Chapter 678: Ice Ocean Battle
At sea.
The Divine Wind Pirates' fleet plowed through the waves.
A pirate jogged to the captain's cabin and knocked on the door: “Captain! Warships from the Ice Sculpture Kingdom are ahead, along with numerous icebergs!”
The cabin door opened the next moment.
A gust of wind swept past, and Feng Lian materialized at the bow of the flagship.
His condition was far from optimal.
Earlier, during his clash with Da Han, he had suffered a divine spell attack. Though he'd fled while desperately healing himself, he hadn't managed to dispel the spell's effects.
A pale blue wind aura now perpetually swirled around him.
This wind aura bound him to the pirate ship, sharing the burden of Da Han's divine magic.
“Icebergs?” Feng Lian's pupils contracted slightly.
He had indeed spotted icebergs, and in vast numbers.
Snow-white hills drifted swiftly across the sea, stretching endlessly like a gathering of furious peaks, radiating a chilling, murderous intent.
Amidst these icebergs, the ships of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's Second Naval Fleet flickered in and out of view, their numbers too vast to count at a glance.
Soon, the flagship's detection systems yielded results—the count of warships between the icebergs.
This allowed Feng Lian to confirm that the force before him was indeed the main body of the Second Naval Fleet!
“Hmph, you finally deigned to show yourselves,” Feng Lian sneered coldly.
He bore a grudge against the Li Jian Clan. His earlier attack on the Intoxication Church's fleet had been a deliberate attempt to lure out a portion of the Second Naval Fleet.
Feng Lian knew full well: the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's Second Naval Fleet served as the Li Jian Clan's private military force. Destroying them would inflict devastating losses upon the Li Jian Clan, an ideal choice for vengeance.
Yet despite Feng Lian's formidable strength, fate dealt him a cruel hand. He never imagined this assault would involve the sorrow-dispelling red wine. Then, Kong Pan's stratagem turned Feng Lian into the target of all hostility.
It had to be said, Kong Pan's scheme was brilliant. Without the Ice Sculpture Kingdom lifting a finger, other pirates had been lured into repeatedly targeting Feng Lian.
Ultimately, Feng Lian was forced into a confrontation with Da Han, and now found himself relentlessly pursued by Da Han's Icebound Pirates.
Feng Lian's predicament was dire. His attempt at revenge backfired, instead falling into Kong Pan's trap and plunging both himself and his crew into peril.
His hatred for the Li Jian Clan naturally deepened.
Thus, upon spotting the Second Fleet, even while still being hunted by Da Han, a surge of vengeful satisfaction welled up within him.
“Open fire!” Feng Lian commanded.
The Second Fleet's bombardment arrived even faster than the Divine Wind Pirates'.
Shells crisscrossed the sky, landing among the icebergs and around the pirate ships.
“Feng Lian, you damned bastard!” Kong Pan gritted her teeth, watching the Divine Wind Pirates draw ever closer while their pursuers—the Icebound Pirates—appeared on the horizon.
The Divine Wind Pirates charged straight into the drifting icebergs, braving the hail of bullets.
Their intent was clear: they were determined to break through the defenses and escape this battlefield.
Feng Lian moved again, wielding his scythe to slash out massive wind blades.
Though weakened by the time divine spell, he remained beyond the reach of ordinary transcendents.
Within mere minutes, two gold level enemies fell to Feng Lian's blades.
The Second Naval Fleet's high command comprised three gold level figures: Kong Pan, Yue Qian, and San Sha Man Tuo. Yet they were not the only ones. A handful of other gold level individuals remained as captains, commanding their respective warships.
Unable to stand idly by, Yue Qian requested permission from Kong Pan to engage.
“Feng Lian engaged Da Han head-on and still escaped unscathed...” Kong Pan was aware of this new intelligence.
Compared to his previous narrow escapes from a saint level enemy, Feng Lian's combat prowess had truly surged.
The battle unfolding before them was the starkest proof!
A flicker of conflict crossed Kong Pan's face, but he ultimately ordered, “Create an opening. Let Feng Lian's group depart.”
"Damn it!" Yue Qian clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the ship's wall.
But he was also well-versed in military strategy, fully aware that the Li Jian Clan was currently at a massive disadvantage on the battlefield. If the Divine Wind Pirates could withdraw, it might reduce the number of enemies they faced.
The military order was swiftly relayed.
