Chapter 69: What Are You Angry About?
Smack. Smack. Smack.
Along with the wet, rhythmic slapping sound came an unusual, stinging pain across her face.
Lu Yunxi snapped her eyes open. She reached up, grabbed the slippery fish that was aggressively flopping against her cheek, and chucked it back into the surf.
She rolled over, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees, and coughed violently, expelling a lungful of seawater. Only once she could breathe freely did she have the mental capacity to observe her surroundings.
This isn’t the shoreline I launched from.
The coastline of the Forest Continent featured only a few narrow, rocky beaches. The shore she was on now, however, was a massive, sprawling expanse of pristine white sand. Looking further inland, the dense, lush broad-leaf forests she was accustomed to were entirely absent. Instead, the skyline was dominated by towering coconut palms—a species she had never seen before in this world.
A short distance down the beach, Shen San lay motionless on the sand, his face deathly pale.
Having regained a fraction of her strength, Yunxi scrambled over to him and immediately began performing chest compressions.
Shen San sputtered, water spewing from his mouth. After a few agonizing moments, he finally emptied his stomach and drew a ragged, gasping breath. He opened his eyes, looking wildly confused. He stared at her for a moment before croaking, “Master? Where are we?”
“It seems we’ve washed up in a completely new world,” Lu Yunxi said, squinting at a collection of bamboo structures slightly further inland. “Let’s find a local and ask where this place is.”
“A new world?” Shen San frowned, clutching his forehead as he slowly sat up. The movement seemed to jog his memory, and his eyes widened. “Oh! Master, remember how you asked me to tap my networks to look for your aunt?”
“My contacts actually found two profiles matching the name ‘Lu Zhuniang’ in the correct age bracket. One was located on the Water Continent, and the other was flagged on the Flower Continent.”
Lu Yunxi froze. As the implication washed over her, she shot to her feet, her eyes wide with shock and excitement. “Really?! Could this place be one of those continents…”
Before she could finish her sentence, a hunched elderly fisherman slowly ambled past them along the waterline.
Spotting the woven fish basket in his hand, Yunxi immediately jogged over and peered inside at the few scrawny fish. “Grandpa, how much are you selling these for?”
“Selling them? Little girl, these aren’t worth any copper,” the old man laughed heartily. “Everyone around here just comes down to the surf to pick up a few stragglers for dinner. Is this your first time on the island, child?”
“How did you know?” Yunxi asked, surprised.
“Haha! Anyone born here grows up eating seafood; nobody would ever try to buy or sell these scraps,” the old man explained, bending down to collect a conch shell that had washed ashore. “This is just a small, neutral island. We’re situated perfectly in the center of the six great continents. Anyone attempting a cross-continental journey eventually washes up here.”
The old man looked at her curiously, his tone shifting to one of genuine admiration. “Which continent did you hail from? It’s been ages since I’ve seen anyone brave enough to attempt the deep-sea crossing. You’ve got real courage, little girl!”
As they chatted further, Lu Yunxi learned the true nature of the island. It was essentially a massive transit hub connecting the divided lands of the world.
She hadn’t expected a place like this to exist! Her master was a homebody who rarely left his peak, and no one else in her circles had ever discussed the logistics of intercontinental travel. When she’d set out into the ocean, she had truly been flying blind.
But the locals here were clearly accustomed to it; the moment they spotted her confusion, they instantly recognized her as an outlander. It made sense for a central transit hub!
“We traveled from the Forest Continent. Could you tell me which other continents are accessible from here?” Yunxi asked, her eyes sparkling. She reached into her spatial inventory, pulled out a large bag of premium dried meat, and offered it to the old man.
The fisherman smiled warmly, accepting the gift with a satisfied nod. He began counting on his fingers. “Besides our central island, there’s your Forest Continent, the Desert Continent, the Ice Continent, the Water Continent, the Flower Continent, and the Rocky Beach Continent. You see, the geography of our island is actually hexagonal. Each of our six coastlines points directly toward one of the main continents.”
He pointed down the beach. “There are massive stone markers placed at each of the six corners indicating the specific directional headings. Just find the marker for the continent you want, and follow that current.” With a final, cheerful wave, the old man tottered away with his fish basket.
Despite Lu Yunxi’s repeated attempts to persuade him otherwise, Shen San adamantly refused to part ways with her. Resigned to her fate, she had no choice but to let her apprentice tag along as they ventured inland.
