Chapter 309 - 299: Giant Whale Gang, Blood Dragon Grass
On the central galley of the Gold Sand Water Village.
BOOM!
The violent collision of Qi and Blood was like a rolling peal of thunder, echoing ceaselessly across the river’s surface.
A savage light glinted in Yan Gulin’s one eye as he swung his barbed, tempered steel arm, creating an impenetrable defense. Each strike descended with the terrifying pressure of a tsunami.
Under the suppression of his Raging Tide aura, Leng Fei and the hunchbacked elder were forced back again and again, finding themselves in constant peril.
"Dammit! How is this old cripple so strong?!"
Leng Fei’s face was ashen. The Cold Jade folding fan in his hand was now humming from the impacts, and the web of his thumb had split, trickling blood.
He deeply regretted agreeing so easily to Su Yu’s suggestion that he take the lead. He had been confident in his own strength, and with the hunchbacked elder’s assistance, he thought that even if they couldn’t defeat Yan Gulin, they wouldn’t end up in such a sorry state.
But things hadn’t gone as planned. Yan Gulin had clearly earned his fearsome reputation on the Gold Waterway; it was no empty boast.
In a battle between Muscle Forging Realm experts, besides physical outbursts of power, the power of one’s aura accounted for at least thirty to fifty percent of one’s chances of victory.
Yan Gulin’s Raging Tide aura was like a relentless, crushing wave—endless and oppressive, perfect for dealing with multiple opponents. It was precisely this aura that suppressed his and the hunchbacked elder’s full strength, preventing them from unleashing it and repeatedly plunging them into crisis.
"Brother Su! Are you done over there? Hurry up and help!"
BANG!
Leng Fei barely managed to block one of Yan Gulin’s iron palms. He felt a tremendous force surge through his fan and into his chest, and the metallic taste of blood welled up in his throat. He used the momentum to fly backward, anxiously shouting for help toward the stern of the ship.
"Don’t panic, Brother Leng! Just hold on a little longer! I’m about to finish them all off over here!"
In the distance, Su Yu and Qian Qinghong exchanged a knowing smile and continued to slay the enemies from the Gold Sand Water Village one by one.
Su Yu wasn’t using his fist techniques at the moment. He was merely relying on his foundational Qi and Blood, displaying the strength of the Flesh Refining Realm Perfection. He appeared to be fighting with all his might, but in reality, he was holding many cards back.
’Someone like Leng Fei has long been on my kill list. Why would I ever genuinely cooperate with him?’
Besides, letting Yan Gulin seriously injure him would indirectly reduce the number of rivals for the Black Dragon Fish.
Still, Su Yu hadn’t expected Leng Fei to be so foolish as to actually agree to be the vanguard.
A few more breaths of time passed. Leng Fei was injured again. By now, how could he not see that Su Yu was just going through the motions?
"Hunchback, let’s go!"
A venomous hatred filled Leng Fei’s face. He turned, about to use a Body Technique to leap off the ship and escape. He was certain that as long as they got off this main vessel, Yan Gulin wouldn’t keep chasing them, not with the Black Dragon Fish at stake.
But just then, from the direction of the southern entrance to the Gold Waterway, which had been blockaded by the Gold Sand Water Village, a terrifying explosion of water erupted!
RUMBLE!
A thick fog rolled across the river’s surface, and a large, fearsome-looking warship, like a monstrous beast of war, brutally snapped the intercepting iron chains and burst through the mist!
At the warship’s bow hung a large, blood-red banner that fluttered in the wind. In its center, embroidered with gold thread, was a ferocious giant whale with its gaping maw wide open!
"HAHAHAHA! This Black Dragon Fish is mine today!"
Accompanied by an arrogant laugh as loud as thunder, a powerfully built man, bare-chested with muscles like granite, leaped arrogantly from the ship’s bow—dozens of yards high—and slammed into the river’s surface like a cannonball.
