Chapter 90: No way! There's a fish!

Since ancient times, though it's said literature has no first and martial arts no second, who would be willing to be third if they could be second? Even if Huang Lao Xie couldn't be number one under heaven, would he still be willing to let Ouyang Feng press him down all day?

Whether you acknowledge it or not, rankings on the list will, over time, naturally form a fixed perception.

Therefore, once the Martial Arts World Ranking is published and establishes authority under the witness of all under heaven's masters, it will undoubtedly become a fame-and-profit list, thereby stirring up conflict in the jianghu.

"Let me think it over."

After a moment of pondering on his face, Huang Lao Xie finally spoke.

Seeing Huang Lao Xie seem somewhat moved, Niu Dingtian relaxed a little; since he was willing to consider, it showed he already had an idea, so he walked to the desk, folded that flowery note and put it in his bosom, turned around, picked up the tea cup again, and said with a smile:

"This visit has indeed caused you, Island Master Huang, quite a bit of trouble; tonight I'll use tea in place of wine to offer you a bowl, and should you ever visit Nine Palace Mountain, I will certainly entertain you properly."

After all, this being his first visit, he not only cut down their peach tree but also struck their young lady; in short, the man surnamed Niu felt somewhat uneasy.

Faced with this youngster's enthusiasm, Huang Lao Xie neither spoke nor refused; he was never fond of many words, having already said enough tonight, he simply lifted the tea cup and drained it.

After setting down the tea cup, Niu Dingtian also did not wish to stay longer in this room; with his father standing guard here, recalling the scene on the mountain, he always felt a bit awkward, and after some pondering he asked:

"May Island Master Huang tell me how to return to Zhoushan Main Island? I plan to leave Peach Blossom Island early tomorrow morning."

What needed to be said has been said, what needed to be taken has been taken; there's no need to continue wasting time on the island, and besides, Huang Lao Xie might not be pleased to see me here.

The courtyard was silent,

it seemed as if even Niu Dingtian had lost contact with it.

He cupped his fists toward Huang Lao Xie, gave the mute girl a fierce glare, and Niu Dingtian was the first to leave the room; Huang Lao Xie's sudden appearance earlier must have something to do with that woman.

All the way silent, he quickly passed through two courtyards and arrived at the door of a guest room.

After gripping the bamboo slip in his hand, he circulated Nine Yang True Qi back and forth, and after a puff of steam rose, the entire bamboo slip became unusually slick.

"Prepare a guest room for him."

He slipped in quietly; beside the bed only the mute girl remained on watch, though she had already closed her eyes.

At that moment a sound came from the doorway; the mute girl, holding a tray with both hands, glanced at the two people inside the room, her face showing a hint of fear.

The north shore of Peach Blossom Island, located in the lee of the island's mountain peaks, with a curved coastline and relatively calm sea winds and waves, is where the island's sea vessels anchor.

"Wuu wuu wuu~"

"It's up to you!"

He immediately exerted force and swung his palm; his right palm, carrying palm strength, directly uprooted that bamboo, and then he heard a 'crack' as the whole bamboo fell to the ground.

When he arrived at the north shore, he could see from afar several sea vessels quietly anchored on the water.

The mute girl bowed in response, set down the tray, and timidly greeted Niu Dingtian.

Sigh~

Walking along the bamboo forest path, Niu Dingtian, for some reason, suddenly couldn't help but sigh.

The bright moon hung high, moonlight like water, and all around remained silent.

After examining the bamboo slip in his hand a few times, Niu Dingtian felt a continuous sense of satisfaction; although it lacked patina, being a craftwork forged by Nine Yang True Qi friction, it was likely unique in the world today.

After a moment of pondering, that fellow's gaze finally settled on the green bamboo nearby.

Huang Lao Xie suddenly spoke, giving orders to the mute girl at the doorway.

Seeing that this person was finally about to leave, Huang Lao Xie's tone also grew a bit warmer.

Approaching the shore, the two sea vessels moored together were extraordinarily aged, their hulls showing signs of rot, as if they had long gone unattended.

The room was silent,

If one were to say the hardest part of a bamboo is undoubtedly the bamboo node; after estimating its length, he exerted his palm strike and cut off that node section, then after a series of 'cracks' he finally whittled a crude bamboo slip.

That fellow felt as if he had just split the waves and arrived at Peach Blossom Island, with hardly any time having passed; turning his head, he was about to leave again, recalling yesterday's Miss Huang and inevitably thinking of tonight's Miss Huang, his heart unexpectedly felt a hint of reluctance.

He rose from the bed, left the room, saw no one in the courtyard, and Niu Dingtian darted out of the courtyard straight toward the island's north shore.