The island was exactly as the old man had described. The outermost ring consisted entirely of sandy beaches, which gave way to the bamboo villages of the locals. Deeper inland, the atmosphere shifted drastically. It was incredibly lively—a sprawling, bustling bazaar where travelers and merchants exchanged exotic goods.
“Fresh coconuts and bananas, trading for meat! Come look at these massive, perfectly round coconuts!”
“You’re an absolute scammer! You actually expect to trade common coconuts and bananas for premium meat? Who doesn’t have these growing in their backyard?!”
“Get lost! I’m not forcing you to trade. Beat it, you’re ruining my business!” The vendor waved off a heckler in annoyance, then turned, flashing a brilliant, salesman smile at Lu Yunxi and Shen San. “You two look like a match made in heaven. Newlyweds, right? A devoted husband always picks out the largest, roundest coconut for his bride to ensure a long and happy marriage! Come on, big brother, why don’t you pick one out for her?”
Yunxi’s eye twitched violently. She was thoroughly speechless at the vendor’s aggressive sales pitch, but the phrasing was what really threw her. ‘Husband’? ‘Bride’? That sounds incredibly wrong!
A thick, suffocating awkwardness descended upon the master and disciple. Both of them aggressively turned their heads in opposite directions, pretending to be intensely fascinated by the distant scenery.
After freezing in place for an agonizing minute, Yunxi finally forced her expression back to a neutral mask. “Let’s get out of here quickly. We need to find the correct marker and see how my aunt is doing.”
Shen San nodded instantly, his movements rigid.
The two hastily walked away, their postures incredibly stiff.
However, before they could even clear the market perimeter, a large entourage blocked their path.
At the forefront stood a woman caked in heavy, theatrical makeup. She wore an elaborate, moon-white dress and gently fanned herself with a silk round fan as she sauntered toward them. If she hadn’t been walking on a dirt path, her exaggerated, hip-swaying gait would have looked like she was strutting down a high-fashion runway, desperately trying to project an aura of effortless charm.
In reality, the loose sand kicked up by her entourage was currently clinging to the hem of her expensive skirt, making her look… ridiculous.
Surrounded by a phalanx of burly bodyguards, the woman suddenly halted directly in front of them. She looked Yunxi up and down with undisguised contempt. “Hmph! Where did this miserable country bumpkin crawl out from?!”
Lu Yunxi & Shen San: ?
The woman completely ignored Yunxi, turning her gaze to Shen San with an affected, sultry sigh. “Good sir, do you not see the absolute state of the wretch standing beside you? You possess such a kind heart to tolerate standing next to someone wearing such a tragically rustic skirt!” She fluttered her fan, sending a waft of perfumed air directly toward him.
Standing nearby, Yunxi caught the scent. Her nose twitched slightly, a flash of genuine surprise crossing her eyes. This fragrance profile is incredibly complex and potent!
Shen San, however, was entirely immune to the perfume’s intended charm. He furrowed his brow, took a deliberate step backward, and looked at the woman with cold, absolute politeness. “Please keep your distance, miss. I suffer from severe fragrance allergies.”
To emphasize his point, he aggressively faked three massive sneezes.
The woman’s meticulously painted expression cracked.
Lu Yunxi couldn’t help it; she covered her mouth to muffle a laugh.
“What are you laughing at, you filthy bumpkin?! Do you actually think you’re something special?!” the woman shrieked, instantly whirling around to direct her fury at Yunxi.
“You’re absolutely right, I do.” Yunxi offered a gentle, unbothered smile, completely ignoring the woman’s apoplectic rage, and calmly walked past the entourage with Shen San in tow.
Once they were a safe distance away.
“Master?” Shen San looked at her hesitantly.
Yunxi glanced up at him, curious. “Hmm?” He had been stealing nervous glances at her for the last ten minutes. What on earth was he trying to say?! It was getting frustrating!
“Master, that woman back there… are you okay?” He carefully scrutinized her expression before quickly averting his gaze again.
She offered a helpless, amused smile. “Why wouldn’t I be okay? She’s just an arrogant, insignificant passerby. I’m more surprised that you’re still thinking about her.” She couldn’t resist the urge to tease him. “What, did her pretty face leave a lasting impression on you?”
Shen San’s face instantly flushed a brilliant, violently dark red. “Master! What are you talking about?! I was just worried that she upset you!”
He spun on his heel and began marching down the path at double speed.
“Hey! Wait for me! What are you getting so angry about?! Shen San!”
