Chapter 286: Blind Adoration

Night enveloped Snow Bird Harbor.

The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ ships were still anchored at port in a row.

By Zong Ge’s order, the ships had mercenaries patrolling everywhere, every five steps was a person, and every ten steps was a sentry post, security was very tight.

Some mercenaries were rotated out, but they didn’t rest, instead they crowded around Lan Zao and listened attentively to how the duel played out.

Lan Zao gestured animatedly, enthusiastically describing the dragonman youngster’s dashing figure during the battle.

“The Bayonet Gang is so shameless, they knew our commander was formidable and put together the gang’s best gear for Xiong Ju to use.”

“Xiong Ju had at least three gold level equipment on him, while our commander was empty handed.”

“Xiong Ju’s Gold Flower Hacksaw is very powerful, and he is also quite strong himself. His bloodline’s racial magic Bear Roar Is very difficult to guard against, and if one becomes dazzled by it, they will lose the ability to move.”

“The Lord Commander fell into his trap, and was knocked down for a time, with Xiong Ju using his Gold Flower Hacksaw to cut through our commander’s belly, filling the air around them with sparks.”

“The entire audience cried out in alarm, believing our commander was done for. Even Chi Lai and Men Shi also nervously stood up and planned to save the Lord Commander.”

“Hehe, they just joined our mercenary corps, and don’t have much faith in Commander Long Fu. This is understandable. Only an old fellow like me knows how strong the Lord Commander is.”

Sure enough, when Bear Roar wore off, the commander smashed aside the Gold Flower Hacksaw with a single punch and easily escaped.

“Xiong Ju was stupefied! He had painstakingly grinded with the Gold Flower Hacksaw for a time yet was unable to even break a single one of the Lord Commander’s scales. His whole heart chilled. Everyone present was also dumbstruck; they had never seen such powerful defense! You must know that this gold level weapon, the Gold Flower Hacksaw, is amazing at restraining armor.”

“After the Lord Commander used his final form, the duel lost its suspense. The Lord Commander’s final form had been used during the Battle of Two Eyes Island. Those who had the chance to see it should remember it?” Lan Zao deliberately questioned.

The mercenaries around Lan Zao listened attentively.

When they heard Lan Zao mention Long Fu’s final form, many mercenaries quickly raised their hand and shouted, “I saw it, I saw it with my own eyes.”

He excitedly continued, “On Two Eyes Island’s pier, our Lord Commander had a mystical transformation, becoming wilder and more ferocious! He fought the gold level fishman Er Gua Zi head on and wasn’t conceding one bit.”

The other mercenaries who hadn’t seen that looked at the talking mercenary with envy and curiosity.

The mercenary speaking raised his head and showed his pride.

Lan Zao continued onwards, “After our commander used final form, Xiong Ju was no longer his match. He couldn’t see where our commander was clearly. The commander was too fast, much to fast! Xiong Ju’s eyes couldn’t catch our commander, let alone attack with his heavy Gold Flower Hacksaw.”

“However, Xiong Ju is a long renowned silver level cultivator. He continued to persevere until the end, until our commander knocked him out with a single punch. Our commander is magnanimous and when he saw he lost the ability to resist, he didn’t deal the killing blow. If it were me, I would have eradicated evil completely, such a sinister and contemptible enemy is not easy to deal with and killing one’s opponent on the spot is wholly within dueling regulations.”

“After our commander won, the entire dueling arena audience of thousands erupted into cheers, all of them yelling our commander’s name. It really got people fired up. That kind of cheering was like a mountain high tsunami that could drown you in its waves. Only by being there could you truly sense our Lord Commander’s grandness!”

Lan Zao’s descriptions were mixed with his personal feelings; he strongly revered the dragonman youngster.

His story caused the mercenaries around him to look on with longing and yearning.

After Lan Zao finished his account, the mercenaries weren’t satisfied and didn’t leave, rather they discussed it with each other.

“During the Battle of Two Eyes Island, I knew Commander Long Fu was no simple silver level.”

“When we were in our ship cabin, our commander was fighting bravely and protecting us.”

