Chapter 498: Coincidentally Meeting the Black Dragon Group
Chapter 498: Coincidentally Meeting the Black Dragon Group
Xiao Chen had not expected there to be such a reason; he could not help but feel embarrassed.
Sun Guangquan laughed and said, “I’m not talking about you. In fact, I don’t like how some of these old-timers rely on their past reputation to bully others, not daring to face the truth. If they get embarrassed by others or become a stepping stone, it serves them right. When I was young, I did not do any of such things.
“As for why I am called the Bloody Bladesman…”
Just when Sun Guangquan was about to explain, the merchant ship suddenly came to a full stop.
Naturally, when the merchant ship came to an abrupt stop, the three of them were not affected. However, the same could not be said for the things in the cabin.
Those all fell to the floor in a clatter. Some porcelain items even shattered.
Bai Lixi said suspiciously, “Odd, why did the ship stop so suddenly?”
“Let’s go out and take a look,” Sun Guangquan suggested.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!”
Just as the three of them were about to go out, an urgent knocking came from the door, which was then opened. An attendant said, “The three of you are cultivators, right? Please quickly gather on the deck.”
Xiao Chen asked, “What happened? Did we run into pirates?”
The attendant squeezed out an ugly smile and said, “It’s something even more problematic than pirates. It’s the Black Dragon Group’s fleet.”
“The Black Dragon Group!”
Bai Lixi and Sun Guangquan could not help but exchange looks. “Could it be that they want us to help resist the Black Dragon Group? This is rather difficult.”
The attendant said, “No, it is the request of the Black Dragon Group. They want all the cultivators preparing to participate in the third grade Battlefield to gather on the deck.”
The Black Dragon Group was the strongest power in the Boundless Sea. Their fleet was spread throughout all four corners of the Boundless Sea.
Five thousand years ago, the Black Dragon Group had a huge war with the Eastern Sea’s Divine Dragon Palace, resulting in the former occupying half of the islands of the East Shallow Sea and becoming the tyrant of the Boundless Sea.
One had to know that the Divine Dragon Palace was very powerful back then; they were recognized as the leader of the major powers of the four Shallow Seas. The old Dragon King had great prestige and countless sects in the four Shallow Seas would respond to his call.
However, the Divine Dragon Palace still lost in the end. The Old Dragon King died in the war and the four Shallow Seas no longer had a leader.
The Black Dragon Group had pulled down the top power and become the tyrant of the Four Seas from an Outer Sea power, monopolizing all the marine trade routes.
On the way to the deck, Bai Lixi gave Xiao Chen a brief explanation of some of the matters regarding the Black Dragon Group, which stirred Xiao Chen’s anxiety.
Xiao Chen had not expected the distant Boundless Sea to have such a huge power like the Black Dragon Group. He had never heard of them before in the continent.
Sun Guangquan said, “However, the Divine Dragon Palace has become a lot stronger than they were in the past. Now, the Black Dragon Group does not have a strong hold over the East Shallow Sea anymore.
“So don’t overthink this. Let’s go to the deck first and see what they are planning.”
Hundreds of cultivators already stood on the vast deck of the merchant ship. Their cultivations were not low; the weakest was a Superior Grade Martial King.
Xiao Chen looked through the crowd and even found three half-step Martial Monarchs.
Six black warships waited in front of the merchant ship. The warships had their cannon ports open and Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons peeking out, glistering with a cold light.
An Ancient Demonic Energy Cannon was very strong. If it were charged with an Inferior Grade Spirit Stone, one shot could heavily injure Martial Saints. If charged with Medial Grade Spirit Stones, it could heavily injure Inferior Grade Martial Kings easily.
If it were charged with Superior Grade Spirit Stones, even Martial Monarchs would have to be careful not to face the shot head-on.
Under the threat of several dozen Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons, the many cultivators on the deck all looked cautious; they did not dare to relax.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!”
Just at this moment, footsteps sounded from the hold of the ship; another cultivator came out.
When Xiao Chen looked back, he saw that this person had an exquisite and curvaceous body clad in black armor and two short swords on her back. She wore a half-face mask covering her face.
This person’s black pupils looked very deep and mysterious. Unexpectedly, Shi Feng was on board as well.
Xiao Chen had always been rather curious about this person. He wanted to know why she knew the nine secret techniques of Qingyun Peak.
However, when Xiao Chen saw the unapproachable aura she radiated, he gave up on thoughts of greeting her.
“Xiu!”
With everyone gathered together, five cultivators wearing black leather Battle Armor flew over from the black warships. Their auras were very dense and the person leading them was powerful. He was a half-step Martial Monarch.
That person had a handsome face, short hair, and spirited eyes; he looked very capable. He smiled faintly at the crowd and said, “Let me introduce myself. I am an insignificant captain of the Black Dragon Group’s Ninth Corps. My name is Jian Chenan.”
A half-step Martial Monarch present said impatiently, “Just get to the point; tell us why you stopped us here. Don’t bother with this nonsense.”
Despite being interrupted, Jian Chenan was not angry. He continued, “It’s nothing urgent or major. Don’t you all want to go to the third grade Battlefield for your experiential training? You will be able to participate through my Black Dragon Group as well. Furthermore, we offer at least double the reward of the Divine Dragon Palace.”
