Seeing the tense atmosphere, Qian Wenhao quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Captain Qian, Brother Su is only suggesting we take a look. If it’s truly inconvenient, please don’t get angry. It’s not worth souring relations."

"Does anyone here not know how important this voyage is?" Qian Xin’s one eye widened as he stared daggers at Su Yu, a cold sneer on his face. "You want the entire treasure ship to drop anchor and wait for one person? Anyone else who dares to suggest something so stupid can get the hell off my ship!"

Su Yu’s expression was as placid as an old well; he was completely unfazed.

’I’ve never met this Qian Xin before, yet the man is immediately hostile, acting as if we have some deep-seated grudge. Anyone who can become the captain of a Qian Family heavy treasure ship can’t possibly be a simple-minded fool.’

’The man is clearly using this as a pretext to put me in my place.’

But Su Yu didn’t speak right away. Instead, he turned his calm gaze to Qian Qinghong.

A murderous glint appeared on Qian Qinghong’s beautiful face. Her eyes turned cold as she stared at Qian Xin. "Qian Xin, on this voyage, who is in command? Me or you? I said, stop the ship! Let Brother Su investigate!"

"Naturally, I listen to you, Young Miss," Qian Xin said, cupping his hands in a perfunctory gesture, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. "However, Young Miss, I am only acting with the mission’s best interests at heart! We are still half a day’s journey from our destination. If we delay too long here, the waterways become treacherous and unpredictable after nightfall. Should we be late for the main business of fishing, that is a responsibility I cannot bear!"

Qian Qinghong’s expression grew even colder.

This journey into the deep-water zone relied on Qian Xin’s skill at the helm. To turn on him and relieve him of command in front of everyone would be like shooting herself in the foot.

She turned to Tributor Pan Guanyue, who was watching from the sidelines with his arms crossed, hoping to use his influence to pressure Qian Xin. "Tributor Pan, what is your opinion? Is there merit to what Captain Qian says?"

Pan Guanyue was a veteran Tributor of the Qian Family, a Martial Artist at the mid-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm. Because of his exceptional skill in the water, the Qian siblings had always relied on him heavily and rewarded him handsomely.

However, Pan Guanyue stroked his beard and spoke in a faintly mocking tone. "Young Miss, in my opinion, Captain Qian is absolutely right. As far as I know, an adult Ghost-faced Crab’s strength is comparable to a Martial Artist of the Skin Tempering Realm, and they’re even more difficult to handle in the water. If the treasure ship anchors here, with Tributor Su’s ’mere’ Skin Tempering Realm strength, I’m afraid he could spend a couple of hours underwater and still not be able to deal with the beast..."

He left the rest unsaid, but his pretense of being impartial and thinking of the bigger picture made Qian Qinghong’s heart sink.

A thoughtful look flashed in Qian Qinghong’s eyes, and she instantly understood what was going on.

’Hiring Su Yu for such a hefty sum, and even promising him a stake in a treasure ship, has clearly threatened the interests of the Qian Family’s old guard and stoked their jealousy.’

Nevertheless, she gave the cold command, "Stop the ship!"

The moment she spoke, Qian Xin opened his mouth to protest, but her cold gaze swept over him. Feeling her menacing aura, he immediately clamped his mouth shut.

He knew Qian Qinghong was a decisive person. If he defied her too many times, she would not hesitate to relieve him of command on the spot.

By now, Su Yu had a good idea of the situation as well.

’Being brought on for such a high price must have rubbed some of the Qian Family’s old guard the wrong way.’

’But so what?’

He spoke calmly, "Qinghong, I only need a quarter of an hour. I’ll kill that Ghost-faced Crab and be right back."

"Idiot! A quarter of an hour? Who do you think you are? That Ghost-faced Crab’s strength is immense in the water. You, a mere Skin Tempering Realm nobody, dare to make such a boast!"

Qian Xin yanked the helm hard over. With a jarring shriek as the anchor was dropped, the treasure ship slowly came to a halt.

He glared at Su Yu, still muttering curses. "The undercurrents are treacherous. In fifteen minutes, you’ll be lucky to even find the thing!"

A few of the nearby sailors also began to jeer sarcastically. "Heh, someone’s got it all figured out. Even if he takes longer than fifteen minutes, it’s not like the Young Miss will actually leave him behind. So what’s with all the big talk?"

"Exactly. Even an expert like Tributor Pan wouldn’t dare boast he could find and kill a Ghost-faced Crab in fifteen minutes. This kid’s from some martial arts school—what does he know about fighting underwater?"

Qian Wenhao was fuming. His neck flushed red as he roared, "All of you, shut your traps! Get back to work!"

Pan Guanyue’s eyes flashed as he shot a cold glance at Qian Wenhao. "Quite the imposing air you have, Captain Qian. What, are people not allowed to speak the truth on this ship now?"

Qian Wenhao was left speechless, his face flushing crimson.

He had wanted to speak up for Brother Su, but Tributor Pan had shot him down instantly. This Tributor Pan was stronger than him, a veteran Tributor, and the key player in this mission to capture the treasure fish. He was in no position to challenge him.

Besides, he was also starting to worry. It had been unwise for Brother Su to make such a bold claim.

"Enough. I will be the one to decide when this ship stops and when it sails," Qian Qinghong declared, her cold gaze sweeping over the Qian Family members once more.

