The malicious ghost’s tone was dangerous.
It had been almost a week since Jiang Luo saw Chi You. Suddenly showing up now, Jiang Luo felt a bit restless.
Mocking, excited, teasing…
His nerves, so normal in front of friends, twisted again into madness.
What, haven’t I played with you enough yet?
Jiang Luo’s mouth curled into a smile. Okay, not only are there two fish on the deck now, but there’s also this malicious ghost — even more dangerous than the blood eels.
This is basically starting on hard mode.
The deck rocked; the sea wind stirred huge waves, pounding heavily on the cruise ship.
Jiang Luo replayed Chi You’s words in his mind and quickly caught the meaning. The malicious ghost was clearly remembering what Jiang Luo once said: “I’m tired of playing with you.”
You say you’re tired of me, but you’re interested in watching fish?
Jiang Luo suppressed a laugh and deliberately poured fuel on the fire.
“Watching these two fish roll around is disgusting,” Jiang Luo said, “But it’s still more fun than training you. After all, I only played with you for twenty minutes before getting bored.”
Honestly, if he had to choose between the malicious ghost behind him and the two fish in front, Jiang Luo would rather risk his life to teach the malicious ghost a lesson than watch those two smelly, slimy fish roll on the deck.
The hand pinching his chin tightened suddenly. Chi You’s tone rose, “Then I definitely want to watch more.”
The malicious ghost glanced from Jiang Luo’s ear toward the deck.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt tore across the sky, splitting the night. The thunder was deafening — the storm was coming.
In that sudden flash of light, the female and male fish rolled together, slime on the deck glistening coldly. The combined weight of the two fish, seven or eight hundred jin (350–400 kg), made the floor tremble slightly.
Chi You watched with keen interest.
Normally he wouldn’t care to watch this, finding it boring even to glance. But now, he had a bit more patience to watch a little longer.
In this somewhat eerie scene, Jiang Luo suddenly recalled a memory of Chi You learning what desire meant from a TV drama.
Would watching these two fish teach Chi You how to make love?
…Better not.
To prevent that terrible possibility, Jiang Luo stepped back, accidentally stepped on Chi You’s foot, struggled free from Chi You’s grasp, quickly attacked the malicious ghost with a snake strike, and rushed toward the blood eels.
The male fish smelled the human scent getting closer and, disturbed during its courtship, it growled low and angrily, baring sharp teeth as a warning for Jiang Luo not to come near.
Jiang Luo ignored the warning. As he ran into the slippery, slimy area, he lowered his body and used the momentum of his sprint to swiftly slide toward the two fish.
In his hand was a dagger formed from golden talisman script, his eyes sharp and focused.
The slime reduced friction to almost zero. Just as he was about to reach the blood eels, the male fish that was pressing down on the female violently swung its tail at Jiang Luo. Jiang Luo put one hand on the ground, skillfully changed direction to dodge the tail, and when he was about to collide with the male, he stepped on the female eel’s body, using the force to leap backward. He performed a graceful backflip into the air and, taking advantage of the moment, stabbed downward. The dagger in his hand pierced through the male’s back all the way to its head. In the next instant, he landed cleanly and stylishly.
The young man with black hair moved with clear intent, his actions light and elegant. As he flipped in the air, his black hair streamed in the sea wind, wild and defiant.
The malicious ghost watching the battle with the serpent’s attack couldn’t help but fix his gaze on him. His eyes roamed like a viscous venom, lingering briefly over the young man’s thigh exposed as his robe slipped during the jump.
But the smooth, firm legs were only revealed for a brief moment before Jiang Luo landed, his robe falling down to his knees.
The malicious ghost sighed, feeling a deep sense of regret. His eyes lingered fondly on Jiang Luo’s body, tracing from neck to hand, from calf to ankle. In that moment of distraction, the serpent advanced closer, successfully biting the malicious ghost’s arm.
The pain snapped the malicious ghost’s attention back. He glanced at the serpent without concern, then looked at Jiang Luo again.
Jiang Luo noticed the gaze and, wiping the blood from the male fish off his face, raised his eyebrows at the malicious ghost, then adjusted his clothing back into place.
Under the rolling dark clouds, his hand smoothed down the robe that shone with a jade-like cool hue. The heavy smell of fishy blood on the deck made the atmosphere suddenly feel strangely tense.
