Chapter 6: Speaking the Truth

The figure, astonished, said: "I fear that before I even get to hit someone, I have already been tied up and eaten by them. They all believe this."

The pirates were momentarily startled, but soon surrounded again. Xinghai picked up a curved sword from one of them and, using the Dragon Fire technique, struck at the man. At that moment, his strength was no less than that of Mu Ge, and coupled with the astonishing aura of flames around him, the pirates cried out in despair: "It is the noble of Dragon Fire!" For a moment, they lost heart, and two of them were injured by Xinghai, causing their formation to fall into chaos.

Xinghai was taken aback, shaking his head in silence, thinking: "He has me under control now and can throw me into the sea to feed the fish at any moment." In truth, he was struggling desperately, perhaps there was still a chance, but even if he were subdued, what difference would it make? He alone could never operate the ship.

Chen Zhe seemed to smile, but the sunlight was blinding, making it difficult to see his figure clearly. This person continued, "They are no longer your opponents. Mastery of the Dragon Fire Technique is all that is required; you need not fear mortals for the rest of your life"

He turned over, his hands crossing in front and behind, striking a pose that was precisely the Tiger Fist technique passed down by Li Jinguang. The Dragon Fire skill was activated, flames blazing around him, and a fire dragon mark appeared on his forehead

Suddenly, four pirates emerged behind him, brandishing their weapons to strike at him. Without turning his body, he utilized the Wandering Form technique, causing his skeletal structure to expand violently, resembling white long spears thrusting out. The four pirates were too close and were instantly pierced, leaving them riddled with wounds. The bone spikes writhed like snakes, sucking blood with a gurgling sound, and after a few soft noises, they retracted back into his form. The blood of those pirates flowed within his body, bringing him a sense of exhilaration, as if he had consumed fine wine

Xinghai said urgently: "I won't say anything, but I also escaped after killing someone. We are both grasshoppers on the same rope."

"Whoever speaks against you, you should strike them; then no one will dare to gossip."

Xinghai said loudly: "Although my words are not auspicious, every one of them is true. Is it not permissible to speak the truth?"

Chen Zhe asked: "Whom did you kill?"

The internal vital energy of Chen Zhe was astonishing, the sails of the ship were filled with wind, fluttering like a great banner, as the sailboat cut through the waves and advanced swiftly. However, such reckless exertion could not last long; after a while, Chen Zhe exhaled a cloud of turbid air and slowly sat down.

A large ship flying a black flag approached, its bow resembling a giant hammer. Human heads hung from the mast, and the voices on board were loud, fierce, and brutish. Someone climbed to a high point, blew a whistle, and laughed, saying: "There is a little child tied up in the fishing net"

A tall pirate wielded a mace in both hands, striking fiercely at Chen Zhe. Chen Zhe executed the move "Sinking Fish and Falling Wild Goose," his long sword rising and falling, killing the man. The sword's wind pierced through this person and injured another. He then moved swiftly, penetrating into the midst of the enemy, and thrust his sword into one man's throat. With a push of his hand, the man let out a low grunt, "ka ka," and fell into the sea.

With a sudden surge of strength, he slashed through the fishing nets entangling his body several times. With a flick of his sleeve, the fishing nets and ropes vanished without a trace. Having freed himself, he said, "You should seek your own fortune"

If the body is not on the ship, it would indeed be a great fortune, but unfortunately, he has boarded the pirate ship, which is precisely the time when it is difficult to dismount from the tiger

He was in a state of confusion, not knowing where he had hidden himself, his heart pounding loudly, surrounded by the figures of many people. A man with large yellow teeth smiled and said: "This is a child from the Dragon Fire Kingdom, quite delicate indeed"

Xinghai shouted loudly: "You barbarians, your hands are stained with blood, and you will eventually face retribution! Leave quickly, or death will swallow you all!" His intention was to warn everyone, but his words came out like a curse.

The form inquired: "Fleet? Is it not a single ship?"

Chen Zhe opened his eyes, his expression serious, and made a gesture for silence towards Xinghai.

Half an hour passed like this, and the enemy ships were no longer visible. My body felt completely sore and numb, and I could not muster any strength, collapsing straight back.

