Sea Cultivation: Giant Ships and Heavy Artillery Knock on the Door to All Races

Chapter 272 A Decisive Strike! Suspicion Arises

"Sure! Do you two have any bets?"

"some!"

Each of them took out a money bag and handed it to the referee for safekeeping, so as to ensure that the loser would not renege on their debt.
The sheer amount of spirit stones surprised even the early-stage Golden Core judge, as it was a considerable sum for him. He was taken aback by the fact that the two juniors were playing such a high game, and he became even more cautious.

"Alright, Lin Qianfan of the Yulong Lin family versus Wantongya of the Wan family! This battle has no limits on methods or time, it will continue until a victor is determined!"

hum~
The protective array activated, and the massive battle platform closed with a transparent light shield. Here, falling off the battle platform doesn't count as failure.
Once on stage, only by achieving either a kill or complete loss of resistance will the opponent be truly convinced.

"I've heard of your exploits. You fought a level above your level in the Martial Might Hall competition, defeating Zhong Jingyuan, who was at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. But I am not him, and the legacy of Cangxia Mountain is far superior to that of the Zhong family. Today, I'll teach you a lesson so that you'll have to..."

While Wantongya was still spouting trash talk,
Lin Qianfan went all out, using his Void Wings to launch himself forward. The two, who were already close, quickly closed the distance. When the attack range was close, Lin Qianfan launched a soul attack.
"...The dragon is going to coil up for me..."

The projectile speed of the soul attack was fast, and it arrived first despite being launched later. The Golden Dawn Soul-Piercing Thorn directly broke through Wan Tongya's passive soul protection and even shattered a protective jade talisman that automatically protected its owner.

Unfortunately, this move did not cause any real damage, but it did cause Wan Tongya, whose mental fortitude was not strong enough, to be momentarily stunned.

"...What...are you...doing?"

Wan Tongya, whose reactions were somewhat sluggish, opened his eyes wider and wider, trying to rouse his body to dodge, but his body seemed to be out of control, somewhat stiff, as a knee brimming with the power of blood and qi came straight at him...

Bang~
Lin Qianfan delivered a powerful mid-air knee strike, slamming it heavily into Wan Tongya's face, completely thwarting his attempt to retrieve his storage bag and retaliate. The blow sent Wan Tongya flying, tossing him through the air as he lost control of his body.
This attack emphasized speed, so its power might not have been enough. Lin Qianfan didn't stop; he raised his hand and unleashed three more flying swords.
Clang, Clang, Clang~
The flying swords were also fast enough to catch up with Wan Tongya, who had just regained control of his body and was about to fall to the ground. Three flying swords were simultaneously pressed against his dantian, heart, and forehead.
From this point on, the outcome was decided!
Bang~
Since the opposing team did not concede, the referee did not issue a verdict.

Lin Qianfan's attack did not stop. He flashed forward and kicked Wan Tongya, who was close to the ground, to the ground.
Then, he stepped on the man's head with his large, powerful foot, which was filled with energy and blood, putting the man in a strange position that was difficult to resist, and restricting his mouth from speaking, preventing him from surrendering.

"Have you been ruined by wine and women? You are far inferior to Zhong Jingyuan. At least he could last a few rounds against me, but you couldn't even withstand one attack. You have disappointed me greatly!"

Lin Qianfan did not look at the referee and force him to make a ruling immediately, but deliberately provoked Wan Tongya, trying to entice him to make another move.

The flying sword was filled with Taibai sword energy. If he resisted even slightly, it would pierce his dantian without hesitation. Then it would be the responsibility of the Golden Core judge. Lin Qianfan made no attempt to hide his threat.

"In this battle, Lin Qianfan of the Yulong Lin family has emerged victorious!"

Seeing that Lin Qianfan was still trying to induce Wantongya to make a mistake, the Golden Core referee no longer hesitated, lest Wantongya's brain short-circuit.

Golden Core cultivators do have the ability to save the day, but it depends on the situation. If Lin Qianfan had acted quickly enough, a tragedy could have occurred.

Seeing the referee announce the verdict in front of everyone, Lin Qianfan then withdrew his methods and released Wantongya.

He actually wanted to take the opportunity to kick him away, but Lin Qianfan immediately pulled back his leg after getting into position, so as not to give anyone cause for gossip.

"I refuse to accept this! He launched a sneak attack!"

