Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life-Chapter 282: A Hundred Boats Race Across the Sea of ​​Clouds

Su Ming took the leather pouch; it felt heavy in his hand.

Su Ming was ecstatic inside, but on his face, he maintained an expression of gratitude as he solemnly put it away.

"Many thanks for Senior Brother and Senior Sister's generous gift."

Su Ming then took out the two jade boxes he had prepared long ago from his own pack and handed them over.

"This junior brother has little of value, only these 'Heart-Clearing Incense Cakes' I personally prepared these past few days. They are made from those mutated Silver-Spotted Heart-Clearing Orchids in Clear Stream Valley. They have a slight effect on calming the mind, settling the will, and alleviating divine sense fatigue."

Looking at the dark circles under their eyes, Su Ming smiled and said, "Both Senior Brother and Senior Sister have just emerged from the secret realm, your divine senses have been strained for too long. This item might help you both get a good night's sleep."

Qingfeng took the jade box and gently opened it a crack.

An ethereal, cold, and tranquil fragrance instantly wafted out. Just a whiff of it noticeably eased the needle-like throbbing pain at the center of his brow.

"This..." A flicker of surprise passed through Qingfeng's eyes. "Such pure medicinal potency. Junior Brother Su, you are very thoughtful."

Mingyue took a deep breath, her previously somewhat irritable expression visibly relaxing. "I feel alive again... This scent is truly wonderful. Junior Brother Su, this gift is much better than spirit stones!"

They exchanged a knowing smile.

There was no excessive small talk, nor any grand declarations.

In this bustling corner of the Internal Affairs Hall, an exchange concerning future plans was completed amidst seemingly casual conversation.

"Take care." Qingfeng patted Su Ming's shoulder.

"The Northern Frontier is bitterly cold. Come back alive." Mingyue waved her hand.

Su Ming clasped his hands in farewell, turned, and walked towards the main gate.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the door, casting his shadow long on the floor.

"Master," Su Ming touched the Cloud Cliff Token inside his robe, then pressed on the leather pouch filled with Wood Demon cores. "The home front is secured, and the tools in hand are ready."

"Mhm." Lin Yu's voice was uncharacteristically serious. "Then prepare to depart."

......

The Cloud Hidden Sect's mountain gate plaza was now shrouded by a massive shadow.

A colossal flying vessel, three hundred zhang in length, hovered in mid-air. Its hull, with a keel of thousand-year ironwood as the main structure, was covered in layers of bluish-black Mystic Iron armor. Dense, intricate runes shimmered with a faint golden light, pulsating like breathing. This was the sect's strategic-level transport magical treasure—the "Cloud-Piercing Shuttle." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The plaza was teeming with people, disciples from each peak assembled according to orders.

Sword cultivators stood solemnly with their swords on their backs, alchemy cultivators carried huge medicine baskets, beast taming cultivators led restless spirit beasts. The clamor was suppressed to a very low hum by the immense spiritual pressure.

Su Ming blended into the "Formation Maintenance Battalion" ranks, wearing the gray short tunic symbolizing a Technical Assistant Repair Specialist, utterly inconspicuous. He looked up at the behemoth, his fingers subconsciously rubbing against his sleeve cuff.

"Master, this thing looks pretty sturdy," Su Ming said in his mind.

"Sturdiness is a relative concept," Lin Yu's voice echoed in the Consciousness Sea, carrying a touch of professional nitpicking. "Look at the rune brightness at the keel joints, it's thirty percent dimmer than the surrounding areas, indicating a blockage in spiritual energy conduction. And look at the tail fin's counterweight, clearly sacrificing maneuverability for greater cargo capacity. This is a flying iron coffin. Fortunately, we're in the middle section."

Lin Yu paused, his tone becoming earnest. "Remember this, disciple. On these large-scale transports, the front cabin is for the big shots to put on airs, the rear cabin is for cannon fodder to cushion the blow. Only the middle section, near the core power furnace, has the most stable structure, the thickest defenses, and is the most convenient for making a quick escape."

