Chapter 107 - Four Pirate Generals (1/2)
After the lively night hunt, Hei finally arrived at the beach with Lian and his little sisters. Even though they had fought, they weren't exhausted. The opponents weren't particularly strong, not to mention the cultivation advantage they had over their opponents.
However, after a long day of sailing and the events of a short while ago, it could be said that they had earned a well-deserved rest. But, before that, the two little divine beasts had to take a bath. They needed to remove the blood residue from their bodies. And since they wouldn't bathe alone, Hei and Lian were forced to wash too.
When they got to the beach, they all rushed into the water and enjoyed the warm temperature of the ocean. Indeed, it wasn't bad to go for a night swim. It was quite relaxing and allowed Hei to think calmly.
As he floated on the water surface, Hei pulled out the Heart and pulled out a small purple round object from there. It was the spirit core of his mother.
Right. In the end, before burying Bao Bei, they had taken their mother's spirit core. Bao Bei herself had ordered them to do it, and although he was reluctant to the idea, Hei still obeyed his mother.
Given the preciousness of that object, Hei kept it in the Secret Dimension all the time. Occasionally though, he would pull it out to admire it. In a sense, it was like looking at the soul of his mother. Holding the spirit core in his hands was like touching his mother.
Noting that Hei had brought out the spirit core of Bao Bei, Ye and Xing, who were playing chasing each other in the water, approached their big brother. Their expressions had returned to being sad as they watched the purple spirit core with reverence.
”Sorry. I didn't mean to spoil the fun for you.” Hei said, feeling the change of mood of his little sisters.
'No, you don't have to apologize. Is it just that... can we keep it for a while?' Asked Xing pleadingly.
Her eight legs were immersed in the water and acted as oars to move. The rest of her body instead floated above the water surface, so she hadn't problems with breathing.
”Sure, take it. You can ask me whenever you feel the need.” Hei answered with a smile.
Indeed, his little sisters had never asked him to pull the spirit core of their mother on their own initiative. Only when he did it, they could touch it and hold it close. So, he gave the spirit core to Ye and Xing and watched them as they caressed with love what once represented the essence of their mother.
By his side, Lian was silently observing this moving scene. Slowly, she approached Hei and touched his shoulder.
”Something worries you?” Asked the beautiful blue-haired young woman as her sapphire eyes looked straight into Hei's.
”More or less. I'm thinking about how to act regarding the map fragment we have found. The sect leader gave us enough resources to advance to the second rank, spirit soldier. They are also enough for the first stages of the spirit soldier rank. However, those resources are sufficient only for the two of us. They aren't enough for Ye and Xing, and I don't feel like killing spirit beasts just to acquire their cores. If they are hostile spirit beasts or that we have to kill to eat, that's fine. But I would like to kill them as little as possible if I can.”
”And what do you have in mind? Do you want to go in search of that treasure?”
”I think so. Those pirates were all in the sixth stage. Their leader must necessarily be a spirit soldier if he is capable of commanding so many sixth stage martial artists. Therefore, the buried treasure is precious enough to interest a spirit soldier, perhaps even more. If this is true, we can remedy our shortage of resources. But if we go in search of the treasury, it means that we must attack the crew ships to which these pirates belonged. It means that we won't fight and kill just because they attacked first. It will be us that assault them.”
”And this is what disturbs you? That you could involve people who have nothing to do with the treasure?”
”Let's say yes. Pirates are criminals, but it's not as if all of them are bad. Some of them may have become pirates due to circumstances and may never have hurt ordinary people. But it's too late now. Since mother died, our journey has been marked. I'm not so naive that I have to create stories to satisfy my conscience. In order to have the strength to protect you, I will get my hands dirty with blood, even if I end up involving innocent people.
To tell the truth, if it had been a matter of harming spirit beasts, I would have been more reluctant. But if they are human, then... after all, even if pirates, they remain martial artists. Those who decide to take the path of cultivation implicitly accept to die and kill for their own goals. As far as possible, I will avoid creating unnecessary victims, but if there is someone I must kill, then I will do it.”
After his speech, Hei looked up and held out a hand as if he intended to grab the moon.
”I will reach the pinnacle of this world. No, not me alone. The four of us together. We will all reach the pinnacle of this world.”
At her side, Lian also reached out her hand, placing it gently next to Hei's.
”Even if in the eyes of the whole world you end up looking like a heartless beast, even if your hands end up turning red from the blood of the people you killed, in my eyes, you will always remain Hei. My family. I bet the same goes for Ye and Xing. So pay no attention to what others think and continue on your way, doing what you think is right and necessary to protect us.”
”Thanks, Lian. Without you, I don't know how I, Ye, and Xing would have done.”
Having resolved his doubts, Hei made his decision. Lian was right, only his family's judgment mattered. Nothing else. Even if he ended up becoming the enemy of the whole world.
”Ye, Xing. We return.”
Taking the spirit core of their mother and placing it within the Secret Dimension, Hei took her little sisters and headed for the beach.
When they arrived on the shore, Hei pulled out several towels and a set of dry clothes for him and Lian. Since it was difficult to wash clothes on the open sea, he had bought enough clothes for a whole year.
Without embarrassment between them, the two youths undressed and quickly dried themselves with the towels before getting dressed just as quickly. The location where they were at the moment was a little far from Captain Fu's camp, and considering that the sailors were sleeping, there was no danger of them peeking at Lian.
When he got dressed, Hei took two large towels and handed one to Lian. Then he gave the girl Ye while he took Xing. Together, they began to dry carefully the two little divine beasts who started to writhe because they preferred to dry themselves with the wind. But of course, it was Hei who had the final say, and they could only accept their fate with reluctance.
When they arrived at the camp, as expected, they saw the sailors sleeping blissfully without worries. Only Captain Fu was awake. At the moment, he was smoking a slightly worn wooden pipe as he slowly exhaled mouthfuls of smoke.
”So, you're back. Have you taken a bath?” Asked the captain.
As an experienced seaman, he quickly noticed the still not completely dry hair of the two youths. Also, their bodies gave off a faint smell of saltwater.