Lave

Chapitre 50

If anyone else had spoken to Yuwen Lindong in this manner, they would likely have been met with ridicule and resentment. However, since it was Mingkong who spoke these words, Yuwen Lindong was filled with trepidation. "Brother Ming, could it be... that they will bring disaster to the martial world?"

Ming Kong was silent for a while, and then a faint sigh came out: "Whether it is a blessing or a curse depends on their own thoughts."

"This..." Yuwen Lindong was already somewhat worried about the future peace and tranquility of the martial world.

Mingkong smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Brother Yuwen, there will always be a solution when things come to an end. Just let nature take its course."

After saying this, he began to concentrate on appreciating the sea and sky scenery, while Yuwen Lindong remained worried and anxious on the side.

That day, at noon, the sun suddenly hid behind the clouds, and the once bright sky gradually darkened. The heroes did not notice anything amiss, but the subordinates of the Lan and Ming families all became solemn, for this was a sign of an impending storm at sea.

A leader from the Ming family went up to the bow of the ship and reported to Ming Er: "Second Young Master, the weather is not good, and there may be a storm. Should we continue to pursue the Dongming ship or take shelter for the time being?"

Ming Er and Lan Qi exchanged a glance and said, "Let's take a break for now."

"Yes. However, it will take half a day to get to the nearest island. If that's not enough time, please be prepared, young master," the leader added.

"Okay, go ahead and get busy." Ming Er waved his hand.

"Yes." The leader withdrew.

Lan Qi looked at the gloomy sky and said, "I once heard people say that the most feared thing on the sea is a storm, a disaster that no human power can withstand."

"Yes." Ming Er nodded. "I'm afraid we're really going to be caught up in this disaster."

"Is it really that scary?" Seeing the solemn expressions on Ming Er and Lan Qi's faces, Yuwen Luo couldn't help but wonder. It's not his fault; he had never experienced a storm at sea before, and the thunder and rain he usually saw were nothing to be afraid of.

"Senior Ming is known as the number one martial artist in the world, and the one with the highest martial arts skills, but he is no match for him in the face of this storm at sea. Isn't that terrifying?" Lan Qi glanced at Yuwen Luo and said.

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Luo gasped in astonishment and nodded hastily, "Terrifying!"

"Brother Lie, why don't you try your Blazing Sun Blade? Let's see if your blade energy can cut through this storm." Lan Qi looked at the silent Lie Chifeng with ill intent.

Lie Chifeng glanced at him and coldly uttered, "You can also try using your magic to see if you can make this storm disappear."

Lan Qi choked.

"Haha..." Yuwen Luo laughed out loud upon hearing this. He really didn't expect that the cold and aloof Third Master Lie would actually retort with such a remark to Seventh Young Master Lan.

"Is it interesting?" Lan Qi's emerald eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

Yuwen Luo quickly covered his mouth, turned around, and then ran away.

Ming Er watched from the side, shook his head, and turned to Ming Kong, who was standing on the large ship next to him, and said: "Senior Ming, there may be a storm coming soon, which is beyond human control. Let everyone go to the cabin to take shelter."

"That's the only way." Mingkong nodded.

Ming Er pondered for a moment, then said, "If something unexpected happens... those who have practiced 'Turtle Breathing Technique' can survive in water for at least two or three days."

"Alright, I'll leave the ship over there to you." Mingkong nodded again, then turned and instructed the heroes.

On the ship, Ming Er also gave instructions. Some people quickly returned to their cabins, while others leaned against the deck to watch, since the wind and waves had not yet risen.

The ship had been sailing for about an hour when the sky grew darker and grayer, and the wind grew stronger. Almost all the heroes had returned to their cabins, leaving only a few people on the deck, including Ming Kong, Feng Yi, Yuwen father and son, Ning Lang, Ming Er, Lan Qi, and Lie Chifeng. If they hadn't used their internal energy to sink themselves, they probably wouldn't have been able to stand.

