What this girl says is really...
Hard to put into words at all!
However, if Lu Chengze had interacted with Murong Yunsheng from long ago, he would know that her temper now was already much better.
Lu Chengze: "Miss Murong, let me show you to your room!"
Murong Yunsheng: "Thank you, Young Master Lu."
As Lu Chengze led Murong Yunsheng to her quarters, he briefed her on the basic schedule for their two-month journey ahead. "Miss Murong, we expect to spend about two months at sea. You don't need to worry about food, though—I've already taken care of it.
Sailing on the ocean is not actually safe. While the initial stretch will be quite calm, once we enter the deep-sea region, we are very likely to be attacked by marine demonic beasts. Miss Murong should be careful when the time comes."
Though Lu Chengze was extremely confident in his merchant guild's ships—knowing they wouldn't be easily smashed to pieces by those marine demonic beasts—who could guarantee absolute safety?
Moreover, the weather at sea changed in the blink of an eye. It would be fine if they encountered calm waters, but if they ran into stormy weather accompanied by rampaging demonic beasts, they would truly have nothing to blame but their own bad luck.
Lu Chengze: "Our ship will stop at Haiqiao Island for two days midway to resupply."
Murong Yunsheng: "Haiqiao Island?"
Guessing that she probably had no idea, Lu Chengze had already prepared himself and explained: "Haiqiao Island is a small island not far from the Tianyuan Continent, connected to the mainland by a natural stone bridge, hence the name Haiqiao Island.
Some people living closer to Haiqiao Island on the Tianyuan Continent transport supplies to the island to make it convenient for passing merchant ships to purchase them. Gradually, a city was built on Haiqiao Island: Haiqiao City."
At the end, Lu Chengze added, "Haiqiao City should be very bustling at this time of year."
Murong Yunsheng: "I'm afraid many people on the Tianyuan Continent will also be heading to the Tianluo Ruins about to open on the Shuangmeng Continent."
Lu Chengze: "That's only natural. I'm afraid that apart from the Central Continent and the Slave Continent, people from all other continents will be heading there."
Murong Yunsheng: "..."
So, the person she had provoked in the Xuanming Continent would be going too?
Could it be that they were also taking a boat? Oh great, if they ran into each other out at sea, that would be beyond awkward.
However, Chiyun within the spatial realm seemed to see right through her thoughts. "I say, with that person's status, do they need to take a boat? They're definitely flying there on a flying demonic beast! Flying demonic beasts are much faster than spirit boats.
So, as long as your luck is decent, eight or nine times out of ten you won't run into them. But if your luck is exceptionally terrible, well, that's another story."
Murong Yunsheng: "..."
"How do you think my luck is?"
Chiyun: "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
Murong Yunsheng: "The truth."
Chiyun: "Really bad."
Murong Yunsheng: "..."
"Drop dead, you old bastard."
A moment later, Murong Yunsheng looked at the room before her. It wasn't very large, only about forty or fifty square meters, furnished with a bed, a desk, a chair, neatly folded bedding, a tea set, and a view of the ocean scenery through the window.
Lu Chengze said apologetically, "The conditions on the ship are crude. Please forgive me, Miss Murong."
The truth was that their merchant guild consisted entirely of men. Aside from his own private cabin, everyone else had to cram several people into a single room. Even this room was one he had arranged personally.
Murong Yunsheng: "It's fine. As long as there's a place to stay, it's fine. Sorry to trouble you, Young Master Lu."
Lu Chengze: "Then get some rest first. I'll have someone send your meals over."
Murong Yunsheng: "Mhm."
...
It had to be said that the initial period of sailing at sea was indeed just as Lu Chengze had described: calm and serene. Murong Yunsheng stole a moment of leisure amidst her busy life, standing by the window to watch the seascape.
At the edge of her vision, there was only a level horizon where the sky and sea met. There were no arguments or noisy clamors on the ocean; the only sound reaching her ears was the rhythm of the waves.
From time to time, the cries of seabirds could also be heard.
Lu Chengze walked over and stopped beside Murong Yunsheng.
Lu Chengze: "What is Miss Murong planning to do on the Shuangmeng Continent?"
Since she wasn't going for the Tianluo Ruins, he genuinely couldn't think of any other reason.
Given that she could casually produce a ninth-grade medicinal pill, the Shuangmeng Continent didn't seem to hold any other attractions for her!
Murong Yunsheng: "The Spirit Power on the Shuangmeng Continent is dense. Why couldn't I be going for the sake of cultivation? Could Lu Chengze tell me about the major powers on the Shuangmeng Continent?"
Lu Chengze: "..."
Although he knew her words were likely false nine times out of ten, he also knew she was genuinely clueless about the Shuangmeng Continent. "The Shuangmeng Continent has one academy, two manors, three nations, four great families, and six major sects. These are the major powers on the surface of the Shuangmeng Continent.
As for the hidden forces and minor factions beneath the surface, they are simply too numerous to count."
Murong Yunsheng chuckled softly. There certainly were quite a few factions. However, her primary targets were the Gu Family and the Shangguan Family anyway.
"Could I trouble Young Master Lu to explain in detail?" Murong Yunsheng acted like an extremely eager student.
Rather than waiting to figure things out upon arriving at the Shuangmeng Continent, she might as well use these two months to get a general grasp of the situation there.
Lu Chengze: "..."
"Then let's talk about the 'one academy' first. The one academy is Shuangmeng Academy, located in the western region of the Shuangmeng Continent. It recruits students every two years. Shuangmeng Academy mainly consists of nine peaks: Spirit-Cultivation Peak, Dan Peak, Artifact Refining Peak, Rune Peak, Yinhun Peak, Array Peak, and Summoning Peak. These seven peaks are primarily where the students study and live.
Aside from these seven peaks, there is also the Forbidden Peak Qingfeng, as well as Shuangmeng Peak where the deans and instructors reside. Below the peaks is the bustling marketplace where academy students frequently gather to trade."
Murong Yunsheng: "Young Master Lu knows this much about Shuangmeng Academy. Could it be that Young Master Lu is a student there?"
Lu Chengze smiled faintly, shook his head, and replied calmly, "Shuangmeng Academy recruits students between the ages of fifteen and twenty, and its requirements are extremely strict. Although my age fits, I only know about it and have never taken the entrance examination.
Moreover, aside from routine training and a two-month break each year, students of Shuangmeng Academy are not easily permitted to leave the academy on ordinary days."
With that, Lu Chengze seemed to recall something. "Shuangmeng Academy's new round of admissions is in five months. If Miss Murong is interested, you can go take a look."
Murong Yunsheng gave a light chuckle. "If fate allows, I will go take a look."
But if fate didn't, then so be it.
Yet what Murong Yunsheng did not anticipate was that her ties to this Shuangmeng Academy would run very deep indeed.