Chapter Nine: Trawling Mastered, Black Pirates at Sea!

“Practice is still essential.” Bai Xuan drew out the cold iron spear, heat swirling around him. For more than half a month, he had trained diligently without stopping, taking medicinal meals to aid his progress, and now he could sense hope for advancement in the Azure Scale Technique.

“The Shark-Fighting skill has been fully mastered—it’s become almost instinctive.” Over this period, Bai Xuan had noticed that although skills like trawling and shark combat were bestowed by the Longevity Tree, persistent practice still increased his proficiency. It was a process of absorption and digestion.

Just then, distorted ripples appeared underwater, approaching swiftly.

“Hm? Demon fish?” Bai Xuan’s eyes narrowed. He could tell—it was the sign of a demon fish!

“With my current strength, I shouldn’t fear it anymore.” Bai Xuan remained calm. He held his breath, focused, and stood motionless on the Yan Boat, like a statue.

The water surged, and suddenly, a monstrous figure over three meters long surfaced. Its mouth, lined with twitching tentacles, bit into the massive iron beast fish, producing crunching, tearing sounds as blood gushed forth.

“As expected, it’s drawn by the scent of blood and goes straight for the iron beast fish.” Bai Xuan raised his cold iron spear. Instinctively, as if practiced a thousand times, he struck from the ship, with a swift, direct blow piercing into the water and through the giant shark.

Shark-Fighting Strike!

In a flash, the cold iron spear in Bai Xuan’s hand vanished from sight, passing directly through the demon fish’s skull, impaling it. Blood erupted—the supposedly tough head of the demon fish was as fragile as tofu under the cold iron spear, unable to resist or even thrash, just twitching twice before life faded from its body.

Bai Xuan withdrew his spear, watching the demon fish’s corpse drift away.

Most demon fish flesh is highly poisonous, riddled with parasites; bringing it aboard or eating it is strictly forbidden—a lesson learned through blood, with many grisly examples.

“My strength has truly reached a new height. What was once a terrifying demon fish is no longer a challenge.” Joy stirred in Bai Xuan’s heart. It was a qualitative leap.

“In half a month, I’ve accumulated three points of Dao Insight. Now it’s time to further enhance my power.” Bai Xuan’s principle for allocating points was to increase what he could control, never adding to what he couldn’t. Only what he could assimilate and master truly belonged to him; otherwise, at critical moments, he risked failure.

For example, though he had grasped skills like Sea Watching and Trawling, his first attempt at fishing ended in failure—proof that he hadn’t fully integrated them.

“Longevity Tree!” Bai Xuan’s mind stirred, and the bronze Dao Tree appeared; the “Trawling” branch unfurled. His arms trembled, strength surged, and he gained a hundred pounds of power out of thin air.

“Still within my control.” Bai Xuan’s expression remained calm as the “Trawling” branch grew again. This time, his strength increased further—a tearing sound as his shirt sleeves ripped apart, the fabric on his back splitting from the strain.

“Huff... again!”

The third point brought a kind of transformation. With a thunderous roar, Bai Xuan’s energy surged uncontrollably; as he stomped, the entire Yan Boat sank, sending waves several meters high crashing around.

On the Longevity Tree, the Trawling leaves glowed, rapidly growing new branches.

Trawling (Minor Achievement 1%)

It took Bai Xuan a moment to suppress his newfound strength, hiding his energy, but the joy in his expression was unmistakable.

How could one not be delighted by increased strength? He could feel it—his lungs had grown powerful, each breath like a rushing wind. His heart pumped blood like a torrent, brimming with force. Beneath his skin, the illusory azure scales grew rapidly, soon to materialize.

“Indeed. Enhancing one’s strength is the fastest path to breaking through in external martial arts. The second blood-energy breakthrough once seemed distant, but now progress is rapid.” Bai Xuan estimated that, once adapted to this power, the Azure Scale Technique would soon lead directly to the second blood-energy breakthrough.

In the days that followed, Bai Xuan rose early and returned late each day, hiding his strength and keeping a low profile. Yet his cultivation in the Azure Scale Technique advanced rapidly. Whenever his blood and energy stirred, he could sense azure scales forming beneath his skin.

“By the time we reach the shore, this stage of body cultivation will be complete—I’ll be at the peak of the first blood-energy breakthrough.”

