Volume One: A Youth Enters the World Chapter 83: The Spiritual Detection Disc

Inside the ship's cabin, Fang Tian gazed at the piles of gold, silver, and spirit crystals strewn across the floor. Illuminated by the lantern’s glow, the entire hold shimmered with dazzling golden light. Clearly, these pirates had plundered many spirit ships—countless souls must have perished at their hands, truly unforgivable crimes. Were it not for his own cultivation and strength, which defied ordinary measure, he too might have fallen victim to them.

Fang Tian stepped out of the cabin and summoned the steward, instructing him to move all the valuables. Then, he returned to the cabin, making his way to a corner where he found a ladder leading downwards. Descending, he discovered the lower hold was filled mostly with foodstuffs—evidently their mess hall.

Continuing his exploration, he found yet another level below, accessible by a staircase, though darkness obscured whatever lay beneath. Curiosity piqued, Fang Tian used his spiritual power to enhance his vision, allowing him to see clearly in the pitch-black surroundings. He descended the stairs and, glancing around, noticed two people lying by a heap of burlap sacks.

Approaching, he saw a young man and woman bound together, covered in dust and grime, their bodies marred by wounds, and their mouths gagged with cloth. Seeing no movement, Fang Tian checked their breathing—they were alive. He removed the gags and gently shook them, trying to rouse them from unconsciousness.

The young woman slowly opened her eyes, and, upon seeing Fang Tian, mistook him for one of the pirates. Panic seized her, and she cried out in fear, “Don’t come any closer, I beg you, please don’t come closer!”

“Miss, don’t be afraid. The pirates have been dealt with. You’re safe now,” Fang Tian tried to soothe her.

Her eyes were vacant, still gripped by terror.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you outside immediately,” Fang Tian reassured her.

After a while, the young woman gradually recovered her senses. Though she remained frightened, she curled into herself and asked cautiously, “Are you telling the truth? You’re not lying to me?”

“I’m not lying,” Fang Tian replied. Seeing her so battered and abused, his hatred for the pirates only deepened. Such inhuman cruelty, to kidnap and torment an innocent girl.

He set about untying them, though the young man remained unconscious.

Perhaps overwhelmed by relief at her rescue, the girl suddenly threw herself into Fang Tian’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Having faced death, now granted hope, she clung to him desperately, unwilling to let go.

Tears streamed from the young woman’s eyes, soaking Fang Tian’s shoulder and dampening his clothes. Hearing her weep, Fang Tian sighed softly, his heart melting with compassion, and he let her cry as much as she needed.

After a time, her tears subsided. She withdrew from Fang Tian’s embrace, wiped her eyes, and, voice still trembling, said, “My name is Li Wan’er. Thank you, young master, for saving me.”

Fang Tian smiled. At that moment, the steward’s voice drifted down from above.

“My lord, all the valuables have been moved. Do you have any further instructions?”

“Prepare some hot water and food, then find two others to help this young lady upstairs.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

The steward surmised that the pirates had spared these two for some nefarious purpose. He called for two men to escort the girl above, while he returned to another spirit ship to order food and hot water prepared.

The two men descended into the hold. Fang Tian entrusted Li Wan’er to their care, and she glanced anxiously at the unconscious young man, asking, “Young master, how is my senior brother? Will he be all right?”

“He’s badly injured, but his life is not in danger. Go on ahead, I’ll bring him to you once he wakes,” Fang Tian replied.

“Thank goodness,” she sighed in relief.

“Come along, miss. With our lord here, you are safe,” the crewmen assured her.

Li Wan’er nodded, understanding there was nothing more she could do here and willing to place her trust in Fang Tian, her savior. She followed the men upstairs.

Once they had left, Fang Tian examined the young man’s injuries, helping him sit up and channeling spiritual energy through his palm into the man’s body to heal his wounds.

After some time, color returned to the young man’s face. Though not fully awake, he mumbled incessantly, “Don’t kill my uncle-master, don’t kill my junior brother, don’t hurt my junior sister—it’s all my fault…”

Clearly, he had witnessed his sect companions slaughtered by the pirates, unable to accept the trauma and now muttering in his sleep.

