Chapter 242: Section 30: Bai Ya’s Knight Dream
“Are you sure you want to board the Little Bird?” Sanda looked at Xu Ma with a puzzled expression, seeking confirmation again.
“Of course, of course. Please make it convenient, sir.” In a corner, Xu Ma bowed deeply, his face wearing a flattering smile.
“Hehehe.” Seeing no one around, he took out a silver coin from his pocket and directly handed it to Sanda.
Sanda pushed back slightly, but Xu Ma was surprisingly strong and could only accept it.
The goblin stared at the silver coin in his hand and said with a strange expression, “Alright then. I’ll recruit you to the Little Bird.”
“Wait, sir, not just me, there’s one more. To be precise, two people,” Xu Ma said.
“One coin and you want to settle two matters?” Sanda deliberately made it difficult.
“He’s just an ordinary sailor, sir. Just consider him an extra,” Xu Ma smiled ingratiatingly again, bowing even lower, almost able to look the goblin in the eye. This made Sanda admire the flexibility of the Bronze Thief’s body.
“Forget it,” Sanda shook his head, “What’s his name?”
“Hei Ya (Bai Ya).”
Sanda was surprised internally, a hint of alertness arising, but he kept a calm exterior and probed, “Who is he to you? A fellow villager? Worth your care?”
“Pfft! He’s a newcomer, doesn’t know much. I just taught him a few things, he’s like my younger brother,” Xu Ma said.
Sanda’s thoughts churned, probing again, “Has he agreed?”
“Of course, he has agreed,” Xu Ma gave Sanda a thumbs up, “To be able to board Captain Lion Flag’s ship and receive your care, sir, is a great thing.”
“Hehe.” Sanda chuckled twice at Xu Ma. He naturally knew that Bai Ya’s alias now was Hei Ya.
From Xu Ma’s words, it appeared Bai Ya was unaware.
Although Bai Ya was just an ordinary person, having shared life and death experiences on Mysterious Monster Island, Sanda took the matter to heart.
“If you want me to take more care of you in the future, it will depend on your contributions later. Let’s leave it at that for now.” Sanda patted Xu Ma on the shoulder, pretending to agree, preparing to secretly inquire Bai Ya first.
Xu Ma was overjoyed, “Sir, just watch my performance from now on. Oh, take care, sir!”
The night wind breezed gently.
On the deck.
Lan Zao was instructing Bai Ya on the cultivation of Fighting energy.
“Cultivating Fighting energy is all about activity. Fighting energy is about excavating power from within the body, unlike magic which draws elements from outside.”
“What is the Fighting energy mantra? It guides us on how to move our bodies, how during the movement Fighting energy is generated, and then how to manipulate it.”
“The Fighting energy you and I cultivate is the same. It requires the activity of our muscles, similar to swinging a rope.”
“You’re just a beginner, it’s normal not to find the sensation of these muscle movements. Let me teach you a method, that’s how I succeeded initially.”
While saying this, Lan Zao fetched a loop of rope from a corner.
This was a spare rope for pulling sails, thick and long.
Lan Zao spread out the rope, wrapped it around the Main Mast, and then grasped both ends in his hands.
“Watch closely!” Lan Zao stood with legs apart, squatting slightly, arms extended forward, continuously powering the long rope in his hands.
The rope, under his swing, formed waves that traveled to where the Main Mast and the rope tangled and disappeared without a trace.
Bai Ya stared intently at Lan Zao, not blinking, extremely serious.
After coming out from Mysterious Monster Island, Lan Zao had taken the initiative to find Bai Ya to teach him his Fighting energy mantra.
Bai Ya had been learning for many days but had seen little success.
“Alright, your turn to try,” Lan Zao demonstrated for a while and then stopped.
Bai Ya nodded, stood where Lan Zao had been, and mimicked his actions, swinging the long rope while activating the Fighting energy mantra.
He quickly showed a joyful expression.
“So that’s how it is!” he found the knack.
After swinging the long rope, the feedback force helped Bai Ya break through that layer of barrier, understanding that his arm muscles should move just like the rope.
His arms quickly warmed up, and traces of fine Fighting energy were produced. But soon after, the Fighting energy spread to other parts of his body, the already scarce energy dispersed, nearly vanishing.
But Bai Ya was very happy; normally, to achieve this effect, he would need to practice for an hour or two. But now, he did it in just a matter of breaths.
“Master Lan Zao, thank you so much! Your trick is really great,” Bai Ya was extremely excited.
Lan Zao laughed heartily and patted Bai Ya on the shoulder, “My life was saved by you; saying thanks is too formal.”
Seeing Bai Ya always reminded him of another figure—Huang Zao—his own younger brother.
Just as he was about to encourage a few words, suddenly, footsteps approached.
Lan Zao and Bai Ya immediately became alert, slightly distancing themselves.
The two were taking advantage of the night when no one else was on deck to conduct the training. Of course, even if someone came upon them, at most, it would just raise some curiosity about how close their relationship was and would not be considered a flaw.
Sanda immediately appeared before the two, “I’m not interrupting you, am I?”
Bai Ya quickly shook his head, and Lan Zao smiled, indicating that he was not.
Both of them relaxed.
