At this point, he stood up, his mountain-of-flesh body casting a massive shadow:
“First Chief, just say the word and I will lead our men to slaughter everyone on Yunyi Island tonight and butcher that brat!”
“I guarantee you that if we kill that slave dog, neither that Luo fellow nor that Wang fellow will care!”
“Ah, Second Brother, you are mistaken.”
Across from him, Jia Pingxiu took a sip of wine and squinted with a smile:
“Brute force and ruthlessness aren't the only things martial artists rely on.”
“According to the reports sent back by our spies, this Ji Ning acts with caution and decisiveness, and is incredibly ruthless to boot. His temperament is completely different from Ji Guannan's back then.”
“Given what I know of this man, he will certainly not sit around waiting for his death...”
The Fat Merchant spoke with absolute certainty, the jade walnuts in his palm clinking together with a soft clack:
“If my guess is correct, he will definitely send a message to the Ji family tonight to request reinforcements. And in all likelihood, Ji Wen will personally come to the island with those two Anjin Rank guest elders of the Ji family.”
“Then, they will set a deadly trap, waiting for us to walk right into it...”
“Hmph! What's the damn use of that?”
The Blood Dhuta snorted disdainfully, his eyes filled with a bloodthirsty chill.
“The Ji family has no Huajin Rank experts. No matter how many Anjin Rank experts they bring, they are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs! As long as the First Chief is willing to act, I am willing to lead the vanguard and slaughter the Ji family...”
Before he could finish his sentence, he stopped abruptly.
Because...
The middle-aged man in magnificent robes on the seat of honor casually raised his hand.
This simple, understated gesture immediately made the Blood Dhuta shut his mouth.
“Right now, the most important thing... is to gather all the 'medicinal ingredients.'”
Duan Xiao withdrew his hand and took a light sip from his wine cup, his tone calm yet unquestionable.
“Once my Uncle Bai successfully masters his divine technique, crushing the Ji family will be as easy as stepping on ants.”
“For now... we should avoid provoking County Magistrate Luo and Patriarch Wang.”
These words settled the matter once and for all, defining their stance on this incident.
This meant that Chenjian Dock would not launch a large-scale invasion of Yunyi Island anytime soon.
Duan Xiao's words carried immense weight.
Hearing this, the Blood Dhuta could only sit down resentfully, grabbing the woman in palace robes to vent his lust, not daring to say another word.
Just then, Lu Juncheng, who had remained silent all this time, stood up and cupped his hands:
“First Chief... we have lost four chairs on the island: Qu Bushi, Tu Xiaotian, Chen Xin, and Pang Yi... Leaving these seats vacant is a minor issue, but we cannot leave the 'duties' underneath them unattended. Should we immediately promote a few trusted subordinates to fill the gaps?”
“Hmm...”
At the head of the hall, Duan Xiao pondered for a moment before suddenly looking down at the kneeling Tang Jin:
“What about Pang Yi?”
Tang Jin trembled, his voice hoarse:
“...He was captured by the Ji family. I'm afraid... I'm afraid he's done for...”
“...Then let Old Seven take Pang Yi's seat. As for the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth chairs, Old Third, you can select a few obedient and loyal brothers from below to fill them as usual.”
“As for Old Fifth...”
Duan Xiao looked at Tang Jin with a cold gaze, pausing slightly before speaking:
“You have lost your right arm, and most of your strength is gone. For now... step down from your chair and take charge of logistics and farming!”
Although the underlying meaning was not explicitly stated, Tang Jin was no fool. He could tell that Duan Xiao was holding him responsible for the loss of three chiefs this time!
Tang Jin's face grew visibly pale and defeated. He let out a bitter laugh and said:
“This subordinate understands...”
With that, he scrambled to his feet and walked out.
Behind him, Duan Xiao's indifferent voice rang out once more: “Remember to hand over the 『Ink-Scale Armor』.”
Tang Jin paused, his fists clenching and unclenching. In the end, he said nothing and left with his head bowed.
Only after he had left did Duan Xiao continue:
“I already have someone in mind for Tang Jin's position.”
“Oh?”
Hearing this, the Fat Merchant stopped rolling the jade walnuts in his hand, curiosity written all over his chubby face:
“Who might this person be? Are they at the Anjin Rank?”
