Chapter 150: The Fatal Blow

The Kong family's large ocean-going vessel.

Several core cultivators stood in the shadows of the deck, observing the shifting tides of the naval battle.

Among them was a poised young cultivator—none other than City Lord Kong Zhonghai, who had previously rushed away on a pretext. Beside him stood Kong Renliang, a cultivator dressed like a middle-aged scholar.

"I hear the light ocean-going vessels of the Ye Clan's immortal village are very agile and well-suited for small-scale naval skirmishes."

Kong Zhonghai's expression was filled with excitement.

"This subordinate has not seen them in action. However, if light vessels can seize the right moment in battle, it is not entirely impossible for them to sink a large vessel,"

the middle-aged scholar replied.

"We should have a chance to witness it shortly."

Kong Zhonghai tried his best to maintain a calm demeanor, though inside, he was extremely tense. After all, this battle was of paramount importance to him; not a single mistake could be afforded.

Otherwise, if he placed his bet on the wrong side, he would be utterly ruined, losing all opportunity to see his immortal village grow and prosper.

"City Lord, when shall we make our move?"

Kong Renliang asked.

"Heh, naturally at the most critical juncture, to deal the Gao family a fatal blow."

Kong Zhonghai pressed his lips tightly together, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "We are secret agents; our single strike must determine the outcome. Otherwise, we'd simply be marching to our own deaths."

On the surface of the sea, four large vessels were executing urgent turns, while five light vessels clung fiercely to their sterns, a mere one or two hundred zhang behind, bombarding them unceasingly.

The thunderous roar of cannon fire echoed continuously.

At this distance, misses were virtually impossible. Heavy iron cannonballs whistled through the air, smashing into the hulls of the large vessels and sending a flurry of splinters flying.

Numerous Qi-refining stage cultivators stood upon the decks of both sides' vessels, yet none dared to leap across to enemy ships. A distance of one or two hundred zhang remained far too perilous for cultivators in the Qi-refining stage.

Perhaps a tiny handful of Qi-refining cultivators who specialized in wind-element techniques could employ wind-riding arts, skimming across the waves and stepping through the air to reach an enemy vessel. But fighting a multitude alone meant that leaping over would only result in immediate death amidst a flurry of spells and stray blades.

They had no choice but to rely on bronze cannons to strike the enemy.

On one of the Ye family's light armored warvessels, Wang Hu's face was flushed with excitement as he roared, "Fire! Hit them hard! Send every last one of these bastards into the sea!"

As one of the mid-Qi-refining stage cultivators, Wang Hu was aboard one of the light vessels, accompanied by Yang You.

Yang You appeared significantly calmer. Standing at the bow, he observed the large vessels ahead.

"The enemy is turning. Their bows are facing outward while their sterns are turned inward, preventing us from maintaining our tail-lock. It seems the one commanding them is not entirely incompetent,"

Yang You said coolly.

"Inward, outward—what's all that about? I didn't catch any of it,"

Wang Hu asked, staring wide-eyed in confusion.

Yang You patiently explained: "I consulted Changfei these past few days regarding naval combat tactics. He taught me about tail-locking and the maneuvers used to break away from it.

We can leverage our agile maneuverability to adjust our positions synchronously, maintaining our alignment right behind the enemy's stern, locking onto their tail and rendering their turns useless. No matter how they turn, we will tightly hug their stern and sustain our attacks.

As for the enemy, if their four ships wish to break the tail-lock, they can only scatter outward to both sides simultaneously, with their bows facing out and their sterns turned inward to protect each other before turning around to counterattack."

Wang Hu gestured with his hands, finally grasping the concept, and then stared in realization. "So there's such subtlety to it! No wonder Brother Ye had you tag along. Does this mean the enemy has an expert among them?"

"Hardly an expert. Changfei says this is merely one of the fundamental tactics of naval warfare,"

Yang You replied, shaking his head.

Five light vessels concentrating their firepower to bombard a single large vessel meant that even with the massive size and strong defenses of the large ship, it could not hold out.

After nearly two full quarters of an hour, the Gao and Chen family vessels completed their outward turn to the left, while the Kong and Xu family vessels completed their outward turn to the right. Only then did the four large vessels clumsily complete their turns to face the Ye family's five light vessels.

