After an unknown length of time, several ships appeared where the sea met the sky.
It was a fleet.
One flagship and four smaller warships, their banners flying and their war drums booming amid ranks of weapons. The sailors aboard were all powerfully built, moving with brisk, decisive efficiency and radiating a fierce, martial air.
The White Feather Albatross made a graceful glide, like a white javelin, and plunged straight toward a room aboard the flagship.
It was the captain's cabin.
A middle-aged man was studying a sea chart at his desk when a sudden sound made him turn his head.
The albatross nimbly flew through a round window and landed on a perch prepared especially for it.
"A military dispatch?" A glint flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes. He walked over to the albatross and took the bamboo tube it had spat out.
He opened the tube and unfolded the letter.
A long while later, the middle-aged man let out a deep sigh, astonishment and gratification flickering in his eyes.
"Chu Yun, you truly are my son. For your first time killing an enemy, you did this well? It's simply astonishing! Good. Very good."
This middle-aged man was none other than Shu Tianhao, the lord of Shu Family Island.
He wore plain clothes and had a burly build, standing as solidly as a mountain. His eyes were deep, his bearing steady. His temples had already turned gray, but what drew the most attention was his left sleeve. It hung empty, fluttering in the wind.
He had lost his left arm and had only his right remaining.
One-armed, weathered by time.
"It's not that I don't care about your feelings. It's that jade must be carved before it can become a useful vessel, Chu Yun. One day, you'll understand your adoptive father. Shu Da and Shu Er were spoiled rotten. If Shu Family Island were entrusted to them, I'm afraid it would fall into decline. Though you're my adopted son, I've always treated you as my own child. Grow well, grow strong. In my heart, you're the successor I'm most satisfied with."
Shu Tianhao carefully put away the letter. His expression was calm, but his heart was surging.
Chu Yun's performance had filled him with relief and delight. His son hadn't let down the quiet care and devotion he had poured into him all this time.
Every parent naturally hoped their child would become a dragon among men.
Chu Yun hadn't disappointed Shu Tianhao. To a certain extent, he had even exceeded the latter's expectations.
As Shu Tianhao was lost in his thoughts, someone suddenly reported, "Report! A band of pirates has appeared up ahead. Their strength is unknown."
Shu Tianhao's eyes narrowed, a flash of lightning in their depths. He gave a cold laugh. "They dare prowl the waters around Shu Family Island? They've got nerve. Set sail! All hands, prepare for battle!"
"Report! We've identified the pirates. They're flying the Black Wolf Blood-Eye Flag. It's the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group!" Before long, another military report arrived.
"Remnant Wolf? Hmph! Do they really think I, Shu Tianhao, am too old to fight? Sound the horns. Attack!" With a low growl from Shu Tianhao, the flagship charged at the pirate group at the head of the fleet. The four smaller ships followed close behind, their fighting spirit soaring and their killing intent fierce.
A fierce naval battle had begun...
Meanwhile, a burly man arrived at Salt Field Manor.
He was powerfully built and tall, but his head was bigger than an ordinary man's. It marred his otherwise imposing, heroic appearance and made him look somewhat odd.
It was Wu Datou.
"Go tell Centurion Red Spear that Wu Datou is here to pay him a visit," he said in a deep, rumbling voice to the manor servant keeping watch at the gate.
The servant didn't recognize him. After staring at his oversized head for a while, he said, "Our master, Red Spear, isn't at the manor. Please wait a moment, strongman. I'll inform Young Master Chu Yun."
"Very well."
Wu Datou didn't barge in. He stood at the gate, silently cheering himself on. People are always saying how harsh Lady Shu is, how viciously she treats Young Master Chu Yun. Sigh, rumors really are frightening. Lady Shu isn't nearly as bad as they say. Young Master Chu Yun is young and stubborn, but he's family with the island lord and Lady Shu. I may be an outsider, but this concerns the island lord. To repay him for saving my life, I'll risk my own if I have to, just to bring this about!
He was a straightforward man, stubborn as a mule, and by now Lady Shu had thoroughly misled him. He didn't even think of the old saying that was widely known across the All-Star Archipelago: where there's smoke, there's fire.
"Young Master Chu Yun says to come over," the servant said a moment later, returning to escort Wu Datou to the training ground.
The training ground wasn't large, but it had all eighteen kinds of weapons: swords, spears, axes, halberds, and more. Wu Datou had been there before. A ring of artificial rockeries made of bluestone surrounded the grounds, blocking his view, but from far away he could already hear a boy's voice.
"Minor Pill Fire, shoot!"
"Fire Lotus Armor, rise!"
"Leaping Technique, jump onto the bluestone to your left."
The voice was clear and bright, full of youthful vigor and perfectly articulate. Yet it also carried a steady, decisive quality. Hearing it made Wu Datou feel inexplicably at ease.
The voice reminded him of Island Lord Shu Tianhao, strengthening his resolve to go through with this visit.
"Though I've had little contact with Young Master Chu Yun, doing this for the island lord is only right."
Thinking this, he quickened his pace unconsciously. As he turned the corner, his eyes lit up.
