Chapter 418: The Skeleton Ship

Although it was dark, the port was still bustling with the roar of engines when they arrived—this was the largest port on the eastern coast, running 24/7. As long as you had money, you could go anywhere.

Apart from Wu Di, the other five had exceptional attire and demeanor, obviously loaded. The moment they stepped into the port, they caught the attention of several ship captains preparing to depart. With just six people, whether on a passenger or cargo ship, they could easily be accommodated at any time.

"Hey there, gents, you clearly stand out as wealthy and distinguished. I’m Captain Wilson, and my ship, the *Will*, is about to set sail southbound to Aurora City, stopping at ports along the way. We can take you—first or second class, you won’t be disappointed!"

"Young men, are you heading out for a sea voyage? We’re headed to Fanna Island, passing by Versailles Island and Great West Island..."

"We’re also heading south to Aurora City—direct route, fastest speed!"

Four or five captains swarmed them, all fighting for their fare.

Old Wang cut them off, asking, "Which route goes to the Dark Demon Island?"

"We’re going to—" One captain was mid-sentence when the words *Dark Demon Island* made him abruptly clamp up.

Not just him—every other captain froze, all shut up at once. "Where?"

"Dark Demon Island," Old Wang repeated.

The captains exchanged glances, then suddenly all wore looks of disgust.

"Are you nuts? Dark Demon Island? Pah! Bad juju, bad juju—I shouldn’t even have mentioned those words!"

"Dumb kids, thinking they can go to Dark Demon Island..."

"Must’ve read about it in some book and want to go on some death wish adventure. These ignorant kids are everywhere, each thinking they’re the Supreme Sage Teacher!"

"Goddammit, I was just about to set sail tonight—what terrible luck!" One captain hocked a loogie on the ground in anger. If not for the fact that these youngsters seemed like Holy Sanctuary disciples with formidable skills, he might’ve even tried to hit them.

The captains booked it out of there instantly, and even those who had been eyeing the group for business quickly backed off. No one spared them another glance, leaving the Old Wang Squad members staring at each other in bewilderment.

"Is it really that bad? They won’t even take money?" Fan Te Xi, already rattled by Winnie, got goosebumps even more. Seeing how the captains avoided even mentioning Dark Demon Island, was it really some kind of hell?

Wu Di, recalling Old Wang’s stories about Free Island, lit up and asked, "Should we check at the Holy Sanctuary center?"

"This shithole doesn’t even have a Holy Sanctuary—where would the center be?"

"Thought sailing out would be easy." Old Wang scratched his head, annoyed. "Damn it, we’re first-timers, so it’s fine if we don’t know. But shouldn’t the people from Dark Demon Island know better? There’s literally no ship heading there—couldn’t they bother sending someone to pick us up?"

"Give it up. No outsider has ever set foot on Dark Demon Island. They probably never even considered sending anyone." Winnie said a little too happily. She’d be thrilled if they couldn’t find a ship—better yet, if they could just drop the whole thing and use the Lee family’s influence to force Dark Demon Island to send someone to Rose for the match. She was an expert at that kind of maneuvering. As long as she didn’t have to go to that cursed place, anything was fine.

Just as they were talking, a low, booming horn sounded from the sea nearby.

This horn was different from the usual ship signals in Rivas Port. Many captains turned curiously toward the sound and saw, on the dim horizon, a massive warship armed with heavy cannons slowly looming into view.

It was a warship, but not in the style of the navy. Pirates, perhaps?

The captains were momentarily stunned. Having lived most of their lives, they’d never seen pirates sail a ship straight into the eastern coast’s port. But as the horn grew closer and the ship’s flag became visible under the port’s lights, everyone—captains, port officials, even the dockworkers—sucked in a breath.

The warship was nearly a hundred meters long—undoubtedly a ghost-level vessel, enormous and flashy as hell with its white-painted hull. And when people saw the flag—more audacious than any pirate’s—a white banner bearing two crossed bones...

No fucking way—the *Bone Ship* from Dark Demon Island!

Yes, there had once been a notorious pirate in these waters with a bounty of twenty million who coveted this ship, vowing to obtain it by any means—buy or steal. And then... well, there was no *then*. Within half a month of the rumor spreading, the entire pirate crew vanished without a trace.

Winnie stared in shock, but Old Wang burst into laughter. "What did I just say? Talk about perfect timing!"

"Who’s Cao Cao?" Wu Di asked.

"He's from Wang's Village!" Winnie snapped impatiently, cutting in. Damn, this guy's a total curse-mouth—mentioning them and they actually show up...

"Wang's Village? With the surname Cao?" Wu Di scratched his head, feeling the question was genuinely brain-melting.

The port instantly went into a total uproar. Two large ships docked at the central pier, originally loading cargo, in a frantic rush drove off the busy workers, weighed anchor, and hastily sailed away, clearing out space for the Bone Ship.

And it wasn’t just those two blocking the way—even the nearby ships scrambled to shrink back or push forward, forcibly clearing out a huge space.

