"To be precise, they are two islands in the East China Sea."

Hu Bugui poked the island on the map with his dry stick-like fingers. It was like a dot on the map, only the size of a sesame seed compared to the distant Haikou. Xia Xiao imagined its area in his mind, and the island on the side was even smaller than it.

Contour lines can best express the terrain. One of the two islands is flat, and the other is extremely steep. Since it is on the sea, it is most likely related to pirates. Xia Xiao guessed it right. However, under this kind of terrain, the pirates, who are composed of a motley crowd, will definitely live on the flat island for a long time. As for the other island, it can only be used to hide some property, and it is already a great thing to build a few hiding places.

"Where do you think the pirates of the East Sea live?"

Hu Bugui seemed to see through Xia Xiao's thoughts, but he didn't say it out loud.

Xia Xiao pointed to the island on the right. Hu Bugui was not surprised and asked Xia Xiao to explain why.

"Senior, it's not that I underestimate the pirates, but the contour lines on the island on the left are mostly dense and overlapping, representing either cliffs or waterfalls. Since the pirates can do evil, it means that there must be cultivators among them, but it is difficult for cultivators with low strength to dig a cave on such a cliff, so I think they will definitely be on the island on the right. This island is much more convenient for anchoring ships or hunting."

Xia Xiao's analysis was pretty good, but Hu Bugui said calmly:

"I guess he thought so too, that's why he was captured. But judging from the current situation, he made a wrong estimate. In other words, the pirates all live on the island on the left, and the island on the right is just a bait, like a bright-looking fish food hanging on a hook, waiting for fish of different sizes to open their mouths and bite it."

Really live on the left?

Xia Xiao knew that he should do the opposite, but how could people live in a place like this, surrounded by reefs and difficult to stop a boat? Xia Xiao was curious about their daily life, but the first thing he asked was who the captives were.

"Wang Ling received a mission the day before yesterday to warn this powerful pirate gang. His landing point was in the center of the two islands. Because he was the first to understand the terrain of the islands, he chose the island on the right. This area is where pirates are most active, so he shouldn't have appeared directly on the island, but Wang Ling felt that his judgment would not be wrong. He is a lion, even if he goes deep into the flock of sheep, he can kill a few even if he can't defeat all of them. But guess what happened?"

"Master, you are asking this even though you already know the answer. You said before that he was captured."

Hu Bugui's tone was filled with blame, and he scolded with a smile:

"You're just too quick-witted!"

Ah Zhu stuck out his tongue, but Hu Bugui must have a reason for asking Xia Xiao this. Xia Xiao sensed something fishy and asked:

"There can't be a cultivator stronger than Wang Ling among the pirates, right?"

"Wang Ling was in the Zhimao realm, so naturally there was no pirate stronger than him. But the island was full of traps and hidden weapons. Wang Ling blocked the blades and flying needles, and it was no problem for him to deal with the talisman array. But he was defeated by the pirates' human wave tactics and sneak attacks, and was captured after he took the lives of more than 30 pirates."

"Senior, I underestimated the enemy."

Every word Hu Bugui said was to tell a truth. Therefore, Xia Xiao took the initiative to apologize and reflect, which made Hu Bugui nod secretly. Xia Xiao was very intelligent and understood the truth after just a little mention. He understood, so Hu Bugui didn't say much, because many things were not suitable to be explained thoroughly.

Wang Ling is a well-deserved lion, bold and careful, and logically he would not be defeated by pirates. But he and Xia Xiao underestimated the pirates, who were not low-quality, useless trash. They lived in the sea and islands like loaches, and knew how to deal with everything tactfully, including how to steer the ship in a storm and survive, and how to gain a foothold on the reef.

In this regard, experienced adventurers and navigators are no match for these sea rogues, who make a living from this, not writing books based on what they see and hear. It was Wang Ling, the lion, and Xia Xiao, the lone wolf, who made a mistake, but fortunately, Xia Xiao did not repeat the same mistake.

"Go back and make preparations. We will set off in an hour. We have already contacted the Southern Kingdom. These people are ruthless and are now extorting 50,000 taels of gold from the Southern Merchant Empire. If we can't teach them a lesson, let them die in the sea!"

Xia Xiao took the wanted order from his senior. It was for seven practitioners, who were probably the strongest and leaders among the pirates. Xia Xiao asked Hu Bugui if the three of them would go out together. The latter said yes, and that they would go together for all future missions. Xia Xiao was a little puzzled, as he could be more efficient alone, but Hu Bugui's words benefited Xia Xiao a lot.