"It seems the storm is really coming. Let's all go to the cabin." Ming Kong said, took one last look at Ming Er and Lan Qi on the opposite ship, nodded, and led the way back to the cabin. Feng Yi followed him into the cabin.

Just as Yuwen Lindong was about to enter the cabin, he suddenly remembered something and quickly walked back to the bow of the ship, calling out to the ship opposite, "Luo'er, come here quickly!" Yuwen Feng and Ning Lang, who were following behind him, followed him when they saw him walking back to the bow of the ship.

On this ship, Lie Chifeng had already entered the cabin, and Yuwen Luoben, who was following behind him, was also about to enter the cabin. Hearing Yuwen Lindong's call, he couldn't help but stop. Ming Er and Lan Qi, who were following behind him, also stopped. The three of them turned around and looked at the bow of the opposite ship. They saw Yuwen Lindong craning his neck and looking in their direction, waving vigorously, "Luo'er, come here quickly!"

At this moment, the wind howled and the waves surged, yet the group could still clearly hear Yuwen Lindong's anxious voice, a father's concern for his son. No matter how dissatisfied he was with this son who had no particular skills, the instinct of a father and son prevailed. At this moment of impending danger, he thought of his youngest son, whose martial arts were meager, and he wanted to keep him by his side and protect him.

“Father!” Yuwen Luo’s heart warmed. More than ten years of grievances and neglect vanished at this moment. He strode toward the bow of the ship.

Lan Qi looked at the father and son at the bow of the ship, a hint of realization flashing in her blue eyes, and stood there watching from the cabin door.

Ming Er, who was beside him, did not enter the cabin. He looked at Yuwen and his son, and then at Lan Qi, who was staring blankly. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Luo'er, come over here quickly!" Yuwen Lindong called out, beckoning. His son would be safe only by his side.

"Okay, I'm coming!"

Yuwen Luo's face lit up with a smile. He mustered his strength and leaped towards the opposite boat. The two boats were only about two zhang apart; with his third-rate lightness skill, he could easily jump over them. Just as he was about to land on the bow, a large wave surged in, pushing the boat about ten zhang away. Yuwen Luo lost his footing, cried out in alarm, and fell straight into the sea. Ning Lang, who was closest to him at the bow, lunged forward without thinking, grabbing Yuwen Luo's hand, forgetting about himself. Splash! Both of them landed in the sea.

"Luo'er!"

"Fifth Brother!"

"Ning Lang!"

Another large wave surged in, violently rocking the ship and throwing Yuwen Feng off balance. He managed to grab the railing to steady himself, while Yuwen Lindong lunged towards the railing, unable to see Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang any longer. He cried out in terror, "Luo'er! Ning Lang!"

A purple shadow flashed past, heading straight for the stern of the ship. With a splash, it leaped into the sea. In an instant, Lan Qi appeared on the surface, holding Ning Lang in her hand. Ning Lang was holding onto Yuwen Luo tightly. However, the wind and waves were now even stronger, and the three of them were bobbing up and down in the sea, unable to get close to the ship.

Yuwen Feng rushed to the stern of the ship, swung his long whip, and shouted, "Grab him!"

Lan Qi leaped up to the surface, reaching out with his left hand to grab the end of the whip. Yuwen Feng tried desperately to pull the three closer, but the three of them together were extremely heavy, and being in the water with the wind and waves hindering them, he made no progress.

Ming Er also reached the stern of the ship at this moment, and was helpless as he looked at the three people in the sea.

"Feng'er!" Yuwen Lindong reacted and rushed to the stern of the ship. Suddenly, a strong sea breeze hit, blowing him so hard that he could hardly move an inch. He was both anxious and scared, and shouted loudly, "Feng'er, hold on tight! Father is coming!"

Yuwen Feng gripped the railing with his left hand and the whip with his right, gritting his teeth and struggling to stay upright in the fierce wind.

