Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

One by one, the cannonballs suddenly changed their trajectory, all turning towards Qin Yuesheng.

Bang!

When the first cannonball was caught by Qin Yuesheng, the second, third, and fourth followed one after another.

Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!

The cannonballs adhered to each other, sticking together, and finally formed into an irregular mass made entirely of bronze cannonballs in Qin Yuesheng’s hands.

The cannonballs, after being fired at high speed, produced astonishing heat from the friction in the air. As they were caught by Qin Yuesheng, the red-hot bronze cannonballs emitted high-temperature steam, swirling upwards.

Silence, an unusually quiet silence, a silence where no one spoke.

"Gulp!" Liu Ming couldn’t help but swallow. He suddenly understood why Zeng Jinchao appeared so panicked when he fled the Twelve Linked Rings.

This opponent was unbelievably absurdly strong.

Zeng Jinchao looked at Qin Yuesheng with a complex expression. Once again, his opponent’s strength was beyond his imagination.

Casually, Qin Yuesheng swung his hand, and the bronze cannonballs, forcibly restrained and deprived of energy, fell into the East Sea. As they touched the seawater, there was even a sizzling sound reminiscent of weapons being quenched.

In front of everyone, he raised the Celestial Demonic Blade high, and phantom mountain shadows appeared around him.

The towering peaks and ridges of mountains.

For a moment, the Ten Thousand Mountains seemed to cover the sky above the East Sea, casting this sea area into darkness.

"Heaven and Earth, Seven Great Limits." Qin Yuesheng suddenly withdrew from the Carefree Heavenly Travel Skill, and his whole body instantly plunged swiftly towards the sea surface, the Celestial Demonic Blade shining brilliantly behind him, bringing the shadows of the Ten Thousand Mountains closer to the sea surface.

"Mountain Collapse!"

A single slash caused the sea surface to surge with huge waves, numerous ships bobbed like duckweed in water, riding the waves up and down. At this moment, all the soldiers on deck were rolling uncontrollably, some were even thrown overboard by the force of the waves, disappearing into the sea, gone without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Boom!

The shadows of the Ten Thousand Mountains crashed into the sea surface, causing it to crack and rupture, as towering waves overwhelmed everything. The ships within the blade’s range instantly disintegrated, dismantled in a split second.

The Celestial Demonic Blade struck the sea, sending a massive wave over ten feet high into the air, bringing a baptism-like downpour to the area.

"This..." Du Xiaoqing, Jin Haishi, and others watching from the city walls were already dumbfounded, their mouths agape, speechless with shock.

Not long afterward, there was calm and tranquility, and the sun’s brilliance fell from the sky, reflecting the East Sea like a mirror.

On this mirror-like surface, a young man brandishing a blood-red long blade stood atop the waters, gazing down on all with dry clothes, not a drop of water touching him.

"Help! Help!" A head suddenly poked out from the seawater at Qin Yuesheng’s feet, frantically waving its arms, shouting in panic.

But just then, a shoe sole pressed from above, directly pushing the head back under the seawater, bubbles continuously rising.

When Qin Yuesheng released his foot, as the person surfaced again, their expression had become nearly lifeless.

Qin Yuesheng placed the back of the Celestial Demonic Blade against the person’s head and said, "Surrender, and I will spare your life."

"I surrender, I surrender, save me, I don’t want to die..." The person pleaded weakly.

Qin Yuesheng reached out and sucked the person up from the water. Although drenched and covered in mud, the clothes worn were of brocade, clearly indicating a different status from ordinary soldiers.

When Qin Yuesheng had chased out from the Twelve Linked Rings, he had noticed this person, who seemed to be in command, on the central flagship. Now, given the person was still alive, controlling them meant Qin Yuesheng did not need to create more Life-and-Death Cold Ice Talismans to control the other soldiers.

Robbers could become soldiers, so naturally, soldiers could also become robbers.

If the surviving soldiers were transformed into members of the Twelve Linked Rings, the numbers would swell considerably, benefiting the sea fortress since the more people there are, the greater the strength, allowing them to engage in labor like repairing the walls.

"Cough cough cough!" Severely congested from water, Liu Ming, who was lifted by Qin Yuesheng, couldn’t stop coughing, spitting out mouthfuls of seawater. Qin Yuesheng injected a surge of Inner Strength into him, circulating it around his Inner Viscera, and immediately, Liu Ming let out a great heave, expelling at least seven or eight bowls of seawater in one go, notably flattening his previously distended abdomen.

Holding Liu Ming, Qin Yuesheng did not choose to first return to the Twelve Linked Rings but instead walked up mid-air using the Carefree Heavenly Travel Skill, beginning to use the Biluo Eye to search for Zeng Jinchao’s whereabouts on the sea surface.

This person’s strength is quite formidable. If I can seize his Inner Strength, I will definitely reach the sixth level of the Inner Power Realm today.

"Help me!"

"Help, I can’t swim."

"Blub blub blub blub blub..."

A large number of soldiers falling into the water due to the ship’s destruction rose and fell on the sea surface, clutching pieces of broken wood while continuously crying for help.

