Chapter Eleven: Hunting the Giant Whale, A Deadly Blow!

As everyone entered the water, the hull finally stabilized.

Yet, as far as the eye could see, the surface seethed like boiling water, churning up towering waves. Blood spread swiftly, staining the waters, and great clouds of crimson mist floated, terrifying in their appearance.

“What a dreadful battle!”

Bai Xuan remained aboard, not having leapt down. His status was that of a first-class sailor, elite among them. Only those who had reached a certain level in the Azure Scale Technique or other body-forging arts would be chosen as whale hunters. Moreover, hunting giant whales required further training and assessment.

“Hiss…”

Beside him, Bai Xiaozhen stumbled over, crawling and rolling in panic.

“Bai Xuan, aren’t you scared? My legs are trembling—I just want to go home. I can’t stand this life anymore!”

Just then—

Whoosh!

A giant wave crashed over, surging up to the ship’s rail and deck. Mixed within it were several fragments of shattered planks, thick and broad like boulders, tumbling and whistling as they crashed toward Bai Xiaozhen.

Bang!

Bai Xuan raised his hand to block; a flash of azure scales, and with a resounding thud, the plank veered off to one side, flying across and finally coming to rest after sliding dozens of meters along the deck.

Bai Xiaozhen let out a miserable cry, only realizing after a moment, “Bai Xuan, you saved my life!”

His voice was brimming with gratitude; had Bai Xuan not acted, he would have been killed outright by that plank.

“It was nothing,” Bai Xuan replied, shaking his head, though his gaze was fixed below the rail, his brows knitted tightly.

Who could remain unafraid in such a battle?

Though Bai Xuan felt wary, his caution outweighed his fear.

“The more dangerous the moment, the calmer one must be.”

He summoned the Longevity Tree.

“Longevity Tree, boost me!”

With a surge of Dao intent, a leaf marked ‘Swimming’ in ancient script sprouted instantly.

At that moment, Bai Xuan felt a sudden change in his nasal cavity and lungs, as if a lifelong sufferer of congestion had suddenly found relief. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding; he could now hold his breath underwater for nearly half an hour without suffocating.

For now, his Dao intent could only enhance his swimming ability. He had no intention to fight to the death; if the ship truly broke apart, he would find his own way to survive.

However…

“Escaping in the face of a giant whale is still risky. Killing it is best. My current strength isn’t enough to face it head-on—that’s suicidal. But the captain and the whale hunters are already locked in combat with the beast; this is my opportunity.”

“A whale’s time underwater is limited!”

“Even a giant whale can only stay submerged for about an hour.”

“When it surfaces for air, that moment is my chance to strike.”

Bai Xuan was calm.

He felt tense, but he knew… he carried a cold-iron harpoon, and his chances of slaying the beast were not low.

“I just hope the whale hunters can finish it off, so I won’t have to take the risk myself.”

“In any case, once I return, I must desperately hone my own strength!”

He looked down.

Below him, blood spread across the water, and two human bodies floated to the surface.

“Hiss… this is bad—two whale hunters are dead!”

The sailors erupted in commotion.

This, for everyone, was an ominous sign.

Whale hunters dying meant the fight below was fraught with danger; the captain was losing control!

In fact, this time the whale hunters were far stronger than before, and this wounded whale had not recovered from its previous injuries, even after months. Yet despite that, whale hunters had perished!

“Not good,” Bai Xuan thought grimly.

He saw that among the two corpses, one was unmistakably Sanfu Bai Tiannian!

“No, wait—he’s still breathing!”

Bai Xuan’s vision was keen; he could see Bai Tiannian’s chest faintly rising and falling, merely unconscious, not truly dead.

Such was the resilience of a master of body forging—even after a ferocious battle with a giant whale, grievously wounded, he could survive for a while.

Still, if he remained floating, he might drown.

“Help me!” Bai Xuan hurriedly instructed Bai Xiaozhen.

Still shaken from his recent peril, Bai Xiaozhen instinctively followed Bai Xuan’s orders. He fetched a rope net, lowered it, and with deft skill, hoisted Bai Tiannian aboard.

With his current prowess in net handling, he could probably snare a fly mid-air with a single rope, already showing signs of mastery.

“Wow!”

After pressing Bai Tiannian’s chest several times, the man coughed up seawater and revived, his voice weak to the extreme:

“Thank you… for saving my life.”

“What’s the situation below? How long before the whale surfaces?” Bai Xuan asked urgently.

