The object was only fist-sized. Even though Ying Chen's divine sense had it restrained, it still buzzed incessantly in the air, emitting a sound of fierce, unwilling submission.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the fist-sized object was merely a shell.
What was truly flying unseen was a bone spur, only finger-long, inside the shell!
However, this bone spur grew quite uniquely.
It resembled a long spear placed horizontally in a Buddha's hand.
And the protrusions within the shell perfectly formed the image of a Buddha.
The entire shell was, in essence, like a Buddhist treasure hall.
Within it enshrined a golden Buddha statue and a demon-subduing weapon.
"Quite interesting."
Ying Chen couldn't help but remark after clearly seeing the object's appearance.
He Chongxu's eyes were also wide open, looking left and right, unable to tear his gaze away for a long time.
He too had never seen such a thing before!
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, it would be hard to imagine nature's craftsmanship could be so exquisite!
"Master Ying, what exactly is this thing?"
"Did it grow naturally inside Qing Qiu, or was it deliberately placed in its skull by someone?"
He Chongxu asked.
Ying Chen pondered for a long time before replying, "It's likely something akin to a dragon bone flying spur. Legend has it that before a flood dragon transforms into a dragon, its internal bones will evolve towards dragon bones, possessing the power of flight."
"And artifacts crafted from dragon bones do not require incantations for empowerment; they can fly naturally. However, few people in the world have ever seen dragon bones, leading many to believe it's just a rumor."
"Now it seems, this thing does exist. It's just not as miraculous as the legends suggest."
"For Qing Qiu, with a hundred years of cultivation, it only managed to nurture such a bone spur. And it couldn't fly too far; otherwise, it would have used it during the battle."
"If it were willing to submit to me, given time, perhaps I could truly make this bone spur a genuine dragon bone. Its power would far surpass its current capabilities. Within a thousand meters, it would strike instantly, taking lives invisibly."
"A pity."
Ying Chen shook his head.
Qing Qiu's wild nature remained untamed, retaining the animosity and rebellion typical of snakes.
If it were a truly intelligent flood dragon, it might not be one hundred percent sincerely subservient to Ying Chen, but it would definitely recognize the vast gap in strength between itself and Ying Chen, and would never resort to feigning surrender, an act leading to its own demise.
This was the difference a touch of spiritual intelligence made, resulting in such vastly different outcomes.
Looking at the dragon bone flying spur, a flash of inspiration struck Ying Chen's mind.
He thought of a way to utilize it!
Even the sea-crossing crimson gold beam wouldn't need to be repaired with such effort.
It would only require more exertion and more materials.
"Return!"
Ying Chen pondered briefly and casually retrieved the dragon bone flying spur from the air.
The moment the dragon bone flying spur fell into Ying Chen's hand, it immediately became docile.
It no longer buzzed or trembled.
It seemed to have sensed Ying Chen's terrifying, unparalleled strength, knowing that any resistance was futile.
With a roar, the cruise ship, relying on its damaged engine, struggled its way towards Hong Kong.
Finally, the cruise ship arrived at Hong Kong port at a snail's pace.
Seeing the brightly lit night view of Hong Kong, everyone on board felt an immense sense of relief, as if they had narrowly escaped death and were reborn.
However, they still dared not disembark.
Ying Chen had not yet given them permission to leave.
"The obituaries for Mr. Huo and the other will be your responsibility."
"Once this task is completed, it will be considered your successful submission of your pledge of allegiance. Henceforth, I will no longer trouble you."
"However, if anyone dares to engage in any clandestine activities, do not blame me for regarding your lives as mere dust!"
Ying Chen surveyed the crowd and spoke to them.
These magnates from Hong Kong, who would command respect and fear anywhere, were now trembling, not even daring to look up at Ying Chen.
"Immortal Ying, rest assured! We absolutely dare not engage in any clandestine activities, absolutely not..."
"Yes, yes, it is your trust in us, Immortal Ying, that you entrust us with this task. How could we possibly engage in any clandestine activities?"
"I control a television station and several newspapers. I will personally oversee my subordinates to ensure this matter is handled perfectly! There will be absolutely no slip-ups!"
The magnates voiced their assurances one after another.
There was no other option; when one is under someone else's roof, one must bow their head.
Even though they had docked, it did not mean they were safe.
Ying Chen was not someone who only dared to kill on the high seas!
Furthermore, they were all complicit in the deaths of Mr. Huo and Officer Lin.
If the matter were to be pursued, they would all be considered accomplices!
Who would be foolish enough to expose this matter?
