THUNK!

A bizarrely shaped black dagger plunged crookedly into the table in front of Wu Mei.

Wu Mei knew that the recent whistling sound and the severing of Liang Dajun's right hand were both caused by this oddly shaped dagger.

"AH... HISS... AH..." Only then did Liang Dajun, whose wrist had been severed, feel the pain. He screamed, unable to form a complete sentence. His right wrist gushed blood, and within seconds, the ground was covered in it.

"The Poison Sting Dagger?! Who dares to be so bold as to provoke my Qingzi Sect!" Seeing Liang Dajun's wrist severed, Chen Ming's immediate thought was that someone wanted to kill him. His expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet, flipped the table in front of him, and used it as a makeshift shield.

At that moment, Chen Ming was too focused on self-preservation to spare a thought for Liang Dajun with his severed hand, let alone Wu Mei.

With a shocked and bewildered expression, Wu Mei looked in the direction the dagger had flown from and saw Lin Feng approaching slowly, his face grim.

Is this really Lin Feng? Wu Mei had never seen this side of him. His face was as dark as a thundercloud. He advanced step by deliberate step as if treading on mountains. His entire being emanated the aura of an unsheathed sword, his killing intent almost tangible in his gaze. The powerful gusts swirling around him seemed to push back the evening breeze, his clothes billowing, making him appear much taller.

Soon, Lin Feng reached Wu Mei's side.

"Lin Feng!?" Wu Mei whispered his name, a hint of shame in her voice. The anxiety in her heart vanished instantly, as if a storm had swept away the haze.

Wu Mei couldn't believe Lin Feng had appeared so timely.

He must have been searching everywhere for me! That has to be it! Wu Mei told herself, finding comfort in the thought. Lin Feng really does care about me. He always appears when I'm in danger!

Lin Feng shot Wu Mei an exasperated look. This silly girl is nothing but trouble. How dare she approach Chen Ming alone? If I'd been a few seconds later, she'd probably be stripped naked by now!

"Hmph! Who are you, kid?! How dare you meddle in other people's business?" Chen Ming hadn't recognized Lin Feng yet. Seeing only one intruder, who didn't even seem to have a second dagger, his tense expression eased considerably. After instructing Fa Zai to administer emergency first aid to Liang Dajun's severed wrist, he questioned Lin Feng menacingly.

Besides Fa Zai and Liang Dajun, Chen Ming had four bodyguards behind him, all highly skilled Inner Strength Level Two cultivators.

Furthermore, Chen Ming himself was an Inner Strength Level Three cultivator. Facing an apparently unarmed Lin Feng five against one, he naturally felt no fear.

Upon learning that Chen Ming and his men had dared to drug Wu Mei, Lin Feng had already sentenced Chen Ming to death in his mind. However, Wu Mei was currently incapacitated. He needed to get her away quickly and had no interest in wasting time on Chen Ming and his crew.

"Chen Ming, you've got some nerve, targeting my woman," Lin Feng said, his gaze chilling as he glanced at Chen Ming.

"So you're that Lin Feng? Long Shaotian's man?" Chen Ming finally realized, asking belatedly. His son, Chen Qingyun, had already solemnly explained Lin Feng's reputation to him: this Lin Feng was a formidable master capable of defeating Long San in a single move.

Long San believed Lin Feng had used Silver Needles to trick him, and that Lin Feng's true strength wasn't comparable to his own. Chen Qingyun, however, disagreed. He believed that whether Lin Feng used needles or poison, the ability to overpower an opponent in one move was true strength. In a life-or-death battle, who would care if the victor cheated or used underhanded tactics?

When Chen Ming heard that Lin Feng could defeat Long San in a single move, he knew Lin Feng was undoubtedly one of Long Shaotian's trump cards for the upcoming competition. Deep down, he even felt a little wary of Lin Feng.

Chen Ming could never have imagined that Wu Mei was actually Lin Feng's woman. He had clashed with Lin Feng prematurely!

What a surprise!

Since Chen Ming was Chen Qingyun's father, Lin Feng naturally understood why Chen Ming knew of him.

"Yes, I am that Lin Feng. If you feel the need to eliminate me beforehand, now would be the perfect time!" Lin Feng said with a nonchalant expression, even subtly goading Chen Ming to make a move.

It wasn't that Lin Feng was being deliberately arrogant; he knew Zhou Yang and Xue Qingyi were watching from the shadows. Three elite members of the White Wolf Squad against Chen Ming and his rabble? There's no need to be nervous. Even if Zhou Yang refuses to intervene, with Xue Qingyi and her Linglong Needle, I'm confident I can eliminate Chen Ming and his men without injury!

This isn't arrogance; it's the strong confidence born from numerous life-and-death battles. I refuse to believe that a pampered man like Chen Ming could have combat awareness comparable to mine. As for the bodyguards behind him, who are just hired thugs, they're even less of a concern. They only know how to fight when they have the advantage. If things turn sour, they'll probably flee immediately. Their fighting spirit is negligible!

Chen Ming had been itching to make a move. There weren't many people on deck at this hour. If he could kill Lin Feng and dump his body into the sea, after the cruise sailed through the night, Lin Feng would vanish from the world. After all, his side had six able fighters, while Lin Feng only had the incapacitated Wu Mei with him—a stark disparity.

However, intelligent people are often suspicious. After hearing Lin Feng's calm suggestion, Chen Ming's eyes instinctively scanned the dark surroundings. He could tell Lin Feng's words weren't an empty bluff but a statement of arrogant confidence. Yet, Chen Ming couldn't detect anything unusual in the darkness. He had no way of knowing if Lin Feng had other arrangements.

Although Chen Ming considered himself a master, he had too many fears. For example, if Lin Feng had arranged for a sniper hidden in the darkness to target him, he feared his chances of survival would be slim. Chen Ming knew that while the cruise ship's security was decent, the world was full of exploitable loopholes. He wasn't about to gamble with his own life.

The more seasoned someone was, the more they cherished their life. They wouldn't fight as recklessly as the young and knew when to exercise restraint.

So, Chen Ming chose a temporary retreat.

"Hmph! Am I, Chen Ming, the type of person to launch sneak attacks?" Chen Ming shook his head, looking at Lin Feng earnestly. He then glanced at Wu Mei beside Lin Feng and said with a trace of reluctance, "I didn't know she was your woman. However, I'd say tonight's events were an unfortunate misunderstanding. I suggest we each take a step back and let this matter end here."

In truth, neither Lin Feng nor Chen Ming wanted it to end there; both wanted a fight to the death. However, each had their own concerns. Chen Ming worried Lin Feng had an ambush prepared, while Lin Feng was anxious to take Wu Mei away and get her the antidote. Their only option was to temporarily suppress their animosity and settle things later.

"Hmph... I will remember what happened tonight," Lin Feng said coolly, helping Wu Mei up. Then, right in front of Chen Ming, he supported Wu Mei and turned to leave, brazenly exposing his wide-open back.

Watching Lin Feng's completely undefended back, Chen Ming was tempted for a long moment. Ultimately, he gritted his teeth and silently watched Lin Feng depart, not daring to make a move.

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