Chapter 122: Fisherman

Surviving In A Martial Arts World To Become A Saint

The waterway, wind and snow unceasing.

Over these two days, fewer and fewer people had entered or left Nine Waves Island.

Those who came out all had embracing elixir strength cultivation, each with bountiful harvests.

Chen Qing sat on the deck of his treasure ship.

Bone-Eroding Spider silk glimmered with dark light at key points along the ship's body. Any contact would not escape his notice.

"Creak... creak..."

The dull sound of ice-breaking ship passage approached from afar. A magnificent treasure ship slowly entered the waterway's view.

The vessel's lines were smooth, built entirely from deep-colored precious timber. The bow was carved with exquisite exotic beast patterns. A banner hung high on the mast, with a vigorous and powerful character for Liu fluttering in the wind and snow.

Chen Qing's gaze focused slightly as he slowly stood.

Such a powerful force, it would be better to leave it to Shen Xiuyong to investigate.

Chen Qing moved the paired mother-child heart-linking paper figure in his sleeve with his right hand, then called out loudly, "Five Terraces Sect is clearing out remnants and guarding this passage. All passing vessels must be inspected!"

The Liu family treasure ship's speed increased rather than decreased, as if it hadn't heard at all.

A middle-aged man with the bearing of a steward leaned out from the bow, "This Five Terraces Sect expert, this is Young Master Han of our Liu family's vessel. He has urgent matters and cannot stop for inspection. Please be accommodating and clear the channel."

He deliberately emphasized Young Master Han of the Liu family, hinting that the other party should retreat in the face of difficulty.

Chen Qing remained unmoved, standing steadily on the water surface several zhang ahead of the bow, "This is my duty. Please have your vessel cooperate by stopping for inspection."

He calculated silently in his heart. He only needed to delay for a moment longer, and Shen Xiuyong would surely sense it.

Seeing that Chen Qing not only didn't retreat, the steward's brow furrowed. The politeness on his face quickly faded, replaced by a trace of icy coldness.

"Sir, the Liu family and Five Terraces Sect have always minded our own business. Young Master Han's journey concerns family affairs that cannot be delayed. Move aside quickly, lest it harm our harmony!"

His attitude had clearly hardened. Did a Five Terraces Sect executive think he could block the Liu family's treasure ship!?

Chen Qing remained steadfast as a mountain, "The sect's strict orders are that all waterway passage requires inspection. If your vessel has no suspicious points, why fear inspection? This is my duty, so please..."

"Hmph! What fine duty!"

Cold light flashed in the steward's eyes as he completely lost patience.

He said no more. His right hand quietly pressed on the hilt of the saber at his waist, and a sharp aura instantly locked onto Chen Qing.

"Since you insist on inspecting, then pardon my offense."

The steward's figure shot down from the bow like an arrow leaving the string.

He didn't draw his saber, but his right hand formed a sword with his fingers. Sharp true qi condensed at his fingertips, tearing through wind and snow, directly striking several major acupoints on Chen Qing's chest!

Hmm!?

Chen Qing's brow instantly furrowed tight, his gaze cold as ice.

He was already prepared. The moment the other party erupted, his feet had already shifted like a ghost!

In the steward's utterly shocked gaze, Chen Qing's palm shot out like lightning, his five fingers like iron pincers, precisely and flawlessly gripping the steward's throat!

The steward's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. His feet left the ground, his eyes filled with incredible fear.

He never imagined that this seemingly ordinary Five Terraces Sect executive would be so fast!

"Insolent!"

A cold, angry shout rang out from the cabin, carrying unquestionable authority.

The cabin door opened. Wind and snow rolled inward as a tall, straight figure slowly emerged.

It was Liu Han!

His face was dark as water, his gaze like lightning, instantly locking onto Chen Qing.

A sharp aura suddenly erupted, like an invisible sword edge directly stabbing at Chen Qing. This was the wave of true qi driven by the Liu family's core heart method, the Shocking Waves Sword Formula.

The surrounding wind and snow seemed to stagnate.

Chen Qing felt a powerful pressure rushing at him, his qi and blood slightly congealing.

He snorted coldly. Inside his body, the Qingmu Longevity Formula and Eight Extremes Vajra Body circulated simultaneously. A resilient and magnificent aura emanated through his body, forcibly blocking this wave. His figure remained stable as a mountain peak, the hand gripping the steward's throat not moving a fraction.

