Chapter 148: Expert?

The Green-Scaled Beast is a common demonic creature in the Yunluo Sea. These beasts are covered in azure scales and possess razor-sharp fangs within their fish-like mouths. They can rapidly vault out of the sea, striking people like swift arrows.

Green-Scaled Beasts are not high-tier aquatic demons; they are generally at the second, third, or fourth tier, with very few reaching the fifth tier. These creatures possess no demonic core, and their azure scales hold little value. Only a cyan moonstone located within their brains emits a faint blue radiance, possessing a minor calming and soothing effect.

While the calming properties of the cyan moonstone are not particularly extraordinary, its crystalline, translucent appearance and the faint blue glow it exudes make it popular as an ornament.

Because the Green-Scaled Beasts are generally of low rank, martial artists undergoing low-level trials in the Tiansuo Archipelago region often hunt them to acquire cyan moonstones, which they trade for rewards from merchants who collect precious gems.

Having been hunted extensively, the Green-Scaled Beasts harbor a deep-seated hatred for human martial artists. Though not inherently ferocious at first, these creatures have gradually grown more active. Whenever the opportunity arises, they attack passing merchant ships, as if seeking to exact a price for their fallen companions.

One by one, the Green-Scaled Beasts dashed swiftly alongside the small boat. Amid the rippling waves, their scales were clearly visible beneath the water. Some swam so close to the surface that their azure scales broke the water, flickering with a faint blue light under the moonlight.

"Swish!"

Darting forward at high speed, a Green-Scaled Beast suddenly launched itself out of the water like an arrow. Carrying a tremendous impact, it shot fiercely toward the martial artists on the deck, truly resembling a flying missile.

"Hush!"

Linda let out a sharp cry. Brilliant blue sword auras wove together into a web of light in the midair. Wielding a short sword in each hand, Linda danced gracefully across the deck.

"Twin Serpent Twist!"

Linda’s arms intertwined rapidly, her short swords shifting fluidly through the void, condensing the sword radiance into twin-headed spirit serpents. The sword qi within the luminescence flickered in and out, resembling the forked tongues of the twin serpents, appearing exceedingly marvelous and mystical.

Two third-tier Green-Scaled Beasts lunged toward Linda, only to be snared by her martial art, the Twin Serpent Twist. A cracking sound echoed from the azure scales of the beasts. Their lunging fish-like heads were pierced by the sword tips, leaving a series of bloody holes upon them.

The lunging bodies of the two third-tier beasts were thoroughly battered and killed by Linda, their momentum completely halted as they crashed directly onto the deck.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

More Green-Scaled Beasts leaped successively from the sea surface, thrusting like sharp swords toward the martial artists on the deck. Aside from Linda and Kamon, there were nine other martial artists on board. All of them possessed cultivation realms at the Innate and Human realms, and their strength was by no means inferior to the Green-Scaled Beasts. Although these martial artists were merely outer disciples of the Three Gods Sect, they originated from minor factions that had pledged allegiance to the sect, and thus they lacked no combat experience. Facing the Green-Scaled Beasts, the other nine martial artists maintained calm expressions, not a single one showing any trace of fear.

The martial artists on the deck successively unleashed their martial techniques. For a time, brilliant lights intertwined across the deck, various techniques blooming in dazzling displays to form a dense, interwoven web of light above the vessel.

The charging beasts failed to gain any advantage; they were either slain in mid-air or heavily injured and knocked back into the sea.

Before long, after paying the price of seven casualties, the Green-Scaled Beasts once again sank back into the depths of the ocean.

They did not launch another immediate attack, nor did they depart. Instead, they followed at a distance, occasionally revealing themselves on the water's surface.

Kamon and his party composedly sliced open the carcasses of the Green-Scaled Beasts on the deck, unceremoniously extracting the cyan moonstones before kicking the remains back into the sea.

In the distance, watching their companions' bodies sink into the water, the fish-like eyes of the beasts shone with a profound hatred under the moonlight. The cyan moonstones were only the size of walnuts, emitting a faint azure glow that appeared exceptionally bright and dazzling in the moonlight—truly rather beautiful.

"Linda, do you like these stones?"

Kamon, holding three cyan moonstones, walked over to Linda with a cheerful smile. "If you like them, I can give all of these to you."

Under the moonlight, Linda’s long hair drifted in the breeze, her delicate brows and pretty eyes looking exceptionally moving. The clean and decisive offensive she had just displayed to slaughter the beasts had genuinely made Shi Yan view her in a new light.

"Not interested."

Linda shook her head, curling her lips in disdain. "I couldn't be bothered to collect things of no value. Only vulgar women would take an interest in stones that merely glow."

Pausing for a moment, she added indifferently, "You should take these cyan moonstones to curry favor with those wealthy matrons who do not practice martial arts; perhaps you can win their favor. You'd better keep them for yourself."

Kamon chuckled dryly. "If you don't like them, so be it; why must you mock me? Ordinary women fail to catch my eye..."

Linda offered a noncommittal response, turning around to walk toward Shi Yan's position at the stern of the boat. Frowning as she gazed at the persistent Green-Scaled Beasts tailing them from behind, a trace of anxiety shadowed her voice as she murmured, "I only hope fourth-tier Green-Scaled Beasts don't appear in packs. Sigh..."

