Chapter 13 Fighting the Pirates (Part 1) Arrogance always comes at a price…

The weather at sea is indeed unpredictable.

When I woke up the next day, the biting, icy sea wind howled, the dark sky seemed to be angry, and the waves were turbulent. Even a ship as huge as the Zhang family's was as small as a grain of sand on the sea.

Zhang Yuanhan is confirming the course with the helmsman, his expression focused. At sea and on land, he is two different Zhang Yuanhans.

At sea, Zhang Yuanhan is serious, cautious, and ambitious; on land, he is just the second young master Zhang, who is indulgent, spoiled, and like a foolish son of a landlord.

Zhou Ziheng walked over, and Zhang Yuanhan smiled easily: "The journey is going smoothly, and we should arrive in about two more days."

Zhou Ziheng nodded, looked up at the sea, and smiled: "I hope so."

Perhaps it was the bad weather that made the atmosphere particularly oppressive. Zhang Yuanhan wanted to make a joke, but then he felt that he might get into trouble if he said it, so he swallowed his words and went to call Xi Bingyi and Huo Qin.

When he returned, his expression was no longer as relaxed as when he left. He handed Zhou Ziheng a long, cylindrical object.

"Binoculars—look back."

Zhou Ziheng took the novel telescope and brought it close to his eyes. His vision suddenly became exceptionally wide and distant. Looking back, he saw a medium-sized ship chasing after them, sailing against the wind and waves, diagonally behind Zhang's giant ship. The ship was moving at a very high speed, and they would meet in about fifteen minutes.

Zhou Ziheng understood: "Sea pirates?"

Zhang Yuanhan sighed, his face full of worry: "They must have calculated that the weather at sea would be bad today, and that our ship would not dare to sail fast. They were just waiting for this moment."

As the distance between them closed, Zhou Ziheng gradually saw the ship's configuration clearly—the pirates only cared about plundering and did not consider trade, so the ship only had a very simple small cargo hold. Apart from the steering equipment, there was nothing else, but this left them with a considerable amount of space. A large group of people stood on the deck, greedily watching Zhang's cargo ship.

Zhou Ziheng roughly counted about thirty people, each carrying a broadsword. It seemed that a conflict was inevitable today.

At this moment, Xi Bingyi and Huo Qin also arrived on the deck. Neither of them were too upset when they learned of the current situation.

Zhou Ziheng had anticipated that the trip would not go smoothly, so he was not too bothered. He told Zhang Yuanhan to take the workers back to their rooms first, as the rooms were relatively safer, while he, Xi Bingyi, and Huo Qin stayed on the deck.

“Go back, you’re just a hindrance here,” Zhou Ziheng said to Zhang Yuanhan.

Zhang Yuanhan naturally knew the importance of the matter, so he did not refuse. He only left a message of "take care" before hurriedly returning to his cabin.

Zhou Ziheng didn't take the pirates seriously. He was eager to try his luck and said to Xi Bingyi and Huo Qin, "How about we have a competition to see who can kill more?"

Xi Bingyi is playful by nature. As expected of her fellow disciples, Zhou Ziheng didn't even need to mention the stakes before Xi Bingyi agreed.

"Is that even a question? Of course, I, your grandma, am the better one!"

Huo Qin, unusually playful, said, "The sea is rough, and the ship is rocking. You can't do what I can."

Zhou Ziheng scoffed and was the first to throw himself out of the mortal world, his red robes fluttering in the wind.

"That's hard to say!"

"Even without the mortal world, this group of pirates is still nothing but a rabble to me!"

The situation is unpredictable and volatile.

Xi Bingyi stood side by side with Zhou Ziheng. The pirate ships were getting closer and closer; they were so numerous that she could see the densely packed heads even without binoculars. She took off her whip and stretched her limbs.

"You dare to throw away the mortal world like that? Be careful your darling won't be happy." Before Xi Bingyi could finish speaking, Zhou Ziheng quickly picked up the sword.

Zhou Ziheng seemed to regret it. He slowly wiped the mortal world until his handsome face was reflected in the mirror: "It's my fault. I'm sorry, baby. Even if I didn't need you, I shouldn't have thrown you away."

