Section 1

King Xuan let out a gentle sigh: "The specific location of Feiyu Island has remained elusive to us; even if we were to ascertain its position, the former subordinates of the East Sea King would not necessarily remain on the island waiting for us to eliminate them. Searching for them in the vast ocean is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. With Black Dragon Island taking on this task, we can also save ourselves some trouble. Let it be decided this way"

King Xuan did not raise his voice, yet his calm and measured words pierced through the sea breeze and thick smoke, resonating clearly in the ears, each word distinct.

Old Master Shi urgently waved the flag, and the formation changed again. Originally intending to reassign personnel to pursue the fleeing small boats, more than half were recalled to fill the gap created by the emergence of the King of the East China Sea.

The guard received the order and departed

Who will inherit the century-old legacy of the illustrious Xuanwang Mansion?

The King of the East Sea did not respond

After receiving the imperial decree, King Xuan spent a year secretly preparing for this matter

Separated by flames and thick smoke, King Xuan's sharp gaze swept across the battlefield. Suddenly, he exclaimed, pointing towards the southeast, "Intercept those three ships"

The pursuing vessel was closing in on the three fleeing small boats. Suddenly, two of the small boats turned around to block the pursuers, allowing the third small boat to escape on its own. In that brief moment of delay, it became evident that the small boat was now beyond reach.

When Zhao Zheng ascended to his position, he was just over twenty years old. The first opponent he encountered was Wu Chang, the leader of the Five Animals Sect, who was notorious at the time. The Five Animals Sect was already situated between righteousness and evil, and did not align well with the Xuan Wang's court. Later, with the emergence of Wu Chang, who claimed to be invincible in the world and had deep-seated grievances with the righteous martial arts community, he was ultimately killed by Zhao Zheng. This young Xuan Wang thus completely established his reputation and status. In the more than twenty years that followed, the Xuan Wang's fame spread far and wide, reaching the Central Plains and the northern deserts. Even merchants and envoys from Nanyang, Goryeo, and even Japan, who came to Jiangdong, would inquire about the Xuan Wang's situation. This young Xuan Wang thus completely established his reputation and status. In the more than twenty years that followed, the Xuan Wang's fame spread far and wide, reaching the Central Plains and the northern deserts. Even merchants and envoys from Nanyang, Goryeo, and even Japan, who came to Jiangdong, would inquire about the Xuan Wang's situation

The steward Su of the Su family in Gusu, who is familiar with the situation in the East China Sea, said: "The King of the East China Sea indeed has high hopes for this daughter, taking her with him wherever he goes. Our intelligence reports indicate that a year ago, the King of the East China Sea had already sworn a blood oath with Feiyu Island, pledging unwavering loyalty to his daughter no matter what happens. This time, we failed to eliminate the threat completely, and I fear that trouble will soon arise."

Although the King of Donghai was once rampant, he was unable to gain the upper hand in several encounters with the Zhao family of Gusu, suffering heavy casualties instead. While the casualties of the Zhao family were not as high as those of the King of Donghai, the current master, Zhao Huanzhang, was assassinated by the King of Donghai, who had daringly infiltrated the ship during one of the battles.

The Zhao family of Suzhou, a wealthy and influential clan, is a branch of the royal family that has been engaged in trade across the South Seas for generations. The Zhao family's merchant ships are designed and constructed by the Taihu Tianji Bureau, renowned for their unparalleled speed, sturdiness, and agility. The vessels are equipped with firearms manufactured by the Pili Hall in Changzhou and naval weaponry crafted by the Jianlu in Kuaiji. The training of sailors is overseen by retired naval officers. For generations, the Yin-Yang masters from the Guigu Mountain Jin family have dispatched two disciples to accompany the ships, observing celestial phenomena for the fleet. The Zhao family's nautical charts are produced by the Lao family, a lineage of cartographers honored by the imperial court, ensuring a level of precision that allows the Zhao fleet to select the most efficient routes and complete their voyages in the shortest possible time. The training of sailors is overseen by retired naval officers. For generations, the Yin-Yang masters from the Guigu Mountain Jin family have dispatched two disciples to accompany the ships, observing celestial phenomena for the fleet. The Zhao family's nautical charts are produced by the Lao family, a lineage of cartographers honored by the imperial court, ensuring a level of precision that allows the Zhao fleet to select the most efficient routes and complete their voyages in the shortest possible time.