“At most… a quarter of an hour!” Bai Tiannian slipped back into unconsciousness.

He had been struck by the whale’s tail; had his body-forging skills been weaker, his organs would have been pulverized and he’d have died instantly.

But his Azure Scale Technique had reached a minor peak, his second blood breakthrough achieved. He endured the blow, suffering only a few broken ribs and minor organ damage, but his life was preserved.

“A quarter of an hour…”

Bai Xuan looked to the water.

Now, only thirty percent of the sailors remained at the ballista stations, trying to lock on to the whale below.

“The hull is leaking—quickly bail water and repair!”

Most sailors returned to the cabin, for this was the most critical task. If the whaling ship capsized, barely one in ten would survive!

Bai Xuan approached the rail, reaching behind to unfasten his cold-iron harpoon.

This weapon, forged specifically to slay giant beasts, boasted a blade over a meter long, enough to pierce steel and easily penetrate the skull of a monster.

“If the whale escapes, I lose only a harpoon; at least my life is safe.”

Weighing the risks, Bai Xuan resolved to seize the moment and strike boldly.

To sit and wait for death was not his nature; if the whale wasn’t killed, he would escape at once.

“Hoo…”

Bai Xuan stepped forward, his blood surging higher and higher. Muscles across his body bulged, his shirt tearing apart with a ripping sound!

Beneath his skin, azure scales could be glimpsed.

“What incredible strength…”

Beside him, Bai Xiaozhen’s eyes widened.

The three realms of body-forging, also called the Refining of Strength, focused purely on explosive power; thus strength was directly tied to blood and vitality, plain to see.

At this moment, Bai Xiaozhen could sense Bai Xuan’s terrifying might.

“I never expected Brother Xuan to be the most deeply hidden talent on the ship…”

Only now did Bai Xiaozhen realize that being saved was no accident, but a matter of Bai Xuan’s power. He felt he had latched onto a strong ally, but then he scratched his head in embarrassment.

“I thought I was just like Brother Xuan, both of us uninitiated… Turns out I’m the only useless one!”

A moment later—

The giant whale’s back emerged.

It bore dozens of fresh wounds, blood streaming ceaselessly.

Cunning and sharp, the whale battled mortals underwater; its skin was so thick and heavy that it was rarely seriously injured.

But now, heavily wounded and exhausted, it had no choice—it had to surface for air.

At that instant, dozens of ballista bolts fired, erupting into sprays of blood across the whale’s body!

Among them was a cold-iron harpoon, dark and unremarkable, shooting forth!

Shark Slayer!

Bai Xuan’s strike unleashed his full power, the cold gleam flashing as the harpoon plunged deep into the whale’s skull!

Blood sprayed!

“Roar!”

The giant whale bellowed, its cry no longer long and ethereal but filled with agony and fury!

But immediately, it turned and fled toward the distance.

It sensed mortal danger from its grave wounds!

“It’s not dead,” Bai Xuan thought grimly.

His harpoon was lost, the job unfinished.

His body-forging skills weren’t yet sufficient; his strength lacked the force to penetrate the whale’s brain, the harpoon lodged in the skull, only blood spurting out.

But—

At that moment, the tide suddenly turned!

An elder’s figure flashed, bursting from the water!

“Die!”

Bai Yunxi’s muscles swelled, his eyes transformed into vertical azure pupils, his blood burning like flames, almost visible to the naked eye!

The old man was truly enraged, maddened, determined to kill the giant whale even at the cost of his own life!

With a thunderous crash, Bai Yunxi stepped onto the whale’s back, slamming his palm down. The harpoon, struck by his immense force, was like an iron nail, hammered through with a roar.

Blood Burning Secret Technique!

Bai Yunxi went berserk, unleashing the secret art, his strength exploding to the utmost, raining dozens of palm strikes, driving the cold-iron harpoon into the beast’s brain!

The waves boiled; the giant whale writhed in agony, thrashing and rolling like a maddened beast.

Such terrifying power rocked the whaling ship, as if it might capsize.

A whale hunter failed to dodge the beast’s tail; with a sweep, the tail blotted out the sun, smashing down and driving him under, shattering bones and organs, his corpse floating up.

“Could it still escape?”

Aboard, Bai Xuan frowned.

Its vitality was astonishing!

But…

After a long struggle, the giant whale gradually ceased its movements, floating lifelessly atop the water.

It was dead!