Chapter 556: From Transmuting Spirit Chickens to Beast-Taming Cultivation Chapter 555: The Force Behind the Scenes

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Protagonist:

Yu Changsheng

"Judging by the looks of it, our previous actions have enraged a portion of the pirate forces on the sea, provoking them to move against us."

"Changsheng, what should we do about this matter? If we go to exterminate them, our manpower might not be sufficient."

"Moreover, those major pirate forces are a monolithic block; I'm afraid our method from last time won't work anymore."

Wei Lao spoke with a worried frown, simultaneously pondering a solution.

Yu Changsheng also realized the severity of the problem at this moment; if handled poorly, the Wanxiang Sect might face a catastrophe of annihilation.

Regarding today's trouble, he had long since anticipated it.

He just hadn't expected that this day would arrive so quickly.

As long as the Wanxiang Sect disciples can digest the gains from last time, they might not lack the strength for a battle against those major pirate groups; unfortunately, they need time.

Yu Changsheng stroked his chin and sighed: "For now, there seems to be no good solution either."

"We can only temporarily contract our strength, recall all Wanxiang Sect disciples who are outside, and try not to go out for a recent period of time."

Wei Lao nodded; this was indeed a good idea.

"However, our people must go out eventually; supplying the sect and the mine caves are both problems. This method isn't a long-term solution either."

Yu Changsheng pursed his lips and immediately said: "I'll make a trip to the mine cave to find Lu Sandao."

Wei Lao looked doubtful; Yu Changsheng explained: "Actually, I want to first ascertain the opponent's identity."

"Otherwise, with the enemy in the dark and us in the light, we are too passive."

"Lu Sandao should be very familiar with the pirate forces in the Beihai Domain; let's find him and get things clear first."

Wei Lao asked in reply: "However, relying solely on the little information currently grasped, I'm afraid it's insufficient for him to make a judgment."

"That goes without saying; we must first capture a portion of the pirates who attacked us. As long as we set an ambush, we won't fail to catch people."

Wei Lao stroked his beard and nodded, immediately setting about making arrangements.

With the contraction of the Wanxiang Sect disciples, as expected, there were immediately no more casualties among the sect's disciples.

Just like that, after several days passed, Yu Changsheng secretly infiltrated a squad going out for supplies and departed covertly.

Their tracks were tailed not long after leaving the Wanxiang Sect.

Once they had gone far enough, those people immediately attacked Yu Changsheng and the others.

The result was also self-evident; with Yu Changsheng's addition, those lying in ambush were naturally no match at all.

They were directly captured alive by them, and among them was even a Sub-Talisman True Lord.

After capturing the people, Yu Changsheng found Lu Sandao and had him identify their identities.

Inside the mine cave.

A dozen or so captured pirates were bound hand and foot, thrown on the ground.

Many Wanxiang Sect disciples punched and kicked them to vent the anger in their hearts.

These past few days, just the disciples who went out, dozens had died.

Among these people were quite a few disciples who had families and relatives; now their bodies were dead and their Daos vanished.

Their relatives naturally wanted to avenge them; Yu Changsheng couldn't bring himself to stop them either.

After those people were beaten half to death, on the verge of their last breath, Yu Changsheng finally came out to persuade them with kind words, temporarily letting them withdraw so he could search for the mastermind behind the scenes.

These people still revered Yu Changsheng greatly; although they hated to the extreme in their hearts, they all temporarily left as Yu Changsheng said.

After everyone left, Yu Changsheng then examined the few miserable-looking people on the ground.

Lu Sandao also walked over and kicked the man at the very front; this person was precisely the Sub-Talisman True Lord who led this group of pirates.

"Lu Sandao, do you recognize this person?"

Lu Sandao paced two steps before that man, scrutinizing him carefully for a moment.

He frowned in thought, "Seems a bit familiar; I always feel like I've seen him somewhere."

"Kid, which pirate crew are you from?"

That man spat a mouthful of saliva and refused to answer.

Seeing this, Lu Sandao flew into a rage out of humiliation and directly punched and kicked that man again.

This Sub-Talisman True Lord's physical body was still extremely tough; tortured like this, he still had no major injuries.

Lu Sandao himself was instead panting a bit from the beating; he stomped one foot on that man's face.

"Kid, let me tell you, you have so many subordinates here; it's impossible for all of them to be as tight-lipped as you."

"If you're unwilling to show even this last bit of value, then don't blame others for showing you no mercy."

That man's complexion finally twitched, yet he still refused to speak.

Lu Sandao chuckled, turned his head and said to Yu Changsheng:

"Boss Yu, leave this man to me; I'll make him wish he were dead."

Yu Changsheng didn't respond, merely crossing his arms and waiting.

