy blanket.
Inside their room on the Sky Chaser, candlelight bathed the space in a warm, golden glow.
On the bed, Su Wen sat wrapped in a blanket, reading the book Spirit Cooking: Grade 1–3 he had purchased from the Pill Pavilion.
“Hmm… so that’s how it works…” he murmured thoughtfully.
Du Yue rested on his lap, snuggled under the same blanket, while Suzume perched contentedly on her shoulder.
One of her hand held a cup of wine, the other a slice of pizza.
They each took a bite, savouring the flavours, eyes lighting up with satisfied smiles.
"Husband, this pizza is amazing! Where did you learn such a strange recipe?" Du Yue exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Su Wen, not looking up, boasted quietly,“Your husband is amazing. Keep being a good wife, and I’ll make many more dishes for you.”
Du Yue licked her lips and glanced at him with a soft smile.“Don’t worry, husband. I’ll always be a good wife,” she murmured.
Feeling her gaze linger on him, Su Wen’s chest fluttered slightly, but he returned to his reading.
“Hmm…Spirit flame to refine the ingredients… interesting. I wonder if I can acquire a sentient flame, or if I’ll have to nurture one from scratch,” he muttered, fully absorbed.
Outside, the Sky Chaser sailed steadily through the night, the hum of its formations a gentle backdrop to their quiet, cosy evening.