Chapter 7: Narrowly Escaping Death

  Tang Jie and Niya looked up at the same time, but saw Ba Er's body flying out, his iron hook prosthetic tightly nailed into the hull of the ship, while the other hand tightly grasped Niya's ankle.

  He burst out laughing, his coarse beard seeming to mock the raging sea and sneer at the dark sky!

  "Don't let go!" Ball shouted loudly, his body suddenly exerting force, and with a flick of his hand, he sent Tang Jie and Nia flying up onto the deck!

  Tang Jie and Niya simultaneously let out a loud cry in mid-air, then heavily crashed into each other, rolling around on the ground.

  Niya and Tang Jie narrowly escaped death, embracing each other as they fell to the deck, panting violently, their souls still shaken.

  She pressed down on Tang Jie's body, feeling a strong masculine aura emanating from him, which almost made her go weak all over, with an extremely rare blush on her face. She punched his chest: "Get up quickly!"

  Tang Jie clutched his chest in pain and glared at her.

  How did this woman suddenly turn her back on me and refuse to recognize me?

  As the mainsail had already been lowered, the foresail was also safely taken down by William and others. Although the sea boat was still tossing about, it was now safe.

  Tang Jie struggled to get up, he had just turned around from the Ghost Gate and now thought about it, only feeling a lingering fear. He had fought countless battles and even participated in many martial arts competitions, but never once like this, narrowly escaping death!

  He had just put life and death out of his mind in the face of danger, and instead had endless power and a heroic spirit that dared to fight heaven and earth. However, when he successfully lowered the main sail and escaped from the Ghost Gate, he only felt his muscles trembling with fear, and his body couldn't even stand up straight.

  Tang Jie's body was completely soaked, his body involuntarily trembling as he knelt down on the deck, gasping violently, taking deep breaths one after another.

  Niya had already climbed up, still in a state of shock, but this strong-willed woman took a deep breath and forcibly controlled her emotions and the fear response of her body.

  She saw Tang Jie kneeling on the deck in front of her, his muscles trembling, and couldn't help but mock him, saying: "What? Weren't you just showing off a moment ago?"

  Tang Jie raised his head and looked at her, only to see that she was also trembling all over, especially her knees were shaking uncontrollably.

  He was both angry and amused: "You're the one who's showing off!"

  After finishing speaking, he poked a spot below her kneecap with one finger.

  Niya suddenly felt her knees go weak and she fell to her knees with a thud, coincidentally kneeling right in front of Tang Jie.

  Tang Jie burst out laughing: "No need for formalities, my dear! Congratulations on your promotion!"

  Niya's face turned red with shame and anger, she clenched her fist and started hitting.

  Tang Jie raised his hands, and the two of them clasped each other's arms, just like the gesture of newlyweds bowing to each other in traditional customs. Tang Jie couldn't help but burst out laughing again, pulling her into a slight bow: "One bow to heaven and earth..."

  Although Niya didn't know what this action meant, when she saw the smile on the face of the man in front of her, she couldn't help but want to punch him heavily and beat him until he was covered in bruises.

  She struggled to regain her footing, but Tang Jie took advantage of her momentum and pulled her back down with a swift tug.

  Tang Jie's detestable laughter echoed in her ears once again: "Two bows at the high hall..."

  Niya was teased by Tang Jie one after another, and the good impression she had established towards this man instantly collapsed. She was furious and was about to explode when she saw Bal walking over, his eyes gleaming with a hint of a smile on his face as he looked at them.

  Tang Jie followed her gaze and looked back, feeling a little embarrassed, and let go of Nia's hand.

  Niya saw her chance and seized it, punching Tang Jie in the chest.

  Tang Jie winced in pain and let out a loud cry, glaring at Nia with one eye.

  Niya was about to take action, but saw Ba Er shouting at her and walking over. She put down her fist with a humph, gave Tang Jie a fierce glare, then turned around and stood aside.

  Ba Er Hei laughed, the mainsail and foresail were lowered, the boat was still shaking violently, but it was no longer in danger of capsizing at any moment. He had put the storm out of his mind: "Are you all right?"

