Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 238 Sea Clan Welcome Ceremony - Fishing Island in the Distant Sea
Chen Mo was unaware that he had already been labeled as cunning and ruthless.

Honestly, he had no intention of instigating infighting among the elves. In his view, since the other party had given him the seed of the Tree of Life and he had verified its effectiveness, it was perfectly normal and a friendly gesture to give them a timely response.

However, there is a small misunderstanding here.

The elves had tried to make a compound bow themselves, and although the accuracy wasn't very high, they had a deep understanding of the production process and the difficulty involved.

Take a small pulley as an example. The best craftsmen in the elves would spend more than ten days carving and polishing it repeatedly to produce a usable replica.

We also have to consider the appallingly low yield rate.

In the words of a bow maker, "Behind every successful pulley lies at least three of its siblings!"

The product delivered this time was not only a finished product with exquisite craftsmanship, but also had a painted surface. According to Chen Mo, it was not only waterproof and rustproof, but also resistant to high and low temperatures.

Tech whizzes can understand it, but this speed is truly incomprehensible.

The elves racked their brains, but could only think of one way—divine grace!
Only the supreme power of the gods, who create things from nothing and from the void, can explain all of this.

So here's the question: why would the other party send such a "top-of-the-line" compound bow at such a high cost when they already have the "Seed of the Tree of Life," haven't promised a delivery time, and haven't even urged the elves to do anything?

It couldn't possibly be a betrothal gift for Liu Shuang's family, could it? It can only be understood as having some specific purpose!
Speaking of which, it's been so long since he's kept the young girl from Skyfrost City by his side, going in and out together, inseparable, without giving a clear explanation. Not only are the elves wondering about it, but the higher-ups in the Vast Ocean Territory and Skyfrost City have also been discussing it privately.

You might say the lord is a scumbag, but he's as clean as an ascetic. Aside from work, he never has any extra contact with any women. In his huge manor, there isn't even a maid to serve tea, water, or warm the bed. It's all rough old men and skeletons.

You might say the lord is devoted to one woman, but on a continent where noble children can marry at the age of eleven or twelve, your lord seems far too "pure and ascetic."

There's a rumor going around that: "Our lord is ambitious and feels it's unseemly to be ranked lower than Lord Liushuang. He might be suspected of being a kept man by those who don't know the truth, which is why he's been working so hard to cultivate and raise his rank before getting married."

"That's it!"

Everyone who heard this shook their heads: "If that's really the case, I'm afraid I won't live to see the lord's wedding..."

Chen Mo knew some of these rumors, and some he didn't, but the lord had no time to pay attention to them. After seeing the elves off, he went back to his non-stop work.

The most important task is to welcome the upcoming distinguished sea creature guests.

The lord kept his promise to the Naga people. Along his journey south and north, he posted high bounties in the Silver Duchy, the Stream Moon Federation, and the mercenary guilds in the Vast Sea Territory, seeking clues about the pirates who attacked the Naga islands.

How high is the bounty? Let's put it this way: if these pirates were willing to return the Moonshadow Buds and Pearl Coins they plundered, they would earn far more than they would sell those items on the black market.

Xi Lan, the representative sent by the sea tribe, expressed her incomprehension regarding this, saying that it was helping the pirates launder their stolen goods.

Chen Mo, of course, had a set of righteous and awe-inspiring arguments.

"Only a high enough price can sway others. If those pirates really come to complete their mission, that would be a good thing, as it would be like handing the clues to us."

"You came here to turn in your quest, so where did you get the items? You couldn't have just found them, could you?"

"Bought? Where was it bought, and from whom? My task description clearly states that a clear, definite, and verifiable source must be provided!"

"As long as you provide the source, we can investigate further. That's definitely more reliable than blindly searching like this!"

Xi Lan was still a little confused: "Then, they'll lie!"

"Don't worry, one lie requires a hundred more to cover it up. As long as we investigate, we will definitely find the flaws."

"Won't this... this will be a huge waste of money?"

Finally, he heard that sentence, and Chen Mo patted his chest heavily.

"Money isn't important; I think friendship with the sea creatures is more important!"

"Don't worry, if we still can't find out, I'll ask those charlatans in the Misty Moon Divine Court to ask for divine favor on your behalf..."

The little tide sorcerer panicked immediately, shaking his arms, dorsal fin, and entire body together: "No, no! We already know about the lord's affection for the sea creatures, really no need!"

After the sorcerer Xilan truthfully reported the above situation to the Naga, Cersei, the Daughter of the Tide, felt the sincerity of the Vast Ocean and, with a touch of curiosity that she had not set foot on land for a long time, led her sea-clan team across the vast sea frontier to report and visit the Vast Ocean territory.