In a moment of silence, Chen Zhe remained mute. His thoughts were: "He does not speak, which means he has already harbored murderous intent. This is bad, this is bad; I never expected that today would be the day of my demise. This person is ruthless and merciless, killing me as easily as one would slaughter a pig or a dog." Throughout his life, he was plagued by nightmares and felt oppressed, naturally leading him to view the world in a negative light

The remaining pirates were horrified and shouted, drawing their weapons. Their faces turned pale as they took several steps back. Although the hand gripping the sword remained steady, their bodies trembled slightly. Xinghai thought: "He has exhausted himself and has become a spent force. This fool is too reckless; not only has he harmed himself, but he has also caused my premature demise."

Xinghai shouted: "I will go burn their jumping board! Do you still have the strength to blow the wind?"

Chen Zhe said slowly: "I will not kill you, but do not think you can cause any trouble."

Chen Zhe remained seated quietly, as if he were regulating his true energy. By the time he stood up, he had already regained his original composure and demeanor

Xinghai Dao: "Wooden grid." Suddenly recalling something, he said: "The reason I awakened is not because I consumed the blood and flesh of the wooden grid! Do not believe in rumors and indulge in wild fantasies."

In a moment of shock, Chen Zhe was taken aback, while the other pirates understood immediately, their hearts filled with terror, shouting: "This sea demon has drained blood, a blood-sucking skeletal sea demon!" They jumped into the sea one after another, swimming with all their might to escape far away

After a long time had passed, the morning light was faint, and the sea breeze swept past the ship. Small waves rocked the vessel, and Xinghai caught a glimpse of golden light filtering into the box. Having spent so long in darkness, he was filled with dread and yearned to witness the scene of the sunrise over the sea. Thus, he cautiously pushed the lid of the box open a crack. The damp, fresh air from the sea rushed in, invigorating him, and for a moment, he forgot the perilous situation he was in

"Is it you? Have you awakened as well?"

As he bent his body, a mouthful of blood was spat out. Xinghai thought to himself: "Even if he is formidable, after urging the wind and crossing the sea for half a day, his true energy has already been exhausted. Alas, why did I not take the risk just now?"

Xinghai shouted: "Why didn't you do this earlier?"

He sighed and said, "Sometimes the truth can also lead to one's demise"

Chen Zhe shook his head and said, "Consuming blood and flesh will not lead to awakening"

Suddenly, someone shouted from a distance: "There is a ship! There is a ship! It seems there is no one on board! It is a derelict ship! Approach, approach!"

The figure was taken aback, wondering: "Who is it? Is it one of our warships? Or is it a merchant at sea?"

Chen nodded slightly and said, "Go!" He took out a round stone, raised his arm, and threw it with force. The swift wind urged it on, and the flying stone was as fast as lightning. The archers on the opposite ship screamed loudly, falling onto the deck, and in an instant, their brains splattered.

Come out

Suddenly, Chen Zhe grabbed a piece of grass rope and threw it at the figure. This action was extremely covert, and the grass rope flew as swiftly as an arrow. The figure was caught off guard and was entangled by the rope several times. With a tightness around his feet, he fell to the ground. He struggled with all his might, but unexpectedly, a large net descended upon him, consisting of both ropes and fishing nets, tightening more and more. The figure moved a couple of times, realizing that it would be difficult to escape in a moment.

With a sound of metal clashing, the sword was drawn from its sheath, the wind whispered softly, and with a loud crash, the box shattered. He let out a cry of surprise and fell out.

Everyone laughed in unison and said, "This child has a strong temperament; after the eldest has played with him, he might very well take him as a disciple"

On the large ship opposite, someone was shooting arrows, the sound of "whoosh" echoed, nearly hitting the figure. The figure immediately hid behind a wooden box, witnessing three more being killed. However, this person appeared quite weak, their swordplay significantly slowed, and the number of enemies remained high, making the situation increasingly unfavorable.

