"My lord, Chu Lingguang fled up the mountain."
Deputy Li said excitedly.
"You’d better not be lying to me, or else..."
Jin Wubin looked at the twelve pirate leaders.
He had no intention of fighting Chu Lingguang over the pirates. What he cared about was the wealth the Xiazigou pirates had accumulated over the years.
His earlier actions were just a feint.
"We wouldn’t dare deceive you, my lord. We only hope that you will honor your promise and let us go once this is done."
one of the pirate leaders said.
"My word is my bond. I will not go back on it. Lead the way!"
Jin Wubin said with a nod.
He then led a squad of men, escorting one of the pirate leaders toward a subterranean cavern.
「Thirty minutes later.」
Jin Wubin and his Deputy finally entered the cavern from under the sea, leading a squad of men and emerging inside the mountain.
"My lord, outside this cavern is Bishui Lake. There’s a passage in the lake that leads to the treasury where all the gold and jewels are."
the escorted pirate leader said fawningly.
"Let’s go."
Jin Wubin nodded and led his men out of the cavern.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
But just as they were about to emerge, a volley of countless arrows flew from outside into the cavern.
The pirate leader, whose martial arts had been sealed, was shot and killed on the spot, along with several soldiers.
"It’s a trap!"
"My lord, those are arrow shafts from Black Bear Island!"
Deputy Li exclaimed in alarm.
"That cunning Chu Lingguang! He actually left men here to guard the exit."
Jin Wubin’s expression turned ugly.
"I am Jin Wubin, leader of Pearl Island! I’m here to assist Lord Chu in capturing the pirates! Brothers up ahead, don’t fire at will! We’re coming out!"
Jin Wubin shouted.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The moment he finished speaking, another shower of arrows rained into the cavern, embedding themselves in the walls.
"Chu Lingguang, how dare you! Aren’t you afraid of hurting Lord Jin? What is the meaning of this?"
Deputy Li roared.
Silence fell outside the cavern.
Deputy Li grew suspicious and ordered a soldier to go check.
The soldier cautiously approached the entrance.
He stuck his head out to look.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
In the next instant, he was shot and killed by an Archer using the Double-Star Linked Pearls Archery technique.
The arrow shafts pierced his head. His body fell backward, his eyes wide open in death.
"Chu Lingguang, are you trying to rebel?"
Deputy Li roared.
There was no response from outside, only the sound of bows being drawn and arrows nocked.
"My lord, what do we do now?"
Deputy Li asked.
"Outrageous! Stand aside!"
Jin Wubin unleashed his six-layered Dharma Aspect, forming a Qi Power Gang Shield, and strode out of the cavern.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The Four-Star Linked Pearls Archery technique appeared.
Wielding the Barbaric Bow, Zhou Kun drew the bowstring to its limit. Four arrow-shadows shot toward Jin Wubin, who had just emerged.
Jin Wubin’s face fell, and he hastily ducked back inside.
As the leader of Pearl Island, his strength was far greater than Zhang Baofu’s. He had already broken through the Qi Sea and was at the first layer of the True Martial Realm, making him a notable figure even in Qingzhou City.
’Unfortunately, my cultivation has hit a bottleneck. Without some fortuitous encounter, I have no hope of advancing in this lifetime. I might be stuck guarding Pearl Island forever.’
So when he received Liu Ziyun’s orders and learned that Chu Lingguang was going to attack Xiazigou, he was first stunned. He thought Chu Lingguang was delusional, completely underestimating the pirates.
Still, he had rushed over in time, expecting to watch a good show. He never imagined that Chu Lingguang would actually conquer Xiazigou.
At that moment, he was overcome with envy.
’Chu Lingguang is just a junior, yet he achieved such a great merit right after arriving in the South Sea. How will others look at me in the future?’ In the face of such a monumental achievement, how could he not be jealous?
’Even if I can’t steal the credit, I have to at least haul a few chests of gold and jewels back with me.’
He never thought he’d end up trapped in a cavern.
Against the power of the Barbaric Bow and the Four-Star Linked Pearls Archery, Jin Wubin could at most withstand two volleys head-on. If Zhou Kun was determined to stop him from leaving the cavern and fired on him relentlessly, with the interference of the other Archers, his Dharma Aspect and Qi Power Gang Shield would eventually collapse. He really might end up looking like a porcupine.
That was why he had quickly dodged back into the cavern.
"I am Jin Wubin, leader of Pearl Island! Zhou Kun, how dare you fire on a superior officer?"
Jin Wubin seethed, unable to contain his rage.
"Lord Jin is far away on Pearl Island. You pirates dare to impersonate him? Today, I will teach you a lesson on his behalf!"
Zhou Kun snorted coldly.
His Archery had originally only reached the level of Three-Star Linked Pearls. He had only recently broken through under Chu Lingguang’s guidance.
He had originally harbored doubts and felt defiant toward Chu Lingguang. But now, seeing Chu Lingguang conquer Xiazigou so soon after taking office, even personally leading the charge to clear a path for everyone and allowing the army to reach the summit with almost no casualties, his perspective had changed.
At that moment, he had sworn to be eternally loyal to Chu Lingguang and charge into battle for him. In Chu Lingguang, he saw the hope of leaving Black Bear Island and rendering meritorious service to the Court.
"Dammit! Keep playing dumb with me."
Jin Wubin was filled with righteous indignation.
"Open your eyes and see what this is!"
He threw out his Identity Token.
"You dare to forge an Identity Token of a Court official? You’re courting death!"
Zhou Kun said, even more enraged.
He fired several more arrows into the cavern.
"Preposterous!"
Jin Wubin was seething with righteous indignation, but he was helpless.
In their haste to snatch the gold and jewels, they had traveled light. They had snuck into the cavern from under the sea with only a few personal weapons for self-defense and hadn’t brought any bows and arrows.
The two sides remained at a stalemate for a long while.
Just as Jin Wubin was about to retreat, he suddenly couldn’t sense any aura fluctuations from outside. He couldn’t help but peek his head out and saw that no more arrow shafts were flying his way.