Those soldiers who weren’t good swimmers and couldn’t reach the wood simply sank and disappeared after bobbing up and down a few times...

Under Qin Yuesheng’s expanded search, he finally discovered Zeng Jinchao, who was frantically kicking his legs, trying to swim away, on a round wooden barrel.

"Finally found you." Qin Yuesheng immediately rushed over. This person had been severely injured during their battle within the Twelve Linked Rings. Now surviving the Seven Limits Saber Skill by merely a stroke of luck, he was already exhausted and weary.

With such a state, where could his speed compare to Qin Yuesheng’s? Within a few breaths, Qin Yuesheng caught up with him. Feeling a shadow suddenly approach the water from the sky, Zeng Jinchao sensed the bad situation and hastily abandoned the barrel, intending to dive into the water to evade Qin Yuesheng’s pursuit.

But it’s not that easy. Qin Yuesheng just reached out and grabbed, causing Zeng Jinchao to helplessly rise from the sea, and in the blink of an eye, Zeng Jinchao’s skull was already in Qin Yuesheng’s grasp.

Qin Yuesheng said, "I’ll ask you a few questions. If you answer well, I can temporarily spare your life."

Zeng Jinchao planned to retort defiantly but, upon hearing such an offer, immediately humbled himself and said meekly, "Sir, please ask, I promise to answer everything I know."

"What was the escape technique you used before in the Twelve Linked Rings called?"

"That was Blood Escape Skill, which requires activating with one’s own vital essence. Once activated, it can quickly escape a hundred yards away. If you want to learn it, I can gift you the secret manual."

Qin Yuesheng scoffed. He already possessed the Carefree Heavenly Travel Skill, far superior to any Divine Skill at the Heaven and Earth Level for Lightweight Skill, and with the unreasonable sprint speed of Zaizhi Tianya, the Blood Escape Skill that could only cover a hundred yards was simply insignificant.

Qin Yuesheng’s curiosity arose because a child who once came out of the Celestial Demon’s Heart Realm also knew this Blood Escape Skill.

"Do you belong to any sect? How many people can use this Blood Escape Skill?"

Zeng Jinchao quickly replied, "I have no sect or school, and my master passed away years ago. This Blood Escape Skill was found in an ancient book accidentally on a deserted island when I went out to sea many years ago. That island was uninhabited, and it’s unknown which Immortal left it.

Logically speaking, if it isn’t a spell of any Immortal sect, then I should be the only one who can use it."

His words were clearly not believed by Qin Yuesheng, who had previously seen others also use this Blood Escape Skill, indicating what Zeng Jinchao obtained was certainly not a unique copy.

"Did you also learn the miraculous Sword Techniques you used before on the overseas Immortal islands?"

"Yes, everyone says Immortals reside on overseas Immortal islands. If one can find an Immortal’s abode or the Immortal family’s blessed land, they might learn magic techniques. I have reached the end of my martial path, unable to break through the bottleneck, so I venture out to seek Immortal islands for the breakthrough in strength." Zeng Jinchao cautiously glanced at Qin Yuesheng: "If you are interested, I am willing to tell you all about the cultivation method of Cyan Lotus Sword Song without any reservation."

The Life-and-Death Cold Ice Talisman possesses substantial control over those without Inner Strength, but Inner Strength martial artists can use their Inner Strength to repel it, so its control effect isn’t as significant as with ordinary people.

Zeng Jinchao had been under Liu Xian for many years, and Qin Yuesheng did not believe he could make him truly submit with just a few words. Currently, he might temporarily surrender due to Qin Yuesheng’s strength, but given the chance to escape, he would undoubtedly choose to leave without hesitation.

This person is Liu Xian’s subordinate, so naturally, he can’t be allowed alive back to Liu Xian.

"You’ve been honest, so your life is temporarily spared." Qin Yuesheng said, carrying Zeng Jinchao and Liu Ming towards the Twelve Linked Rings.

Seeing this situation, Zeng Jinchao panicked.

"You, didn’t you say you’d spare my life! Why won’t you let me go."

Qin Yuesheng said, "I just said temporarily spare you a life, are you still alive right now? I’m not lying to you."

Upon hearing these words, Zeng Jinchao’s heart suddenly turned cold.

Nobody can say how long temporarily is, but from Qin Yuesheng’s attitude, he clearly doesn’t plan to let him go. Having no choice, Zeng Jinchao closed his mouth, feigning docility.

Yet within, he thought that as long as Qin Yuesheng didn’t kill him immediately, he must find an appropriate chance to escape once his Inner Strength is restored.

Despite being ranked second on the Jiangnan Hundred Soldiers List, he had few things that could interest Qin Yuesheng. Thus, Zeng Jinchao felt somewhat calm, believing Qin Yuesheng intended to recruit him rather than kill him outright.

After all, killing him wouldn’t bring any significant benefit.

What he couldn’t foresee was Qin Yuesheng’s capability for decomposition. In Qin Yuesheng’s mind, Zeng Jinchao wasn’t a captive needing recruitment but a potential Inner Strength Pill to break his strength realm.