Sea Spirit Beast Pirate Crew

On the shores of the Eastern Sea, Di Tian stopped with Jiang Mian. The vicious beasts behind them all came to a halt as well.

The sea breeze carried a salty scent as it rushed toward them. Jiang Mian closed his eyes and savored the calm before the coming battle.

Xie Yue dropped to his knees and vomited so violently that it was earth-shattering and ghost-weeping, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

"In his condition, can he make it to the Sun Moon Continent?" A faint green glow shone from Bi Ji's hands as she gently stroked Xie Yue's back, treating his dizziness.

"I can." Xie Yue dry-heaved twice and emptied his stomach completely. Wiping the residue from his lips, he said firmly, "I definitely can."

Bi Ji looked at Bear Lord, Bear Lord looked at Di Tian, and Di Tian turned to Jiang Mian. After going in circles, the final decision had somehow returned to Jiang Mian.

"Xie Yue, if we left you here now, you definitely wouldn't be willing to accept it," Jiang Mian said. "But this journey may be very difficult."

"I can endure it." Xie Yue gritted his teeth. "I won't hold everyone back."

"Alright." Jiang Mian steadied Xie Yue and gave him a deep look. A thousand words went unspoken.

"Then we'll rest for the night and depart tomorrow," Di Tian ordered. "We should stop as little as possible along the way, so we don't get attacked by Sea Spirit Beasts and run into unnecessary trouble."

"Alright."

They found an inn. Di Tian and the others were doing this for Jiang Mian and Xie Yue's sake; otherwise, a few vicious beasts could simply find some remote wilderness and cultivate to recover.

Night quietly descended. Di Tian and the other five vicious beasts remained in their rooms recovering Soul Power. Jiang Mian and Xie Yue had barely expended anything, so naturally, they had nothing much to do.

Thus, with nothing better to do, the two took a stroll through the seaside town beneath the night sky.

Far away, waves endlessly washed over the dazzling beach. Quite a few residents carried buckets and wooden tongs as they headed to the shore to forage along the tide.

The stars in the sky were bright, like a person's longing.

For a moment, Jiang Mian felt a sting in his nose. When would a traveler far from home return?

Xie Yue gently patted Jiang Mian's shoulder. He had Mind's Eye and was exceptionally observant when it came to shifts in people's emotions. He had never expected Jiang Mian, who usually seemed so carefree, to harbor such deep feelings of nostalgia.

Who first saw the moon by the river? In what year did the river moon first see man?

"Xie Yue, let's sit by the sea for a while," Jiang Mian said. Countless words filled his heart, yet none could be spoken.

Xie Yue nodded and followed Jiang Mian onto the beach exposed by the receding tide. They remained silent as several plainly dressed children ran past them laughing.

As though searching for treasure, the children carefully combed the sand for gifts left behind by the sea.

Perhaps Jiang Mian was tired. He lay directly on the soft sand and gazed up at the stars filling the sky. It had truly been a long time since he had enjoyed the night scenery like this.

Xie Yue sat beside him, unsure what to say.

"Wow, pirates!"

With a scream, the tranquil, peaceful scene was instantly shattered.

Jiang Mian sprang to his feet and looked toward several small boats sailing in from the distant sea. Flags flew from the boats; they appeared to have just been lowered from a larger vessel.

"Why are there pirates?" Jiang Mian and Xie Yue hurried into the crowd to protect the children.

"They don't look like ordinary pirates." Feeling the changes among the pirates aboard the boats, Xie Yue said in shock, "They're mutated Sea Spirit Beasts!"

"Sea Spirit Beasts?" Jiang Mian looked closely and realized that those aboard the boats truly were not ordinary people. They were strange-looking Sea Spirit Beasts with humanlike bodies.

There was the massive Shark General, as well as the Octopus Marshal, who walked on eight legs. Their species were varied, and their cultivation ages were clearly not low.

"Everyone, evacuate quickly!" Jiang Mian shouted, warning the nearby townspeople to leave as soon as possible.

Panicked and directionless, they all rushed toward their homes, as if home were the only safe place.

Little did they know that doing so was walking straight into a trap. With so many Sea Spirit Beasts here, how many attacks could those mud-brick houses possibly withstand?

But since Jiang Mian and Xie Yue were here, they could not allow this group of Sea Spirit Beasts to run wild.

"Confident?" Jiang Mian looked at the mass of Sea Spirit Beasts and asked, "There may not be as many as the goblins last time, but they all look like powerful Spirit Beasts with formidable strength."

"Stop trying to scare me," Xie Yue said carelessly. "Are you trying to scare me off so you can take them all for yourself?"

