CHAPTER 472: 472. DRAGON BOAT

The Shadow Pearl sailed away from the island, carrying both the Dragon Princess and Myrtle on board.

"I found out where the nearest Dragon Boat is anchored," Lily spoke up, her tone calm yet firm. "We can head there, pay the fee, and register the islands for protection. That way, they’ll remain protected until we return." She paused for a moment before adding with a warning look at Tyler, "And don’t try to stir up trouble once we’re there."

Tyler chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "What do you mean, don’t stir up trouble? You’re the one who usually attracts it. Honestly, you’ve been acting so normal lately that I’m starting to forget you even had two personalities."

Lily’s lips curled faintly, though her eyes were serious. "As I grow stronger, I can control the split better. But..." she trailed off, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, "there’s no guarantee it won’t burst out one day."

"Burst out?" Tyler raised a brow, clearly confused. "What exactly does that mean?"

Instead of answering directly, Lily turned her gaze back to the horizon. "When it happens, you’ll just have to take care of it." She offered no further explanation, leaving Tyler frowning in curiosity.

A full day passed before the Shadow Pearl finally neared its destination.

"We are here ...." Temptress said as she walked towards the deck. The others also stood behind her.

Out on the open sea, the vast shadow of a colossal ship loomed into view. Hundreds of Dragon Boats existed across the oceans, each serving as a trade hub under Dragon King.

This one was unlike the vessel Tyler and the others had encountered back in the Level 3 Fishery. Back then, they had barely been able to catch a glimpse of it from afar.

The first glimpse of the colossal vessel left crew breathless.

It wasn’t just a ship—it was an ancient titan moving upon the waves, a floating fortress that dwarfed even some tallcliffs he had seen in their journeys.

Even from miles away, its bow loomed into view, carved into the likeness of a dragon’s head.

The ship’s body towered hundreds of meters above the water, like an unending mountain rising from the ocean’s depths. The sheer scale bent his sense of perspective, making the sea itself seem small.

Ahead of the vessel, the ocean was split apart as though yielding to its passage. Schools of Crescent-Moon Fish trailed alongside in perfect harmony, their silver bodies glinting as they leapt from the waves, leaving arcs of water that shimmered in the sunlight. .

Further out, the water shook with deep, resonant Metal collisions. Tyler recognized it instantly— Metalic Fish, thousands of them, their calls blending into a chorus so loud it rattled his bones. Among them, Bull -Horned Sharks cut through the water, breaking the surface with massive splashes.

As the ship drew nearer, the spectacle only grew. Butterfly Fish danced above the waves, their translucent wings catching the light like fragments of crystal, fluttering in the sea breeze as though celebrating the ship’s arrival.

Then came the sound.

"Tooooot—!"

The dragon ship released a horn’s bellow that shook the heavens.

"That’s so loud..." Tyler said. He actually tried to use his divine sense to scan the ship but didn’t work probably due to the ship’s protective arrays.

In its shadow, the other ships seemed like ants beside a leviathan. Some darted away into the endless ocean, while others approached, carrying travelers eager to board.

From a distance, Tyler spotted more dots on the water— figures making their way toward this grand vessel, as though drawn into its gravity.

When his eyes returned to the hull, his awe only deepened. The entire body was built from colossal slabs of bluestone reinforced with timber, yet every surface was engraved with the artistry of ages. Dragon-scale patterns covered the hull, each etched with runic marks that glimmered faintly.

Tyler squinted, realizing they weren’t mere decoration. Each scale bore a miniature energy-gathering arrays, woven seamlessly into the design. If every single carving held such power, then the entire ship was not merely a vessel— it was a moving fortress for Immortal Practice.

He tried to peer toward the stern, but it stretched beyond the horizon. From bow to stern, the ship easily spanned thirty kilometers. It wasn’t a ship— it was an Island sailing the sea.

The vessel rose in five tiers, each deck narrowing as it ascended like a stepped palace. The lowest level was alive with noise.