Huo Qin: "..."

Xi Bingyi raised an eyebrow: "Really, you don't want to deal with worldly affairs?"

Zhou Ziheng chuckled lightly: "Using such talent as a waste."

Xi Bingyi pouted: "Okay, I hope you won't need my help."

The sea breeze, sharp as a knife, whipped against their cheeks as the pirates' ship drew near to Zhang's. They threw out grappling hooks from their ship, clung firmly to Zhang's deck, and then methodically and naturally climbed up the hooks, their skill and ease showing they were used to this sort of thing.

Xi Bingyi and Zhou Ziheng didn't move. Confident in their strength, they naturally didn't take these lackeys seriously. What did it matter if they let them board the ship? Rather than cutting the grappling hooks to prevent them from boarding, it was better to eliminate them once and for all once they were on board.

Meanwhile, Huo Qin stood by, drawing his bow with predatory intent, the menacing arrows slicing across the faces of each pirate, seemingly searching for suitable prey.

"Damn it!" one of the pirates spat. "These three really don't respect us brothers at all!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a commotion arose in the crowd. These pirates wreaked havoc on the seas; aside from Xu Yi, who had they ever feared? Now, these three men looked at them with disdain, completely disregarding them—it was infuriating!

"They don't know their place! Once we cut off their hands and feet, they'll know what's what!"

"Haha, I can't wait to see their tearful faces! They'll give me a good beating then!"

The pirates burst into laughter, "That little wench has such delicate skin, we can't cut off her arms and legs, or the brothers won't have any fun!"

Subtle laughter and glances mingled among the pirates. Their gazes clung to Xi Bingyi like disgusting slime, scrutinizing her clothes and figure while making lewd noises. They said things like, "This woman must be hot and exciting," and "Brothers, let's all go for her and make this little wench break down and cry."

The sounds of the pirates' movements reached the three of them on the sea breeze. Xi Bingyi's face was cold and stern. She gripped the whip tightly and dragged it on the deck, making a loud noise.

Before she could make a move, Huo Qin's arrow had already pierced the man's throat. Before the arrogant pirate could finish speaking, his neck was already pierced, revealing a round hole!

The man's laughter was like a broken window, howling for a moment before abruptly stopping, and the gushing blood poured directly onto the heads of those around him.

Huo Qin's tone was icy as he drew his bow again: "Who will say another word?"

Upon hearing this, the pirates fell silent, and no one dared to speak arrogantly again.

Zhou Ziheng still felt it wasn't enough to vent his anger, so he took out a few withered leaves from his pocket, pushed and twirled them with his fingers, and the leaves, like sharp blades, moved quickly and fast, leaving afterimages, and ghostly slashed at the eyes of those people.

The falling leaves and blossoms are like knives and swords!

Their eyes were pierced, and in an instant, they let out a painful scream.

That's too fast!

No one even saw how Zhou Ziheng made his move.

Just a few withered leaves, just a few withered leaves?

Just a few withered leaves!

A bizarre fear gripped everyone's hearts, but soon, the stench of blood carried by the sea breeze fully ignited their fighting spirit. The pirates were bold, unconventional, cruel, and ruthless—true wolves of the sea. Zhou Ziheng and Huo Qin's move intimidated them, but only for a moment.

They were already living on the edge anyway, so death was just another outcome! Besides, how could three people possibly stop a whole group?

The pirates roared and began boarding the ship even more frantically! The wolves, activated by the blood, bared their more ferocious fangs, determined to tear each other apart.

Zhou Ziheng looked down at the pirates boarding the ship, his eyes icy cold. At that moment, he stared intently at each pirate with a contorted face, hot blood gushing from his veins, like a hunter choosing the perfect angle to kill.

On the other side, Xi Bingyi was already locked in combat with the pirates. She was seething with anger, and her whip was wielded with exceptional ferocity, like a hissing venomous snake. Often, a single hunt would leave the enemy bleeding on the spot.

With a snap, she shattered the pirate's swung knife, then wrapped her hand around the man's neck, let out a cold snort, and flung him into the waves. Taking advantage of the momentum, she struck the pirate who was attacking from behind in the eye, and as the pirate cried out in pain and his throat was exposed, she smashed his throat!