A vivid tattoo of a deep-sea leviathan was emblazoned across the brawny man’s broad chest and back. As he channeled the ferocious Qi and Blood of the Muscle Forging Realm, the bluish-black tattoo seemed to come alive, writhing and roaring beneath his skin, exuding a terrifying, savage aura!
BOOM!
The brawny man balled one hand into a fist and smashed it down domineeringly onto the river below. The violent astral energy instantly blasted a huge crater several yards wide into the water’s surface.
In the depths of the churning white foam, a bizarre, pitch-black dragon fish could be vaguely seen, darting about madly, as fast as a black bolt of lightning!
"Village Chief! This is bad!"
In the distance, a leader from the Gold Sand Water Village came running across the water, roaring his report, "From the south... Xue Kuang of the Giant Whale Gang from Jian’an Prefecture, and disciples of the Cyan Wood Sword Sect, they’ve all come! We can’t stop them!"
Yan Gulin’s expression darkened, his gaze sweeping across the scene.
Now there were three Muscle Forging Realm experts here on the north side, and from the south, from Jian’an Prefecture, even the Giant Whale Gang and the Cyan Wood Sword Sect had arrived. The situation today was already out of control.
In this chaotic situation, surrounded by wolves, continuing to blockade the river was not only pointless but would make them the target for a collective assault.
"Hmph!"
Yan Gulin let out a decisive cold snort and stopped his attack on Leng Fei. He stomped his foot, using the force to leap back to the bow of his ship, and shouted in a deep, harsh voice, "Relay my orders to the entire village! Break formation! Full speed ahead! Pursue the Black Dragon Fish!"
Seeing Yan Gulin voluntarily lift the blockade on the waterway’s entrance, the people on the surrounding small treasure boats had their eyes instantly flash with greedy light.
"Charge! The Gold Sand Water Village can’t hold the blockade anymore!"
"HAHAHA! A treasure fish like this belongs to no one! It’s every man for himself! Brothers, our chance has come!"
Instantly, dozens of assorted boats, like a school of carp crossing the river, turned their prows and gave chase madly in the direction of the Gold Waterway.
Su Yu watched the frenzied Martial Artists, his heart still calm.
’It may look like the blockade is lifted, but the situation is actually even more out of control. If it were just the Gold Sand Water Village and Leng Fei, I already had a plan. At the critical moment, I would have played my trump cards, and with Qinghong’s strength, we would have most likely been the final winners.’
’But now, the Giant Whale Gang has appeared, and what kind of power is this Cyan Wood Sword Sect?’
’Just looking at Xue Kuang from the Giant Whale Gang, he’s clearly a mid-stage Muscle Forging Realm master, maybe even a bit stronger than Yan Gulin. The variables on this trip are multiplying.’
"My love, the situation seems to have exceeded our expectations. Should we still wade into these muddy waters?"
Qian Qinghong moved close to Su Yu’s side, like a virtuous and pampered young wife. She intimately wrapped her hands around his thick arm, pressing her magnificent peaks tightly against him, her breath as fragrant as an orchid.
In the distance, Leng Fei, who had just hastily bandaged his wounds, looked up and saw this scene.
Intense jealousy and hatred instantly erupted in his eyes. The muscles on his face twisted, making him look grotesque and terrifying.
"You goddamn bastard!!!"
Leng Fei roared wildly in his heart. ’You’re just a country bumpkin in the Flesh Refining Realm! How dare you scheme against me in battle, and you even have such a peerless beauty for a wife! What right do you have!’
’After I get that treasure fish, I’ll tear out your tendons, peel your skin, grind your bones, and scatter your ashes!’
’And once you’re dead, I’ll take good care of that pretty wife of yours for you.’
Thinking this, Leng Fei forcibly suppressed the killing intent in his eyes and put on a fake smile as pleasant as a spring breeze. He walked across the water to Su Yu’s side. "Brother Su, although the blockade is broken, powerful dragons have gathered from all sides. Why don’t we continue our alliance? Between us, we have a full three Muscle Forging Realm masters! As long as we work together, our chances of seizing the Black Dragon Fish will be the greatest!"