The Zhao family of Gusu has historically had a sparse population. By the time of Zhao Huanzhang, apart from his own branch, there were only a few distant relatives left, with no close kin. Zhao Huanzhang had only one younger brother, Zhao Huancai, who had passed away several years earlier. The two brothers left behind only Zhao Huancai's son, Zhao Peng, as the sole descendant. Although Zhao Peng has become the new head of the Zhao family in Gusu, he is still very young, and Zhao Huanzhang's wife, Madam Wu, is weak and inexperienced in worldly matters. Therefore, all affairs of the Zhao family must be managed by Zhao Peng's mother, Madam Jiang.

It has been many years since the cries of newborn infants have been heard in the residence of King Xuan.

King Xuan then said: "In today's battle, although I have a greater chance of victory, it will not be easy to truly win. I fear that by the end, there may be few who can return alive. Therefore, I have a proposal: why not have a duel between the two of us? If I win, you all will surrender and follow me back to Lin'an to await the judgment of the state law; if I lose, you may leave as you wish. What do you think?"

King Xuan gestured for Old Master Shi to pause, pondered for a moment, and said: "King of the East Sea, I respect you as a formidable hero in your own right. Would you be willing to hear a word from me?"

King Xuan could not help but think of his children who had died young. Over the years, not a single child had been able to escape the grasp of fate; no matter how heroic he was, he could not protect his own children

Although King Xuan is the commander-in-chief, the actual operations in battle are directed by the experienced naval commander, Old Master Shi. Though his beard has turned white, he is still full of vigor, commanding with certainty, and faintly resembles the naval leader who once roamed the Yangtze River in his prime

After the battle, the King of the East Sea realized that this naval conflict was personally led by King Xuan, and that Mo Xia had gathered the elite of the Jiangdong martial arts community.

It is no wonder that the King of the East Sea is doing everything in his power to hold them back in order to protect the escape of that small boat, nor is it surprising that he is willing to sacrifice the strength of the Jiangdong martial arts community. It turns out that he has placed his hopes for a resurgence on his daughter and disciples, which is why he aims to clear away as many obstacles as possible before his death for the revival that is to come.

Chief Su replied: "We have captured their two leaders and eleven subordinates"

King Xuan initially believed that the King of the East Sea must have fled through a route, but as the formation began to move, the troops dispatched to intercept had not yet been fully prepared. The surrounded pirate ships, under the command of the horn's signal, began to close in. The King of the East Sea and his group of direct subordinates, wearing red headscarves, shouted and brandished their swords as they charged towards the flagship where King Xuan was located

Old Master Shi and the others silently gazed at King Xuan's solitary figure. In recent years, they have increasingly sensed King Xuan's desolate mood following his victories

Thick smoke obscured the sky above the sea, as the flagship's lookout tower stood tall, where King Xuan and Vice Commander Old Master Shi stood side by side.

The Zhao Song royal family is largely characterized by its literary and weak disposition, with the exception of the Xuan Wang residence, which has traditionally emphasized the mastery of martial arts and sought out exceptional talents from the martial world across the land. Therefore, since the second generation of the Xuan Wang, the Xuan Wang residence has taken on the responsibility of leading the martial arts community of the Jiangdong region and specifically tasked with eliminating various local tyrannical forces. It is precisely because the Xuan Wang residence bears such a heavy responsibility that the court broke the convention of limiting royal succession to three generations, granting a special decree to allow the throne of the Xuan Wang residence to be inherited for an additional generation.