The men from the Qian Family all lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.

"Brother Su, please be quick."

Su Yu nodded slightly, wasting no more words. He was the type who preferred to let his fists and the facts do the talking.

He scooped up the heavy, custom-made Iron Wire Vine Net from the bow with one hand and closed his eyes. The Listening Wave Positioning Trait activated in his mind, penetrating hundreds of feet of water to instantly lock onto a behemoth lurking in the silt and sand below.

WHOOSH!

With a flick of Su Yu’s wrist, the massive net unfurled perfectly in mid-air like a storm cloud. It cut through the air with a whistle before slamming down onto the river’s surface!

Seeing the clean, decisive cast that spread as perfectly round as a full moon, a flash of appreciation appeared in Qian Qinghong’s beautiful eyes. Having spent her life on ships, she could instantly recognize the masterful skill behind that throw—it was absolute perfection.

Then, Su Yu tore off his outer shirt, revealing a powerful, lean physique. His muscles were like something carved by a master sculptor, with sleek, commanding lines. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him; every inch of his skin seemed to ripple with terrifying power.

PLOP!

His body entered the water as smoothly as an agile treasure fish, barely even making a splash.

The moment he was submerged, the Bibo Fish Dragon Skill activated. The murky currents and immense pressure that would trouble any other Martial Artist were effortlessly repelled by his Water-Resistant Air Membrane.

Following the target locked by his Listening Wave Positioning, he shot toward the riverbed like an arrow.

In the dim silt of the riverbed, the massive Iron Wire Vine Net had perfectly trapped a one-eyed, millstone-sized giant crab that bore the pattern of a ferocious ghost face on its back!

GLUG GLUG!

Trapped, the Ghost-faced Crab exploded with a ferocious aura. It waved its giant, steel-like pincers, frantically tearing at the net. Fortunately, the net was custom-made by the Qian Family, several times tougher than ordinary iron nets, and for the moment, the giant crab could not break free.

And in the next instant, its chance to escape vanished completely.

"Wave-Piercing Stab!"

Su Yu kicked his legs hard, using the current’s thrust to become a blurry afterimage! He used no weapon; instead, he turned his own powerful body, recently tempered to the Flesh Refining Realm, into a living spear. With a dull THUD, he slammed into the softest joint on the Ghost-faced Crab’s underbelly!

The tremendous impact instantly tore through the crab’s shell, and a large cloud of dark green ichor spread through the water.

Never let a wounded enemy recover!

"Fish Scale Shock!"

The immense Qi and Blood in Su Yu’s body erupted, causing the surrounding water to hum with high-frequency vibrations.

The water around them instantly exploded with countless bubbles. The Ghost-faced Crab’s single, protruding eye suffered a heavy blow, its vision blurring as the vibrations left it completely disoriented.

"Black Eel Wrap!"

Su Yu closed in like a phantom. His limbs, as flexible as a black eel, locked down the Ghost-faced Crab’s most threatening weapon—its massive right pincer.

The terrifying, peerless power of the Flesh Refining Realm erupted!

CRACK!

A sickening, muffled tearing of flesh and bone echoed through the water. The massive pincer—as tall as half a man and strong enough to snap iron—had been ripped clean off at the root by Su Yu’s bare hands!

GLUG-GLUG-GLUG-GLUG!

The pain of its severed limb drove the Ghost-faced Crab into a frenzy.

It spewed a frantic stream of bubbles as its eight remaining legs thrashed wildly against the riverbed. Its massive body shot forward like an out-of-control chariot on a rampage.

BOOM...

The Ghost-faced Crab’s enormous body slammed into a reef over twenty feet tall, shattering it on impact. Large chunks of rock fell, and the riverbed roiled with silt, turning the already murky water completely opaque.

’Stubborn beast. Still trying to run?’

Su Yu sneered. His body dropped like an anchor, and he flipped onto the giant crab’s broad back.

"Demon Ape Drums!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Even underwater, against the immense resistance of the current, Su Yu’s fists—empowered by the Ape Shadow’s gale—became a furious storm of blows!

The deep, muffled impacts echoed like war drums. The sheer speed of his punches tore vacuums in the water, creating swirling vortexes!

SQUELCH!

With the first volley of heavy punches, the Ghost-faced Crab’s one remaining eye was smashed into a pulp.

Immediately after, under Su Yu’s relentless assault, the Ghost-faced Crab’s supposedly impenetrable shell began to crack and cave in. The force of his blows smashed the once-arrogant overlord of the deep flat into the riverbed!

The Ghost-faced Crab was on the brink of death. Its few remaining legs twitched instinctively, trying to crawl away into the darkness.

Su Yu’s eyes were cold. He formed his right hand into a blade, his Qi and Blood condensing within it.

"Die."

White Ape Asks the Way!

SHLICK!

His hand shot out like a spear, instantly piercing the giant crab’s shattered carapace and obliterating the life force within.

Su Yu pulled his arm back, flicking away the green slime. He gave the massive crab’s corpse a casual glance.

He didn’t rush back to the surface. Instead, he turned his head, his gaze fixed on a faint glimmer of light coming from behind the nearby ruins of the reef.

That was the real reason he had insisted the Qian Family stop the ship. The reason he absolutely had to come down here!