“The Bayonet Gang is Snow Bird Harbor’s local bully, and if we are alone when we spend our free time in the harbor, I fear these people will be plotting against us, it is still safer to stay on the ships.”

“Scaredy chicken! I’d just fight the Bayonet Gang. It doesn’t matter that much, if we can’t beat them, we can set sail and leave the harbor.”

“Also don’t cause trouble for the Lord Commander. After all the Bayonet Gang has a strong gold level.”

“Even against a gold level fighter, Commander Long Fu won’t have a trace of fear.”

“Don’t treat our commander as an ordinary silver level. I believe he is completely capable of defeating Teng Dong Lang, otherwise why would he publicly challenge him?”

“The Lord Commander has already defeated three of the Bayonet Gang’s ringleaders in a row, so there are three left. They are absolutely not Lord Long Fu’s match. So long as our commander prevails over Teng Dong Lang, our mercenary corps can walk through Snow Bird Harbor. Hehehe…”

The mercenaries thought of their beautiful future, while Lan Zao’s eyes hid a trace of anxiety.

Lan Zao had spent many years on a ship, traveling extensively and have a wide horizon. He knew the gap between the silver level and gold level.

This qualitative change was related to battle qi.

Silver level battle qi needed to attach itself to the body, weapons, or equipment. But at the gold level, battle qi could leave these shackles and could exist by itself.

Battle qi existing by itself could improve a gold level fighter’s range, attack methods, and more. Making it nearly analogous to magic.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the fighter knew the corresponding gold level battle skills.

If one lacked said battle skills, it would be very difficult for a gold level fighter to display their strength.

“But does Teng Dong Lang lack battle skills?”

“He is the grand Bayonet Gang leader, a position of high weight that controls many resources. He comes from Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s military, with his contacts, does he really lack battle skills?” Lan Zao shook his head internally.

It is even possible that Teng Dong Lang also knows how to use a gold level flying skill.

Flying battle skills were rare and most gold level fighters would search for them bitterly without avail.

It was unknown if Teng Dong Lang had one.

At present, it was not feasible to exclude this possibility.

If he could fly, he would have an invincible position and the dragonman youngster would find it hard to threaten him.

Just as Lan Zao was secretly having worries, Chi Lai and Men Shi were having their own discussion about today’s duel.

“Our commander is quite fearsome; he is absolutely a peak silver level.

“The Bayonet Gang is also rather strong; we saw during today’s duel that Xiong Ju had no less than three treasures. Especially during the later stages, when he strangely mutilated himself to dig out that eyeball.”

Why did Xiong Ju destroy his own equipment?

They had looked into this question.

After Chi Lai and Men Shi discussed it, they believed that it was very possible that Xiong Ju lost control over the eyeball. Therefore, he destroyed it before it could backfire on him.

“The information report on Teng Dong Lang shows that the last time he acted was a year ago. It has been quite difficult to gather any more information on him from the Thieves Guild. We don’t have a good understanding of Teng Dong Lang, for he has been hiding in a veil of smoke. Although the commander won, all of the information on his military power has basically been exposed.”

“Alas, unless Commander Long Fu has more hidden trump cards, I don’t have good prospects for his duel with Teng Dong Lang.”

Chi Lai and Men Shi had very similar viewpoints.

They maintained a pessimistic opinion of the dragonman youngster’s duel with Teng Dong Lang.

Their bloodlines determined their upper limits, and the highest they’ll ever get in their life was just the silver level.

They had already been silver levels for a long time. So they had a clearer understanding of the disparity between silver and gold levels than Lan Zao and other people.

It was because of this understanding that they knew how difficult it was for a silver level to defeat a gold level.

“What should we do, how can we help Commander Long Fu?” Chi Lai looked dejected.

Men Shi stroked his silver level war hammer, sighing, “Commander Long Fu’s strength is actually beyond Xiong Ju’s, the reason why today’s fight was so difficult was mainly due to Xiong Ju’s exceptional equipment. Unfortunately, Commander Long Fu is an unarmed fighter, if he mastered a few weapons, then he could deal with Teng Dong Lang with more certainty.”

