Boring days were truly boring. Xu Mingxi leaned against the observation deck and gazed at the unchanging scenery in the distance. After wearing the mask, not even the sea breeze could blow through.
It had been a year since they departed from the Sun and Moon Continent aboard the Swordfish. Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any major natural disasters this time. With Xu Mingxi and the Grand Elder onboard, the Swordfish was able to safely sail along the planned route.
By comparing the speed of the Swordfish and the Sharktooth, along with the time the Sharktooth took to travel from Hanhai City to the Sun and Moon Continent, the sailors and navigators on the ship speculated that they were now near the Douluo Continent and would reach Hanhai City in another ten days to half a month.
If Xu Mingxi didn't go ashore soon, she would vomit from her training. After absorbing the soul ring and soul bone of the Moon-Worshipping Wolf King, her soul power reached the peak of level 92, and this year she directly broke through to level 93.
In addition, she was able to absorb even more moonlight essence. With Xu Mingxi's help, the two Soul Douluo elders reached level 84.
As for the Grand Elder, perhaps due to his broken arm, his soul power had not increased and remained at level 92. However, he had now become interested in soul guiding. With the help of the soul guide diagrams, carving knives, and soul guide metal they had seized in Rising Sun City, he had now become a level-six soul engineer.
Suddenly, Xu Mingxi saw Huo Quan cleaning the deck below. The child had lived a comfortable life in recent years. With Song Jiang's help, he had obtained his third and fourth soul rings and became a soul master.
"Huo Quan, come here."
"Master Xu, how can I help you?"
"You said you're from Poseidon Island, right? Do you plan to return?"
"How could I? When they expelled my parents from Poseidon Island, I was no longer a resident there. Besides, I still want to follow you, Master."
"Alright. You can return to the Star Crown Sect with me. But I want to ask—did your parents ever tell you about Poseidon…"
Before Xu Mingxi could finish speaking, she saw a ship appear in front of her. After spotting the Swordfish, it immediately changed course.
"Huo Quan, take a look at what's happening on that ship."
"Yes."
Huo Quan's eyes sparkled. The soul rings he had absorbed all helped enhance his observational abilities. Although his combat abilities weren't particularly strong, once he matured, he would surely become the best scout on the continent.
"Master, it's a transport ship. The captain is a woman dressed in purple. I think I saw her somewhere back when I was in the Douluo Continent.
No, wait—it's not a transport ship. The people on board are stripping clothes and soul guides off some nobles-looking individuals and tossing them into the sea.
Ah, I remember now. They're the Purple Pearl Pirates, pirates who like to disguise themselves as transport ships."
Ignoring the startled Huo Quan, Xu Mingxi stared at the ship gradually sailing away and immediately gave the order to pursue. With the Swordfish's speed, they definitely wouldn't escape.
The name Zi Zhenzhu sounded familiar. She seemed to be the woman Tang San encountered when he went to Poseidon Island. It had been so long that Xu Mingxi didn't have any impressions left about such an insignificant event.
Meanwhile, on the Purple Pearl, the captain kicked a stripped rich young man into the sea. She stood at the stern with one foot on the rail, watching the approaching Swordfish with a grim expression.
The Purple Pearl's speed had been pushed to the limit, but it still couldn't outrun the soul guide-equipped sailors chasing from behind. Someone with soul guides of that level wasn't someone a mere Soul Emperor like her could provoke.
Can't escape, can't fight—what else can you do but surrender? Zi Zhenzhu waved her hand, her cloak billowing behind her.
"All crew, listen up. Stop the ship. We surrender."
As the Purple Pearl gradually came to a stop, the Swordfish quickly caught up. Xu Mingxi jumped directly from the lookout tower to the deck of the Purple Pearl.
"We have no malicious intent. We just want to get to Hanhai City. Please guide us."
The route the Sharktooth showed around Hanhai City was too complicated—almost a mess. To avoid mistakes, it was better to have a guide leading the way.
"You're too polite, Master. Of course we can guide you. Just follow us."
"No, your ship is too slow. You get on my ship to guide us, and your people sail that ship back."
Feeling the pressure from the person opposite her, Zi Zhenzhu had no choice but to obey. If not, no one would know if she died at sea.
As she leapt onto the Swordfish, she actually saw an old acquaintance.
"Song Jiang, Shui Fu, you two aren't dead."
"Hey, isn't this Purple Pearl? If you didn't die, how could we?"
The three were well-known figures in Hanhai City. They had known each other for years—both rivals and friends. Song Jiang had even been hired by nobles to hunt down the Purple Pearl Pirates.
Zi Zhenzhu wanted to say something else, but under Xu Mingxi's sharp gaze, she obediently gave directions to the ship's navigator before walking toward Song Jiang.
"Song Jiang, what happened to you back then? You suddenly disbanded your mercenary group and disappeared."
"Didn't you see? We followed Master Xu into the open sea and only just returned."
"Really? It's impressive that you stayed alive all these years. You're no longer stuck at Soul Emperor level."
Zi Zhenzhu quickly noticed Song Jiang's seventh black soul ring and felt very envious. He was already a level-75 Soul Saint. Perhaps he might even become a Soul Douluo in this lifetime. Did he gain that much from their voyage?
With Zi Zhenzhu's guidance, Xu Mingxi reached Hanhai City in just twenty days. She immediately spotted a small business on the shore flying the Star Crown Sect emblem overhead.
This was a business established by the sect leader in Hanhai City after they left, to receive news of their return as soon as possible.
"Song Jiang, your mercenary group has been disbanded. Do you want to return to the Star Crown Sect with us?"
Song Jiang and his wife looked at each other and shook their heads. They just wanted to return to their home now. But before Shui Fu left, she said that if there was a chance, she would bring the younger generation of her family to visit.
Xu Mingxi didn't insist and gave them the decommissioned Sharktooth. She also told Shui Fu that the Star Crown Sect welcomed their visit anytime. Even if there wasn't deep friendship from sailing together for years, the Star Crown Sect still needed Soul Douluo seeds.
Finally setting foot on the Douluo Continent again, Xu Mingxi and the three elders were overjoyed. They gathered Huo Quan and the Star Crown Sect members guarding Hanhai City and headed straight for the sect.
After more than ten years, they had finally returned to this land. Now, they only wanted to go back to their clan and reunite with the family members they had missed day and night.