High-level martial arts: I can choose Hextech equips.

Jiang Yu did not answer, but instead glanced at Yu Xin's back not far away.

"Shuxuan, what is your relationship with the owner of this ship?"

Seemingly afraid of being misunderstood as invading someone's privacy, he quickly added, "I mean, how will the spoils be distributed?"

Because Yu Xin doesn't like it and can't eat it, so it's all mine... Lin Shuxuan thought for a moment.

"Don't worry about it. If this 'pearl' is very valuable, you can keep it for yourself."

Although, according to Yu Xin, it was a tacit consensus within the Federation to confiscate all the property of the stranded team within the ecological zone, Lin Shuxuan had no intention of complying.

They are all comrades fighting against the alien beasts, and they share a common home. There is no need for them to take advantage of the chaos like this.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu's expression flickered with interest, but he quickly concealed it and resolutely handed over the small box.

"This is my way of thanking you. If it weren't for you, all the martial arts students in our class would be dead. I can't forgive myself."

Now that I'm on the moral high ground, I really have no reason to refuse... Lin Shuxuan took it and asked:

"What is this?"

"On average, only one pearl is produced from every 1000 adult moon oysters. It is rare and is sometimes jokingly referred to as the 'tear of the ocean'."

Yu Xin's soft, charming voice rang out as she glanced at Jiang Yu:

"Don't try to be clever. High-level experts have far more tricks up their sleeves than you can imagine."

Jiang Yu nodded awkwardly.

"Is this 'ocean-like' item very precious?" Lin Shuxuan changed the subject.

"This bead is a priceless treasure for some, and its value is higher than the entire cargo of spoils from the previous ship combined."

Jiang Yu coughed lightly: "I was lucky to get it."

Lin Shuxuan looked at Jiang Yu with some surprise. The other man had thick eyebrows and big eyes, yet he was so thoughtful.

He didn't recognize its value, but the mercenary group was different; they managed to hide this treasure right under the noses of those seasoned veterans.

"These pearls have a fatal attraction for merfolk, but it's difficult for martial artists to detect; that's why your ships were besieged by merfolk."

Jiang Yu's face flushed red. He glanced at the glass box and said, "Impossible! The device I used can lock down the Moonlight Pearl's aura; the merfolk couldn't possibly detect it."

"The information that your ships left behind opened moonbeams is enough for those beasts."

"I suspect you searched for Moonlight Shells without the mercenaries' permission."

Jiang Yu's face was ashen.

These monsters are so intelligent, they seem to be almost as intelligent as Hai Lanlan... Lin Shuxuan gained a new understanding of the intelligence of alien beasts.

"As for how precious this Moonbeam is... come with me."

Lin Shuxuan followed Yu Xin into the cabin, leaving Jiang Yu on the deck to contemplate life.

After walking through a luxuriously decorated and elegant corridor, you arrive at a laboratory filled with instruments.

A perfectly intact merman is imprisoned within a transparent alloy shield in the center.

Lin Shuxuan leaned closer to examine the creatures that he had just wiped out with a single floating cannon shot.

His muscles were bulging, his bluish-gray skin was rugged, with a texture as hard as a reef; his dark eyes, like buttons, looked at him with the innocence of a baby through a transparent cover.

The mouthparts that could have swallowed him whole were now closed, with only tiny bubbles rising and falling.

I'm afraid even two of me wouldn't be enough to eat this stuff... Lin Shuxuan objectively concluded.

Such a terrifying creature could actually be torn to pieces by Jiang Yu, and Jiang Yu, who possessed such monstrous strength, was unable to advance in the martial arts competition.

Lin Shuxuan has a new understanding of martial arts masters.

"How many credits can I get for capturing one like this alive?"

"Depending on the year, a mature one costs about 300 credits. The water produced by their kidneys can neutralize the elemental power of the Fire Seed Beasts, which is the same water you drink every day as part of your nutritional supplements."

The water produced by the kidneys...that's...Lin Shuxuan exclaimed inwardly, "Holy crap!" No wonder Yu Xin didn't explain the origin of the water; what he was drinking was...

"Mermaids aren't worth much, but the cost of transporting them is much higher, but..."

Yu Xin took out the luminous pearl.

In an instant, the monster in the cage suddenly sprang up, its pores opening and closing as it struggled violently, not stopping even as its body was crushed to pieces by the transparent cover.

"The Moonlight Pearl can help mermaids embark on the path of cultivation. Once they grow up, they will be called 'Water Master,' a treasure that is priceless."

Yu Xin tossed the luminous pearl into his arms.

"Keep it safe, you might need it someday."

The giant ship sailed away into the distance.

Somewhere.

A monster with a human head and a fish body sat on the 'reef'.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the reef was formed by several merfolk intertwined and twisted together.

A thin slit opened on the monster's forehead, and its pale eyeballs writhed wildly within the flesh.

It stared at the giant ship for a long time before finally leaping into the water.

......

Inside the cockpit, Lin Shuxuan stared at the navigation chart on the screen.

Showing off in front of Jiang Yu and his classmates was just a side trip; the main purpose was to familiarize himself with the venue for tomorrow's competition.

