Fan Qingqing, who had fallen down alongside Jin Tianwang, was now hastily pulled away from Jin Tianwang by a hand. The person immediately bent down to examine Jin Tianwang's condition.

  "A Ke, can you hear my voice?"

  "A Luo, you have come as well," Jin Tianwang opened his eyes and smiled at him before continuing, "I am perfectly fine."

  A Luo knew very well that a palm strike leaving such a scorched black mark must be laden with a massive amount of poison. He suddenly glared fiercely at Sun Daming and said in a harsh tone, "Hurry up and examine his condition!"

  Sun Daming immediately rushed over to check on Jin Tianwang, who was addressed as A Ke. Jin Tianwang forced himself to stand up without much difficulty, but even so, Sun Daming grabbed his wrist to check his pulse and condition.

  Sun Daming suddenly exclaimed in shock, "The Seven-Star Meridian!"

  Fan Qingqing felt deeply concerned and hurriedly asked, "Uncle Sun, is there a way to cure him?"

  Upon hearing about the Seven-Star Meridian, A Luo's expression turned to panic before breaking into a relieved smile.

  "Little boy, you possess the Seven-Star Meridian!" Sun Daming met Jin Tianwang's eyes, inadvertently shouting out loud.

  Jin Tianwang felt the pain from the force of Huang Sakong's palm strike, but he was not poisoned. People with the Seven-Star Meridian do not fear any poisons, because the blood flowing within the body of someone with the Seven-Star Meridian is already the deadliest poison of all.

  A person with the Seven-Star Meridian is someone whose blood is poisonous, causing their body to endure constant pain. As infants, they would cry endlessly, sometimes even dying from the sheer agony. Generally, those with the Seven-Star Meridian die at a young age. If any such child manages to grow into an adult, it becomes an advantage, rendering them fearless of any poison. Furthermore, their bones and tendons become exceptionally tough and strong, making them perfectly suited for practicing martial arts.

  Sun Daming opened the shirt to inspect the palm wound and found that the poison could not penetrate Jin Tianwang's skin. He examined it for a long time with a shocked expression before muttering, "To think I would actually have the chance to meet someone with a Seven-Star Meridian like this."

  "I was not born with this Seven-Star Meridian; rather, I continuously trained and altered my body until I developed it."

  "Is such a thing even possible?"

  Jin Tianwang nodded once, offering a confirming smile that somehow made Sun Daming feel inclined to believe him. This might be Jin Tianwang's unique charm—no matter how one looked at him, he seemed like a person who had absolutely nothing to hide.

  "All of us, hurry back to the ship. As soon as the first light of the new day breaks over the horizon, we will immediately set sail back to the Green Dragon Isle," Sun Daming ordered the ship's captains.

  Everyone then left the Four Harmonies Inn and returned to the cargo ships to prepare for the morning departure. Jin Tianwang and A Luo were originally supposed to separate and leave like the other porters. However, Sun Daming needed Jin Tianwang's help concerning the possibility that the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood's fleet might be attacked by Ouyang Laobai. Having an elite martial artist like Jin Tianwang on their side would surely be of some benefit.

  The fleet of the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood hoisted their sails and set out to sea during the pre-dawn hours. The broad sails caught the wind, propelling the ships rapidly across the water’s surface. The route from the Isle of the Pearl to the Green Dragon Secret Isle was not far. If the sea breeze held, they would arrive within half a day.

  But the sea is never predictable. The strong winds lasted only through the early morning before dying away completely. Deprived of wind, each ship had to rely on the strength of thirty-six oarsmen, rowing in rhythm to the beat of a drum. The sea lay unnaturally still, and the fleet advanced at a sluggish pace. The navigator searched constantly for favorable currents, yet for more than two hours the waters remained eerily calm. Only when a sudden gust roared back to life did the sails swell once more and the ships surge forward.

  At that very moment, black specks appeared along the distant horizon.

  An uproar swept across the decks.

  Jin Tianwang, who seemed to have been waiting for this all along, suddenly got up from his lying position and went out to observe the entire situation on the ship's upper deck.

