Chapter Thirty-Six: The Three Realms of Cultivation—Ants, Fellow Daoists, and Elders

Wang Cheng followed the crowd and turned to look, only to see a petite young girl lurking furtively by the gate of Phoenix Lin Hall, showing just half her face.
Her figure and appearance were hard to discern, but her sneaky demeanor was so pronounced that Wang Cheng instinctively clutched his purse.
He then recalled that all his money had long gone to pay his tuition, not a single copper coin remained.
If a thief tried to steal from him, they would only pity him and perhaps leave two coins to help the poor. With this thought, he relaxed and lowered his hand.
Shen Yuting, unaware of his disciple's small gesture, kindly beckoned to the girl outside:
“It’s Shu Shu, isn’t it? Come in quickly. The batch of porcelain has already been appraised.”
He turned to introduce her to Wang Cheng:
“This is Han Shu Shu, the niece of Han Zezhang, the Flood Mouse, one of the eight major captains—she’s from the Sea Salvagers. You’re of the same generation, much like yourself; she’s already ignited her heart lamp and will soon be admitted to the ranks.
The batch of Yunmeng blue-and-white porcelain I just showed you was brought in by Shu Shu.”
Wang Cheng sighed inwardly.
“So the porcelain already has an owner. My hopes of capturing a trove of monkey-brain sea urchins are likely dashed.”
He should have realized sooner—‘Sea Salvage Porcelain’ obviously referred to wares retrieved by the Sea Salvagers.
Sea Salvagers were officials whose duty was to recover treasures from the deep ocean.
Beneath the vast, boundless sea lay endless riches from dynasties past: gold, silver, rare antiques—these were their prey.
In Wang Cheng’s view, the Sea Salvagers were much like the Tomb Raiders and Mountain Movers, only one worked land and the other water—a sort of maritime grave robber.
After all, every sunken ship concealed the remains of dozens or hundreds of crew and sailors, and who knew which ship might have become haunted.
It was like opening a blind box—the dangers rivaled those of ancient tombs.
He had already met the chief of his own faction, Han Zezhang, the foremost Sea Salvager in Moon Harbor.
With this connection to the Flood Mouse, how could Wang Cheng expect to get a share of the spoils?
While these thoughts swirled, the girl entered.
She wore a green ruqun, stood barely one meter fifty, and was rather delicate in appearance.
But whether by looks or by name, she seemed a gentle lady—hard to imagine she was a Sea Salvager in training, dealing daily with sunken ships, corpses, and river drifters.
Shen Yuting introduced his proud disciple to the girl.
“Shu Shu, this is my newly accepted fourth disciple today, Wang Fugui.
All family here, so you two can get acquainted.”
Wang Cheng quickly clasped his fists and called out,
“Sister Han.”
As both held official posts within the Water Division’s thirty-six halls, a certain camaraderie existed; addressing each other as siblings was not presumptuous when no interests clashed.
Han Shu Shu was a beat slower, puffed her pale cheeks, and, out of respect for Shen Yuting’s position as Hall Officer, shyly addressed the boy, who looked little older than herself,
“Brother Wang.”