The moment Jian Chenan finished, discussions broke out in the crowd; double the reward was rather tempting.
However, some of the people who had been to the Deep Sea Battlefield laughed coldly to themselves without changing their expressions.
Bai Lixi said softly, “Don’t listen to him. The main borders of the third grade Battlefield are controlled by the Divine Dragon Palace. The Black Dragon Group only controls a small portion. Furthermore, they are not the main areas where the Demons are active. No matter how high the reward is, it is useless.”
Jian Chenan continued, “As long as you agree to go with us, we will immediately give you ten thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones. When you return, we will give you another hundred thousand. Those who kill more Demons will even receive a higher reward.”
The crowd immediately became restless. Some of the first-timers to the Boundless Sea were tempted. Ten thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones were not a small sum.
After the whole thing ended, they could even obtain at least one hundred thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones. Adding in what they would earn inside, if they did not die, it would be a large income.
“I am willing to go!”
Immediately, a first-timer to the Boundless Sea thought about it and found it profitable. So he agreed.
Jian Chenan instantly took out several boxes of Spirit Stones and handed them to the other party. He smiled and said, “You made the right decision; come aboard our ship.”
That person counted the Spirit Stones and revealed a happy smile before jumping over to a warship.
“I am willing too!” “I am willing….”
Seeing that someone had really obtained Spirit Stones, the number of people who agreed increased. Soon, most of the people left the ship.
Only about ten people who were aware of the situation did not move. Most of these people were peak Superior Grade Martial Kings. Some were half-step Martial Monarchs like Sun Guangquan.
Ten thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones were not enough to move them. What they sought was real experiential training, to put themselves in life-or-death situations.
Only when their lives were in peril would their potential be unleashed and their cultivation increase. This Black Dragon Group could not satisfy this demand.
After everyone else went over to the Black Dragon Group’s warships, Jian Chenan looked at the remaining cultivators and said, “Thank you, everyone, for not causing any trouble. You are the true elites. You are also very clear on the situation of the Deep Sea Battlefield. Your treatment will be more than double that of the previous group of people.”
Bai Lixi mocked, “What do you mean? You speak as if we have agreed. I don’t seem to recall saying that we will go with you.”
Sun Guangquan quietly sent a voice transmission to Xiao Chen, “Prepare to abandon ship and head towards the west. That is a region that the Divine Dragon Palace controls. Do not sink into the water; there are sea monsters there that are hard to deal with.”
Xiao Chen’s heart sank. It seemed that he would be caught in the struggles between two peak powers in this experiential training.
Another half-step Martial Monarch said, “It is not like your Black Dragon Group has complete control over the Boundless Sea. When we arrive at the Divine Dragon Palace’s territory, you will not be able to do anything to us.”
Jian Chenan’s expression sank as he smiled coldly. “You think you can get there? This is all I will say: If you want to go, you will go! Even if you do not want to go, you will still go!”
“Go!”
The remaining people on the deck were decisive people. When they saw that the situation was irreconcilable, they did not hesitate to abandon ship and flee quickly.
Xiao Chen also flew towards the west right away. His figure flickered and in a few breaths, he had moved a thousand meters.
Jian Chenan’s expression remained calm; he was not too surprised. He returned to his warship and waved his hand. “Kill them all; leave none alive.”
“Boom!”
The Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons on the warships were already charged with Spirit Stones. Light instantly exploded out and a horrifying Spirit Energy poured forth in the form of resplendent beams of light heading for the fleeing cultivators.
Xiao Chen had kept his Spiritual Sense extended. He instantly felt ten beams of lights coming towards him. If these beams of light struck him, he would be heavily injured or die.
A bolt of lightning flashed; Xiao Chen used Lightning Evasion to move a hundred meters instantly.
Miserable cries resounded. In an instant, four or five peak Superior Grade Martial Kings fell.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Before the group had time to think, the six warships rose into the sky and fired their cannons again. The remaining people used cloning techniques to reduce the number of shots being fired at them.
Some directly clashed head-on with the energy shells, weakening the might of the energy shells. Some used exquisite Movement Techniques to dodge.
However, the six warships chased them in an unhurried manner, like venomous snakes, intent on sending them all to their deaths.
When the cultivators dealt with the energy shells, they would end up slowing down. The distance between them and the warships narrowed.
Sun Guangquan said to Xiao Chen, “Let’s split up. Old Bai and I have our ways of protecting ourselves. We will try to gather together afterwards.”
Xiao Chen nodded to indicate his agreement. This was all they could do for now. If they remained together, they would present a bigger target.
“Chi! Chi!”
The six warships—for a total of sixty Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons—never stopped firing.
Xiao Chen executed the Azure Dragon Cloud Soaring Art to its limit, twisting and moving about in the sky.
Whether flying or firing the Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons, the warships would have to exhaust a large amount of Spirit Stones.
The warships would not chase after them endlessly. All the cultivators had to do was persevere till the end, and they would be able to shake off the pursuit.
However, this was easy to say but difficult to accomplish. From the original ten-odd people, they were now left with only seven or eight.
At this moment, the difference between the half-step Martial Monarchs and the rest was clearly visible.