458: Chapter 457 Storm at Sea 1 458: Chapter 457 Storm at Sea 1 Although it was chaotic, cultivators still had their own certainties, roughly knowing who was backing each pirate group; this was an unspoken understanding.
Simply put, it was as if all the national sect forces had shed their military uniforms, baring their chests to see who was superior or inferior and to vent their usual frustrations; regardless of the outcome, at least it wouldn’t lead to an overt Daoist war.
The Cang Pirates were originally formed by a group of loose pirates, and because of the strength of their leader, the God of the Sea Reports, and the fierceness of several lieutenants, they were able to consolidate a group of loose sand into a cohesive force, which was rare in the Lizhi Sea for having no deep-seated background.
However, precisely because there was no backing from sectarian forces, once the leader encountered trouble, they immediately fell apart; this had happened many years ago.
The current Cang Pirates are a reformed group, including some original members but mostly new ones, stronger and more cohesive than before.
The old cultivators mixing in the Lizhi Sea could probably guess their background.
It was really quite simple; just by noticing the occasional appearance of flying swords in the pirate group’s actions, one could tell that standing behind them was the Shan Sect Sword Cultivator.
Over the years, appearing and disappearing mysteriously on the Lizhi Sea, they carried out several major deeds; there were rumors that this group of pirates had even made the astonishing move of robbing ashore, although there was no evidence, and the Cang Pirates never admitted it.
The Hu Ya Pirate Group, however, was an old, historic group, existing for hundreds of years with a massive scale and numerous members, enduring through time.
Similarly, just by seeing the core pirates’ invariably Daoist methods, one would know, aside from the Wu Sect, the leading Daoist force in the Southwest, what other force could support it?
In the Southwest region, only two Daoist powers remained.
The Anhe Daoist Sect was struggling to survive, hardly in a position to create waves at sea, leaving only the Wu Sect capable of such feats in the Lizhi Sea.
The Hu Ya Pirate Group was the ceiling of pirate groups at sea, one of the strongest among them.
Of course, the sea was vast; one pirate group could not cover all areas, so each had their own range of activities.
Bolong Island lay at the buffer zone between the Hu Ya Pirate Group and the Canglang Gang’s respective territories and was the main antagonist in this dispute.
Loose cultivators and independent travelers dared not act rashly under such a conflict of forces, as snatching food from the mouths of pirate groups was not a joke, nor something a simple apology could remedy.
They could either directly join one side and cheer them on or sit on the fence and watch from the sidelines, waiting to plan after the outcome was decided, just to have a chance at the leftovers after the pirate groups had eaten their fill.
In such a situation, nearby cultivators with keen senses flocked to the scene, like a bunch of vultures, waiting to grab a bite of the leftovers after the main characters had finished their performance?
Grasshead Carangid Group swam just below the surface of the sea; schools of fish several miles long, shimmering with golden light, were visibly clear even through dozens of feet of sea water, resembling a moving resource belt that was heart-stirringly tempting.
Many loose cultivators and small groups in the sky above coveted what they saw but dared not dive down to harvest, as any rash action could lead to being torn to pieces by any pirate group they encountered; such was the law of the sea, a universally acknowledged rule.
Among them was a small team of four, mixing in but somewhat different from those Lihai natives; they were neither island masters nor pirates but members of a major sect from the distant North, who had come to experience the vast sea.
From the Northern Yan Country’s Big Banner Sect were a brother and sister; the elder brother, Yan Baiyi of the Natural Realm, and the sister, Yan Ziyi of the Tongxuan Realm, both top figures of the Big Banner Sect’s Tongtian three realms, especially the elder brother Yan Baiyi, who was hailed as a rare talent of the Big Banner Sect in a century, seldom defeated among the Tongtian realm cultivators of the Northern Territory.
From the Northwest Qin Country came sibling cultivators Mo Heshan, elder sister Yin Qingsi and younger brother Yin Zhilong, both outstanding talents of Mo Heshan.
Particularly the elder sister Yin Qingsi, known across the Northwest as the “Northwestern Azure Phoenix.”
They were cultivators who had traveled far to tour the Lizhi Sea.
As the relationships between their sects were amicable, they had interacted at a certain conference and by chance met here, and naturally came to walk together.
Being disciples of major sects, they naturally carried themselves with a certain demeanor.
Their visit here was not solely for the trivial gains, but more importantly, to experience the flavors of Lihai and to witness the eminent figures of the Southwest.
Other things were secondary, setting them apart from the restless local personalities of Lihai.
Observing how these people were hesitant and timid, Yan Baiyi, who was outspoken, disdained them,
“If you want it, just go down and get it.
Why pick up scraps here?
The cultivators of the Southwest are so indecent compared to us from the North.
Back in our Northern Territory, it doesn’t matter who you are—just go down and take it.
If someone wants to stop you, fight it out to prove you’re a hero.”
Yin Zhilong chimed in from the side, “Exactly!
To be unrestrained and follow one’s own path is the true spirit of cultivation.
Without this supreme confidence, the future is limited.
Actually, I don’t believe any pirate group could truly stop us if just the four of us went down.
With Big Brother and Sister taking action, could anyone here withstand them?”
The two followers stirred up the conversation, eager to make a name for themselves among the heroes at sea.
This was characteristic of the cultivators from the North, who feared neither heaven nor earth and dared to traverse the sea like fierce dragons.
Yan Baiyi laughed and scolded, “You two pretending to be stronger than you are—do you really think Jinxiu Continent is your own?
Remember, we are guests here.
It’s the host’s show we’ve come to watch.
Cast aside those thoughts of overpowering the host.
With the vastness of Jinxiu and the emergence of many capable and unique individuals, who can truly claim to be invincible in this world?”
Yin Qingsi glanced back at her younger brother with a sharp look, not speaking, but the message in her eyes was clear.
The older one grows in Jianghu, the more cautious one becomes; the more one experiences, the more one learns to respect.
In the cultivation world, though many are powerful, only those who know when to advance and when to retreat truly survive.
Below the water’s surface, the grasshead bright clusters were slowly migrating—an instinctual movement based on their nature.
At their current pace, it might take a few more days to reach the near sea and then pass through the raging waters to the Blue Sea.
There was still time, so long as the upcoming conflicts were not too protracted.
From a distance, loose cultivators sped over, their Divine Sense broadcasting, “The Tiger Teeth Pirate Group is coming!”
The group of loose cultivators scattered like frightened birds; it was no wonder they lacked confidence.
The so-called pirate groups were no longer merely pirates but a mix of pirates and major sect disciples, with an even greater number of powerful cultivators among them.
With such strength in composition, no one dared take them lightly.
The four were positioned right above the cluster of bright grassheads, the prime spot for hunting.
But now that the main party had arrived, the onlookers had no choice but to back away unless they really wanted to join the battle.
Otherwise, it was best not to stay too close, for accidental involvement left little room for explanations.
Watching the eager expressions of Yan Baiyi and Yin Zhilong, Yan Baiyi chuckled,
“Daoist Yin, shall we also retreat?”
Yin Qingsi gazed into the distance and nodded slightly, “Of course we should retreat.
Facing an army and trying to block it is folly, isn’t it?”