Chapter 943: Congratulations, My Lord

He sighed softly: "Auntie, we only have a dozen people after all, yet we have to rule such a vast territory and have just subdued so many pirates! Do you think many of them harbor rebellious hearts?" "Ah, not many, right?" Zhu Xiuer disliked complex human hearts the most, "Didn't their two leaders both surrender to you?"

He Lingchuan said meaningfully: "As long as the timing is right, everyone has a rebellious heart."

Isn't this Heavenly Respect Golden Scroll his amulet? Zhu Xiuer was unconvinced: "Living like this, constantly scheming against each other, how tiring!"

"Why would it need to be 'constantly'?" He Lingchuan chuckled, "Give me some time, and I can turn them into loyal followers."

Zhu Xiuer was curious: "Oh, how will you do that?"

"It's simple to say," He Lingchuan said leisurely, "It's nothing more than the two words: 'interests'."

Then, he stopped talking.

Zhu Xiuer spat at him, knowing he liked to keep people in suspense, so she simply stopped asking.

The journey back was safe and sound.

Min Tianxi and Huang Zhao had been waiting by the seaside for over six hours. Looking at the surrounding Yin-serpents, which were eyeing them covetously with malicious intent, and then looking at the darkening sky, everyone felt incredibly uneasy.

By calculation, it should be sunset now.

"How long are we going to wait?" Huang Zhao dawdled for the tenth time, "What if..."

What if Young Master He was dead? Would the dozens of them left on this dangerous shoal also become a side dish for the Yin-serpents?

Qiu Hu, on the opposite ship, turned his head and cast a sharp glance: "There are no 'what ifs'."

"..." That scared him! Is this guy a super-listener? How could he eavesdrop from so far away?

Min Tianxi suddenly pointed into the distance, overjoyed: "They're back!"

The figures they had been craning their necks to see finally emerged from the dense forest!

Unharmed and intact, even beaming with joy.

That Young Master He could return was good news, very good news.

The pirates couldn't help but cheer aloud:

We can go back! The Yin-serpent that led the way hissed a few times, and the Yin-serpents in the forest and the sea appeared one after another, gathering around, their gazes all fixed on He Lingchuan.

Being stared at by so many monsters would have given anyone else goosebumps. But He Lingchuan acted as if nothing were wrong, because he held the precious scroll in his hand and could understand the meaning of the leading Yin-serpent: This is the new master of the archipelago and the partner of their leader; from now on, no one is allowed to offend him!

The Yin-serpents flicked their tongues, and the hatred and malice in their eyes quickly vanished.

In this respect, they were as simple as the cave spider offspring of Zhu Xiuer.

When He Lingchuan and Zhu Xiuer boarded the ship and it slowly set sail, the Yin-serpents still accompanied them along the side of the ship, but they did not interfere with each other. Only then did He Lingchuan announce to everyone: "I have reached an agreement with the King of the Yin-serpents to allocate the southwest end of Dragon Spine Island, Drum Sound Island, and Dragon Surge Island to the Yin-serpent clan for their dwelling. These will also be forbidden zones for humans; you must not approach them! Three days from now, we will take over the entire Yangshan Archipelago except for those three places. From now on, the Yin-serpents are our good neighbors and will no longer capture or eat people!"

With every word he spoke, everyone's eyes widened a fraction more.

Hearing the last sentence, the pirates on the two ships looked at each other, simply unable to believe it.

Young Master He absorbed the Yin-evil and killed how many Yin-serpents? It was enough that the other side didn't settle scores with him, but they were actually willing to divide the land and rule, and be his neighbors?

What was that Yin-serpent King thinking? Was it forced to bow because it was threatened by Young Master He? He Lingchuan took the Golden Respect Scroll from his bosom and spread it out before Min Tianxi and the others, saying: "Look!"

The handwriting on the golden scroll was completely different from before. Min Tianxi first noticed the signatures of the two parties who drafted the agreement, which had been changed to He Lingchuan and Long Hao.

This Young Master He had truly re-signed an agreement with the Lord of the Yin-serpents!

Huang Zhao also leaned over, reading intently.

But the handwriting on it was very sloppy, capturing the essence of freehand brushwork, with every character looking as if it were about to leave the scroll and dance wildly.

Simply put, from a distance it looked like ghost-drawn talismans, and since the pirates generally didn't have a high level of literacy, they found it particularly difficult to decipher.

He Lingchuan only waved it in front of them a few times before taking the scroll back and asking: "Did you see clearly? Is it written clearly?"

Qiu Hu and the others had come over as soon as the ship set sail and had also leaned in to look, so they responded with a roar: "Saw it clearly!"

"Not a single word off!"

Min Tianxi steadied himself, cupped his hands and said: "Congratulations, my lord!"

In front of subordinates and companions, he couldn't admit he couldn't really read it, could he? That would be losing face and status.

Besides, the Yin-serpents had respectfully sent Young Master He out; this attitude itself explained everything: they could walk sideways in the Yangshan Archipelago from now on!

Seeing that the dust had finally settled, Huang Zhao and the other pirates offered their congratulations in unison, their voices like thunder: "Congratulations, Young Master He!"

If their previous gaze toward He Lingchuan was one of surprise, now it was one of admiration.

To have hands stained with the blood of the Yin-serpent clan, yet still be able to go back and forth to the serpent cave alone and force the King of the Yin-serpents to sign an agreement—perhaps only this Young Master He before them could do it?

To retake the islands occupied by the Yin-serpents without a single drop of blood, and have the Yin-serpents not dare to retaliate but instead treat him as an honored guest.

This move was truly brilliant.

Everyone couldn't guess how he managed it, and therefore were even more filled with reverence for him.

Doing what others cannot do—that is what makes a master.

He Lingchuan looked at the gazes cast upon him, knowing that the goal of his adventure this time had finally been achieved. Those who originally harbored suspicion, speculation, contempt, and even malice toward him must have all backed down now, right?

He had a bit of a hidden agenda when showing the scroll; to prevent anyone from actually being able to read it in a short time, he used his fingers to press down on the important clauses, namely the content about the Yin-serpent army having to serve him.

He had other calculations in mind, so it was best not to let people see that clause clearly in red ink on gold paper.

But even so, his image in everyone's hearts suddenly became tall and mysterious.

Solving the Yin-serpent scourge was the reality; intimidating people's hearts was the facade.

Taking over the entire Yangshan Archipelago was in the open; clearing the obstacles for his next step of development was in the dark.

This combination of facade and reality, open and hidden, was very important for his future development.

With the pirates as eyewitnesses, the residents of Blade Harbor and even Bailie would soon be deeply convinced: Island Master He was the nemesis of Yin-evil and Yin-serpents, and the development of the Yangshan Archipelago was just around the corner.

The mirror in his bosom asked him: "Oh my, the problems of the evil aura and the Yin-serpents are both solved, your position as Island Master is secure now, right?"

"No, the Yangshan Archipelago has not been completely recovered yet."

Thick clouds gathered, and the wind rose on the sea. He Lingchuan took a light breath against the cold sea breeze: "There is one more small trouble: Yue Pinghe."

There was still one pirate force that had not surrendered.

"Are you going to negotiate again?" Thinking of the excitement to be had, the mirror became happy, "What good bloodless method do you have this time?"

"As for that..." He Lingchuan smiled. The warm light of the ship's lamp shone on his face, as if he were wearing a mask.

"I'm tired of the old tricks; I want to try something fresh."

(End of chapter)