  "There's a fleet chasing after us!" The navigator's voice shouted, warning the people on board. The helmsman, who held the crucial responsibility of controlling the ship, had to pause to look in the direction the navigator indicated. Jin Tianwang also walked over to take a look. Although they could only make out scattered black dots on the sea's surface, his past experiences easily allowed him to recognize that this was a fleet of ships.

  Jin Tianwang suddenly smiled at the middle-aged man beside him and said, "It seems One Word Ends Life, Ouyang Laobai, has come looking for us."

  Sun Daming, who happened to walk over and hear Jin Tianwang's words to the helmsman, asked, "With this distance between us, how much time do we have left?"

  The helmsman, an experienced seaman, quickly replied, "At most, six hours; at best, probably another two hours. The enemy's ships are only carrying people, so they must be light. Coupled with the sea breeze pushing from that direction, if we want to escape, we would have to turn back. Steward Sun, what are your thoughts?"

  Sun Daming listened and pondered for a moment before saying, "With your skills, can you navigate our ships to the vicinity of the Dragon Isle before they catch up to us?"

  "Reporting to Steward Sun, I fear the enemy ships are lightweight and have the advantage in speed. This humble one does not have much confidence in shaking them off; we would have to rely heavily on luck."

  "Wait for them to get a little closer. I would like to volunteer to go and have a word with them," Jin Tianwang said with a smile.

  "What do you intend to say to them?"

  "I will politely request Ouyang Laobai to leave in peace."

  "Do you really think Ouyang Laobai will listen to your words?" a young woman's voice rang out, accompanied by the appearance of Fan Qingqing.

  "When the time comes, this old man must accompany you on this trip as well," Sun Daming said, exceeding Fan Qingqing's expectations once again.

  "Uncle Sun, how can you go and face Ouyang Laobai's pirate fleet all by yourselves?" Fan Qingqing said with a sullen expression.

  "Senior, there is no need to follow me. Just lend me a small boat, and I believe everything will go smoothly," Jin Tianwang said as if it were the most ordinary matter in the world.

  "Absolutely not. If you are going, you cannot leave me behind," the firm voice of the young man known as A Luo rang out as he stretched lazily.

  "A Luo, why are you coming along?" Jin Tianwang asked his friend.

  "I want to know what caliber of person Ouyang Laobai is, to be bold enough to intimidate a fleet carrying Xiao Ke (Little Ke)," A Luo said, making a statement that contradicted reality.

  Fan Qingqing, who had been listening to their conversation up to this point, felt incredibly irritated. She spoke up in a fit of pique, "You should realize your own standing! How dare you speak with such arrogance and audacity?"

  One Word Ends Life, Ouyang Laobai, aside from being a young man with terrifyingly formidable martial arts, had actually inherited his power and prestige from The Carefree Laughing Elder, Ouyang Laoxian. The latter was a legendary pirate whose name had echoed across the seas for decades, having built an immensely powerful and majestic fleet. He had even once raided a military encampment's supply depot, becoming an infamous tale across the entire ocean. Ouyang Laobai was the highly valued grandson of Ouyang Laoxian and was widely believed to be the rightful successor to this great pirate lord.

  A Luo suddenly burst into laughter before pointing his finger back and forth between himself and Jin Tianwang, saying, "Does the young miss still not know? He is called Xiao Ke, and I am called Xiao Luo. We are both just incredibly poor, destitute individuals."

  Fan Qingqing abruptly turned her face away, refusing to listen to A Luo's words any longer. Jin Tianwang laughed momentarily at A Luo's words and Fan Qingqing's reaction before turning his head back to tell the helmsman, "The wind has stopped again."

  The wind currents had ceased once more. The fleet had to revert to relying on the strength of the oarsmen. The distance between the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood's fleet and the Ouyang clan's fleet was shrinking by the minute. Suddenly, a small boat shot out from the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood's fleet, heading directly toward the Ouyang clan's fleet. The sailors of the Ouyang fleet noticed that the small boat was carrying only three people, and they immediately began shouting the news across their ships.