The human and the malicious ghost stood apart on either side of the blood eels. Blood sprayed from the male’s back like a small crimson fountain.
The male fish rolled painfully once and fell off the female. It looked at Jiang Luo with anger; its hatred for the human exceeded its mating instincts. The male fish quickly charged toward Jiang Luo on the ground.
The half-fish creature moved fast, using limbs similar to humans to support its heavy body. It looked like a grotesque crocodile but twice as fast as a crocodile’s crawl.
Jiang Luo withdrew his hand and refocused on the male fish. Facing it head-on was far more dangerous than his earlier sneak attack. The male’s teeth were as sharp as a shark’s—once bitten, bones could be crushed instantly.
Jiang Luo’s earlier strike had the advantage of surprise. In a direct confrontation, it was best not to go head-to-head. His peripheral vision scanned the deck’s edges, then he suddenly turned and ran toward the railing.
The male fish instantly pursued him.
With a thunderous roar, large raindrops began pounding the deck—the storm had arrived.
Jiang Luo wore only a robe and a coat. His freshly washed hair was quickly soaked by the rain. The ship rocked under wind and rain; the blood, slime, and water on the deck mixed into a slippery surface like an ice rink.
Raindrops blurred Jiang Luo’s vision, running from his temple to his chin. The blood and rain mixed with a fishy tang on his lips. He quickly took off his coat, rolled it into a rope, and wrapped one end around his hand.
The male fish chased relentlessly; its footsteps grew closer. Jiang Luo’s speed increased, a grin appearing on his face. Suddenly, he pushed himself to the limit, bent low, and slid down through the lowest gap under the railing—off the ship!
The male fish, too close and unable to stop, slipped on the wet deck and also slid through the gap. Just as it fell from the ship, it saw the human tied to the railing waving brightly at it. Seconds later, a huge splash echoed across the sea.
The male fish fell into the water.
Jiang Luo, holding onto the railing with his coat rope, looked down at the deep sea, laughed twice, grinning as he climbed back onto the deck from the outside of the ship.
Halfway up in the pouring rain, a pair of shoes appeared next to his hand.
Jiang Luo looked up. Mr. Malicious Ghost’s normally neat hair was messy from the rain, droplets dripping from the tips, shadowing his exquisitely handsome face with a ghostly gloom.
The serpent’s head was held in the malicious ghost’s hand, the golden python tightly coiled around his arm. The arm and the snake struggled against each other, neither letting go.
Chi You had arrived in his true form.
Hiss—Jiang Luo thought, almost forgot there was an even tougher opponent here.
He glanced behind the malicious ghost. The female blood eel had already crawled away.
Jiang Luo’s gaze returned.
He truly couldn’t understand why Chi You came back to this ship.
And why he switched back to his true form.
Chi You’s every action had strong purpose. But this time, Jiang Luo was at a loss to understand what it was.
Thinking this, Jiang Luo still didn’t forget to watch his back, wary that the malicious ghost might throw him into the sea again. When his knees touched the deck, Jiang Luo smiled sarcastically and prepared to stand.
“Had enough watching?”
The black-haired beauty who had climbed up from under the railing was like a seductive siren, with a flexible waist and smooth, strong curves.
The malicious ghost’s eyes darkened. He bent down and pressed down Jiang Luo’s rising head.
Chi You never let a single glance or gesture from anyone disturb his emotions.
Compared to these dirty and meaningless things, he preferred the malice wrapped beneath the human skin.
Human nature, darkness, corruption—the more rotten the mud, the more excited he got.
“You’ve changed me a lot.”
Amid the thunderous rain, the malicious ghost pressed close to the human’s lips. Moisture and cold wind passed through their bodies; lips barely touched. The sound of the sea wind swept past their ears. On the dark, turbulent deck, in the cold intimacy of their touch, the malicious ghost murmured low,
“You’ve successfully distracted me, Jiang Luo.”
The human’s sharp eyes were all wet with dew; the blood had already been washed away by the rain. The warmth of Jiang Luo’s breath mixed with the sea breeze, sweeping over the two of them. He was pinned down by the malicious ghost, his back straight, one leg kneeling on the ground.
“Me?”
A smile tugged at his lips, amused. “That really is my honor.”
“Ah,” the malicious ghost said slowly, “you.”
