Applying for a Monster-Hunting Ship Crewman, Someone Was Pulling Strings

Qin Xiangbei turned around and swam through the seawater toward the southern side of Rosy Cloud Island.

A moment later, he rode his sword out of the sea, shook off the seawater clinging to him, and flew back to his rented loft with a grim face.

Before the loft, his neighbor Liu Yiyi was practicing the Sword-Controlling Technique. Hearing the movement, she asked, "How did it go?"

Qin Xiangbei paused, then said calmly, "I didn't see Wang Mengde."

Liu Yiyi frowned and stared into his eyes. "You didn't kill Wang Mengde, did you? What if he wasn't the one who killed your brother?"

"I really didn't find him."

Qin Xiangbei tossed out those words, turned, entered his little courtyard, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Liu Yiyi stood where she was, looking at the tightly shut door with a slight frown.

Elsewhere.

Wang Mengde returned to his room, closed the door, and let out a long breath of stale air.

Feeling that only twenty percent of the spiritual power in his dantian remained, a cold glint flickered in his eyes.

Qin Xiangbei.

That scourge had actually stayed on the island for a full year.

And yet—

The moment Wang Mengde went out to sea, the other man had known.

At the time, Wang Mengde had not seen him.

Nine times out of ten, Qin Xiangbei had hired someone to keep watch at the wharf.

He only had eight Spirit Stones left. He needed to get more as soon as possible.

For the time being, he could not go to sea alone. In that case, he would join a monster-hunting fleet and apply to be a crewman.

Wang Mengde sat cross-legged, took out Spirit Stones, and cultivated to restore his spiritual power.

Early the next morning.

Wang Mengde headed for North Reef Wharf on the northern side of Rosy Cloud Island.

Rosy Cloud Island's only two monster-hunting fleets—the Wave-Chasing Monster-Hunting Fleet and the Black Shark Monster-Hunting Fleet—were both based at North Reef Wharf.

Wang Mengde arrived at North Reef Wharf.

Spirit ships of all sizes were moored at the wharf.

From small sampans barely a zhang long to monster-hunting ships five or six zhang in length, they lay moored unevenly along both sides of the piers.

Fishing cultivators carrying nets and magical artifacts bustled back and forth. Cries, laughter, and the creaking of wooden planks blended together, creating a lively scene.

The most eye-catching sights at North Reef Wharf were still the two enormous ships docked on either side of the pier.

Each was more than ten zhang long, its entire hull crafted from ironwood essence, gleaming with a deep dark-golden luster beneath the sunlight.

Dense spiritual patterns were inscribed along the sides of the ships, and spiritual light flowed faintly through them. That was the glow of defensive spirit formations.

Massive spirit ballistae had been mounted around the ships. Runes were carved into their arms, while their arrowheads flashed with cold light.

Tall masts stood at the sterns, hung with several enormous spirit sails. They had not yet been raised and drooped limply.

Two large characters were written on one spirit sail—Wave-Chasing.

Two large characters were written on the other—Black Shark.

Wang Mengde slowly approached, his gaze sweeping over the two spirit ships.

Second-rank spirit ships could withstand the impact of demon fish at the Seventh-Level Lesser Demon realm.

A second-rank monster-hunting spirit ship like this was said to be worth nearly a hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Becoming a crewman on such a ship was no easy task without real ability.

The minimum cultivation requirement for crewmen of both fleets was the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement.

Anyone below the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement was not even qualified to apply.

Wang Mengde's gaze passed over the two spirit ships. After a brief moment of consideration, he walked toward the Wave-Chasing Monster-Hunting Fleet.

Beside the spirit ship, a middle-aged man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze resting on the distant sea as though he were lost in thought.

The man appeared to be around forty. He was broad and powerfully built, with a square face, thick brows, and large eyes. He wore a green magical robe, and a pale-green jade pendant hung at his waist, faintly giving off a warm spiritual glow.

Most striking was the faint yet palpable pressure of spiritual power around him.

Seventh-Level Qi Refinement.

Wang Mengde had seen him before.

Ding Haisheng, captain of the Wave-Chasing Monster-Hunting Fleet, one of Rosy Cloud Island's foremost experts and a major figure at the Seventh-Level Qi Refinement realm.

Wang Mengde stepped forward several paces and cupped his fist. "Captain Ding."

Ding Haisheng turned around, his gaze falling on Wang Mengde. After looking him up and down, he gave a slight nod. "What is it?"

Wang Mengde said, "I would like to apply to be a crewman in your fleet."

