Author Note: I've made a small correction in Chapter Two about Ji Xiang's golden finger. The devouring ability is the only true power, but aside from that, it has one passive, mostly useless ability.
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Before long, the Purple Pearl Ship reached Vast Sea City's dock.
The sun was now high in the sky, too bright to look at directly. But the rays it cast shone down on the harbor, letting Ji Xiang clearly see the view.
The harbor was huge, with rows of ships from small to large stationed there. Many pirates wearing similar outfits and carrying sheathed weapons could be seen.
In the distance, crowds of people bustled around. Street vendors and shops lined the sides, and people hurried through their daily lives.
The Purple Pearl Ship slowly reached the dock. The moment the pirates saw the ship, everyone bowed their heads.
Although it seemed too dramatic, it was simply a fact. In these waters, the Purple Pearl Pirate Group was feared by every pirate who made a living at sea.
Even the citizens of Vast Sea City had heard about the fearsome reputation of the Pirate Queen, Zi Zhenzhu. This kind of reaction was mild compared to those who would scatter and run the moment they saw the Purple Pearl's flag.
"Unlike your master, every damn pirate bastard fears me," Zi Zhenzhu said with a menacing look from the side.
"Hm. That's because he's my master," Ji Xiang replied coolly.
"Yes, it is. Haha."
"Little divine doctor, from here, my duty ends. From now on, you have to take care of yourself."
"Here, take this. It's my final gift for all the help and treatment you've given me and my brothers these past years."
Ji Xiang extended his hand curiously.
It was a ring… Without her even saying, he knew it was a storage-type soul tool.
Otherwise, what was she going to give him—an engagement ring?
Probably only in his dreams, where she moaned under him. But reality wasn't fantasy.
Throughout the past two months, although he got closer to her using his eloquent tongue and modern pickup lines from Earth—lines that once helped him pick up pretty girls—their relationship had stayed within the bounds of friendship. Maybe a close friendship, where she openly told him about her love for Tang San.
But other than that, he couldn't do anything.
Ji Xiang also wasn't the type who liked to linger on unattainable flowers. Wasn't it enough to daydream about her removing her dress in front of him while Tang San peeked through the wall? Haha.
"This is one of the storage soul tools I had, which was gifted to me by someone I gave a ride to. It only has a very small space, about half a cubic meter. I've stuffed it with gold and silver coins…" Zi Zhenzhu said, proudly raising her chin in front of Ji Xiang.
"Mmm." Ji Xiang nodded with a grateful smile, but inwardly complained, Who would give her a storage ring just because she gave them a ride? Obviously, it was robbed.
On the way here, during these past two months, Ji Xiang had seen her rob almost every ship that crossed their path. The money in the ring likely came from that. After all, the Pirate Queen wasn't one to save money. She liked giving charity to poor villagers, so she didn't keep much herself. Whenever she was short on funds, she probably just sent her crew on a "round" to nearby islands.
"Captain, then I'll take my leave. If you meet my master before me, please tell him that I went to his sect…" With that, Ji Xiang simply bade farewell to everyone he knew on the ship and got off.
Zi Zhenzhu smiled as she waved lightly at the distant Ji Xiang and then ordered the crew to turn the ship around. She now had to find a new healer and kidnap them as soon as possible. Ji Xiang had been the only healer she had access to, after all…
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Ji Xiang looked back at the sea as the Purple Pearl Ship faded into the distance.
He used his spiritual power to probe the storage ring. It was nearly filled to the brim, with no space left to put anything else.
"Hm, that's better this way. With my current strength, if I don't carry anything in my hands, then I can't pass through cities without a full inspection by those good-hearted bastards. So I'll carry all my clothes and other items by hand. It won't be a problem."
Vast Sea City looked massive just from seeing the busy crowds walking on the roads. With some expectations, Ji Xiang took slow steps toward the city.
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First, Ji Xiang spent two days sightseeing in Vast Sea City and gathering information.
Vast Sea City was the only coastal city in the western part of the Heaven Dou Empire—and also the largest coastal city in the entire Douluo Continent. The entire city was built on the mountain beside the sea, with heavy fortifications.
Even in the memories acquired from the original Ji Xiang, there had never been such grand scenery. After all, he had spent most of his life until now on that small Purple Pearl Island, treating injuries and patients.
Of course, Ji Xiang's memories also included some childhood recollections from Sea God Island—a magnificent divine island where he lived with his parents. But those were vague and distant, nothing like what he was experiencing now with his current self.
"In the future, I should go visit that island… and go see my parents," Ji Xiang thought to himself as he walked along the wide roads of Vast Sea City.
But soon, he pushed that thought aside and focused on the information he had gathered over the past two days.
The continent was on the verge of chaos. Still calm, like a sleeping dragon—but ready to stir. The cause was, of course, Spirit Hall.
Not long after Tang San and the others left, Spirit Hall had held a Seven Great Sects Reselection Assembly, forming a new group of Seven Great Sects. Without exception, these sects were all fanatic supporters of Spirit Hall. There were basically no contenders left within the two great empires. Even the once-powerful Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect didn't participate, likely out of safety concerns.
Now, Ji Xiang had learned that the selection had ended.
"If I remember correctly, within a few months—or half a year at most—Spirit Hall will proclaim itself an empire… By the time my master comes back, the Spirit Empire's territory will be comparable to the other two great empires."
"In the next few months, a great unrest will erupt. I should hurry and leave these main cities and head to either the Heaven Dou Empire or Star Luo Empire. When the Spirit Empire is established, it'll brand all soul masters who didn't join as heretics… Now that I'm a soul master, I need to be careful."
"Maybe I can consider joining the Spirit Empire. That way, I might easily come into contact with my chosen target."
"But there's no rush. I need to complete the other plans in my mind first… Once that's done, I can think about a way to approach a Spirit Hall Titled Douluo."
Ji Xiang walked slowly, deep in thought, as he planned his next course of action.