Xi Bingyi is not a delicate flower protected by Zhou Ziheng and Huo Qin. She is one of the "Three Heroes" and is the "Mei Ji" feared by everyone in the martial arts world!

When she first became famous in the martial arts world, people often referred to Xi Bingyi as "Ghost Princess" because of the ghosts that could be seen with her whip.

However, Xi Bingyi disliked the name, finding it unpleasant and resembling that of an old woman in her seventies or eighties. So she forced those who had called her Gui Ji to change their address and call her Mei Ji.

"Say it again, what's my name?" Xi Bingyi cracked her whip, looking at the bruised and battered martial arts figures at her feet, and threatened them.

“Mei Ji, Mei Ji! We were blind and didn’t recognize you. Miss Xi Bingyi should naturally be called Mei Ji…”

When the pirates first boarded the ship, they focused their firepower on Xi Bingyi. Their innate contempt and disdain for women quickly made them suffer. So they immediately changed their strategy: if they couldn't mess with this tigress, could they not mess with that unarmed pretty boy?

Zhou Ziheng held the fragile leaf in his hand, not moving an inch, standing still as if he had given up the fight.

Xi Bingyi glanced at Zhou Ziheng briefly, and in the instant her gaze fell upon him, he vanished completely!

Xi Bingyi was surprised; after not seeing him for many days, her senior brother's movement technique seemed to have improved again.

Surrounded by nearly ten people, Zhou Ziheng darted about like a nimble fish, or like the scythe of death, raising the horn of harvest as he approached each person.

In a short while, countless people collapsed beneath those thin, fragile leaves.

Zhou Ziheng did not completely slit their throats, nor did he kill them completely. Instead, he cruelly watched them fall on the deck in agony, uttering incoherent words, and watched helplessly as their eyeballs bulged out and blood flowed freely, until they finally bled to death!

Thick blood spread to their feet like seawater, and everyone seemed frozen in place, watching Zhou Ziheng leisurely and independently with fear.

Deathly silence—a deathly silence completely dominated by fear!

Xi Bingyi had not expected Zhou Ziheng to be so cruel. She immediately realized that it was the words of those pirates that had completely enraged Zhou Ziheng.

"Senior brother! Calm down!" she hurriedly reminded him. "Don't get caught up in your emotions!"

Under the dark and gloomy sky, Zhou Ziheng's eyes showed no light. He casually tossed aside the leaf, then took another one from his pocket and slowly wiped his blood-stained hands.

He seemed not to hear Xi Bingyi's words, but looked at the pirates as if they were ants, and asked softly, "Is there anything else?"

In the silent space, Zhou Ziheng's icy voice was like a deadly curse, making the pirates' hands and feet go weak, and they could barely hold their knives.

How can this person be so cruel, even more like a pirate than a pirate himself?

Huo Qin was not idle either. He stood lazily behind Zhou Ziheng and Xi Bingyi, constantly shooting arrows through the foreheads and throats of the pirates boarding the ship. Even though he had already killed dozens of them, he still seemed to be handling the situation with ease.

This was a massacre with no suspense whatsoever; it was simply a one-sided massacre of the pirates by Zhou Ziheng and his group.

The remaining pirates knew that disaster was imminent. They exchanged glances, as if they had made a decision. They looked at the corpses scattered across the deck; some of them had been drinking and eating with them not long ago, and now they were cold, lifeless bodies with their eyes wide open in death.

The pirates who were still climbing were about to board the ship. The remaining few exchanged glances and all showed resolute expressions.

Since we're going to die anyway, why not take a couple of people down with us?

The pirate who had just boarded the ship pulled a bundle of gunpowder from his robes! He howled like a madman, like a exhausted beast making its last stand. He charged towards Zhou Ziheng without hesitation!

"Zhou Ziheng!" Xi Bingyi screamed anxiously. She could see clearly that Zhou Ziheng had his back to the pirates and reacted a moment too late. In that instant, the pirates were already right in front of her with ignited gunpowder!

