A Martial Saint Among Men: From Joining a Martial Arts School

Chapter 162 Three Streams Crossing

Upon seeing Steward Cui appear, Chu Xuan remained calm on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil.

Was the other party's initial revelation of the Five-Turned Toad intentional, or was it merely a coincidence?

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting!"

Deacon Cui repeatedly bowed to the crowd and apologized, saying, "I was delayed a bit on the way."

"Is Senior Brother Cui also going to Cold Tide Pool?"

Su Mei asked in surprise.

"Oh, Junior Sister Su is here too!"

Deacon Cui chuckled and said, "Yes! My cultivation has reached a bottleneck. If I don't give it my all while I'm still young, my life will be over. I'm a little unwilling to accept that!"

Shi Wanshan chuckled and said, "Brother Cui, what's on our minds? Let's upload it and discuss it later, shall we?"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

Deacon Cui nodded hurriedly, but his eyes lit up when he saw Shi Wanshan's armored flying wheel.

"Brother Shi, your Ironclad Flying Wheel must be expensive, right? Just the hull made of submerged ironwood must cost tens of thousands of contribution points," Deacon Cui said enviously.

"Ha ha----"

Fang Shan laughed heartily and said, "Brother Cui, your eyes are sharp; Chao Ran cannot escape your discerning gaze!"

To be honest, this armored flying wheel cost me most of my life savings.

"The hull of this submerged ironwood alone cost me a full 50,000 contribution points. And these flying wheels, with their outer armor made of black iron, plus the forging costs, totaled a whopping 130,000 contribution points!"

Everyone was shocked when they heard this!

I never imagined that such a small boat would cost so much.

Even Liu Ming, who had always been incredibly arrogant, showed a hint of emotion on his face at this moment.

130,000 contribution points are almost enough to buy a semi-spiritual weapon!

"Tsk tsk, Brother Shi, you really have guts!"

The one-armed swordsman Guan Qi couldn't help but sigh, "If it were me, I wouldn't be willing to spend so much money. With a little more, I could buy a semi-spiritual weapon!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Shi Wanshan chuckled and said, "Don't think I'm being extravagant, it's just the way things are! Poison Bone Ravine may seem like an inconspicuous stream, but the currents are extremely complex, with countless hidden reefs. And who knows how many strange beasts lurk in the water? An ordinary boat would just have a hole if it hit a reef, let alone if a beast were to launch a sneak attack!"

To put it bluntly, this boat deserves a large part of the credit for my survival in Poison Bone Ravine for so many years! Without it, I would probably be like other martial artists, buried at the bottom of the river, or my remains would have vanished without a trace.

So, charging you 1000 contribution points is really not expensive!

Everyone nodded.

That's the truth.

This armored flying wheel has a deep draft and is resistant to impacts, able to withstand the bites and collisions from shallow reefs and low-level aquatic beasts. Its effectiveness on water surpasses that of a semi-spiritual weapon, providing them with immense protection.

After everyone boarded the boat, Shi Wanshan sat in the driver's seat, his feet on the pedals, and the flywheels on both sides slowly began to turn.

Soon, the ironclad ship began to sail rapidly towards Poison Bone Ravine, its speed even faster than a galloping horse!

Shi Wanshan effortlessly steered the flying wheel while giving an introduction to everyone.

Chu Xuan then realized that Steward Cui's name was Cui Sheng.

Of their group, only Chu Xuan was aiming for the Five-Transformation Golden Toad. The others, however, were after the Treasure Fish.

Deep within the Poisonous Bone Ravine lies a frigid pool, stretching for dozens of miles, known as the Frosty Tide Pool.

The pool water was icy cold, and even martial artists dared not stay in it for long, otherwise even a martial artist with the strength of Gang Jin would be frozen into an icicle.

There is a kind of precious fish in the pool called the Cold Tide Spirit Fish, which is a unique product of the Cold Tide Pool. Not only is its flesh delicious, but it also has the effect of cleansing the body.

Rumor has it that the Cold Tide Spirit Fish King exists in this pool.

If you eat it, it can even improve your physical constitution!

Unfortunately, no one knows whether the Frostfish King exists in the Frost Pool.

Shi Wanshan had traveled to and from Poison Bone Ravine countless times, but he had never seen the Cold Tide Spirit Fish King.

In addition, Chu Xuan also learned that Su Mei and Liu Ming were neither husband and wife nor lovers.

Su Mei is an inner disciple of the Xuan Yang Sect's Qingmu Peak. She hasn't been in the inner sect for long and hasn't yet learned alchemy. This time, her goal in going to Dugu Run is not only the Cold Tide Spirit Fish, but also to collect some spiritual herbs from the Cold Tide Pool to prepare for her first alchemy attempt.

The incredibly arrogant Liu Ming is actually a simp!

