Eternal Night

Chapter 729 The Visit and the Past
The next day, Wu Pifu was still leisurely sitting on the high platform reading a book, but just his presence alone boosted the morale of the people working in the port area. Everyone was working while shouting slogans.

In reality, people in this world live a rather miserable life.

The oceans of this world are vast, but most of them are off-limits to humans, especially the Misty Seas, which are practically deserted. Other habitable seas are not covered by large continents, but rather by scattered small islands.

In this world, the largest island is only a little over 15,000 square kilometers, and it can still be called a large island. The main island is a paradise that everyone in this world yearns for.

You have to understand that in the 21st century, Hainan Island alone is over 30,000 square kilometers, and even places like Australia are over 7 million square kilometers. There's no comparison at all.

Land resources have limited the development of productivity in this world, as well as the development of civilization. Even with enough sea area to develop the Age of Exploration, the level of civilization in this world is still almost limited. The powerful and wealthy can enjoy land and seafood, but the common people live below the poverty line. Many people have to set sail in a dilapidated first-class ship, and their first voyage often ends in their death at sea.

In this world, having a stable job on land, even a lowly laborer's job, is a good life that most people envy. Xu Shilan, however, would never exploit the lower class like the powerful and wealthy in this world, so the wages she offered were actually quite high. Not only did she provide room and board, but the salary was also quite good. Moreover, if a worker performed well during the construction period, they would be given priority to be hired as laborers at the new port, and would be provided with temporary accommodation in the new port's employee housing area.

Such conditions are unheard of in this world, so how could these people not try their best to perform?
Looking at these natives of this world working, Wu Pifu felt pity. He couldn't do anything because of the circumstances, but since he was already here and the conditions allowed, he thought it wouldn't be bad to establish a territory-type shelter here and help the people of this world.

Just as Wu Pifu was sighing inwardly and planning to finish reading the book, the plot reached the point where a bald man got so angry that he recklessly went to beat up a ring, shattering more than ten universes in the process. Suddenly, Wu Pifu felt a sense of unease and looked up at the distant sea.

Not long after, a large ship appeared in the distance on the sea. Some sharp-eyed people had already spotted the ship. At first, everyone was a little puzzled, because how could anyone else come here besides the fleet that came with the Dog Egg?

A moment later, everyone showed expressions of horror, and some even turned pale.

Sea Emperor!

Only one ship arrived, but it was the most terrifying ship in the world... a legendary tier 9 warship, the Sea Emperor!!

However, no one has run away yet, after all, the legendary man who once defeated the Sea Emperor Baghdad is right behind them.

A moment later, the Sea Emperor approached, and the pirate flag hanging on the Sea Emperor slowly lowered. Everyone who saw this was astonished, because it meant that the Sea Emperor was not there to plunder or fight. This was a universally acknowledged unspoken rule in the world: once the flag was lowered, there would be no attack, especially for someone of the Sea Emperor's level, who would never resort to such petty tricks.

Because of this, although most people were still terrified, at least they could stand still. They saw the Sea Emperor stop on the sea a little outside the port, and then a small boat was launched on the sea. Several people boarded the small boat and arrived at the port area that the sea was building.

Baghdad was sitting in a small boat. As soon as he got ashore, he saw Wu Pifu sitting on a high place. He laughed and jumped down to Wu Pifu's side.

“I’ve come to talk to you about something. You don’t expect me to fight you to the death just because you see me, do you?” Baghdad asked.

Wu Pifu replied expressionlessly, "If there's wine, I wouldn't mind listening to you ramble on for a while."

Baghdad laughed heartily, waved to the Sea Emperor overseas, and roared, "Men, let the feast begin!!"

The crew of the Sea Emperor cheered, and soon, a large number of small boats were lowered, and boatloads of fine wine and food were brought ashore. Not only were Wu Pifu and Baghdad surrounded by food, but everyone in the port also received a piece of meat and a bowl of wine.

Wu Pifu picked up a jar of wine, opened it, and drank most of it himself. Then he poured the rest of the wine onto the golden tree bonsai. The golden tree, which had been quietly sunbathing, immediately waved its branches to slap Wu Pifu's face. Wu Pifu then flicked a piece of roasted meat onto the golden tree's branches, making it look as if the golden tree couldn't wait to eat the meat.

Baghdad stood by, somewhat stunned. He watched Wu Pifu's three small animals eating meat and drinking wine. Although the fist-sized fly bothered him a little, it was all normal. But this potted sapling…

"...Is drinking alright?" Baghdad couldn't help but ask.

Wu Pifu was about to open the second jar of wine when he heard this and was stunned, saying, "What? We can't drink it?"

Baghdad shook his head, ignoring the potted tree that kept waving its branches, and began to drink and eat meat as well. The two seemed to be having a drinking contest, each burying their heads in their food and drink. After a while, he said, "I'm going to the Misty Sea."

"Oh."

Wu Pifu gave an "oh" and continued drinking and eating meat.

Isn't this someone else's freedom? Everyone has the right to make their own choices, and as long as they can bear the consequences of those choices, they have no right to restrict other people's decisions.

Baghdad seemed to have anticipated Wu Pifu's response. He laughed heartily, then suddenly became serious and said, "You come from the outside world, not from the upper realm, right?"

