Night.
The Flying Serpent furled its main sail, cutting through a gale and torrential rain.
Raindrops drummed relentlessly on the glass window panes.
The mid-level cabins.
Feng Dequan and Miss Luo sat side by side.
On the round wooden table, the flame of an oil lamp flickered over a plate of sliced demon fish and a jug of wine.
Miss Luo had been drinking. A flush crept up his face, and in his mild intoxication, his usual arrogant and distant demeanor had vanished.
He clapped Feng Dequan boisterously on the shoulder, his tone chummy.
"Come, drink! Eat!"
"This jug of Yellow Bud Brew is a fine vintage I've been saving for a long time!"
Miss Luo was greatly pleased with Feng Dequan's act of loyalty today and had specially invited him to a private banquet as thanks.
After a few rounds of drinks, Miss Luo was thoroughly drunk and in a daze.
"Ah, Feng..." he slurred. "Five years ago, when you first boarded the Flying Serpent, I took one look at you and knew you were an honest, loyal man..."
"Don't you worry. After we get back this time, I'll definitely report to the captain and get you a larger share of Spirit Stones..."
"Thank you, sir!" Feng Dequan's impassive face adopted a timely expression of being overwhelmed by the honor.
Greatly satisfied with Feng Dequan's deferential attitude, Miss Luo nodded.
Just then, however, Feng Dequan suddenly spoke up.
"Actually, sir, speaking of which... I have a favor to ask."
"Hm?" Miss Luo's eyes were hazy. He barely glanced up.
Feng Dequan moved closer, almost pressing against his body.
The movement caused a flicker in Miss Luo's eyes, and his hand instinctively went to a Jade Pendant at his waist.
Then, Feng Dequan leaned in close to his ear and whispered.
"I have always been loyal to the Luo Family. Five years have passed, and I still haven't married. I'm not getting any younger..."
"Could you perhaps act as a matchmaker, sir? I'd like to marry a daughter from the Luo Family. Even one from a minor branch would be enough!"
"Haha! I was wondering what it was..."
Upon hearing this, Miss Luo couldn't help but chuckle, relaxing the hand that hovered over the Jade Pendant at his waist.
"That's an easy matter, leave it to me... You?!"
Miss Luo was about to agree when a searing pain suddenly struck him.
POW!
Feng Dequan's fist shot out like a thunderclap, striking Miss Luo squarely in the throat.
The blow to such a vulnerable spot sent him into a dizzying stupor.
Immediately after, a golden light flashed. With a soft SHINK, it sliced his head clean off.
The golden light flew back, revealing itself to be a flying dagger.
It was this Magical Artifact that ended Miss Luo's life.
THUD.
Miss Luo's head, his face frozen in an expression of terror, landed on the floor.
"My apologies. I didn't want to do this, but the path of cultivation is one of strife..."
Feng Dequan still wore that same impassive expression.
A moment later, he knelt down, ignoring the blood and gore, and reached out to close Miss Luo's eyes.
At the same time, he carefully removed the Jade Pendant from Miss Luo's waist.
'It has a sealed Ice Blade Technique with the power of a Mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator... but that's not the key.'
'With this Jade Pendant, I can open the Ice Crystal Pod!'
Feng Dequan had served on the Flying Serpent for five years and knew its every secret like the back of his hand.
'I remember clearly. On this monster hunt, we caught a Poisonous Forked Stabbing Fish. Its venom is well-preserved in the Ice Crystal Pod!'
'With this fish's potent venom, combined with the sharpness of my flying dagger Magical Artifact, I will kill Luo Qingjun!'
Once Luo Qingjun was dead, he would be the only Mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator on the ship.
The entire Flying Serpent, and all the goods on it worth several thousand Spirit Stones, would fall into his hands!
At the thought, a predatory gleam filled Feng Dequan's eyes.
...
SHINK!
A sharp, cold light flashed, and a forearm fell to the ground.
Luo Qingjun clutched the stump of his arm.
