Chapter 554: On the Airship (2)
As Shui wasn't clear on how long the procedure to board the airship would take, they went straight to the air-dock, where operational airships landed and lifted for takeoff, by taking one of the carriages. Since it was a free service, there was even less of a need for a living driver and none of them had any complaints regarding its performance. As for other aspects such as its appearance, there were only minor dislikes.
The air-dock was a large circular building with a mostly open ceiling similar to a coliseum. The idea to peep inside with his perception did come to mind, but Shui restrained his impatience and led the way to the entrance. He was stopped by the guards, but they treated them with courtesy even before he took out their documents. Shui wished that the previous guards had at least a fraction of this level of service, but he didn't spend too long grumbling.
Once they were inside the building, an employee immediately came to escort them to the waiting room. There weren't a lot of people there, but it wasn't strange if one considered the fact that few had the privilege to travel by airship. About an hour later, they went through a round of checks and verifications before being allowed to board the airship through a door at the bottom. During the checks, the twins had been worried that their disguises would be seen through despite Shui's assurance, but in the end everything went fine. Mutation control could change the biological structure of a creature, so even the advanced technology of Windwave City was useless against it.
They were led into the interior of the airship through a metal hallway, but at the end of the path was a wide hall that split off into many separate corridors. The hall was already decorated well enough to fit suitably into a pristine hotel, but their guide explained that the walls and ceiling would act like one-way glass once they were in the air. While the group felt their anticipation rise, they followed the guide down the furnished corridor that led to their room.
"This will be your room for the duration of the flight. If you have any requests or questions there is a terminal which you can access from inside the room."
"Thank you."
After that, the guide left and they entered the room. Due to circumstances, they would stay in the same room together, but there were different bedrooms. For the most part, the room wasn't different from any other hotel room, but there was one additional feature that they looked forward to. Just as the entrance hall would become a viewing platform, there was also a small room where they could watch the landscape as the airship flew to its destination. There was still some time before the airship took to the sky, but since they had free time, they decided to wait until it happened.
They were all cultivators, so it was simple task for them to meditate until the time came. The twins had their cultivations crippled but it was crudely done so Shui managed to fix their vessels. They would have to cultivate back from the Mortal Realm, but with their experiences and the resources that Shui provided, it wouldn't take long before they regained their previous strengths and then surpassed their former selves. Shui also took the time to examine his understanding of the Four Element Technique. He was still at the initial stage of the corna, which mainly involved manifesting the elements in a way that suited him. He believed that he had already mastered the initial stage in terms of fire, earth and water, but his wind element felt like it could use more work. Once he was able to master the initial stage for the wind element, all of his elemental spells would receive a boost in power so he took the time to consider unique ways of manipulating wind.
The three of them were focused on the task of refining their skills, but the moment they felt the airship shake, their eyes shot open. It wasn't a major tremble, but all of them had been anticipating this moment so the slightest stimulus was all they needed. Just as they expected, the airship began to rise into the sky. They didn't feel much of a difference inside the vessel, but they could tell that it was steadily ascending.
Once the airship reached a height where it started to slow down, the wall in front of them began to leak light. The three watched eagerly as the obstruction was removed and the vast sky welcomed them. Shui had some experience flying, but the difference was clear. The most he could do was stay in the air while focused, but the sky was much freer. They were so far above the city that it was almost hard to believe all the surprising features they had witnessed were contained within that small spot. There weren't any impressive landmarks nearby, but as they looked down from above, seeing even the most ordinary field gave a feeling of superiority. It was as if they were admiring their own creation.
This dynamic view made their hearts pound, but the next scene would bring a different mood. The airship kept rising, though slower than initially, until it finally breached the blanket of clouds. Above the clouds was a world parted between the white sea and blue sky. It had even less features than the land, but it induced awe that made one write off their difficulties as trivial. The stream of clouds drifting onwards towards the horizon was a majestic scene that they couldn't imagine before seeing it for themselves.
"Hmm, it's fairly stable. So this is a modern flying vessel."
He, along with the twins had lost track of time while staring out of the airship, but Alia's comment led Shui back to clarity.
"Have you been on something like this before?"
"Yes. During the war it was especially common to see battleships of epic proportions warping through space. However, I've never seen a flying vessel operating on such principles before."
Shui had no doubt that Alia had already seen through more about the ship than he had. Shui was curious as to what about the ship had grabbed her attention, but he didn't want to spoil his future fun so he slightly changed the topic.
"Which would you say feels better, being on this ship or flying with your own strength?
"I'm not big fan of flying, though its still better than walking, but it's actually hard to stay this high in the sky with just a Sky Realm cultivation. Still, I think everyone should try at least once."
As he looked at the clouds beyond the glass, Shui imagined himself dashing through the clouds with a relaxed smile. It seemed childishly impossible, but for someone as talented as Shui, it was likely inevitable.
'One day, I'll get up here with my own strength.'
Weekly Power Status
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