Chapter 253 - 251: Ambush

The next morning, at the largest Black Crocodile Dock in the Ten Islands Region.

A large Jiang Family treasure ship, riding low in the water and fully laden with cargo, was quietly moored beside the pier, making its final preparations before departure.

Su Yu and Qin Yu stood side by side on the high bow deck, looking down below.

On the pier, a burly man wearing a ferocious iron mask faced off against Su Yu on the ship from a distance. He was flanked by several dozen elite Martial Artists, all of whom exuded a fierce, murderous aura.

This man was none other than Hong Li, the Chief Steward of the Hong family, who had come to take advantage of their plight the day before. He was known as the "Iron-Masked Judge," and his strength had shockingly reached Flesh Refining Realm Perfection!

"Commander Su, your reputation precedes you."

Hong Li’s hoarse voice emanated from behind the cold iron mask. His eyes held a blatant mix of scrutiny and contempt as he stared at Su Yu on the bow.

"Brother Su, for someone so young, you’re truly admirable for daring to wade into the troubled Ten Islands Waters all by yourself. However, the winds and waves on this Black Water River are a hundred times more treacherous than any sparring match on a stage."

Hong Li’s tone was laced with threat as he played his final card. "Let me confirm one last time. For this voyage, are you certain you don’t require an escort from my Hong Family? If Brother Su feels that a fifty-percent profit share is too much, we can always sit down and renegotiate."

Faced with Hong Li’s mix of threats and olive branches, Su Yu couldn’t be bothered to waste a single word in reply.

He gave a slight smile, turned his head, and uttered two words to the ship’s captain at his side:

"Set sail."

"WHOOO—"

A deep, long horn blast echoed across the dock.

The massive Jiang Family treasure ship slowly raised its mainsail. Its thick, vat-like ram powered through the water, and the ship sailed into the faintly fishy river wind, heading for the depths of the Ten Islands Waters!

As Hong Li stood on the pier watching the massive treasure ship gradually disappear into the morning mist, a cold, murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

"Sir, that White Ape Martial Arts Hall doesn’t know what’s good for them!"

A trusted subordinate came up from behind and said sinisterly, "He’s just some mid-stage Flesh Refining Realm practitioner. Who cares if he’s a genius? Out here on the Black Water River, with its strong winds and vast waters, isn’t he afraid he’ll end up as fish food? Sir, should we perhaps... add some fuel to the fire?"

"There’s no need."

Hong Li sneered, the corners of his mouth curving up beneath his mask.

"How could he possibly handle the dangers of these vast waters alone? We don’t have to do a thing. We’ll just sit back and enjoy the show."

"Once this voyage of theirs fails, it’ll take a lot more than a mere fifty-percent profit share to settle things!"

...

「Two hours later.」

The Jiang Family treasure ship had sailed deep into the most treacherous part of the Ten Islands Waters: the Boulder Mist Region.

On deck, the atmosphere was so tense you could cut it with a knife.

The Jiang Family crew and sailors, men who spent their lives making a living on the water, all looked tense, nervously gripping the fish spears and ropes in their hands.

They had been attacked in these waters several times before and were now terrified of every shadow.

"Is this White Ape Martial Arts Hall reliable or not? Last time they brought a whole squad of elites and nearly got them all killed. This time they send just one guy to hold down the fort and force us to set sail?"

"Sigh, tell me about it. If Steward Jiang hadn’t given a direct order—threatening to break our legs if we dared to disobey—I never would have set foot on this ship again!"

"This young master looks impressive enough, but he’s far too confident. How could he come alone? What are we going to do if we run into those Water Bandits who kill without batting an eye..."

"Exactly! This... It’s like he has a death wish!"

"All of you, shut your damn jinxing mouths! If you have the energy to stand around gossiping, you should be praying to the heavens for a safe journey instead."

...

On the deck, Su Yu sat cross-legged, gazing at the river’s surface in the distance.

The crew’s voices drifted up to his ears, but he said nothing.

Even Qin Yu, who was furious and wanted to teach them a lesson, was stopped by a single look from Su Yu.

Qin Yu’s chest heaved with anger. She wanted nothing more than to give those men a good lashing, but seeing Su Yu’s calm expression, she could only suppress her fury and stew in silence.

"Qin Yu, they’re just ordinary people. There’s no need to get angry with them. In a little while, if Ghost Mist Island really shows up, you can vent your anger on them instead."

As soon as the words left his mouth.

"WHOOSH—"

From within the thick, gray-white river mist above, a figure like a bolt of cyan lightning suddenly tore through, diving down with precision to land steadily on Su Yu’s shoulder.

"CHIRP! CHIRP!"

The sharp, urgent cries of the Cyan-Scaled Sea-Exploring Swallow instantly shattered the oppressive silence on the treasure ship.

"Just as I expected."

