63: Chapter 63 Assault!

Time rewinds to the night Jiang Hanzhou escaped into the deep sea.

Fighting at the Viscera Burning Realm level might be hidden by the night and distance.

But when a Dragon Elephant Realm Martial Artist strikes, the terrifying pressure that draws on Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and shakes the soul, how could it be hidden from other experts with keen perception in the same city?

Almost at the moment Master Sang struck Jiang Hanzhou from a distance —

In the center of Bibo City, deep within the City Lord's Mansion, which was constructed of black ironwood and coral rock and shaped like a crouching giant beast, an aged figure sitting in a quiet room slowly opened his eyes.

As he opened and closed his eyes, it seemed as if stars were being born and dying, and ocean tides were rising and falling.

"The energy of the Dragon Elephant Realm... and it's a foreign technique."

The old man whispered to himself, his voice hoarse but carrying a certain unquestionable majesty.

He was one of the three Elders of the Star Shattering Water Mansion who guarded Bibo Island, known as the Star Pattern Venerable, with a cultivation at the Peak of the first level of the Dragon Elephant Realm, the Primal Form Realm.

Any behavior of using Dragon Elephant level power on Bibo Island and the surrounding sea area without reporting it was regarded as a provocation to the authority of the Water Mansion.

His body did not move, but a Divine Thought as condensed as substance shot out through the air, crossing several miles in an instant, and descended upon the reef beach that had just experienced a great battle.

The Divine Thought swept over the chaotic battlefield, passed over Luke's cold corpse, the heavily injured and withered Soren, and the pale Karl, and finally locked onto Master Sang, who was standing by the sea with his hands behind his back, his aura not yet fully calmed.

"Western guest, you have quite a temper."

The voice of the Star Pattern Venerable sounded directly in Master Sang's Sea of Consciousness, flat, yet as heavy as a mountain.

Master Sang's face changed slightly, but he quickly returned to calm. He nodded slightly towards the direction of the Water Mansion and responded with Divine Thought as well:

"Please forgive me, Elder of the Water Mansion. I am Sandro, a Guest Elder of the Silver Wing Family of the Storm Kingdom. My attack tonight was truly because a junior of the Family was ambushed and killed by an Eastern villain, so I had no choice but to act. It was by no means intentional to offend the rules of the Water Mansion."

He defined the matter as an "ambush," omitting the prior cause of his side actively tracking and intending to rob.

What kind of person was the Star Pattern Venerable?

His Divine Thought was like mercury pouring onto the ground; even the smallest details could not escape his perception.

The residual energy on the battlefield, the state of Karl and Soren, and even the faint traces of the "Bone-Eroding Mist Pill" and "Ox-Hair Bone-Piercing Needle" that had not yet dissipated in the air all outlined a rough outline in his heart.

But he did not point it out.

The Star Shattering Water Mansion could gain a foothold in the intricate Shattered Star Archipelago not only by force but by balance and interests.

"Private fighting at the Dragon Elephant Realm is prohibited within Bibo City and one hundred miles around it. This is an iron rule." The voice of the Star Pattern Venerable remained flat. "Considering this is your first offense and there was a reason, you are fined 100,000 taels of silver. Those involved must leave the island immediately and are not allowed to enter the Bibo City sea area again within one year. Do you accept this?"

A fine of 100,000 taels was not a fatal blow to a Western wealthy Family like the Silver Wing Family, but being ordered to leave the island and forbidden from entering for a limited time was a real punishment and warning.

Sandro's eyes flickered as he weighed the pros and cons.

He certainly did not fear this Star Pattern Venerable, but a strong dragon does not suppress the local snake.

The Star Shattering Water Mansion had been entrenched here for hundreds of years, with a deep foundation, and there were rumors that it had connections with certain ancient existences in the depths of the East Sea.

It would be unwise to completely break ties with such a local snake for the sake of a dead collateral Family member and a piece of profound iron essence gold that had not yet been obtained.

Moreover, that cunning Eastern kid had already escaped, it was too late to chase, and there was no point in staying here.