Even at his distance, The crew saw fishermen lined shoulder to shoulder, reeling in catches with practiced motions. Their hooks carried all manner of creatures— shimmering Metallic Cutlet Fish, sleek Crescent sun Fish, armored beasts bristling with spikes, and even the rare purple Moon Sickle Fish.

The air itself was alive with sound— shouts, laughter, the clash of tools and weapons. Voices carried from the decks like the heartbeat of a city upon the water.

And it wasn’t without order. Along the edges of the ship stood armored guards, spears gleaming in the sunlight. Their stances were steady, their eyes sharp, as though even the endless sea could not sway them. They lined the corners and watchpoints, ensuring that this floating titan remained unassailable.

The Shadow Pearl guided it’s way across several miles of ocean. At last, They spotted it—enormous entryways carved into the sides of the ship like the gates of a fortress. Wide enough for dozens to enter abreast, they were guarded by stern-faced Immortal Practitioners in gleaming armor. Between the guards stood attendants dressed in ceremonial garb, welcoming arrivals and directing them inward.

"Looks like we have to dock the ship somewhere," Tyler said, his eyes scanning the massive wooden like structures stretching along the waterline.

"There’s a docking feature on the sides of the Dragon Boat," Myrtle explained matter-of-factly, running her fingers over the etched symbols in the railing. "But those arrays will only activate once you insert Aura or Prana Stones into the slots." She glanced back at Tyler with a sly grin. "And you know you have to insert a lot and lot."

"Dock it somewhere near the entrance," Tyler said to Tuman, who was already adjusting the controls in CIC room.

Su Fei, leaning lazily on her scythe, smirked. "I wonder if they’ll serve turtle soup here."

"I’m pretty sure they’ll be serving rabbit stew," Myrtle shot back instantly, her grin widening.

The two snorted at each other’s banter, their voices fading as the rest of the crew quickly busied themselves with the docking. Glowing lines of runes flared to life on the Dragon Boat’s walls, and in moments, the shadow Pearl shuddered to a halt, anchored in place as firmly as if nailed into the very sea itself.

"100,000 aura Stones for an Hour? That’s so expensive...." only then Myrtle understood why there are not many ships docked here.

Tyler didn’t care and threw a storage ring to Tuman and told him to take care of refilling the array.

---

On the Dragon Boat, A merman sat perched on a deck, happily tugging at his fishing rod. The silvery scales on his arms glistened as he hummed a tune, already imagining the meal he’d make from the wriggling fish on his line.

But then, he felt something. He blinked, frowned, and turned his gaze.

Darkness on the daylight?

He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

A vessel, black as midnight, was docking on the Dragon Boat. Dark mist is covering the whole vessel.

"That... is a ship?" he muttered, his voice cracked in awe.

Others along his side had noticed too. Fisherfolk, merchants, even a few guards halted what they were doing and craned their necks to watch. It’s just Shadow Pearl is one of a kind ship in the sea

"The ship that floats with darkness..." an old dwarf like man said loudly.

"It’s The Phantom Pirates..." a man in a hunter’s cloak muttered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade. His boss had ordered him to keep watch for these pirates.

He is from the Hunter Pirates – the very ones who had tangled with the White Merchant Group and defeated. Until now, they had avoided venturing near the Dragon Princess’s territory to seek them out to deal with the White Merchant Group.

Meanwhile, the mysterious girl whom Tyler had rescued from another world slowly opened her eyes.

Far above the endless sea, a young man guided a sleek flying boat through the clouds. His robes rippled with the wind, eyes widened in awe as the colossal outline of the Dragon Boat emerged on the horizon. That young man was none other than Ling Tian, another one who had ascended from Zi World. Though their paths had diverged, fate seemed eager to entwine his destiny with Tyler’s once more.

Deep within the Dragon Boat’s grand halls, a lone Immortal sat in quiet meditation. The hum of ancient arrays resonated around him, yet his breathing was steady, detached. The silence broke when a servant stepped inside, bowing low before speaking in a hushed but urgent tone.

"The Dragon Princess has boarded the vessel."