Chapter Fifteen: The Failed Pursuit

“Junior Brother, who are you really?”
Tears welled up in Zhang Qianshan’s eyes.
When the Four Seas Martial Hall was collapsing, only he stood by him, silently supporting him.
Zhang Qianshan understood that with Baili Feihong leaving this time, who knew when he would next set foot in the Four Seas Martial Hall.
“The debt has been repaid.”
“I’ve been in this world for so many years, I’ve already forgotten.”
“It’s time to chase after my own life.”
The awakening of the Book of Skills had been nearly a month.
He had gone from being a dock laborer to a martial artist of the Five Blood level.
With such martial prowess, earning money or attaining a certain social status posed no obstacles whatsoever.
The strong grow ever stronger.
An unchanging truth through the ages.
Baili Feihong did not choose to stand out, but instead quietly devoted himself to cultivation.
“Master Qin, is my blade finished?”
“Brother Baili, this blade of yours has cost me quite a few days.”
On Vermilion Bird Street.
A shop forging blades.
The Qin Family Blade Shop.
Specializing in forging blades.
A family tradition, blade-forging skills handed down through eight generations.
In Dongbin City, it was famed.
The Qin Family Blade Shop forged blades for others, at exorbitant prices.
Not something ordinary people could afford.
Baili Feihong brought a design for the blade and ten taels of gold, persuading the master smith to craft it for him.
The blade’s name: Blood Sea.
Its shape derived from the Qi Family Blade.
It was Baili Feihong’s favorite, inspired by the Qi Family Blade in the film “Brotherhood of Blades.”
Moreover, paired with his Blood River Blade Technique, its lethality was immense.
“Brother Baili, wielding this blade is no easy feat.”
Blacksmith Qin tossed the black long blade to Baili Feihong.
Baili Feihong caught it in one hand, drew the blade, and struck the sharpening stone with a single slash; the stone shattered instantly.
The edge gleamed razor-sharp, slicing hairs and splitting the stone without leaving a mark.
“Excellent blade, superb craftsmanship.”
He took a gold ingot from his pocket and tossed it to Blacksmith Qin.
Qin weighed it in his hand, a radiant smile spreading across his face.
Gold was universally cherished.
With an authentic blade in hand, rather than practicing with a wooden stick whittled into a makeshift weapon, Baili Feihong’s progress accelerated dramatically.
Each practice of the Blood River Blade Technique earned him seven to ten points of experience.

The long blade in his hand roared like a dragon stirring the sea, its movements unceasing, each form flowing into the next, the blade’s light enveloping the entire courtyard.
Yet, Baili Feihong had not achieved a qualitative leap.
He glanced at his skill book.
Blood River Blade Technique (Incomplete): Proficient [1530/2000].
“In three days, the Demon Suppression Bureau will recruit disciples.”
“Since cultivating the Blood River Blade Technique, my appetite has increased, and the speed at which my blood energy condenses has quickened. Now, my fifth strand of blood energy has been strengthened, and although not yet at its peak, I believe soon, as my blade technique breaks through, my blood energy will advance again.”
Baili Feihong still found the pace too slow.
As for the Four Seas Martial Hall.
Since he severed Rolling Stone Hall Master Yang Fei’s arm, no rival martial halls had dared to provoke them.
According to the news Baili Feihong received, except for the senior brother who had not returned, the other disciples of the Four Seas Martial Hall had come back to Dongbin City.
Wu Sihai’s ashes had finally been interred.
Wielding his long blade, Baili Feihong’s upper body was bare, sweat pouring down as he trained.
His gaze was focused; only his blade mattered.
Within the narrow courtyard, his long blade rolled like a blood-red dragon, as his blade technique advanced toward mastery, it seemed he was on the verge of breaking through a new realm.
If he succeeded, he would thoroughly master the Blood River Blade Technique.
At that point, the Four Seas Fist Technique could be integrated with the blade, wielding the fist through the blade.
Though formidable, the fist technique could never match the sharpness of the Blood Sea Long Blade.
“Blood River Blade Technique, experience increased +15!”
At this stage of proficiency, the Blood River Blade Technique had reached 1955 points of experience.
A few more practices, and he would break through.
His progress was swift indeed.
The fifth strand of blood energy in his body had reached its peak.
Feeling the hunger in his abdomen,
Baili Feihong began to eat beef.
This beef was from old cattle, approved by the authorities before entering the market.
Dongbin City had no shortage of beef.
Foreign countries overseas had many cattle ranches, and large quantities of frozen beef flowed into Dongbin City.
But the taste was somewhat lacking.
The beef, cooked to medium-rare, seasoned only with salt and oil, weighed two pounds a piece, and Baili Feihong devoured it in a few mouthfuls.
For ordinary people, such old beef, unless boiled for hours until tender, would be impossible to chew.
Yet in Baili Feihong’s mouth, it was as soft as tofu; one big mouthful meant two ounces of beef swallowed down.
Besides raw beef, Baili Feihong had also braised and air-dried hundreds of pounds of beef.
For emergencies.
The Blood River Blade Technique advanced rapidly, and the energy for his blood was supplied entirely by the bioenergy from beef and meat, meeting his body’s demands.
“Sir, we’ve investigated all the foreign ships in the port and found no trace of any demons. Do you think the demon has already left the port, escaped from Dongbin City?”
Ding Bo asked in a low voice.
Zheng Yishan’s expression was grim.
The bloody case at Dongbin City’s martial halls had happened nine days ago, and the Night Demon was still nowhere to be found.