"You..." He stared at Feng Dequan, shocked and furious.
'This simple-faced, unassuming, and taciturn outsider... had actually dared to launch a mutiny at a time like this?!'
Purplish-black lines spread from the severed end of his arm, following his blood vessels inward.
"Damn it... The Magical Artifact is poisoned!" Luo Qingjun was both shocked and enraged.
"What a vicious, hidden viper. Only today do I see your true colors..." Luo Qingjun's breathing grew ragged.
"I must ask you to die, Young Master."
Feng Dequan's expression was calm as a golden light once again shone from his hand.
The flying dagger shot forward!
Seeing this, Luo Qingjun was terrified. He quickly slapped the Storage Pouch at his waist with his remaining left hand.
BZZZT!
An ice-blue talisman immediately flew out, manifesting a field of frost in mid-air.
Frost Freeze Skill!
A frosty wind blew, bone-chillingly cold.
Feng Dequan, and even the flying dagger Magical Artifact he controlled, were both slowed down significantly, hindered by the frost.
Seizing the opportunity, Luo Qingjun shot backward, retreating into the upper-level cabins.
SLAM!
The door slammed shut, and a protective ward flared to life.
CLANG!
The golden light of the flying dagger Magical Artifact struck the ward, shuddered violently, and dissipated, revealing the dagger's blade.
A few breaths later, with a CRACK, Feng Dequan circulated his Magical Power and broke free from the frost's confinement.
He looked at the sealed door and the active ward, his brow furrowing.
'I failed to kill him...'
With the advantage of a poisoned sneak attack, Feng Dequan had pushed Luo Qingjun into a desperate situation.
However, Luo Qingjun was a direct descendant of the Luo Family, after all. He was wealthy and had directly used a high-quality talisman to escape a fatal situation.
Feng Dequan studied the Array ward outside the captain's cabin, his expression darkening.
He could tell that this ward was not a complete first-tier Array.
However, it was also not something he could break through by force.
'Fortunately, this type of ward usually can't be maintained for long. It should only last for a few hours. I just have to wait for it to deactivate on its own.'
At this moment, his two followers walked over.
"Feng, how did it go?" Menghou asked nervously.
As members with a different surname betraying the main family, if they failed, even a quick death would likely be a luxury.
"Luo Qingjun isn't dead," Feng Dequan said, shaking his head.
Menghou hissed, his face paling in terror.
"It's fine. Although Luo Qingjun was lucky enough to survive, he not only lost an arm in my surprise attack, but he was also hit with a potent poison."
"We both know that the venom of the Poisonous Forked Stabbing Fish isn't something that can be suppressed by ordinary Antitoxic Pills!"
"Even if he manages to suppress it by consuming a large number of Antitoxic Pills and using his Magical Power, his strength will still be reduced by fifty or sixty percent."
"Right now, he's just hiding behind this ward, delaying the inevitable!"
"This Flying Serpent will be ours in the end!"
Feng Dequan was full of confidence, his voice resonant and strong.
Regardless of what he truly felt inside, his performance at least caused the terror in Menghou's heart over betraying the main family to gradually fade.
Instead, his greed and lust for the vast riches aboard the Flying Serpent began to overwhelm his fear.
Then, Feng Dequan spoke in a low voice to Menghou and the other, chubbier follower.
"I'll stand guard here and keep an eye on Luo Qingjun's movements. As for you two..."
"Take this manager's Jade Pendant. It contains a single-use Ice Blade Technique at the Mid-stage Qi Refining level. You are to announce that the captain, first mate, and manager are all dead..."
"Join forces with the Loose Cultivators and kill every cultivator on this ship with the surname Luo!"
An astonishing chill and killing intent emanated from Feng Dequan's eyes.
Even if Luo Qingjun managed to recover some of his combat strength through some means, what could he possibly do if he was all alone?
As long as every Luo on the ship was dead, he couldn't possibly hold out.
"Yes, Feng!"
Menghou took the Jade Pendant, lowered his head, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.