  The small boat soared over the water's surface at a flying speed. Sun Daming manned the rudder at the stern. The Poison Beggar's internal energy was poured into steering the rudder; every sway carried immense propulsive force. Consequently, the small boat surged forward with incredible swiftness. As they drew closer to the Ouyang fleet, Sun Daming infused his voice with internal energy and projected it out resonantly, "Seeking an audience with the Fifth Young Master!" The voice, backed by profound inner qi, echoed thunderously across the Ouyang clan's fleet, terrifying the faint-hearted into absolute silence.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Old Sun, if you wish to converse with the Fifth Young Master, please come this way!" An equally resonant voice abruptly rang out from another large ship. It was the voice of the Tiger Frog, Huang Sakong.

  Once Sun Daming identified the source of the voice, he steered the small boat forward again and warned the other two on board, “Hold tight—we’re about to fly!” The moment he finished speaking, he stomped heavily against the hull. The bow shot upward at a sharp angle. Channeling his internal energy, he blasted the water behind them with a thunderous roar. The small boat leapt from the sea, soaring high through the air before crashing down onto the deck of the responding ship.

  The display was a deliberate show of force. Sun Daming had no intention of hiding his strength. Such mastery of internal energy was rare even among seasoned experts. Hundreds of eyes fixed upon him—some filled with fear, some with awe, some with admiration, and others with open contempt.

  On that ship, there was an area set up as a reception room. A reception room on a ship could not be built very large; it was merely a square-shaped cabin. Inside, a low table, knee-high, was set up. Several tea sets were arranged on the table, and hot steam wafting from the spout of the teapot spread a fragrant aroma throughout the room. At this moment, there were three individuals inside: one young man, one elder, and one woman.

  "Old man surnamed Sun, to willingly expend so much internal energy just to frighten people—that is simply far too foolish and dim-witted." This voice, laced with thick contempt and disdain, came loudly from the elder who was raising a teacup to his lips while sitting cross-legged on the floor.

  "Mm," was the only word of acknowledgment from the young man sprawling on the floor on the other side.

  Meanwhile, the woman knelt and reached over to pour tea for herself, quietly watching the events unfold.

  "Old man Sun, if you have something to say, spit it out. As long as you speak loudly enough, the Fifth Young Master will hear every word," Huang Sakong said as he walked out to greet them.

  "I am merely the ferryman here. The ones who wish to speak with your Fifth Young Master are these two young gentlemen," Sun Daming retorted, pointing his hand toward Jin Tianwang and A Luo.

  "Old man Sun, you are being too humorous. What qualifications do these two little brats have to speak?" Huang Sakong said as he stepped closer with an irritated demeanor. Jin Tianwang suddenly stepped forward toward Huang Sakong, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a smile, "I have come to politely request that Mr. Ouyang let us leave in peace."

  "You little turtle! Since when does a place like this allow you to speak?!" As soon as Huang Sakong finished his sentence, he unleashed a palm strike. A cloud of grey mist trailed the shadow of his palm as it flew toward Jin Tianwang.

  Jin Tianwang, possessing the Seven-Star Meridian, naturally did not fear any poison. He instantly reached out, grabbed Huang Sakong's striking palm, and twisted it in a circular motion. The twisting force forced Huang Sakong to drop to his knees in agony. Both the physical strength and the timing of the counterattack were far beyond Huang Sakong's expectations.

  How could the renowned Huang Sakong be defeated so easily? He suddenly forced his body to whip around, hastily circulating his internal energy. Stripes appeared on his face as he launched a backward elbow strike at Jin Tianwang in an incredibly bizarre and unpredictable maneuver.

  Jin Tianwang was not panicked by Huang Sakong's counterattack. He also leaned forward, using his other arm to hook the incoming elbow. Borrowing his opponent's momentum, he leveraged the force to swing Huang Sakong's plump body into the air. Once Huang Sakong's two feet left the ground, he lost all control over himself. The throwing force slammed Huang Sakong's body down against the ship's deck with a deafening crash. Huang Sakong's body instantly lay completely still, unable to move anymore. Many people could see foamy saliva bubbling from the corners of his mouth. The famous Tiger Frog, Huang Sakong, had now fallen unconscious.

  The young man in the tea gathering, who had been sprawling on the floor, immediately stood up and stared outside when he heard the crashing sound against the deck and felt the accompanying tremor. Seeing Huang Sakong lying defeated, he instantly dashed out. The elder in the tea gathering, who also witnessed the scene, couldn't help but show a surprised expression, raising his eyebrows high. He held his teacup frozen mid-air before asking, "Who exactly is this little boy?"

