The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 371 - 370. Returning to Gaze Island

Somewhere in the North,

Within a dense and mist-laden forest, the air was thick with tension and secrecy. Hidden from the outside world, two groups—the Justice Bandits and the Silver Eye Pirates—were relentlessly searching for one elusive woman: Isadora Nightkiss, known across seas and skies as the "Manhunter." Their goal was not her life, but the mysterious Orion Cube Fragments said to be in her possession. Rumors claimed that assembling all fragments of the Orion Cube could awaken an ancient treasure or perhaps unlock a sealed realm. None truly knew the extent of its power, but that didn’t stop them from hunting it—or her—like starved beasts.

Among the Justice Bandits, the temporary leader of that small group, had gone alone in search of Isadora.

Suddenly, Masha paused, closing her eyes as a surge of memories and emotions flooded her mind. One of her clones had recently sent her memories and experiences it had gathered. As her lips curled into a slight smirk, she whispered to herself, "Tyler... huh? Interesting fellow."

This Masha—unlike her clone—was the main body is totally different. The version of her that had encountered Tyler was a fabricated persona, a Clone engineered with a slightly warped personality and an exaggerated sense of justice, specifically tailored to blend with the fanatics in her group. But this main Masha is a Warrior who just loves fighting.

She just found Tyler interesting that’s all.

What Masha didn’t yet know, however, was the greatest twist of all: the very man she had just labeled "interesting" was none other than Phantom Blackwood, the masked figure believed to have slain her brother Mash many years ago.

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Two days passed...

Tyler remained on the island to recover. After spending forty-eight hours meditating, refining his internal energy, and absorbing Aura and Prana, his injuries were mostly healed. By the third morning, his strength had returned to nearly seventy percent.

"Seventy percent should be enough," he muttered, rolling his shoulders as he stood up and stretched. The ocean breeze rustled his hair as he looked out at the horizon. "This island’s nice, but I don’t like being grounded for too long."

Beside him stood Su Fei, her three fox tails gently swaying in the wind, her expression unreadable.

"I assume we’re leaving?" she asked.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. Pack up."

But before he could activate the command to send her back into his pocket dimension, Su Fei spoke up again, her voice unusually soft. "Little Master... let me stay outside a bit longer."

He looked at her, slightly surprised. But then, he shrugged.

"Fine," he said, "You’ve proven useful. And let’s not forget, if you even think of turning on me, I can erase you with a thought."

Su Fei smirked, not insulted but entertained by the warning. "I wouldn’t dream of it, Little Master."

Though one of the powerful General of one of the Abyss Hunter Group from Abyss, Su Fei’s cultivation had been sealed. Now, within the Boundless World, her energy was reshaped through the Energy Conversion Art, transforming into 4-Star Divine Seeker level. But Tyler had further suppressed her cultivation, limiting her effective strength to that of a 5-Star Grandmaster. This way, she remained powerful enough to assist him, but never strong enough to betray him.

Together, they boarded a sleek flying boat, a small vessel fitted with floating arrays and layered with stealth enchantments. Tyler activated a series of Concealment Charms, covering their spiritual presence and even bending light around the ship’s hull.

Their destination? Gaze Island.

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Two Days Later – Gaze Island

Tyler arrived at Gaze Island after two days of uneventful flying, his small flying boat descending like a silver feather under the cover of concealment charms. The moment he landed near the docking zone, he noticed his crew’s familiar ship anchored safely near the port tower.

Tyler stored his flying boat.

Lily, Mathilda, Mana, Darla, and even the bag lifting gentleman octopus fishman Taka had returned from their shopping spree. The girls had a handful of new robes, accessories, enchanted fans, and strange trinkets Tyler didn’t bother asking the price of. They greeted him casually, but all eyes subtly shifted toward the woman standing behind him—Su Fei.

Although Su Fei maintained a calm expression and wore a modest outfit, her beauty, composed presence, and the faint pressure that rolled off her made everyone feel slightly tense.

"Why did you let her out?" Mathilda asked, not even hiding her suspicion.

"Don’t worry. She is not dangerous Yet." Tyler replied vaguely.

"Yet, huh?" Lily crossed her arms. "As long as she doesn’t cause trouble."

