Chapter 78: Arrangements Made

After listening to Yang You, Ye Mo nodded, put the two Vitality Pills back into the bottle, and stowed it away.

"I'll keep these two Vitality Pills for now. The two of you must seize this time to cultivate diligently. There's a large amount of gold, silver, and jewels left on the ship by Feng Xiongchang. You can use them to buy body-tempering herbs for warriors in the Immortal Village."

As a cultivator, Ye Mo held a prestigious status in Donglai Immortal Village, shielded by the Immortal Guards; no one dared trouble him. But Wang Hu and Yang You, still only at the mid-stage of body tempering, could easily become targets for those harboring ill intentions.

He opened the cabin door, letting the medicinal fragrance of the Vitality Pills dissipate.

…

Following Ye Mo's orders, Deputy Shipmaster Chang dismissed most of the warriors from the ship, giving each thirty taels of silver for resettlement, and sending them to the makeshift shantytowns outside the Immortal Village on Lingdao.

By early the next morning, the warriors departed one after another. Many, grateful for their fate, came to bid Ye Mo farewell before leaving. They had once been captives and slaves, but now, having reached Donglai Lingdao, they weren't sold off to the mines. It was a small blessing within their misfortune.

Gao Jian thought deeply and finally decided, together with Huang Yi and some of his trusted warriors, to seek their own path in the Immortal Village.

"Brother Ye, Yi and I can't be of much help on this ship, and we don't want to burden you. We're planning to find work on the island, settle down, and look for an opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. If you ever need our help in the future, just say the word."

Gao Jian bid Ye Mo farewell.

Ye Mo accompanied them to the dock, discreetly slipping a small pill bottle into Gao Jian's hand and whispering, "Brother Gao, here are two Vitality Pills I traded for with the Golden Armor. Keep them with you.

Both of you are already at the ninth level of body tempering. With these Vitality Pills, you can quickly cultivate your Nascent Souls and find work in the Immortal Village to earn spirit stones. I can't promise you a bright future right now, but if I ever become City Lord and a true cultivator, I hope you'll lend me your strength."

"Absolutely! If Brother Ye establishes his own Immortal City, I will definitely come to help!" Gao Jian gripped the pill bottle tightly, his gaze firm. He knew Ye Mo's ambition—to become a City Lord like Zou Ruhai and found his own Immortal Village.

But this dream, for now, seemed distant and without hope. Even among cultivators, only one in ten thousand could ascend to the rank of City Lord.

Gao Jian was a straightforward man; having accepted this favor, he would keep his word.

Mo Ling was also saying her goodbyes to Huang Yi, reluctant to part. Over this period, their bond had deepened, becoming like sisters.

After a while, Ye Mo and Mo Ling finally saw Gao Jian and his companions off the ship.

"Immortal Ye, most of the warriors have already left. Only a few dozen crew members and elite guards remain on board, all of whom have expressed their wish to follow you. There are also a handful of warriors who haven't found a way out yet and have not left the ship," Deputy Shipmaster Chang reported to Ye Mo.

"Oh? Some still haven't left? If they can't find a way, let them stay on the ship for now—give them more time," Ye Mo nodded, then asked, "Deputy Shipmaster Chang, do you have other plans? Will you return to the Nine Provinces, or stay here on Lingdao? If you have plans, I can give you a generous sum. Even if you go back to the mainland, you'll live as a wealthy man."

Chang Fei hesitated, wavering for a moment, but ultimately shook his head, replying, "I've spent decades drifting at sea, long accustomed to the life aboard ship—can't leave it behind.

I'm willing to serve Immortal Ye and watch over this vessel. You may not need it now, but once you rise to prominence, the ship will surely be of use!"

Chang Fei had been a sailor on the East Sea for many years, weathering countless storms and always coming through safely. His judgment was keen.

Ye Mo, the Immortal Shipmaster, was far superior to the pirate lord Feng Xiongchang, treating his subordinates with generosity and never engaging in wicked deeds.

Chang Fei, naturally, was more than willing to follow Ye Mo.

Ye Mo smiled faintly. This deputy shipmaster knew how to seize an opportunity.

…

The five Vitality Pills he’d traded for the spirit armor were originally meant for his most important warriors; he hadn’t considered sparing one for Deputy Shipmaster Chang. However, Mo Ling already had pills from her grandfather, leaving Ye Mo with one extra. He could consider giving it to Chang Fei.

Ye Mo intended to keep the ship under his control for future contingencies.

…

On the pirate ship’s deck.

Ye Mo summoned everyone remaining on board.

Mo Ling, Wang Hu, and Yang You had no intention of leaving. Especially Wang and Yang, who were Ye Mo’s staunchest followers.

Deputy Shipmaster Chang, along with the essential sailors and ship guards—men who had spent decades on this ship and could not bear to part with it—remained as well.

The five Earthborn Guards were Ye Mo’s private slaves. Their status was unique, entirely different from captive or mining slaves—those could eventually earn their freedom, but not the Earthborn. They had no status and could never leave their master; naturally, they followed Ye Mo.

