023- The blackwater

When they arrived back at their dorm they quickly took a long bath and afterward proceeded to the inner court official.

" We would like to become inner court disciples." The old man in charge of the inner court was one of the 12 sect elders when he saw the group and took a quick glimpse of their individual cultivation he was shocked to see their quick improvement over the course of only 1 year.

he contacted the sect master and awaited his approval.

After a while, he received the approval and zoe's group were given the inner court robes and 500 soul points.

They have already all reached the required cultivation of at least the 5th stage of the soul-shattering realm. When they arrived at the inner court area they quickly bought a house that only amounted to 5000 soul points the house was 800 square meters with a fully furnished interior 4 bedrooms.

" We should get going soon should we go back to the cave and go deeper ?." Zoe asked for the past year all they have been doing was killing and hunting inside the cave.

"Why don't we get a mission outside the sect I think it would be a wonderful experience before the competition. "

The group agreed.

There was more than 100 requests on the board ranging from 1 soul points "gather me a rank 1 pill" to something as high as 10,000 soul points.

"This one could be a great start. " Aliza said as she handed out a request and showed it to the group. "It said that we will be traveling to the Nofield, isn't this one of the great 4 countries besides the Brandow deep the distance between our two countries is very great we will need to rent or ride a boat to get there,"Zoe said

" the requirement is 5th stage soul-shattering realm I don't know how long this mission will take with the sect will be picking the inner court and core disciples who will go to the martial arts competition in 6 months time, we should assure that we will return on time."

They took the request, but before they left they converted some soul points to rank 1 qi stones the conversion was 10 soul points to one rank 1 qi stone they converted 3000 soul points to qi stone each each received 300 rank 1 qi stones.

The docks were full of mortals and cultivators combined there were large boats docked most of them were of rank 1-2 quality.

" that boat seems like it can take us there let us ask." since they were all wearing veils they did not attract that much attention.

The woman in charge of the boat had a rough look and was a cultivator a the 7th stage of the Qi foundation realm in this parts of the world her realm makes her someone to fear. " I can take you there but it will cost you this much money." She raised her fingers.

"That is ?" zoe asked.

" 5000 gold." she said.

Zoe and the group looked at the rank 2 ship that seems like it was about to shatter, but after asking around no one was willing to take them since the path was very dangerous and since none of them can fly or pilot a boat they can only find someone who can take them.

"Deal."

Zoe handed her 5 rank 1 spirit stone. When the captain saw this she was shocked and looked at her on a new level no one was willing to trade spirit stone for gold.

" When will we leave ?". she asked.

" Can we leave now ?" zoe asked.

the captain nodded as she ordered her men to ready the ship.

Inside the deck zoe and her group are in the top deck looking at the majestic ocean.

"Captain you struck rich this time." A crewmate said.

the captain punched the man in the head " Don't bother them, they must be from the sect having that much money must mean they must be really strong."

Emma:" The captain said that we will arrive in 2 weeks' time, if no monsters were to attack us."

Zoe nodded." you should take this time to cultivate, I'll watch over." she said to both aliza and Emma.

Ding.. dingg a loud bell sound can be heard from the middle of the ocean during the late night. "Blackwater !" she shouted waking up her crewmates who were all asleep back on deck.

Zoe noticed a large ship more than 50 meters wide and 75 meters tall it looked like a large building. " Captain Agnes what is that boat ?. "Zoe asked.

" blackwater, the terror of the quiet ocean I did not expect our luck to be this bad, be careful when the cultivator from that ship boards us you must not reveal any weakness I might not see your face, but I can tell that your group are very beautiful individuals blackwater cultivators are rouge cultivators who does robbing as a living." Agnes said.

The large ship stopped and 7 large men arrived they but when you look a little closer at the top of the boat there were many masked men and women who were looking at agnes ship with fun.

the 7 large men all had a cultivation at the 4th stage of the soul-shattering realm there eyes shows no emotion and they were all wearing the same mask. The 7 men inspected agnes ship like trying to find treasure.

Finally, they reached Zoe's group " Take your veil off." one of the large man said

Zoe smiled "And what if we don't ?"

The masked man gathered towards them and released their intent but Zoe was not affected, instead she released her own cultivation Emma and Aliza arrived afterward supporting Zoe the 7 men were being pushed back.

The masked men watching from the top of the ship were surprised. "Capture them"

The masked men attacked a fight occurred between Zoe's group and the 7 men, but in minutes the 7 men were getting pushed back, Zoe's group was not the same people they were 1 year ago Aliza with her cultivation at the 5th stage and coped with a cultivation technique that was made especially for her from William was easily defeating 2 of the masked men.

On the other side, Emma was laughing while pushing back the other 2 with her cultivation at the 6th stage these two were no match for her skills.

Meanwhile, Zoe was having fun, she has handled even an 8th stage beast by herself in just a matter of minutes the masked men that were following her got their cultivations crippled.

The masked men and women onboard blackwater were in uproar they did not expect to meet such strong cultivators.

Agnes and her crew had there hair standing throughout the entire fight they did not expect the group of zoe to be that strong.