Translator: CinderTL
Under the night sky, all the pirates lay dead.
Standing on the deck of the brig, Chen Feng listened to the hushed conversations of the crew. He looked up at the blood-red moon, finally understanding what kind of world the Dead Crow Secret Realm was.
Bountiful Continent.
Kingdoms, churches, pirates, sequences.
Steam technology had just emerged, giving the place a vibe reminiscent of the Western World War I era from his previous life on Earth. Yet, paradoxically, there existed so-called orthodox churches that wielded extraordinary powers distinct from martial arts.
"Lei Long thanks Master for saving my life."
Lei Long, with his thick beard and still damp cloth clothes, his short, curly brown hair wet and disheveled, hurriedly led the other crew members in a respectful bow of gratitude.
With a single move, he had instantly killed the Great White Shark - Tiger. This person was undoubtedly a fifth-order Sequencer. But which sequence he belonged to remained unknown.
Not paying much attention, Chen Feng took out the deep blue ore the other had handed him earlier, pointed at it, and remained silent.
The language of this realm was different from that of the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm, and the syllables and vocabulary he had memorized were still insufficient.
"This is Blue Heart Stone, something I picked up by chance when I passed by the Merman Bay," Lei Long quickly explained, understanding Chen Feng's gesture. "It's one of the special supernatural materials of our Steel Kingdom. Legend has it that it originates from the mermaid race and can only be collected during tidal waves, making it difficult to mine."
"Master, you're not from the Steel Kingdom, are you?"
Lei Long, towering over 1.9 meters tall, spoke cautiously, slightly bowing.
A fifth-order Sequencer who didn't know about Blue Heart Stone—this was the only explanation he could think of, considering the earlier situation.
Chen Feng simply nodded, content to be mistaken for a native.
From eavesdropping earlier, he had learned that the Bountiful Continent had several kingdoms, each with its own language.
This was a natural excuse, perfect for concealing his identity.
"I see."
"Then Master might not know the location of the Merman Bay. If you don't mind, I, Lei Long, would be honored to guide you."
Lei Long quickly offered, the surrounding crew members tensing up but not interrupting.
Chen Feng nodded slightly, pleased with the man's cooperation.
Being new to this realm, staying with the crew for a few days would help him master the local language. Moreover, getting a lead on advanced metals right away was a stroke of luck.
As the two spoke, a crew member picked up a black ring with a shark pattern on the deck. It had been worn by the Great White Shark - Tiger and was blown off by the Black Flash.
"Master, please take this."
Lei Long took it from the crew member and promptly handed it over with both hands.
Chen Feng was puzzled, but then the other explained, "Master, you might not know this, but the bounty claim conditions in our Steel Kingdom are more lenient than in other kingdoms."
"To avoid situations where we can't preserve the bodies, as long as we can provide the pirate's personal emblem to the kingdom as proof of death, we can still claim the bounty from the magistrate."
"Of course, while the conditions are lenient, the process is more involved, mainly to ensure accuracy."
Lei Long explained a few more points, and Chen Feng roughly understood, nodding as he accepted the ring.
Then he glanced at the sky, the blood-red moon casting an eerie glow.
Lei Long, ever perceptive, quickly instructed the crew to clear out a small room in the cabin for Chen Feng to stay temporarily.
"Master, the conditions are limited. Please forgive us."
Chen Feng nodded, then glanced at the towering Holy Shield Colossus.
Whoosh!!
The Holy Shield Colossus shot into the sky, leaving the area.
The brig lightened, rising over ten centimeters on the waterline.
Watching the silver-gray figure disappear, the crew members were filled with admiration, and Lei Long, a third-order Sequencer, felt even more awe.
To command such a powerful supernatural being, this Master's strength was likely greater than some of the kingdom's top nobles.
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
In the small cabin, a kerosene lamp sat on a wooden table.
With a crack, the Blue Heart Stone shattered into pieces.
A panel prompt quietly appeared.
[Steel Bones LV3: 90/100]
"Not bad."
Chen Feng nodded. The Blue Heart Stone's effect was equivalent to Obsidian, with a similar hardness, comparable to Titanium.
"Supernatural material."
Thinking of the key term Lei Long had mentioned, Chen Feng sat on the wooden bed, pondering.
This world was indeed quite different.
According to Lei Long, the Blue Heart Stone could also be used in certain Sequencers' promotion rituals.
This was quite intriguing.
It was neither like the so-called bloodline power of the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm nor the Life Energy cultivation of the Seed of Life.
