Chapter 358: Burning the Boats
Returning to Golden Sand Island, it was already late at night.
Zhang Yuan, however, was not the least bit sleepy and took out the jade box hidden in the secret chamber.
This box was a compensation gift from Fan Tai to him.
When Zhang Yuan opened the lid, a treasure grass, fiery red all over, instantly came into view.
Qilin Grass!
Zhang Yuan let out a silent chuckle.
This Gang Leader of the Golden Sand Gang truly was an interesting character.
He was certain that in the Golden Sand Gang’s Secret Vault, there must be a Secret Cultivation Manual of the Six Harmonies Qilin Body.
And Fan Tai had definitely browsed through it.
But he hadn’t practiced it.
This Qi Entry Realm Horizontal Cultivation Technique was truly a trap.
Zhang Yuan had already deeply experienced it.
But even so, if Zhang Yuan had to choose again, he would still cultivate the Six Harmonies Qilin Body!
The reason is simple, the Six Harmonies Qilin Body not only increases defensive power.
More importantly, this cultivation technique can greatly accelerate the recovery speed of one’s injuries.
In the bitter battle earlier, Zhang Yuan had broken two ribs.
For an ordinary person, even with external and internal use of spirit medicine, it would take over dozens of days to completely heal.
But Zhang Yuan, just today, already felt that more than half of the broken bones had fused.
Another three or five days and he would be fine.
This is not because Zhang Yuan is boasting, or because the Healing Elixir is miraculous.
The Six Harmonies Qilin Body evidently played a huge role!
To know, the Horizontal Cultivation Technique that Zhang Yuan practiced, he had only just begun.
With such effects right at the start, what would it be like when reaching Minor Achievement, Great Success, or even Mastery levels?
Zhang Yuan was really looking forward to it!
Of course, the ideal is beautiful, but reality is cruel.
The pitfalls of the Six Harmonies Qilin Body do not need further explanation, anyway, he was ready for a long-term investment.
Then Fan Tai gave him another Qilin Grass.
A treasure grass over three hundred years old!
With this Qilin Grass, which was older than the previous one, Zhang Yuan’s temporarily stalled cultivation progress in the Six Harmonies Qilin Body could be accelerated again.
And the problem was, whether Fan Tai or the Golden Sand Gang had Qilin Grass of even older years?
If they did, what price would be needed to exchange it!
Zhang Yuan knew clearly.
This was the bait Fan Tai set for him.
Of course, Fan Tai had no ill intentions towards Zhang Yuan, even if Zhang Yuan had exposed the Golden Sand Gang’s scandal.
After all, the exceptionally powerful Zhang Yuan was of great importance to the current Golden Sand Gang.
Fan Tai was a hero-type figure, so naturally, he knew how to choose.
But Zhang Yuan did not see a bright future for him and the Golden Sand Gang.
In the days that followed, Zhang Yuan continued to practice the Six Harmonies Qilin Body, occasionally going out by ship to hunt the Wuqi barbarians patrolling the surrounding waters.
Yet the results were meager.
The Wuqi Tribe had retreated again, and he could hardly encounter any decent barbarian fleets, only slaying some insignificant small fry like scouts and the like.
Day after day, the winds were calm and the waves were serene.
But on Golden Sand Island, it was anything but calm, it could even be said to be a house set on fire.
The water in the pot was already boiling!
Unsure if it was the barbarians’ secret agents spreading the news in the dark, rumors that the Great River Gang was siding with the Wuqi Tribe were spreading all over the island recently.
Despite the Golden Sand Gang’s strict investigations, they couldn’t control these rumors at all.
Some said that the Great River Gang, the Wuqi Tribe, and the Jing people had formed an alliance, intending to launch a full-scale attack on Golden Sand Island any day.
Others said that the Wuqi Tribe had sent envoys demanding Golden Sand Gang’s surrender.
As long as they didn’t resist, everyone on the island could live.
Otherwise, no one would be spared!
All sorts of talk, endless, had made the people within Golden Sand Island and beyond filled with unrest.
The high-level officials of the Golden Sand Gang were infuriated, hanging the newly captured heads of secret agents on the wooden racks at the wharf every day.
Several heads a day, sometimes even a dozen!
But this did nothing to improve the situation.
At this point, even the most foolish person understood that the situation on Golden Sand Island was very bleak.
After all, with only the strength of the Golden Sand Gang, wanting to resist the three forces of the Great River Gang, the Wuqi Tribe, and the Jing people was undoubtedly a fool’s dream!
Thus, escape phenomena started to appear.
The first to flee were outsiders. Many who had previously come to Golden Sand Island for refuge secretly organized fleets and then left one night never to return.
Their unwillingness to stay and die with the Golden Sand Gang was actually quite understandable.
But soon after, even people from within the Golden Sand Gang joined in the escape!
This was like tearing through the sky.
That evening, Zhang Yuan had just returned to Golden Sand Island by boat when he saw thick black smoke and flames soaring into the sky from the main wharf area from afar.
Seeing this, his heart sank, thinking the Wuqi Tribe coalition had launched an attack.
However, when Zhang Yuan used the Red-eyed Crow to inspect the situation at the wharf, he was stunned to find that it was the Golden Sand Gang’s people destroying and burning a large number of merchant ships, warships, and even fishing boats.
There were no barbarians at all!
Had the Golden Sand Gang gone mad?
It’s known that for the people of the Great Dream Marsh, ships are the most important tools, indispensable for daily travel, livelihood, and battle.
To think even the warships were burned!
Zhang Yuan couldn’t help but frown, feeling some unease.
He didn’t go over to investigate, instead returning to the waterside near his residence.
Unexpectedly, just as he had docked, a team of fully armed samurai hurried over.
"Sir."
The leading samurai saluted with clasped fists, saying: "The Gang Leader has ordered the confiscation and destruction of all ships starting today, so..."
"Please understand!"
Though his attitude was very respectful, his tone was also very firm.
This was going all out to cut off retreat!
Zhang Yuan understood immediately.
The high-level officials of the Golden Sand Gang had evidently decided to fight the barbarians to the end, choosing to consolidate and defend Golden Sand Island, cutting off their retreat in a situation extremely unfavorable to them.
Leaving the ships would only end up as trophies for the barbarians.
And would provide a glimmer of hope for some people.
Destroy them completely, then there would be no choice!
The question is, even if they did this, could the Golden Sand Gang hold Golden Sand Island, and even if they could, how long could they hold it?
Zhang Yuan thoughtfully looked towards the north.
In the direction of the Xia Ruins!
He pondered slightly, nodded, and said: "Take it away."
Actually, if Zhang Yuan wanted to keep this warship, he certainly could go find Fan Tai in the inner council and plead, who as a Tier Six expert would probably give some face.
After all, Zhang Yuan primarily used this ship to hunt barbarians.
Not to run away.
But Zhang Yuan felt it wasn’t necessary.
Now there were hardly any Wuqi ships in the waters surrounding Golden Sand Island, and he had no significant gains.
Most importantly for Zhang Yuan, having a ship or not was not a problem.
"Thank you, sir!"
Seeing Zhang Yuan cooperate so straightforwardly, the leading samurai immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
He was carrying out Fan Tai’s order with a bold face in front of the notorious "Blood Saber Butcher."
Afright of Zhang Yuan’s refusal to comply.
If that really happened, he couldn’t order an assault on Zhang Yuan, could he?
And wouldn’t be able to win either!
Zhang Yuan watched as they towed away the ship.
His heart was unmoved.