A trace of imperceptible surprise flashed through Liu Han's eyes.

The young man before him was definitely not an ordinary executive!

"Release him!"

Liu Han's voice grew colder as he took a step forward.

This step appeared casual but contained mysteries. The deck beneath his feet silently sank an inch. An even stronger undercurrent of true qi surged, directly targeting Chen Qing's lower body.

Chen Qing's gaze turned sharp as he also took a step forward.

Employing the Wave Treading Step movement technique, his feet were like walking on flat ground. Qingmu true qi condensed at his toes. Without dodging or avoiding, he boldly met the attack!

"Boom!"

A dull sound of colliding force exploded between the two!

Invisible air waves spread outward with the two as the center, blowing away the accumulated snow within several zhang. The ship's body violently shook.

Chen Qing felt a powerful force transmitting through. The treasure ship beneath his feet slid back half a foot, his arm slightly numb.

Liu Han also felt a slight chill in his heart.

Although he hadn't used his full strength and only wanted to force the other party back, the step the other party took not only neutralized his hidden force, the rebounding force also made the soles of his feet slightly numb.

The two's gazes collided in the air, killing intent hidden within. The atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point.

"Yo! How lively! What show is being performed here?"

A lazy voice rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere.

Shen Xiuyong had somehow already appeared between the two ships. He still had that sleepy, weary appearance, but the Lihuo true qi faintly emanating from his body was like an invisible furnace, instantly evaporating the approaching wind and snow, forming a circle of misty vapor.

Shen Xiuyong glanced at the Liu family steward, then at Liu Han whose face was dark as water. Finally, his gaze fell on Chen Qing, the corner of his mouth curving into a playful smile.

"Liu family boy, quite the temper you have."

Shen Xiuyong smiled at Liu Han, his tone casual, "My martial nephew here is following the sect's orders to guard this waterway and investigate suspicious persons. This is his duty. Your man spoke disrespectfully first. My martial nephew punishing him is reasonable, wouldn't you say?"

Seeing Shen Xiuyong, Liu Han's brow furrowed even tighter.

He had naturally heard of Shen Xiuyong's reputation. An elder of Five Terraces Sect's Lihuo Courtyard with unfathomable strength, and moreover greedy and cunning. He himself couldn't gain any advantage at all.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart.

"So it's Elder Shen in person."

Liu Han cupped his fists, his tone softening somewhat, "This matter is truly a misunderstanding. My subordinate was disrespectful and offended your sect's executive. Liu apologizes on his behalf."

His gaze turned to Chen Qing, "Please, this brother, be magnanimous and release him. The Liu family will certainly compensate."

Shen Xiuyong chuckled, looking at Chen Qing, "Martial nephew, Young Master Liu has said so much. Give him some face?"

Chen Qing's expression remained blank as his wrist loosened.

The steward collapsed like mud, clutching his throat and coughing violently. The gaze he directed at Chen Qing was filled with fear.

Liu Han didn't even look at the steward, directly saying to Shen Xiuyong, "Elder Shen, let this matter pass. My Liu family came in response to the bandit suppression order. Everything on the ship was legitimately obtained. There are absolutely no Demon Sect remnants or forbidden items. Time is pressing. Please be accommodating."

"Accommodation, naturally that's easy to discuss."

Shen Xiuyong rubbed his hands together, his smile amiable, "My martial nephew has been guarding here, exposed to wind and weather, anxious and afraid, all to prevent any fish from slipping through the net and things that shouldn't flow out from escaping. The Liu family is a great and prestigious household. I imagine your harvest was quite abundant? Leave thirty percent as shock payment for my martial nephew."

He directly pulled out the tiger skin of Five Terraces Sect's upper echelon, blocking Liu Han's room to haggle.

Liu Han's expression fluctuated between light and dark. Thirty percent of the wealth was absolutely not a small amount, especially since his gains from this journey were extremely precious but he also knew that since Shen Xiuyong had appeared, he would never easily let him pass.

Fighting would not only have no chance of victory, the consequences would be even more unbearable.

Thinking of the family's interests and this journey's more important objective, he finally made his decision.

"Fine! Elder Shen is straightforward!"

Liu Han said in a heavy voice, a trace of heartache flashing in his eyes, "Thirty percent it is! Consider it making a friend, and also thanking Five Terraces Sect for maintaining order and sweeping away the bandit scourge! Men!"