Terrified by the death threat, Wan Tongya immediately shouted and screamed. Coming from a prestigious family, he had never encountered such an unsportsmanlike opponent.

Clearly, they lacked experience in life-or-death battles and did not fully understand the dogma in the textbooks.

What kind of skill is it to launch a sneak attack without any opening interaction?
"The battle is over! You need not linger!"

Openly challenged, the referee, unleashing his full power, emphasized the result.

He was very unhappy with their behavior, and it was clear that they did not respect him enough. He was unwilling to stay there any longer, so he immediately activated the protective array and threw the two money bags towards Lin Qianfan.

"This...this is it already? I didn't even see the moves clearly!"

"I dare not close my eyes, I'm afraid it's a hallucination..."

"No, how can there be such a big difference between these two?"

"Young Master Wan is so useless! He was actually killed in an instant!"

"Is this all the true disciples of Cangxia Mountain are capable of? Is that alright?"

"Sigh... I've lost all my savings for the year, I can't quite believe it..."

"We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich!"

"I think Wan Tongya and this kid are in cahoots to fix the match, aren't they?"

"Zinima, refund the money!"

"... "

The onlookers reacted much slower, many even failing to see Lin Qianfan's exact movements, only witnessing Wan Tongya collapse to the ground immediately upon entering the scene.

Most people were in a daze until the referee announced the verdict.

However, no one questioned Lin Qianfan's quick attack at the start. That's how it is in the cultivation world. In any duel, one should seize every opportunity to win. It's just that no one expected Wan Tongya to be a person who only cares about fame and reputation.

Two money bags flew over.

Lin Qianfan's face lit up with joy, and he reached out to take it.

How many days and nights would it take Tianji Lun to earn this amount of money! It's equivalent to more than a million low-grade spirit stones. Even a struggling Foundation Establishment family might not be able to save up that many spirit stones even if they didn't eat or drink for a hundred years.

"Azure Phoenix Talisman! Die!"

Wan Tongya, who already harbored endless resentment, was filled with unprecedented grievances and courage when he saw that this huge sum of money was about to fall into Lin Qianfan's hands. Without hesitation, he activated a precious beast soul talisman left by his grandfather.

There are more than one type of talismanic treasure. The most common type on the market is the artifact-shaped talismanic treasure made from the essence of magic weapons.

However, if one has the means to refine the demon king's essence into a vessel before it dissipates and returns to the cycle of reincarnation, it can also be made into a beast soul talisman.

Blue light flashed in Wan Tongya's hand, revealing a beastly shadow somewhat similar to the divine bird Qingluan, its power reaching the quasi-third rank.

"This is exactly what we've been waiting for!"

How could Lin Qianfan, a veteran of many battles, make such a basic mistake? How could he really so easily entrust his back to an enemy who had not yet given up the fight?
If there's a flaw, it must be a flaw deliberately created! A mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator can't truly cast a third-tier talisman instantly, which is different from a Foundation Establishment cultivator casting a second-tier talisman instantly. The time difference between these two situations is Lin Qianfan's reaction time!

The advantages of cultivating both body and spirit become apparent in this close-quarters, short-duration battle.
Lin Qianfan quickly turned around and kicked Wan Tongya's aimed arm high into the air. He didn't stop the talisman from activating, but instead directed it towards the sky, where the protective shield had been removed.
The Azure Phoenix Talisman was aimed directly at the Golden Core referee!

With a cry of a phoenix, the blue beast shadow was successfully unleashed, the enraged Azure Phoenix shadow hurtling straight towards the Golden Core referee who was about to leave in mid-air.
"How dare you! You dare!"

Sensing the threat, the Golden Core referee immediately drew a black, gleaming battle axe and cleaved the blue phoenix in two.

The talisman that was hastily activated in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage was still no match for a true Golden Core cultivator, but it angered the Golden Core judge.

"Senior, this person has blatantly violated several golden rules of Cangxia Immortal City. What punishment should be imposed?"

Lin Qianfan snatched the Azure Phoenix Talisman and accepted it.
He then lifted the somewhat bewildered Wantongya high like a chick and preemptively faced the Golden Core referee, who could have easily stopped Wantongya's sneak attack.

The Golden Core referee gave Lin Qianfan a deep look, feeling a sense of unease. He had initially thought Lin Qianfan would fly into a rage and kill Wantongya, given that Wantongya had violated the rules first.

But Lin Qianfan handled the situation too calmly, and his every move was perfectly in accordance with the rules under the watchful eyes of everyone, so he did not find an opportunity.

