"If they're your friends, then they're no outsiders." The woman surnamed Tao looked toward Yang Kai and the others, nodding slightly with a faint smile on her face.
Yang Kai and his companions naturally hastened to bow. "Greetings, Senior."
Wei Que said, "These three have had rough lives — just like Little Sun Sprout, they have nowhere to go and no other connections out here beyond the realm. I've already made them a promise: if they're willing, they can stay in Great Moon Prefecture in the future. What do you think, Junior Sister Tao?"
"That's perfectly fine. I defer to Senior Brother's judgment." The woman nodded. "I'm sure the Chief won't refuse newcomers either."
"Then it's settled." Wei Que chuckled and turned to Yang Kai and the others. "You've been traveling hard and must be tired. Go get some rest first."
He turned to the grinning young man from earlier. "Meng boy, find them a few guest rooms."
"Yes, sir!" The young man responded eagerly and waved Yang Kai over. "Please, follow me."
Yang Kai and the others had no objections and quickly followed.
Crossing the deck and stepping into the hull of the ship, they headed downward. The young man was a natural socializer, chatting away as he led the way. "Let me introduce myself first — my name is Meng Hong. What should I call you all?"
Yang Kai and the others each gave their names, and introductions were thus made. They addressed him as Senior Brother Meng.
Meng Hong said, "The person who brought you here earlier is one of our Great Moon Prefecture Elders — you probably already know his name. The other one is Elder Tao Rongfang..." He turned his head and lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Between us, Elder Tao has a thing for Elder Wei. Problem is, Elder Wei is as dense as a log and still hasn't noticed."
Women tended to perk up at gossip like this, and Die You's interest was immediately piqued. "Elder Wei really has no idea?"
Meng Hong sighed. "Right? I honestly don't know how his brain works. The whole of Great Moon Prefecture knows about it, but he's the only one who can't see it. Sometimes those of us Disciples really want to crack open his skull and see what's actually rattling around in there."
The words were so funny Yang Kai couldn't help but smile. "Senior Brother Meng, aren't you worried Elder Wei might overhear and give you trouble?"
"No, no, no." Meng Hong waved dismissively. "Elder Wei is a great person. Sure, he looks rough — built like a bear — but he's actually wonderful to us Disciples. He's never once scolded or hit any of us. Of the five Elders in Great Moon Prefecture, he's the most popular among the Disciples. You wouldn't believe how many senior and junior sisters want to marry him."
"Elder Wei really is a fine person," Yang Kai agreed with a slight nod. Although he hadn't known the man long, sometimes even a brief encounter was enough to see a person's character for what it was. His impression of Wei Que was certainly not bad.
Meng Hong grinned. "The other Elders are great too, and the Chief as well. Basically, Great Moon Prefecture is a wonderful place. You may end up joining, and once you've been around long enough, you'll see for yourself."
As he spoke, they arrived at their destination. Meng Hong showed the three to their rooms and then took his leave.
The quarters weren't particularly spacious, but at least they were private rooms. Yang Kai glanced around, then sat cross-legged on the bed and entered a meditative state, regulating his breathing.
He had found the people of Great Moon Prefecture and successfully delivered A-Sun to them. But what to do next still left him hesitating. The people here had given him a reasonably good impression — and one could judge the forest by a single tree. This faction seemed like a harmonious and cohesive one. Joining them would likely provide a decent environment for Cultivation.
But Yang Kai hadn't come out here beyond the realm for the sake of Cultivation alone. He had matters of his own to attend to. If he joined Great Moon Prefecture, he'd be stamped with their brand, and leaving later would not be so simple.
Moreover, Great Moon Prefecture wasn't considered particularly powerful out here beyond the realm. The Cultivation resources he could gain by joining were limited. Yang Kai had set his sights high and had far to go — he couldn't afford to let himself be boxed in.
His head beginning to ache from all the thinking, Yang Kai stood up and made his way back to the deck.
Quite a few people had come from Great Moon Prefecture this time — in addition to the two Elders, there were over a dozen other Disciples — but the deck was empty at the moment.
Standing at the ship's railing, Yang Kai gripped the gunwale and gazed out at the Sun Star in the distance. Perhaps because the solar fire was on the verge of dying out, the entire Sun Star had taken on a dark crimson hue, like a massive piece of iron heated to a dull red. Waves of scorching heat radiated outward ceaselessly, and even through the protective formations aboard the great ship, Yang Kai could still feel the oppressive warmth.
"Junior Brother Yang!" A voice came from behind. Yang Kai turned to see Meng Hong approaching and cupped his fists. "Senior Brother Meng!"
Meng Hong walked over, glanced at the Sun Star in the distance, and let out a low whistle. "Impressive, isn't it? Forget about you — even I've never seen anything like this. First time in my life. When I go back and tell the junior brothers, they're going to be green with envy."
Yang Kai chuckled, easily picturing the scene. "Senior Brother Meng, I've heard that Sun Star True Gold might be forged within the Sun Star. Is there any truth to that?"
Meng Hong's expression turned serious. "Where there's smoke, there's fire. If everyone's saying it, then it's probably real."