Huo Qin was blocked by the two people's backs and hadn't even seen what was happening when he heard Xi Bingyi scream—

"No!!" Xi Bingyi's pupils shrank, she screamed, ignoring the pirates' raised knives behind her, she quickly raised her whip and whipped it towards the gunpowder!

Everything seemed to move in slow motion—Zhou Ziheng's surprised turn, the astonishment in his eyes; Xi Bingyi's raised whip, the tension in her arm muscles; Huo Qin nocking two arrows, his eyes like a hawk's; the gunpowder in the pirate's arms, the hatred in his eyes; the swords raised high, their determination to stop Xi Bingyi—

Life and death intersect, and storms rise and tides surge.

At the critical moment, Zhou Ziheng used all his strength to slit the throat of the pirate holding the gunpowder and sever his tendons. Xi Bingyi's whip finally caught the gunpowder and hurled it fiercely into the sea!

Meanwhile, Hochin's arrows arrived, and two arrows were fired at the same time, one aimed at the pirate carrying gunpowder, and the other at the other man holding a knife.

With a loud bang!

The ship rocked violently, the wind and waves rose, and the gunpowder exploded in the air just before it hit the sea! The huge impact swept over the entire ship, pounding on the three people. The ship shook and even capsized for a moment, like a mountain about to collapse.

Feeling as if his body was about to fall apart, the aftershock of the explosion slammed Zhou Ziheng to the ground. On one side was the scalding impact, and on the other side was the blood-soaked deck. Zhou Ziheng spat out a mouthful of blood and heard a cracking sound, as if the bone in his lower leg had broken.

The pirates behind Xi Bingyi had originally aimed for her heart, but Huo Qin's arrow arrived just in time. Before he could get his hands on her, he was knocked away by the force of the arrow and fell into the deep sea.

Zhou Ziheng's face was gloomy as he helped up Xi Bingyi, who was still in shock.

Xi Bingyi was also impacted by the explosion and fell heavily to the ground. Her face was deathly pale, her gaze darting around, and cold sweat dripped slowly down her forehead: "Thank goodness you're alright."

If Xi Bingyi hadn't risked her own life to forcibly take away the gunpowder, everyone on this ship would have perished here!

Huo Qin seemed to be in the best condition among them. He helped Xi Bingyi up from the other side and asked, "Where do you feel unwell?"

Xi Bingyi was about to speak when she coughed up blood.

Zhou Ziheng's face was grim: "It must be an internal injury. Quickly help her to the cabin. I remember Zhang Yuanhan brought a doctor with him."

Xi Bingyi coughed a few times and asked worriedly, "And you, where are you hurt?"

"Don't speak." Zhou Ziheng covered Xi Bingyi's mouth and told Huo Qin to take her back quickly.

Huo Qin took a deep look at Zhou Ziheng's somewhat twisted calves, and ultimately decided to take Xi Bingyi back first, and then come back to help him.

Zhou Ziheng finally managed to persuade Xi Bingyi to leave, but his heart was still pounding in his chest. Fear, self-blame, and anger welled up inside him, but he had nowhere to vent his emotions, which stuck in his throat, causing him to sob.

Xi Bingyi belatedly felt the pain, but she still smiled gently and said to Huo Qin, "It's nothing..."

Huo Qin remained silent, only quickening his pace.

He took Xi Bingyi into the room, comforted the people affected by the explosion, and instructed Zhang Yuanhan to treat Xi Bingyi's injuries as soon as possible. After giving all the instructions, he returned to the deck.

On the dark sea, the flash of gunpowder exploding was fleeting, casting a brief glimmer in Zhou Ziheng's eyes. However, soon, a deeper and darker emotion enveloped him.

Before anyone knew it, two other pirate ships arrived beside Zhang's ship. The pirates, seeing the desolate scene, were filled with bloodthirsty excitement.

Two more groups of pirates arrived.

Like ants drawn by the scent of blood, upon seeing the giant elephant in distress, they bared their sharp teeth endlessly, determined to devour the elephant completely.

Zhou Ziheng picked up the whip that Xi Bingyi had left behind and tucked it into his waistband.

He slowly and resolutely withdrew from the mortal world.