Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1497 - 795: Battle

While savoring a cup of spiritual tea, Li Shiming pondered his upcoming plans, his gaze fixed on the vast ocean scenery beyond the window.

By this point, seven days into his sea voyage, he had departed from the Central State Continent and ventured deep into the open waters.

Throughout the entire week at sea, no issues had arisen. The incredible speed of his flying boat made it clear to even a fourth-grade spirit beast who held the reins as the controlling cultivator.

Without question, smarter cultivators stuck to the paths laid out by the Central State Commerce.

Maybe it stemmed from Central State’s booming success, but over those seven days, he spotted three other long-distance flying boats. Upon catching sight of the ’White Emperor Light Cloud Boat’ in the distance, those vessels hurried to steer clear.

This reaction didn’t faze him one bit, since the open sea operated without any laws, free from the oversight of continental authorities. Acts like plundering and killing happened all too often out here.

That very lawlessness created huge price gaps for goods crossing continents, letting bold or mighty cultivators rake in fortunes through these risky trips.

On the flip side, the sea had claimed countless cultivators who chased riches without the strength to back it up, acting as a harsh lesson for the overly ambitious.

The alert array on the ’White Emperor Light Cloud Boat’ lit up, indicating yet another long-distance flying boat approaching.

At first, he dismissed it, but soon the details from the warning formation revealed it was a merchant caravan boasting five massive long-distance flying boats.

A touch of caution crept into Li Shiming’s mind; these cross-continent trading groups always traveled with at least one great cultivator at the helm, though the exact number of escorts remained a mystery.

Don’t let the upright look of these official trade routes deceive you—they could switch to piracy in an instant, ambushing fellow long-distance flying boats amid the waves.

To them, the unregulated ocean was nothing but a savage arena where the powerful devoured the vulnerable.

Just setting foot in these waters thrust one into this deadly gamble for treasure and survival.

“Qian Yi of Central State Commerce extends greetings to the fellow from the White Emperor Sect. Might I ask which esteemed one I have the honor of addressing?” A great cultivator emerged from the oncoming caravan, hovering in the empty sky and offering a respectful bow.

Upon catching that name, Li Shiming couldn’t suppress a quiet laugh to himself.

The title of this great cultivator screamed riches, but given the ties between Central State Commerce and his own faction, Li Shiming found himself letting out a soft sigh.

Judging by great cultivator Qian Yi’s demeanor, the bond between Central State Commerce and the White Emperor Sect appeared rather strong.

In a cocky moment, he speculated whether Central State Commerce had betrayed him, fostering such tight links with the White Emperor Sect.

Truth be told, he had crossed paths with great cultivator Qian Yi earlier; the man had sought his skills in alchemy, and their chat had wrapped up in under the time it took to finish a cup of tea.

Hiding away didn’t cross Li Shiming’s mind, especially since evasion proved pointless on the vast ocean anyway.

He stepped out from the cabin, positioning himself proudly on top of the ’White Emperor Light Cloud Boat’.

“Mr. Qian, it’s been a while!” he greeted with a faint grin.

“You’re...” Great cultivator Qian Yi blinked in surprise, staring at Li Shiming as he struggled to place which White Emperor Sect great cultivator this might be.

The familiar ring in the other’s voice suggested recognition on his end.

An awkward flush hit him, since forgetting the man’s face would come off as downright rude.

“You’re Li Shizhen!” Yet another great cultivator from Central State Commerce materialized next to great cultivator Qian Yi, blurting out in astonishment.

Li Shiming knew this arriving great cultivator too, albeit through his alias Li Yuanba rather than his true self.

Cultivator Lu had battled Hell Creatures alongside Li Yuanba in the Hell Cave Heaven for almost a full year. Still, any bond between Li Yuanba and cultivator Lu stayed pretty shallow.

What stuck most in Li Shiming’s memory about cultivator Lu was trading a bunch of jade scrolls for a healing session using the ’Innate Wood’ divine skill.

One of those jade scrolls from cultivator Lu included the close-quarters ’Nameless Sword Canon’, and it was clear cultivator Lu had come out on the short end of that deal.

It made perfect sense that cultivator Lu would spot Li Shiming.

Back when Central State Commerce first handled Li Shizhen, it hadn’t won over many great cultivators. Yet during his stint there, Li Shiming kept interactions with top-tier figures to a minimum.

In those days, Li Shiming played the role of the dutiful worker, focusing hard on alchemy without stealing the spotlight from the great cultivators.

As a mere guest elder in Central State Commerce, that peripheral status barely registered on their radar.

Only after the betrayal exposed his true prowess to a wide audience did regret set in, but by then it was far too late.

Sure, a few great cultivators might have grumbled about it, but when weighing the alliance between the two mighty forces—Central State Commerce and the White Emperor Sect—a single guest elder hardly mattered.

Around that period, cultivator Lu had taken note of the Li Shizhen incident and felt it a shame to see such promise go to waste.

“It really is you, no doubt about it!” Thanks to cultivator Lu’s nudge, great cultivator Qian Yi finally placed Li Shiming, the one he’d met only in passing before.

His eyes bulged in sheer shock.

No one could fathom it, let alone accept it—that the Nascent Soul cultivator of old had now risen to the ranks of a great cultivator.

“Looks like Mr. Qian remembers me now!” Li Shiming replied, his smile carrying a hint of subtlety.

An odd look crossed great cultivator Qian Yi’s face as he stared at Li Shiming, since nobody could have foreseen his rise to this level.

He’d caught wind of plenty of tales about Li Shiming in the past, but after Li Shiming dropped off the map completely in the cultivation realm, he figured the White Emperor Sect had taken care of him for good.