A slight smile touched Su Yu’s face, and a trace of killing intent flashed in his dark pupils.

At the very instant Su Yu’s voice faded!

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

The dense, impenetrable white fog on the river ahead was suddenly torn apart by three violent wakes!

Three medium-sized fast boats, painted a deathly gray and as swift as aquatic ghosts, burst from the mist from three different directions in a coordinated pincer attack.

The three vessels were like three gaping, bloody maws, snapping madly at the lumbering Jiang Family treasure ship!

"Enemy attack!!!"

"The Water Bandits are here! It’s the ships from Ghost Mist Island!"

"We’re finished! It’s all over! Oh, heavens, we’re all going to die here today!"

Upon seeing the conspicuous Ghost Mist Island flags on the fast boats’ sails, a wave of panicked shouting erupted across the treasure ship’s deck.

The crewmen ran about like headless chickens, some with legs so weak they collapsed onto the slick deck, trembling uncontrollably.

"All of you, shut up! Get back to the hold!"

Qin Yu drew the longsword from her waist, a murderous aura erupting in her beautiful eyes. She infused her chest with the Qi and Blood of her Flesh Refining Realm, and her sharp cry, like a sudden clap of thunder, instantly drowned out all the weeping and chaos on deck.

The worldly-wise ship’s captain was the first to react, shouting at the top of his lungs to his sailors, "Quick! Listen to the lady! Everyone get down to the hold! Bar the hatch tight!"

These common men, who lived their lives on a knife’s edge, knew full well that in a battle between Martial Artists of this level, they wouldn’t be the slightest bit of help on deck. Instead, they would instantly be turned into mincemeat under the Water Bandits’ blades.

Since there were powerful people to handle the problem, they were more than happy to save their own skins.

In just over a dozen breaths’ time, the ordinary crewmen had completely cleared the deck.

By this time, the three ghost-like enemy ships had savagely latched onto the treasure ship’s sides.

"SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!"

Dozens of thick ropes tipped with fine iron grappling hooks shot through the air like striking vipers, embedding themselves viciously in the treasure ship’s railings and masts.

Immediately after, to a cacophony of arrogant shrieks, dozens of bare-chested Water Bandits, reeking of the pungent stench of the river, swung madly up the ropes and onto the treasure ship’s wide deck.

On the bow of the central fast boat.

A formidable, dual-saber-wielding man stood proudly. He was bare from the waist up, and a hideous, centipede-like scar sprawled across his chest.

This man was none other than Xia Lie, the second-in-command of Ghost Mist Island!

His cold, sinister eyes brazenly roved over Qin Yu’s curvy figure, clad in fiery red. A lecherous grin spread across his face.

"Tsk, tsk. Little wench, you actually dared to come back to die? Last time, you were lucky to escape from the water with your life. This time, there’s no escape for you!"

Xia Lie stuck out his scarlet tongue and licked his lips, his eyes glinting with greed and lust. "A feisty, top-quality Martial Artist bitch... I’ve never had a taste of one of those in my life!"

"Xia Lie! I’m going to flay you alive this time!"

Hearing such a vile insult, Qin Yu began to tremble with rage, a towering inferno of fury blazing in her eyes. She gripped her longsword, the Qi and Blood in her body erupted, and she readied herself to charge forward and fight to the death.

However, she had barely taken half a step.

A warm, broad hand clasped her wrist with absolute precision. An irresistible, steady force pulled her firmly back.

"Qin Yu."

Su Yu’s expression was calm, his voice steady and strong. "We agreed before we left. I will handle this lot. Your injuries haven’t healed, so just stand here and watch quietly."

By now, dozens of Ghost Mist Island’s Water Bandits had swarmed onto the deck, covering it completely.

Shockingly, mixed among these desperados were fifteen or sixteen Martial Artists whose Qi and Blood churned powerfully—they had reached the Skin Tempering Realm!

Their forces were clearly much stronger than when Su Yu had last encountered them!

No wonder Ghost Mist Island dared to be so arrogant and domineering in the Ten Islands Waters. With their current elite forces, they were indeed a very difficult opponent.

Like a pack of starving wolves that had scented blood, the ferocious-looking Water Bandits formed a semicircle, closing in step by step on Su Yu, who stood alone at the forefront.

On the fast boat in the distance, however, Xia Lie did not immediately join the fray.

His words were arrogant, but his eyes revealed the cunning and caution of a seasoned veteran.

He stared intently at the young man in black, who remained completely unfazed despite being surrounded by dozens of men intent on killing him.

’He doesn’t recognize me,’ he thought. ’But for this guy to dare to sail again with that little wench in red, and to be so fearless in this situation... he must be a tough nut to crack. I can’t underestimate him!’

’But so what if he’s tough? With this many men attacking him, the moment he shows the slightest opening, I’ll hit him with a sneak attack!’

"Kill!"