On the sea, Yang Xueqing wielded her sword to slay sea monsters with ease, as effortlessly as if she were swatting a mosquito.
Although some martial artists knew of her strength, they did not quite understand why her sword strike was stronger than that of the previous beautiful woman.
Logically speaking, as competitors for the position of peak master, there shouldn't be a significant difference in their strength.
But of course there are people who know what they're doing.
The master scribe of Qianqiu Pavilion stood on the large ship and bowed respectfully from afar.
"Congratulations, Grandmaster Yang! Congratulations, Peak Master Yang! It seems that your sect's return to its former glory is just around the corner."
Grandmaster?
Many martial artists on the ship were bewildered.
Even though the martial arts level of Sihai Prefecture far surpasses that of Sanjiang County, the title of Grandmaster is still quite intimidating.
Judging from the words of the gold medal writer of Qianqiu Pavilion, this contender for the peak master of Biyue Peak is actually a master-level figure.
The beautiful woman, who had previously slain many sea beasts, now had a complicated expression.
After a long silence, she bowed deeply and said:
"Greetings, Peak Master."
As she spoke, the other disciples of Biyue Peak who were traveling with her on the boat also shouted in unison.
"Greetings, Peak Master!"
Amidst such sounds, Lin Ce was filled with emotion.
Just a moment ago, he received a notification from the system.
The reward for this escort mission has arrived in my account.
It seems that after Yang Xueqing was recognized as the peak master by the people of Biyue Peak, the system also assumed that the previous goods had been successfully delivered.
"Grandmaster?"
Lin Ce murmured to himself.
He knew that in the martial arts world today, the realm of martial artists was divided into three major levels.
Acquired, innate, grandmaster.
The seventh, eighth, and ninth ranks are referred to as Acquired Martial Artists.
Those at the fourth, fifth, or sixth rank are considered innate martial artists.
Those who can be called grandmasters must be at least third-rank.
How powerful is a Rank 3?
Lin Ce couldn't quite figure it out, but just looking at the scene of the blue water and sky blending into one, he couldn't muster any thoughts of resistance.
At least for now, I'm afraid I can't even withstand a single, light strike from the opponent.
Just as he was thinking this, before he could even process the reward he had just received, Lin Ce discovered that Yang Xueqing had already come up in front of him.
"You're Lin Ce, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Sihai Escort Agency, right?"
"...What brings you here, senior?"
Facing the other person at close range, Lin Ce tensed up, in a state of unprecedented vigilance.
Of course, such vigilance may not be of much use.
"Your martial arts skills are very solid, very good. Also, thank you for the congratulatory gift, I like it very much, please also thank your employer for me."
Yang Xueqing smiled, turned her head slightly, and glanced at Su Caiying beside her.
The many martial artists on the ship all looked at Lin Ce and Su Caiying with envy in their eyes.
What an honor it is to be favored by a master!
Many people have already formed new ideas and plan to find an opportunity to cooperate with the Sihai Escort Agency as soon as they return.
They had a premonition that the Sihai Escort Agency was about to take off.
"Huh?"
Yang Xueqing's expression suddenly changed.
The reason for her change in expression was immediately known to everyone on the ship.
A sound, like the tinkling of a clear spring, rang out on the sea.
"You killed this big guy? You're quite skilled, but you came here and dirtied my place. What about that?"
The sound echoed in their ears, and almost everyone on the ship looked ashamed, as if they truly felt they had done something wrong.
Only a very small number of people are exceptions.
Lin Ce was one of the exceptions.
But at this moment, his complexion was definitely not good.
He recognized the voice as very familiar; it was clearly the half-merman sea lord he had seen in the Mirror Stream Pavilion before.
Having mastered the art of "sea mirages," he knew perfectly well that the opponent was using this very method at that moment.
The fact that it could be effective against so many martial artists on the entire ship from such a distance shows just how skilled the opponent was in "Sea Mirage Sound".
Lin Ce's own "Sea Mirage Sound" was of a high level, and coupled with the characteristics of his flawless body, it prevented him from falling into illusion.
Yang Xueqing, a master-level expert, would certainly not easily fall into such a widespread illusion.
"Is it human or demon?"
She took off from the ship again, reaching the bow, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Where her gaze fell, a figure stood on the water, slowly walking towards her.
She was a woman of unparalleled beauty, who, amidst the vast expanse of blue waves, resembled a fairy gliding on the water, her radiance beyond compare.
Yang Xueqing's face darkened.
Only someone who had reached the level of a grandmaster could see the woman's extraordinary qualities.
She transcended the innate realm and entered the Grandmaster realm, which is called the third-grade outer realm.
The so-called Grandmaster of External Realms is someone who takes the martial arts conception they comprehended at the fourth rank and takes it a step further, forming a real scene that can influence the outside world.
The vast blue water and sky blend into one color, which is her exterior scenery.
But the woman walked slowly and steadily, tearing a rift in her landscape.
It's like drawing a black line on a blank sheet of paper.
There is basically only one possibility that can achieve this.
The other party clearly also possesses the power of a third-grade external realm cultivator.
"Neither human nor demon."
The woman stopped a short distance away, stood still on the sea, and smiled gently.
Two pale blue ears stood out prominently on either side of her face.
"So it was a half-demon."
Yang Xueqing's eyes flashed, and she spoke towards the large ship.
"Mr. Fang, please keep an eye on things and take the large ship to retreat."
On the large ship, the gold-medal writer of Qianqiu Pavilion nodded solemnly.
"Rest assured, Peak Master Yang, I understand."
The next step might involve a battle at the level of an exterior-level expert. With the destructive power of a third-grade grandmaster, if this large ship remains stationary, it will likely be reduced to ashes very quickly.
There were many innate martial artists on the ship, but probably none of them were confident that they could protect themselves in such a battle.
The large ship quickly moved backward.
The woman on the sea simply watched calmly and did not intervene.
"Don't worry, I'm not interested in human minions. I'm just here to have a talk with you."
What should we talk about?
Yang Xueqing stood in mid-air and spoke in a deep voice.
Although she has reached the Grandmaster level, she is actually not very willing to fight against others of the same level unless necessary.
Frankly, such a battle is not very beneficial unless it is for the purpose of verifying martial arts skills.
"No rush, let's fight first. If I don't fight and show others my strength, no one will take my business seriously."
The woman on the sea had clearly made up her mind. As the large ship gradually retreated into the distance, she began to challenge the enemy.
"Come on, let me see just how strong this human grandmaster really is, so I can decide what to do next."
"Very well, that big oaf before didn't let me fully enjoy my sword, so it's your turn."
Yang Xueqing was not to be outdone, and drew her longsword once again.
"Buzz~"
Half of the sea was tranquil, with the water and sky merging into a deep blue, while the other half was filled with endless bubbles rising into the sky.
The large ship, which was thought to have retreated a sufficient distance, suddenly came to a strange halt on the sea surface.
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