Lu Sandao coldly laughed, turned around and gave that man a few more blows, then grabbed another person from the surroundings.

This ordinary pirate had already been trembling with fear long ago; just now he had been beaten badly by Wanxiang Sect disciples and was already heavily injured; now seeing Lu Sandao's ruthless methods.

His psychological defense had long since collapsed; after Lu Sandao took him away, he immediately conducted a severe interrogation.

Before long, he had spilled everything that guy knew.

Not long after, Lu Sandao carried that guy's body and threw him out; he was already gasping his last breaths.

Lu Sandao smiled and said, "Yu Zhangsheng, this guy has already confessed."

"Do we need to catch another one to verify?"

Yu Zhangsheng nodded, and Lu Sandao walked toward the crowd with a cold laugh.

Those people looked at Lu Sandao as if seeing a devil, retreating one after another.

But where could a few people retreat to? Lu Sandao arrived before the crowd and picked and chose.

The few people all had faces full of terror, afraid of being chosen.

Lu Sandao just wouldn't choose, dawdling there, applying full pressure.

These people had long since collapsed; before long, one person stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and wailed, "I'm willing to speak, don't hit me anymore."

Lu Sandao, face full of smiles, patted that person's head, "Good, good, as long as you honestly confess, I, Lu Sandao, am also a peace-loving person."

"If what you say has any deviation from what that person said, don't blame me for employing some methods."

That Violet Mansion pirate, seeing this scene, was also utterly despairing; he hadn't expected that he had gritted his teeth and persisted, unwilling to speak.

Yet his subordinates had already been the first to fail to hold out and confessed everything.

Lu Sandao again brought this person to a hidden place; not long after returning, he had already listed all the intelligence he knew in a Jade Slip.

"Yu Zhangsheng, the information from the interrogation is all inside."

"The content the two said is almost entirely consistent; there should be no problem."

"Hmm, not bad."

Yu Zhangsheng received the Jade Slip and immediately began to examine it.

Lu Sandao came before that Violet Mansion pirate and asked, "Yu Zhangsheng, how should this person be dealt with?"

After Yu Zhangsheng finished reading the content in the Jade Slip, he also couldn't help but fall into a moment of contemplation.

The forces behind these people all come from a group called the Snake Tooth Pirate Group.

And their pirate group has twenty-odd Violet Mansion True Lord Daoneng, and ordinary crew members number in the thousands. Such massive power is absolutely not something Yu Zhangsheng and the Wanxiang Sect can currently compare to.

What merely puzzles Yu Zhangsheng is that there is no connection whatsoever between this Snake Tooth Pirate Group and them.

Could it really be just because the Wanxiang Sect acted against pirates that it drew this group of pirates' retaliation? Yu Zhangsheng expresses doubt about this.

Pirates aren't that united; this matter still needs careful investigation.

Yu Zhangsheng had Lu Sandao watch these people well and send them to the mine to dig.

Then he immediately found Wei Lao and informed him of the situation investigated this time.

Hearing this news, Yin Tianba immediately couldn't sit still; brandishing his saber, he roared, "Changsheng, since we've already found the people, what are we waiting for? Our Wanxiang Sect lost several dozen disciples this time; they can't have died in vain!"

"We must make the Snake Tooth Pirate Group pay the price as well."

Wei Lao helplessly shook his head; this Yin Tianba still has a violent temper.

Yu Zhangsheng soothed, "Peak Master Yin, please wait patiently."

"Although we can indeed act against scattered Snake Tooth Pirate Group members, doing so fundamentally solves nothing."

"It would only further enrage the Snake Tooth Pirate Group into launching an all-out attack on our Wanxiang Sect."

"When that time comes, with our current strength, I fear it will be difficult to resist."

Yin Tianba sat back in his seat, slamming the Long Blade in his hand heavily on the table, still furious.

"Then what to do? Just let them go? That's too stifling."

"The most urgent task is still to accumulate strength; if they truly attack our Wanxiang Sect, we must also have the strength to protect ourselves."

"Whether the Wanxiang Sect or the mine, both must arrange defensive forces, and the two must also stay in contact at all times; once one side is attacked, the other side will immediately provide support depending on the situation."

"During this period, I will also go out to investigate the situation, see if there's any way to resolve this Snake Tooth Pirate Group trouble."

Yu Zhangsheng stated his plan, then turned to Wei Lao and said, "Wei Lao, while I'm away this period, you must watch over the Sect and the mine well; absolutely nothing must go wrong."

"Rest assured."

Wei Lao nodded, also understanding Yu Zhangsheng's meaning — to have him stabilize the internal situation; his side must not fall into chaos.

After discussing with everyone here, Yu Zhangsheng called Lu Sandao, "Pack your things; we're leaving now."

