As Shi Chun was faced with the group's stares, his mind raced with thoughts that would resolve this misunderstanding and convince them he didn't have any malicious intentions.
"Ah!"
Shi Chun's eyes suddenly lit up as he thought of something. Without thinking, Shi Chun blurted out.
"I, Shi Chun, as the heavens as a witness, swear on my cultivation that I would never reveal what I have overheard from you juniors. If I do then may dantian be destroyed and my cultivation disperse before heavenly lightning strikes me down where I stand."
After making that horrific blood oath, Shi Chun's aura suddenly trembled for a second. At that moment, he felt a sort of heavenly might descend upon him and constrict his dantian.
Shi Chun couldn't help but shiver, he had never made a blood oath before so he didn't know it would feel so frightening. Though, the constriction on his dantian disappear as if it had never been there. But with Shi Chun's cultivation, he could sense that a heavenly power was remaining dormant in his dantian, and would erupt and cripple his cultivation base if he ever broke the blood oath.
'So this is a blood oath? How terrifying, even with my current cultivation I can't resist such power. The heavens really rule over this world, with such power we are lucky it isn't like us humans who get easily tempted to use such power for our own benefit. If it were, who would be able to stop it from enslaving everyone under its domain? We'd be utterly helpless to resist.'
As Shi Chun offhandedly thought this, he was looking up at the sky which was more like a blur due to the speed of the ship.
"E-Elder Chun, y-you…"
Suddenly, Jun's somewhat shocked voice was heard.
"Hm?"
Shi Chun was brought back from his thoughts and he looked down at Jun and the others. However, he was taken aback by their expressions which were filled with shock and astonishment.
'Huh? Are they really that shocked by my actions? But at least with this the situation is resolved completely.'
Smiling, Shi Chun said.
"I once again apologize for eavesdropping, would you mind if I ask some questions I originally came here for?"
Jun and the others hearing this all turned to look at each other. It was safe to say all of them were having whiplashes because of Shi Chun's actions.
With someone of his cultivation level and position, his actions just now should have been completely different. Just look at Captain Kong when he tried to recruit Mu Fan, he had no problem showing his indifference to their Celestial Academy and talking down to them.
Immediately, Jun and the others realized Shi Chun was like a unicorn in the cultivation world.
Who in the cultivation world with his position would overhear some kids talking about obtaining Divine Beast legacies but not be moved by greed? In this situation where he was the most powerful person on the ship, he was in the perfect situation to get them to cough out the secrets they have, and have no one to stop him.
But from the looks of it, not once had such a thought crossed Shi Chun's mind.
Shi Chun blinked.
He saw Jun and everyone suddenly turn to look at him simultaneously.
"Elder Chun, we juniors apologize for our previous behavior. Of course, we'd be happy to answer any inquiries elder Chun has for us."
Shi Chun turned to Fei Yin who said that with cupped fists. His gaze also swept across the rest of the group who followed Fei Yin's lead and bowed with cupped fists.
This might be an exaggeration on the Fei Yin and the others' part, but they had just dodged a major bullet, no, more like a basaltic missile. If it wasn't Shi Chun that overheard them but another elder, forget looking for Li Shen on the Star Bound Continent, their corpses would have been at the bottom of the Ocean before they could even make it to the Star Bound Continent.
'These kids.'
Shi Chun smiled when he saw their relief expressions and then waved his hands dismissively before saying with a laugh.
"Haha, no need to be so on edge towards me. Someone else might have been tempted if they heard you talking about Divine Beast Legacies, but I believe in the saying what's fated to be ours will be yours. Each cultivator in the cultivation world lives to follow a path of their own, what they gain on that path is solely theirs. Nothing good would come to someone coveting what others receive on their path, just look at the Demonic Cult. They've become the enemies of everyone with nowhere to go and having to be in constant hiding."
As Shi Chun spoke, Fei Yin and the others visibly tense. He wasn't lowering his voice and a few people had already cast their gazes in their directions.
But Shi Chun suddenly spoke and reassured them.
"Don't worry about being overheard. I've cast a barrier around us; no one on this ship can hear what we're saying."
Fei Yin and the others looked around, they didn't really sense anything around them. It must be a high-level concealment spell that they couldn't even detect even after sending out their Spiritual Sense.
"Elder Chun, I'd like to ask you some questions of my own."
Shi Chun turned to Lihua and nodded.
