Free Web NovelChapter 2203: Chapter 2238: Show No Mercy
After speaking, Ding Fan didn’t care how the Xu Family would react. He turned around and walked out. The enemy was pressing step by step, and he had no room to retreat. If they insisted on being like this, then he would play with the Xu Family properly. Pirates? If they dared to come to Skull Island, he dared to kill them.
This matter must have been ordered by Madam Yan, no doubt. Since she didn’t dare to make a direct move, Ding Fan wasn’t afraid. As long as the Herr Family’s fifth level expert from the Divine Realm didn’t act, Ding Fan could still kill Divine Realm experts of the fourth and third levels; he still had Sirius.
No matter how much he backed down, the enemy kept pressing him. The more he tolerated, the more Xu Jianqiang took advantage without shame. Even if he gave away all his Black Obsidian, in the end, they would still make a move. Why let these bastards get something for nothing?
"Heh heh!"
Seeing Ding Fan’s imposing manner, Xu Jianqiang laughed, but it was a cold laugh. He said, "Ding Fan, if you have this attitude, when the pirates attack Skull Island and we don’t get there in time, you mustn’t say we are being unkind!"
Ding Fan was about to walk out completely when he heard these words. He stopped again and said to Xu Jianqiang, "Young Master Xu, I also have a piece of advice for you. When dealing with people, it’s better to leave some room for the future, to avoid awkward meetings later on. Speaking of which... with pirates being so rampant, you’d better not keep coming out, or you might accidentally die at the hands of pirates, which would be quite unpleasant."
After saying this, Ding Fan walked out of the meeting hall and instructed Wu Qingxia and the Second Elder, who were waiting outside, "Escort Elder Xu and Young Master Xu out. I won’t accompany them as I have matters to attend to, but be careful to protect Young Xu well, lest he accidentally dies within the Skull Island area, which would make us guilty."
"Bang!"
A loud bang came from the meeting hall. It turned out that Xu Jianqiang, in a fit of anger, smashed the tea table in front of him. At that moment, Xu Haibo stood up grimly and said, "Let’s go, we’re going back!"
Xu Haibo led Xu Jianqiang back to Moon Mist Island. Wu Qingxia and the Second Elder nervously escorted the individuals away and went straight to Jingshan Castle afterward, where they found Ding Fan standing atop the mountain, gazing downward.
"Island Master, are you really going to start a fight with the Xu Family?" The Second Elder asked seriously.
"What else can I do? The Xu Family isn’t here for the Black Obsidian this time. Even if I give them all the stones I have, they will still deal with me. Since they’re so unreasonable, there’s no need to tolerate anymore,"
Ding Fan said coldly, looking at the foot of the mountain.
After hearing Ding Fan’s words, the Second Elder and Wu Qingxia’s expressions became even more grave. Ding Fan paused and then said to them, "Are you afraid? If you don’t want to fight, it’s not impossible. Just give me Baisheng Island and announce to the outside world that you have severed ties with me, directing everything at me alone."
The Second Elder didn’t speak, feeling some hesitation, but Wu Qingxia said without hesitation, "Everything the Wu Family has now is given by the Island Master. If the Island Master wants to fight, the Wu Family will follow him to the end, even if it means extinction."
The Second Elder thought to himself that without Ding Fan, Skeleton Sect’s final outcome would either be annexation or destruction. Over the years, Skeleton Sect had been bound to Ding Fan’s fate; Ding Fan was the Skeleton Guard, and Ding Fan was Skeleton Sect—they had become inseparable. So, he nodded and said, "Skeleton Sect is willing to live and die with the Island Master."
"Good! That’s great. Since that’s the case, let’s play with them properly." Ding Fan said with a cold smile, looking toward Moon Mist Island, and that cold smile hid a faint hint of blood in the eyes of Wu Qingxia and the Second Elder.
...
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
On Baisheng Island, a series of sounds echoed as figure after figure flickered in the distance. These shadows looked exactly the same. The ones in front became solid and then faded, while the ones behind slowly disappeared.
Mu Gaosou stood aside and counted; Ding Fan could already gather nineteen shadows!
In his heart, he was secretly amazed at how monstrous the Shadowless Body Technique was. Regrettably, Ding Fan wouldn’t let him learn it; if he could, his combat ability would certainly improve significantly.
Looking at the nineteen shadows Ding Fan had conjured before him, spread over more than a hundred meters, if he spun on the spot, it would feel like shadows were everywhere, and each one looked so real. You couldn’t tell which was real or fake, scaring even those who watched.
"Go!"
Ding Fan swung the Heaven Measuring Ruler fiercely towards the front. As his true body moved, all the shadows wielded the Heaven Measuring Ruler in unison. At the moment, the scene was full of shadows from the Heaven Measuring Ruler, the killing aura, and wind whistled, making it look particularly real.
"Impressive!"
Ding Fan’s body moved incessantly, and the Heaven Measuring Ruler in his hand waved continuously. Mu Gaosou, watching from the side, was somewhat dizzy; his eyes were filled with Ding Fan’s silhouettes, with shadows of Heaven Measuring Ruler flashing everywhere. If a martial artist with a lower realm were here, they might be scared out of their wits.
Since Xu Haibo left, Ding Fan spent even more time practicing. Apart from cultivating True Yuan every day, the rest of his time was spent practicing the Shadowless Divine Skill. This martial skill was indeed extraordinary; it not only increased his attack power but also allowed him to escape when he couldn’t defeat others.
"Woo~~"
At this moment, a joyful sound came from afar, a bright light flashed, and Sirius came running, its body soaked as if it went to play in the sea.
