Chapter 80: Iron Stomach Technique, Perfection of Gazing at the Sea!

Splashing waves!

Upon the vast ocean, a whaling ship surged forward, cleaving through the waters. On the deck, sailors bustled about, casting their nets to capture schools of fish from the deep sea.

“Pay attention!” called a young sailor with a scar etched across his face. “Brother Xuan once taught us that there’s skill in trawling—casting the net, hauling it in, bundling the catch, releasing the fish—every step contains its own knowledge and technique, and the application of strength!”

“We fishermen rarely use a rod to catch a handful of fish out here; it’s always the net!”

“If you use the net well, with a single cast you can haul up a thousand pounds of fish, fill the hold in no time. If not, you’ll exhaust yourself and catch little for your trouble... Watch closely!”

The young sailor demonstrated as he dragged the net, instructing the newly boarded young sailors.

Splashing waves!

Muscles bulged across his frame, his blood and energy surging—a sign of a breakthrough. On the whaling ship, he was a first-class sailor.

“This trawling really is tough,” grunted a young man named Bai Luo, as he struggled to pull the massive deep-sea net.

After half an hour, his waist and back ached, his hands trembling. The other youths labored beside him, but the work was far from easy.

Seeing this, the young sailor shook his head. “There’s much you still need to learn… Trawling is just one skill. You have to identify fish schools, read the currents, handle the catch, and even train in martial arts to fend off monster fish. Being a sailor isn’t easy!”

His name was Bai Rongxuan, brought aboard from the Kaiyang by Bai Xuan. His younger brother had once broken a leg and was rescued from the Sea God Sect by Bai Xuan.

Now, Rongxuan was a veteran sailor, having learned much from Bai Xuan through daily exposure, and so he taught the newcomers.

He carried himself with stern authority and a sharp presence; every gesture exuded competence, and many youths secretly tried to emulate him.

“All these skills, Brother Rongxuan learned from the captain?” Bai Luo marveled inwardly, admiring him greatly.

Bai Xuan was of similar age, yet as captain his prestige was unmatched; his word was law, the embodiment of absolute authority aboard the Swallowing Sea.

Among the sailors, more than half revered Bai Xuan; their conversations were never far from the captain’s name.

“I wonder when I’ll become a first-class sailor,” Bai Luo hoped.

From afar, he watched the crew patrolling the hold, but the most spacious and bright room was the captain’s cabin, where Bai Xuan resided.

…

Captain’s Cabin.

“Ah…”

Bai Xuan exhaled, his stomach letting out a rumbling sound. His gut was forging itself, condensing vital energy, pushing mercury blood, continuously infusing and refining the Iron Stomach Technique.

In just a few days, he’d mastered the basics, even reaching a certain level.

Now, as he activated it, his stomach became like a fearsome grinding machine, emitting a deep, stone-mill rumble. Any living thing entering would be crushed and ground to death in an instant.

When Bai Xuan swallowed, even steel blades would snap between his teeth, then be churned and digested by his stomach—he could eat gold and digest stone.

“Ah!”

After a moment’s cultivation, Bai Xuan finished, exhaling a stream of white breath that spun through the air like a bolt of silk, then swiftly dissolved into rippling waves, leaving the cabin untouched.

His mastery over condensed vital energy was effortless, signaling progress in his cultivation of the Four Seas Azure Sky Jiao Transformation.

The captain's cabin was bright and spotless, located amidships near the helm. Massive glazed windows lined the walls, reinforced layer upon layer, impervious to storms or damage.

It was two levels—the lower also spacious.

“Only after becoming captain do I realize… how comfortable this position is.”

“Now, with no distractions, I can cultivate freely.”

Bai Xuan settled down, boiling a pot of tea. He drank a little, savoring its rich aroma, reflecting inwardly.

As chief sailor, he’d directed many, but always had to work personally. As captain, he rarely needed to intervene; the sailors he’d trained knew their tasks, naturally managed and divided the work, carrying it out diligently.

“The captain is responsible for two critical things.”