Fang Tian continued to heal him. After half an hour, the young man regained consciousness. Upon noticing Li Wan’er’s absence, he lunged at Fang Tian, roaring, “You beasts! What have you done with my junior sister? Release her! Since she’s gone, I have nothing left to live for—just kill me now! But mark my words, when my sect learns of this, you’ll meet your doom!”

Fang Tian was helpless in the face of this outburst. The man was still disoriented and traumatized.

“Friend, I saved your life. Is this how you repay kindness, with shouting?”

The young man froze, studying Fang Tian, and realized he wasn’t one of the pirates. His wounds felt better, and he was no longer bound. Even a fool would understand the situation now.

He clasped his hands in apology, embarrassed. “Forgive my offense just now. I meant no disrespect.”

“Your junior sister is safe, rescued by me. There’s no need to worry.”

“Thank you, young master. I am Zhang Cheng of the Clear Stream Sect. May I know your name?”

Clear Stream Sect—the very place he was heading. What a coincidence.

“Call me Tianyu. Since you’re awake, come upstairs with me. Can you walk?”

“It’s nothing. I am deeply indebted to you, Tianyu.”

“No need for such formality. Let’s go.”

“Very well.”

On the spirit ship, Fang Tian arranged for Zhang Cheng and Li Wan’er to rest. Seeing their poor condition, he ordered them to wash, eat, and sleep.

As for the pirate ship, after stripping it of all valuables, Fang Tian destroyed it with his sword. He would not risk the pirates returning to escape with it.

Once all was settled, Fang Tian instructed the steward to continue their journey, then retired to his room. There, he retrieved the third pirate chief’s storage artifact, curious to see what treasure lay within.

Searching through the contents, Fang Tian discovered an object that seemed to fit the description—a round disc, engraved on both sides with patterns resembling spirit arrays.

He thought back to the diagrams he had studied and soon recognized it: a “Detection Spirit Disc.”

He immediately channeled spiritual energy into the disc’s array patterns. Threads of energy flowed from the disc’s edge toward its center. Soon, the disc was enveloped in spiritual light and burst forth with a white radiance. A projection appeared, displaying a map dotted with points of light—some stationary, others in motion. It was truly marvelous.

Fang Tian moved around, noticing one of the light points moved with him, indicating his own position. He could also gauge each person’s cultivation level by the brightness of the points.

This, then, was how the pirates carried out their raids so brazenly at sea.

Fang Tian inscribed an isolation array on himself, testing whether his light point would vanish. Alas, it remained—he could not evade the disc’s detection.

“So, isolation arrays are useless? This must be no ordinary detection disc—ordinary arrays can’t escape its coverage. Seems I’ve stumbled upon a real treasure,” Fang Tian murmured in delight.

At that moment, Old Tian’s voice echoed in his mind, “Little Tian, this disc truly is remarkable. With it, you can avoid much unnecessary trouble on your travels. It seems ancient, likely crafted by a master arrayist.”

Fang Tian nodded. He had thought as much. Possessing this disc meant an extra measure of security.

Withdrawing his spiritual energy, the disc’s light faded and it returned to its unremarkable appearance.

Though he knew the method to craft such a disc, Fang Tian’s current skill was insufficient. To make a spirit disc required not only a soul cultivation of great depth, but also the right materials to bear the array, and profound understanding of the world’s forces.

The disc’s longevity depended on the quality of its materials. The one in Fang Tian’s hand, according to his references, was likely carved from Withered Spirit Luminwood, which grows only in places of utmost yin. The arrays inscribed on it would not easily lose their power, for the wood itself was imbued with spiritual energy, resonating with the forces of heaven and earth, allowing the array to last for millennia.

If made from ordinary materials, the array’s power would fade quickly, losing its effect as the world’s force dissipated, leaving only an empty shell.

Moreover, to inscribe an array on such a disc required a soul cultivation at the rank of Array Grandmaster or higher.

The disc could detect its surroundings, but also bear an attack array. The reverse side of Fang Tian’s disc was inscribed for attack, but it demanded an immense amount of energy—more than he could muster even at his utmost. He had no idea what kind of formation it held.

As for whether he could use spirit treasures saturated with heaven and earth energy to activate it, Fang Tian decided it was not the time to experiment. For now, he could only wait.