The death of Zhao Huanzhang infuriated the Zhao family of Gusu, prompting them to finally resolve to engage in a life-and-death battle with the King of the East Sea. Even the Zhao family of Gusu could not escape the attack from the King of the East Sea, which greatly shocked the court and made them acutely aware that the King of the East Sea posed a serious threat to the safety of the maritime borders of the Song Dynasty. Consequently, a secret decree was issued, ordering King Xuan to lead the Jiangdong martial arts community in conjunction with the Zhao family of Gusu to eliminate the King of the East Sea, ensuring the safety of the sea routes.

After this battle, the islands of the East China Sea fell into a state of disarray. Although pirates still roamed the waters of the East China Sea, they no longer posed a significant threat. While they could still plunder small merchant ships, they found it difficult to threaten large fleets such as that of the Zhao family in Suzhou.

Old Master Shi, not waiting for King Xuan's response, exclaimed loudly: "Even when death is imminent, one still speaks nonsense!"

King Xuan furrowed his brow and asked, "What kind of people are on those three ships?"

King Xuan gazed at the blood-soaked battle between the two sides and let out a barely perceptible sigh

Amidst the thick smoke, the King of the East Sea suddenly burst into laughter and shouted loudly: "Zhao Zheng! You have already lost this battle today!"

King Xuan gazed silently at the bright moon rising slowly over the sea, lost in thought

King Xuan smiled: "Of course. I remember Chief Steward Su once mentioned that Black Dragon Island was the most formidable opponent of the King of the East Sea, until a year ago when the King of the East Sea killed their three leaders in one go, forcing them to submit. Now that the King of the East Sea is dead, will Black Dragon Island still submit to his daughter?"

Old Master Shi evaded the question posed by King Xuan, signaling for his elite forces to concentrate around the flagship in order to ambush King Donghai

After a year of suspension, the fleet of the Suzhou Zhao family set sail again. Although the King of the East Sea was aware that the Zhao family would surely be on guard, it was, after all, his fiftieth birthday, and many friends and allies gathered on his fleet to celebrate. He believed that no matter how much the Suzhou Zhao family prepared, they could not possibly match their strength. Furthermore, having learned that the cargo carried by the Suzhou Zhao family this time was double that of previous years, he was even more tempted. Thus, he still led his ships out to intercept and plunder the fleet of the Suzhou Zhao family.

The East China Sea has been calm for twelve years

At that time, King Xuan, who had already passed fifty, still appeared as handsome and striking as in his youth. His slightly azure eyes were as bright and vast as the sea. The sea breeze howled, and the large flag with the character "Zhao" on the watchtower danced wildly in the wind, yet King Xuan's tall and straight figure stood firm like a mountain, resembling a cliff amidst the surging waves. Silent and motionless, he instilled an unshakeable confidence in all those who leaned against this cliff.

Chief Su and Old Master Shi, along with others, were all taken aback: "Let them go back?"

Killing one thousand enemies while suffering eight hundred losses oneself. When facing a formidable opponent like the King of the East Sea, even the most brilliant strategy is unlikely to prevent significant casualties on our side. After this battle, even if we can completely annihilate the bandits of the East Sea, the cost to the martial arts community of Jiangdong would still be considered excessively high.

If the King Xuan suffers any setbacks due to dividing his forces to pursue the fleeing enemy, even if this group of pirates is completely annihilated, it would still be a loss for the martial arts community of Jiangdong.

King Xuan pondered for a moment and asked, "Have we captured anyone from Black Dragon Island?"

The King of the East Sea places his hopes for the restoration of East Sea hegemony on his daughter and disciples. Given the King's vision and experience, this hope cannot be a mere wishful fantasy. His daughter and disciples are likely to be extraordinary individuals in the future

As Chief Steward Su departed, King Xuan turned around and said to a guard beside him: "The group responsible for monitoring the East Sea should not be withdrawn; continue the surveillance. The intelligence reports must be delivered directly to me every month"

King Xuan gazed at the scene on the distant sea, feeling increasingly uneasy in his heart

There must be an extremely important figure on that ship, but what kind of person could compel this group of pirates to sacrifice themselves to help him escape