However, the Chen family's large vessel had already been riddled with countless holes by two rounds totaling ten heavy iron cannonballs. Several large breaches were blown into its side, and seawater poured relentlessly into the hold, impossible to plug as the ship began to slowly sink.

The Chen family cultivators aboard could no longer spare any thought for battle. Panicked, they hurriedly lowered small boats, preparing to escape the sinking vessel and flee to the nearest Gao family ship.

On the Kong family's large vessel to the right, Kong Zhonghai looked somewhat annoyed. "That fellow Gao actually issued a separate order forbidding us from turning our bows inward. Damn it, I originally wanted to turn the bow inward and fire directly upon the Gao family's ship halfway through the turn. Now the chance is gone."

"Hah, that fellow Gao does have some capability. But it doesn't have to be the Gao family we strike; we can just sink the Min family's vessel instead,"

Kong Renliang had calmed down long ago, offering an indifferent and casual remark.

"Don't stop. Continue turning and take down that Min family vessel bearing the 'Xu' flag banner,"

Kong Zhonghai instructed the ship captain standing respectfully at his side.

The vessel beside them flew a banner bearing the character "Xu."

However, everyone in the Ten-Village Alliance knew that this was merely the Min family flying a false banner. Even the cultivators aboard were Min villagers whose household registration had been temporarily transferred to the Xu family to bypass the non-aggression pact between the Min and Ye families.

"What is the Kong family's ship doing? Haven't they already adjusted their position? Why are they still turning?"

On the other side, City Lord Gao had been closely monitoring the subtle movements of the warships. Seeing the abnormal actions of the Kong family's vessel, he could not help but frown.

"Perhaps the Kong family's captain lacks sufficient skill and failed to control the vessel properly,"

City Lord Chen said in deep frustration, turning his head to look as well.

City Lord Min, however, gazed toward the Ye family's five light armored vessels and hastily urged, "Brother Gao, give the order to fire back immediately. We cannot wait any longer! They are currently pouring gunpowder into their barrels, and their third volley is nearly ready."

"Rest assured, we cannot lose."

City Lord Gao stared at the five enemy vessels shrouded in the dim night in the distance, retaining absolute confidence as he waved his hand and ordered, "Attack!"

The Gao family vessel immediately hoisted the signal to fire.

The current situation pitted the Ten-Village Alliance's three remaining large vessels against the Ye village's five light vessels. A single large vessel was roughly equivalent to one and a half light vessels. The strength of both sides was evenly matched—a dead even match.

Even if both sides' vessels were to perish together and all sink, it mattered not.

For the Ten-Village Alliance still had six vessels dispatched to the Ye family's six branch islands. Once they captured the Ye villagers on each branch island, they would hasten over to rendezvous here.

And the Ye family's immortal village possessed not a single combat-worthy vessel left.

Should that happen, the Ten-Village Alliance would still achieve a complete victory.

Before long, the large vessels began discharging heavy iron cannonballs, targeting one of the Ye family's light armored vessels.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Hearing one fewer explosion than expected, City Lord Gao turned his gaze once more toward the Kong family's vessel, which had yet to emit any smoke from firing. His brows furrowed deeply. "What is wrong with the Kong family's ship? Turning around is one thing, but not even firing their cannons? Where on earth did Kong Zhonghai find such a captain?"

Before he could finish his sentence:

"Boom!"

The Kong family's vessel immediately discharged a cannon.

The heavy iron cannonball whistled through the air, striking squarely upon the deck of the Min family's vessel. It landed precisely near one of their bronze cannons, instantly wounding the Min family's gunner and even knocking the bronze cannon out of alignment.

A few miserable shrieks rang out from the deck of the Min family's ship. Caught entirely off guard by the Kong family, the cultivators suffered this unexpected bombardment and were instantly thrown into panicked chaos. The lookout immediately signaled that their bronze cannon had sustained severe damage.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Why is the Kong family attacking their own people?"

Numerous cultivators were shocked and bewildered, turning their heads to look at the Min family's vessel with drastically altered expressions.

"Could it be friendly fire?"

City Lord Chen asked in a daze, uncertainty in his voice.

"That is no friendly fire! That cannonball landed with absolute precision right beside the Min family's bronze cannon. This is clearly an attempt to destroy it! There is something wrong with the Kong family's ship! That fellow Kong is a traitor! Retaliate against the Kong family's ship immediately!"