Shi Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. Standing not far from Linda, he remained silent. The wave of beasts that had just attacked were all third-tier; not a single fourth-tier one had shown up.

Third-tier Green-Scaled Beasts were merely equivalent to martial artists at the Human realm, but because their attacks relied on vaulting into the air, their true combat effectiveness was roughly on par with Innate realm martial artists.

Most of these outer disciples of the Three Gods Sect possessed cultivation levels in the Innate and Human realms, while Linda herself was at the first heavenly layer of the Hundred Tribulations realm, granting her the advantage of the ship. It was no surprise to Shi Yan that they had swept through the beasts so easily.

However, fourth-tier Green-Scaled Beasts were vastly more difficult to deal with.

Once a Green-Scaled Beast reached the fourth tier, its azure scales became significantly tougher, making it extremely difficult for ordinary attacks to pierce them.

Furthermore, the teeth of fourth-tier beasts were razor-sharp, capable of gnawing directly through the deck of a small boat.

If fourth-tier beasts were to shatter the vessel first and drag them into the sea for combat, these people would likely face a grim fate. Aquatic Green-Scaled Beasts were far more ferocious in their attacks than when they breached the surface. Should their boat truly be destroyed and they be forced to fight the beasts underwater, these people would undoubtedly find it difficult to escape death.

The martial artists on the deck were still reveling in the excitement of repelling the beasts. Only Linda sighed softly, standing gracefully by Shi Yan's side with a deeply worried expression.

"Shi Yan, do you think fourth-tier Green-Scaled Beasts might follow us?" Linda sighed, her lovely eyes suddenly shifting toward Shi Yan as she asked with mild concern.

Down in the ocean depths, she had witnessed with her own eyes Shi Yan being sealed within the largest glacier. Although his strength was currently entirely depleted, she still sensed that he was extraordinary and far more composed than Kamon and the others on deck.

Consequently, when faced with a dilemma, she could not help but wish to hear his opinion.

"I don't know," Shi Yan replied, shaking his head. "I am not familiar with Green-Scaled Beasts."

"Oh?" Linda looked surprised. "Aren't you a fisherman from the Tiansuo Archipelago?"

Looking somewhat awkward, Shi Yan gave a light cough and replied indifferently, "I am merely an ordinary fisherman who catches regular fish, not terrifying demonic beasts like these. Hehe, such creatures are beyond me; only powerhouses from your Three Gods Sect dare to fight them. I cannot do it."

Linda shot him a sideways glance, let out a low huff of annoyance, and chided, "If you don't want to help, just say so. Spare me the nonsense about being a fisherman. I've yet to see any fisherman remain so calm when facing Green-Scaled Beasts."

When the beasts had been leaping out of the water earlier, their momentum was quite fierce. While dealing with them, Linda had carefully observed Shi Yan's behavior and noticed that he merely moved about the deck, constantly seeking safe zones, yet never once displaying a shred of panic. This was by no means how an ordinary fisherman should act.

Shi Yan smiled. "It's not that I don't want to help; I truly cannot. However, I suspect the beasts will strike again. The next wave will likely include several fourth-tier ones, otherwise those third-tier creatures wouldn't keep tailing us like this."

"Nonsense, of course I know there will be fourth-tier ones when they attack again!" Linda rolled her eyes, huffing, "I'm asking you if you have any way to deal with fourth-tier Green-Scaled Beasts! You're on this boat too; if it gets destroyed, no matter what your objective is, you won't achieve it. Didn't you say you wanted to visit Yunxia Island? Without a boat, do you plan to fly there?"

Shi Yan offered a bitter smile. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "There is still time. We will figure something out."

"If you truly are an expert, please lend us a hand when the critical moment arrives." Linda gazed at him deeply, pleading sincerely, "After all, I saved your life once. Even though my crew doesn't like you, I don't want anything to happen to them. As long as they are on my ship, I will do my utmost to protect them from harm."

Shi Yan was taken aback, genuinely feeling a surge of admiration for this woman. Even after Kamon and the others questioned her leadership, she remained wholly devoted to the crew's well-being. No wonder she commanded the trust of so many sailors; the moment those men detected a genuine conflict between her and Kamon, they had sided with her without a moment's hesitation. Her standing among the crew had apparently been built piece by piece in this manner. Having such a leader was truly the crew's fortune.

"I am no expert," Shi Yan replied calmly with a shake of his head, self-deprecatingly adding, "Just an unlucky drowning man. You shouldn't place any hopes on me."

He was not being falsely modest. Until the various energies within his body recovered, engaging in battle with Linda would likely prove difficult for him to win, let alone helping her tide over this crisis.

Of course, if he could recover his strength in a short time—whether it be vital energy or the negative forces filling his body—that would be another matter entirely.

"Forget it. If you won't help, so be it."

Linda's attitude cooled somewhat. "Anyway, if the boat is destroyed, you won't escape either! No matter how formidable you are, unless you can fly, you'll end up just like the rest of us! Look after yourself!"

With that, Linda wore a sullen expression as she walked away from Shi Yan to issue warnings to her crew.