After opening the room door, the mute girl raised her hand in greeting.

Bamboo slips are easy to come by, but how does one get a patina on a bamboo shelter? Niu Dingtian felt somewhat helpless.

"Wuu wuu~"

He took out that flowery note from his person, gently slipped it into Miss Huang's bosom, placed the bamboo slip in his hand beneath the blanket, glanced once, and Niu Dingtian darted out of the room.

This world

"Farewell, Island Master Huang!"

Along the path in the bamboo forest, he carefully recalled the site of last night's clash, searched for a while, and finally found beside a green bamboo the bamboo slip that had already split.

"Wuu wuu wuu~"

After seeing the mute girl run off and a moment pass with no movement outside, he quietly left the room and slipped toward the edge of the bamboo forest.

At this moment Miss Huang might not yet be awake, and Huang Lao Xie might not be willing to linger in a fond farewell, so he simply decided to leave.

Returning to the guest room, the time had already passed the chou hour; Niu Dingtian no longer felt like resting, after carefully recalling the Nine Yin Classic he had memorized, he sat cross-legged on the bed and began cultivating the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

When he opened his eyes again, the sky outside had already begun to glow faintly.

"I won't keep you any longer; just leave Peach Blossom Island heading north, there are two sea vessels at the north shore, and you'll have to solve any other problems yourself."

When he came again to Miss Huang's courtyard, the room no longer held Huang Lao Xie's presence.

"Go back." He waved at the mute girl and Niu Dingtian strode straight into the room.

After leaving the room, the mute girl hurried after him in a twisting gait, caught up to walk ahead of Niu Dingtian, and then honestly led the way.

Time quietly slipped away.

Who knows whether this aged, withered appearance can still withstand several waves' battering.

Without the slightest hesitation, he scornfully lunged toward the other sea vessel in the distance.

Having leapt onto the sea vessel, he saw its hull was brand new, faintly exuding a paint smell; after looking inside and out, Niu Dingtian was extremely satisfied.

Thus he untied the ropes, raised the anchor, hoisted the sail, and slowly the sea vessel drifted farther and farther from Peach Blossom Island.

Sigh~

I have no idea whether that Miss Huang would miss me?

Staring at the Peach Blossom Island, which grew farther and farther, gradually turning into a black dot, Niu Dingtian withdrew his gaze and couldn't help letting out a long sigh.

At this moment, the red sun over the sea was slowly rising, and the color of the morning glow reflected on the rolling waves, stirring Niu Dingtian's thoughts.

Coming to his senses, he gulped a mouthful of sea breeze, exhaled a puff of foul air, adjusted the heading, and then simply lay down on the deck.

Damned bow!

Don't let me run into you!

After redirecting his sudden temper onto the fleeing bow, Niu Dingtian closed his eyes, his eyelids slightly heavy, and gradually slipped into dreamland.

Tired,

let the boat drift on its own!

The ship sails with the wind,

still drifting slowly northward.

I have no idea how long passed,

In the dream, Niu Dingtian only felt his swaying body as if lying in a cradle, the rocking making him fall deeper into sleep.

But gradually, a dampness suddenly came from beneath him—wetting the bed? That seemed like a distant matter.

No!

Suddenly noticing the abnormality, Niu Dingtian was jolted, flung his eyes open, and leapt up in a flash.

After steadying himself, he looked up and couldn't help his foot going weak with fright; at that moment, the deck's perimeter was already flooded, water spilling into the hatch, and when he thrust his head into the cabin, it too had already been filled with seawater.

Damn it!

Huang Lao Xie wants to kill me!

At first sight of this scene, Niu Dingtian broke out in cold sweat, and the immediate thought that surged into his mind was that Huang Lao Xie was plotting against him.

Seeing the ship sinking rapidly, Niu Dingtian vaulted up, leapt onto the mast, and when he looked down again, the deck was already roiling, seawater still pouring in nonstop.

No!

After calming slightly, Niu Dingtian realized that the fissures on the lower deck seemed to be marks of glue bonding.

Seeing the ship about to be completely submerged, in his haste he didn't dare hesitate, swung his palm to chop down a plank, then grabbed it and decisively leapt into the sea.

In this boundless sea, no matter how good his lightness skill is, he still can't damn well reach the shore.

The icy seawater instantly soaked his body; after shaking his head and looking back, the ship had completely vanished beneath the surface.

Could it be...

the flower boat Huang Lao Xie prepared for himself?

Holding the plank steady and gathering his thoughts, Niu Dingtian finally recalled something.

Huang Lao Xie was deeply devoted to his wife Feng Heng, and since she died because of him, he had long intended to be buried with her.