Moreover, unlike the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm, he faintly sensed that he wasn't experiencing any realm rejection.
Because of this, Chen Feng had an intuition.
The time he could stay in this realm might be longer than in the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm.
Four days later.
The azure sky was clear, with seagulls flying among the white clouds.
The brig cut through the waves, with sailors shouting on the deck.
"Left rudder, fifteen degrees!"
"With the wind, unfurl the sails!"
Amid the loud shouts, Chen Feng stepped onto the deck, glancing at the bundles of sacks and wooden boxes tied with hemp ropes in the corner.
Lei Long's fleet—this was Lei Long's fleet, named after him.
Originally, they had been heading north from Hurricane Island in the east, planning to carry a batch of food and goods back to Banli Port in the Steel Kingdom.
But now, to guide him, they had changed course.
"Is the Blood Sea Pirate Crew strong?"
Seeing Lei Long approaching quickly, Chen Feng asked.
Over the past few days, he had mastered quite a bit of the local language. Though his speech was still halting, he could now communicate simply.
Lei Long didn't find this strange.
Fifth-order Sequencers were immensely powerful, and some special sequences could even predict the future.
Learning a language was a trivial matter for them.
"Very strong, because they also have a fifth-order Sequencer like you, Master Feng Chen."
"We call him the Blood Sea Vice Admiral, a major pirate crew near the Balonya Sea."
"Blood Sea Vice Admiral?" Chen Feng had heard this title multiple times from the crew over the past few days.
"One of the Seven Generals under the Three Kings."
Though puzzled why Chen Feng didn't know about the famous Three Kings and Seven Generals, Lei Long still explained, "It's said he can control diseases, spread blood seeds, and is a Crimson Sequencer, making him very troublesome."
"Once, a fifth-order Scholar Sequencer, a kingdom earl, led a fleet to pursue him but ended up being killed."
Scholar Sequence...
Chen Feng silently noted this. Over the past few days, he had heard about several sequences.
Storm, Crimson, Scholar, Meditator...
The abilities of each sequence were mostly different, with only occasional overlaps.
And above these sequences, there were also deities.
"It's the white fog, Captain! The Merman Bay is near!"
Suddenly, the lookout on the mast put down his telescope and urgently shouted.
Lei Long acknowledged, and Chen Feng turned to look ahead.
Under the clear sky, on the azure sea.
In the vast expanse ahead, a stretch of silver-gray fog appeared, spanning several kilometers, seemingly dividing the sea in two.
The calm waters nearby rippled, and the sky gradually darkened, as if a storm was brewing within, ready to sweep the world.
"Master Feng Chen, this is the white fog near the Merman Bay. Legend has it that it's a barrier left by the Sea God to protect the mermaids and sirens living within."
"Entering it, one can easily lose direction and face turbulent waves and winds."
Lei Long spoke, his eyes filled with worry and fear.
This natural barrier, with its unpredictable power, was something he had once been accidentally caught in and barely escaped.
If not for repaying his debt of gratitude, he wouldn't have wanted to risk it again.
"Hmm."
However, unlike the tense crew.
As the white fog drew closer and the ship continued forward, Chen Feng remained utterly calm.
Fear stems from insufficient strength.
Lei Long, a third-order Sequencer, had managed to escape safely before. Whether by luck or not, it proved that this place wasn't without a way out.
"Captain!?"
The helmsman shouted, still worried.
Lei Long gritted his teeth and nodded.
Immediately, the ship continued forward, plunging into the fog.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
The wind howled, lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled.
The sky darkened further, the sea around them becoming violent, with hurricane-like columns of water rising, forming water spouts that shot into the sky.
The air instantly became humid, and Chen Feng could feel the mist hitting his face.
"Right rudder, twenty degrees!!"
Someone urgently shouted, their experience showing.
A reef appeared out of nowhere, and they nearly collided with it.
"Left rudder, ten degrees!"
"Quick, avoid it!"
Another shout rang out, the helmsman's face wet, unsure if it was sweat or spray.
Boom!!!
Suddenly, the waves ahead surged, and a massive wall of water, nearly ten meters high, rose like a blue-green barrier, crashing down.
Everyone's faces paled, and Lei Long's heart raced.
The next second.
"Continue!"
A cold voice rang out, calming everyone.
Whoosh!!!
A silver-gray colossus, mixed with golden light, descended from the sky, piercing through the water columns, its stone wings cutting through the storm.
Hovering in front of the ship, it wore a dark stone helmet, its diamond-shaped crystal reflecting the light.