However, regardless of who is on those three small boats, the number of people is extremely limited; moreover, it is impossible for there to be anyone more important than the King of the East China Sea

Pirates were ubiquitous, and the formidable leaders fought fiercely for territory, almost engaging in battles several times each year. However, during the late reign of Emperor Lizong, a particularly powerful leader emerged from Feiyu Island in the East China Sea, declaring himself the King of the East Sea. Within ten years, he subdued all the islands in the East China Sea, unifying the East Sea pirates under the banner of the East Sea King and his library, thereby significantly increasing his power. With this might, he established a tax rule of one-tenth for passing merchant ships. In the following decade, apart from the fleet of the Zhao family from Gusu, which was the most powerful, almost no ship could escape the taxation imposed by the East Sea King.

Xuan Wang Dao: "Let them go back"

The Zhao family's maritime vessels have been modified by the Taihu Tianji Mansion, with the main sail designed by the Tianji Elder capable of catching winds from all directions, allowing the Zhao fleet to sail against the wind and gain the upper hand after the emergence of the East Sea King; disciples of the Changzhou Pili Hall laid bamboo tubes filled with resin water on the sea, using fire meteors to explode the tubes and ignite the resin water, trapping the East Sea King's fleet in a sea of flames. Even when the East Sea King realized the peril, he could not escape in time and was left with no choice but to fight for survival; the Kuaiji Sword Testing Lodge brought with it hundreds of legendary weapons passed down through generations, and the sharp Japanese swords and sabers used by the East Sea King's subordinates were no longer invincible; the Changzhou Pili Hall disciples laid bamboo tubes filled with resin water on the sea, using fire meteors to explode the tubes and ignite the resin water, trapping the East Sea King's fleet in a sea of flames. Even when the East Sea King realized the peril, he could not escape in time and was left with no choice but to fight for survival; the Kuaiji Sword Testing Lodge brought with it hundreds of legendary weapons passed down through generations, and the sharp Japanese swords and sabers used by the East Sea King's subordinates were no longer invincible; the most outstanding naval warfare family of the Song Dynasty, the Shijia of Lin'an, was the main force attacking the East Sea King; responsible for guarding the ships was the Gong family of the Tianmu Mountain Luoxia Stronghold, known for their defensive capabilities; the archers from Bahe Village in Chizhou were stationed at high points, as the saying goes, "It is easy to dodge a direct arrow but hard to guard against an indirect one." The hidden arrows shot from the Zhuge divine crossbow were particularly difficult to defend against in the heat of battle. With this group of archers, it became extremely difficult for the East Sea bandits to even make a hasty retreat; the most outstanding naval warfare family of the Song Dynasty, the Shijia of Lin'an, was the main force attacking the East Sea King; responsible for guarding the ships was the Gong family of the Tianmu Mountain Luoxia Stronghold, known for their defensive capabilities; the archers from Bahe Village in Chizhou were stationed at high points, as the saying goes, "It is easy to dodge a direct arrow but hard to guard against an indirect one." The hidden arrows shot from the Zhuge divine crossbow were particularly difficult to defend against in the heat of battle. With this group of archers, it became extremely difficult for the East Sea bandits to even make a hasty retreat; the guards of the Xuanwang Mansion and the disciples of the Taiyi Temple on Jiuhua Mountain, due to their superior lightness of foot, were responsible for the back-and-forth support, intercepting the masters from the East Sea King's side.

Chief Steward Su smiled and said: "Of course not. Not only will it not happen, but Black Dragon Island will certainly take the opportunity of the Eastern Sea King's death to settle this account with his daughter."

Suddenly, a mournful sound of a conch shell came from the fleeing boat

Although maritime vessels can yield substantial profits, the turbulent winds and waves at sea often lead to the destruction of countless merchant fleets and loss of lives; in addition, the elusive pirates pose an ever-present threat to merchant ships.

