Chapter 639 - 346: Ancient Ruins in the Deep Sea, Death of the Cyan Fish Gang Leader!

The moonlight spills across the sky, casting fragmented shadows through the branches of the tallow tree, resembling the undercurrents within the Cyan Fish Gang these days.

The Battle of the Four Pirates, although it annihilated three of the Thirteen Great Pirates and heavily damaged the Jiao Blood Gang and the Xuan Snake Gang, forcing Quan Feng to flee wounded, was nothing short of astounding.

Yet, the arrival of the three Great Pirate gangs and the Four Pirates at an unnamed island in the deep sea seemed extremely suspicious. Neither the elders, hall masters, nor veterans of the Cyan Fish Gang were fools, and many disciples suspected Gongyang Jue.

However, there was no tangible evidence concerning the matter. Disciples from Gongyang Jue’s faction blamed the Baili siblings for being too ostentatious during the sea voyage. They criticized them for recklessly deploying a thousand disciples without scouting the enemy, nearly causing a catastrophe.

The mutual attacks made the gang’s previously calm atmosphere increasingly tense, and a third voice emerged.

"The Gang Leader has been in seclusion for five years without appearing. Why hasn’t he come out to manage things during such a critical event?!"

With the internal strife escalating further, some even implicated collusion with long-standing enemies, the Sea Pirates, to harm one’s own people, while others hoped Baili Hong could step up to preside over the situation.

This voice quickly garnered overwhelming support, as the Cyan Fish Gang was on the brink of internal warfare and even complete fragmentation.

Baili Hong held great prestige within the Cyan Fish Gang and all of Donglai County. The gang needed a stabilizing force to take charge—not Gongyang Jue, nor Baili Feng, but Baili Hong!

Minds raced, thoughts returned, as a knock sounded at the door.

"With such strength, appearing at this critical moment... Could it be the Gang Leader?"

Su Mu rose to open the door.

Outside, the slightly haggard Baili Hongtang appeared at the door, followed half a step behind by a hunched figure cloaked in gray robes.

"Third brother, let’s go inside to talk."

Su Mu stepped aside, sensing no hostility from the cloaked figure and trusting them since they were brought by Baili Hongtang.

A few steps into the courtyard, Su Mu felt a scorching gaze repeatedly scrutinizing him. After entering the room, the gray-robed figure removed their hood, revealing a face aged like ridged mountains and furrows.

The old man with white hair emitted a decaying aura of approaching death, yet his eyes shone brightly, containing a solid Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Su Mu squinted slightly, surprised to see the pillar-like Destiny of an Upper Three Grades Great Cultivator in the old man, although the pillar was decaying and dissipating rapidly.

Additionally, the old man’s eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to the Baili siblings.

"It seems like a miscalculation in breaking through to the Upper Three Grades... Destiny is decaying, Life Force is waning, already at the end of one’s strength."

These thoughts flashed quickly in Su Mu’s mind, but the ensuing words from the old man and Baili Hongtang left him stunned, as the old man generously praised him.

"There are few in Donglai County who can catch the eyes of both Feng’Er and Hongtang. Hearing is one thing, seeing today confirms your remarkable presence—truly a young talent!"

"Third brother, he is my second grandfather and also my grandfather’s sworn brother, Qiu Mountain... He is the Great Elder of the Cyan Fish Gang."

Baili Hongtang introduced the old man’s identity.

Su Mu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this; the old man wasn’t the rumored Cyan Fish Gang Leader he had speculated to be but the gang’s Great Elder.

Qiu Mountain was someone Baili Hong’s father, Baili Ba, befriended while traveling through Qingzhou. After surviving life-and-death situations several times, Baili Ba proposed a bond, which Qiu Mountain gladly agreed to.

Years later, Baili Ba succeeded as the Cyan Fish Gang Leader and invited Qiu Mountain to be Hall Master Qing Jiao. During a voyage, Baili Ba was killed in an ambush by several of the Thirteen Great Pirates.

After the incident, Qiu Mountain was furious and repeatedly entered Penghai to kill every pirate involved in Baili Ba’s murder, earning him fame throughout Donglai.

Following Baili Ba’s death, Qiu Mountain voluntarily stepped down as Hall Master Qing Jiao and entered seclusion. Ten years later, he emerged, promoted to Martial Arts Grandmaster, and stabilized Baili Hong’s position as Gang Leader.

The old man before them was not only a prominent figure in Donglai County but had devoted his life to the Cyan Fish Gang. Baili Feng and Baili Hongtang held him in high regard, treating him as their own grandfather from a young age.

"The Great Elder’s reputation resonates like thunder. This junior greets the Great Elder!"

After Su Mu paid his respects, he hesitated to speak. Baili Hongtang had mentioned Qiu Mountain but only in passing, saying he was promoted to Martial Arts Grandmaster thirty years ago. Why was such a Grandmaster in his prime so eager to pass his cultivation to successors?

His second sister seemed reluctant to elaborate at the time, merely hinting it.

Qiu Mountain appeared to perceive the questions in Su Mu’s heart and responded, "Thirty years ago, after advancing to the Upper Three Grades and achieving Martial Arts Grandmaster status, I spent two years consolidating the realm before secretly setting out to completely annihilate the Jiao Blood Gang."

"Liu Hate fled in panic into a large ancient ruin resembling a giant palace in the deep sea and died. I pursued him but was injured by remnants of the Grand Array within and returned severely wounded..."

Recalling the past, even thirty-odd years later, Qiu Mountain’s eyes still revealed a trace of fear.

"Though I escaped the ruins, the array had damaged my essence; my Martial Arts Golden Body was left broken, difficult to heal... My days are numbered, and I seek a favor from you, young friend."