Boom!!!
With a punch like a stone pillar, the air exploded.
Moving forward relentlessly, the water vapor evaporated.
The wall of water was torn open, creating a gap seven to eight meters wide. The crew stared in shock, but Lei Long was the first to regain his composure.
"Full speed!!"
"Storm!!"
He shouted, wanting to contribute, and conjured a gust of wind at the stern to aid their speed.
Splash!
The brig accelerated, breaking through the wall of water.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!
Multiple water spouts appeared ahead, connecting to the sky, threatening to collide.
Lei Long's pupils contracted, and the rest of the crew looked despairing.
At the critical moment.
Thud!
Everyone felt the ship sink slightly, as if something had appeared beneath it.
The next second.
Whoosh!!!
The sound of stone wings flapping echoed, and everyone was shocked to find their ship lifted off the water by some immense force, forcibly changing direction.
"It's the stone colossus!!"
The helmsman named Ke Ao shouted excitedly, looking at the black-clad youth on the deck with admiration.
Water spouts, stormy waves, hurricane obstacles.
He stood calmly at the forefront, like an unyielding rock, unfazed.
Splash!!
Suddenly, the ship seemed to pass through a barrier.
All the storms disappeared—water spouts, hurricanes, everything vanished.
Lei Long and the others finally regained their senses, looking at the black-clad youth's back with the same reverence as Ke Ao.
Chen Feng paid no attention, simply instructing the Holy Shield Colossus to continue hiding.
Then, his gaze shifted forward.
A small island came into view, curved like a crescent moon, spanning several kilometers, forming an arc on the sea.
Vegetation grew, layers of jungle.
Reefs dotted the edges, with sandy beaches and light blue waters surrounding the islands.
"We're here, Master Feng Chen."
"This is the Merman Bay!"
Lei Long, with his thick beard, quickly said, his cloth clothes soaked through.
His eyes filled with even more awe as he looked at Chen Feng, then he suddenly paused.
Strands of white mist rose from Chen Feng's body, visibly drying his black clothes, as if the moisture was evaporated by some high heat.
"Hmm."
Chen Feng nodded, his internal Force circulating throughout his body, not revealing a hint.
Seeing this, Lei Long came to his senses and also used his power to blow wind over himself, pointing to a small island ahead.
"That's the island, Master Feng Chen."
"During the tidal wave, I picked up the Blue Heart Stone on that beach."
As he spoke, under his instructions.
Ke Ao and the other helmsmen took control, and the brig continued forward, approaching an island.
The surrounding waters were noticeably shallower, and some colorful fish were startled away.
The island wasn't very large, at least Chen Feng could sense most of it.
Hum!
Finally, the ship neared the beach.
Chen Feng leaped down, and Lei Long quickly followed.
The sand crunched underfoot, grains rubbing against the soles of his shoes. Chen Feng expanded his senses, scanning the area.
After a dozen seconds.
He got a disappointing result.
"Nothing."
Lei Long's expression also turned uneasy, somewhat anxious.
"How often do tidal waves occur?" Chen Feng asked. Though disappointed, he didn't blame anyone.
Hearing this, Lei Long visibly relaxed, but his tone was somewhat awkward.
"Master Feng Chen, tidal waves are irregular. Sometimes they occur every few days, sometimes once every month or two."
"You see..."
Chen Feng frowned. If the tidal wave took a month or two to appear, wouldn't this trip be for nothing?
Thoughts racing, he considered whether to stay and gamble on luck.
Just then.
"Your life is so precious, please don't forget..."
Suddenly, a song rang out.
The voice was clear and beautiful, but it carried a deep sadness.
Ke Ao and the other crew members looked pained, their eyes red, as if affected.
Lei Long was momentarily dazed, but Chen Feng's eyes turned cold, his strong willpower kicking in.
"Who!!"
Roar!!!
A tiger-like roar erupted, and a powerful aura burst forth!
The song abruptly stopped, and the crew members regained their senses, tears still on their faces, looking shocked and fearful after realizing what had just happened.
Lei Long had a similar expression but quickly formed a guess.
"Master Feng—"
Whoosh!!!
Before he could finish, Chen Feng turned his head to the other side of the island, three hundred meters away.
A shadow flashed near the reefs, and the Holy Shield Colossus, hidden in mid-air, descended again, skimming the water.
But soon, upon closer inspection.
Chen Feng was stunned.
That shadow—was it a mermaid?
(End of the Chapter)
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