The Li Jian Clan held full command over the Second Naval Fleet. This main force of the kingdom possessed high military discipline and acted in strict obedience.
Warships and drifting icebergs swiftly parted to either side.
The Divine Wind Pirates immediately felt the pressure ease.
“Oh?” Feng Lian sensed it, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
He chuckled softly, his successful revenge lifting his spirits.
“But this isn't over yet. At most, we've only collected interest.” Feng Lian surveyed the surroundings and decisively ordered an accelerated retreat.
He acted with ruthless efficiency.
After breaking free from the iceberg cluster, he swiftly led the Divine Wind Pirates away from the battlefield.
Feng Lian had considered lingering near the combat zone, but out of caution for Da Han, he prudently abandoned that option.
“How long until the First Fleet arrives?” Kong Pan demanded.
“Based on our last communication, they'll need at least thirty minutes to join the fight,” the aide replied immediately.
Kong Pan's brow furrowed as she clenched her teeth.
She sensed the First Fleet was deliberately stalling!
Facing two enemies with two saint level combat power, 30 minutes was practically impossible.
“They're sacrificing us, using my Second Fleet as cannon fodder!” Kong Pan seethed with rage, yet felt utterly helpless.
“At least the Divine Wind Pirates have withdrawn, removing one formidable foe.”
“Clan Leader has already teleported here to reinforce us. If Feng Lian tries to seize this chance to attack the port or coastline, he'll face dire consequences.”
“As for the Icebound Pirates... we hold the intelligence advantage. Our new warships and naval tactics remain classified.”
Kong Pan steadied her resolve and issued a series of commands, directing the fleet to prepare for a frontal assault against the Icebound Pirates' charge.
The gold level pirate ship, Icebound, serving as the Icebound Pirates' flagship, did not lead the charge.
The saint level fighter Qian Xing remained concealed within the Icebound, keeping his presence undisclosed.
Through magic projections, Qian Xing surveyed the entire battlefield.
He witnessed the earlier scene: the Divine Wind Pirates had plunged headlong into the cluster of icebergs, only to be deliberately allowed to escape by the Second Naval Fleet.
“As captain, Kong Pan knows her limits,” Qian Xing remarked.
He scrutinized the icebergs and the new warships, silently shaking his head. "Deploying so many floating icebergs must serve some peculiar purpose. I wonder what the true capabilities of these new warships are."
“Only actual combat will reveal that.”
“If the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's saint level beings have arrived, would they hide among the icebergs?”
Qian Xing's greatest concern remained the three saint level beings of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
Unlike the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord, Qian Xing, as an outsider, was unaware of the kingdom's intricate political dynamics.
In his view, the saint level beings of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom were highly likely to join this battle.
“On the surface, the Icebound Pirates only possess two saint level combatants: Da Han and the Ice Crystal Jellyfish.”
"In truth, Ice Crystal Jellyfish is merely a saint level magic beast, not an intelligent species. Its methods are fixed and limited. When truly facing opponents of equal level, it can only be considered half a saint level being."
The Icebound Pirates had 1.5 saint level combat power, while the Ice Sculpture Kingdom possessed 3.
"We needn't deploy all forces, sending two saint level individuals will suffice to suppress them and secure battlefield dominance."
“This is precisely why I remain concealed.” Qian Xing understood his role well.
At that moment, Da Han gazed through the window at the distant sea mountains.
Within his right eye, scenes flashed continuously—he was employing the time divine spell to calculate future battle outcomes. The longer he calculated, the more he discerned, and the fewer hidden advantages the Second Naval Fleet possessed.
“Captain, should we bypass these naval forces?”
“The icebergs drift slowly. Most of our ships can outpace them,” the first mate advised.
“Unnecessary.” Da Han ordered the attack to commence.
His expression remained impassive as he treated his subordinates as pieces in his calculations.
As the pirate ships charged into the iceberg fields, the efficiency of his divine calculations surged dramatically, yielding significant results in no time.
“Quite interesting,” Da Han murmured with a faint smile upon glimpsing a fragment of the future.
The vanguard pirate ships charged headlong, while those behind unleashed frenzied cannon fire.
Yet countless cannonballs were deflected by the icebergs. The Second Fleet's warships anchored around the floating icebergs, launching their counterattack.
Each iceberg functioned as a colossal hub, forming magic links with the surrounding warships to generate pure white defensive light shields.
These shields offered excellent defense against cannonballs and spells, yet pirate ships charging directly through them could pierce them effortlessly.