"What a fine young lad!"
In the center of the training ground stood a handsome young man in simple clothes, with fair skin and red lips. His posture was straight, his arms folded across his chest as he called out command after command.
Before him was a snow-white Fire Fox. It darted and leaped about, using three basic arts: Minor Pill Fire, Leaping Technique, and Fire Lotus Armor. It was graceful and magnificent.
"Ah, Young Master Chu Yun really has grown up," Wu Datou thought with a sigh. He was ten years older than Chu Yun, and was usually busy at his post. He rarely saw him.
Now that he was looking at him, Chu Yun seemed to have changed beyond recognition. He was nothing like the withdrawn, silent boy Wu Datou remembered, who always stood quietly off to the side.
He had become confident, composed, and resolute—a boy who inspired hope.
Chu Yun was the island lord's adopted son. Seeing him change like this made Wu Datou feel happy for him.
He entered the training ground and was about to explain why he'd come when Chu Yun had already turned to look at him and spoke first. "Datou, did you bring your demon beast with you?"
"Ah, y-yes, I did." Chu Yun's casual, unruffled tone left Wu Datou stunned, and a little uncomfortable.
Usually, only the island lord called him "Datou." As the garrison commander of Shu Family City, even Lady Shu addressed him respectfully as General Wu. Yet here was a thirteen-year-old boy calling him "Datou."
Chu Yun gave a faint smile. Before Wu Datou could say anything, he continued, "Father often says that our Datou is the most loyal and upright man around. With him guarding Shu Family City, I feel at ease even when I'm out patrolling the sea."
The "father" Chu Yun spoke of was, of course, his adoptive father, Shu Tianhao.
At once, Wu Datou shivered from head to toe, his heart filling with joy and gratitude. He was like a shy child who had unexpectedly received praise to his face. His voice trembled and his cheeks flushed as he stammered, "T-this is what the island lord said? I'm so ashamed, so ashamed..."
Chu Yun raised an eyebrow. "What's there to be ashamed of? Are you saying my father was wrong? I think he was right. Datou, you've worked hard all these years. You deserve praise."
"N-no, how could the island lord ever be wrong? I, your subordinate..." Wu Datou looked flustered, blinking rapidly. He was already referring to himself as Chu Yun's subordinate.
"Mm." Chu Yun nodded. The unique bearing he had gained in his rebirth had already surpassed what one would expect of someone his age. Wu Datou unconsciously forgot how young he really was.
"I asked you something earlier, and you still haven't answered. Did you bring your demon beast or not?" Chu Yun furrowed his brow.
Wu Datou hurriedly replied, "I brought it, I brought it."
"Good." Chu Yun clapped his hands. "I happen to be short a sparring partner. Your demon beast, Martial Dao Crab, has fifty-six years of cultivation, right? Call it out and have it attack my demon beast with Water Bullet. Remember, follow my orders. You can only stop when I tell you to. Understand?"
"Y-yes, I understand." Wu Datou blinked several times and pulled an Immortal Pouch from his clothes. It had a black leather exterior and a red cord clasp, clearly done in a military style.
He opened the Immortal Pouch, and a fiery red beam shot out. It landed on the ground and transformed into a giant sea crab, as large as an ox.
The giant crab was fiery red all over, with a natural black marking on its carapace that depicted the character "Wu." Its two massive pincers were like enormous shears, capable of crushing steel with ease.
It crouched on the training ground like a boulder, exuding an unbreakable force.
It was Wu Datou's demon beast—Martial Dao Crab.
"Datou, fire a Water Bullet once every ten breaths," Chu Yun instructed.
"Sure." Wu Datou readily agreed. He'd come here with the task of guiding Chu Yun in combat. Since Chu Yun wanted to train on his own, Wu Datou decided to watch and see how things went first. If the results weren't good, he could always teach him his own way.
Yet before even fifteen minutes of training had passed, Wu Datou's doubts had crumbled and vanished with a crash!
The Heavenly Fox's extraordinary comprehension had stunned him!
He had never seen a demon beast grow so quickly.
The frequency of the Water Bullet attacks changed and increased almost every quarter of an hour.
From once every ten breaths to once every eight, then five, then once every breath. At first, the improvement was modest as it was still getting used to this style of training. But as time went on, the rate of improvement grew, and the mutated Fire Fox still handled it with ease!
What kind of talent was this? It was practically the stuff of history books. If word got out, it would cause a sensation.
But what a pity—it was only a mutated demon beast!
Wu Datou marveled at it, yet couldn't help feeling sorry. Mutated demon beasts were destined not to live long.
After quite a while, Chu Yun finally called a halt. The Heavenly Fox was panting, clearly tired. But when it saw Chu Yun take out some fragrant eggshells, it immediately perked up. Its little mouth opened and closed, crunching the eggshells loudly.
Taking advantage of the moment, Wu Datou pulled out the pill bottle containing the Foundation Strengthening Pills and explained why he had come.
"Oh, Lady Shu sent me Foundation Strengthening Pills?" A glint flashed through Chu Yun's eyes, and he gave a smile that was hard to read.