Su Ming gave a slight nod. His footwork subtly shifted as he imperceptibly adjusted his position within the ranks, ensuring he could secure a corner spot towards the inner part of the middle cabin upon boarding.

"Board the vessel!"

Following the command, thousands of disciples, like ants returning to their nest, filed in along the lowered Mystic Iron ladders.

The interior space was more crowded than expected. The Technical Battalion was assigned to the third deck, surrounded by thick soundproofing barriers. The air was filled with the smell of aged spirit stone dust and a faint scent of machine oil.

Su Ming found a corner spot near the window but not right against it and sat down. He skillfully pulled out a safety belt—a rope he had braided himself from discarded beast sinew—and securely fastened himself to a handrail on the cabin wall.

Several disciples from Pill Cauldron Peak nearby cast strange glances, whispering among themselves, "Why is this Formation Peak junior brother tying himself up? Afraid of falling?"

Su Ming ignored them, closing his eyes to rest.

"Boom—"

The deck beneath their feet jolted violently, a massive pushing force pressing against their backs. The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle had launched.

The scenery outside the window instantly blurred into streaks of light. The flying vessel pierced through the cloud layers, the surrounding air currents crashing against the protective shield, emitting muffled thunderous roars.

Although formation arrays dampened the vibrations, that high-frequency tremor still traveled through their bones, resonating throughout their entire bodies.

"Don't just sit idle," Lin Yu reminded. "This kind of bumpy environment isn't something you encounter often in Clear Stream Valley. Try setting up a formation."

Su Ming opened his eyes. His right index finger slightly curled, a wisp of dark blue water spiritual energy coalescing at his fingertip.

He didn't dare attempt anything large-scale, only trying to set up a miniature "Minor Heavenly Cycle Water Rhythm - Control" formation on the small, palm-sized window in front of him.

The moment his fingertip touched the window frame, the flying vessel lurched sharply to one side.

"Pfft."

The barely-formed rune instantly dissipated. The spiritual energy backlash sent a numbing shock through Su Ming's fingertip.

"Your hand is too rigid," Lin Yu critiqued. "In this environment, the window is moving, the air is moving, even the spiritual energy is turbulent. If you try to 'nail' the rune onto it, it's like hitting water with a hammer—you'll just splash yourself. You have to go with its flow."

Su Ming pondered this. He withdrew his finger, not rushing to inscribe again. Instead, he placed his palm against the vibrating cabin wall, closed his eyes, and focused on sensing that utterly chaotic rhythm.

Vibration, frequency, wave peaks, wave troughs.

Half a cup of tea later, Su Ming's finger moved again.

This time, his fingertip was no longer forceful and rigid, but swayed like seaweed with the vibrations. Each stroke of inscription precisely landed in the gaps between vibrations or slid along the direction of the motion.

A pale blue rune, crooked yet exceptionally tenacious, adhered to the window frame. It deformed slightly with the flying vessel's tremors but never disintegrated.

"Interesting," Lin Yu praised. "This is called dynamic equilibrium. Threading a needle in a shaking carriage doesn't rely on eyesight, but on the rhythm of unified waist and horse stance."

However, at the other end of the cabin, an elderly man dressed in a deep purple formation robe stood with his hands clasped behind his back, steady as a mountain.

He was the leader of this Technical Battalion, a Golden Core realm Grandmaster of Formations, known as "Elder Mo."

Elder Mo's gaze pierced through the flustered crowd, landing precisely on Su Ming.

"Solid foundation, meticulous mind."

The wrinkles on Elder Mo's perpetually stern face relaxed almost imperceptibly as he gave a barely noticeable nod.

"A promising seedling."

Su Ming remained with his eyes closed, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee.

"That's right," Lin Yu's voice carried a note of satisfaction. "Never be content with a single success. Also, that old man was watching you earlier. Be more careful when working from now on, don't stand out too much."

Su Ming's finger tapping his knee paused slightly.

"Understood, Master."