Ye Lingyue has no sense of direction, and Hai Lanlan is a foodie, so he's the only one who can plan the team's route.

As the ship slowed down, they arrived at their destination.

Lin Shuxuan walked onto the deck.

The all-silver-white mecha roared past his head, followed by a fierce gust of wind; if his physique hadn't improved after many days of training, this gust of wind would probably have blown him over.

I looked up and saw the mechs hovering in the sky.

"Envious? There are several mechs in the cabin. You can try it if you want."

Lin Shuxuan shook his head. In a world where individual power exists, he had no interest in piloting mechs.

Look ahead.

Ships of varying sizes were moored beside the lush island in front of them.

This island will be the venue for tomorrow's match.

Lin Shuxuan suddenly recalled that when he took the driving test in his previous life, the coach also took them to the training ground for rehearsals in advance.

By carefully comparing the map in his hand with the island in front of him, Lin Shuxuan memorized several high-scoring points.

The islands seemed to form in his mind like a 3D sculpture, giving him an advantage in tomorrow's game.

After memorizing the map, he prepared to return to port, but his attention was drawn to a ship that was not far from the size of a Titan-class vessel.

The woman at the bow of the ship wore a long black and red trench coat, and the sea breeze revealed her fitted turtleneck sweater, which accentuated her curves.

Her hair fell loosely over her forehead, covering half of her cheek.

Her features were exquisite, but the black eyeliner paired with her arrogant smile made her look like a thorny rose, not easy to get along with.

It was the prosecutor from the previous trial. Lin Shuxuan still remembered her sharp arguments. Although the evidence was obviously insufficient, her momentum was really fierce.

Beside the woman was a bald man, extremely ugly, who looked to be about thirty years old.

"Sister Yu Xin, who is that person?"

Yu Xin looked in the direction of the sound and clapped her hands in praise:

"I really admire your ability to remember women so clearly. She's the mayor's secretary, the second most powerful person in the city government, and a very difficult character to deal with."

Lin Shuxuan wanted to ask more questions, but then he saw the bald man glance at him.

A streak of light seemed to flash before my eyes, and my vision went completely white.

It took a long time before I could open my eyes, tears streaming down my face.

"Are you alright?"

Yu Xin held him in her arms and asked with concern.

Feeling the woman's broad embrace, Lin Shuxuan was stunned. "She's probably blind. Just send me back to Xinhai like this."

"Get lost."

Yu Xin pushed him away.

"That person is Mu Ning. He is also a contestant. Rumor has it that he can compete with Ye Lingyue for the championship."

Is this guy really eighteen? ...A bald, ugly face that looks like a thirty-year-old flashed through Lin Shuxuan's mind.

He glanced at Ye Lingyue beside him, whose silver hair shone like the Milky Way and whose features were as exquisite as a sculptor's strokes, and asked:

"How does Ye Lingyue's strength compare to that person's?"

"It's a 60/40 split. Xiao Lingyue killed him four times in six minutes."

Yu Xin said calmly.

Lin Shuxuan organized the known information: the merman who could swallow him whole was slaughtered by Jiang Yu, and Jiang Yu was just a participant in the martial arts competition.

Wang Xing, whose biological parents were killed by him, had the ability to win the competition, while Mu Ning, who was the second most popular contestant to win the championship, was killed by Ye Lingyue.

Damn it, just how far can martial arts amplify individual power? Am I supposed to fight all these people tomorrow...?

Thinking of this, Lin Shuxuan said to Yu Xin in a serious tone:

"Sister Yu Xin, you said before that you would guarantee my victory in the martial arts competition. What exactly is your trump card? Now it's time to tell."

Before the "Open Up" skill took effect, he was just an ordinary person, and Lin Shuxuan knew he couldn't defeat a group of numerical monsters.

Yu Xin nodded and carefully instructed:

"Tomorrow, you should hide carefully behind Ye Lingyue. Hai Lanlan will help you block sneak attacks from the shadows. Once Ye Lingyue has taken care of all the opponents, you can clean up the battlefield."

"Oh, I see."

Lin Shuxuan drew out the last syllable, looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, and after a long silence, sighed:

"Sister Yu Xin, now I understand why you were so upset when you heard that Gong Shuang was coming to attend the ceremony."

"If my students can only hide behind the girls like turtles on the field, my enemies are still watching the game."

"I wish I could just kill myself and die too!"

With a calm acceptance of death, Yu Xin also looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle:

"Yes, but I'm mentally prepared. I'm just worried about your pride and whether you'll allow yourself to do this."

"Oh, that's alright."

Lin Shuxuan spoke in a cheerful tone.

"I quite enjoy being a kept man."

Before she could finish speaking, Yu Xin grabbed her collar, her bright eyes glistening with tears of anger.

"You son of a bitch, at least say something with some backbone. After tomorrow, I won't be able to hold my head up in front of Gong Shuang for ten years."

Lin Shuxuan coldly pushed Yu Xin's hand away:

"Let Ye Lingyue perform well tomorrow, so she doesn't hold me back and prevent me from advancing."