  "It's nothing, aren't you usually so energetic?" Tang Jie said with a smile, but his eyes involuntarily fell on his iron prosthetic leg.

  Bard smiled and nodded at him: "Now, do you know what it's used for?"

  Tang Jie was infected by Ba Er's heroic spirit, and laughed: "Now I know, I've gained experience!"

  A faint smile on his face: "Why did you just come to save me?"

  Ba Er Zheng said: "You just saved all of us! We pirates may kill without batting an eye, but we value loyalty above all!"

  He was moved by Tang Jie's words and looked at the pirates with a different attitude, but then Ball's words made him cry and laugh.

  Ba Er winked at Tang Jie: "Moreover, the one I just saved is my daughter. If she hadn't grabbed your leg, maybe I would have let you fall into the sea! Maybe you can turn around and ask her why she saved you?"

  Tang Jie was shocked, Nia is his daughter?

  He smiled and turned his head, imitating Bal's blinking eyes, and asked Nia with a smile: "Why did you save me?"

  "Nia let out a cold snort: 'Don't be so smug! I just don't want to owe you one, that's all!'"

  Balha laughed loudly: "You two, how come you always quarrel when you meet? Like two childhood sweethearts who are used to bickering!"

  Niya's face turned red with anger and embarrassment, she stomped her foot: "Father!!! What are you talking about?!"

  Tang Jie's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes involuntarily glanced at Niya, only to see that the blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman had an extremely rare blush on her face, with a hint of charm in her heroic demeanor.

  Barbossa looked at them with a self-satisfied air, swinging his iron hook prosthesis, standing on the deck and shouting: "Living brothers come out and say something!"

  "William, I'm still alive!" The beer barrel clutched the steering wheel tightly, his pale face shouting loudly.

  "Bill, I'm still alive!" Bill stuck his head out, and he was hiding in an iron bucket fixed on the deck with his own slender body!

  "Praise the sea god Tyr, I'm still alive!" Horn raised a bottle of wine and took a gulp, still wearing his neat pastor's uniform, although his long coat was dripping wet.

  The other sailors who survived the shipwreck also loudly reported their names one after another.

  Bar looked around and saw that there were less than twenty sailors left on the ship. A storm had taken thirteen brothers from them!

  If it were someone else, they would definitely be deeply trapped in the pain and sorrow of losing their brother. But Ba Er crossed his arms, laughing loudly: "Good people don't live long, troubles leave a thousand years! You bunch of troubles, how long will you live before you're willing to die?"

  His one sentence dispelled all the fear and sadness on the ship, and the pirates burst out laughing after hearing his words.

  "Captain, if you don't die, how can we bear to die!"

  "Ah, Captain Barbossa, you're doing all right for yourself, how is it that we never get a turn?"

  In the vast and turbulent sea, a burst of laughter echoed clearly in the midst of the stormy wind and rain.

  They had just gone through what seemed like a terrible storm, but it was actually a carnival!

  Tang Jie found himself in the midst of it all, watching the pirates on this ship who were fighting for their lives without regard for their own safety, battling against the heavens and the seas with such bravery that he couldn't help but feel his heart burning with fervor!

  At this moment, he had never envied them like this before, envying these simple people so much!

  Can you still laugh so heartily after experiencing the life and death of your companions?

  Can you still move forward without being discouraged after experiencing such a heavy setback?

  Tang Jie patted his heart and asked himself.

  Maybe I can't, but they can!

  Bar stood on the deck, laughing loudly: "Rabbits, return to your posts! We have done too much evil, and the sea god Tira will not accept us. Let's sing a song for those brothers who returned to Tira's embrace!"

  The sailors burst out laughing and returned to their respective posts on the deck, some busy sweeping away the water on the deck, while others were busy sorting out the tangled ropes.

  They bustled about, loudly singing pirate songs, and even Nia was following along in a loud voice.

  "We are pirates, fierce pirates!"

  "With a wine bottle in his left hand and treasures in his right!"

  "We are pirates, free and easy pirates!"

  "With the guidance of the Blood Flag, mighty and powerful, shaking the heavens!"