"Sure, I'll answer your questions before I ask my own, go ahead."
After getting confirmation, Lihua didn't hesitate to say with a serious expression.
"Do you realize by keeping Teng Ye as a refugee you're endangering the lives of those on the Continent? Can you Borderners take responsibility for your selfish actions if the Sea King wins and the Sea Beasts invade the Mainland?"
"Lihua!"
Jun yelled as he turned to look at Lihua disapprovingly.
He as well as everyone was caught off-guard by her sudden harsh words, especially after Shi Chun went out of his way to swear a blood oath for them. This was repaying kindness with hostility.
"No, her words might be harsh but she's right. In fact, you all from the Mainland should feel angry at our actions. We are making such a risky decision without consulting the forces on the Mainland, despite the fact that if we fail they are the ones who will suffer."
Everyone was silent upon hearing Shi Chun's words.
"However…"
Shi Chen's face suddenly became serious.
"Can you imagine if we succeed? We'd probably no longer have to fear attacks from the Star Bound Continent. And even the mysterious Fire Bound and Water Bound Continent whose strength is far beyond what we can imagine would be hesitant to go into conflict with us."
As Shi Chun looked at Lihua as he said that, Jun and the other boys of the group didn't understand what they were talking about.
"Elder Chun, can you explain what you mean by your words? What exactly are the four Borders trying to accomplish?"
Shi Chun was silent for a moment before he explained.
"Nearly two decades ago, our Continent chance upon a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Crown Prince of the Leviathan Race, the most powerful race among the Sea Beasts and the rulers of the Ocean, was placed at our doorsteps by the dying former Sea King. He wanted us to raise his son and protect him until he matures to adulthood to take revenge for his Leviathan Race's destruction. I was there at that time and even now I can't stop my heart from pounding when I recall what the Sea King had said."
Everyone looked at Shi Chun and they realize his shoulders and entire body was shaking slightly.
"The former Sea King actually said that their Leviathan Race was once the rulers of the Ocean. But not just the Ocean surrounding our continent that has the four Seas, but the Ocean that spans the entirety of the four Continents."
"W-What?!"
Li Wen blurted out in surprise, while the boys showed shocked expressions as well. However, Lihua was the one who had a bigger reaction having a chill run down her spine causing her body to shake slightly.
"So that's the plan. If you truly succeed then…"
Lihua couldn't finish her sentence, she just couldn't imagine what would happen if that situation really does occur.
"Ugh! What the fuck is with all this beating around the bush? My head is about to explode trying to understand what the hell your talking about so just tell me straight damn it!"
Mu Fan was definitely someone who'd didn't like riddles, he was tired of busting his brain to figure out what Shi Chun and Lihua were talking about so he flared up in anger as a result.
"Idiot, calm down and be patient."
Jun said as he pulled Mu Fan back.
"Ah! Bastard Jun, stop dragging me around!"
Shi Chun seeing this coughed awkwardly in his fist before saying.
"Ah, the plan is simple really. If we can keep Teng Ye safe until he matures and awaken his bloodline, then he'll be able to take the throne that rightfully belongs to him. With the relationships Teng Ye has built in his childhood with our Maple Continent, we and the Sea Beasts of the Ocean can join forces. And even though the Leviathan Race has fallen, the Sea King said what he said because it requires someone with a pure bloodline to regain control of the entire Ocean of the four Continents. And Teng Ye's bloodline is the purest bloodline that has appeared in the Leviathan Race in the last several thousand years."
Shi Chun stopped here, he didn't need to explain anything more since even Mu Fan understood how powerful their Maple Continent would become if they gained the Sea Beasts as allies.
"But that won't be easy. The resentment between us and the Sea Beasts is one thing, even more, there is the current Sea King."
Shi Chun turned to Tai who said that and nodded solemnly.
"It would be difficult, especially because of Sea King Modu, but we can agree if we succeed the benefits would be worth our sacrifices. However…"
Shi Chun suddenly released a relaxed smile.
"That's not to say our borders are weak and can't withstand Sea King Modu's army of Sea Beasts. It's been nearly two decades and each of our borders has been preparing for him to show up today."
Everyone after having been introduced to the Borders plans, had a million thoughts racing through their heads.
Yang Su in particular suddenly recalled the clash between Sea King Modu and old man South. With a burning curiosity, he asked Shi Chun.
"Elder Chun, just how strong is our four borders compared to the Sea Beasts?"