The once-crowded port suddenly seemed spacious. Ship owners and workers all kept their distance, not daring to approach. Truth be told, the Bone Ship had never committed any atrocities here. It occasionally came to procure supplies for Dark Demon Island or transport its disciples. But in Leewis, the very name "Dark Demon Island" was the greatest taboo. Anyone making a living in these waters wanted nothing to do with it, terrified of inviting calamity or misfortune.

*Thud...*

The Bone Ship slowly docked, and two figures disembarked, heading straight for the Old Wang Squad.

"Captain Wang Feng."

The newcomers were entirely cloaked in black, their faces obscured, but their builds and voices unmistakably turned out to be none other than Momosang and de Broglie, whom they’d encountered in Dragon City.

"How did you know we were at the port?" Old Wang asked with a smile.

Momosang didn’t answer, merely extending a hand to shake Wang Feng’s. "We were ordered to await your arrival here. We’ve been waiting for some time. Please board."

Dodging the question, his tone icy—but that was just the Dark Demon Island way. These two had spoken with the same schtick back in Dragon City, so Old Wang didn’t mind, following them aboard.

From the port, the Bone Ship had already seemed massive, but stepping onto the deck revealed it was even more spacious than imagined. The deck was devoid of structures like watchtowers, appearing barren as a desert, entirely plated and nailed with iron sheets, resembling a vast, open drill ground. About twenty to thirty sailors in uniform bustled about, their eyes hollow and expressions stiff—clearly the Dark Demon Island’s signature Soul-Refined Puppets.

Refining living humans, stripping away their intellect, leaving only mindless husks entirely controlled by the caster—during the war between the League of Blades and the Nine Gods, these were even deadlier than the Nine Gods’ beastman suicide corps.

Now, the weakest of these Soul-Refined Puppets seemed at least Tiger Peak-level, with one big-bearded bruiser exuding a Ghost-level aura.

A Ghost-level Soul-Refined Puppet... Considering the immense skill required to refine souls, the caster usually surpassed the refined by a whole tier. If this puppet was Ghost-level, did that mean its creator was Dragon-level? Holy shit! Was the mysterious Island Lord of Dark Demon Island actually Dragon-level?

Winnie gulped. This was why she feared Dark Demon Island. The Li Family might be badass, but in the eyes of a Dragon-level terror, they were no different from any other ordinary family—just a bigger pain in the ass to wipe out due to sheer numbers. No advantage here! Her status might let her flex around Sakuman’s Holy Sanctuary, but on Dark Demon Island? She’d have to slink around like a whipped dog.

Noticing Old Wang and Winnie eyeing the Ghost-level puppet, de Broglie crowed, "This one was a pirate, captured by one of my seniors—"

"De Broglie."

Before he could finish, Momosang called his name coolly. De Broglie promptly shut up, mentally reminding himself: *Image, de Broglie. Remember your image.*

"Your cabins are on the first deck," Momosang said impassively. "The journey to Dark Demon Island will take about seven to eight days. To hasten our speed, the Bone Ship will submerge underwater, rendering the deck inaccessible. You’ll have to remain in your cabins until arrival."

These hicks had probably never seen a ship that could dive underwater!

De Broglie itched to brag, but soon realized they all looked downright unimpressed.

Kela and Wu Di simply didn’t understand. Having never been to the sea, a ship that dived or floated made no difference—a boat’s a boat, right?

Mapeier’s poker face was flawless. Besides, as a high-ranking member of the Nine Gods’ Mi, how could she lack such basic knowledge?

Winnie, however, one-upped Mapeier. As the ninth daughter of the Li Family, what hadn't she seen? The sea people had plenty of ships capable of diving, shuttling between underwater cities and island ports. Her own family owned several.

As for Old Wang... The hell? It’s just a freakin’ sub. Why the hype? Ever seen a nuclear submarine? *That’s* high-tech!

Each had their own private cabin, and the conditions were quite decent. The cabins, about fourteen to fifteen square meters, were far from small. Besides a comfortable bed, each was furnished with a round table and chairs—all made of iron and welded firmly to the floor. The table had slots to keep cups or utensils from sliding—no spills here.

Additionally, there was a large, thick glass window that pleased Old Wang greatly. Though sealed, its transparency was excellent—far superior to the crude glass found on the mainland—and its sturdy build suggested impressive durability.

After dropping off his luggage, Wang Feng regrouped with the others in the ship’s hall. Here, the glass windows were even more abundant, lining both sides, offering a splendid view. The Bone Ship had already left Leewis Port far behind, and and soon the vessel began to descend. The horizon outside the windows rapidly rose until, within seconds, it engulfed the entire ship as they submerged beneath the sea.

Kela and Wu Di finally realized what it meant to dive underwater. Both stared wide-eyed, occasionally reaching out to touch the transparent glass windows with concern, as if worried seawater might seep through.

"You are all esteemed guests aboard the Bone Ark, with no restrictions. Food is available in the dining hall, prepared by our staff. There are no forbidden areas, except the navigation cabin—please refrain from tampering with the instruments, as they are preset for the route to Dark Demon Island." Momosang had now removed his cloak.

Winnie took one glance and thought—Holy hell, dude, I think you should keep that cloak on. Covering your face actually makes you look better!

