Night fell, and a bright moon hung high in the sky.

An unnamed, desolate island.

The Ghostly Flood Dragon looked like a dark mountain range. Its anchor dropped, and it lay quietly moored in the coastal waters.

The deck was empty. Following Su Ye’s orders, the crew had all returned to their rooms, shut their doors tight, and were forbidden to go outside.

The Captain’s Cabin.

Su Ye, dressed in a black robe, sat cross-legged, his eyes shining brightly.

HUM.

His Storage Pouch flashed with light.

The pebble-sized Sea Successor Remains emerged. Su Ye’s Magical Power seized it, suspending it in mid-air.

It emanated a magnificent, crystalline, ethereal blue light that flickered continuously, like the most expensive and gorgeous of gemstones.

’It’s really beautiful...’

’But this piece of Sea Successor Remains... it seems a little different from the other one I have?’

Su Ye’s heart stirred as he sensed something.

In the state of [Harmony], aboard the Ghostly Flood Dragon, Su Ye’s Spiritual Sense expanded, allowing him to perceive the most minute details.

He could clearly sense it.

Compared to the Sea Successor Remains he had obtained from the Voodoo Corpse,

this piece was not only larger, but its interior seemed to possess some kind of activity—a throbbing, rising life force?

The activity was extremely faint.

Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator might overlook it if they weren’t paying close attention.

But with his captain’s perspective, Su Ye clearly captured this trace of activity!

’Remains that fell who knows how many years ago and have completely mineralized... can actually produce a trace of activity?’

’Sea Successors... what exactly are they?’

Su Ye clicked his tongue in wonder, his eyes filled with surprise.

However, it was just surprise. This matter had nothing to do with him.

’It’s not like I’m a giant spider crab or some other Sea Successor Mutant Species, planning to integrate this thing into my body...’

Although, judging by the giant spider crab’s performance, successfully integrating it would probably bring great benefits.

’But obviously... the probability of success is very low!’ Su Ye sneered inwardly.

’After all, if it were easy, why are the Sea Successor Mutant Species in the Dongning Sea Region so few they can be counted on one hand?’

Clearly, even with the physical fortitude of a demonic beast,

fusing with Sea Successor Remains and undergoing a bloodline mutation was a life-or-death gamble.

It was something only those blessed by fortune could achieve.

’I won’t get involved in that kind of thing... I’ll just honestly use the Sea Successor Remains to upgrade my spirit ship, which will guarantee my path to Foundation Establishment.’

Su Ye was clear-headed, cutting off any greedy thoughts.

For now, he would rely on his panel’s special ability and follow the system of the immortal path.

It was a well-trodden path verified by countless others, and he would walk it steadily, one step at a time.

Even if he were to make improvements or optimizations, it would be after becoming a high-level cultivator, not during the Qi Refining stage where he’d presumptuously attempt so-called ’innovation’.

But just then, Su Ye’s heart stirred, and his expression changed slightly.

BZZT!

Information appeared on the panel, which had been dormant for a long time!

[Class Change Item Detected]

[...Analyzing and identifying...]

[Class Change Item: Sea Successor Remains (Extremely Weak Activity). Can be used to change class to: Pastor of the Sea]

[Class Change Condition: Tide Hunter Lv. 10... (Class change item is incomplete; analysis failed)]

[Exclusive Skills: ... (Class change item is incomplete; analysis failed)]

’This thing can not only be used to upgrade my spirit ship, but it can also serve as a class change item?’

Su Ye’s eyes lit up, filled with delighted surprise.

In all these years, he hadn’t seen a single class change item.

For one, the panel originated from a sailing game, so only items with strong relevance could provide a class change.

For another, Su Ye was already a [Tide Hunter], and finding a class change item that fit his criteria for further advancement was inherently difficult.

If the initial class, [Seaman], was equivalent to a ’newly enlisted soldier’ or a ’newly hired employee’,

then [Tide Hunter] was already an elite core member with a certain status, like an ’officer in the army’ or a ’manager in a merchant guild’.

The class change item for the latter was obviously much rarer than for the former.

’I never expected that active Sea Successor Remains could be used as a class change item...’

’After I reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll definitely have to scour the lands and seas, sweeping through the Dongning Sea Region to collect Sea Successor Remains...’

Su Ye made up his mind, setting a goal for himself for after he reached Foundation Establishment.

As for this piece of Sea Successor Remains, he would naturally consume it first to upgrade his spirit ship to Tier 2 and aid his Foundation Establishment.

The class change item was just an unexpected bonus.

Su Ye wouldn’t let it affect the plan he had already made.

He didn’t feel it was a pity to consume this piece of Sea Successor Remains with its faint activity.

’I can always find more Sea Successor Remains...’

’Besides, this is just an incomplete class change item...’

’What’s more, the power boost from a class change takes time to accumulate, and right now... what I lack most is time!’

Su Ye’s gaze was clear, the pros and cons laid out distinctly in his mind.

At this thought, he no longer hesitated and opened the ship’s panel.

"Ghostly Flood Dragon, advance!"

...

The Sea Successor Remains fell to the floor and merged into the ship’s hull!

HUM!

The next moment, the entire hull of the Ghostly Flood Dragon suddenly shuddered.

Su Ye’s eyes flashed as he activated his [Captain’s Perspective] to oversee the spirit ship’s advancement.

At that moment, deep in the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s hold,

countless piles of spiritual wood and spiritual iron shattered in an instant, moved by a surge of invisible force.

However, this was not destruction!

It was more like an extraction, a purification!

After the Spiritual Objects shattered, their spiritual matter didn’t dissipate into the world as it normally would.

Instead, the spiritual matter began to coalesce.

After a few breaths of time,

the numerous Spiritual Objects in the hold had transformed into a pearlescent white, semi-liquid substance that contained pure spirituality!

This utterly pure spiritual matter settled in the hold and seeped into the planks of the ship’s bottom.

Then, as if it were alive,

it started from the ship’s bottom and extended up through the hull, branching out and spreading like a spiderweb...

「After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,」

across the black Ghostly Flood Dragon, pearlescent white lines of light, like the meridians and blood vessels of a human body, crisscrossed and meandered, covering the entire hull!

At the same time, the shimmering, flowing pearlescent substance merged into the hull like blood!

As the pearlescent substance was consumed, the strength of the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s hull increased at a visible rate!

In addition, parts of the ship’s structure also changed slightly.

The changes were extremely subtle.

But they made the ship’s form more natural and fluid, giving it a seamless, organic grace!

Besides the hull, the biggest change was to the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Array!

The pearlescent substance seeped into the hull, building upon the original triple Array, constantly developing and strengthening it...

The changes to the Array were so complex that Su Ye was left dazzled and dizzy.

’I don’t understand...’

A troubled look appeared on Su Ye’s face. He couldn’t understand the changes happening to the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Array at all.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered.

Relying on his Spiritual Sense, he forced himself to memorize a portion of the Array’s transformation.

Su Ye had a premonition that what was unfolding before him were the profound mysteries of the Dao of Arrays!

’Tier 2? No... definitely higher. Tier 3? Tier 4?’

’Forget it, I’ll just memorize as much as I can!’

「One hour later,」

the pearlescent substance was exhausted. It slowly faded, revealing the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s jet-black hull!

At this moment, the black warship was like a dark emperor on his throne, as majestic as hell and as vast as the abyss!

It lay moored quietly on the sea, and its mere presence was enough to captivate the soul!

The Tier 2 spirit ship was thus achieved!

...

...