Chapter Fifty-Seven: Minor Mastery of Ocean Gaze, Sea Serpent in Hand!

The sea was calm and tranquil, with not a cloud in the sky.

“Come on, put your backs into it!”

Several sailors worked together to haul in the net, and within it was a massive squid, seven or eight meters long, its fierce tentacles tightly wrapped around a large fish, devouring it relentlessly.

“Kill it!”

Swords and knives stabbed through the gaps in the net, but with a hiss, the blades merely slid off its thick, membranous skin.

“At last, we’ve caught it.”

Bai Xuan moved in a flash.

With a casual palm strike, a whirlpool of force surged through, shattering the deep-sea giant squid’s internal bones inch by inch.

Though the giant squid still writhed, its neural nodes were severed and the skin peeled away, rendering it motionless.

“Apply the softening solution.”

On the open sea, grilling was a rare luxury, but once softened, this squid was little different from an ordinary one and didn’t consume much firewood.

Moments later—

“Whew… The edible flesh of this squid, after removing the membrane that couldn’t be softened, still weighs nearly six hundred jin!”

Bai Xuan was delighted.

Once grilled, the squid yielded plenty, and the taste was surprisingly good—fresh above all, with just a sprinkle of salt, it was a mouthful of savory flavor.

He cut the squid, distributing about fifty jin among the crew, and sent two jin to Bai Xuanji.

“For an ordinary person, this squid is truly hard to stomach.”

Though plentiful and filling, even the most robust martial artist couldn’t eat more than twenty jin in a single meal. To eat it continuously would certainly lead to indigestion or even diarrhea, weakening one’s vitality.

“But with the Golden Viscera in my body, I can digest even three hundred jin of meat in one sitting.”

Bai Xuan ate heartily, circulating his inner breath to digest swiftly.

In just a few days, he had consumed more than half of the giant squid. The vast nourishment filled him with energy, and his eyes even faintly shone with a keen light.

Inside the cabin.

“The Tree of Longevity!”

Once more, Bai Xuan summoned the Tree of Longevity.

In these days, he had accumulated some horizontal training insights, and after a moment’s thought, decided to invest them in the Jade Essence.

Jade Essence could heal wounds and restore losses; with a breakthrough imminent, it was best to have it as insurance.

“Add some Jade Essence!”

As a point was infused, the Jade Essence leaf radiated with brilliance, rapidly growing. At the same time, deep within Bai Xuan’s iron bones, blood surged forth, his vitality soaring!

Jade Essence (Proficient 1%)!

“Now, with the Blood Ignition secret art, I can almost unleash it once every two days.”

Bai Xuan felt the growth of his vitality.

Should he fail in his breakthrough and suffer bodily harm, the Jade Essence would restore him completely.

“All I lack now is a deep-sea red serpent to extract its venom. Then, I can prepare for my breakthrough. But the sea is ever treacherous; it’s best to wait until reaching the Forging Mountain Villa and undergo seclusion for the attempt.”

Bai Xuan surveyed the ship.

Within the cabin—

“Mahjong!”

Four or five sailors huddled together, playing with fervor, a group of others watching gleefully, arms draped over each other’s shoulders.

“Haha! All of these are mine… Uh, why did you all go silent?”

The veteran sailor looked up to find everyone struck dumb.

With his years of experience, he immediately sensed something was wrong. He turned, only to see Bai Xuan standing at the doorway, expressionless.

“Haha… Brother Xuan, you’re here,” the old sailor said obsequiously.

“How much did you wager?”

“Ten wen… no, five wen, just five, not much at all,” the old sailor stammered.

Since Bai Xuan had become boatswain, he’d set a strict rule: no bets over ten wen, or punishment would follow!

Bai Xuan’s gaze shifted to the side.

“Twenty wen, Brother Xuan,” the young sailor admitted, hands spread in resignation.

At these words, the old sailor’s face twisted in dismay.

The money he’d won would now be forfeited!

“Confiscate the illicit gains for the ship’s coffers. The lot of you, take the swallow boats and go snake fishing. Don’t come back empty-handed.”

Bai Xuan’s voice was low and calm.

His words carried an innate authority, and the faint edge of killing intent sent cold sweat down their backs.

“Caught in the act by the boatswain, eh?”