City Lord Gao suddenly recalled Kong Zhonghai's earlier anomalies and the traitor who had leaked their maritime routes. Reacting in an instant, he roared with an iron-blue complexion.

"Kong Zhonghai, I'll tear your ancestors apart!"

City Lord Min also snapped to his senses, trembling with rage as he cursed aloud, completely stripping away any remaining aristocratic poise.

Among the Ten-Village Alliance he had painstakingly invited and assembled, a traitor had emerged. And at the most critical juncture, this traitor had driven a vicious knife into his back.

The mere thought that three large vessels were about to be sent to the bottom of the sea filled City Lord Min with despair.

"Fire! Hit them hard! Turn them over!"

Kong Zhonghai sneered, issuing the command with disdain.

The bronze cannons aboard the Kong family's vessel were being rapidly reloaded with gunpowder.

Meanwhile, the Min family's vessel had already fired previously, and with its bronze cannon damaged, it was unable to retaliate immediately. They hurriedly packed gunpowder, preparing to strike back at the Kong family.

The Ye family's five light armored vessels also unleashed a frantic round of bombardment directly at the Min family's ship, sending the cultivators scrambling in chaos across its deck.

The Gao family vessel angrily fired upon the Ye family's warships. However, a single heavy iron cannonball possessed too little destructive power to sink a light armored vessel in the short term.

Two quarters of an hour later, besieged by six ships and battered by two rounds of relentless bombardment, the Min family's vessel could no longer be saved. Its hull leaked from every direction, beginning to tilt with a creaking groan as its sinking became imminent.

The Min family cultivators and sailors aboard no longer dared to hold their ground. Panically fleeing, they deployed small boats, or simply grabbed floating planks and leaped into the water, swimming desperately toward the distant Gao family vessel.

"It's over."

City Lord Min's eyes were bloodshot, trembling with fury. He uttered a heart-wrenching cry of anguish as a wave of dizziness washed over his mind.

This was the second large vessel he had lost since arriving at the Aolai Archipelago. First, one had been incinerated by Yemo's hawk-riding oil bombs, and now another had been sabotaged by the villainous Kong family—disasters followed one after another.

As things stood, the Min family's immortal village no longer possessed any large ocean-going vessels.

Although the Min village had already begun constructing a shipyard, the craftsmanship required for such large vessels was complex, and the shipyard's construction speed was painfully slow. The rate of ship-building simply could not keep pace with the rate of destruction.

The entire surface of the sea was shrouded in gloom.

City Lord Gao's face was ashen as he watched helplessly as the two large vessels belonging to his allies, Chen and Min, were battered by wave after wave of concentrated fire and sent plunging to the ocean floor.

Now, only his single Gao family vessel remained, standing alone and desolate upon the sea, resisting the Ye family's five light armored warvessels.

No.

More than five light armored vessels.

There was now an additional traitorous Kong family vessel, which was also an enemy.

Fighting one against six left no margin for victory.

That damned traitor Kong Zhonghai had struck too viciously with this counter-attack, effectively burying the entire fleet of the Ten-Village Alliance.

The captain of the Gao family vessel possessed somewhat greater experience, simultaneously directing the naval battle while arranging for personnel to rescue cultivators from other immortal villages who had fallen into the water.

One by one, Min and Chen family cultivators and martial artists were fished out, looking utterly wretched and disheveled.

A middle-aged cultivator of the Min family, whose cultivation had reached the fifth layer of Qi-refining, was none other than "Uncle An," whom City Lord Min had mentioned.

Possessing profound cultivation, he had relied on his astonishing reflexes even after his ship sank to quickly locate a floating board, swimming immediately to the side of City Lord Gao's large vessel and leaping aboard.

Drenched from head to toe, Uncle An dropped to his knees before City Lord Min with a heavy thud, a look of profound shame upon his face. "Young Lord, this subordinate is incompetent and failed to protect the vessel. Please punish me!"

"Punish you? Can that make the large vessel float back up?"

City Lord Min glanced at him coldly, then shifted his gaze toward the largely submerged hull of the Min family's vessel, his heart filled with grief and despair.

He left one thought unsaid: even this Gao family vessel was merely clinging to a temporary existence. Before long, it too would find a grave at the bottom of the sea.

Uncle An lowered his head, utterly speechless.