As expected, Momosang had a rather ghoulish look—pale complexion, looking either malnourished or like someone who frequently handled corpses. With small eyes, a flat nose, and thick lips, he couldn't be farther from handsome.

He spoke plainly, "Dark Demon Island's training regimen is brutal. My junior brother and I must focus on our cultivation these days and will have no time to entertain you. Please forgive our lack of hospitality. Feel free to do as you like."

"Right, right, do as you like! Lao Luo may be deaf and mute, but he cooks really well, especially his..." de Broglie also removed his hood. Unlike Momosang's gloomy ugliness, he was quite handsome, appearing young and lively when speaking. The only similarity was their pale skin—Dark Demon Island was said to be a place where sunlight rarely reached, so their fair complexions were likely due to lack of sun exposure.

*Ahem...* Momosang lightly coughed. Sometimes, he really wanted to find a needle and thread to stitch his junior brother's lips together—tightly—and then glue over the stitches so he couldn't even breathe through it.

"Ahem, ahem, do as you like, do as you like..." de Broglie immediately realized he might have said too much again and reluctantly shut up. But before leaving, he couldn't resist lowering his voice and whispering to Wang Feng, "Braised eel! His braised eel is the best!"

The days on the ship passed without want for food or drink. Aside from not being allowed on deck, everything else was indeed unrestricted.

The crew of the Bone Ark was simple. Momosang and de Broglie were already known from Dragon City. Old Wang had initially wanted to find opportunities to interact with them—Momosang was a lost cause, as Old Wang doubted he could extract even half a useful sentence from him no matter how hard he tried. But with de Broglie, Old Wang felt a little coaxing could get him to reveal even the color of the Dark Demon Island Lord's underwear.

Unfortunately, apart from the day they boarded, the two virtually disappeared afterward. They truly devoted themselves to cultivation, never leaving their rooms—total recluses. The ship's cooks only delivered food to their quarters every other day.

Beyond that, there were thirty puppet sailors handling navigation and two cooks—no one else.

At first, Fantasie and Winnie were quite intrigued by the soulbound puppets. But whether they tried talking to them or doing anything in front of them, the puppets paid no attention, mechanically carrying out their tasks step by step.

The two cooks weren't stupid, but they were deaf, mute, and illiterate—utterly impossible to communicate with. They simply cooked whatever ingredients were available in the galley, serving meals on time whether anyone ate or not. As for the braised eel de Broglie had mentioned, Old Wang didn't care much, but Winnie couldn't stop thinking about it. She asked the cooks several times, but it was impossible to tell who "Lao Luo" was. She tried speaking, writing, and gesturing, but the cooks only responded with confused expressions and incomprehensible hand signals. In the end, she never got to taste it, leaving her fuming. If they hadn't been from Dark Demon Island, she might have roasted them herself.

If you can't deliver, why even mention it? Just to tease me?

Two vanished living people and a ship full of flesh-puppets—what seemed exciting in the first two days gradually grew eerie and oppressive.

Of course, remembering that these were all Dark Demon Island people made it easier to accept. After all, no one had ever been able to grasp Dark Demon Island's style.

The voyage proceeded smoothly. The Bone Ark of Dark Demon Island could sail anywhere in the Ghost Abyss Sea without fear of trouble—even fishermen avoided it, terrified of the legendary Bone Demon snatching their souls. And since they were traveling underwater, disturbances were even rarer.

The submerged Bone Ark resembled an oversized bullet—fast, steady, and radiating a sinister dark aura. Even ghost-level sea demons lurking in the depths would flee at the sight of it.

With nothing else to do aboard, the group mostly played cards or discussed strategies for challenging Dark Demon Island. The ship's air-purifying rune arrays were functional, but with so many people, the supply felt insufficient. While not suffocating, the air always felt thin, leaving everyone restless.

Not being sailors, no one was in the mood for cultivation. When gathered, they either played cards or hashed out strategies for Dark Demon Island. Aside from the two shut-in masters, the rest of the crew were either idiots or deaf—no risk of being overheard.

Information about Dark Demon Island was scarce. It was one of the few places in the League of Blades even the Li Family couldn't infiltrate. Beyond what they'd seen of Momosang and de Broglie in Dragon City, they were completely in the dark about the island's key members.

Old Wang remained far calmer. He couldn't care less about the challenge. Frankly, he suspected that upon arrival, they might not even face a proper competition. What had once been a vague hunch solidified after meeting Momosang and de Broglie—their demeanor didn't suggest they were preparing to fight Rose.

Old Wang understood: this place was different. In some ways, it was even more unique than the Holy Sanctuary's Sky Dome. Beyond Dark Demon Island's unquestionable authority, they simply didn't care about public opinion. Whatever happened would be entirely on their terms.

This wasn't about fairness or protest—Dark Demon Island was beyond the Holy City and the League's jurisdiction. This reality had been set the moment Old Wang chose the eighth challenge. The one consolation was his certainty that they wouldn't outright kill him—Thunder Dragon had guaranteed that. However Thunder Dragon had secured that promise, Wang Feng was willing to trust it.