Although Sanda was a goblin, he had experienced the Mysterious Monster Island, and the trio considered each other as insiders. Sometimes, Lan Zao and Bai Ya would subconsciously overlook Sanda’s racial identity as a goblin.
Such an attitude was genuine and irreplaceable.
It also gave Sanda a rare feeling of warmth from a group that accepted him.
Sanda succinctly repeated Xu Ma’s request.
Bai Ya was surprised, “I didn’t expect Xu Ma to be a good person.”
“Good person?” Sanda shook his head, “He’s just bullying the weak and fearing the strong. He’s afraid. Staying on the Justice, he would be in danger if a battle broke out. But the Little Bird is just an ordinary ship. In a fight, the enemy’s firepower would be focused on the Justice. Moreover, without a captain and Mage on the Little Bird, there are fewer strong figures above him, which would let him maneuver better.”
Sanda had once been the leader of a Mercenary Group and had seen many such people; he could tell Xu Ma’s thoughts at a glance.
“Even so, he’s still looking out for my interests,” Bai Ya still felt somewhat grateful to Xu Ma.
Lan Zao coughed, “You’re just an addition to him; he treats you as a subordinate. Having people rely on him is naturally advantageous rather than being alone. Be careful not to be used and then count money for others.”
“No, I won’t be, esteemed sirs, I’m an adult too!” Bai Ya retorted, his eyes wide.
Lan Zao laughed heartily.
Sanda then asked, “What do you think then? To tell the truth, Lord Zong Ge has already shared with me the training and combat plans for the Little Bird. He plans to train a formidable force using military methods. If you join the Little Bird, you’ll experience tough training normally and higher frequency of sea battles in the future.”
Lan Zao’s expression grew serious, “Can pirates really be trained into a military force?”
Sanda didn’t respond to this doubt. Having followed Zong Ge, Sanda would give his opinions and warnings on every plan, but as long as Zong Ge decided to proceed, Sanda was always the most supportive!
Bai Ya fell silent for a while, then clenched his lips and nodded gravely, “I want to join the Little Bird!”
Lan Zao’s expression changed slightly, “The Justice is actually safer. We can talk to Fat Tongue or Mu Ban and have you assigned to do odd jobs with them.”
“But I want to become a knight!” Bai Ya clenched his fists, “If I avoid battles like this, how can I make any achievements?”
“If I don’t achieve, I won’t have the resources to help myself cultivate.”
“I also want to eat Magic Beast Meat!”
With Bai Ya determined, Lan Zao didn’t try to dissuade him further.
Leaving Bai Ya to continue practicing near the Main Mast, Lan Zao and Sanda patrolled the deck, eventually reaching the forward superstructure.
They heard snoring.
It was the sound of the Big guy sleeping.
“Master Sanda, please take care of Bai Ya, as his strength is limited,” Lan Zao requested.
Sanda smiled, “He’s one of us. You don’t even have to ask; I would do so anyways. But… it seems like this young man has really caught your eye?”
Sanda, a Black Iron Level, held a significant respect for the Bronze Level Lan Zao.
Because during a pursuit battle on the Mysterious Monster Island, it was only the knight youth, Zong Ge, Sanda, and Lan Zao who stood up, willing to take risks to hunt down the Demon Beast Army.
The steadfast attitude of Lan Zao following the knight youth resonated deeply with Sanda, a follower of Zong Ge.
Lan Zao heaved a sigh, “You know he once saved me? He’s like a brother to me.”
He wasn’t aware of Lan Zao’s guilt towards Huang Zao, only knowing that Huang Zao faced danger on the Mysterious Monster Island while Lan Zao was right beside him.
Sanda guessed in his heart: Perhaps seeing his own brother’s death made this man transfer his brotherly love to Bai Ya.
Lan Zao turned, looking towards Bai Ya.
From this position, his view was obstructed, but he could hear the sound of a rope whipping through the air.
A look of contentment crossed his face, “Compared to Huang Zao, Bai Ya is much smarter. When I taught Huang Zao this cultivation trick, he took three days to learn it. Plus, Bai Ya is diligent and trains very hard.”
“But he lacks innate talent,” Sanda stated calmly.
Lan Zao’s expression fell, and with a pained look, he helplessly admitted, “Yes.”
Sanda knew that Lan Zao had taught Bai Ya Fighting Energy quite early on.
But even after many days of cultivation, Bai Ya’s progress was minimal. Sanda saw through this immediately, knowing Bai Ya had very ordinary aptitude.
“For someone ordinary like him, with no Bloodline, no matter how hard he works, even if he practices without sleeping, the efficiency of cultivation is too low. He might never break through and reach Bronze Level in his lifetime. His dream of becoming a knight might just remain a dream,” Sanda declared.
A knight needs to be a Transcendent, at least of Bronze Level Cultivation. Ordinary people could only serve as Cavalry.
“But he doesn’t know that yet,” Lan Zao slowly shook his head, “I hope, sir, that you do not tell him about this situation prematurely.”
“Rest assured. I understand,” Sanda looked up at the deep night sky, letting out a long sigh, “Though I’m a Black Iron, in some ways, I am just like Bai Ya.”
Every life form has its limits.
Bloodline defines those limits.