Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Combining Three Strengths

While heavy, the rope felt nowhere near as burdensome as Lou Yun’s current mood. He could keenly feel the hopeful gazes fixated on him from all around.

Before entering the storm sea, if the four Auxiliary Ships behind couldn’t be connected to this Main Ship, those vessels stood a great chance of never leaving the storm sea again. Everyone aboard would become fish food. So now, Lou Yun literally held the hope of survival for so many people!

Lou Yun drew a deep breath. Gathering every last bit of spiritual energy and all the physical strength he possessed, he directed it completely into his hands. No matter what, he had to lift this rope brimming with hope and fling it to the Auxiliary Ship opposite them.

Just as Lou Yun prepared to exert himself once more, another pair of hands appeared beneath the rope. Wen Hou said with a smile, “You alone probably won’t be able to lift it.”

“Hmph!”

A cold snort sounded. Iron Executioner, Tie Sha, bent down his towering frame, his massive hands also settling under the rope.

A smile appeared on Lou Yun’s face. He nodded, “Together!”

“One! Two! Three!”

Following Lou Yun’s command, all three men exerted their strength simultaneously. Finally, the section of rope, thick enough to require two men to encircle it, lifted off the deck!

Though the combined strength of three clearly felt much lighter, merely lifting the rope wasn’t enough. They still had to deliver it over twenty meters away onto the Auxiliary Ship.

Simultaneously, all three internally assessed their situation. Their current strength made this feat impossible.

Wen Hou smiled and said, “Hold on! I’ve got an idea!”

Lou Yun looked at Wen Hou, puzzled. Wen Hou inhaled deeply, his smile vanishing instantly as he shouted sternly, “Spirit Transformation!”

Shua!

An enormous mirror materialized beneath the rope, its surface perfectly supporting the entire length. Almost immediately, the normally silent Tie Sha let out a low, gruff roar: “Spirit Transformation!”

The two-meter-long giant sword appeared in Tie Sha’s mouth. Now, its length extended by an extra meter!

Tie Sha jerked his head. The immense sword clenched between his teeth plunged decisively into the center of the rope. Its full three-meter length pierced clear through, leaving only the hilt and a small portion of the blade tip exposed.

Now, the giant sword and the rope resembled nothing more than a thread passing through the eye of a needle.

Seeing this, Lou Yun largely understood what the pair intended.

The rope was simply too huge for one person to effectively grasp or throw, robbing any throw of power. But with Tie Sha’s sword passing through it, they essentially had a handle. By gripping the sword’s hilt, they could channel force to fling the rope those twenty meters onto the Auxiliary Ship.

Meanwhile, Wen Hou’s mirror supported the colossal rope from below. Its purpose was clearly to lighten the load Tie Sha had to bear. Having fought alongside each other for years, the two possessed near-perfect synergy. They could act concurrently – one throwing the rope, the other easing its weight as it flew through the air with the mirror’s support.

A solid plan in theory. Yet Lou Yun felt deep worry flicker within him. The power generated by Wen Hou and Tie Sha alone likely wouldn’t suffice to propel such a massive rope so far. Adding his strength might be enough. But the question remained: How could he contribute effectively?

Lou Yun didn’t know Spirit Transformation. Nor did he share that deep-seated tactical bond with Wen Hou and Tie Sha. Still, a solution sparked quickly in his mind.

“Tie Sha!” Lou Yun called out. “When you make the throw later, loosen the protective defenses around your magical weapon within your dantian! I will channel my power into you!”

This method of transferring energy was an obscure technique Lou Yun had stumbled upon in the books left by Mr. Commoner. It involved transmitting one’s power into another person’s body through physical contact. The prerequisite: the recipient must consciously relax the inherent defenses born around the magical weapon within the dantian.

The magical weapon, a magical weapons master’s most vital possession, possessed innate defenses the moment it manifested within the dantian. These could block external energy intrusions. However, these defenses weren’t formidable; any external force exceeding the owner’s own strength could override them.

For Lou Yun to transfer his power into Tie Sha’s body, forcing Tie Sha to lower these crucial defenses voluntarily… was an act demanding immense trust. With the magical weapon in such a vulnerable, unprotected state, Lou Yun could potentially shatter Tie Sha’s artifact – an act far simpler than crushing an ant!

While the bond between the taciturn Tie Sha and Lou Yun had certainly strengthened since their initial encounter, it hadn’t deepened to this level yet. Thus, upon hearing Lou Yun’s words, a flicker of hesitation crossed Tie Sha’s usually stoic face for the first time. He turned to look at Wen Hou.

Wen Hou had clearly overheard. He smiled and nodded to Tie Sha: “I trust him.”

Throughout his life, Tie Sha had trusted no one more than he trusted Wen Hou. Seeing Wen Hou’s acceptance of Lou Yun, Tie Sha’s doubts vanished instantly.