But knowing his martial arts were profound, whether by hanging or poison his death wouldn't be easy, and after death his corpse would still be defiled by the mute servants on the island, so he went to the continent to capture a shipbuilding artisan and had a flower boat crafted.

The boat's keel was like that of an ordinary sea vessel, but the hull's timber wasn't nailed with iron; instead it was bound together with raw glue and rope, so it remained a new ship while docked, yet once it entered the open sea and the waves battered it for a long time, it would inevitably sink.

Thinking of this, Niu Dingtian, clutching the plank, let out a wild shout.

But wave after wave reminded him that even greeting Huang Lao Xie was useless; in this endless sea with no land in sight, finding a place to set foot was the most urgent.

Which way to swim—east, west, south, or north?

After checking the sun in the sky to determine direction, Niu Dingtian, still holding the plank, began attempting to swim northward.

Given the current situation—endless waves and no sign of land—he didn't know when he'd find a vessel; without food or water, even the highest martial skill couldn't sustain him beyond ten days or half a month, so he must conserve his internal energy as much as possible.

But now the waves grew larger, the crests towering; after he dog‑paddled forward a few meters, another wave slammed him back.

The surrounding sea wind howled incessantly, the surf roared endlessly, and the man surnamed Niu was in a sorry state, completely lacking the swagger he had shown in the seaside fight that day.

After another attempt to paddle forward, he simply gave up, cursing that it was a damn waste of effort.

Then he again clutched the plank, relaxed his body, held his breath, and let his body drift with the waves.

The waves surged in bursts, one person with one plank, drifting erratically, appearing and disappearing amid the endless surf.

Hmm?

Someone!

No! There's a fish!

Suddenly feeling something collide with his foot, Niu Dingtian quickly pulled his leg back; after dodging, the seawater roiled violently, and then a shark leapt up fiercely.

In the critical moment, he used the plank to spring up, leveraging his body, and with a swift motion split the plank's force to thrust fiercely at the shark.

The plank's tip was razor‑sharp; with internal energy it emitted a light "shhh" sound as it pierced a deep hole in the shark's head. As he just vaulted away, a swarm of sharks surged forward, ravenously feeding on the wounded shark.

After a while, once the sharks finished feeding and surged around again, as they came within arm's reach, Niu Dingtian slapped the water hard, his body leapt up instantly, then he stepped on the waves, darting east and west among the sharks, repeatedly striking them with fierce palm blows.

The sharks kept snapping, and Niu Dingtian had no time to think; he could only act with all his might, continuously striking. Amid the man‑shark melee, fists and palms flew, and in less than an hour the sea surface was already teeming with nearly a hundred sharks.

Sea‑borne smoke gradually rose, and the sun slowly sank westward.

After several rounds of slaughter, the sea gradually calmed, leaving only a lingering, pungent crimson bloodstain that made Niu Dingtian feel nauseous.

But he didn't dare be careless; he remained fully focused, watching his surroundings, staying alert, and keeping his guard up.

Sure enough, after a short while, a fish fin suddenly pierced the surface, followed by a massive shark lunging at him.

Seeing the massive shark's ferocious charge, Niu Dingtian swiftly turned his body, lifted his left hand in a feint to lure the enemy; the shark fell for it, leapt half out of the water, and darted toward his left hand like a flying shuttle.

When the shark was at close range, Niu Dingtian turned his fist into a palm and thrust straight, piercing the massive shark's throat.

At that moment the massive shark was leaping upward; using its sudden ascent, Niu Dingtian turned his palm into claws, slashing a long gash across its belly, and blood spurted like a spring, spilling its organs.

At that instant another massive shark spread its fins and thumped its tail, charging at him; just as Niu Dingtian raised his palm to strike, the palm wind suddenly halted, and he leapt out of the water.

When the massive shark burst out of the water to attack, Niu Dingtian lunged and seized its dorsal fin. The startled shark then plunged back into the water; Niu Dingtian, holding his breath, swung his hand at the shark's head with a punch.

The shark, in pain, kept swimming toward the deep sea; seeing this, Niu Dingtian, still holding his breath, delivered a powerful punch, sending it flipping and surfacing again.

The giant shark thrashed on the sea surface, Niu Dingtian clung tightly to its fin and refused to let go; seeing it couldn't shake him off, the shark darted back into the water again.

After entering the water, Niu Dingtian threw punches; the shark, in pain, shot up out of the sea surface again.

After repeating this, the shark finally dared not go back into the water; whenever Niu Dingtian punched left, it went left; whenever he punched right, it went right.

Finally, on the sea surface, a man and a shark split the waves and cut through them, speeding northward.

(End of chapter)