Wen Qingye said with a smile, "If you ever become demonized, I’ll be the first one to suppress you."
Qing Ruo’ai huffed, "As if you could suppress me if I were demonized? What a joke. The first person I’d sacrifice to my sword would be you, you brat! The Sword Body contains a Spirit-Devouring Stone, perfect for sucking all your Essence Blood dry, hmph!"
Wen Qingye looked at the One Thought Sword in his hand. "You call me a brat? Do you have any idea who I am?"
Qing Ruo’ai faltered for a moment. "You... how old could you possibly be? Don’t think I can’t read your Bone Age. You’re just twenty-one, aren’t you? What, are you some old monster who seized someone else’s body?"
Wen Qingye gave a faint smile and fell silent, his eyes fixed on the emerald river ahead.
’There he goes again, acting all mysterious. So boring, hmph.’ Qing Ruo’ai’s delicate nose crinkled, and she returned to the One Thought Sword in a huff.
「In the blink of an eye, another day had passed.」
The colossal ship had majestically reached the borders of the Dayan Dynasty. The local customs and scenery along the two banks had changed noticeably. The people of the Dayan Dynasty were fond of red peonies, so as the ship drifted past, one could often see fiery red blooms lighting up the riverside.
Meanwhile, Xiong Zhou and his two companions seemed to be avoiding Wen Qingye like the plague. They didn’t seek him out; they wouldn’t even spare him a glance.
It must be said, the world can be a cruel place.
"Everyone, we are one day away from Sheng City! Those who wish to disembark there should begin to prepare."
An elderly man emerged from the ship’s cabin, his voice ringing out as he addressed the crowd.
This elder was none other than the master of the colossal ship, Chen Tianci. The Nocturnal Strait was a treacherous place, teeming with pirates, Demon Beasts, and a chaotic mix of friend and foe. As a result, many Martial Artists could only hope to cross it under someone else’s protection.
Thus, Chen Tianci relied on his own cultivation at the Life and Death Realm First Layer Heaven, as well as this treasure ship of his, to earn Primordial Stones.
Xiong Zhou watched Chen Tianci up ahead and said, "This Chen Tianci is incredibly powerful. Though they are both experts of the Life and Death Realm, even your Seventh Grandfather claims to be no match for him."
Xiong Rou couldn’t help but gasp. "A Life and Death Realm expert?"
In her mind, experts of the Life and Death Realm were beings she could only gaze up at in awe.
’The Life and Death Realm? Sooner or later, I’ll become an expert of that realm too!’ Xu Jinhao’s eyes burned with feverish ambition as he watched Chen Tianci, his fists clenched tightly.
Abruptly, Wen Qingye’s gaze shot forward, his brow knitting together.
Chen Tianci also frowned, turning his gaze to the southeast.
A cluster of black dots had suddenly appeared to the southeast. They moved with incredible speed, rushing before the crowd in a matter of moments.
"Chen Tianci, I’ve finally caught you this time, HAHAHAHA!"
The voice arrived before its owner.
The wild laughter reverberated in everyone’s ears, making the hairs on their necks stand up and a shiver run down their spines.
The black dots finally resolved into figures before their eyes. In the lead was a middle-aged man with a full head of fiery red hair. His eyes were impossibly sharp, his imposing aura tinged with killing intent.
"The Red-haired Ghost, Wu Hao!?"
Upon seeing the man, a tide of fearful murmurs washed through the crowd.
The Red-haired Ghost was the leader of a band of pirates who ran rampant throughout the Nocturnal Strait. His cultivation was profound, his methods were cruel and vicious, and he acted solely on his whims, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted.
Chen Tianci’s expression darkened as he faced Wu Hao. "Red-haired Ghost, what is the meaning of this? I thought we’ve always kept to ourselves."
"Kept to ourselves?" Wu Hao sneered. "You should know that Lin Zhendong is my sworn brother. The moment you broke one of his arms, the matter between us became irreconcilable."
Chen Tianci scoffed. "Hmph. Lin Zhendong tried to steal my colossal ship and humiliate the women aboard. How could I have tolerated that? You want revenge? Fine. But Wu Hao, are you certain you’re a match for me?"
"Whether or not I’m your match is something we’ll find out after we fight."
With a savage laugh, Wu Hao’s figure blurred. He moved like a phantom, appearing before Chen Tianci in an instant.
BOOM!
The crowd heard the deafening roar of exploding Primordial Qi as boundless shockwaves of energy and water radiated in all directions.
The two combatants vanished from sight, and all the crowd could hear was the continuous sound of Qi Bursts ringing in their ears.
Monstrous waves surged and crashed, sending sprays of water lashing against the deck.
"Quick, fall back!"
Xiong Zhou exclaimed, "A battle between two Life and Death Realm experts is no place for us!"
Hearing Xiong Zhou’s words, the passengers scrambled to their feet and leaped away. Some even abandoned the ship entirely, landing on the surface of the water.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Chen Tianci clasped his hands together. Boundless Primordial Qi condensed and transformed, forming what looked like a bizarre, monstrous beast with a gaping, blood-red maw.
"Go!"
The beast opened its massive maw, and even from a great distance, the crowd thought they could smell the stench of blood.
"Hmph. Is that paltry trick the best you’ve got? How disappointing, Chen Tianci."
A red bow suddenly appeared in Wu Hao’s hand. It was carved with intricate patterns, a clear sign of its extraordinary quality. A single glance told you it was a remarkable treasure.
The next moment, Wu Hao produced a black arrow with his left hand. The arrow was pitch-black and looked utterly unremarkable, like a common fire poker.
’That arrow?’ Wen Qingye’s brow furrowed slightly.
Wu Hao held the bow in his left hand and nocked the arrow with his right. He bent his body slightly as he drew the string.
’This is bad!’
A tremor ran through Chen Tianci’s body. He felt a sudden, mortal threat that filled his heart with terror. The next instant, he whirled around and fled into the distance.
Everyone who saw this was stunned.
Chen Tianci had actually been scared into running!
An expert of the Life and Death Realm was fleeing for his life.
"Trying to run?"
Wu Hao released the string. The Black Arrow shot forward with electrifying speed, streaking toward Chen Tianci like a bolt of black lightning.
BOOM!
The monstrous beast was pierced straight through by the Black Arrow. It dissolved into Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and dissipated, but the arrow continued on its path, unabated.
THUNK!
SPLASH!
The Black Arrow struck Chen Tianci squarely in the back, and his body plunged straight into the water.
The crowd stared at the gradually calming surface of the water, their faces pale with terror.
Chen Tianci was dead?
The master of this colossal ship, an expert of the Life and Death Realm, was dead?
Just then, the water stirred. The Black Arrow shot out from beneath the surface and flew back toward Wu Hao.
"What a fine treasure indeed." Wu Hao caught the Black Arrow with a look of delight. He then raised his head, a cold smirk playing on his lips as he gazed at the people on the ship. "Seize them all! Men to one side, women to the other. Kill anyone who dares to resist!"