Chi Lai replied, “Weapons are out of the question, but perhaps we can buy some armor.”

The two had the same line of thought, both then looked for outside assistance.

Because a fighter increased their strength at a steady pace, there were hardly any sudden jumps.

Fighters relied on constantly producing battle qi and practicing battle skills to cultivate, continuously unearthing their body’s potential and slowly accumulating their progress over a long period of time.

Zi Di faintly coughed.

She had dived down to the Deep Sea Monster Fish with great difficulty.

On Two Eyes Island and Snake Rat Island, the survivors could secretly berth the Deep Sea Monster Fish on the seafloor near the islands.

They did the same here too.

The Deep Sea Monster Fish had nearly perfect camouflage and even though there was a magician tower right above it, it wasn’t discovered.

However, Snow Bird Harbor’s security was tight, making it very troublesome for the survivors to return to the Deep Sea Monster Fish.

It took Zi Di a lot of effort to sneak back into the Deep Sea Monster Fish. 

She first went to the captain’s room.

There, she could mobilize the Deep Sea Monster Fish’s functions, command many investigation type alchemy puppets, along with being able to survey the pier and ships in all aspects.

On the one hand, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had Zong Ge on watch and many mercenaries making the rounds.

On the other hand, numerous investigation type alchemy puppets could help with scouting and ensure there were no gaps in surveillance coverage.

Through these alchemy puppets, Zi Di could hear what Lan Zao, and the others were saying, along with Chi Lai’s and Men Shi’s discussion.

“Compared to the bottom level mercenaries, the higherups’ understanding is closer to reality.”

“Although Chi Lai and Men Shi have just joined the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, the commander’s personal charisma has convinced them, and it can be seen now that their loyalty is not a problem.”

“The bottom level mercenaries are gradually starting to have blind adoration. They believe the commander can defeat a gold level transcendent, that belief comes from personal feeling and not from meticulous logical deductions and facts.”

Zi Di believed there were two reasons for this happening.

The main reason was that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had been led step by step to victory by Long Fu. Constant victory made the people complacent and confident, and the more confident one got, said confidence could turn into arrogance.

The second reason was because of Lan Zao, Bai Ya, and the others. They adored and respected the dragonman youngster. It came from the bottom of their hearts and was exhibited in their speech. Their every word and action daily showed their attitude and emotions, silently influencing and infecting the others around them. Of them, Lan Zao had the biggest impact.

Zi Di gradually noticed Lan Zao’s impact.

He not only helped the dragonman youngster on the individual level but was also capable of influencing the low level mercenaries’ feelings of the leadership above them.

Loyalty could be passed on.

Zi Di couldn’t help but think back to Mystifying Monster Island, when she greatly objected to the dragonman youngster taking in Lan Zao. Because for survival’s sake, Lan Zao had sacrificed his younger brother Huang Zao.

“Now it seems the Lord Commander is right.”

“In this aspect, I am not his equal.”

Zi Di was glad to see the changes Lan Zao was having in the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.

The dragonman youngster needed people like Lan Zao, especially when Zong Ge and Tripleblade were forming their own small team.

The dragonman youngster needed someone to help keep the lower strata in check to consolidate his authority.

Both Zi Di and Cang Xu would find it difficult to accomplish this.

On the face of it, it was because they were necromancers, ones who people fears. The intrinsic reason was due to their background, experience, style of conversation, conduction, and values, such things were natural barriers with the lower class people.

After ensuring the dock was secure, and that the environment around the Deep Sea Monster Fish was also safe, Zi Di left the captain’s room and went into the alchemy cabin.

Today, she didn’t go watch the dragonman youngster’s duel, because she had more important business to attend to.

Standing in front of the alchemy formation, Zi Di took out a large pile of alchemy materials from her storage device.

Due to a lack of materials previously, she had reached a limit to her bloodline testing and was forced to suspend it.

But Snow Bird Harbor was flourishing and had abundant resources.

Zi Di searched for the entire day, buying many things she wanted.

“Tonight, I should test my bloodline and perhaps get an answer to Lan Zao’s bloodline too.”