Chapter 1779 (Raw 1791):
Ding Yuan's expression was somewhat serious as he walked in. He said to Xiao Chen, "Young Master Xiao, this matter is as you expected. There are ulterior designs behind it."
"Is that so? What ulterior designs are there?"
Xiao Chen had noticed something off with Ding Yuan's expression and knew that something was wrong, so he was not shocked.
Ding Yuan segued into the information that he collected. "Young Master Xiao, have you heard of the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group?"
Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "I'm not very clear on the pirate factions of the Grave Sea."
Ding Yuan explained, "Initially, the two overlords of the Grave Sea were the Savage Blood Pirate Group and the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group, both peak 5-Star pirate groups. The captains were peak early-stage Star Venerates. Together with their 5-Star pirate ships, no one could suppress them unless a sect Supreme Elder from a blessed land appears."
Xiao Chen nodded to indicate that he understood. Then, he gestured for Ding Yuan to continue.
"Three months ago, the Black Cutlass came in contact with the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group. After that, the Black Cutlass headed for the Grave Island Sea Region."
Ding Yuan added somewhat apologetically, "What exactly happened is a secret. I'm not very sure about it. However, I suspect that the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group might have something to do with the Black Cutlass heading for the Grave Island Sea Region."
Xiao Chen thought for a while before saying, "You mean that the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group forced the Black Cutlass to go to the Grave Island Sea Region?"
Ding Yuan nodded. "I can't say that it is definitely like that. However, based on the information that I obtained and some deductions, the Black Cutlass probably had a favor to ask of the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group. Then, left with no other choice, they were forced to go to the Grave Island Sea Region."
"No choice? Forced?"
"Right. The Savage Blood Pirate Group and the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group had an intense feud with each other. Hatred had been sown long ago, accumulating over a long time. After the Savage Blood Pirate Group was destroyed, its Iron Hand Yama went to the Black Cutlass."
Ding Yuan paused for a moment before continuing, "Given the character of that Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's captain, it would be impossible that he did not make things difficult for them."
Xiao Chen revealed a smile on his face. With this smile, Ding Yuan started trembling for some reason, feeling a chill.
Ding Yuan could not help his intense shock. He clearly did not feel any killing intent from Xiao Chen, but he still started trembling.
"Wolf Smoke Pirate Group," Xiao Chen muttered to himself, repeating this pirate group's name several times.
"Young Master Xiao, perhaps nothing will happen to them in the Grave Island Sea Region. It might not be too late to make a decision after verifying whether the Black Cutlass is fine or not."
Ding Yuan's meaning was very clear.
Although Xiao Chen was pretty strong, he had not broken through to the Starry Sky Stage yet. Furthermore, the other party was an experienced overlord of the Grave Sea's pirates.
If the crew of the Black Cutlass was safe and nothing happened, then it would be better to leave this matter be.
Having one less problem was better than having one more. Clashing head-on would be troublesome.
After all, the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group had not only many old monsters, who had been the Starry Sky Stage for many years already, but also many other experts in the group.
No matter what, Xiao Chen was alone and would not have any advantage.
Perhaps he might even end up humiliated and lose his life.
Ding Yuan was merely worried and did not have any other intention.
Xiao Chen said calmly, "There is no evidence, and it's just based on guesses. I will not act rashly."
"That is good."
Ding Yuan heaved a sigh of relief. If Xiao Chen really wanted to seek trouble for the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group, Ding Yuan really would not know what to do.
"However, this involves my friends. Even if it is just a guess, I have to seek out the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group and get to the truth. No one can just casually bully the Black Cutlass."
Ding Yuan's heart, which just calmed down, grew anxious again. "However, Young Master Xiao—"
Xiao Chen waved his hand. "Chief Manager Ding, there is no need to try and persuade me further. Give me a set of the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's information. The more detailed, the better."
Feeling helpless, Ding Yuan sighed, "I guessed that I might not be able to persuade you. So, I've already prepared the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's information in advance."
After saying so, he handed a stack of preprepared information to Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen received the information and seriously read through it.
After a while, he put away the information and thought to himself, The Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's captain is Jiang Hengchuan, nicknamed the Wolf King. He is crafty, cruel, stubborn, and tyrannical.
He is a peak early-stage Star Venerate who has experienced hundreds of battles, someone numb to killing. In the Grave Sea, he is a true overlord. Even the Rank 3 sects of the blessed lands give him face.
When meeting his pirate ships, the Rank 3 sects will not clash head-on but choose to bribe him instead.