  Tang Jie listened to the song, although the melody was not particularly elegant and pleasant to hear. However, under the loud singing of these rough pirates, Tang Jie felt that the rhythm had a kind of unspeakable grandeur and passion. He couldn't help but join in and sing loudly along with the melody.

  Barbossa burst out laughing and patted Tang Jie's shoulder heavily: "Kid, you're not bad! Your performance just now was excellent, I haven't seen a young man like you in a long time! Brave and decisive, fearless of death, you're a born pirate!!"

  After going through thick and thin together, the sailors on this ship had already regarded Tang Jie as one of their own.

  Tang Jie also smiled and shrugged his shoulders: "Since that's the case, can I exchange for a special cabin? You know, the place where I live is really a bit cramped!"

  "Hah! What's wrong? Are those little rascals giving you a hard time? I should kick their butts! From now on, you're one of us, and anyone who disagrees will have to answer to me!!"

  His last words were shouted loudly at all the sailors on the deck, but saw these fierce sailors shouting in unison, looking back at Tang Jie with a gaze of admiration and gratitude.

  They all knew that if it hadn't been for Tang Jie rushing up to lower the mainsail, everyone here would have ended up at the bottom of the sea!

  "Hey, I told you he wasn't simple!" Bill said with a nudge of his elbow to William's belly, looking pleased as if Donnie was his discovery.

  "William glared at him: 'Did you just say that? I've never heard of it.'"

  Bill gave him a white eye and muttered: "I told you so, I told you so..."

  He seemed to have thought of something, and with a guilty conscience, he asked William in a hushed tone: "William, do you think he will remember what we did to him and come after us for revenge?"

  William kicked him with one foot: "Nonsense! In the arms of the sea god Tira, a few bottles of rum can dissolve even the greatest hatred! If not, I'll apologize to him and let him lock me up for a day too!"

  Bill smiled and said: "That's great, by the way, help me make up for that apology too!"

  William let out a strange laugh and suddenly tangled with Bill, the two of them laughing and causing the surrounding sailors to burst into laughter.

  Tang Jie smiled as he looked at them, but the smile on Ba Er's face beside him gradually solidified.

  He gazed coldly at the dark sky of the stormy rain, as if thinking about something.

  Nia whispered beside him: "Dad, what are you thinking?"

  "Barlow said in a low voice: 'I have been sailing on this vast ocean for over 30 years, and it's the first time I've encountered such a situation! In this season, in this sea area, it is absolutely impossible to have such a hurricane and storm! What on earth is going on?'"

  Nina also felt strange in her heart. She always thought that all these things started after the black-haired man got on the boat, so she couldn't help but turn her head and take a look at Tang Jie.

  "As soon as Tang Jie saw her gaze, he immediately became annoyed and said: 'Dead woman, what do you want to say again?'"

  Nia shot back: "I'm just looking at you, what's there to be nervous about? Are you guilty of something?"

  Tang Jie burst out laughing: "What kind of thief am I? How would I know why this is happening? Since I was born, this is my first time taking a boat out to sea!"

  As soon as he said this sentence, Nia and Berton's mouths were wide open, staring at him as if they had seen the most unbelievable thing in the world.

  "Are you telling the truth?" Bar asked hesitantly.

  "You're not trying to trick us, are you?" Nia stuttered.

  Tang Jie looked at them inexplicably: "Is it necessary to deceive people?"

  Bar and Nia exchanged a look at the same time, and they both took a deep breath in unison!

  An ordinary person, if it's their first time boarding a ship to go out to sea, even if they don't encounter stormy weather, the rolling and pitching of the boat in the middle of the ocean is enough to make them seasick and vomit. Even strong swordsmen and magicians can't avoid this, and their combat strength and courage will greatly decline due to seasickness.

  But they recalled Tong Jie's legs, which were as deeply rooted on the deck as tree roots in a storm, his agile and powerful climbing of the ropes, and his heroic bravery in the turbulent waves. They couldn't imagine that such a person was actually going to sea for the first time!!

  Bar and Nia were shocked!

  "He must be a born pirate!" Bar said, as if sizing up an invaluable treasure, muttering to himself.