"Whoosh~"
Sirius leaped directly into the array of shadows, charging at a figure until it jumped onto Ding Fan’s true body.
"I truly wonder how this little beast does it; I can’t find the master’s true self, yet it can. Its speed is incredibly fast, capable of biting through others’ Divine Weapons; surely, it’s an Ancient Species."
Watching Sirius, Mu Gaosou’s eyes gleamed as he thought to himself.
Ding Fan put away the Heaven Measuring Ruler, and the figures around him disappeared one by one until only his true self remained, seeing the excited Sirius approaching him, with a red stone in its mouth, calling out incessantly.
"Do you like eating this stone?"
Ding Fan uncertainly asked Sirius, which quickly gulped down the stone, its small head nodding continuously, eyes full of satisfaction from tasting something delicious. Ding Fan was truly amused and said to Sirius, "You, you ate it, what should I use to confirm with others? Where did you get this stone? Is there more?"
"Woo~"
Sirius happily cried out and shot off into the distance, Ding Fan hurriedly waved at Mu Gaosou and said, "Quick, let’s go, let’s follow."
The two followed Sirius, which maintained its speed, rushing straight into the sea, and Ding Fan along with Mu Gaosou promptly jumped in.
Sirius didn’t swim very far but descended along the Xiao Dao, reaching the seabed in just a dozen minutes, then burrowed into a small hole.
Ding Fan and Mu Gaosou exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming, and followed Sirius into the small hole, walking forward for less than ten minutes when Sirius stopped, persistently scratching the cave wall.
Its claws flew rapidly, incredibly sharp, creating a small hole in the wall with a few strokes, then scratching a few meters in the small hole, grabbing a red stone in its mouth and running out.
"Let’s go!"
Ding Fan waved to Mu Gaosou and spoke, the two following Sirius ascending Baisheng Island.
Upon reaching the shore, Ding Fan immediately took the red translucent stone from Sirius’ mouth and handed it to Mu Gaosou, saying to him, "Look at what this stone is?"
Mu Gaosou took the stone, examined it carefully for a few moments, and then said to Ding Fan, "Can’t recognize it, but since Baisheng Island has a volcano beneath it, it should be a Fire Attribute Crystal Stone."
"Go and check it out!"
Ding Fan said to Mu Gaosou, who nodded and flew to Skull Island; Jingshan Castle has dozens of books Elder Xu bought, documenting various Spiritual Materials and ores in the Northern Wastelands, so identifying this Crystal Stone should not be difficult.
Ding Fan took Sirius back to Baisheng Underground Palace, where only two maids were present, disregarding the need for guards. Skull Sect’s combat power was highest with Ding Fan and Mu Gaosou, so guards were just for show, better not to have them. Mu Gaosou set up numerous traps and prohibitions inside and outside Baisheng Underground Palace, so if any outsiders or scout cavalry approached, Ding Fan would be immediately alerted.
It’s been four days since Xu Haibo left, and the surroundings were still calm. The Second Elder sent out numerous scout cavalry to patrol within a hundred miles of Skull Island, ensuring any disturbances were quickly detected.
According to the scouts’ reports, the south of Moon Mist Island often had pirates, occasionally attacking a third-grade power’s island; Xu Guotao’s troops frequently engaged them, making it seem like a real event.
During the initial battles, Ding Fan wasn’t concerned since Xu Guotao, ordered to pressure him, would initially refrain from dispatching too many experts, so Ding Fan felt there’s still some time.
If he could delay for less than three months, Ye Li and others would return from the other world, so Ding Fan had confidence to get through this period without panic.
After cultivating for over two hours, Mu Gaosou returned, having identified the red Crystal Stone as Garnet.
Garnet is indeed only found within volcanoes and is not considered a valuable Crystal Stone, with a market value peaking at just a hundred Black Obsidian per stone.
Sirius loved eating such stones, and Ding Fan wouldn’t hesitate to buy them for any price, so he instructed Mu Gaosou to inform the Second Elder to find a way to purchase a batch.
Moon Mist Island was certainly off-limits now, and Daozhen Island even more so, making purchases very difficult.
But the Second Elder couldn’t ignore Ding Fan’s orders, thus immediately sent a Divine Realm Second Level Elder to stealthily leave Tianmu Sea, heading to cities outside Tianmu Sea to make purchases.
Ding Fan continued cultivating, watching as he was about to elevate his realm, with True Yuan surging within his dantian, about to reach the Divine Realm Third Level.
Another six days passed, and Ding Fan suddenly opened his eyes, light ablaze, face filled with smiles, after such prolonged cultivation he finally reached the brink of Divine Realm Second Level.
A Divine Realm Third Level, a realm he previously never dared imagine; Second Elder and Fourth Elder are Third Level experts, once only able to look up to them.
Reaching this realm consumed countless Yuan Multiplying Pills and Spiritual Medicines from Ye Family, resources inaccessible to one just an Elder of a third-grade force.
Though so-called pirates could attack at any time, Ding Fan couldn’t care less now; only by enhancing strength does survival hope grow, feeling that initial attacks would at most involve Divine Realm Third Level experts, with Mu Gaosou alone suffice.
He briefed Second Elder, Fourth Elder, and Mu Gaosou, then went into seclusion; if lucky, he could break through within three days, with plenty of Spiritual Medicines and materials, ensuring no life risk even if unsuccessful.
"Mu Gaosou, if anything happens here, you must fend them off; any pirates daring to enter Skull Island, kill them all mercilessly. When battle ensues, let Wu Qingxia guard this place; if conditions spiral out of control, have Wu Qingxia inform me."