"No promises," Su Fei said with a soft smile, which only made Lily squint harder.

Tyler chuckled and walked over to the deck, where Darla greeted him with a radiant smile and a tall glass in hand.

"I made this for you," she said, handing him a Golden Pomegranate Juice with pride.

The drink sparkled faintly in the moonlight. It contained a chilled blend of sun-kissed pomegranate juice harvested from the high cliffs of Azure Flame Valley, swirled with a dash of sparkling spirit dew—a rare, calming ingredient that enhanced mental clarity and soothed the nerves. To balance its tartness, Darla added a gentle touch of white peach syrup and crowned the concoction with a soft, fluffy cloud of coconut foam, lightly kissed with moonflower nectar.

As Tyler took a sip, the drink shimmered faintly in his hands. A gentle warmth spread through his meridians, clearing away the fatigue from his recent travels. His muscles relaxed. His mind sharpened.

"Perfect," he muttered, and then patted Darla on the head. "You keep spoiling me."

Darla beamed. "That’s my job!"

After enjoying the drink, Tyler issued an order to Tuman, the stoic fishman navigator. "We leave tomorrow morning. Prepare everything."

"Aye, Captain."

Later that evening, Tyler explored the island out of curiosity. Gaze Island was known for being a neutral trading point for merchants, adventurers, and bounty hunters, but it was relatively quiet this time of year. The bustling streets had dimmed, and the taverns echoed with sparse laughter. After wandering a bit and purchasing a few basic supplies, he returned to the ship. Even Tyler found himself a bit... bored.

Su Fei followed behind him like a shadow. She also bought some things. Tyler felt little lazy to pay for every time she started shopping. So Tyler just brought her to the near Bank and created an Account for her. Then he just transferred 100 million Lydia into her account.

The next morning, the ship’s engines hummed softly as they powered up. A gentle beam of light descended from the tallest lighthouse on the island, enveloping the ship like a blessing. It quickly carried the ship and guided them back into the sea smoothly.

There is no Undocking fee.

The crew set off early. The Boundless Sea stretched endlessly, a shimmering blend of blues and silvers, illuminated by the light of the three moons. For three days, they didn’t spot a single ship or island—only the eternal waves and the occasional flying sea bird.

Su Fei sat on the deck, her legs crossed as she leaned over the railing with a fishing rod in her hands. She was silent, peaceful even, letting the hook sway lazily in the current. A few crew members (male) stole glances at her, unsure whether to approach or leave her be. She didn’t seem interested in conversation, only in the serenity of the sea.

In the CIC Room—the ship’s Command and Information Center—Tyler sat at the helm, reading through screens, maps, notes, and reports. The enchanted windows gave him a perfect view of the sea outside.

The stillness was broken by Tuman’s voice through the crystal comm.

"Captain, we’ve got something... We were supposed to reach Level 3 Fishery by tonight, but I’m picking up multiple distress signals from the area."

Tyler’s eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"Looks like pirates. The fishery might’ve been attacked. The signals are weak, but ongoing."

Tyler tapped the table. "Lily, get in here."

A minute later, Lily walked into the CIC room, holding a half-eaten snack. "Let me guess. We’ve got trouble?"

"We’re receiving distress signals from the Level 3 Fishery we were heading to," Tyler explained. "We haven’t seen any other islands, and our supplies are already tailored to a fishing port visit."

Lily leaned on the table and stared at the glowing map crystal. "We need fish. We skipped the last two islands because you insisted this fishery had giant prana-infused tuna."

"They did," Tyler said. "Key word being did."

Lily sighed. "If pirates are weak, we clean them up and get our fish. If they’re strong... we leave them a ’gift’ and run."

Tyler smiled. "I like your optimism."

"I mean if it doesn’t work. We can just go Mode - Shadow. It’s been while, but we have to make a comeback Debut. I am also curious how Ship’s Shadow Mode works." Lily said with a smirk.

Tyler looked thoughtful. "Alright... To the Fishery."

Outside, Su Fei pulled a shimmering fish out of the water with a flick of her wrist. She stared at it for a second, then tossed it into the nearby cooler without a word.

The ship picked up speed.