noveltune Chapter 104 Talking Business
Chapter 104 Talking Business
Chapter 104 Talking Business
It's not a reminder, it's a warning.
The aura emanating from this woman was completely different from the restrained aura of ordinary martial artists. It was cold and eerie, bearing some resemblance to the spiritual energy fluctuations of cultivators from the Chenhuang Realm in the Cloud Hidden Secret Realm, yet it was even more profound and sinister.
Xu Hao sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface, completely ignoring Bone Mother's question.
He carried the Devouring Sea Blade, his gaze passing over the Blood Corpse Alliance's flagship and landing directly on Shen Tieyi on the other side.
"Chief Shen."
Xu Hao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the unique penetrating power of a Grandmaster at the Tongqiao Realm, echoing clearly across the tense sea.
"If you're looking for your father's whereabouts, I have the information."
"But, we can't talk about it here."
He paused, the tip of his blade drawing an almost imperceptible arc in the air, and pointed at the warships that were eyeing him menacingly.
"It's certainly not like we're being forced to talk with a knife to our throats."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of fire suddenly erupted in Shen Tieyi's cold and stern eyes.
That's exactly what she was waiting for!
Not a single word wasted, not a moment's hesitation.
Clang!
The long sword was drawn, drawing a sharp, cold light in mid-air.
Shen Tieyi slammed the hilt of his sword against the ship's side, producing a crisp metallic clang, and then gave the most concise command to all the Zhenhai Alliance ships behind him.
"Iron Anchor Gang, retreat three hundred feet!"
The Zhenhai Alliance's warships obeyed orders without question; their sails turned and oars moved in unison, and the massive ships began to slowly break free of the encirclement.
Han Gu on the deck turned green with shock. He never expected that this woman would betray him so easily!
"Shen Tieyi! You've gone mad! The Alliance Leader's order is—"
"My father's life is more valuable than the leader's orders."
Shen Tieyi interrupted him, his cold gaze sweeping over Han's skeletal face.
"Vice Alliance Leader Han, the Zhenhai Alliance withdraws today."
"If you want to rob someone, do it yourself."
"We only talk business."
Han Gu trembled with rage, his cheeks twitching beneath the bandages, and a low, beast-like growl escaped his throat.
He wanted to denounce Shen Tieyi's betrayal and order the Blood Corpse Alliance's warships to immediately surround and tear this strange ship in front of him to shreds.
However, Bone Lady merely shook her head slightly; with that subtle movement, all of Han Gu's anger and killing intent vanished instantly.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and finally, filled with resentment and humiliation, he swung his hand violently.
The Blood Corpse Alliance fleet slowly retreated, its massive ships turning around, but they did not leave. Instead, they patrolled the perimeter, waiting for the best opportunity to hunt.
Xu Hao's gaze swept over Shen Tieyi's lonely flagship, then looked towards the Blood Corpse Alliance, which was eyeing them menacingly in the distance.
It seems that Ao Zheng and Luo Tianheng had a backup plan before entering the Sea King's Tomb, fearing that someone might intercept them and escape early.
Alone, Shen Tieyi boarded the Zhenyuan in a small boat.
As her boots stepped onto the dark blue basalt bone armor, a vast, ancient aura surged from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.
Even though she was used to seeing all kinds of storms, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, ignoring the strange changes in the ship, and walked straight to Xu Hao, her gaze sharp as a knife.
"Tell me, is my father dead or alive?"
Xu Hao didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked an unrelated question: "Chief Shen, are you familiar with the Chenhuang Realm?"
Shen Tieyi's pupils contracted slightly.
The Desolate Realm of Chen! Before entering the Sea King's Tomb, her father, Shen Chengwu, had solemnly mentioned it and instructed her to be extremely vigilant.
She nodded slightly, which was taken as agreement.
Having received an affirmative answer, Xu Hao then spoke frankly: "Shen Chengwu followed Luo Tianheng into the Sea King's Tomb, was forced into the White Bone Palace, and fell into the hands of cultivators from the Chenhuang Realm along with Wu Niangzi, Lang Fantian, and their group. The last time I saw them, the secret realm collapsed, and everyone was swept away by the spatial turbulence."
He paused, then added the most crucial sentence.
"His fate is unknown, but it is not confirmed that he is dead."
These words, like a needle, gently pierced Shen Tieyi's heartstrings, which were taut to the extreme.