"Tsk, you saw through me." Jiang Mian shook his hands and laughed. "Then let's see who kills more?"

"Bring it on."

Ignoring all decorum, Xie Yue rushed into the Sea Spirit Beast army first. He held a Moon Blade in each hand, like a merciless meat grinder.

Jiang Mian praised him inwardly. Xie Yue had indeed improved greatly. He could not fall behind either.

With that thought, Jiang Mian condensed Sky Rend Claws in both hands. Rather than releasing them, he wielded them like weapons. Wherever his claws passed, blood blossomed.

"Take those two down!" Shark General wielded a massive iron hammer nearly two meters long and charged at Jiang Mian with rumbling steps. Seeing the hammer, almost larger than himself, Jiang Mian's lips twitched.

How could Jiang Mian dare take that thing head-on? Did they think he was Superman?

Jiang Mian sidestepped. The hammer smashed into the beach and cracked it with several spiderweb-like fractures. Even the soft sand had split apart, showing that the hammer's weight was anything but ordinary.

Jiang Mian dodged left and right like an agile flea. Before long, Shark General was sweating profusely from exhaustion.

Jiang Mian seized the opportunity and kicked Shark General squarely in the face, sending him flying backward.

"Emperor's Cold Heaven, Snow Dance Shining Sun!" Jiang Mian charged straight into the Sea Spirit Beast horde and pressed both hands to the ground. In an instant, the surrounding sea froze into solid land, and even the beach became incomparably hard.

The Sea Spirit Beasts within several hundred li of Jiang Mian were even more unfortunate. Those below ten thousand years were frozen into ice sculptures by Emperor's Cold Heaven, while those above ten thousand years narrowly escaped but still suffered considerable internal injuries from the frigid force.

"Kill him!" Octopus Marshal waved his limbs and charged Jiang Mian with bared fangs and claws. While dodging, Jiang Mian took the chance to sever Octopus Marshal's legs.

But Octopus Marshal's recovery ability was truly astonishing. His severed tentacles regenerated in the blink of an eye, almost miraculous.

This time, Jiang Mian had encountered a truly troublesome opponent.

On Xie Yue's side, he was locked in combat with a Turtle Commander whose defense was invincible. No matter how Xie Yue attacked, Turtle Commander only defended with his shell. Yet that shell was indestructible, leaving even Xie Yue helpless for the moment.

Shark General rejoined the battle, raising his giant hammer high as he charged into the fight between Octopus Marshal and Jiang Mian.

The two cooperated seamlessly, alternating attacks with heavy and light weapons. For a time, they firmly held the upper hand over Jiang Mian.

Jiang Mian might not even lose against a Titled Douluo now. These two Sea Spirit Beasts did not have especially high cultivation—one had fifty thousand years, the other sixty thousand—but their coordination was flawless, and even Jiang Mian could not find an opening.

Xie Yue's side was even more difficult. Turtle Commander could attack when advancing and defend when retreating. Xie Yue's soul skills did nothing to Turtle Commander, yet a single water projectile from Turtle Commander could send Xie Yue sprawling to the ground.

"Should we step in?" Bear Lord watched the two youngsters caught in a fierce struggle and could barely restrain himself.

From the moment Jiang Mian had used his and Snow Empress's soul skills, all the Spirit Beasts had sensed the disturbance by the shore. They now stood on the roof of the house closest to the sea, closely observing Jiang Mian and Xie Yue's battle.

The Sea Spirit Beast pirate crew truly could not be underestimated. Their mere advance party had sent three ten-thousand-year Sea Spirit Beasts to scout ahead. Wouldn't their captain have to be a hundred-thousand-year beast?

"Watch a little longer." Di Tian stopped the restless Bear Lord and said, "This is a good chance for Jiang Mian and that child to temper themselves. Suitable sparring partners like these are hard to find."

Jiang Mian gathered a long spear formed from ice and snow in his hand. Both Spirit Beasts had equipment, while he was fighting barehanded, so he was at a real disadvantage.

Jiang Mian's spear moved like a dragon, every thrust carrying wind. With a spear in hand, he was suddenly able to suppress the two Sea Spirit Beasts.

Yan watched and praised him. "I never expected Jiang Mian's spear techniques to be so impressive."

Di Tian narrowed his eyes slightly. Jiang Mian's spearplay flowed freely between tension and relaxation, every move perfectly measured. Unless he were a master of the spear, he could never control it so beautifully.

Jiang Mian's situation was gradually improving, and Xie Yue's battle was about to end as well. He activated his hundred-thousand-year sternum skill, and a single Dark Gold Dreadclaw shattered the shell of the thirty-thousand-year Turtle Commander into pieces.