’Right now, what I fear most is that Su Yu will see the situation is bad and slip away early with that exquisite beauty. As long as I can keep them here, once we enter the chaotic Gold Waterway, they won’t be able to escape me!’
Su Yu showed a worried expression. "There are so many Muscle Forging Realm masters now. I’m only in the Flesh Refining Realm. I’m afraid it will be difficult to be the winner. Sigh, I think I’ll just retreat with my dear wife."
Hearing this, Leng Fei grew anxious and tried his best to persuade him, "Brother Su, don’t be hasty! The situation is still very favorable for us. Our side has three Muscle Forging Realm experts, which is stronger than both the Giant Whale Gang and the Gold Sand Water Village. Besides, they’re scheming against each other; they’ll never be able to team up. As for the Cyan Wood Sword Sect, while their foundation is deep, they’ve always placed great importance on their reputation and rules. As long as we don’t provoke them, they won’t make enemies for no reason. We have a great chance at this Black Dragon Fish!"
Upon hearing this, Su Yu immediately put on a hesitant look. "Even if we get lucky and manage to seize the Black Dragon Fish, who gets the most precious part, the ’Dragon Tendon’?"
"Hey! Brother Su, you’re being a stranger now, aren’t you?"
Leng Fei waved his hand magnanimously. "If we get the Dragon Tendon, it will naturally belong to you, my brother! I, Leng Fei, am already in the Muscle Forging Realm. I only came for the Black Dragon Fish for the sake of a younger sister in my family. Compared to a mere exotic fish, what I value more is my friendship with you, Brother Su!"
"For you, Brother Su, to be so young and able to marry such a virtuous wife from the Muscle Forging Realm with just your Flesh Refining Realm Cultivation, your family’s background must be unfathomably deep. In the future, our families could certainly engage in some profitable trade."
Su Yu still looked conflicted. "Sigh, Brother Leng, you’re too kind. It would indeed be mutually beneficial for my Black Stone City and your Linyuan City to cooperate in trade. However, I didn’t bring any Treasure Medicine with me on this trip, and my Qi and Blood were depleted during the fight just now. I feel a bit drained... I’ve heard your Linyuan City has many kinds of top-grade Treasure Medicines..."
Seeing Su Yu’s shameless act, Leng Fei’s eyelid twitched.
He wanted to slap this damn thing to death right then and there, but he forced down his anger and took out a blood-red Treasure Medicine from his Storage Ring. "Brother Su, top-grade Treasure Medicines aren’t that common. This trip was a rush, so I only brought one high-grade Treasure Medicine, a Blood Dragon Grass. This Blood Dragon Grass..."
Before Leng Fei could finish, Su Yu had already snatched it.
"No need for introductions, Brother Leng. I know about Blood Dragon Grass. High-grade Treasure Medicine, excellent for replenishing Qi and Blood. Just what I need."
Su Yu also waved his hand, putting the Blood Dragon Grass into his Storage Ring. Seeing this, Leng Fei’s eyes instantly lit up.
’Excellent, excellent! He has a Storage Ring too! He must really be from a great family. No wonder he could marry such a high-quality wife from the Muscle Forging Realm!’
’Just you wait. I’ll let you hold onto that for now. Once I’ve seized the Black Dragon Fish, I’ll kill you, and all these things will still be mine!’
"Then let’s hurry up. We can’t let them actually get the Black Dragon Fish. Brother Leng, you’re strong. You should take the lead."
Leng Fei’s eyelid twitched again. In the end, he suppressed the killing intent in his heart, took his old servant, and steered the treasure boat forward.
After they were some distance away, Qian Qinghong, who had been standing silently by Su Yu’s side, finally couldn’t help but whisper, "Brother Su, are we really going? There are too many Muscle Forging Realm masters in the waters ahead. If a melee breaks out, I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect you."