Duan Xiao nodded:
“Naturally. An Anjin Rank expert who has opened four acupoints, with strength firmly above Tang Jin's. This is why I wanted him to vacate the position—it was prepared for this person.”
Opened four acupoints!
Mid stage of the Anjin Rank!
This was enough to significantly boost Chenjian Dock's overall strength.
Once these words were spoken, everyone in the hall became extremely curious.
The Blood Dhuta, in particular, scratched his head in anticipation and asked eagerly:
“First Chief, stop keeping us in suspense! What is this person's name?”
Duan Xiao smiled faintly.
He drained his cup in one gulp, set the jade cup down, and uttered two words:
“Gao Fu.”
...
It was the fifteenth day since Tu Xiaotian, the Ninth Chief of Chenjian Dock, had paid for his blindness with his life.
In the blink of an eye, half a month flew by.
To everyone's surprise.
During this time, the entire Cloudwater Lake remained completely calm and tranquil.
Chenjian Dock made no moves from beginning to end.
Not to mention gathering forces for revenge.
Even their usual activities of waterborne piracy and harassing merchant ships completely vanished.
Only waterbirds gathered and fishing boats came and went on the lake, presenting a peaceful scene.
It was as if the bloody battle of that day had never occurred.
Many patrol envoys and guards speculated in private:
Perhaps Chenjian Dock was wary of the treaty established by the Changyun County Magistrate and Master Wang, which was why they did not dare to act rashly.
Of course, only a very few people knew that after repelling the bandits that day, Ji Ning had sent a message back to Changyun overnight.
That very night, three more Anjin Rank experts arrived on the island—meaning that, including Ji Ning himself, there were now four Anjin Rank experts stationed there!
Against such a lineup, Chenjian Dock would have absolutely no chance of victory unless they mobilized their entire force.
Meanwhile.
In a reed marsh two miles north of Yunyi Island.
A bonfire blazed merrily.
Tongues of fire licked the roasting spit.
Shen Xiuhan sat cross-legged on the ground, turning a thick wooden branch.
Skewered on the branch was a plump, golden-brown, crispy roasted duck!
『Purple-Beaked Duck』!
This duck was no ordinary waterfowl; it was a genuine Tier One Precious Beast.
Its feathers were grayish-brown, its beak deep purple, and its webbed feet crimson. Its body was round and plump, and now it was roasted to a golden, crispy perfection, glistening with oil.
This morning, Shen Xiuhan had watched Ji Wen lead the two Anjin Rank guest elders away from the island by boat. Only then did he feel safe enough to strike, completely wiping out the 『Purple-Beaked Duck』 that had appeared in the intelligence half a month ago alongside the 『Ink-Bone Blue Fish』.
Not only did he obtain this Precious Beast, but he also retrieved two duck eggs from its nest.
The eggshells had a faint greenish hue, and they were a size larger than ordinary duck eggs.
He wrapped them carefully, intending to bring them home when he returned to the city for his younger sister, Shen Momo, to keep as pets.
Sizzle...
Grease dripped from the duck skin onto the charcoal, releasing a rich aroma of meat that drifted through the reed marsh.
Shen Xiuhan tore off a duck leg. The skin was crispy, and the meat was firm and chewy, containing a faint but pure blood qi. It transformed into a warm current as it slid down his throat, flowing into his limbs and bones.
After devouring the entire fat duck, Shen Xiuhan's mind stirred, and a pale gold light screen quietly emerged.
【Intelligence +19】
“Only nineteen... The blood qi of a Tier One Precious Beast is indeed limited.”
Shen Xiuhan wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and shook his head with a helpless expression.
Fortunately...
With the daily intelligence points he had naturally accumulated over the past half-month, his available intelligence points had surpassed the mark of thirty.
Thirty points!
This was exactly enough to reach the threshold for deducing the 『Divine General Muxu Upper Radiance Scripture』.
“Phew...”
Shen Xiuhan took a deep breath to calm his mind, his thoughts stirring:
【Deductible martial art 『Divine General Muxu Upper Radiance Scripture』 detected. Proceed with Deduction?**】
“Yes!”
Rate on N.U.