"Hold on tight!" Lan Qi shouted, yanking with his left hand. Using the force of the pull, he swung his right hand with all his might, flinging Ning Lang and Yuwen Luo onto the boat. The two crashed onto the deck with a thud, their heads bleeding and them unconscious, but at least they were back on board. Immediately afterward, a cracking sound was heard as the railing Yuwen Feng was clinging to finally gave way under the immense force. Lan Qi, who was in the sea gripping his whip, was trying to leap up when Yuwen Feng was pulled out to sea by the force of the impact.

"Feng'er!" Yuwen Lindong roared, reaching out in vain, but failing to grasp even a corner of his beloved son's clothes. "Feng'er!"

"Catch!" Lan Qi shouted sharply, and another person was thrown out of the sea. "I don't owe anyone favors!" With this shout, Yuwen Feng landed on the deck.

"Feng'er!" Yuwen Lindong grabbed Yuwen Feng, overwhelmed with mixed feelings of sorrow and joy.

In the sea, Lan Qi was already somewhat exhausted. The wind and waves were about to crash in. He caught a glimpse of a green shadow out of the corner of his eye. Without thinking, he swiftly lashed out his long whip, wrapped it tightly, and held on tight.

"Second Young Master!"

Hearing someone scream, Lan Qi couldn't help but sneer inwardly. So they actually managed to hold off this fake immortal?

Caught off guard by the long whip, Ming Er was suddenly pulled off the ship's railing by a strong gust of wind. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and reached out with his right hand to grab the railing, thus avoiding falling. However, he was already hanging in mid-air. Just as he was feeling relieved, he heard the railing making a creaking sound, knowing that it was about to break. He immediately turned his gaze to the sea with a strange expression in his eyes, and his left hand reached for the long whip.

Hai Zhonglan Qi, seeing the two movements clearly, knew exactly what they meant. A mocking smile appeared on her lips. Gathering her last bit of strength, she suddenly yanked. "Hmph! You want to break the whip and abandon me? If I can't live, how can I let you, a mere fake immortal, survive alone!"

With a cracking sound, the ship's railing broke, and Ming Er was pulled into the sea by the force of the whip. A huge wave swept in and instantly submerged the two of them.

"Brother Yuwen, what happened?" Mingkong's voice came. The wind howled and the waves crashed outside, making it difficult to hear anything from inside the cabin. However, Mingkong's skill was profound, and he could vaguely hear Yuwen Lindong's terrified screams. He couldn't help but go out of the cabin to check.

"Second Young Master and Seventh Young Master..." Yuwen Lindong pointed to the sea.

“They’ve all sunk into the sea.” Yuwen Feng’s face was deathly pale, his eyes fixed on the churning, surging sea, where there was no one left.

"Yinyin!" A desperate cry rang out, and a white figure lunged into the sea. Ming reached out and grabbed it tightly.

The sea wind howled and the waves roared!

The sky and sea were as dark as night. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a deafening roar and a thunderclap. A torrential downpour engulfed the sea and sky in chaos. Apart from the deafening thunder, there was no other sound. All that could be seen was darkness. Nothing could be seen except for the lightning. Not to mention Ming Er and Lan Qi, who had long been swept away by the waves.

21. The Storm is Coming (Part 2)

The storm raged for a day and a night before finally subsiding, and then the East Sea returned to calm, with sea breezes blowing, seabirds calling, waves rippling, and fish leaping through each day.

As the sun gradually sets and night quietly falls, the bright moon hangs high in the sky.

Two people lay supine on the beach, one clutching a long whip tightly in his hand, one end of which was wrapped around the other's waist, his hand also gripping the whip. The seawater occasionally washed ashore, sometimes pushing the two onto the beach, sometimes pulling them back into the sea, but the two simply lay quietly, as if fast asleep, letting their bodies rise and fall in the water.

The night passed quietly, and the moon gradually slanted.

The two people lying on the beach seemed to have slept well, each making a slight movement: one's eyelids fluttered, and the other's fingers twitched. Then, almost at the same time, they both opened their eyes.