If it were not for the repeated battles with the East Sea King, the Suzhou Zhao family would have firmly believed that the current East Sea King, who is leading the pirates in fierce combat and displaying remarkable bravery, is indeed the true East Sea King. King Xuan was almost led to doubt that the one who had escaped was the real East Sea King

The King of the East Sea fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a hearty laugh: "Your Highness is truly calculating! Our people have been fighting for half a day, while you have been conserving your strength, of course ensuring victory without defeat! I understand your intentions, Your Highness; you are merely afraid of incurring too many casualties and having difficulty explaining upon your return to Jiangdong. You wish to expend less effort to win this battle. Unfortunately, I, the King of the East Sea, will not fall for this trick! If you want my head, then exchange it for yours!"

King Xuan also suffered losses in this regard. After interrogating the prisoners of war, King Xuan learned that on the small boat that had escaped were Yunmeng, the only daughter of the King of the East Sea, and his sole disciple, Gu Chuan

The King of the East Sea spoke at length, while the archers of Baihe Manor had already discerned his position. Just as Old Master Shi's command flag was raised, crossbow bolts were shot from all directions towards the King of the East Sea, who laughed heartily as he leaped onto a nearby vessel, evading this round of hidden arrows. He swiftly struck down an enemy in front of him and shouted, "Brothers, fight hard! Every one we kill is one less! Eliminate these bastards, and in ten years, the East Sea will once again be our domain!"

However, they are powerless and can only gaze infinitely with sympathy at that unattainable figure.

His plan was simple yet effective: to use the fleet of the Suzhou Zhao family as bait to lure out the King of the East Sea for extermination

After a day of fierce battle, the King of the East Sea ultimately fell at the hands of the guards of the Xuanwang Palace. Most of his subordinates and friends who had come to celebrate the birthday also perished in the conflict, leaving the sea within a ten-mile radius stained red.

The King of Xuanzhou, Zhao Zheng, is now the fourth generation of hereditary rulers.

He even speculated that the reason the King of the East Sea launched an all-out attack on the flagship was likely just to allow that small boat to safely break through, employing a strategy of surrounding Wei to rescue Zhao

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, more than half of the annual revenue has come from various commercial taxes. After the Song court moved south, the territory became limited, thus relying more on trade taxes rather than land taxes. Although the ancient Silk Road in the northwest had been severed, the maritime trade routes in the south flourished increasingly. Equipped with compasses and well-crafted large sailing ships, they reached as far north as Goryeo and Japan, and as far south as the countries of the South Seas and even Persia. Across the vast ocean, Song merchants could be seen everywhere. Every autumn and winter, when the northeast winds arose, fleets set sail from the four major ports of Lin'an, Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou, returning in the spring and summer when the southwest winds blew. The maritime trade routes in the south flourished increasingly, equipped with compasses and well-crafted large sailing ships, reaching as far north as Goryeo and Japan, and as far south as the countries of the South Seas and even Persia. Across the vast ocean, Song merchants could be seen everywhere. Every autumn and winter, when the northeast winds arose, fleets set sail from the four major ports of Lin'an, Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou, returning in the spring and summer when the southwest winds blew. Each port had a Maritime Customs Office responsible for collecting taxes. Sea vessels were required to pay between one-tenth to one-fourth of their cargo as tax. However, these goods from foreign lands, when transported to the southern and northern regions or the eastern and western territories, could still yield several times, even a dozen times, in profits. The customs duties collected by the Maritime Customs Offices across the country had already reached 65 million strings of cash in the sixteenth year of the reign of Emperor Xiaozong. Therefore, this maritime Silk Road was crucial for both the court and the common people.

No one anticipated that the King of the East Sea would choose a flagship, heavily guarded and filled with experts, to launch an attack. Caught off guard, they had already breached two lines of defense and reached beneath the flagship.

Three small pirate boats quietly slipped out of the encirclement at an unknown time; had it not been for King Xuan's keen eyesight, they would have almost escaped using the thick smoke.

Old Master Shi understood the meaning of King Xuan; King Xuan intended to annihilate completely, not wishing to leave any future troubles.