As the son of an elder of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, Liu Ming was not lacking in cultivation resources. His trip to the Cold Tide Pool was purely to act as a protector.

As for the remaining two—

Guan Qi, the one-armed swordsman, is a famous bounty hunter in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. He frequently enters and exits the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range and is also a desperate man. Now, his cultivation has been stuck at a bottleneck for many years, and he is preparing to make one last attempt.

Zhao Meng, a martial artist specializing in external martial arts, was a burly and robust man with broad shoulders, a thick back, and bulging arm muscles. He possessed a simple and honest demeanor, yet also exuded a fierce and valiant air. He looked like a big, simple-minded man who only knew how to practice martial arts.

He joined the team purely to broaden his horizons.

Hearing that Shi Wanshan was recruiting people to catch the Cold Tide Spirit Fish and that there was money to be made, he joined the group.

Under Shi Wanshan's control, the armored flying wheel sped along.

Several hours passed in the blink of an eye. As the sun set and hung on the branches, the boat gradually slowed down and finally stopped at a shallow beach.

Chu Xuan estimated that they had traveled about a thousand miles.

At this time, hundreds of boats of all sizes were moored on the shallows.

The smaller one is a dugout canoe, which can only accommodate one or two people. It is made by hollowing out the core of the entire tree trunk. Although it is simple, the material is extraordinary.

The larger ones are as majestic as palaces, with some being giant three-story ships with sturdy wooden hulls reinforced with iron and sails hoisted high.

Chu Xuan was taken aback when he saw the sign above.

Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion!

The other ships, though less impressive, were still equally magnificent.

Crimson Flame Sect, Black Tortoise Sect, Wind and Thunder Valley, Zhenyue Sect —

These are all top-tier forces within Lingxiao Prefecture, second only to Xuanyang Sect in status, and on par with Yushu Sword Pavilion.

As the armored flying wheel came to a stop, two simple yet bustling commercial streets came into view.

They were all simple shops built of bamboo and wood, one next to the other.

There were general stores selling materials for exotic beasts, healing pills, and sharp weapons; food stalls selling meat and hot soup from large pots; and temporary trading houses specifically catering to passing martial artists.

Various martial artists moved among them, their auras varying in strength.

Chu Xuan even saw several inns, with wooden buildings, green tiles, and flags fluttering in the wind.

This scene truly stunned him.

This area is already considered the central part of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, yet a commercial street has miraculously appeared here, and such a large number of martial artists have gathered here.

"Hehe, is this your first time visiting 'Sanxi Ferry', young brother Xu?"

Cui Sheng stopped next to Chu Xuan and, seeing Chu Xuan's appearance, chuckled and said, "Don't underestimate this place just because it's the inner perimeter of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. It's a rare hub connecting land and water. Rogue cultivators, bounty hunters, and sect disciples who come to hunt exotic beasts all rest here."

Of course, this is also where various powerful forces make their fortunes!

He sneered at the ships and said, "See that? They're not only buying up all sorts of exotic beast materials, weapons, and secret manuals, but they're also selling all kinds of scarce resources like pills and maps to people coming from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. As for the prices, they're ten times higher than outside!"

"ten times?"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but gasp.

Then, he frowned slightly and asked in surprise, "Why don't I see any ships from the Xuan Yang Sect?"

Cui Sheng chuckled and said, "The Xuan Yang Sect has a lot to lose! Besides, the Xuan Yang Sect doesn't need to do business here; the tributes from these forces are enough to feed them!"

Chu Xuan immediately showed a thoughtful expression.

He had done a lot of research beforehand, but he really couldn't find any information about Sanxi Ferry.

Because this place is not yet part of the Poison Bone Ravine.

After mooring the boat, Shi Wanshan said, "Gentlemen, it's getting late. There are too many unpredictable things if we travel in the dark. Let's rest for the night at Sanxi Ferry and set off early tomorrow morning!"

After saying that, he headed towards an inn.

As for where the others live, that's none of his business.

If you'd like to stay at a guesthouse, go ahead. If you think it's too expensive, you can also camp out in the wilderness.

Of course, even if you camp out in the wilderness on this shallow beach, you still have to pay, but it's very "cheap"—only 10 contribution points.

As for staying at the inn, the starting fee is 50 contribution points!

The floating boats on the shallows are also available for accommodation, and their luxury is in no way inferior to the inns in Lingxiao City. The prices are also outrageously high, starting at 100 contribution points.

The group exchanged glances and then dispersed.

Liu Ming and Su Mei headed straight for the inn run by the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion.

Guan Qi and Cui Sheng found the cheapest inn to stay at.

Chu Xuan didn't skimp on his contribution points and found a relatively inexpensive inn to stay at.

As for Zhao Meng, the last martial artist who practiced external martial arts, he felt the price was too high and chose to spend the night in the wilderness.