"The rules of the Water Mansion must be observed." Sandro suppressed a trace of displeasure in his heart and replied through sound transmission, "The fine will be sent to the Water Mansion by someone later. We will leave the island today."

"Good." The Divine Thought of the Star Pattern Venerable receded like a tide.

A potential conflict was eliminated into the invisible.

This was the rule of Bibo Island, and it was also the cornerstone of the delicate coexistence of various forces here.

...

At noon the next day, the silver note for the 100,000 taels fine was sent to the Water Mansion by Sandro's entourage.

Soren, whose arm was still bandaged and whose face was gray, and Karl, whose breath was withered and whose eyes still held lingering fear and unwillingness, along with Luke's body, which had been properly handled, boarded the three streamlined speedboats of the Silver Wing Family docked at the pier.

Sandro himself did not accompany them.

He remained in Bibo City, partly to observe the subsequent attitude of the Water Mansion, and partly because that escaped Eastern kid had the profound iron essence gold, and he had not completely given up the idea of tracking him, he just needed a more covert way.

Before leaving, Sandro looked at the dejected Karl and the resentful Soren and ordered faintly: "After returning to Silver Gull Island, reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors. The Family will arrange the matter of the wanted notice. If you act recklessly and ruin things again, you will bear the consequences."

The three speedboats raised their white sails and, under the cold gaze of several Water Mansion deacons, slowly sailed away from the Bibo City pier towards the Family's transit island, "Silver Gull Island," in the northwest.

Soren stood at the stern of the ship as it moved further away, looking at the shrinking Bibo City, his fists clenched so tightly they rattled, and the resentment in his eyes was almost overflowing.

It was all because of that Eastern lowly person!

It caused him to lose troops and suffer heavy injuries, and he had to be expelled from the island like a stray dog!

If he didn't take revenge for this, he swore he wouldn't be a man!

...

Seven days later, at dusk.

A speedboat was sailing in the deep water area far from the regular routes, with sea and sky the same color all around, only seagulls occasionally skimming by.

This was the speedboat Soren was on. On the way, he hated the "Eastern Martial Artist" who had ruined his good deeds, so he went looking for a few days, which is why he was separated from Karl and the speedboat transporting Luke's body.

On the deck, Soren stood by the railing, his face still looking terrible.

He had changed into a clean leather armor, but the bandages wrapped around his arm and his withered breath showed that his injuries had not fully healed.

He took out a palm-sized communication mirror with silver patterns inlaid on the edges from his bosom. The mirror surface was smooth, and lines of Storm Kingdom text were appearing on it at this moment.

Looking at the message on the mirror, Soren's face turned from white to red, and finally turned iron-blue.

"Bastard!"

He slammed his fist onto the railing, and the wooden railing let out a painful groan.

"What's wrong, Young Master Soren?" a Silver Wing Family guard accompanying him asked cautiously.

"The Family sent a message! Scolding me for not handling things well, causing Luke to die! Punishing me to be grounded for a year after returning to Silver Gull Island! A year!" Soren roared low, his eyes full of grievance and anger, "Luke was not as skilled as others, is it my fault? It was clearly that Eastern lowly person who was cunning and vicious! If he had honestly handed over the profound iron essence gold, none of this would have happened later!"

The guard lowered his head, not daring to reply, but deep in his eyes, there was a faint trace of agreement.

In the eyes of those who came from the noble class of the Storm Kingdom, the so-called Martial Artists and commoners in the East were no different from lowly people.

Being able to be looked upon by them was their honor.

Daring to resist was treason.

The more Soren thought, the angrier he became, and he continued to vent:

"And Master Sandro... actually agreed with the Family's punishment! Could it be that the face of our Silver Wing Family is not even worth a broken stone and the life of a lowly person? After going back this time, I must let my father increase the intensity of the wanted notice! I want to catch that bastard back, peel his skin off with my own hands, and pull out his bones..."

He kept cursing incessantly, pouring out all the fear, depression, and anxiety about the future he had felt over the past few days onto his hatred for that "Eastern lowly person".

The other guards and sailors on the deck silently moved away, fearing that they would be implicated by this hot-tempered young master.