There were a few others: Zhao Dafu, Wu Shan, Scholar Zhang, the sisters You Mingyan and You Mingqiao, Qian Ying, Jin Hao, and others. Originally, they were to be put ashore, but remembering their time together in the prison hold, Ye Mo relented. If they left the ship, they would likely starve on Donglai Lingdao. Better to let them stay as odd-job workers and at least have a steady meal.

"Brother Ye, what do you plan to do next?" Mo Ling asked him.

"Now that almost everyone else has left, those who remain are our own people. I’ll assign tasks for everyone," Ye Mo replied with a smile.

"And what will those be?" Mo Ling asked, smiling in return.

"Farming requires the Rain Spirit Technique. Mo Ling, once you break through to Nascent Soul and become a true cultivator, you’ll work in the village to earn spirit stones and find a way to learn the Rain Spirit Technique.

Refining requires a solid foundation. Wang Hu and Yang You are best suited for this. For now, both of you should focus solely on body-tempering cultivation and reaching the ninth level. Once you become cultivators, you’ll apprentice at the village’s refining workshop. Apprentice refiners only earn one spirit stone per month, but the craft has a future—after five years, you’ll start making real money.

Deputy Shipmaster Chang and the crew, you’ll all stay on the ship for now. There’s no pressing work, so focus on cultivation. In the future, the ship will have its uses.

The Earthborn Guards will also remain, cultivating with everyone else.

Here on Lingdao, warriors can’t earn spirit stones. But since you’ve chosen to follow me, don’t worry too much about the Vitality Pills—I’ll do my best to find a way. The most important thing now is to reach the ninth level of body tempering. Without that, there’s no point in thinking further ahead.

If we go out to sea to hunt monsters in the future, we’ll need strong combat power on the ship. It’s a lucrative enterprise, but extremely dangerous. Only when everyone is a powerful cultivator, skilled in immortal techniques, will we dare try it.

Does anyone have questions about these arrangements?" Ye Mo looked calmly around at the group.

"My grandfather already told me not to go hunting monsters—it’s too dangerous. I’ve thought about it too, and that sort of fighting life isn’t for me. I’ll just focus on learning the Rain Spirit Technique. I’m close to a breakthrough—shouldn’t be long until I reach the ninth level," Mo Ling said, relieved, happy with her assignment.

The others all nodded. Clearly, these arrangements were made with their long-term future in mind.

"And what about you, Brother Ye?" Wang Hu asked in confusion.

"Me? I’m going to the mines," Ye Mo said with a smile.

"What? Mining?"

"Doesn’t that mean working alongside the mining slaves? That’s the hardest, most exhausting work on the island. No one wants to do it, and you can barely earn any spirit stones. Only slaves are forced to suffer through that!"

Mo Ling, Wang Hu, and the others were all shocked.

"Don’t worry. I’m a cultivator—my treatment won’t be the same as the slaves. I’ve checked: cultivators’ pay in the mines isn’t fixed; it’s directly tied to how much you dig. The more you mine, the more you earn.

A normal cultivator at the first level of Qi Refining has the strength of one thousand catties and can earn two to three spirit stones a month. My strength is one thousand catties, but with my triple strike, I have three thousand catties’ force. I can mine three times as much—six to nine spirit stones.

My strength far exceeds that of ordinary first-level cultivators. With spirit stones, I can buy more Vitality Pills, various talismans, and cultivation methods. With these, I’ll have true power.

Other methods of earning spirit stones are too slow and arduous. Only mining can get me a decent amount in a short time. Once I’ve saved enough, I’ll make other plans. Without spirit stones, everything is empty talk."

"Brother Ye, let me go with you! You shouldn’t have to do all the hard work alone!" Wang Hu said, standing up eagerly.

"I’ll go too!" Yang You quickly added.

"Shipmaster! We’ll go as well!" The crew all called out, their faces full of emotion.

They knew all too well that mining slaves had the lowest status on Donglai Lingdao. For Ye Mo to work there, enduring the dirtiest, hardest labor just to earn spirit stones for their breakthroughs to Nascent Soul, moved them deeply. Nowhere in the Immortal Village could they find another shipmaster so gracious to his crew.

"Master, let us come too!" The five Earthborn Guards knelt on the deck, deeply moved.

They were Ye Mo’s private slaves—how could they watch their master suffer alone in the mines?

Ye Mo saw their excitement and could only smile bitterly. Were it not for his desperate need for spirit stones, he would never choose such grim, filthy work. He didn’t intend to do it for long—just a few months at most.

He shook his head. "Follow my arrangements: all of you stay on the ship and focus on cultivation! When you reach the ninth level and break through to Nascent Soul, then you can think about earning spirit stones. Only then can you help shoulder some of the burden."

Then he turned to Chang Fei. "Deputy Shipmaster, after I leave for the mines, I don’t know when I’ll return. All the ship’s affairs are in your hands. For anything major, consult with Mo Ling, Wang Hu, and Yang You. You know better than anyone how to survive peacefully at this dock and avoid trouble."