novelraw Chapter 59: Reunion with the Sea Dragon
Chapter 59: Reunion with the Sea Dragon
The Ghostfire Fish swam faster and faster, soon disappearing beyond the horizon.
Why did it run away... Chen Qi felt somewhat reluctant as he entered the cabin and turned the small houseboat around.
The direction the Ghostfire Fish had gone was precisely toward the dangerous waters marked on the nautical chart.
Chase it!
Rumble!
The small houseboat sailed toward the hazardous zone on the map.
About twenty minutes passed.
Chen Qi stepped out of the cabin, holding a kerosene lamp, carefully observing the activity on the sea surface.
As he approached the center of the marked danger zone, the number of active fish increased significantly.
Eels, flying fish, electric jellyfish, black sludge monsters...Both the quantity and quality of fish here were a whole level above the previous area!
If one came here to fish, they'd surely return with a full haul!
Holding the lantern, Chen Qi looked down to see two or three Moonlight Fish swimming beneath his feet.
Quite beautiful...
But just then—Boom!
The entire houseboat shook violently!
Chen Qi quickly leaned back, adjusting his center of gravity to barely stabilize himself.
That sudden jolt nearly threw him straight into the sea.
What was that...? He whipped his head around to look.
On the surface where the boat had just passed, there was a small white, tree-like rock protruding slightly above the water.
Its exposed height was low, and combined with the darkness, it was nearly impossible to spot.
Upon closer inspection, there were many such protrusions ahead.
Damn it, if the boat kept going like this, it would be smashed to pieces!
"Deepsea Water Spirits, stop the boat!"
Chen Qi commanded before rushing into the cabin to cut the engine.
As a modified vessel, the houseboat's braking system was practically useless—even after stopping the engine, it still carried considerable momentum.
Would it crash again? Chen Qi grew worried.
"Woo!"
The Deepsea Water Spirits let out a loud cry upon receiving the order, then swiftly swam to the front of the boat like seven well-trained sailors.
"Wah! Wah! Wah!"
With their combined strength, the boat came to an abrupt halt, even drifting slightly backward!
"Hmph!"
The Deepsea Water Spirits turned to their master with confident expressions.
"Well done!"
They weren't just good for acceleration—they could brake too... Chen Qi praised them before lifting the lantern to examine the surrounding waters.
The white protrusions resembled tree branches more than rocks.
All across the nearby surface, similar white branches jutted out.
Looking beneath the water, Chen Qi initially thought the map had marked white coral.
But now, it seemed an enormous tree grew beneath the sea here.
The further ahead, the thicker and larger these protruding branches became.
Chen Qi frowned.
The waters ahead were densely packed with white branches.
No vessel could pass through such an area.
Even a small boat like his couldn't force its way through this tangled mass.
Swim across?
No, that would be risky if something unexpected happened.
The best method would be to use a spell like Water Walking, but that required at least second-tier mastery.
Shaking his head, Chen Qi turned his attention to the Deepsea Water Spirids beneath his feet.
Fortunately, he was a theoretically skilled beast tamer!
Deepsea Water Spirits were naturally intelligent—they should understand what he meant...
After some gesturing, he placed them on the water's surface.
"Woo! Woo! Woo!"
The seven spirits nodded—they were professionally trained, after all.
Then, Chen Qi cautiously stepped his left foot onto one.
Pressing down slightly, it felt sturdy enough, like solid ground.
Next, he stepped his right foot onto another.
Just like that, he was standing on the sea!
"Whew, it works—though balancing is tricky."
Chen Qi spread his arms to steady himself.
This water-spirit-assisted walking technique wasn't as easy as he'd thought.
After adjusting briefly, he lifted his right foot as one spirit obediently swam to his next stepping point.
Step, lift, step, lift!
Repeating this motion, he successfully walked across the sea without any spells.
Water Walking: Deepsea Water Spirit Youth Edition!
"Perfect!"
After taking a few steps, Chen Qi grinned.
He truly was a genius—mastering such an incredibly practical sea-walking technique in minutes!
Many second-tier mages couldn't learn this even after a year of practice!
Balancing carefully, he held the lantern in his left hand and the black blade in his right, slowly advancing toward the central waters.
The closer he got, the larger the branches became, and the more fish gathered around.
This colossal tree wasn't just spectacular—it seemed to produce highly nutritious food, explaining the abundant marine life... Chen Qi mused.
A massive white tree growing in the ocean—he'd never seen anything so bizarre.
Before he knew it, he'd reached the heart of these waters.
Chen Qi looked up.
An enormous white tree towered here, its visible height reaching at least thirty meters.
And that was just the part above water.
What a marvel... Crouching carefully, he lowered the lantern to examine the submerged roots.
The underwater portion formed the tree's main bulk.
In the dark depths, massive roots stretched downward like a ladder descending endlessly into the abyss.
Suddenly, the Deepsea Water Spirits beneath him stirred.
The lantern flickered.
Then he saw it!
Among the roots glowed a luminous white fruit.
And beside it—a massive dark silhouette.
A sea dragon coiled around the tree's roots!
The instant the creature moved, the entire sea seemed to tremble.
An overwhelming pressure filled the waters as nearby fish scattered in panic.
"Wah! Wah! Wah!"
Five of the seven water spirits instantly leaped from the sea and clung to Chen Qi, trembling violently.
They'd never felt such terror before!
Boom!
A sea dragon covered in jet-black scales erupted from the water, waves crashing as it bared its fanged maw and roared at Chen Qi.
ROAR!
Too terrifying!
The water spirits vibrated at an alarming frequency from sheer fright!
What massive grumpiness upon waking!
Chen Qi stood with the lantern and smiled:
"Long time no see, Coastal Apex Predator. Never thought your home would be here."
This was none other than the undisputed ruler of coastal waters—the Blackship Sea Dragon!
From its juvenile size and distinctive breath, this was undoubtedly the same dragon he'd encountered during his first voyage.
So this was the Coastal Apex Predator's lair.
Chen Qi patted the creature's head.
Seeing it again brought an indescribable warmth.
Though its breath remained as foul and its presence as intimidating as ever.
He'd grown stronger since their last meeting—mastering the Body Forging Technique and reaching first-tier.
Yet facing such a colossal being still triggered primal fear.
Glancing at those razor-sharp teeth, Chen Qi noticed the dragon opening its mouth expectantly—begging for Supernatural Bait.
Apparently, it really loved that junk food.
"Sorry, I didn't bring a fishing rod to conjure Supernatural Bait. I'll feed you later."
After reassuring the dragon and calming the trembling water spirits (who now clung to him like a buzzing electric motor), Chen Qi turned his attention to the white tree.
The spirits finally stopped shaking, gazing at him with newfound reverence.
Don't tell me they think I tamed the Blackship Sea Dragon through sheer dominance... He chuckled before examining the colossal tree.
Compared to the dragon, this white giant intrigued him more.
Leaping onto its trunk, he surveyed the surrounding fish.
This place... might make an excellent marine farm.