With another strike of his Moon Blade, Xie Yue lived up to expectations and completed his task.

Jiang Mian moved like a swimming dragon, the long spear in his hand seeming to come alive. He swept the spear behind him, spun its shaft around his back, and directly severed one of Octopus Marshal's arms.

Jiang Mian's momentum did not fade. He immediately seized the butt of the spear and smashed it at Shark General. The blow was so powerful that it sent Shark General's iron hammer flying from his grasp.

Jiang Mian spotted the opening. The spear tip drove Sky Rend Claw straight into Shark General's heart. Sky Rend Claw churned wildly inside it, and within moments, his organs had been reduced to a bloody pulp. He collapsed and died.

Now only the most troublesome Octopus Marshal remained. Xie Yue moved to Jiang Mian's side, intending to join him in dealing with Octopus Marshal.

Moon Blades and spear intertwined, weapons sparking fiercely. So what if Octopus Marshal had eight legs? With the brothers working together, how could he avoid defeat?

Splat.

Xie Yue raised his blade and brought it down, severing Octopus Marshal's head and completely ending his life.

Jiang Mian caught his breath. The spear in his hand gleamed brightly, as though he could still fight another eight hundred rounds.

Xie Yue and Jiang Mian exchanged knowing smiles. This was already their second large-scale battle together, and they had gained plenty of experience from it.

"Heroes truly emerge in their youth." Di Tian suddenly appeared before them and applauded. "That battle just now was truly splendid."

"You were watching the whole show?" Jiang Mian glanced at Di Tian, then at Snow Empress and the others standing in neat rows on the rooftop. He laughed helplessly. "Since you noticed them, why make Xie Yue and me go through so much trouble?"

"This was precisely training for you." Yan appeared behind Di Tian at some point and smiled. "Lord Di Tian had the foresight to let you experience more situations like this, so you could accumulate battle experience."

"Mhm." Di Tian nodded. "A high or low rank is only your foundation. In battle, why can some Soul Masters achieve victory through unexpected means? It is because they possess rich combat experience."

When a person could use every inch of the battlefield, every flower, and every small stone, that person understood the highest realm of battle: even grass and trees could become soldiers!

"Your performance has also put my mind at ease." Di Tian looked at Jiang Mian with a smile. "At the very least, I think I placed my bet correctly."

"Di Tian, you still don't trust me?" Jiang Mian looked at Di Tian, half angry and half amused. "How many years have we lived together? Don't you know my strength and character by now?"

"It's different." Di Tian shook his head. "Alright, since this matter is settled, you two youngsters should hurry to sleep. Tomorrow, we leave for the Sun Moon Continent."

"Alright." Jiang Mian agreed, and Di Tian transformed into a streak of light before vanishing from the spot.

Xie Yue asked in surprise, "What kind of place is this Sun Moon Continent?"

Jiang Mian explained, "The Sun Moon Continent places great emphasis on the development of Soul Tools. Their Soul Tools are far more advanced than ours, but their Soul Masters are weaker."

"Soul Tools?" Xie Yue said. "Aren't those things only useful for assisting Soul Masters in daily life?"

"No." Jiang Mian shook his head. "The Soul Tools created by the Sun Moon Continent can already be used in battle. And top-grade offensive Soul Tools can easily kill a Titled Douluo."

"That terrifying?" Xie Yue swallowed and said in shock, "What if they invade our continent one day?"

"Fight." Jiang Mian clenched his fist and smiled. "Only by beating them into submission can we make them bow beneath our feet."

"That's true. Our Spirit Hall has deep foundations, and we have so many top experts like Master and Martial Uncle. Even if the Sun Moon Continent's Soul Tools are especially advanced, they're merely clever tricks and will collapse at the first blow."

"Hey." Jiang Mian patted Xie Yue's shoulder and hurriedly warned, "Confidence is a good thing, but don't become arrogantly complacent."

"Yes, yes, yes." Xie Yue scratched his head awkwardly. Still, that was what he truly thought. Soul Tools were ultimately external objects, nothing more than clever tricks.

Jiang Mian chuckled. In his original world, a hundred years ago, his country had also once scoffed at such clever techniques resembling Soul Tools. The result was well known: they had suffered terribly.

Although Douluo Continent differed somewhat from his original world, the fundamentals were the same. Only flourishing technology could provide real confidence.

Moreover, once technology advanced, the death rate of Soul Masters would fall drastically. Jiang Mian strongly supported research that benefited both the country and its people.

As he dreamed of the future, the entire Sun Moon Continent slowly began to move without anyone noticing.

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!