  Nia's eyes shone with an inexpressible light as she gazed at the man before her, her expression a mix of admiration and envy.

  Since she had memory, she followed her father drifting on the sea. The strength and sailing skills she trained for more than a decade, this man was born with!

  Tang Jie felt uncomfortable under the strange gaze of the two people in front of him, and he himself took a look at his own body: "What's wrong with me? Is it embarrassing to go out to sea for the first time?"

  Balha's smile: "If we're all going to lose face, we might as well jump into the sea!"

  Tang Jie smiled, just about to continue the conversation, but his gaze inadvertently swept across the stern of the ship, and he saw that in the distant horizon, a spark suddenly appeared, as if someone had lit a fire on the other side, burning the dark sky crimson for an instant.

  Two clusters of shooting stars seemed to be launched from the edge of the sky, getting higher and higher, crossing the dark vault, leaving two fiery trails.

  Tang Jie stared with his mouth agape, pointing at the two shooting stars: "What is this?"

  Bar and Nia followed his gaze, Nia was shocked, her hair standing on end. She let out a loud shout: "Fire the cannons!! Turn the rudder quickly!!!"

  Ba Er seemed to have been cast with a petrifying spell, his whole body was frozen stiff. He stared wide-eyed and his voice trembled slightly: "No, this isn't cannon fire..."

  Nia looked at the two meteors flying rapidly towards them and loudly asked: "What is this if it's not a bombardment?"

  "Impossible! No cannon in this world can fire that far!" Bar's voice was low and serious. "Judging from the trajectory of their flight, it must have been fired from at least three or four leagues away... This is a masterpiece of magic..."

  Tang Jie looked on with his head tilted back, his mouth agape as he stared at the two fireballs drawing closer and closer. He had no doubt that when these two fireballs hit the ship, it would be torn to shreds like a piece of rotten cloth.

  "He bellowed: 'This is no time for discussion, what are we going to do?'"

  Bar's shock only lasted for a moment, he came back to his senses and sneered coldly: "The enemies behind our backs are catching up! Don't panic, they're just trying to scare us!"

  Everyone on the ship held their breath and stared intently at the two fireballs rushing towards them.

  Tang Jie unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and his Adam's apple rolled once.

  He could clearly see the rolling flames of this fireball with a diameter of over one meter and the residual glow it dragged!

  Even Tang Jie could feel a wave of heat rushing towards him, pressing his hair back and making his breathing pause!

  Tang Jie's eyes suddenly widened, and for the first time in his life, he felt helpless and insignificant in the face of such a terrifying and formidable power!

  Even in the stormy waves just now, he can still fight against the sky with a fearless face.

  Because he knew his opponent was the heavens and the seas!

  Even if he is buried by heaven and earth, swallowed by the great sea, he will still be glorious in defeat!

  But when he saw these two terrible fireballs rushing towards him, he finally realized how small he was in this strange alien world!

  They are both human beings with two arms and two legs, but a magician can easily kill him in such a distant place without any chance of fighting back!

  Tang Jie's reason for practicing martial arts since childhood was because he had a natural-born competitive blood flowing through his veins, and no matter what he did, he didn't like to lose. However, living in his era, countless constraints of reality suppressed his naturally adventurous and bold personality, turning him into an outwardly gentle but inwardly tough man, only revealing the wild beast soul that was being repressed within him at critical moments.

  "Honestly, I don't like this feeling..." Tang Jie's entire body was trembling with fear and dread, as well as humiliation and anger. He clenched his fists tightly. "I hate the feeling of being helpless, I hate the feeling of being at a loss, and I especially hate the feeling of losing before even fighting!!"

  A blazing fireball descended from the sky, like two shooting stars cutting through the dark sky, also illuminating the depths of Tangie's soul.

  I have come to a different world. Here, there are pirates who can wield Chi, and powerful magicians.

  And I am no match for them...

  In the depths of his being, Tang Jie could clearly feel that within his body there was a kind of unknown flame burning, a kind of unknown power surging through his meridians and blood vessels.

  It seemed that a soul that had been suppressed and restrained within him slowly opened its eyes!