Chapter 49: Promotion! Ancestor Ruhong enters the Celestial Realm |
On the other side, after a Divine Might Cannon blast hit the enemy, the morale of the Chen Clan's caravan soared.
"Great! Uncle's Divine Might Cannon is indeed powerful," Chen Xiuwu excitedly punched the air. "Keep firing! Whoever hits the target will be rewarded with a hundred Top Gold!"
A hundred Top Gold?
The guards operating the Divine Might Cannons were immediately fired up, as if injected with adrenaline, and began to speed up their actions frantically.
Each Divine Might Cannon was operated by three guards. If they hit the target, each person would get at least thirty Top Gold. For an ordinary guard, this amount was more than what they could earn in a year.
Even if guards went on a sea voyage, the additional allowance was only ten to eight large coppers per day. Thirty Top Gold was a huge sum for any Qi Refining Realm guard.
The fourth Divine Might Cannon missed the large target of the Anger Flood Dragon warship. But the fifth shot was incredibly lucky, hitting the bow of one of the Anger Flood Dragon warships directly.
"Boom!"
Wood splinters flew everywhere as the solid iron ball punched a hole the size of a water jar, wreaking havoc inside the ship and smashing through several compartments. The sea breeze rushed in, causing the ship to sway and slow down.
The other guards who missed looked frustrated, but their eyes were filled with determination, vowing to hit the target next time.
There were only five Divine Might Cannons in total.
After firing, they paused to reload for the second round.
These were just the first-generation Divine Might Cannons developed by the Wang Clan. Apart from the sturdy barrels, they were quite primitive in other aspects. However, the Anger Flood Dragon warships were unaware of this. After being hit twice, they seemed terrified by this mysterious weapon, slowing down significantly out of natural fear and caution towards the unknown.
This inadvertently gave the Chen Clan's merchant ship an opportunity.
The two fleets chased each other at a certain distance in the waters outside Donggang.
After a short while, the five Divine Might Cannons were reloaded. With the experience of the first round and the incentive of Top Gold, the guards' actions and efficiency skyrocketed.
"Uncle said that the Divine Might Cannons are more effective when fired simultaneously," Chen Xiuwu, taking advantage of his position as the Young Clan Leader, shouted with profound energy swelling in his abdomen, "All Divine Might Cannons, aim at the flagship of the Flood Dragon Gang. Show the power of the Divine Might Cannons and don't let my uncle's efforts go to waste."
Chen Xiuwu always mentioned his uncle, never his father, Chen Fangjie. It was clear that the person he admired most was his uncle, Wang Shouzhe.
"Fire!"
With Chen Xiuwu's command, the five Divine Might Cannons fired simultaneously. "Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!" The iron balls whistled towards the flagship of the Anger Flood Dragon warship.
Although the speed of the Divine Might Cannon's projectiles was far slower than modern cannons on Earth, it was still relatively fast.
The cannonballs, traveling at nearly the speed of sound, covered a distance of nearly a hundred feet in a breath. The distance between the two sides was only thirty to forty feet, and the solid iron balls exploded on the opposite side in less than half a breath.
Whether it was luck or the incentive of Top Gold, three out of the five solid cannonballs hit the enemy flagship. One of them miraculously hit the main mast, causing it to collapse with the sails.
The other two cannonballs easily pierced the ship's sides, wreaking havoc inside, with one breaking a keel.
The entire flagship of the Anger Flood Dragon warship began to sway and creak.
These were river ships, built for speed, and their defensive capabilities were far inferior to the Chen Clan's sea merchant ships.
Lu Jinyi's face turned pale. "Commander, this can't go on. We should let the Chen Clan's caravan go for now."
"Retreat?" Zhao Wuqing's scarred face twitched. "Our mission is to suppress the Chen Clan, demonstrate the strength of our Flood Dragon Gang, and ultimately force the Changning Marriage Alliance, led by the Wang Clan, to submit. This way, our Flood Dragon Gang can indirectly get involved in maritime interests."