  The woman in the tea gathering did not answer the question born of astonishment. She continued to watch the events unfold with a tranquil demeanor, but her beautiful eyes concealed a vicious, vengeful intent.

  The young man appeared with a gust of wind. With a handsome, sharp-featured face and a fierce gaze, he faced Jin Tianwang from a distance.

  Jin Tianwang met his eyes with a smile. Inspecting the young man who had arrived with the wind, he found him to be quite a handsome and striking fellow. His fierce eyes slanted upwards at the corners, the ends of his eyebrows fanned out like flames, his nose was long, and his lips were red. His long hair was tied at the back. He wore loose, wide clothing, and his wrists were adorned with several large bangles. A short spear was tucked into his waistband. Guessing that he had finally met Ouyang Laobai, Jin Tianwang quickly clasped his hands together and said, "Brother Ouyang, forgive my lack of manners."

  Ouyang Laobai did not bother exchanging pleasantries with Jin Tianwang. His very first word was an explosive, "Kill!" The word was imbued with internal energy, creating a shockwave of wind that struck towards Jin Tianwang in a profoundly strange manner.

  Struck by this bizarre technique, Jin Tianwang showed a hint of surprise as his body staggered backward. He quickly processed the thought that merely uttering a word could harm people—this was truly an extraordinary and unorthodox supreme martial art. He immediately tried to comprehend the secrets behind this bizarre technique.

  Seeing that Jin Tianwang had not fallen from his sonic strike, a strong desire to win flared up in Ouyang Laobai's heart. He abruptly circulated his internal energy again and roared another word, "Die!" Another shockwave of wind blasted toward Jin Tianwang.

  Jin Tianwang suddenly swept his sleeve outward, creating a resisting force against the incoming wind shockwave. The two forces completely cancelled each other out. He then concentrated his own internal energy and shouted out a single word, "Laugh!" This created a shockwave of wind that crashed right back into Ouyang Laobai.

  Ouyang Laobai could never have imagined that his supreme technique would be so easily replicated by his opponent. Allowing the wind shockwave to strike his body, his frame trembled. His humiliation turned into rage, and he swiftly threw a punch.

  Jin Tianwang shifted his body slightly to evade, just enough to make the punch miss its mark. He then flicked a short elbow strike toward Ouyang Laobai's chin. The impact of the elbow knocked Ouyang Laobai's face completely backward.

  Ouyang Laobai could hardly believe what was happening right now. Even with his head thrown back, he abruptly raised his left foot and kicked at Jin Tianwang.

  Jin Tianwang pivoted half a turn, causing the left kick to miss as well. He then used his left hand to grab the ankle of that full-force kick and yanked it violently backward. Ouyang Laobai's body, which was leaning backward, was suddenly jerked forward again. Right at that moment, Jin Tianwang had his right elbow raised and ready. The elbow struck Ouyang Laobai squarely in the chest, sending his body flying far away.

  All the members of the Ouyang clan showed expressions of pure shock. When had such a thing ever happened before? One Word Ends Life, Ouyang Laobai—how could he be rendered so utterly ineffective? Ouyang Laobai, the Fifth Young Master, was an arrogant young martial arts master, an invincible figure who rampaged without anyone being able to resist him. How could he end up in such a state today? Never mind the shock of the Ouyang clan members; the person most astounded by this could be none other than Ouyang Laobai himself.

  Although Ouyang Laobai felt a sharp pain in his chest, he endured the agony and stood up. He grabbed the short spear from his waist in his right hand before charging at Jin Tianwang with the speed of a ghostly shadow. Ouyang Laobai's movements were remarkably bizarre and astonishingly fast. It seemed as if shadows separated from his body—one in front, one behind, one left, one right—accompanied by a barrage of spear afterimages thrusting forward.

  Jin Tianwang, who had maintained some distance, suddenly shifted his body, tilting his right shoulder toward Ouyang Laobai, and launched a single punch directly into the myriad of spear afterimages. The unbelievable happened once again: the punch struck precisely on the tip of Ouyang Laobai's chin. This perfectly embodied the martial principle of "Striking last but arriving first." Ouyang Laobai suddenly collapsed once more.