Just as Soren was parched from cursing and paused to catch his breath —

"Gurgle... gurgle gurgle..."

A sound like boiling water suddenly came from under the ship.

At first it was very faint, almost imperceptible, mixed in the sound of the waves.

But soon, the sound became dense and loud, as if the entire sea was being rapidly heated and boiling!

"What sound is that?" Soren frowned and listened.

"Young Master! Look at the side of the ship!"

A sharp-eyed sailor pointed at the sea outside the ship's side and shouted in horror.

Soren and the others rushed to the side of the ship and looked down.

They saw that around the speedboat, the originally deep blue seawater was now churning with countless dense bubbles!

The seawater became turbid and boiling at a speed visible to the naked eye, and wisps of white steam rose up!

The temperature near the hull rose sharply, and the wooden deck even made a slight "crackle" sound!

"Undersea volcanic eruption?!" A guard turned pale with fright.

Soren's heart also jumped wildly, and a sense of ominous premonition instantly seized him.

In the deep sea area, any strange situation could happen!

"Quick! Turn! Leave this sea area! Full speed!" He hissed and roared, his voice sharp with fear.

The helmsman and sailors acted in a panic, trying to manipulate the speedboat to turn.

However, just as the order was given and the ship just began to turn clumsily —

The churning and boiling sea surface suddenly calmed down!

All the bubbles disappeared instantly, the rising white steam dissipated, leaving only a mirror-smooth but still scalding strange sea surface.

This sudden transition from extreme movement to extreme stillness made everyone on the ship hold their breath.

Soren's pupils shrank, his muscles tightened all over, and he stared fixedly at the terrifyingly calm seawater by the ship.

The next second —

"BOOM!!!"

The calm sea surface exploded!

A figure wrapped in rich light-gold blood-Qi light, like a dragon that had been lurking for a long time and finally broke through the water, rushed into the sky from the sea directly under the hull!

Water splashed everywhere, rendered into golden rain by the golden light!

The figure's speed was too fast, like a thunderbolt, directly smashing a piece of the ship's railing and landing steadily in the center of the deck!

The moment he landed, his right hand combined into a sword, and a finger strike, condensed to the extreme and carrying white-gold sharp Qi, had shot out like lightning, aiming directly at the throat of a Silver Wing Family guard who was closest and dumbfounded!

The guard couldn't even react, only feeling a chill in his throat, and then boundless darkness swallowed his consciousness.

"Thump."

The corpse fell to the ground, with a small blood hole in the throat, transparent from front to back.

Only then did everyone on the ship wake up from their dreams, and a sound of terrified uproar and the clanging of weapons being drawn sounded.

Soren was shocked by the sudden change and retreated repeatedly, his back hitting the main mast before he could barely steady himself.

He widened his eyes and stared fixedly at the figure in the center of the deck who was slowly straightening up, the golden light around his body gradually receding.

The soaked coarse cloth clothes clung to his body, outlining smooth and powerful lines.

Black hair dripping with water, his face calm, only a pair of eyes, deep as cold pools, were indifferently scanning the audience, and finally, fixed on him.

That look, Soren would never forget until he died!

It was the Eastern Martial Artist who had used tricky means to seriously injure Luke outside Bibo City and walked away calmly in front of him and Karl!

It was the culprit who caused him to be scolded by the Family and grounded for a year!

"It... it's you!!!"

Soren's horror was instantly replaced by monstrous anger and resentment. His facial features were distorted, and he pointed at Jiang Hanzhou, letting out a beast-like roar:

"You lowly Eastern mongrel! How dare you chase here! I will tear you into pieces!!!"

Jiang Hanzhou shook the water droplets on his hands, his gaze swept over Soren's face, which was flushed with anger, and then scanned the surrounding Silver Wing Family guards who were facing the enemy and slowly surrounding him, and his mouth slightly hooked into a cold arc.

In that arc, there was no mockery, no sarcasm, only a calmness like looking at dead things.

"I was waiting for you too."

He said softly, his voice not loud, but clearly overpowering the sea breeze and waves.

"Waiting for a quiet place to try out something I just practiced."

The moment the voice fell, the aura around him changed suddenly!