"And now you want me to retreat? How can I face my adoptive father?" A fierce aura surged from him, like a hurricane rushing to the sky. "The Chen Clan's mysterious weapon is just a clever trick, effective against mortals. But they forget that in this world, strength reigns supreme."
With that, Zhao Wuqing stepped forward, and in a breath, he was already hovering above the merchant ship, looking down on everyone like a god.
"Celestial Realm cultivator!"
Chen Fanghua and Chen Xiuwu exchanged a glance, their faces turning pale. The advantage they had just gained vanished instantly.
"Prepare the crossbows! Cover fire!"
Chen Fanghua, one of the main pillars of the Chen Clan, roared an order. His voice, heavy like a morning bell, cut through the sea breeze and reached the surrounding ships.
For most sailors and guards, a Celestial Realm cultivator was a legendary figure, rarely encountered. In countless legends and tales, Celestial Realm cultivators were invincible.
In an instant, the morale of the Chen Clan's caravan plummeted. Only a few managed to shoot their crossbows into the sky in panic. Dozens of bolts flew haphazardly, looking powerless.
"Hmph! A bunch of rabble." Zhao Wuqing practiced a technique called the 'Ancient Barbaric Extreme Golden Body Technique,' a profound body-tempering method his adoptive father, Long Wuji, had somehow obtained.
It was said to be a body-tempering true technique inherited from a barbaric race, consuming treasures and food to convert into essence, and using it to pursue extreme body-tempering. At its peak, the body would grow like a giant, turning golden and impervious to weapons and elements.
Clearly, Zhao Wuqing had not yet mastered the technique. His body had only grown slightly, his muscles knotted like iron, covered in a faint golden glow.
Occasionally, a few sharp arrows hit him, but he didn't bother to dodge. The arrows clanged off his body, leaving only faint white marks on his iron-like muscles.
Then, Zhao Wuqing descended like a meteor, crashing onto the flagship of the merchant fleet. The impact sent shockwaves in all directions, throwing sailors and guards into the air.
The thick deck cracked, and the sound of the ship breaking apart echoed continuously.
Zhao Wuqing grinned wickedly at Chen Xiuwu, his scarred face looking particularly terrifying.
Chen Xiuwu's legs went weak, almost unable to stand.
The gap between them was too vast, like a mortal facing a fierce tiger, with no chance of resistance.
Celestial Realm!
Who would have thought that the Flood Dragon Gang would be so ruthless, sending a Celestial Realm commander? Were they planning to break the agreement and start a war?
"Boy!"
Zhao Wuqing walked towards Chen Xiuwu, each step causing the deck to creak and crack. He sneered, "Judging by your appearance, you must be the Young Clan Leader of the Chen Clan. Enjoying the bombardment, weren't you?"
"Xiuwu, I'll hold him off. You jump ship and escape," Chen Fanghua stood in front of him, his face extremely serious.
Chen Clan disciples were always trained in swimming. Chen Xiuwu had undergone rigorous training since childhood. If he had a chance to escape into the sea, he might have a chance to flee underwater.
Suddenly!
At this critical moment, a powerful aura approached rapidly. At the same time, a loud voice boomed from the sky, "Flood Dragon Gang, how dare you break the agreement and attack our Chen Clan's caravan."
That voice, that aura!
Chen Fanghua and Chen Xiuwu were overjoyed. "It's Ancestor Ruhong! He has broken through to the Celestial Realm."
For the past two years, Ancestor Ruhong had been in seclusion, preparing to take the final step. This final step varied from person to person. Some could break through in a few months, while others took years. Some even failed to advance to the Celestial Realm...
Ancestor Ruhong's powerful aura indicated that he had already broken through before they returned. He had been consolidating his cultivation and had not yet announced it.
"Chen Ruhong!"