Ding Haisheng swept his gaze over him. Mid Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement—his cultivation barely met the requirement.

He said indifferently, "What powerful spells do you know?"

Wang Mengde said, "Spirit Eye Technique and Entwining Silk Technique, both at the pinnacle of mastery."

Ding Haisheng froze.

Spirit Eye Technique at the pinnacle of mastery?

Entwining Silk Technique at the pinnacle of mastery?

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked Wang Mengde up and down. "You're Wang Mengde?"

Wang Mengde cupped his fist. "That would be me."

Ding Haisheng's face instantly turned cold.

"Then you can get lost." His tone was indifferent, as though he were dismissing a fly. "Our fleet isn't recruiting crewmen."

Wang Mengde stiffened slightly.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he saw the coldness in Ding Haisheng's eyes, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

Fine, then. If they did not want him, they did not want him.

But why insult him?

He said nothing more and turned to leave.

Behind him, a young crewman sidled up to Ding Haisheng and asked in a low voice,

"Captain, Wang Mengde's Spirit Eye Technique is so formidable—it's at the pinnacle of mastery. If he joined us, wouldn't our efficiency in locating schools of demon fish at sea rise by a huge margin? Why not take him?"

Ding Haisheng shot him a glance and snorted. "What the hell do you know?"

He lowered his voice. "Qin Xiangbei of the Evergreen Sect and Liu Yiyi from the Island Patrol Office have both spoken to us."

Though both were only at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, their backgrounds were formidable. Ding Haisheng could not afford to offend either one.

Liu Yiyi in particular was the daughter of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.

The young crewman asked again, "Then how did Wang Mengde offend them?"

Ding Haisheng said, "Apparently, he may have killed Qin Xiangbei's brother, Qin Xiangnan."

The young crewman suddenly understood. As he looked at Wang Mengde's retreating back, his gaze held a few more traces of pity.

"No wonder you rejected him, Captain. Offending Qin Xiangbei and Liu Yiyi for the sake of a Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator really isn't worth it."

Ding Haisheng said no more. He merely watched Wang Mengde's back and gave a slight shake of his head.

That kid probably would not live much longer.

Wang Mengde walked toward the other spirit ship.

The Black Shark Monster-Hunting Fleet.

Beside the spirit ship, a young man leaned against the railing, idly playing with a jade pendant in his hand.

The man looked to be in his twenties and was quite handsome, with sword-like brows, starry eyes, a high nose bridge, and black hair casually tied behind his head. A faint smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.

The aura of Seventh-Level Qi Refinement spiritual power also radiated from him.

Tie Li, captain of the Black Shark Monster-Hunting Fleet.

Wang Mengde stepped forward and cupped his fist. "Captain Tie, I would like to apply to be a crewman."

Tie Li raised his eyes and gave him a glance. His gaze swept over Wang Mengde, and he frowned slightly. "Your cultivation is a little low. What powerful spells do you know?"

Wang Mengde said, "Spirit Eye Technique and Entwining Silk Technique, both at the pinnacle of mastery."

Tie Li froze.

He put away the jade pendant, looked Wang Mengde up and down, and his expression became amused. "You're Wang Mengde?"

Wang Mengde said, "That would be me."

Tie Li's face turned cold. "Our fleet isn't taking anyone. Get lost."

Wang Mengde paused.

Something was wrong.

Leaving everything else aside, the Spirit Eye Technique at the pinnacle of mastery alone should have made him highly sought after.

Even if it did not, neither man should have changed his attitude so drastically and hurled insults at him the moment they heard his name.

Nine times out of ten, someone had put in a word.

Qin Xiangbei?

Or someone else?

Wang Mengde took a deep breath and asked probing, "Did Qin Xiangbei tell you not to let me join a monster-hunting fleet?"

Tie Li sneered at that.

His eyes were filled with disdain. "He doesn't have that much face with me."

What Tie Li cared about was the great beauty, Liu Yiyi.

That face, that figure—he liked them far too much.

He liked Liu Yiyi's background even more.

He had been pursuing Liu Yiyi all along. A year ago, when she had asked him to reject Wang Mengde, he had naturally agreed at once.

Tie Li paused, his gaze landing on Wang Mengde. A mocking smile surfaced on his lips. "A piece of trash at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement like you is worth someone specially putting in a word for?"

As soon as he finished speaking, spiritual power surged around Tie Li. With a casual wave of his hand—

A vast surge of spiritual power blasted out in an instant and smashed viciously into Wang Mengde.

Caught off guard, Wang Mengde was blasted backward again and again.