With a firm nod, the taciturn man broke his silence: “I’ll lower the defenses now.”

Lou Yun understood the profound risk inherent in this energy transfer method. Wen Hou’s swift trust deeply moved him. He nodded gratefully towards the scholar. Wen Hou responded with his usual warm smile.

As Tie Sha nodded once more, Lou Yun placed both hands on his back, channeling every ounce of his strength steadily into Tie Sha’s body. This force flowed into his dantian, merging with the magical weapon.

Feeling the spiritual energy and power flowing into him from Lou Yun, Tie Sha’s face gradually revealed an expression of astonishment. He even turned his head to glance at Lou Yun, hardly believing the immense energy contained within Lou Yun’s diminutive frame!

Wen Hou knew Tie Sha too well. Seeing him turn, Wen Hou immediately understood what was on his mind and urgently commanded, "Tie Sha, concentrate!"

"Mm!" Tie Sha nodded, steadied his mind, closed his eyes, and began mobilizing the power within him.

Finally, Tie Sha reached out and gripped the hilt of his great sword. Taking a deep breath, he exerted force with both arms. The muscles on his arms bulged high, violently bursting open his shirt!

"ARGH!"

With an earth-shattering roar, Tie Sha finally lifted the rope with both hands!

Naturally, Wen Hou, who had been closely monitoring his strength fluctuations, seized the perfect moment. He used his own magical weapon to lift the rope, helping Tie Sha bear some of its weight.

"HRAAAGH!"

Another furious roar erupted, drowning out the thunderclaps overhead. The power of Lou Yun, Wen Hou, and Tie Sha converged together. Flowing through Tie Sha’s hands, they poured every last ounce of their strength into hurling the rope — this lifeline bearing countless hopes — far away!

Guided by the massive, flattened rhombus-shaped mirror, the rope traced a flawless arc through the air before landing heavily onto the deck of the first Auxiliary Ship, over twenty meters away.

"BOOM!"

Amidst the thunderous impact, a wave of cheers erupted. People on both the Main Ship and the Auxiliary Ships jumped with excitement.

With the rope now connected, the Main Ship was tethered to the first Auxiliary Ship trailing behind it. Since the connecting ropes between the four Auxiliary Ships remained intact, all five vessels were effectively linked together. They should now be able to safely navigate through this storm-tossed sea.

As the celebrations erupted, three distinct thuds suddenly sounded. Everyone turned toward the noise to see Lou Yun, Wen Hou, and Tie Sha collapse simultaneously onto the deck. Their inner energy was utterly spent; they lacked even the strength to stand. Tie Sha was in a particularly bad state, his hands trembling slightly – after all, he had been the vessel channeling the immense power directly. Yet, satisfied smiles touched the faces of all three men.

Zhao Zhanpeng urgently called to nearby crew members, "Quick! Carry these three gentlemen to their cabins!"

Wen Hou and Tie Sha struggled to sit up, recalling their respective magical weapons, before collapsing completely. This time, rising was genuinely impossible.

Crew members swiftly came forward, each lifting one of the three. Braving the turbulent waves, they managed to carry the men steadily back to their cabins.

Shui Lingluo and Cai San Gong, who had been anxiously waiting by their open door, were shocked to see the trio carried in. Learning what had transpired, however, filled them with both deep admiration and profound emotion.

Lou Yun managed a weak wave, "Alright, everyone get back to your cabins. We’re about to enter the storm zone now!"

As everyone dispersed, Lou Yun remained in his cabin. He could still clearly hear the terrifying, soul-shaking thunder of the waves outside. The entire ship surged into the storm’s heart, pitching and rolling violently upon the mountainous swells.

Lou Yun could scarcely believe the sheer ferocity within the storm seas. It felt like the world had plunged into apocalypse. The entire area was gripped by insane fury – the wind howled like demons, waves crashed against the empty sky, and the huge vessel, tossed about like a mere leaf, rose and fell violently upon the swells.

For Lou Yun, who had never sailed before and was utterly exhausted besides, this level of turbulence brought crippling dizziness, nausea, and the urge to vomit. He recalled Cai San Gong mentioning this condition — seasickness — and knowing it was harmless offered a sliver of relief.

He could only close his eyes, praying silently that the ship would hurry through this terrifying region so he might be spared this agonizing torment sooner.

The more he yearned for relief, the more it eluded him. At that very moment, Chang Xiang’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind: "Kid, you can’t rest. This sea holds something precious!"

Lou Yun had no strength left. Eyes closed, he massaged his temples weakly. "Brother Chang, no treasure compares to a man’s life. If I go out now, chances are I’d lose my life ten times over out there!" Frankly, he felt utterly uninterested in any "something precious."

Hearing Lou Yun’s reply, Chang Xiang paused before responding pointedly: "Fine then. Seems you think yourself quite strong already… even willing to abandon the ‘heavenly fire storm’!"