Lu Sandao blanked for a moment, puzzled, "Go where?"

"Investigate that Snake Tooth Pirate Group."

Lu Sandao was excited; could it be Yu Zhangsheng is going to act against the Snake Tooth Pirate Group again? This kind of thing, he had never even thought of before.

That Snake Tooth Pirate Group is one of the largest maritime forces in the entire Beihai Region, extremely powerful.

Originally his pirate group was merely the most End Flow Sect pirates in the Beihai Region, yet they actually personally participated in exterminating several medium-sized pirate groups.

Now, they're actually going to participate in acting against a pirate group they previously didn't even dare to see; thinking about it is still somewhat thrilling.

"Good! I, Lu Sandao, should also return to the sea and show off a bit."

Yu Zhangsheng glanced at him and warned, "This time we must be low-key; if you stir up any trouble, don't blame me for striking first and killing you."

Above the Beihai Region.

Two figures flashed past at high speed, arriving on a merchant ship.

This merchant ship was naturally the very one Yu Zhangsheng encountered at the start.

After Yu Zhangsheng resolved the pirate trouble in the nearby sea region, he arranged personnel as guards.

Li Zixin saw Yu Zhangsheng and immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Yu Zhi, long time no see."

Yu Zhangsheng also didn't exchange excessive pleasantries, cutting straight to the point.

"Captain, my coming this time, besides guarding, is also to give you a reminder."

"What matter?"

"A pirate group recently formed a grudge with our Wanxiang Sect; originally I thought two or three Violet Mansion True Lords would be enough to protect the merchant ship."

"From the looks of it now, if we ran into that pirate crew it probably wouldn't be enough, so he came in person."

Li Zixin was instantly filled with worry, yet he still immediately thanked Yu Zhangsheng over and over.

"What can be done? We're about to leave Beihai Yu — absolutely nothing must go wrong."

Yu Zhangsheng offered a few words of comfort; this time with him here, even if he's no match, at least keeping him alive is no problem.

Upon hearing that, Li Zixin's complexion improved only slightly, yet it remained extremely ugly.

After arranging lodging for Yu Zhangsheng, he left, heavy with anxiety.

Lu Sandao asked in a low voice: "Boss Yu, what are we doing on this merchant ship?"

"Could it be to use the merchant ship to lure pirates?"

Yu Zhangsheng shook his head. "Why ask so much? In a few days you'll know."

Lu Sandao could only slink away dejectedly, still puzzling over what Yu Zhangsheng was really thinking.

He found Yu Zhangsheng increasingly unfathomable, completely unable to figure out his thoughts.

After all, he had once climbed step by step from a petty pirate to a crew leader — no ordinary man — yet now every time he faced Yu Zhangsheng he felt like a child who understands nothing.

"Sigh, what kind of situation is this — making someone work without telling them what the work is."

Lu Sandao complained a line, then had to return to his own cabin to rest.

Aboard the ship, in a flash several days passed; during this period Lu Sandao also came by from time to time to fish for news.

Li Zixin came a few times as well, mostly worried about the ship's safety. Yu Zhangsheng could only persuade him to set his mind at ease — generally speaking nothing would happen.

Before long, however, Li Zixin brought bad news.

The people waiting for them at the port sent word that pirates were searching for fleets all over the sea.

Those who were found — not a single soul survived.

Hearing this, Li Zixin felt the sky was falling; the thing he feared most had still happened, and he immediately came here to ask what to do.

Yu Zhangsheng did not reply for the moment; he told Li Zixin to go back and wait for word, saying he would think of a plan first.

Once Li Zixin left, Lu Sandao immediately crowded over to ask for news.

"Boss Yu, what can be done? Why would those pirates suddenly start searching the sea's fleets?"

Yu Zhangsheng gave a cold laugh. "Before I was only guessing; now I'd say there's already an extremely high probability of confirmation."

"These people are coming for me."

"Ah? Why so certain?"

Yu Zhangsheng frowned. "I suspect my whereabouts have been under secret surveillance all along. So the moment I arrived at sea, those pirates immediately began searching."

Lu Sandao was somewhat surprised. Yu Zhangsheng continued: "You may think my suspicion is far-fetched; originally even I myself was only guessing."

"My boarding this merchant ship was also to verify the thought in my heart. I expected it would draw pursuit, but they only issued a search order."

"It seems these people still cannot fully grasp my whereabouts, so they can only resort to this method."

Yu Zhangsheng glanced at Lu Sandao; Lu Sandao recoiled several steps in fright and hurriedly began explaining.

"Boss Yu, I absolutely did not sell you out! You have to believe me!"

"Whoever Lu Sandao betrays, he would never betray you!" (Chapter End)