170: Chapter 170 Zhao Fangcai suppressed his feelings for the woman.

At this moment, Dai-Shih's eyes were misted with moisture, her skin flushed red all over, and her forehead beaded with sweat, as if she had just undergone a vigorous steam.

When she emerged from her bath, her entire mental state was completely different from before—she appeared radiant and energetic, with a complexion that was rosy and healthy.

It felt as though a heavy stone that had been weighing her down had been mostly lifted, leaving her whole body feeling clear and comfortable, even her breathing becoming much lighter.

"The master truly can heal my injuries!" "He is incredibly powerful!"

With a flame of hope ignited in her heart, when Dai-Shih looked at Zhao Fangcai again, an unconsciously visible trace of admiration flickered in her gaze.

Zhao Fangcai also noticed that she was only draped in a thin layer of purple gauze, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders, and her body exuding a delicate, orchid-like fragrance.

He couldn't help but take a few more glances at her—this woman truly was a captivating enchantress who could stir one's soul.

When her beautiful eyes moved, their depths seemed to hold the autumn waters;

Her figure was graceful and slender, her appearance a rare, peerless beauty in this world.

Her willow-leaf eyebrows looked as if painted with dark stone, her star-like eyes held tenderness within, and her lips were a pale pink like cherry blossoms,

Her nose bridge was exquisitely carved like jade, each feature beautiful enough to stir the heart, capable of making ordinary men lose their composure.

Zhao Fangcai sighed inwardly:

No wonder the Ming Cult of the Great Yuan had never forgotten her; it was because she possessed such a peerless countenance.

Fortunately, his self-control was strong enough not to be easily swayed by her beauty.

"The wedding date is approaching soon. If something were to happen with her now, wouldn't that be a betrayal to Yu Yan?"

Although Zhao Fangcai was not averse to beautiful women, and in the future, he might not have only Wang Yuyan and Mu Wanqing by his side, this first time, he wished to reserve it solely for his properly wedded, principal wife—to share that beautiful moment on their wedding night, accompanied by miles of red dowry and ceremonial music.

Suppressing the myriad thoughts in his heart, Zhao Fangcai asked Dai-Shih to explain in detail the situation of the Ming Cult's Persian headquarters.

According to Dai-Shih, the Persian headquarters was a sect led by the 'Old Man of the Mountain'.

However, the identity of this 'Old Man of the Mountain' was extremely mysterious,

and his methods carried an intimidating aura; even she could not clearly explain his specific origins.

The power structure of the Ming Cult's Persian headquarters was clear and defined:

The highest position was that of the Cult Leader. Beneath the Cult Leader were three Saintesses, seven Messengers, and twelve Treasure Tree Kings. Below them were the various branch cults affiliated with the headquarters, such as the Great Yuan branch, the Great Song branch, the Great Kang branch, and so on.

Each branch cult had its own Cult Leader, who would propagate the sect's teachings according to the local circumstances.

However, due to the vast distances and perilous journeys between the headquarters and the various branch cults, the Persian headquarters' control over the local branches was not particularly strong, and power was relatively decentralized.

As for the specific situation of the Great Song Ming Cult, Dai-Shih's understanding was not thorough, but she had once been in contact with the Great Song Ming Cult's 'Cult Leader Fang'.

Zhao Fangcai felt this was sufficient—with Dai-Shih's intelligence and talent, infiltrating the Great Song Ming Cult would not be a difficult task.

Moreover, unlike the Great Yuan Ming Cult, which acted flamboyantly, the Great Song Ming Cult had not yet faced full suppression from the Imperial Dynasty and operated more covertly.

In addition to this intelligence, Zhao Fangcai also learned from Dai-Shih about an Earth Rank Low Grade mental Martial Skill—'Spirit Bewilderment Art'.

This Martial Skill originated from the Persian martial arts system, specifically designed to train one's Mental Energy. It could both bewilder the mind, disrupt judgment, and control those with weaker Mental Energy.

Dai-Shih also held mastery over several other martial arts. Zhao Fangcai had her write them all down, which included martial texts such as 'Sea Tide Mind-Cultivation Technique', 'Purple Lightning Pierces Clouds', and 'Spirit Snake Acupoint Striking Hand'.

Among these martial arts, 'Sea Tide Mind-Cultivation Technique' was an Earth Rank Low Grade Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique; 'Purple Lightning Pierces Clouds' was an Earth Rank High Grade lightness skill and movement technique;

'Spirit Snake Acupoint Striking Hand', like 'Spirit Bewilderment Art', was an Earth Rank Low Grade Martial Skill. The remaining martial arts were relatively ordinary in level.

Among these martial arts, Zhao Fangcai was most interested in 'Spirit Bewilderment Art'—he happened to lack a specialized mental Martial Skill.

Such Martial Skills were famously unpredictable and versatile, often capable of subduing enemies imperceptibly, even taking their lives when they were off guard.

Prior to this, Zhao Fangcai had originally intended to seek top-tier martial arts like the 'Nine Yin Manual'. Now, having obtained 'Spirit Bewilderment Art',

although it couldn't be considered a top-tier martial art, it was still better than nothing. The key lay in what effects it could achieve in practical application.

Shifting focus to the location of Quanzhou Port.

Here, thousands of ships sailed the seas daily, white seabirds wheeled and danced above the waves, presenting a scene of bustling activity.

Since the Imperial Dynasty established the Maritime Trade Bureau here, Quanzhou Port had rapidly developed, becoming the largest port of the Great Zhu Dynasty.

On the docks, sailors and haulers came and went in a constant stream, merchants and travelers were too numerous to count, accents from various places interweaving into a lively and prosperous market scene.

A merchant ship flying the flag of the Great Zhu Dynasty was slowly approaching the shore.

"After a full half-month of sailing, we've finally arrived safely in the Great Zhu Dynasty!" The ship's captain wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face immediately breaking into an excited smile.

Their voyage, laden with goods to this place, promised profits over tenfold upon successfully trading the cargo and loading a shipment of local sundries for the return trip—this was the most attractive aspect of oceanic trade.

As the crew busied themselves unloading and organizing the cargo, Shangguan Haitang, dressed in white and holding a folding fan, stood quietly at the ship's bow, observing the port's bustling scene with keen interest.

When everyone on board had completed all port entry procedures and stepped onto the dock together, the moment Guihai Yidao's feet touched land, he let out a long sigh of relief, his face somewhat pale, as if finally freed from torment.

He and Shangguan Haitang had come here on the orders of the Iron Gall Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi—to investigate the true circumstances of the newly emerged 'Great Song Myth'.

But this journey had been sheer torture for Guihai Yidao.

Unlike Duan Tianya, who had traveled far to Liaodong and the Eastern Seas, this was his first time on a prolonged sea voyage. He had suffered severe seasickness throughout, and despite being at the Xiantian Second Realm, his current condition was surprisingly worse than that of ordinary sailors who lived on ships year-round.

Looking at Shangguan Haitang, however, she appeared completely at ease.

Disguised as a man this time, even after the long voyage, she could still hold her folding fan with a calm demeanor, showing no signs of fatigue.

Suddenly, Shangguan Haitang's gaze sharpened slightly. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of several figures flashing through the crowd, quickly disappearing into the depths of the busy port.

"What is it?" Guihai Yidao, noticing her anomaly, asked her.