Chapter 74: Promoted to Captain, Commander of the Qianshan Army!

"One hundred and thirty thousand catties of force..."
"Even a casual blow can crush the Yin Law King, and not only that, this is the strength of a single arm, representing the power of the Azure Flood Dragon's Claw."
"But when I wield a spear, I use both hands."
Heavy weapons allow me to exert strength with both arms, bringing out the full divine power of Bai Xuan’s body, every bit of it!
"It’s time to show my true strength."
Bai Xuan's eyes were calm.
With the power he possessed now, he was more than capable of defending himself at sea. Even if someone was tempted to hunt him down for five thousand taels of silver, it would be nothing but a trivial slaughter.
As long as no grandmaster with blood like the sea appeared, he could protect himself, and even his own warship!

...

Within the Bai family estate, a grand and imposing hall stood, with wide screens adorned with clouds and dragon shadows, giving an air of solemnity and dignity.
"The mysterious Bai family grandmaster? Strange, I don't recall any uncles or elders outside with such strength."
Seated in the main seat at the head of the hall was a burly man whose demeanor betrayed a hint of puzzlement.
His arms radiated vigor like blades of grass, clearly a Blood Refining level expert—the current patriarch of the Bai family, Bai Greedy Wolf!
Suppressing the Yin Law King?
That would require power comparable to a grandmaster with blood flowing like a river!
"Perhaps this person was acquainted with Elder Bai Forehead Marquis, and now claims the Bai family name. Back then, he had many enemies, but also many friends. Sadly, he grew old and lonely, and no one in the family ever inherited his Tiger Aspect Diagram."
Bai Greedy Wolf shook his head.
"Not only were three thousand Bluewater Sabres brought back, but an additional five hundred were gained, and no payment was made..."
"You handled the Bluewater Sabres excellently!"
His voice carried praise.
This order of Bluewater Sabres wasn't commissioned by one party, but by four families together; now, with the situation so tense, weapons like swords and sabres were of utmost importance.
Ordinary Blood Refining warriors could never fight a thousand enemies single-handed.
"In that case, these five hundred extra Bluewater Sabres will remain with the Bai family. Xuanji, I’ll credit you with a merit. Allocate two more ships, and give three hundred sabres to the second fleet. You may decide how to distribute them."
"Thank you, Patriarch!"
Bai Xuanji clasped his fists. "By the way, there is a sixteen-year-old onboard my ship who has broken through his bloodline three times. His name is Bai Xuan. He has achieved remarkable feats on the Kaiyang and now that he’s reached this level, I want to appoint him captain."
"A sixteen-year-old with three bloodline breakthroughs?"

Bai Greedy Wolf’s expression shifted.
"A prodigy from a collateral branch? Very well. With the chaotic times outside, it’s also the season for talent selection and prioritizing cultivation. Train him as a Blood Refining expert—let him freely study the Four Seas Azure Sky Flood Dragon Aspect Diagram, and ensure priority access to various elixirs and secret medicines!"
He made the decision without hesitation, decisive and resolute!
"Thank you, Patriarch!"
Bai Xuanji responded, his heart joyous and sincerely convinced.
When he first brought back the Four Seas Azure Sky Flood Dragon Aspect Diagram, there had been much debate within the family about whether merit or seniority should determine rewards.
In the end, Bai Greedy Wolf returned and settled the matter with a single word, promoting him to deputy leader of the second fleet!

"There is one more matter."
Bai Greedy Wolf's face suddenly turned solemn.
"Since you’ve brought back the Bluewater Sabres, you must know... the four families of Qianshan Island must unite against outsiders. But even combined, we are no match for the Star Hunter Pirates or the Sea God Cult."
"Did you know that a month and a half ago, the Star Hunter Pirates massacred Stone Square Island? Over six thousand Stone clan members fought to the end and were all killed!"
"An island massacre!"
Bai Xuanji’s eyes widened in shock.
He had just disembarked and come to report, unaware of these events; now he was utterly stunned!
"This is impossible! The Eastern Sea hasn't seen such an atrocity in decades!"
On the Eastern Sea, massacres of cities or islands were nearly unheard of. Even the most ruthless pirates only slew some experts and enslaved part of the population.
Even though Bai Xuanji was familiar with the Black Pirates and had dealt with many pirates, he was still shaken to his core!
"In times of war, massacre is not uncommon. It’s just that the Eastern Sea has been ruled by the Black Pirates for so long, people have forgotten... In the past, when the Song Dynasty was replaced, tens of thousands were slaughtered on land—it was normal."
Bai Greedy Wolf’s voice was low and deep.
"The will of the Star Hunter Pirates, or rather, the will of Broken Sea Abyss, is not to be the overlord, but to... unify the Eastern Sea!"
Broken Sea Abyss was the leader of the Star Hunter Pirates, the number one expert on the Eastern Sea, nearly invincible!
"The situation is that dire?"
Bai Xuanji was deeply shaken, a sense of urgency gripping his heart.
He was still reeling from the island massacre, unable to react for a moment.
"Yes. The marines have already been defeated. Now we can only rely on ourselves. Therefore, I plan to organize the four families and rebuild the Qianshan Army!"

Bai Greedy Wolf’s expression was suddenly stern.
Even at the Blood Refining level, unless one is a perfect grandmaster, it’s hard to face thousands of troops.
Grandmasters naturally contend with grandmasters.
"Relying on anyone else is futile; only by uniting can we stand. I plan to invite the surrounding islands to form an alliance against the Star Hunter Pirates!"
"Our four families' grandmasters have already agreed. Once the Qianshan Army is formed and three thousand Bluewater Sabres distributed, there will be military regulations..."
Bai Greedy Wolf said, "For every Star Hunter Pirate killed, there is a reward of ten taels of silver for each head. For every expert who has achieved three bloodline breakthroughs, a thousand taels of silver! And if a Blood Refining-level half-step grandmaster is slain, the four families together will award five Tai Sui Elixirs per head!"
"Five?"
Bai Xuanji gasped, staggered!
These rewards would bankrupt the families, requiring all their assets!
"If the skin is gone, what use is the hair? Without heavy rewards, some will surely defect to the Star Hunter Pirates."
Bai Greedy Wolf’s voice was grave. "If we resist to the end and die, and the granaries are empty, we will have done our utmost!"
"But if the granaries are full and we are conquered by the Star Hunter Pirates, unifying the Eastern Sea... that would be the shame of all shames!"
For now, objections among the four families had been suppressed; the grandmasters had resolved to rebuild the Qianshan Army and resist the Star Hunter Pirates!

...

The next day.

"It truly is magnificent."
Bai Xuan walked along a mountain path, gazing at the vast estates built upon the mountains—this was the ancestral home of the Bai family.
The Bai family was nestled between mountain and sea; the main house stood high upon the mountain, not opulent or grand, but the higher one climbed, the more precipitous, cold, and extraordinary it became.
"Without martial accomplishment, it’s impossible to live here."
Bai Xuan felt at ease.
With his current strength, he could traverse these steep mountain roads as if walking on flat ground, leaping seven or eight meters onto rocky cliffs with ease.
Last night, Bai Xuanji had sent word—he had been promoted to captain, though for now, the ironwood warship was to be converted to a whale-hunting ship, pending family council approval.
For now, he could enter the family ahead of time, and study the complete Four Seas Azure Sky Flood Dragon Aspect Diagram!