Lu Chengze shot Nangong Yushao a look of utter speechlessness and offered a reminder: "I advise you to stop trying to win over Miss Murong, unless you want to end up exactly like those pirates."
Nangong Yushao: "..."
*Uh...*
Nangong Yushao glanced at the mangled remains of the pirate second-in-command. Well, alright then! It seemed that this was truly someone he couldn't afford to provoke.
The ship, engulfed in raging flames, eventually sank into the depths of the abyss. The sea returned to its stillness, and the corpses of the pirates were either swallowed by the ocean or devoured by the sea beasts lurking beneath.
The remainder of their journey was peaceful enough, though their vessel now carried two uninvited guests in addition to Lu Chengze—Murong Yunsheng, who loved to sit at the bow and gaze out at the sea.
Nangong Ling stood behind her brother, watching this formidable young woman. She couldn't understand why they had chosen to board the Lu Family’s Spirit Boat instead of their own, but she was deeply impressed; this woman was incredibly powerful, having already reached Blue Spirit Level 5. Her eyes were filled with pure admiration.
Lu Chengze looked at Nangong Yushao with resignation and blurted out, "Nangong Yushao, don't forget that our families are competitors! Can you please maintain some sense of propriety instead of blatantly boarding our Lu Family Spirit Boat?"
Nangong Yushao: "In the middle of this vast ocean, who’s going to notice? Besides, you really are a man who keeps business and personal matters separate, aren't you? What’s the matter? Have you already swallowed the debt of gratitude you owe for saving your life?"
Lu Chengze’s face flushed a deep red at the jab. He glared at Nangong Yushao, huffing in annoyance. *This guy—he truly has no mercy when it comes to mocking people.*
Murong Yunsheng listened to their banter from behind but kept her gaze fixed on the calm surface of the sea. She had no interest in these two great families.
Nangong Yushao leaned in close to Murong Yunsheng, a broad smile on his face. "Miss Murong, which continent are you from?"
With his androgynous, bewitching beauty, it was a truly captivating sight. However, Murong Yunsheng merely glanced at him briefly, then withdrew her gaze and parted her lips slightly. "Mind your own business."
Nangong Yushao: "..."
The smile on his face instantly froze.
*Gag...*
Seeing her third brother looking so deflated, Nangong Ling couldn't help but burst into a laugh. "Hahaha!"
Nangong Yushao looked at his sister with a mix of helplessness and resentment. *Sister, oh sister, whose side are you on? Why are you laughing at your own brother?*
*Sigh!*
Undeterred, Nangong Yushao continued to press, "Miss Murong, do you have a place to stay once you reach the Shuangmeng Continent? If not, why not come back with us to our chamber of commerce?"
This time, it was Lu Chengze’s turn to protest. "I met Miss Murong first. Why should she go back with you?"
Nangong Yushao: "Hmph, so what if you met her first?"
Listening to the two of them bickering, Murong Yunsheng sighed and rubbed her forehead. *Oh, you fools! Do you not realize that whichever house I visit will be the one that ends up in misfortune?*
She was destined to settle scores with the Gu and Shangguan families sooner or later. Since those two families held massive influence across the Shuangmeng Continent, her actions against them would inevitably lead to an endless pursuit. Anyone wishing to curry favor with those two families would surely target her. And so...
*These two... sigh!*
She could only hope they wouldn't regret the decisions they made today.
Murong Yunsheng: "After arriving at the Shuangmeng Continent, we’ll likely be setting off for the Magical Beast Forest in the central region soon, won't we?"
As far as she knew, these continents were vast, and since they were currently docked at the periphery, it would take a significant amount of time to reach the center.
Lu Chengze: "Yes, our Lu Family Chamber of Commerce is located in the Yunqi Kingdom. It takes at least half a month by spirit carriage to reach the central Magical Beast Forest."
Of the Four Great Families, the Lu and Nangong families were based in the Yunqi Kingdom, the Gu family in the Longyue Kingdom, and the Shangguan family in the Lingyuan Kingdom. Thus, they could spend at most ten days in the Yunqi Kingdom.
The Magical Beast Forest was immense and treacherous, divided into inner, middle, and outer zones based on the level of danger. The entrance to the Tianluo Ruins lay in the central zone. There was no telling what dangers they would encounter on the road, not to mention the need to guard against other rival factions.
Therefore...
Murong Yunsheng: "Is there any way to quickly learn about the various factions on the Shuangmeng Continent before the Tianluo Ruins open? Specifically, to get a thorough understanding."
Lu Chengze and Nangong Yushao exchanged glances. This...
Nangong Ling: "Third Brother, isn't there another auction being held at the Treasure Auction House under our chamber? It’s scheduled right after we return."
*How can my brother be so sharp in business, yet so slow on the uptake right now?*
Nangong Yushao slapped his forehead. "Right, right! How could I have forgotten? My father did send word that there would be an auction held at our Treasure Auction House before the opening of the Tianluo Ruins. Major factions from across the Shuangmeng Continent will be invited. Miss Murong, if you want to understand those factions, this would be the perfect opportunity."
After all, the Nangong family placed great importance on these ruins and had intended to use the auction as a chance to survey the competition. Moreover, another auction would be held after they emerged from the ruins.
Murong Yunsheng raised an eyebrow. "Treasure Auction House?"
Lu Chengze explained, "The Nangong family and our Lu family are both located in the imperial capital of the Yunqi Kingdom. The Treasure Auction House owned by the Nangongs and the Feiyun Auction House owned by us are the two largest in the kingdom. Every time they hold an auction, nearly half of the major factions on the Shuangmeng Continent attend. If you want to get a good grasp of those powers, this is indeed a great chance."
Although Lu Chengze sometimes hesitated out of business interests, not wanting Murong Yunsheng to have too much contact with the Nangong Chamber of Commerce, he only thought about it to himself. While they were rivals on the surface, they were actually quite good friends in private.
Lu Chengze: "Our Lu Estate is quite close to the Treasure Auction House. Why don't you stay at our estate, Miss Murong? I could even explain the details of those factions to you personally."
Murong Yunsheng: "No, thank you. I’ll just stay at an inn."