Chen Mo showed extraordinary enthusiasm and respect for these Naga envoys.

And so, it was time once again, every few months or even every year, for Herland, the seasoned noble steward, to come into play.

"In the elven era, the elves loathed these fishy-smelling creatures and once decreed that 'those with fins are forbidden from going ashore!'"

"Therefore, we must wait until the elven delegation leaves before we can formally welcome the sea creatures, otherwise some unpleasant things may happen!"

Chen Mo patted Helan on the shoulder approvingly, signaling him to continue.

Helan cleared his throat and continued, "In the human era, the sea people were also disliked because these guys couldn't make fire in the sea. Eating raw meat was seen by our human ancestors, who revered fire, as a typical sign of being uncivilized, barbaric, and backward!"

"Perhaps the more people look down on you, the more you need to use rituals to highlight yourself. That's why the sea tribe's rituals are the most complicated and intricate among all the tribes!"

"Back then, I spent a full seven months learning the etiquette of the sea tribe. Don't worry, I will definitely handle everything perfectly for you!"

"Yes, it might cost a little more money..."

Chen Mo waved his hand generously: "Go ahead and do it. I also want to broaden my horizons!"

"As ordered!"

Emerald Bay's port has undergone several large-scale expansions and reinforcements, and is now a magnificent super-large pier.

In addition to Han Hai Ling's own ever-growing fleet, several passing merchant ships from the north have also made temporary stops here.

As a mysterious supply point that suddenly appeared, the Han Hai Territory slowly came into the view of other non-neighboring countries.

Today, after coordinating the arrival time and procedures with the sea creatures in advance, Han Hai Ling cleared out the central main pier and set up a grand welcoming scene.

Chen Mo came to greet him personally. At this moment, the lord was looking at the "Sea Clan Classical Etiquette Port Entry Procedure Form" in his hand with a bit of a headache.

Act One, The Tide.

Step 1, Sea Purification Ceremony; Step 2, Anchoring the Boat; Step 3, Ascending Steps; Step 4, Landing Ceremony;

Act Two, The Road to the Vast Sea. Step One, Glorious Procession; Step Two, Water-Flowing Carriage; Step Three, Nine Water Platforms; Step Four, Recitation of Poems and Call to Arms;

Act Three: Welcoming Guests at the Mansion Gate.

……

Chen Mo couldn't stand it any longer! He looked up and saw that the thin mist on the sea had just dissipated, and the rising sun cast golden rays on the shimmering water. Long, green seaweed, like two ribbons, was bound together by ropes and buoys in a large circle along the coastline.

The honor guard, carefully selected by the Han Hai Territory, stood on both sides, fully armored, with helmets covering their faces, and carrying long spears and giant axes.

Next up is the famous Tide-Guiding Technique among the sea creatures.

The distant sea seemed to rise slightly, and a gentle wave began to form. It was neither turbulent nor rapid, but rather steady and with a certain gentle rhythm, gradually rising to about a meter, its two sides extending continuously towards the horizon, like an infinitely long wall of water slowly advancing towards the dock.

Then came the second and the third waves, one after another, spaced tens of meters apart, like concentric circles, surging towards the shore in layers.

The waves were quite gentle, and the closer they got to the shoreline, the lower they became. Until the moment they touched the shoreline, they were silently submerged below the waterline without making a splash, as if the waves had never existed at all.

After a total of twelve waves crashed to the shore and melted away, the first step of the first act, the purification ceremony of the sea, was completed, and the sea creatures' ceremonial procession slowly rose from the water.

Lord Chen Mo glanced at his watch; fifteen minutes had already passed.

I should have known better than to come and watch this, it's not very interesting... But seriously, their control over the water is really impressive!

Next, the entire process was meticulous and methodical. I won't describe the overly complicated procedures one by one, but I will only talk about the water-flowing palanquin, which was somewhat interesting.

The lords of the Vast Sea and the Frost Heaven rode in carriages, while the sea creatures rode on the water.

Cersei led the way, with Xilan beside her, flanked by two rows of muscular, ferocious Naga royal guards. Beneath their feet, a clear stream of water flowed slowly forward along the deep blue carpet of the Vast Ocean Territory, known as the "Tide-Welcoming" carpet, carrying the sea creatures on their way.

The feeling was like the Naga standing on an automated conveyor belt made of flowing water, their bodies still, their dorsal fins facing the wind, looking somewhat ethereal.

