Pirates: Martial Arts Masters on the Straw Hat Ship

East China Sea, Xingjia Town.

The sunlight was dazzling, and a gentle sea breeze was blowing.

Waves crashed against the sandy shore, and in the distance came the sounds of people talking and the calls of unknown birds.

Ronan opened his eyes, his vision swallowed by the almost dazzling blue expanse.

It was a sky he had never seen before—clear, boundless, a blue that seemed to cleanse even the soul.

"Where...am I?"

He murmured softly, his throat so dry he could barely make a sound.

Ronan propped himself up with his hands, and by the reflection of the seawater, he could see himself clearly.

—A strange yet strong body.

Standing at 1.85 meters tall, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and well-defined muscles, he exudes power.

This is not his body; this body is even more perfect than the one he has cultivated for over twenty years.

Just then—

hum-

A strange ringing sound reverberated in my mind.

A pale blue light screen slowly appeared.

[System loading...]

[The only rule: As long as you don't stop cultivating, your strength will grow indefinitely.]

[Host: Ronan]

【Strength: 10】

【Speed: 10】

Physical Strength: 10

【Spirit: 10】

[Skill: Xingyi Thirteen Spears - Mastery]

[Overall Combat Strength Assessment: Elite Among Ordinary People]

The words on the light screen trembled slightly in the air.

Ronan was stunned.

Born into a family of martial arts practitioners, he entered the Dao of Xingyi from a young age and believed only in his own strength.

But everything before my eyes—inexplicable, yet undeniably real.

He died once.

And now, he is alive again.

Living in a completely new world.

The waves crashed in again, splashing onto his ankles.

In the distance, faint screams and... cries could be heard?

Ronan suddenly looked up.

His gaze swept across the undulating sand dunes, and he saw a small town not far away—flames raging and black smoke billowing into the sky.

Shouts of battle and screams of agony mingled with the sea breeze.

He did not hesitate.

With a light touch of his toes, his body soared through the air like a falcon, and in a few leaps, he appeared outside the town.

In the shadow of the dilapidated house, he saw that scene:

Dozens of pirates, dressed in tattered coats and wielding machetes, are wreaking havoc.

An old man gripped a shovel tightly and stood in front of a child who was crying out "Grandpa".

"Run!"

The old man roared angrily.

"You old geezer, just die!"

A pirate with a face full of scars grinned maliciously and swung his sword down.

Blade flashes and wind pierces—

Upon witnessing this scene, Ronan suddenly realized that the world he was in now was probably not the original world.

These bandits are dressed like legendary pirates.

In the blink of an eye, the old man was about to be brutally murdered, his blood spilled on the spot.

Before Ronan could think, he reached out with his right hand, grabbed a wooden stick from beside him, and stomped his foot—a cloud of dust erupted from the ground.

The next instant, his figure appeared behind the pirates.

The staff moves like a dragon, with the force of thunder!

"Pfft~!"

A wooden stick pierced through his chest, and blood splattered everywhere.

The pirate's smile froze on his face, and before he could even scream, his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

Fresh blood dripped down the wooden stick, splashing onto the ground and creating tiny blood flowers.

Ronan exhaled slightly, flicked the tip of his staff, and shook the corpse off.

He looked up at the old man and asked, "Who are these people?"

The old man trembled as he got up from the ground, his voice shaking:

"Pirates...pirates! They're pirates, little brother, run! They even dare to kill marines—"

Before I finished speaking—

[System Notification: Host has entered combat mode. Cultivation multiplier increased by 3]

hum-

Ronan's pupils suddenly contracted.

The body's blood and energy surged, like a volcanic eruption.

A low, booming sound came from his bones, and he could clearly feel that each breath made his body stronger.

"Cultivation... can actually lead to growth in battle?"

A slight smile played on his lips, and a long-lost fighting spirit surfaced in his eyes.

The sea breeze was blowing, and the sunlight illuminated his resolute profile.

The wooden stick was slowly raised horizontally in his hand, like a silent iron spear.

Ronan's chest heaved, his blood and qi surging like fire within him.

That power—surging, vibrant, almost fiery.

In his previous life, he diligently practiced the Thirteen Spears of Xingyi, working day and night without slacking off. But back then, every bit of progress required sweat and pain.

But now, just by entering combat mode, he can feel his power slowly increasing.

That visceral sense of growth almost made his heart tremble, a mixture of shock and ecstasy.

"This body...this talent..."

Ronan murmured softly, his fist slightly bent, the knuckles making a soft popping sound in the air.

--Perfect.

This physical body is simply made for cultivation.

His gaze passed over the fireworks and chaos, landing on the group of pirates wreaking havoc in the distance.

Under the sunlight, their ferocious laughter sounded like a chorus of demons, and the townspeople scattered and fled, their cries echoing everywhere.

That scene was like hell descending upon the earth.

Ronan lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "Old man, you should leave now."

The old man froze, staring at the young man before him—

Despite his youth, he exuded an aura that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

That kind of aura wasn't from roaring, but from a coldness and determination emanating from the very core of his being.

The old man understood that this young man... would not back down.

He gritted his teeth, grabbed his grandson, and ran out of town.

Looking at the old man's figure, Ronan took a deep breath and pressed his feet to the ground.

"Bang—!"

With a burst of force, shattered rocks shot out.

Amidst the swirling dust, his figure shot off like an arrow.

At this moment, he felt an unprecedented peace within him.

That's not numbness, but a warrior's clarity of mind.

It is the Dao heart found by a cultivator who has been tempered and refined through countless trials and tribulations, amidst life and death.

He felt the flow of this fighting spirit, and could almost hear the whispers of his own soul.

"Since this is a new world where cultivation is possible,"

"Then let them see what Xingyi really is."

He uttered the last word softly.

The figure suddenly disappeared from the spot.

A sudden gust of wind arose, and murderous intent surged like a tide.

Ronan pointed his wooden stick diagonally at the ground and dashed into the town like a streak of light.

His steps were as steady as a rock and as light as a dragon – those were the steps of Xingyi, containing the power of "dragon and tiger".

call!

He moved through the clamor of the battlefield, his aura as sharp as a blade.

Ahead, a pirate was holding a girl's shoulder, a cruel smile on his face.

Just as that smile fully blossomed—

Ronan has arrived!

"A tiger descends the mountain!"

The Tiger Descending the Mountain stance is the seventh stance of the Thirteen Spears of Xingyi. It relies entirely on the strength of the waist and arms, and the movement must be completed in one go without any hesitation.

Originally, it was meant that hand, eye, body and footwork should be coordinated.

However, as a marksmanship that Ronan had been immersing himself in for twenty years, he had already mastered it and was no longer bound by any particular move.

Ronan leaped directly in front of the pirate.

The staff lashed out like a spear, accompanied by a whistling sound as it cut through the air—

"call out--!"

The air was torn apart, and the air blast roared.

The tip of the staff swept across the pirate's throat in an instant, the force so great that it abruptly interrupted the pirate's scream.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

Blood splattered everywhere as the pirate's body was sent flying several meters, crashing heavily to the ground, his neck broken, and he fell silent.

In the small town, Ronan stood holding a stick in one hand, his face stern.

Blood dripped from the tip of the stick, staining the stone slabs at his feet red.

Feel the power growing stronger within your body.

A glint flashed in Ronan's eyes.

In that instant, he seemed to see the road ahead—an infinitely extending path of cultivation.

And this vast sea is his testing ground.