  "What is going on? Laobai is fast—yet this person is faster. Laobai is unpredictable—yet this person reads him like an open book. Who exactly is he? Could he be Laobai’s destined rival?" The elder in the reception room had now walked over to stand by the window to watch the unfolding events, his curiosity about this opponent of Ouyang Laobai growing immensely.

  "This person's name is Jin Tianwang. The martial arts world usually calls him the Merry Meanderer," the woman who had been silent all along finally spoke up. She spoke about Jin Tianwang accurately and precisely, as if they were intimately acquainted.

  "This person is the Merry Meanderer? That little brat surnamed Jin who doesn't know his proper place?"

  "That is correct. He is that Jin Tianwang who does not know his proper place."

  "Yuexin, I actually think this little boy doesn't seem half bad. Although he might be slightly inferior to Yu Ning, it's probably not by much."

  "Master..."

  Was the woman addressed as "Yuexin" actually The Frostflower Maiden, Han Yuexin? If she was, then the person who was Han Yuexin's master could only be one individual. That person would be The Six Decrees, Pei Chengyue—one of the three absolute top martial artists of this era.

  Ouyang Laobai, unwilling to accept defeat, continued to stand up and fight despite being knocked down multiple times. He had never been in such a miserable state. Blood seeping from the corners of his mouth dripped down, staining his clothes with several bloody spots. His unyielding eyes were still locked onto Jin Tianwang's figure with extreme fury. His hand was now empty; the short spear had slipped from his grasp the second time his body was thrown away. By now, he had been flipped, thrown, and knocked down so many times that even he couldn't remember the count. Ouyang Laobai let out a loud roar before charging at Jin Tianwang once again.

  Jin Tianwang suddenly grabbed his opponent's collar, preparing to throw him outward. However, Ouyang Laobai, having been thrown time and time again, abruptly grabbed Jin Tianwang's hand, twisted it, and used the rotational force to throw a reverse elbow toward his opponent's face. Yet, it was Jin Tianwang's left hand that was already waiting to block it. At the same time, his left foot swept out, hooking Ouyang Laobai's ankle, lifting him off his feet and sending him crashing down hard on his rear once more.

  The back of Ouyang Laobai’s head struck the deck. He lay there, staring at the orange-tinted sea. The Ouyang clan was invincible. He was invincible.

  So why was he the one lying on the ground?

  Who was this man?

  Jin Tianwang knew Ouyang Laobai would not rise again today. Their martial arts were similar—but Jin stood one step ahead.

  When Ouyang was fast, Jin was faster.

  When Ouyang turned strange, Jin was simpler—and therefore deadlier.

  The difference was only a single step.

  But that single step decided everything.

  "My name is Jin Tianwang. The martial arts world usually calls me the Merry Meanderer."

  "I, Ouyang Laobai, will remember this."

  "In the days to come, you will become even stronger."

  "I hope we will meet again when that day comes."

  "We will naturally have the opportunity to meet again in the future."

  "Today, you can go. Go. Just go!" On the final sentence, Ouyang Laobai shouted at the absolute top of his lungs.

  Watching the battle, Sun Daming finally understood something. His era had passed. If he had stood in Ouyang Laobai’s place, he would not have lasted this long. The world now belonged to the young.

  And what of A Luo?

  He was close in age to Ouyang Laobai, yet still younger than Jin Tianwang. After witnessing this battle, he already knew the answer within his heart.

  He stepped forward and said, “Friend Ouyang, remember me as well. One day, I too will climb that same mountain peak.”

  Ouyang Laobai met the young man’s gaze. Something unfamiliar flickered in his eyes.

  He did not ask what mountain peak A Luo meant.

  He already knew.

  Jin Tianwang, A Luo, and Sun Daming all boarded the small boat to return to the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood's fleet. When they had left the fleet earlier, A Ke and A Luo were seen as nothing more than foolish individuals in the eyes of the people within the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood. Now, they had returned safely, bringing back a great victory as well. Both of them were welcomed and treated exceptionally well. The fleet caught the night wind, and by the morning of the new day, they finally laid eyes on the Green Dragon Secret Isle.