The four leaders of the Four Kings Pirates were successively killed by Ye Xuan, leaving the minions leaderless; they quickly dispersed like birds and beasts. Under the counterattack of the merchant convoy’s guards, they soon collapsed, and the multitude of pirates that had surged like a tidal wave fled in disarray, discarding their armor and shields.
Although the attack by the pirates resulted in heavy casualties, the subsequent counterattack yielded considerable victories; several pirate ships were captured, which somewhat compensated for the convoy’s losses.
After the sporadic fighting had completely ended, Lady Xuan approached Ye Xuan with a respectful clasp of her hands and said, "Mr. Ye, we are extremely grateful to you on behalf of our trade association for coming to our rescue."
Then she took out a pouch and passed it to Ye Xuan, "Mr. Ye, this contains ten thousand Xuanyuan Pills, a token of our association’s appreciation. Please accept it."
"No need for this; since I agreed to be the guard for your fleet, wasn’t it only right for me to take action in critical moments?" Ye Xuan waved his hand and declined.
"Mr. Ye speaks too modestly. Without your intervention, our entire fleet would have been at risk, and even I would not have been able to avoid a disastrous fate. You are our savior, and I implore you not to refuse," insisted Lady Xuan. She admired him all the more for his reaction; young yet so strong without arrogance, composed and experienced—the likes of which she had rarely seen in her life.
It was hard to imagine such a figure emerging from a small corner of the Tiannan Region.
Seeing Lady Xuan’s persistence, Ye Xuan knew he could not easily refuse, and thus he said, "How about this, ten thousand Xuanyuan Pills—I’ll just take half, as an acceptance of your gratitude."
Ten thousand Xuanyuan Pills were not a small number, Ye Xuan knew that for a small trade association, the burden must be quite significant. His intervention was merely lending a hand, and it would seem too much like taking advantage of their plight to demand a hefty sum.
Lady Xuan wanted to speak again but noticed that Ye Xuan seemed displeased, so she kept the remaining half of the Xuanyuan Pills and did not bring it up again.
"Boss Xuan, how much longer will it take to reach Golden Island?" Ye Xuan looked out over the vast sea and changed the subject, turning his head to ask.
"We should be close, maybe seven to eight days at the most, or three to five days at the least, then we should arrive," calculated Lady Xuan seriously. She then showed a bright smile to Ye Xuan, "Once we reach Golden Island, Mr. Ye, you must allow me to properly fulfill the duties of a host."
Golden Island was the final destination of this voyage. Within the Chaotic Sea Domain, Golden Island was one of the larger islands. The trade association that Lady Xuan belonged to was only a minor power on the island, which was home to numerous small businesses like hers, as well as several larger ones with significant clout within the Chaotic Sea Domain.
However, the entire Golden Island was ultimately controlled by the "Merchant Alliance." The so-called Merchant Alliance was a commercial entity formed by most of the businesses on Golden Island, and its influence was not inferior to any Fourth Grade Sect, even verging on that of a Fifth Grade Sect, especially within the Chaotic Sea Domain. Still, the Merchant Alliance was a business entity and couldn’t truly compete with a genuine Fifth Grade Sect.
Lady Xuan’s trade association was also a member of the Merchant Alliance, but insignificant within the vast conglomerate.
Ye Xuan had already understood all this information beforehand.
"Mr. Ye, aren’t you heading to Xuanbing Mansion? Golden Island is still quite a distance from Xuanbing Mansion’s location in the Beichen Domain. It would take at least a month or two at least, and even longer without a complete map of the Chaotic Sea Domain," Lady Xuan continued as she observed Ye Xuan’s pensive expression.
Ye Xuan frowned, "Then, where can I obtain a complete sea map?"
"A complete sea map holds significant value in the Chaotic Sea Domain. Generally, Fourth Grade Sects and above have it, but they are not easily sold. Most of the maps circulating outside are incomplete. Given the vast expanse of the Chaotic Sea Domain and many yet-to-be explored perilous areas, veering off course could prove extremely dangerous. Hence, having a complete map is critically important," explained Lady Xuan.
Hearing this, Ye Xuan nodded. Charting a complete map was no easy task; it would require venturing into those dangerous areas to record coordinates and plot safe travel routes—feats not just anyone could accomplish, but required an expert.
"That does sound troublesome. Besides those Sects, isn’t there any other place to find a complete sea map?"
Without a complete map, Ye Xuan would likely waste a lot of time, and he wasn’t keen on aimlessly wandering.
"There are some, yes. For instance, we in the Merchant Alliance have them internally, but we do not sell them, meaning only internal members of the Merchant Alliance have the opportunity to acquire one."
"Internal members?" Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"That’s correct. Joining the Merchant Alliance is like joining a Sect, but compared to Sects, we don’t have as many rules. Sometimes we assign bounty missions that one simply needs to complete," said Lady Xuan, looking at Ye Xuan hopefully. She wished he would agree, for someone as young and strong as him surely had boundless potential. If he were willing to join, he could become a main pillar of the Merchant Alliance.
"I presently have no plans to join any power, is there another way?" Ye Xuan shook his head. Joining Heavenly Martial Hall had been a temporary measure, and with his strength and background, he really didn’t need to join any faction.
Hearing this, Lady Xuan couldn’t help feeling disappointed, but after pondering for a moment, her eyes lit up slightly, and she leaned in, "There is another way, albeit more difficult."
"What way?" Ye Xuan was alert, as long as it didn’t involve joining some force, it might not be too difficult for him.
"Let’s talk once we arrive at Golden Island. It’s no use discussing it now."
Lady Xuan didn’t elaborate, but she hinted, "For this method, you’ll need strong combat abilities, so be prepared in advance."
Ye Xuan was momentarily startled, then began to ponder. But soon, he decided not to overthink it. He might prepare for other things, but when it came to combat abilities, there was no need; he was a natural fighter. To him, battling wasn’t a burden but a pleasure. He just wondered what kind of method Lady Xuan was referring to.