Guards immediately appeared behind him, carrying out several heavy iron boxes and placing them on the deck.

Shen Xiuyong's gaze signaled to Chen Qing.

Chen Qing understood, stepping forward to open one of the boxes.

Immediately, a wave of jeweled radiance mixed with rich medicinal fragrance rushed at him!

Inside the box were not only large ingots of gold and silver and jade objects and gemstones of excellent quality, but also several treasure medicines brimming with spiritual energy. Among them, a crimson lingzhi-shaped treasure medicine was definitely more than fifteen years old!

Another box contained neatly arranged rare ores gleaming with metallic luster!

Even Shen Xiuyong, with all his experience, couldn't help but let a trace of brilliance burst from his eyes. He clicked his tongue in admiration, "Generous! The Liu family truly lives up to its reputation! Young Master Liu, please!"

He stepped aside to clear the waterway, making a gesture of invitation.

Liu Han gave Chen Qing a deep look, as if engraving his appearance in his memory.

Then without another word, he turned and strode back into the cabin.

The Liu family treasure ship slowly started up, carrying a heavy atmosphere as it departed from the waterway.

Watching the Liu family treasure ship disappear into the wind and snow, the smile on Shen Xiuyong's face grew even wider.

He waved his hand, directly dividing the wealth from those iron boxes into two portions. The portion with obviously higher value went into his own possession, while the other portion was pushed to Chen Qing.

"Take it, martial nephew. This is what you deserve. That Liu family boy is not simple."

Shen Xiuyong smacked his lips, his gaze still following the direction where the Liu family treasure ship had disappeared, "Just now in those few exchanges, he used at most fifty percent of his strength. The Liu family's Shocking Waves Sword Formula, combined with his nine-form root bone, if he truly fought, you couldn't withstand three moves."

He paused, his tone carrying a trace of undisguisable envy as he lowered his voice, "Moreover, you were close just now. Didn't you sense it? That layer of inner armor under his clothes... heh! That thing is the real treasure! One of the Liu family's clan-protecting treasures. No wonder this boy dares to bring only these few people into this dragon's den. With that thing protecting him, as long as he doesn't encounter a True Aura old monster, his life is worry-free!"

He patted Chen Qing's shoulder, saying meaningfully, "Alright, martial nephew, continue guarding your golden waterway. This passage toll from Liu Han is fat enough. Our trip wasn't wasted."

"But be careful. That boy is petty. The way he looked at you just now wasn't too friendly."

Finished speaking, his figure flashed with the treasures and he disappeared into the wind and snow, returning to his main waterway.

Chen Qing looked at the wealth before him, then toward the vast waters where the Liu family treasure ship had vanished.

He was considering whether or not to pursue.

That Liu Han had opened eight orthodox meridians and was already at late-stage embracing elixir strength. Combined with the superior treasure weapon grade inner armor, he was indeed quite troublesome.

Chen Qing put away the wealth Liu Han had left behind and continued sitting in meditation on the treasure ship.

The Bone-Eroding Spider crawled silently along the ship's rail, its fine web trembling slightly in the wind and snow.

Not even the time it took to burn a joss stick had passed.

Two figures treading through thick accumulated snow rushed quickly along the rocky beach at the waterway's edge, one foot deep and one foot shallow.

They wore Lihuo Courtyard's standard crimson training outfits, but their robes were damaged in many places, stained with large patches of dark brown blood and mud.

The one in front was tall, his features vaguely resembling Lihuo Courtyard's chief disciple Xiao Ruize, only his face was pale and his breathing rapid.

The person half a step behind had ordinary features. It was Lihuo Courtyard disciple Junior Brother Wang. He kept his head lowered, seeming to have also suffered some light injuries.

The Bone-Eroding Spider silk transmitted slight vibrations. Chen Qing had already noticed.

He stood up nonchalantly, his hands hanging naturally at his sides. His fingertips in his sleeves quietly gripped a cold, heavy Thunderbolt Fire Seed.

"Senior Brother Xiao!? Junior Brother Wang!?"

Chen Qing's voice carried thirty percent surprise and seventy percent worry as he quickly stepped to the ship's rail, "What happened to you... how did you get injured so badly? Quickly come aboard!"

'Xiao Ruize' barely lifted his head, exhaustion and urgency in his eyes, "Junior Brother Chen? You're guarding here? Junior Brother Wang and I encountered a Zheng family retainer and suffered some internal injuries."