“First, setting the strategy: deciding where to sail, where to anchor and fish, when to return, how to avoid storms, how to find prey… all decided with a word.”

“Second, when facing enemies, the captain’s strength must stabilize the situation, like a needle anchoring the sea, protecting the whaling ship from destruction.”

Thus, in the Bai family, no captain ever lacked the strength of three blood breakthroughs.

“These two responsibilities are now routine for me, handled with ease. Even sitting still in the cabin, the Fisherman’s Path continues to advance.”

Bai Xuan felt at ease.

At this level, the Fisherman’s Path needed little personal effort—his casual guidance would cause the path to progress. Perhaps, when he led a fleet of dozens or even hundreds of ships, the path would change yet again.

Tap tap tap!

Someone knocked gently at the door.

“Come in,” Bai Xuan said.

A young sailor entered, respectfully saluting Bai Xuan.

“Captain, we’ve followed your orders and are heading into deep waters. Next…”

He sought Bai Xuan’s instructions for finding schools and anchoring to fish.

At that moment, Bai Xuan gazed out the window. In his eyes, the depths of the sea appeared, reflecting endless ocean, faint shadows of fish forming schools, swirling through the waters.

“Head northeast,” Bai Xuan said calmly. “I taught you how to identify fish schools, determine depth and direction—you haven’t forgotten?”

“No, Captain!” the young sailor replied quickly. “I’ve studied and practiced, even bought a book on Sea Fish School Surveying. Now I can identify the basics. As for Liu Yuan, he’s even more capable—he’s already a lookout.”

“Go. If you have questions, come ask me.”

Bai Xuan’s sailors from the Kaiyang were now ready for independent duty. Though their skills varied, they could handle fishing and spotting schools without much trouble.

Thanks to his guidance, their seafaring skills surpassed ordinary sailors by far.

The young sailor departed, secretly awed.

“The captain’s gaze can pierce a hundred miles, read the currents, spot fish schools—it’s almost divine!”

As a veteran, he could only marvel and revere Bai Xuan’s abilities.

…

Ten days passed in a blur.

The Swallowing Sea had left Thousand Mountain Island behind, sailing onto the vast ocean and entering deep waters.

Three masts flew their sails, gradually lowering them as they prepared to search for fish schools.

“Hmm?” The lookout spotted fish below.

“Deep-sea school spotted!”

The announcement sent sailors into action—casting nets, anchoring, and preparing to fish.

In just moments, the net tightened.

“Not good, there’s a big one struggling in the net!”

A sailor from another ship grew anxious, knowing there might be a monster fish inside.

“Prepare!”

The Kaiyang sailors were unflinching; Bai Rongxuan gave a low command, and several first-class sailors gathered, ready.

Splashing waves!

Together, they hauled the net ashore, and when released, revealed a massive squid, four or five meters long, writhing as it devoured another large fish.

Swish!

Before the squid could react, the sailors drew long knives from their belts. The blades shimmered like clear water, sharp enough to slice chain mail.

Several swift strikes severed the giant squid’s nerve clusters; in moments, its color faded and its tentacles ceased their fierce movements.

“Begin skinning, boning, and processing the catch!” Bai Rongxuan called.

The sailors swiftly dismantled the deep-sea squid, sending slabs of white squid meat to the rear, where secret methods roasted it into the captain’s lunch.

…

After dinner.

With his Iron Stomach Technique achieved, Bai Xuan’s appetite soared, devouring four hundred pounds of deep-sea squid. Many sailors were stunned, recognizing it as fearsome proof of his body cultivation.

Inside the captain’s cabin.

“After these days at sea, directing the fishing, even without hands-on effort, my progress on the path is rapid.”

Bai Xuan’s stomach felt warm, his blood and energy surging, his eyes reflecting the vast sea.

“I’ve accumulated two more points… Let’s perfect the Sea Gazing skill!”

The Tree of Longevity appeared, its branch representing Sea Gazing quivering, swiftly sprouting leaves and growing lush. With a roar, it formed a miniature ocean, deep and crystal clear.

(End of chapter)