"Killing is easy, but caring for and protecting people is hard. There's no harm in learning more."

On the way back to the Little White Building, Xiao Ran did not ask about her doubts, but when she returned to the dormitory, she couldn't help but speak.

"Why did the senior ask us to save Wang Ling?"

“That’s what I admire about the college.”

Xia Xiao turned his back to Xiao Ran and changed his clothes without closing the door. He wanted to fight in a tight-fitting outfit so that he could fight and kill better.

Pirates and horse thieves are the least worthy of pity. Although Xia Xiao has seen the world of sorrow and resentment in Shangshan's body and knows that many people do not do many bad things, he will not hold back. From the beginning, he should not have boarded the pirate ship, otherwise it would be difficult to wash away the sins and suspicions in the future.

Xiao Ran stared at Xia Xiao's back, wanting to hear his explanation. She felt that Xia Xiao knew why the senior was like this, and it turned out that Xia Xiao did know, as could be seen from his words.

"Logically speaking, the conflict between Nan Shang and Da Xia is so intense that I shouldn't have much contact with Wang Ling. Although I am not from the royal family of Da Xia, I am more representative than Su Huan, Si Qingling and others. That is why the academy is urging me to meet Wang Ling, which is equivalent to letting us face the future. Nan Shang and Da Xia are both big countries. Whether for national interests or historical issues, the upper echelons of the two countries will not choose to compromise or make friends to ease the outbreak of war. But we are the power of the new generation, our hatred is not deep, and our thoughts are not stubborn, so the senior wants to wash away the hatred in our minds."

“It’s not that simple if you think about it.”

"The academy holds many things in a beautiful and unrealistic light. I guess the seniors still hope that we can develop a friendship."

"Is it possible?"

Xia Xiao didn't know, but the original intention of the academy was peace, and both he and Wang Ling understood it. In the academy, they could still put aside all conflicts, but the conflicts between the two countries were so deep, and every major event in history could be called a deep hatred. Those hatreds were not something they could change, because they were followed by bloody lives, so how could they really be as close as brothers?

Wang Ling was also a proud man, and he would definitely not lose face by greeting him as if nothing had happened, but Xia Xiao did not care and just let it go.

"Have you packed it up yet?"

Xiaoran put on her bag, got ready, and went out with him. She spoke softly, expressing her concerns.

"Xia Xiao, I am more worried about those pirates than Wang Ling. Even if Wang Ling has stayed in the academy for too long and has become more arrogant, he will not be defeated by them. Moreover, the strongest of these seven practitioners is only in the middle stage of the young age of the Venerable Realm."

"Among the five elements, water is the strongest against fire."

Just this one sentence can reveal the reason for Wang Ling's failure. Most pirates are cunning, or they can be said to be smart, but they don't use it in the right way. Such beings will definitely not stand and fight with Wang Ling. Xia Xiao can roughly imagine the scene at that time. The water element called the sea water, and the waves rose very high, almost reaching the sky, extinguishing Wang Ling's fierce flames and making him a drowned chicken. Then, it was the human wave tactic. Even if Wang Ling's flames could be rekindled, the breath was weak at that moment, which was enough for the ruthless pirates to succeed.

There are many disadvantages of having one element of vitality, but Xia Xiao possesses all four elements of vitality at the same time. Although the element that best restrains wood is earth, which Xia Xiao does not possess, lightning and wood can, in a sense, take care of water. Just like fire among the five elements does not restrain wood, but it can also have a strong destructive power on the latter.

Even if Xia Xiao had underestimated them before, he would not be forced to do anything by them. However, he wanted to see what kind of pirates were capable of capturing Wang Ling. Therefore, Xia Xiao chose the same place as Wang Ling, not the island with strange terrain, but the flat island next to it.

Xia Xiao did not tell his thoughts to Xiao Ran and A Zhu, who were traveling with him, nor did he tell his seniors before. In their eyes, his trip might be a little risky, but he was confident of success.

At the square at the foot of the mountain, the three disappeared and turned into streams of light in the tunnel heading towards the East China Sea. Xia Xiao was eager to fight, having not seen any actual combat for half a year. Even without Shangshan's blood-thirsty machete, he still wanted to have a good fight.