Zhao Wuqing's single eye narrowed in shock. "He has become a Celestial in such a short time... This foundation is stronger than the intelligence suggested!"
Chen Ruhong was a legendary figure, and the Flood Dragon Gang had detailed information on him. According to the records, Chen Ruhong had average talent in his youth. After miraculously surviving a shipwreck, his cultivation advanced rapidly, leading the Chen Clan to glory.
But intelligence was just intelligence.
It seemed Chen Ruhong had hidden his true potential.
"Not good, retreat!"
Zhao Wuqing immediately leaped into the air, heading towards the Anger Flood Dragon warship. He wasn't afraid of the newly advanced Chen Ruhong but knew that Chen Ruhong, a water-based profound energy cultivator, had an advantage at sea. Even if Zhao Wuqing could win, it wouldn't be quick.
The entire Donggang was already alarmed, and Chen Clan forces were gathering at the port to support the merchant ships. If Zhao Wuqing got entangled, the Anger Flood Dragon fleet would be doomed.
Moreover, Donggang was still under the jurisdiction of Changning Garrison. If the fight dragged on, the Wang Clan or other families might come to aid.
"Invading Donggang and thinking of escaping?" Ancestor Ruhong, who had led the Chen Clan for over sixty years, made a quick judgment.
The Flood Dragon Gang's attack must have a purpose. Capturing Zhao Wuqing and seizing the three Anger Flood Dragon warships would give them leverage.
With a roar, Ancestor Ruhong's ice-blue spear stirred the tides, sending water columns like flood dragons towards Zhao Wuqing.
Water Dragon Spear!
The Chen Clan's water-based spiritual weapon was particularly effective in sea battles. Though just a spiritual weapon, in the hands of a Celestial Realm ancestor, its power was extraordinary.
"You think a newly advanced Celestial can stop me?" Zhao Wuqing roared, shattering the water columns with a punch.
"Commander Zhao, it's an honor to meet you," Ancestor Ruhong said, "Capturing you would be even more valuable."
Ancestor Ruhong alone couldn't capture him, but the Chen Clan wasn't alone. In Changning Garrison, the allied families were united. Upon receiving the distress signal from Chen Fanghua and Chen Xiuwu, the Chen Clan had immediately sent messenger pigeons to the Wang Clan and other allies for help.
Ancestor Ruhong's task was to entangle Zhao Wuqing. On land, he might not be confident, but at sea, Ancestor Ruhong believed this was his best battlefield.
"Great!" Chen Xiuwu, seizing the moment, shouted, "Chen Clan warriors, it's time to make a name for yourselves. Fire the Divine Might Cannons!"
Boom, boom, boom!
A series of Divine Might Cannons fired.
Meanwhile, fast boats were leaving Donggang port to support the merchant ships. With the advantage of fighting on home ground, reinforcements would keep coming.
A fierce battle erupted outside Donggang port.
The two Celestial Realm cultivators fought from the sky to the sea and back, creating a spectacular scene. Zhao Wuqing tried to escape several times but was blocked by Ancestor Ruhong.
The fleet battle was equally fierce. However, with the Divine Might Cannons, the Chen Clan had the upper hand.
Time passed.
Less than half an hour later, a crane's cry echoed from the sky. A spirit bird carriage descended from the clouds towards the battlefield. The carriage bore the emblem of the Changning Wang Clan, clearly a special vehicle of the Wang Clan.
Wang Shouzhe and his wife looked down from the transparent window of the spirit bird carriage, taking in the scene of the sea battle.
"My dear, the Flood Dragon Gang has openly broken the agreement with the families," Wang Shouzhe frowned. "They must have ill intentions. The situation is changing rapidly."
"A bunch of trash."
Liu Ruolan's voice was cold and filled with killing intent. "Just kill them."
"Huh?" Wang Shouzhe turned to look and gasped. "Dear... no, Ruoling is out again?"