In short, the entire welcoming process was like a show of skill for the sea tribe, with various water currents swirling and tides following. The Han Hai Territory, on the other hand, was like a display of wealth, with a velvet carpet stretching for over ten kilometers, a staircase made entirely of metal, water offering platforms every few dozen meters, and dozens of bards on both sides of the road, chanting and responding in the ancient sea tribe language.

Chen Mo had no doubt that if this kind of ceremony were repeated a few more times, even a relatively prosperous territory like Yunwu back then would go bankrupt.

These sea creatures really haven't learned any of the good habits of humans; they've only picked up the dregs!

At the end of the ceremony, as the sea creatures called out her name, Cersei, the one from the Eternal Sea, the will of the tides, the spokesperson for the waves, the heir to the Pearl Palace, and a descendant of the Naga royal family, stepped into the Lord's Palace, and the long ceremony finally came to an end.

Well, at least the water didn't flow into the city lord's mansion hall.

In total, it took Chen Mo three and a half hours.

A lot of time was wasted, but the effect was indeed quite good. Cersei's originally pale face actually looked radiant to Chen Mo, and her eyes were filled with joy.

Clearly, the exceptional hospitality shown by the Vast Ocean Territory deeply satisfied the sea creatures' need for recognition and respect. In the words of the little tide warlock, they had never been treated like this before.

After the guests and hosts took their seats, the two sides began a warm and friendly exchange.

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Mo finally revealed his true intentions.

Having spent so much effort, time, and money, this isn't a charity event, Chen Mo stated. The Vast Ocean Territory highly values ​​its friendship with the Sea Clan and hopes to establish a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial cooperative relationship. Of course, the lord also has a small personal request.

"This is my teacher, Master Towns, who has no other hobbies but fishing!"

"The teacher has a wish: to go to the open sea and see more different kinds of fish, fulfilling the dream of a fishing enthusiast."

"So, I wonder if it's possible to rent one or two remote islands from the Naga race, so that I can periodically send my teacher there to see the scenery of the deep sea?"

Fishing is not considered offensive to the sea creatures. The main food of the carnivorous sea creatures is fish, and there are quite a few fishermen in the sea every year. There have even been cases where high-ranking human warriors have accidentally entered the open sea in pursuit of a fish and fought with the sea creatures. Therefore, the Naga people can understand the feelings of the fishermen.

However, Chen Mo's request, which appears to be a trap, actually involves two very important rights.

The right to reside on the distant islands of the Starry Continent, and the right of passage for ships in the open sea.

Downs is going to fish on an island in the far sea, so it makes sense for him to build a small magic tower on the island for supplies, transport some food and water, and bring along a number of magic squires. As long as the other party agrees to rent the island, it is actually equivalent to handing over the right to stay to the Vast Sea Territory.

Then, Master Towns can't just walk to the island, can he? There must be ships to ferry him there.

Acquiring one island means gaining a sea route; acquiring two islands means gaining at least three sea routes. Furthermore, if the other side allows Master Towns to fish in that area, it's practically the same as having the right to free navigation in a designated area of ​​the open sea.

With the right to reside on distant islands and the right of passage for ships in distant waters, what can Chen Mo do? In reality, he still can't do anything, since he's on someone else's territory.

However, once there is one, there will be two. Every step taken out to the distant sea has immeasurable value and significance for the Han Hai Territory and the Dong Xia behind it.

For Cersei, it was clear that in a world that had no sea power, she was unaware of any problems with doing so.

Or rather, even if the Vast Ocean Territory has a few small islands at sea and a few ships coming and going, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. It's the sea people's own territory, so what's wrong with letting friends come over to play?
Having just experienced an unprecedentedly warm welcome, the Tide Maiden even took out a fish skin sea chart on the spot and drew an irregular circle on it with her long fingernails.

"This place, this place, this is my territory."

"These islands are off-limits, but you can pick one of the others!"

"However, it's agreed that you cannot cross the line, cause trouble, or release anything poisonous into the sea. Otherwise, the storms of the sea creatures will forever shroud every one of your ports!"

"If you follow the rules and behave well, we'll choose a new island for you in the future!"

Chen Mo chuckled: "We've known each other for so long, don't you know what kind of person I am? I sincerely consider the sea people as friends!"

After looking at the map for a long time and asking questions for a long time, Chen Mo finally chose a remote island that would have the least impact on the Naga race.

It is more than 300 kilometers from the coast.

A lavish reception ceremony was exchanged for an island deep in the ocean. Both sides felt they had gotten a great deal and had fully demonstrated their sincerity towards their friend.

Of course, now that Han Hai has control of this island, he must first give it a name.

"Simple, this island is for my teacher to fish on!"

"Let's call him DYD!"

(End of this chapter)