"Dangerous?"
Chen Qi took the newspaper with a puzzled expression, scanning its contents before glancing at An's disgusted yet slightly furious face. His fist tightened unconsciously.
The rumors had worsened... Chen Qi frowned. He'd underestimated Pelu—now she was studying journalism just to boost newspaper sales. Wherever he hadn't provided details, the White Pigeon Times filled the gaps with words like "speculation" and "possible."
But readers wouldn't care about such fine print.
Worse, the article claimed the Black Hunter preferred human males, deep-sea monsters, and fiery pirates—the more resistance shown, the more the Black Hunter enjoyed it. To "prove" this, they'd even cited an "expert" from Beiguo Maritime University!
Their logic? Parasitic sea beasts with long tentacles prefer stronger male hosts, therefore the long-tentacled Black Hunter must also favor robust human males.
What kind of reasoning is this... Chen Qi sighed helplessly.
For future advancements, Legendary Status and reputation mattered greatly. Still, as long as he didn't pursue the Scale Phase path, even infamy wouldn't be a major obstacle.
The real issue was that his current fame far outstripped his actual strength. His victory over the ghost ships had relied heavily on the Black Sludge and Coastal Apex Predators. At this rate, legendary powerhouses might eventually target him.
Chen Qi set the newspaper aside, brows furrowed.
"Who would've thought... After the Ghost Captain's demise, an even more terrifying monster has emerged in coastal waters."
An also frowned, exhaling deeply:
"Qi, you should be careful. Maybe... you should stay in Damarro Town for a while."
According to the newspaper, men like Chen Qi were prime targets for the Black Hunter! Especially now that he owned a houseboat.
Though houseboats offered better storm resistance, they also increased robbery risks. Small fishing boats carried little loot, while large vessels were too difficult to raid—making medium-sized ships like Chen Qi's ideal targets for budding pirates.
Burry chimed in:
"He's right. Damarro Town's developing well now. You could make a decent living as a chef here annually without worrying about being snatched by pirates or the Black Hunter."
In this era of maritime frenzy, even coastal waters had become lawless. Yet one could still prosper without venturing into the deep sea.
Though this houseboat couldn't compare to Moonstone City's villas, it represented solid capital. From Burry's perspective, Chen Qi had no reason to brave the tides as a chef—better to develop steadily in Damarro Town. Bonus: Burry could eat there daily.
"The dimensional tide will only intensify..." Chen Qi shook his head softly. "No, I must ride this wave. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I don't sail out, I'll never reach third-tier Transcendent..."
Even disregarding the impending apocalypse, this world respected strength above all.
Not everyone was like An and Burry—high-tier Transcendents almost devoid of arrogance.
"I see..."
An rested her chin on her hand, understanding Chen Qi's perspective. They were kindred spirits.
As someone born in Damarro Town, she knew many nobles still viewed people like them as slaves, laws notwithstanding. During her Beiguo Royal University days, she'd faced at least ten young mistresses who mocked her to her face—and defeated eight through sheer skill.
Yet she remained far from true power. Only by reaching fourth tier could one qualify as a fringe hunter—and after three years of service, gain access to the world's real secrets. Currently, she didn't even meet fringe hunter requirements.
This borderland surge represented their only chance!
After studying Chen Qi intently, An spoke gently:
"By the way, Qi... how far have you progressed on the Transcendent path?"
Through recent training, she'd been astonished to discover Chen Qi exceeded her expectations. Whether in his ruthless blade techniques or composed reactions under attack, he displayed none of a novice's panic. His energy control was exceptional too.
Strength-wise, he far surpassed ordinary second-tier Transcendents. Few aristocratic students at Beiguo Royal University could advance so rapidly in such short time. Even without choosing the Scholar's Path or joining organizations, his growth defied logic.
An suspected current Chen Qi could hold his own against dangerous sea beasts like the black-armored shark or great sea serpents.
Has he been found out...? After some thought, Chen Qi decided honesty served best:
"Teacher An, I've mastered numerous combat skills. What I lack now are abilities to enhance spiritual energy foundations and physical constitution."
"Oh?"
An's lips curved slightly. So he had concealed his true capabilities.
Qi's combat prowess exceeded her estimates!
She lightly bit her tongue:
"Qi... before you depart, would you like a practical sparring session? I'll only use basic spells."
"??"
Me fight you? Seriously...? Chen Qi gulped. Previously, An had always declined his sparring requests. Yet now, on his houseboat's completion day—his joyous occasion—she initiated combat training!
After consideration, Chen Qi reached an obvious conclusion: he stood no chance against An Aotian.
If he could defeat average second-tier Transcendents, An could effortlessly overpower ordinary third-tier ones.
But theory differed from practice.
Sparring with a top-tier third-tier mage represented an invaluable opportunity. Even getting thoroughly beaten would yield precious experience.
Straightening his clothes, Chen Qi drew the Black Blade from his Backpack Card:
"Teacher An, your guidance would be appreciated."
Combat experience against An would help him remain calmer when facing mage-type enemies later.
An finished her last cake, wiped cream from her lips, and lifted her oversized staff: "Let's begin."
"???"
Burry, mid-meal, stared incredulously. These two's thought processes baffled him. Why were they suddenly fighting? Had they argued?
Grabbing sunflower seeds, he followed them to the houseboat's deck.
"A reminder—don't wreck the boat," he crunched seeds loudly, "And rookie instructor! Control your strength! Don't kill Qi!"
The gap between third-tier and second-tier Transcendents was vast. Even practice sessions could turn fatal by accident. At combat-focused Transcendent academies, incidents of instructors or students dying during training occurred annually.
Chen Qi gripped the Black Blade, regulating his breathing through deep inhales. Meanwhile, An raised her staff, releasing accumulated spiritual energy.
Five meters separated them.
Activating White Pigeon Perception, Chen Qi heightened his spiritual energy observation.
All second-tier mage-type Transcendents learned energy projection—constructing spells directly in air through spiritual energy manipulation. These projections could be detected via energy perception.
By observing an opponent's energy flow, one could predict their moves. For instance, before forming a basic fireball spell, a head-sized energy sphere would manifest near the staff.
This constituted warriors' most vital technique against mages—and the key to overcoming stronger foes.
An grasped her towering staff with both hands (like a beckoning cat's pose), bowing slightly:
"Begin, Qi!"
"Mm."
Chen Qi exhaled deeply, sharpening his focus to maximum intensity!
True experts could conceal spiritual energy to evade detection—and An undoubtedly excelled at this.
A fierce gale erupted across the deck.
Perception... Chen Qi tightened his grip on the Black Blade.
Success—he'd detected her energy flow!
Winds howled around them.
Exhaling turbid air, Chen Qi instinctively shed a cold sweat. Though he'd perceived An's energy, the situation remained dire—because the entire ship now brimmed with her spiritual power.