What comes into view is a sky as black as ink, studded with countless glittering stars, surrounding a crescent moon, stretching out endlessly, giving one an instant feeling of insignificance in the face of the vastness of the heavens.

Both were momentarily bewildered, captivated by the beauty of the scene and confused about their own location. At that moment, they simultaneously sensed the presence of another person. Turning their heads and seeing each other, they each silently thought: "The ghost won't leave! The nightmare won't end!"

Yet, a friendly smile appeared on each of their faces.

"How fortunate to see the Second Young Master after all this trouble!" one of them said with great joy, but he gripped the whip in his hand even tighter, his inner strength ready to be unleashed.

"It is truly gratifying that Seventh Young Master is safe and sound." One of them said sincerely, his fingertips on the whip coming together, the force between his fingers ready to be released at any moment.

They both noticed each other's movements, their eyes met, and they each raised an eyebrow before silently withdrawing their power. There was plenty of time in the future, and besides, they didn't know where they were right now; a mutually destructive outcome wouldn't be wise. At that moment, they reached a consensus.

“It seems we were washed ashore on this island by the waves.” Ming Er untied the whip from his waist and stood up.

"No sign of human life, probably a deserted island." Lan Qi also stood up, wrapping the whip around his waist. "Young Master Yuwen's Crimson Dragon Whip must be woven from black gold, otherwise how could it be so sturdy?" The waves hadn't broken it, but now he and this fake immortal were in the same boat. Alas... alas!

The two walked ashore from the sea, and their first feeling was one of intense thirst.

The two looked at each other, and under the moonlight and starlight, they could see each other's faces clearly. They were truly more disheveled than ever before, and it was at this moment that they realized how perfect each other's features were.

Both of them were figures of captivating presence, and when others looked at them, they were usually judged primarily by their outward aura, often overlooking their faces. Although they knew they were handsome, their faces didn't attract much attention. But now, with their hair disheveled and their clothes in disarray, all their adornment ruined, their former charm and elegance were gone. Thus, their faces, freed from their usual aura, became strikingly visible.

The two glanced at each other, then looked away, each letting out a muttered snort.

Demons are indeed born with an alluring and beautiful appearance!

Fake immortals really do all have a deceptively beautiful appearance!

After they finished humming, their stomachs made unpleasant rumbling sounds. They glanced at each other, saving themselves from further teasing, and then searched every possible place on their bodies to see if they could find anything to eat.

After searching for a while, the two sat facing each other.

Before Lan Qi were a white jade fan and several exquisite small porcelain bottles.

Before Ming Er were a purple bamboo flute and several exquisite small porcelain bottles.

The two looked at what was laid out in front of them, then looked up at each other, their lips twitching.

"Does the Second Young Master have any potent tonics?" Lan Qi picked up his jade fan and pointed to the small porcelain bottles in front of the Second Young Master. Although tonics are not considered food, they can still boost one's energy.

“My health has always been excellent,” Ming Er sighed. The implication was clear: he hadn’t brought any potent tonics.

"Sigh!" Lan Qi sighed. Looking at the Second Young Master Ming across from her, then at the dark island, she said, "I hope there are lots of pheasants and rabbits on this island." After saying this, she seemed to remember something, quickly searched again, and finally looked dejectedly at Ming Er, "Where's yours?"

Ming Er also realized this and hurriedly searched carefully. Finally, he shrugged and said helplessly, "It was washed away too."

Lan Qi groaned, rubbing his forehead, "Without flint, are we supposed to eat pheasants and rabbits raw?"

"Maybe there are people living on this island," Ming Er said optimistically.

"Ideally, this family would have several young, beautiful, and lovely daughters." Lan Qi's words contained obvious sarcasm.

"We also need a few young and handsome sons, after all, the Seventh Young Master possesses both Yin and Yang qualities." The Second Young Master Ming is not one to just sit and take a beating.

The two looked at each other again and laughed at themselves. At this point, all that arguing was a waste of their energy and not worth it at all.