In the next moment, the malicious ghost lowered his head, raised the hand that had been pressing down on Jiang Luo, and graciously kissed the human lips he had longed to taste.
The torrential rain poured down from the sky, and the malicious ghost’s kiss, like the rain, was utterly cold—yet even more terrifying and forceful. It relentlessly stole Jiang Luo’s breath and protests, like a dense fishing net dropped from the sky, leaving no room to escape.
Jiang Luo’s breath caught slightly. After a second, his eyes narrowed; he raised a hand and grasped the malicious ghost’s hair, using the malicious ghost’s body to support himself, biting back passionately.
Amid the dense storm and dark sky mingled with sea water, it seemed as if this single ship—the Angonise—was the center of the world, and on its deck stood only these two enemies locked in a fierce kiss. Wrapped in the scent of blood and the struggle of power, they battled without yielding despite the ship’s uneven rocking.
Jiang Luo grabbed Chi You’s collar, suddenly flipping him onto the ground. Their lips parted briefly, but the next moment the malicious ghost pinned him down again, pressing their lips back together. The two tangled and rolled twice toward the interior of the deck.
The malicious ghost pinned the human beneath him and chuckled lowly: “At times like this, one must heed the teacher’s lesson. Don’t defy your teacher.”
Jiang Luo’s legs wrapped tightly around the malicious ghost’s, instantly reversing their positions, now sitting atop him. He sneered: “A teacher like you who takes advantage of students?”
He threw a punch at the malicious ghost’s face, but the malicious ghost enveloped his fist in his palm. Skillfully, the malicious ghost deflected Jiang Luo’s force, then gracefully rose, wrapping Jiang Luo’s legs around his waist. He carried the black-haired youth to the railing and pressed him against it.
“A teacher like me can also be killed by a student like you.”
His hand lifted the wet edge of Jiang Luo’s robe, sliding over the skin of his leg.
Jiang Luo chuckled twice, grabbed the malicious ghost’s hand, and threw it off, then used the railing behind him to suddenly gather strength and kick the malicious ghost. Twisting to the side, he broke free from the cramped space, looping his arm behind the malicious ghost’s neck.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t asked you—why did you ask who I am?”
Jiang Luo knew Chi You most likely saw through that he was not the original body.
He was unwilling, but beyond that unwillingness, his desire to win was ignited like never before. Jiang Luo desperately wanted to uncover Chi You’s biggest secret.
He cursed under his breath again.
Chi You was too tall.
So tall that when he held Jiang Luo from behind, the height difference between them was obvious.
It must be because the divine body was tall—so he was this tall.
The storm grew fiercer, blurring vision. In the blink of an eye, Chi You was enveloped in black mist and vanished, instantly appearing behind Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo reacted quickly, blocking Chi You’s outstretched hand, shooting a fierce gaze backward.
“This question should be mine to ask you,” the malicious ghost smiled, stepping back lightly to avoid Jiang Luo’s strike. “Good physical skill.”
Like a proud teacher watching his student improve rapidly, he said with great satisfaction, “Then this lesson, let me teach you some physical techniques.”
The malicious ghost sidestepped Jiang Luo’s kick, flicked two fingers against Jiang Luo’s calf like playing a piano, swiftly leaping upward. “Physical skill can sometimes be more important than magic.”
***
It was hard to tell if it was sweat or rain sliding down to his chin as he gasped for breath.
Though it was freezing outside, Jiang Luo’s body and mind grew increasingly feverish.
This feverish heat made his movements restless and stirred a strange heat in his chest. His speed in the fight with the malicious ghost increased, but the rain brought no cooling relief.
Something was wrong.
This was definitely not the natural heat from exercise.
Jiang Luo suddenly stopped moving, his breath heavy. Raising his eyelids, he looked at the malicious ghost.
“Stop fighting.”
A burning heat bubbled inside him like a smoking pile of firewood. Jiang Luo licked his moist lips, frowning deeply.
What was going on?
This feeling was too similar to the heat after taking deer antler and a tonic soup—it felt like it was burning his whole body.
Irritated, he tugged at his collar, suddenly remembering the male eel he had lured into the sea.
Could it be that the blood of a male eel in heat got into his mouth, so that’s why…
At this thought, Jiang Luo’s face suddenly darkened.