Wu Pifu didn't deny it, and he nodded frankly, saying, "Yes, I come from a world outside this world, as do my teammates and the little animals." Baghdad nodded knowingly, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly said, "I... have been to the outside world before."

Wu Pifu was taken aback and looked at Baghdad seriously.

Baghdad took a sip of his drink and said quietly, "This brings us to our world. Our world is a corner of the Upper Realm, the Mountain and Sea Realm. It used to be, but that was thousands or tens of thousands of years ago. Then, due to a huge upheaval, it fell from the Upper Realm and became the Lower Realm of the Mountain and Sea Realm. It is also a passage to the Upper Realm, the Mountain and Sea Realm. However, our world is not stable. To go to the Upper Realm, you need a level 10 mythical ship. At the same time, cracks leading to the outside world will appear from time to time in the misty sea on the outer edge of the world."

Wu Pifu listened to Baghdadt speak without saying a word.

As Baghdad drank, he said, “Back then, I was just a small sailor. I followed an arrogant, drunken captain and dared to run into the Misty Sea. Then… we were attacked by sea kings. The ship was damaged, and most of us died. I drifted to a deserted island in the Misty Sea clinging to a plank, and there I happened to find a rift leading to the outside world.”

It was clear that Baghdad still felt some lingering fear about that experience. He touched his bald head and then pointed to the scars all over his face, saying, "Almost all of these scars on my body were left from that time, but I was also very lucky. I actually survived in that bizarre outside world and gradually awakened Haki, obtained a Devil Fruit, and even... I also learned another extraordinary path in that misty world outside."

Wu Pifu couldn't help but ask, "So you're not just relying on Haki, Devil Fruit powers, and the ship's extraordinary abilities? There's actually another extraordinary pathway that multiplies your abilities?"

"...Superimposed multiplication region?"

Although Baghdad was hearing this for the first time, he immediately understood what the superposition multiplier meant. He smiled and shook his head, saying, "No, the extraordinary power I have obtained is not for combat, so there is no superposition multiplier. This extraordinary power is called 'Knowing Destiny'."

"Knowing one's destiny?"

Wu Pifu was a little confused. If it was just the word "fate," then that would be incredibly impressive. But what did it mean to "understand fate"? Did it mean "a wise man knows when to yield"?

Baghdad didn't know how to explain for a moment. He thought for a moment and said, "You know what a priest is, right?"

Wu Pifu nodded in agreement, and Baghdad continued, "The priests themselves are not actually extraordinary beings. Their physical bodies are no different from ordinary people. Their extraordinary nature is manifested in their ability to communicate with higher, more majestic beings through sacrificial offerings. Fire, earth, ocean, fog... According to them, there are all things and spirits in the unseen realm, and they communicate with these things and spirits to obtain their power and rewards. For example, the same principle applies to ships recognizing their owners. And above all these things and spirits, there is a supreme and unique one... Heaven!"

Wu Pifu immediately understood.

This so-called ability to discern destiny is probably the ability to vaguely sense, or even communicate with, the being that cast a glance your way.

That seems to be the unified general consciousness of a transcendent world. If it is the unified general consciousness of the entire world, it would not be an exaggeration to call it the heaven.

Seeing that Wu Pifu understood, Baghdad breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The reason I came to Qiya Harbor was because I sensed the aura of the 'Heaven' of the Upper Realm. At least, someone or something carrying the aura of the 'Heaven' of the Upper Realm appeared there, you know? Originally, when the rumors of the Mythical Ship appearing were spread, I didn't believe it at all. Who could be fooled by such a trick? But... the 'Heaven' told me that the Mythical Ship has really appeared, and the journey to the Upper Realm once every thousand years is about to begin!"

"So you're planning to go to the Upper Realm?" Wu Pifu asked.

Baghdad didn't answer immediately. He stood up, looked at the sea, clenched his fist, and said in a high-spirited tone, "I survived a great calamity and returned from the mists of the outside world. At that time, I swore that I would stand at the top of the world, drink the strongest wine, play with the most beautiful women, fight the most powerful enemies, kill the most foes, and see the greatest scenery... I'm tired of this world. Even without the ship curse, I plan to go to the upper realm..."

"I will continue to stand atop that upper realm! To see the scenery there, to enjoy the women there, to plunder the wealth there, and to spread my fame throughout the entire upper realm!!"

Wu Pifu remained silent, then opened a jar of wine, tossed it towards Baghdad, and began to gulp it down.

Baghdad laughed heartily, raised his wine jar in return, and then smashed the jar. He turned and walked down the mountain, saying as he went, "As the only person in this world who has defeated me, I've come to tell you that I'm going to the Upper Realm. With your strength, you will surely be able to come too. Our next battle... I'll be waiting for you at the summit of the Upper Realm!"

As he spoke, Baghdad unleashed an incredibly powerful surge of Conqueror's Haki, and the purple lightning that erupted around him even caused slight cracks in space itself... His Conqueror's Haki had actually advanced to a new level, becoming even stronger than Wu Pifu's.

“Then… I’m going!” Baghdad turned his head and waved to Wu Pifu.

Wu Pifu also stood up and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. The two looked at each other, and Baghdad laughed heartily before turning and leaving.

Wu Pifu stood still for a long time, until the Sea Emperor had gone far away, before he got off again and drank the wine jar dry.

The Realm of Mountains and Seas...?

Not bad!
(End of this chapter)