He has fought countless intense battles and has long since been as famous as the Savage Blood Star Venerate. However, whenever they fought, he would be slightly inferior.
With the Savage Blood Pirate Group now destroyed, he became the overlord of the Grave Sea, and his strength grew explosively in the past two years.
After taking in many experts of other pirate groups, he holds strong sway among the Grave Sea's pirates, able to rally many of them.
There are eight powerful experts under the Wolf King, all of them peak Major Primal Core experts no weaker than ordinary Star Venerates.
There is also a vice-captain, who is second only to him in strength, likewise an early-stage Star Venerate expert.
Right now, the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group has a total of eight pirate ships: one peak 5-Star pirate ship and seven ordinary 5-Star pirate ships.
Currently, the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group is at its peak.
Its great strength surpasses even that of the Savage Blood Pirate Group of the past.
Xiao Chen had personally experienced the strength of the Savage Blood Pirate Group.
He remembered that back then, when the Savage Blood Pirate Group issued a mission, they managed to gather thousands of pirate groups. The scene had been very majestic, and the memory of it was still fresh.
"The Wolf King will celebrate his birthday in the middle of this month. At that time, he will hold a banquet at the largest Pirate Hall of the Grave Sea, inviting the pirate groups of various sizes." Ding Yuan quickly followed up with another piece of information for Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen felt stunned on hearing that. "So high-profile?"
Ding Yuan smiled and said, "He has no choice but to make it high-profile. Right now is the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group's peak period. He wants to use this banquet to push his influence to the peak, to see who dares to give him no face and go against him.
"Secondly, it is so that he can receive gifts. The pirate groups of various sizes coming to the banquet will definitely prepare gifts. Pirates never lack treasures and Spirit Jades. Those that want to fawn on him will prepare valuable gifts. Those that do not intend to fawn on him will fear offending him if their gifts are too small.
"Given this, all the gifts added together will come to an astronomical sum. Such wealth would be much higher and much more incredible than what he could obtain from plundering ships."
The businessman Ding Yuan had seen through the tricks and addressed them directly.
Xiao Chen looked at Ding Yuan and said, "You mean that this is the most suitable time to look for him."
Ding Yuan hesitated somewhat before eventually speaking the truth.
"That's right. Otherwise, he is usually on his pirate ship. At that time, if he acts in concert with his ship, even if Young Master Xiao possesses heavenly means, the result…the inevitable result would be death."
Xiao Chen knew how powerful pirate ships were. A peak 5-Star pirate ship was not something that even a middle-stage Star Venerate could handle.
The Wolf King Jiang Hengchuan's strength was extraordinary. It would only be more difficult to deal with him on his pirate ship.
Xiao Chen gave Ding Yuan a meaningful look and said, "Many thanks. In the future, if Chief Manager Ding would like to go to the Profound Light Temple to worship, you can use my name to seek out the Venerable Xuan Bei."
Ding Yuan was a Buddhist and rather fervent in his faith. When he heard this, he felt shocked.
The Profound Light Temple was the holy land of the Grave Sea's Buddhists. More importantly, Xiao Chen actually knew the Venerable Xuan Bei.
Based on Xiao Chen's words, they apparently had a deep relationship.
This gobsmacked Ding Yuan. He simply found it hard to imagine.
In a mere two years, Xiao Chen actually reached such heights. The Venerable Xuan Bei was one of the rare experts of the entire Grave Sea.
No wonder Xiao Chen felt so confident, daring to seek out the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group to find out the truth.
Ding Yuan originally thought that Xiao Chen was sending himself to death.
"There's no need. Young Master Xiao is too polite. These are all just a matter of convenience. I misunderstood you earlier. Since that is so, Young Master Xiao, why don't you ask the Venerable Xuan Bei for help? With the Venerable Xuan Bei's position, that Wolf King definitely won't dare to behave atrociously."
Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "I do not like owing people favors. Furthermore, this is a personal matter."
More importantly, he did not feel that he could not handle this.
While in Dragon Flame City, he had challenged the entire place, taking on all the young experts of the dozens of nearby astral clusters.
Xiao Chen was undefeated. His sights were already no longer set on the Grave Sea.
No matter how strong the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group was, it had a limit.
Right now, the more important question was, what exactly did the Black Cutlass seek from the Wolf Smoke Pirate Group? That was the crux of the problem.
Ding Yuan kept worrying about Xiao Chen's safety. However, that was not what Xiao Chen was concerned about.