It is too dangerous, the sea is too dangerous, oh form, oh form, do you really want to lose your life here

Another bald man said: "Take it back, the boss has a taste for this. He will surely be delighted to see this treasure"

Xinghai thought: "Where does Chen Zhe intend to go? He has killed that Cang Zhengxian, as well as that living corpse-like White Swordsman. He had previously knocked out those slaves, and no one witnessed the incident. He could have gotten away with it, but now that he has left, everyone will suspect him. What will everyone think of me? Most will probably believe that I have been killed by Chen Zhe. If that is the case, then wouldn't the murder of Mu Ge also fall on Chen Zhe's shoulders?"

The sorrowful thought of the form: "They say I am a sea monster? No, this is a curse, I am the victim, and I do not wish to be this way."

His body stiffened in shock, and he thought to himself: "It can't be me!" Holding onto a faint hope in the darkness, he bit his lip and remained motionless.

Fortunately, Chen Zhe threw the pirates off the ship one by one, and then began to take the helm, as if he had let a wild spirit go free

The figure trembled and said: "Senior Brother Chen, I saw nothing at all. If you wish to kill me, it is certainly not difficult, but after my death, I will surely become a water ghost that haunts you, ensuring you will never find peace."

The figure still needed to speak, and with a heavy tone said: "I need to cultivate my energy, please be quiet."

Chen Zhe replied coldly, "Every word you say is a taboo. If you were a superstitious fisherman, you would have been thrown into the sea to feed the sea god long ago"

"You still speak of me, your words are quite unpleasant. Ah! The dead cannot speak, let alone tell the truth. Does he perhaps intend to kill me? To eliminate future troubles?"

He could not help but let out a cheer, quickly rushing to the platform. He recalled the incantation of the Dragon Fire Technique, igniting flames in his palms, and struck heavily on the hooked ropes and wooden planks. As expected, the effect was extraordinary, and everything immediately caught fire. He then swung his knife, causing both ships to sway simultaneously, thus separating them.

Xinghai urged, "We must return quickly, or we will be close to death."

A man with a large beard walked past the crowd, wearing a round hat, while the others were wrapped in headscarves, indicating that he was the leader of this group of pirates. He asked, "Hey, little boy! Where are the others on your ship? How did you end up tied up here?"

The body felt numb, and I thought: "Play? How to play? I will not accompany you sinners in your games"

Once again, a few sounds of wailing were heard, as the hooks and ropes were secured to the sailboat, connecting the two vessels together. The large ship drew closer, and several strong men set up a wooden plank, walking towards this side. Additionally, there were those with exceptional agility, who leaped lightly and had already arrived on the deck of this sailboat.

Xinghai let out a sigh and said: "But everyone does not believe it! They will surely say that I am a despicable person who feeds on human flesh and blood"

The skeletal remains are chilling, reminding one of what Li Jinguang once said about the West Sea, where pirates run rampant. Although the troops from the distant provinces are quite strong, they are still unable to eradicate them. At this moment, Chen Zhe has already urged the ship to move dozens of miles away from the coast; could it be that they have truly encountered pirates

What do you prefer? Are you perhaps thinking of eating people

Chen Zhe nodded and said: "There is still much more beyond ten miles. This group of pirates is quite powerful. And I have always had bad luck"

He gazed at the sea, his eyes sparkling, as if he could see farther than the average person. He said, "We must navigate around the obstructing fleet"

Sitting cross-legged, Chen Zhe raised both hands, summoning a strong wind. The sails of the ship rustled loudly, and in an instant, the sailboat had distanced itself from the pirate ship. Xinghai, seeing Chen Zhe's face pale as paper, seemed as if he could die at any moment. He hurriedly reached out, placing his palm against Chen Zhe's back, and the Dragon Fire Technique surged rapidly. The two men's mentalities were interconnected; one was fire, the other was wind. The wind fueled the fire, and the fiery wind billowed, complementing each other. Chen Zhe's energy was slightly restored, and the strong wind intensified once more. Meanwhile, the pirates behind were terrified and did not dare to pursue.

In an instant, a flash of white light turned, and ten individuals were simultaneously struck, their hearts erupting with blood, dying in an instant. It was precisely Chen Zhe who suddenly made his move, unleashing the Thunderstorm Ten Swords.