It wasn't broken, it just trembled in the wind.
She remained silent for a long time, biting her lip tightly, her knuckles under the armor turning white.
Finally, she raised her head, her eyes slightly red, but not a single tear fell, and her voice was terribly hoarse.
What do you want?
"The newly established Megatron Armed Merchant Guild needs the shipbuilding technology and blacksmithing craftsmen of the Anchor Gang, as well as all the shipping route intelligence of the Zhenhai Alliance in the northern seas," Xu Hao stated.
"In exchange, you can be given priority access to the forging materials obtained from the secret realm. If there are any clues about Shen Chengwu in the future, we will notify you immediately."
Chen Yuanzhi, who had been standing to the side, stepped forward at the opportune moment, holding a copy of the covenant written on fine parchment. The terms were clear and the responsibilities were well-defined. It was surprisingly prepared so quickly.
Shen Tieyi stared at Xu Hao for a long time, seemingly trying to discern even the slightest hint of falsehood from his face.
Finally, she extended her right hand, which was wrapped in leather armor.
"make a deal."
"But I have one condition—I want to see for myself whether you, Megatron, truly have the ability to establish yourself in Shengzhou!"
She turned abruptly, her gaze like an ice blade shooting towards the Bloodskin Alliance fleet cruising in the distance.
"That old bastard Han Gu has lived in Shengzhou for so many years not because he's tough, but because he's like a dog, with a keen sense of smell. He runs away faster than anyone else when things go wrong. But the fact that he hasn't left means he thinks he can get rid of you."
She pointed to the black-robed figure on the Blood Corpse Alliance flagship.
"Bone Lady, her origins are unknown. Before the Sea King's Tomb was opened, no one in Shengzhou had ever heard of her. The moment she appeared, Han Gu was completely captivated, emptying his life savings to support her. The woman's scent is off; she doesn't seem to practice martial arts."
Shen Tieyi withdrew his gaze and stared at Xu Hao.
"The Iron Anchor Gang has three thousand members and controls forty percent of Shengzhou's shipyards and black iron mines. As long as the money is there, building ships is no problem, but I can't let my brothers take risks."
"You can call yourself Wei Zhentian or anything else. In Shengzhou, reputations are earned through swordsmanship, not by smashing wine bowls. Han Gu has three thousand pirates and twelve heavy warships under his command. No matter how powerful your ship is, it only has a few dozen men."
She took a step back and pressed down on the hilt of the knife.
"You can't get past this. I'll find out my father's whereabouts myself. The Anchor Gang won't be buried with him."
Xu Hao took the Devouring Sea Blade off his shoulder, and the tip of the blade scraped across the deck, making a piercing friction sound.
"Second brother, did you hear that? Chief Shen thinks our family is too poor and that we won't be able to make a living if we follow us."
Chen Yuanzhi stood to the side, stroking the list of supplies in his hand.
"Boss, it's only natural for Chief Shen to seek stability. After all, each of Han Gu's twelve ships is equipped with armor-piercing crossbows. If they were to fire all at once, the sea would be turned upside down."
Xu Hao looked in Han Gu's direction and saw that the leading flagship had begun to signal with flags, and the encirclement was tightening.
"Chief Shen, stand firm here. Let's see if our Wei Zhentian can truly intimidate this land of Shengzhou."
Before he could finish speaking...
Woo-woo—
Suddenly, a rapid and intense sound of war drums came from the distant sea. The drumbeats were like a storm, making people feel uneasy.
Instead of retreating, Han Gu's Blood Bone Alliance fleet quickly changed formation.
More than a dozen warships parted to the sides, clearing the central channel.
Three ironclad warships slowly emerged from the rear of the fleet, their bows bearing the flag of the "Whale Feeder," one of the Twelve Bandits!
Whoosh!
A giant whale covered in heavy iron armor suddenly broke through the surface of the sea, creating towering waves in the center of the fleet.
Its exposed back alone was longer than that of the Zhenyuan, and the water jets it spewed were dozens of feet high, carrying a nauseating stench of blood.
Han Gu's voice, amplified by the Qi and blood of the Inner Strength Realm, echoed ominously across the sea, filled with the pleasure of revenge.
"You little beast, I've been collecting corpses in Shengzhou for decades, and I've never left empty-handed!"
"Shen Tieyi, do you want to be tied to this stray dog?"
"I'll take them all!"