"Wan Tongya has violated the rules of the Immortal City. Hand him over to me!"

Lin Qianfan wanted to confront him on the spot about why he hadn't stopped the attack—he clearly had the ability to—but further offending him would only make things more awkward for Lin Qianfan.

Lin Qianfan even had a fleeting impulse to destroy Wantongya's dantian, condemning him to a life of regret as a powerless mortal, but he managed to control his impulse.
Because the protective array has been deactivated and the duel is over!

Wan Tongya can make mistakes, but Lin Qianfan cannot!
Lin Qianfan had no choice but to obediently hand over Wantongya, whose dantian had been sealed and who looked like a chick, to the other party. Although he knew that the other party would definitely cover up Wantongya's crimes, he could not pursue the matter further.

The fact that the other party didn't intervene to stop Wan Tongya's sneak attack speaks volumes; clearly, he expected Lin Qianfan to "fight back" and kill Wan Tongya.
That's right!

There are countless people, both openly and secretly, waiting for Wantongya to die!

If things really come to that, it will probably please many people, who will take all the blame upon themselves. Lin Qianfan will naturally not do as they wish, so he deliberately avoids making any mistakes!
The current outcome is the best outcome for Lin Qianfan!

"What a powerful method!"

"What a quick reaction! He actually dodged the talisman's sneak attack!"

"Is Young Master Wan really that kind of person? I'm ashamed to be associated with him!"

"This time, we have truly disgraced Cangxia Immortal City!"

"This Young Master Lin has no backbone! He's been bullied to this extent, and he's still smiling. Lin the Turtle!"

"Though possessing ruthless methods, he has no heart for killing, no..."

Although the exchange was brief, those watching clearly saw the cause and effect, and many felt that Lin Qianfan was lacking something.

"Settle! Settle! My spirit stones!"

The outcome of the betting contest was decided, and the main players on stage received their winnings. Those who had bet on the winners surrounded the person who had opened the betting, demanding a settlement.

"Don't rush! Fellow Daoists, don't rush! I'm just the dealer; I would never steal your spirit stones. Let's take it one at a time!"

The bookmaker only collects the commission and always sits on the sidelines. He just felt that many of the victors in the crowd were unfamiliar, and he had never even seen them in this arena before, which made him feel a little strange.

"Brother Lin, your skills are truly impressive; I, Yan Yan, am far inferior!"

Seeing Lin Qianfan staring at her, Jiang Nanyan took the initiative to step forward.

"Does Fellow Daoist Jiang have nothing to say?"

"What do you mean by that, Brother Lin? I don't understand!"

"It's nothing. You should thank me for helping you get rid of this mess. Remember to promote my Heavenly Pivot Wheel. I'm hoping to make some money in Cangxia Immortal City so I can save up to buy some better Core Formation items in the future."

"Brother Lin is joking..."

"I'm a bit tired and may need to rest for a few days. Let's meet again another day."

"Alright! Today's troubles all started because of me, Brother Lin. I've booked the entire top floor of Jietian Tower tomorrow. I hope you'll do me the honor of coming again then, and I'll apologize to you in person!"

"Another day!"

Lin Qianfan didn't want to stay here any longer, nor did he want to know what punishment Wan Tongya would receive. He just wanted to help Xinglan advance in rank as soon as possible, so that he would feel safe enough.

"let's go!"

A large number of Tianji shipwrights immediately emerged from the crowd, with the Third Elder and three other elderly Foundation Establishment cultivators among them.

Unlike the other Qi Refining Shipmen who were overjoyed after winning money but couldn't understand the situation, the four of them looked much more cautious.

The group returned to the Heavenly Pivot Wheel.
In the conference room, Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered.

"Young master, it's fortunate you didn't kill him, otherwise none of us would have escaped today!"

"This is clearly a trap set against us!"

"Who could have done it? Was it that Jiang Zhenchuan?"

"The important question is, what do we do now? Leave this place?"

After reviewing all the details, the group discovered that the disruption to Tianji Wheel's business was part of a scheme targeting Lin Qianfan, a gradual entrapment designed to lure him into killing Wantongya.

The mastermind might be Jiang Nanyan, or it might be someone else. If Lin Qianfan really killed Wantongya in a fit of youthful passion, he would be badly injured even if he didn't die, and Tianji Wheel would definitely not be able to escape.

"Not in a hurry!"

(End of this chapter)