The late autumn draft, laden with chill, crept through the cracks in the dilapidated house like a specter. It carried dust from the cobwebs in the corners and wove through the flickering flame of a dim oil lamp. The flame danced erratically, casting distorted, swaying shadows of the group against the mottled walls, like a series of eerie shadow plays. Shen Mingyue slowly unfolded the journal left behind by her father. On the yellowed pages, the characters for "Penglai Island" had darkened with time, and the edges bore water stains that resembled the tear tracks of history. In the wavering candlelight, however, they took on a blood-red hue, as if written in fresh gore, silently narrating tales of unknown danger and mystery. Her fingertips traced the paper gently, feeling the minute grain—the marks left by her father's countless readings. Each line felt like a silent message he had left behind.
Shen Qingyao placed her hand gently over her sister’s. Her fingertips were cold as ice, and her voice was filled with anxiety. "Sister, the Nether Palace is watching from the shadows. Who knows what dangers lie hidden in this vast ocean? Not to mention that elusive Sea Ghost Ship..." Her words trailed off, her eyes wide with terror and unease. In her mind, the image of the Sea Ghost Ship involuntarily emerged: the ghastly white hull, the hollow eye sockets, and that blood-curdling screech. Shen Mingyue grasped her sister’s hand in return, feeling the tremors in her palm. "Qingyao, do no…
Chapter 74