This made her seem even easier to bully.
Wang Cheng found her reluctance amusing, recalling a “code of the rivers and lakes” he’d once heard from certain captains at Five Peaks Banner.
Court officials were divided into nine grades, but in essence, only three: lower, middle, and upper.
These corresponded to three vivid realms: Ant Realm, Peer Realm, and Senior Realm, plus a fourth, Junior Realm, outside the main three.
Out in the world, regardless of official rank, anyone inferior to oneself belonged to the Ant Realm—out at sea, without restraint, ants could be crushed at will.
Those of equal strength were peers, warranting mutual respect and caution.
Anyone stronger belonged to the Senior Realm—one should keep distance, greet them with a smile, and never provide a reason for trouble.
As for the Junior Realm, these were weaker but had strong backing—never to be provoked, the classic second-generation types.
No one could escape these realms when traveling.
The ideal “rivers and lakes” was a world where “those below me are tightly ordered, those above are all equals”—a biting irony.
If not for the fact neither had formally joined the ranks, both still belonged to the Ant Realm; Han Shu Shu might never have called him brother so easily.
Wait! Han Shu Shu had Flood Mouse Han Zezhang behind her, and Wang Cheng now had Shen Yuting—neither were ants, but juniors with powerful patrons.
While Shen Yuting helped his disciple build connections, he didn’t forget business.
He took from the porcelain box an appraisal letter he’d written himself, unfolding it for Wang Cheng to see.
The appraisal matched his earlier description exactly, and included a brand-new hand-drawn Needle Route Map—essentially a modern nautical chart.
It recorded voyage times and distances, compass bearings at specific ship positions, notable landmarks for navigation, and information for star navigation: the positions of sun and moon, water depth, mud and reef data.
Others might find the map inscrutable, but Wang Cheng’s ancestors had served as ship navigators and fire chiefs in the treasure fleet, wielding the golden compass and guiding the fleet across the seas.
Their legacy, the “Fair Wind Navigation Guide,” specialized in this very art.
Wang Cheng’s appraisal skills were at least half bluff, relying on Four Seas Treasure Coins to cheat his way into expertise.
But if tested in star navigation, he could confidently claim—aside from his master, everyone present was a novice compared to him!
A single glance and he understood the map, even pinpointing the likely location of a sunken ship teeming with monkey-brain sea urchins.
The wreck lay about two days’ sail northeast of Moon Harbor, near an island off the usual routes.
His master’s skill with Six-Yao Golden Coin Divination was truly uncanny—tracking origins with near magical precision.
Whether he’d divined the presence of monkey-brain sea urchins remained unknown.
After teaching his disciple through the sea-salvaged porcelain, Shen Yuting handed the appraisal letter to Han Shu Shu.
She cheered upon seeing the Needle Route Map, thanking him repeatedly:
“Master Shen, you’re amazing! I finally have a solution for my ritual in December.”
Zheng Qian quietly explained to Wang Cheng,

“Junior brother, these Sea Salvagers’ ritual falls on the third phase of Great Cold, ‘Waters Harden Within,’ which this year is December 20th.
To advance, the candidate must independently salvage a treasure from a sunken ship.
Moon Harbor’s situation is delicate—Flood Mouse Han Zezhang can’t leave.
He doesn’t want to waste a year, so Sister Shu Shu will likely take the Han family’s ritual talisman and sail out to perform the rite herself.
Pinpointing the location isn’t enough—lacking manpower is another big problem.”

Wang Cheng’s heart stirred.
Short on manpower? Ask me!
I’m useful and cheap.
Sure enough, Han Shu Shu smiled shyly, her two pale fingers nervously pressed together:
“Master Shen, you know the current situation—my advancement ritual must be completed alone, no help from other officials, at most a few candidates and ordinary folk.
Even with our own, trust is scarce. Could you, as Hall Officer, arrange a helper?
As agreed yesterday, after the ritual, you’ll get thirty percent of the finds, and I’ll forgo any extra spoils.
Most importantly…”
She hesitated, embarrassed:
“I get lost easily at sea. Could you find me an experienced navigator and fire chief?”
A Sea Salvager needing to venture everywhere, yet always getting lost?
Wang Cheng wondered if joining her voyage was a hasty idea.
Yet this niece of the Flood Mouse always called herself “Shu Shu,” which sounded like “Mouse Mouse,” and for some reason, this quirky habit seemed oddly cute to him.
Add in the lure of monkey-brain sea urchins, and he could accept it.
She’d made this request before, but Shen Yuting, unable to find a suitable candidate, was troubled. Now, glancing at Wang Cheng, his mind was made up:
“Fourth, only White Water Men or Star Navigators can serve as fire chief navigators. I already recognize your skill in appraising treasures.
How’s your star navigation?”
Suppressing his excitement at the opportunity, Wang Cheng nodded humbly as before:
“I know a little, just a touch better than metallurgy.”
Shen Yuting and Zheng Qian exchanged a knowing look:
“Understood, we’re in good hands!”