The blood mist dispersed, leaving corpses bobbing on the sea. Blood dripped from Zhou Tao's sword tip as he surveyed the battlefield with a grave expression. The Black Skull Pirate Ship had escaped, leaving only a battered Golden Flood Dragon Society Spirit Boat, where three wounded Foundation Establishment cultivators were tallying the casualties.
"Junior Brother Li, come here." Zhou Tao beckoned, his voice betraying neither pleasure nor anger.
Han Li approached with his hands lowered, his expression unchanged. "Deacon Zhou."
Zhou Tao's gaze roamed over him for a moment before he asked, "When you fought just now, neither your movement techniques nor your killing moves were those of a formation master. Can someone at the eighth level of Qi Refining really possess such strength?"
Han Li's heart tightened, but he showed just the right measure of bashfulness and lingering fear. "Deacon, I began as an independent cultivator and spent a few years learning rudimentary assassination techniques in the Southern Border. They simply happened to suit the circumstances. Those star pirates weren't highly cultivated. I relied on my speed and was lucky enough to succeed." He deliberately understated their cultivation and described his assassination techniques as "rudimentary" to make himself seem less threatening.
Zhou Tao stared at him for a long while, then chuckled. "Assassination techniques? That does make sense. Formation masters who practice arts of slaughter are indeed rare." He asked no further questions and instead said, "The Golden Flood Dragon Society's people are still alive. Go see if you can reassure them, lest further complications sprout."
Han Li accepted the order and approached the damaged spirit boat. Seeing a Star Palace cultivator draw near, a scar-faced burly man among the three Golden Flood Dragon Society cultivators struggled to his feet and cupped his hands. "Thank you for intervening, fellow