Aboard the Star Luo, Xia Yi and Gu Yue hadn't dressed up particularly nor had they put much effort into their dancing.
Yet, they still instantly won the award for "Most Graceful Dance Partners".
Xia Yi's striking appearance and Gu Yue's elegant temperament quickly earned them thunderous applause from the crowd.
Originally, the "Most Handsome Gentleman" award also belonged to Xia Yi, but the "Most Beautiful Lady" award didn't go to Gu Yue—it went to Na'er.
Hearing that Xia Yi was about to go on stage with Na'er to accept the award, Gu Yue immediately raised her little fists and shook them at him.
Frightened, Xia Yi immediately gave up the award without hesitation.
Seeing that Xia Yi was actually so perceptive, Gu Yue nodded in satisfaction, dragged him back to their room, and gave him a very thorough reward.
—
After the social event ended, both the Star Luo and the Ocean Voyager returned to their usual state.
Those who needed to communicate with the Star Luo Empire did so, and those who needed to train resumed their training.
When Gu Yue woke up, she found that Xia Yi was no longer by her side.
"Gone the moment I wake up, hmph!" Gu Yue huffed in dissatisfaction. She slipped into her nightgown and walked over to the balcony, opening the door to let the sea breeze flow into the room.
The cool wind brushed against her face, bringing with it a refreshing comfort. She took a deep breath of the moist sea air and lifted her head to gaze at the sky.
The weather today was particularly beautiful. The early morning sunlight cast its glow over the sea, turning the originally deep blue waves into a shimmering golden expanse. It exuded a tranquil yet exhilarating energy.
Stepping onto the balcony, she rested her hands on the railing. Her golden eyes glowed brightly.
Upon the gleaming golden sea, she could see strands of golden fortune energy rising and vanishing into the void.
"The power of fate… Could she be a Auspicious Beast?" Demon Emperor furrowed her brows. She still didn't know Gu Yue and Xia Yi's true identities.
She had always been curious why Di Tian was so willing to follow their commands.
But she never found a good opportunity to ask.
Now, her curiosity had only grown deeper.
"Even if she were an Auspicious Beast in human form, that still wouldn't be enough to make Di Tian obey her, right?" Demon Emperor muttered, looking up at Xia Yi.
At this moment, Xia Yi had climbed atop the ship's hundred-meter-high mast, standing at the very peak of the crow's nest.
One hundred meters above the sea.
The ocean winds were strong, with an average force of at least Level 7.
Yet despite the fierce wind, Xia Yi took out his forging hammer and began forging right at the top of the mast.
He even had a forging platform with him.
Though, his platform only served to heat the metal.
Once the metal was properly heated, Xia Yi stored the platform away.
Using Fox Mind Arts, he began forging two metals mid-air.
—
As the sun rose, the people who had celebrated wildly the night before gradually woke up.
It didn't take long before others besides Demon Emperor noticed Xia Yi's presence.
A large crowd gathered on the deck, looking up at him atop the mast.
At first, there was a great deal of whispered discussion.
But as Xia Yi's hammer struck down again and again, the murmurs gradually faded into silence.
With every strike of his hammer, he became one with the natural laws of the world.
Even the sea breeze itself followed his rhythm.
Those with profound cultivation slowly began to realize what was happening.
As for those with lower cultivation—or even ordinary mortals—they simply felt that Xia Yi's presence atop the mast was not unnatural.
As if he belonged there.
"Union of Man and Heaven… How is he doing this?" Demon Emperor's deep blue eyes widened in shock. "Even most Limit Douluos can't reach this level!"
—
Xia Yi's forging didn't last long.
In less than a minute, he was finished.
"I gained some insights. I thought I could break through, but… it's still just out of reach."
Xia Yi sighed, shaking his head.
He didn't need any instruments to tell him that the fusion rate of the metals he had just forged had already exceeded 99.99%.
But he still couldn't break past 100%.
After so many attempts, Xia Yi was starting to piece things together.
A 100% fused alloy was no longer just an alloy—
It was a completely new metal.
To achieve that, he needed to erase all traces of fusion, making it feel as if it had been naturally birthed by the heavens and the earth.
And to do that, a forger had to first completely merge with nature.
Xia Yi had already done his best to merge himself with the world…
Yet he was still missing something.
"I must've overlooked something. I haven't truly become one with nature yet."
Xia Yi's mind once again brought forth the images of the River Diagram and the Luo Script.
He sought to comprehend something useful from them.
Even though he hadn't achieved 100% fusion, this moment still granted him valuable insight.
—
As Xia Yi sat motionless at the top of the mast, deep in contemplation—
On the deck below, Lan Muzi's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
But in the next moment, his expression returned to its usual gentle and refined state.
"To gain enlightenment like this… His talent truly is terrifying."
Within, Lan Muzi's heart was already in turmoil.
—
Xia Yi remained lost in thought from morning until noon.
But when the scorching sun shone directly overhead—
He suddenly realized something.
"Oh no! I was supposed to bring Gu Yue her breakfast!"
In an instant, Xia Yi understood his mistake.
He had already prepared breakfast, but when he stepped outside and felt the sea breeze, inspiration struck—
So he put the meal away in his soul device and started forging instead.
Without hesitation, Xia Yi activated Fox Mind Arts, guiding himself down from the mast and flying toward their room.
—
When he pushed open the door, Gu Yue was still standing on the balcony in her nightgown.
Her golden eyes shone brilliantly.
The aura surrounding her gave Xia Yi a strange, indescribable feeling.
Out in the ocean, a massive number of sea soul beasts had gathered before her.
They followed the Star Luo ship, leaping and rolling through the waters below.
Xia Yi could sense it clearly—
The soul beasts' cultivation levels were rising.
"What's going on?" Xia Yi asked in a low voice.
"Her understanding of fate energy is improving," Di Tian's voice echoed in his mind. "Right now, she is essentially equivalent to an Auspicious Beast. Any soul beast near her will see their cultivation speed increase."
"Why don't I feel anything?" Xia Yi asked curiously.
"Perhaps because you've already taken human form."
"And what about the other situation?"
While flying down, Xia Yi had seen Mu Ye of the Body Sect repeatedly dunking Tang Wulin into the water, only to pull him up just before he drowned.
"It's an extreme training method," Di Tian explained.
"Extreme training… means combat. At sea, that means fighting sea soul beasts. Isn't Demon Emperor going to intervene?"
"She said it's not time for her to step in yet."
Di Tian's voice turned somber.
"Demon Emperor has great ambition and a far-reaching plan… She won't be easy to control."
"As long as she doesn't cause us trouble, we won't interfere with her either."
Xia Yi's tone was indifferent.
He did not like being high above others, controlling everything.
Even when facing the fierce beasts of the Great Star Dou Forest, he treated them as equals.
If it weren't for helping Gu Yue share the burden, he wouldn't have even agreed to let these soul beasts address him as "Master."
This was also why, despite Gu Yue continuously granting him authority, he was still unwilling to take on the position of Soul Beast Sovereign in her place.
His personality simply wasn't suited for being a ruler.
Rather than sitting in that lofty position as the supreme leader of the soul beasts, he would rather be Gu Yue's strategist, assisting her in making plans and decisions.
However, while he treated others as equals, he expected the same in return.
Xia Yi did not need anyone to kneel before him, but likewise, no one should ever think they could make him kneel.
(End of Chapter)
— (End of Chapter)