“Apparently, the giant whale remains elusive. The First Mate said that if it isn’t found within three days, preparations will be made to return.”

After more than two months at sea, Bai Xuan, despite his fisherman’s path, began to miss the land. Most importantly, the ship’s firewood and other supplies were nearly depleted; if they didn’t return soon, survival in the open sea would become impossible.

…

The sea was calm, the sun blazing overhead.

Suddenly—

“Trouble! Pirate ships spotted! Sound the alarm!” The lookout shouted.

Immediately, the warning bell rang, its sound shaking the entire whaling ship, startling more than two hundred sailors.

“Pirates?”

Bai Xuan hurried onto the deck, looking out.

On the horizon, a fleet emerged, each ship flying black skull flags.

“So, pirates.” Bai Xuan understood.

As the fleet drew closer, several masters—rarely seen aboard—appeared on the whaling ship’s deck. The leader, an elderly man, had a grim expression. His energy surged around him, almost like burning flames, pressing down on Bai Xuan with an indescribable force.

“They say no more than three blood-energy breakthroughs are possible—this must be one who has achieved all three!” “It must be Captain Bai Yunxi of the Bai Family Whaling Ship.”

Bai Xuan took a deep breath.

With pirates appearing, even the ship owner had come out? Clearly, these pirates were far more formidable than he had imagined.

The three pirate ships approached; figures could now be seen on their decks.

“No need to panic.” Captain Bai Yunxi snorted, then spoke loudly, “I am Bai Yunxi, captain of the Bai Family Whaling Ship. May I ask what business brings you here?”

Bai Yunxi’s energy surged; his strength was evident, and his words carried the pride and composure of a great ship’s master.

On the opposing pirate flagship, a man at the prow replied, his voice carrying across the water.

“I am Luo Yun, fourth seat of the Eastern Sea Black Pirates. No need for pleasantries. For the sake of the Lord of Thousand Mountain Island, leave half your cargo and wealth, and you may go.”

Luo Yun’s tone was icy.

Yet his words caused an uproar throughout the Bai Family Whaling Ship.

“Half our cargo and wealth…?”

Beside him, Third Mate Bai Tianyan’s face darkened with anger.

The whaling ship had yet to catch the wounded whale, profits were scarce, and now they were asked to surrender half their goods and treasures?

“Boss, there are still over fifteen hundred taels of silver in the hold. If we give half away, this trip will be a total loss,” Second Mate Bai Yuanji frowned.

“I know,” Bai Yunxi replied softly.

The pirates wanted protection money based on reputation alone? He was naturally unwilling.

The Black Pirates’ name was fearsome, but the whaling ship had its share of experts. Bai Yunxi himself had achieved the third blood-energy breakthrough—surrendering his fortune so easily would be laughable!

At that moment—

“Fourth Master, it seems they won’t comply without force,” a pirate said respectfully below.

“Of course. Why else would I be here?” Luo Yun replied coldly, rising from his chair.

Suddenly—

With a thunderous crash, the prow of the pirate flagship dipped. A figure shot across the sky, breaking through the air!

“What?” The onlookers could barely track the figure with their eyes—it moved so fast that, in an instant, it landed at the prow of the Bai Family Whaling Ship.

Then the newcomer extended a hand and punched the massive harpoon cannon beside him.

“This man is mad!” Many present thought so.

But—

Boom!

A deafening roar shook the Bai Family Whaling Ship’s deck. The colossal harpoon cannon, used for hunting whales, bounced under the blow and tilted to one side!

Clang, clang, clang!

Half the rivets on the cannon’s base shot out, flying across the deck and sails.

Boom, boom, boom!

Luo Yun’s hands didn’t stop. Smoke and mist swirled around his arms as he struck the harpoon cannon a dozen times in quick succession.

Under countless shocked gazes, his blows warped the massive cannon, leaving deep handprints and emitting harsh, twisting cracks.

“How can a human body unleash such terrifying force?”

Everyone aboard the Bai Family ship was stunned.

Terrifying.

Overwhelming.

The power was like that of a giant whale, contained within a human and unleashed with breathtaking might.

“Well?” Luo Yun stopped, hands behind his back, looking at the Bai Family crew.

At that moment, his figure seemed like that of a god, casting a shadow over the entire ship.