“Haha, serves you right! Someone won all night, now he’s lost it all—I won’t say who.”

The other sailors jeered gleefully.

“Damn it, Xiao Wang, where’s your loyalty?”

The old sailor turned on the young man who’d told the truth.

“Old Xu, the boatswain saved my life. My brother lost a leg, and it was he who carried him back from the Sea God Sect’s sub-temple. What could I do?”

The young sailor shrugged.

At this, the crowd erupted in laughter.

Many aboard owed their lives to Bai Xuan; there were dozens he’d saved, not to mention those with family ties. With the young sailor’s words, what more could they say?

“Ah, my money…” Old Xu slumped, heading out to ready the swallow boat and go snake fishing.

Bai Xuan had decreed: whoever caught a sea serpent would be rewarded with fifty taels of silver!

Elsewhere—

“I told you, Brother Xuan doesn’t like gambling.”

Old Li was watching the fish from the deck. Seeing the commotion, he shook his head.

Who could they blame but themselves?

“That venomous sea serpent—judging by the current and the shifting lights, it shouldn’t be far.”

Bai Xuan stood on the deck, his gaze sweeping the waters.

“The time has come.”

“Tree of Longevity!”

With a thought, the Tree of Longevity appeared before him.

Since becoming boatswain, his insights as a fisherman had grown rapidly. Since last time, he’d accumulated seven points, though the Shark Taming skill was still a way from perfection—it would take at least half a month more.

“Sea Gazer, let me break through!”

With a single thought, the Sea Gazer branch grew swiftly!

Sea Gazer (Minor Mastery 1%)!

As two points were invested, the keen light in Bai Xuan’s eyes slowly shifted, turning a deep blue-green, as vast as the ocean itself.

“Hm?”

In an instant, countless points of light in the sea below became clear; he could even discern their shapes, though distance made their exact locations uncertain.

Yet among them, unmistakably, was a red, serpentine form!

…

On the water—

“Fishing for sea snakes in the middle of the night—what kind of life is this?”

Old Xu grumbled as he fished.

Sea snakes were mostly venomous, their bodies ringed with circles, hunting as they swam. One bite meant certain death!

But old sailors were experienced. As long as precautions were taken, they feared no bites.

No matter how fierce, could a sea snake bite through three layers of oxhide? Their fangs weren’t that long.

According to the boatswain’s instructions, the Kaiyang had been baiting the waters for ten days, forming a channel to attract sea snakes. Over a dozen had been caught already, but none met the boatswain’s requirements.

Just then—

With a rush of water, a red shape darted through the rolling waves, flashing to the side of the swallow boat.

Whoosh!

A figure shot into the water like lightning.

“What’s going on!” Old Xu jumped to his feet, just in time to see a figure burst from the water, a red snake coiled around his forearm!

“Head back. It’s cold out, and the sea serpent is caught. Cut down on the gambling from now on.”

Bai Xuan stood on the small boat, his voice stern.

His left arm bore the red sea serpent, still twisting, but its head was gripped firmly in his hand, unable to break free.

“Yes, boatswain!” Old Xu’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Bai Xuan had leapt into the water, come and gone in a flash, and emerged with a mutant sea serpent?

The serpent’s body was pure red, its color grand and mysterious; stare too long, and one’s eyes seemed to take on the hue.

Clearly, this was a mutant serpent—enough to kill an elephant with a single bite!

Moments later—

“Let me tell you, it happened in a flash—one crack of thunder in the sky, the boatswain burst forth like a dragon, breaking the water, wielding a red snake that coiled endlessly in his grip!”

Old Xu’s saliva flew as he recounted the tale, tapping a piece of dried fish skin on the table for effect.

“And then?” the sailors pressed, drawn into the story.

“Ahem… Want to hear the rest? How about five wen apiece?”

Old Xu coughed and eyed his audience. Eager for details, many handed over their coins.

Fifty wen, a hundred wen…

A grin spread across Old Xu’s face.

Hadn’t he just won back his lost money?

…

Inside the boatswain’s cabin.

Bai Xuan carefully pried open the red serpent’s mouth, setting it at the mouth of a small porcelain vial until its two sharp fangs pierced the lip.

“With the venom of this mutant sea serpent, I can refine the secret medicine and prepare to break through the threshold of life and death.”