Chapter 397 - 295: The Secret Realm Ship Arrives (Part 2)

Chapter 397: Chapter 295: The Secret Realm Ship Arrives (Part 2)

"What’s going on?" Wu Liangchen completely ignored the man who had spoken and turned to Annabelle.

"I asked them about the ship that came here before and told them about the Bell Clan’s situation. But they wouldn’t listen. Instead, they just kept insulting and harassing me." Annabelle forced down her anger, struggling to keep her voice calm.

The words were barely out of her mouth when one of the crewmen sneered.

"What bullshit Bell Clan? I already told you, the company that owned the merchant ship you used to trade with went bankrupt. You just keep yakking on about it. You’re just asking for it, aren’t you?"

Company... went bankrupt....

These familiar words struck a chord with Wu Liangchen. He waved a hand, signaling for Annabelle to calm down, and turned his gaze to the speaker.

"What did you mean before when you said this trip would be ’lively’?"

"Are you questioning me?" The man didn’t answer directly, retorting with a smirk instead.

"And what if I am?" Wu Liangchen said flatly.

"Tsk tsk. I’ve seen plenty of people like you. You lord it over everyone in your own little world, thinking you’re all-powerful. In reality, you’re nothing but a frog in a well. You’ve never even seen the true breadth of heaven and earth, yet you dare to run your mouth here?"

As he finished speaking, all the other crewmen roared with laughter, their faces full of mockery and disdain.

Wu Liangchen’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes grew cold.

Seeing this, Graham, who was standing behind them, knew the situation was bad. He was just about to step forward to intervene.

At that exact moment, Wu Liangchen made his move.

He took a single, unannounced step forward, instantly crossing the hundred-plus feet between them. He appeared before the crewman and threw a punch.

He was so fast that an ordinary person would have had no time to react.

But this crewman was no ordinary person. Though his pupils contracted—clearly startled by Wu Liangchen’s ghostly Body Technique and speed—his reaction was just as quick.

His arms swelled in an instant as he raised them to block Wu Liangchen’s punch.

THUD!

Following the dull impact, the crewman staggered backward, sparks of electricity crackling from the joints of his arms.

His expression turned foul. "Kill him!"

At his roar, the other crewmen rushed forward, preparing to swarm Wu Liangchen.

SWISH!

A flash of a blade sliced through the air. The crewman at the very front felt a chill on his scalp, only to realize all the hair on his head had been shaved clean off.

Not only that, but the others either had their belts sliced apart or their hands and feet shattered by the flat of the blade.

For a moment, the temporary dock was filled with nonstop screams of pain.

This gang of arrogant crewmen, used to swaggering about, were beaten so badly they were crying for their parents. It was a truly lively scene.

Graham and Annabelle watched, dumbfounded. After a long moment, they looked at each other, and both could see the worry in the other’s eyes.

Although they felt a thrill of satisfaction watching the crewmen get beaten, their reason told them that things had now gotten seriously out of hand.

After all, every past dealing with these high-and-mighty crewmen had required them to be extremely careful, terrified that the slightest misstep would bring unnecessary trouble.

But now, Wu Liangchen had just given them all a thorough beating. This business deal was likely down the drain.

In contrast to their anxiety, Wu Liangchen was perfectly calm. In fact, the crewmen’s performance had only confirmed his suspicions.

He had felt something was off from the start. The auras of these crewmen were fierce, to be sure, but they felt insubstantial—like spearheads of wax coated in silver paint. They looked impressive, but a sense of falsehood permeated everything.

That feeling had become even more pronounced after he stepped onto the dock and observed them up close.

After sending the loudmouthed crewman flying back with a single punch, Wu Liangchen finally had his answer.

These people’s strength had clearly been grafted onto them by some method; it wasn’t earned through their own painstaking Cultivation.

That was why their performance was so at odds with their apparent power.

He could easily handle trash like this with one hand.

As for whether he had offended them and invited unnecessary trouble....

Wu Liangchen had always firmly believed one thing: dignity could only be won through strength.

Anything else, any bowing and scraping, would only invite more contempt.

A proper transaction had to be built on a foundation of equality.

Blindly yielding and compromising would accomplish nothing except putting oneself at an absolute disadvantage in the deal.

That was why he had attacked without hesitation.

In any case, he refused to believe that a massive ship like this, one that had braved huge risks and enormous costs to cross the dense fog, would cancel a trade just because of the shouting of some obviously low-level crewmen.

That would go against the very nature of business.

After all, people will risk their heads for a profit, but no one does business at a loss.

Soon, all the crewmen and sailors were beaten down. Wu Liangchen then swung his blade, its edge coming to rest right at the throat of the crewman who had been shouting the loudest.

The man’s shouting stopped abruptly, and his face turned pale.

He could feel a ferocious killing intent.

He had no doubt that this man would kill him at any moment.

Under the threat of death, all his previous arrogance vanished without a trace.

Although the blade hadn’t touched his throat, the razor-sharp pressure from its passing had already broken his skin. Blood trickled down his neck, a shocking sight.

But Wu Liangchen’s attention wasn’t on the crewmen at all. He raised his head, squinted at the passageway above, and said flatly,

"I’ve beaten all your men. Haven’t you had enough of a show?"

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

To the sound of applause, a smiling man appeared before them.

The man was in his thirties and also wore a uniform, but it was clearly more exquisite and well-tailored than those of the crewmen.

At that moment, his well-maintained face was filled with approval and amazement.

"I truly didn’t expect to find a Martial Cultivator who has opened their Martial Veins in such a small, isolated world. Truly impressive!"

Hearing this, the crewmen lying beaten on the ground trembled. The one with Wu Liangchen’s blade at his throat, in particular, wore a bitter expression.

’Damn it, I let my guard down! Who could have expected to find a Martial Cultivator with opened Martial Veins in this backwater? And it looks like he did it through his own Cultivation, not a shortcut like a Martial Vein transplant. Either way, he’s not someone a low-level sailor like me can afford to provoke.’

Wu Liangchen ignored the praise. He stared intently at the man, realizing that although he looked ordinary, his aura was extraordinary—far stronger, at least, than these crewmen who were just borrowing someone else’s might.

"And who are you?" Wu Liangchen asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the boatswain of this great ship, and also the Chief of Affairs responsible for liaising with the various small worlds. My name is Cai Liben. It’s a pleasure to meet you, esteemed Martial Cultivator from this small world!"