He clutched the wound on his chest, seeming to draw in a cold breath from the pain.

These two were none other than Zuo Feng and Zheng Hui.

'Junior Brother Wang' only nodded, as if his injuries were too severe for many words.

However, just as he stepped on the gangplank and passed by Chen Qing, Chen Qing's pupils imperceptibly contracted.

Something's wrong!

Ever since cultivating the Spirit-Guiding Fishing Formula, Chen Qing's perception of auras had become extremely acute.

The aura emanating from this Senior Brother Xiao... though extremely restrained, that thread of barely perceptible presence mixed with the bloody smell was absolutely not Lihuo Courtyard's fierce and forceful style!

Most importantly, the 'Xiao Ruize' before him differed somewhat in build from the Xiao Ruize in his memory.

Doubts multiplied!

The concern on Chen Qing's face didn't diminish, but alarm bells rang loudly in his heart.

These two were definitely wrong!

"Quick, there's medicine and fresh water in the cabin!"

Chen Qing led the two toward the cabin entrance, his tone still carrying the care of fellow sect members, as if completely unaware.

His left hand deep in his sleeve now held three Thunderbolt Fire Seeds.

If there was any unusual movement, he would throw out the Thunderbolt Fire Seeds first.

'Xiao Ruize' said gratefully, "Many thanks."

Chen Qing smiled, "We're all fellow sect brothers. Why be so polite? Do you have any dry rations or water bags? Elder Shen, Courtyard Master Chu, and Courtyard Master Hong are not far away. Do you want to go report the situation?"

He deliberately named several sect experts and told them they were nearby.

'Xiao Ruize' and 'Junior Brother Wang' exchanged a glance.

Their primary goal was to quickly leave Nine Waves Island and avoid provoking trouble.

"No need."

'Xiao Ruize' said in a heavy voice, "Then I'll trouble junior brother to give us some dry rations and water bags. Junior Brother Wang and I will first find a place to heal before anything else."

Chen Qing nodded, then took out some dry rations and water.

The two accepted without courtesy.

"Senior Brother Xiao, venturing deep into dangerous territory on this trip, your harvest must have been enormous, right? Just now... ah, it really makes one's eyes burn with envy."

Chen Qing sighed, his face showing envy and unwillingness, "This Liu Han truly deserves to be one of the Seven Talents. His strength is profound. I saw that Liu family treasure ship completely filled. Not only did he obtain several twenty-year treasure medicines, but he also has the great chief of Nine Waves Island's movement technique, the Ghost Shadow Trace Step."

"That's a true superior lightness skill movement technique... ah, comparing people infuriates! We work ourselves to death in fear and worry, but the lion's share goes to them."

His tone was flat, as if merely complaining casually but these words moved both Zheng Hui and Zuo Feng.

Zheng Hui's body instantly tensed. Thinking of the Zheng family's destruction, he forcibly suppressed the venom and killing intent in his heart.

And 'Junior Brother Wang's' constantly lowered eyelids suddenly lifted.

Hearing of that rumored Liu family clan-protecting treasure armor on Liu Han! This item's value was immeasurable.

A Liu family heir who had just experienced a great battle with limited protective forces around him, carrying such a precious treasure... this was simply a heaven-sent opportunity!

'Junior Brother Wang' asked casually, "Liu Han!? Which direction did he go? How long has he been gone!?"

"Look, straight along the main waterway toward the southeast. The Liu family's large ship just left not even the time to burn a joss stick ago. With the heavy snow, they shouldn't have gone far."

Chen Qing casually pointed in a direction, his tone certain, "That ship is very recognizable. It flies the Liu family's great banner, with a sea eagle carved on the bow."

'Junior Brother Wang' took a deep breath, saying, "Many thanks. We two should also quickly leave this place of conflict."

"Good!"

'Xiao Ruize' nodded.

Two figures, one in front and one behind, instantly disappeared at the end of the main waterway shrouded in wind and snow, following the direction Chen Qing had indicated.

Seeing this, Chen Qing's eyes narrowed to slits.

He had only mentioned a few things casually, some of which were even fabricated.

Clearly the Liu family's precious treasure had moved the two considerably.

Chen Qing hid the treasure ship near the shallows, had the Bone-Eroding Spider wrap spider silk around it, then circulated the Guiyuan Aura Concealment Art, gathering all his aura completely, and carefully followed.