The trail of the vampire bat demon had also gone cold.
He had failed to complete any of the tasks assigned by Gongyang Yan.
“Could it really be the Canal Transport Gang behind this? Otherwise, how could the demon have vanished?”
Such cautious demons, Zheng Yishan had never encountered.
“Brother Zheng, what should we do with these foreigners?”
Ding Bo asked the crucial question.
Before Zheng Yishan could weigh his options,
A middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in luxurious attire, shouted,
“I am a noble of the Lafat Empire. When we reach the capital, I will report your rude behavior to our ambassador. Our ambassador will formally submit a document to your imperial emperor, questioning you.”
This noble from the Lafat Empire had never visited the Great Yuan Empire before and knew nothing of its circumstances.
After being interrogated by Zheng Yishan, he was furious.
He was incensed by their treatment, as if he were being violated like a criminal.
In the Lafat Empire, he was a noble, exalted above all.
Zheng Yishan turned and leaned close to Ding Bo’s ear, whispering, “With no one around, you should know what needs to be done. The Lafat Empire is vying with our navy for maritime supremacy.”
Zheng Yishan knew that Ding Bo’s elder brother was a power in the Great Yuan navy, yet had been mysteriously ambushed at sea, his warship destroyed, and his brother’s whereabouts remained unknown.
“What the Canal Transport Gang does is none of our concern.”
Ding Bo’s expression turned cold as he replied to Zheng Yishan.
“True, but their methods are too crude. Vampires are demons; what is the Demon Suppression Bureau for? The crematorium has not yet cooled.”
Zheng Yishan stood at the prow of the ship, leapt, and strode across the waves, his figure receding into the distance.
The remaining rank D demon suppressors seemed to have received their orders, turning their gaze to the group of blond, blue-eyed people from the Lafat Empire.
“Kill!”
Blood stained the surface of the sea.
Zheng Yishan heard the sounds of slaughter behind him and chuckled coldly.
Ding Bo was brought here by Gongyang Yan; he was bound to be valued in the future.
By rights, Zheng Yishan should have cultivated a good relationship with him.
But Zheng Yishan understood—there could only ever be one loyal dog.
The Lafat Empire.
Rumor had it their martial path was called the Way of the Knight.
He wondered whether the knights of the Lafat Empire were truly as formidable as the rumors claimed.
This battle was also Ding Bo’s chance to establish his footing.
Otherwise, no one would respect him.
After all, a rank B demon suppressor needed real strength.
“Brother Zheng, it’s done.”
Soon, Ding Bo was back on shore.
“Well done. Handle the aftermath carefully, leave no evidence.”
“Sunk the ship, burned it.” Ding Bo replied simply.