A cute, crisp sound rang out, as refreshing as a summer drink.

"I'll try my best tomorrow too!"

Hai Lanlan ran over and raised her little hand to her shoulder to show her loyalty.

"You can actually talk!" Lin Shuxuan exclaimed in surprise and doubt.

Hai Lanlan ran back to the side, feeling very sad, wanting to eat some steamed buns, only to find that they had all been eaten by Lin Shuxuan's classmates, which made her even sadder.

Having calmed the beautiful, mature woman whose pride would be wounded tomorrow, Lin Shuxuan asked in confusion:

"Sister Yu Xin, why do you and Gong Shuang have a conflict?"

Yu Xin pondered for a moment and then replied:

"We were classmates at the Federal Military Academy. Families always compare their younger generations. Gong Shuang was very beautiful back then, and I think she has always been proud of that."

"And then what happened?"

"Later, I met someone who was so beautiful that she seemed otherworldly."

"..."

The return journey went very smoothly. Driving this giant ship, Lin Shuxuan felt like he was Mundo.

Go wherever you want.

The ship slowly docked at the base's berth, and everyone reluctantly left the giant ship. Yu Xin took Guan Yunyang's black card to pay the bill.

Master Lin Shuxuan then removed the restraints that were restricting the cultivation levels of the five mercenaries.

Even though they were treated like this, the mercenaries' faces were full of flattery.

Lin Shuxuan thought for a moment, then said to the leading mercenary:

"Your group's name is very nice, but if you could add the word 'Wing' at the end, I think it would be even more meaningful."

The mercenary leader bowed obsequiously.

"Sir, how do you interpret this character?"

Lin Shuxuan stroked his chin and pondered, "To roam the nine seas, to aspire to the heavens."

After saying that, he turned and left.

The burly man wore a fawning expression, but inwardly he sneered: "Damn it, you stole a whole ship's worth of my spoils and now you want to change the name of my mercenary group? Who do you think you are!"

What's the difference between this and me taking the child's surname?!?

But the big man shook his head again. If it weren't for this young man, they would have already perished in the ecosystem. Not to mention credit points, their flesh and blood would have turned into food.

Although we're penniless now, at least we have a chance to make a comeback, but we'll have to start accumulating credits from scratch again...

Mercenaries live on the edge, their savings are hard to come by, and the sunken ship they lost earlier was the result of years of hard work.

An officer's voice rang out:

"Comrade, here is your earnings from this voyage: 8000 credits."

The burly man suddenly looked up, incredulous.

"Is there a mistake?"

The officer was somewhat puzzled: "It was given to you by that young man just now; the credentials and paperwork are complete."

The four mercenaries looked delighted, their previous humiliation gone. They clenched their fists in celebration, only to find their leader silent.

"Boss, this is great news! Aren't you happy?"

The mercenary leader remained silent for a long time:

"From now on, we'll be called the Amane Tsubasa Mercenary Group."

"..."

After a long time, Lin Shuxuan felt a pang of nostalgia for his teachers' works from his previous life... Of course, he had never read them, only heard about them.

He didn't agree with the Federation's rules in the ecological zone, and since Yu Xin didn't care about the consumption of a mere 8000 credit points, he simply decided to return it to her on his own.

Whether the mercenary group was grateful or secretly cursing him as an ignorant fool, he didn't care.

He originally intended to return the moonlight pearl to Jiang Yu.

But the other party refused to accept it no matter what, and even threatened that if Lin Shuxuan insisted, he would jump back into the ecological zone.

Lin Shuxuan had no choice but to put it away, but doubts still lingered in his mind.

Why are merfolk who embark on the path of cultivation so rare and valuable? And what exactly is the path of cultivation? He asked Yu Xin but received no explanation, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

It was dusk, and the setting sun cast its golden glow over the sea, turning it into an orange-gold ocean.

Thousands of sails have passed by on the sea.

4 month 29 number.

He gazed at the boundless ocean and murmured to himself.

"Soon...it won't be long..."

......

on Monday.

Aunt Li Ping brewed some tea; she's been in a good mood lately.

Lin Shuxuan participated in the school's intensive training camp and didn't have time to go home every night.

Although her nephew often annoyed her, she thought of the gifts he had given her before and the hard work he had put in during this time. She had raised this boy for eighteen years.

A different kind of feeling also arose in my heart.

maternal love.

"Oh, Li Ping, you insisted on lending money to your nephew to go to high school. What was the use? You should have kept it for yourself."

In the living room, a plump woman with wide lips spoke loudly, saying that she was Aunt Yang and that she was the one who lent Lin Shuxuan the money to go to high school.

My aunt pursed her lips and retorted, "It's useful."

Aunt Yang was clearly a little unhappy, pointing at the television and saying, "No matter how well you study, can you be as good as those people?"

During the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Shinkai Martial Arts Tournament, the host used flowery language to describe the participating athletes.

But my aunt is a staunch believer that all other pursuits are inferior, and that only studying is of high value; she has no interest in this kind of competition.

She glanced around casually and then saw someone.

His face suddenly darkened.