Black Bear Island was an essential stop on the trade route between Qingzhou City and the dozens of small nations in the South Sea.
Nearly all passing ships chose the Black Bear Island route, but not because it was the fastest way to reach Qingzhou City and enter the Great Yuan Territory.
Nor was it because it made travel with the small maritime nations more convenient.
It was because the waters beyond Black Bear Island were often prowled by powerful Sea Demons—an area that even pirates dared not venture into lightly.
For this reason, Black Bear Island was garrisoned by two thousand soldiers year-round. The Court placed great importance on the development and security of this sea region, and anyone who could successfully defend it would be promoted within a few years.
Liu Ziyun’s rise from a Captain to the Governor of the Qingzhou Governor’s Mansion within a dozen years was also related to his time defending Black Bear Island.
Here, danger and opportunity coexisted.
Defend it well, and you would earn great merit. Defend it poorly, and your future would be ruined—you might even lose your life. The previous Captain, during a battle with pirates, had been dragged to the bottom of the sea by a Sea Demon, along with the pirates and their ship. He was never heard from again, completely lost to these waters.
That Captain’s name was Huang Dafu.
Right now, Huang Dafu’s banner was still flying over Black Bear Island.
The official appointment orders had already been issued, and Liu Ziyun had long since sent men to the island to tell Zhang Baofu and the others to prepare a reception and cooperate with Chu Lingguang in defending the region.
By rights, the banner should have been changed to Chu Lingguang’s before his ship even arrived. At the very least, they shouldn’t have let Chu Lingguang see Huang Dafu’s banner still flying over the island.
Chu Lingguang sympathized with Huang Dafu’s passing. He could understand and even approve if the soldiers on the island wanted to mourn Huang Dafu, commemorate him, or even build an ancestral shrine in his honor. Chu Lingguang would have been willing to pay his respects. If any of Huang Dafu’s descendants were on the island, he would have even given them preferential treatment.
But a banner represented military authority; it was a symbol of Chu Lingguang’s status.
To arrive on his first day and see his predecessor’s banner still flying over his own territory was a clear provocation. They weren’t taking him seriously at all.
So, at Eunuch Liu’s reminder, Chu Lingguang drew his bow in front of everyone and fired his first arrow at Huang Dafu’s banner.
SWOOSH!
The arrow severed the rope on the banner.
The banner fell from the flagpole, landing on a soldier’s head.
Zhang Baofu, who had come out of the fort to greet them, froze in his tracks.
SWOOSH!
Chu Lingguang fired a second arrow.
Tied to this arrow shaft was his own banner.
CLANG!
The arrow shaft struck the flagpole, and the banner of Black Bear Island was finally changed to the Zhu Character Banner.
"What does he think he’s doing?"
"Is this guy trying to pick a fight with us?"
"Lord Zhang, what do we do now?"
Several Captains behind Zhang Baofu whispered among themselves.
"Don’t do anything rash. Let’s wait for him to come down," Zhang Baofu said, trying to calm them.
He then stood at the fort’s gate and, from a great distance, cupped his hands in a salute toward Chu Lingguang on the ship. "This subordinate, Zhang Baofu, and my brothers respectfully welcome Lord Chu to his new post."
Hearing this, Chu Lingguang was about to speak and lead Xuanyuan Jinkang and the others off the ship, but Eunuch Liu shook his head and said in a low voice, "Make him come up here."
Chu Lingguang agreed.
Zhang Baofu had only come out of the fort to greet him after the ship had docked and stopped, not waiting on the shore with his men beforehand. On top of that, he had left Huang Dafu’s banner up. It was a clear, deliberate snub.
Chu Lingguang admitted it was a bit bureaucratic, but if he wanted to take control of Black Bear Island and make everyone on it obey his orders, he had to make Zhang Baofu and his group submit.
So, Chu Lingguang turned to the Centurion surnamed Li and said, "I couldn’t hear what they said. Have them come aboard to speak."
"Yes, sir!"
Li Santong immediately went to the bow of the ship and shouted to Zhang Baofu and his men, "Lord Zhang, Lord Chu orders you to come aboard and attend to him."
That one word, "attend," made both Chu Lingguang and Eunuch Liu glance at Li Santong. The man was clearly making a pledge of loyalty.
Zhang Baofu’s expression stiffened.
"My lord, you can’t go up there! The brothers are all watching you!" Zhang Long whispered.
"Lord Chu, this subordinate’s legs have caught a chill and it’s inconvenient for me to board the ship. The brothers have already prepared everything for you and are waiting to hold a welcome banquet in your honor. Please, Lord Chu, come down quickly!" Zhang Baofu said with a cupped-hand salute and a smile.
A flash of anger crossed Chu Lingguang’s face. Zhang Baofu was clearly determined to challenge him. He was just about to release a wave of his aura and use his reply to intimidate Zhang Baofu.
But Eunuch Liu took several steps forward, came to the bow, and said coolly, "Lord Chu gave an order. You are to come up here and attend to him. Enough with the nonsense!"
BOOM!
An invisible wave of energy erupted from Eunuch Liu’s body. The wave surged violently, like the sea level rising and the ocean flooding Black Bear Island, washing over Zhang Baofu and his men.
As a master of the third level of the True Martial Realm, the Life and Death Realm, Eunuch Liu was not someone a Qi Sea Realm cultivator could provoke, even if his full power had not yet recovered.
Besides, his Soft and Flexible Technique was a top-tier Kung Fu.
Furthermore, having long resided in the deep palace, he possessed an unstated authority. He had seen all manner of Dukes, Ministers, Princes, and Imperial Grandsons, and he carried a cold, sinister air about him. Normally, he restrained his aura and seemed as gentle as a little old man, but once he unleashed it, he radiated a mysterious dignity that even Liu Ziyun dared not slight.
What’s more, he was now unleashing the cultivation base of a True Martial Realm expert. This, combined with his cold aura, his cunning and ruthless demeanor, and his reputation as a wily old schemer who would "eat a person without spitting out the bones," made him instantly recognizable as someone from the palace.
In that moment, Zhang Baofu and his men were so shocked they were at a complete loss.
They stammered in a panic, "Senior, please wait! We are coming up immediately!"
Under the gazes of all the soldiers, Zhang Baofu led three Captains and a group of Centurions, scurrying onto the ship.
Once they were on board,
Chu Lingguang sat in his chair.