Moreover, with Mr. Huo's death, a vast expanse of profit suddenly became available. The ultimate beneficiaries, besides Ying Chen, would undoubtedly be them!
Could it be that the common folk of Hong Kong would benefit?
That would be a joke; they wouldn't have the capability!
Hong Kong society had long since become solidified to a certain extent. Even if a lucrative business were left untouched, and the common folk were allowed to pursue it, it would still not succeed!
"Good. You may leave."
Ying Chen nodded.
The magnates expressed their heartfelt gratitude, bid farewell to Ying Chen, and fled towards their respective homes as if escaping.
This scene was coincidentally captured by some paparazzi in Hong Kong.
The paparazzi were greatly surprised, "Isn't that Mr. Zhao?"
"And Young Master Liu!"
"Holy cow, even Old He is here!"
"What were they doing? So many magnates disembarking from the same cruise ship, and most importantly, they all look listless and dispirited. Could it be..."
The two paparazzi exchanged glances.
They became excited!
They seemed to have stumbled upon major news and immediately began snapping photos with their cameras.
After taking their shots, without a word, they rushed towards their magazines.
They would work overtime through the night to produce this headline news that would shock all of Hong Kong!
The night passed quickly.
Dawn arrived swiftly.
The Hong Kong citizens who woke up early for work, the first thing they did was buy a pineapple bun and a newspaper.
However, this time it was different from usual. The pineapple buns in their hands seemed to have lost their appeal. Without taking a bite, their eyes were completely fixed on the newspapers they held!
And it wasn't just one person; almost everyone on the street was the same!
The entire street fell silent for a good while before people simultaneously shifted their gaze from the newspapers and looked at each other in stunned silence.
Then, in unison, they cursed, "Son of a b*tch!"
It turned out that the newspaper featured a headline news article: "Hong Kong Tycoons' Collective Excursion, A Night of Indulgence, the Sea and Sky Feast"!
Accompanying it were numerous photos of the tycoons, as well as a picture of a luxurious cruise ship.
On the photos, the tycoons looked as if their bodies had been drained, appearing utterly listless.
Even their eyes exuded a sense of weakness!
"Shameless! Disgraceful! Lewd!"
"These leeches who suck our blood, who preach morality and integrity in normal times, now have no sense of shame at all!"
"They're not even embarrassed! Old men in their seventies and eighties, indulging in such debauchery! Corrupting the children!"
Instantly, a chorus of curses erupted on the street.
And online, the matter had already begun to ferment.
For a time, it was filled with condemnations and disgust towards Hong Kong's tycoons.
Some even attributed the death of Li Fengcheng to his lack of virtue and promiscuity, leading to him contracting an incurable disease and dying!
Rumors began to spread like wildfire.
While ordinary Hong Kong citizens might believe such rumors, the Huo family and Officer Lin's close associates certainly would not.
The Huo family and Officer Lin's confidantes waited and waited for Mr. Huo and Officer Lin, but they never returned.
Finally, they realized something had happened.
All the tycoons had returned safely, and despite being slandered as having held a Sea and Sky Feast, they had, after all, returned alive!
Only Mr. Huo and Officer Lin had not returned.
This could only mean one thing: Mr. Huo and Officer Lin had been murdered!
"What should we do?"
The Huo family looked to Officer Lin's confidantes.
It was said that before Officer Lin departed, he had left a sealed message for his confidantes.
If anything were to happen, they could open the sealed message and follow its instructions.
The confidante did not hesitate and immediately found the sealed message and opened it.
Upon seeing its contents, his face contorted with grief and anger, "Officer Lin said: When we see this sealed message, it means he is dead. And the murderer, besides Ying Chen, could be no one else! Therefore, he commands us to hunt down Ying Chen with all our might and avenge him!"
Boom!
The Huo family felt as if struck by lightning.
Two days ago, they had rejoiced at the death of the Li family's patriarch, only to find themselves facing such a fate within a day!
Retribution had come so swiftly!
Without much further thought, the Huo family immediately made a decision: "Activate the revenge fund that the Huo family has prepared for many years, and spare no effort to apprehend the murderer and avenge our老爷 and Officer Lin!"
Thus, the two parties formed an alliance once more.
Preparing to retaliate against Ying Chen.
Unfortunately, this alliance, formed less than half an hour ago, crumbled upon the arrival of an email!
The recipient of the email was the eldest son of the Huo family.
The Huo family's eldest son was initially unconcerned, as the email title read "The Truth."
He already knew the truth; did he need anyone to remind him?
The truth was that Ying Chen had killed his father!
But when the Huo family's eldest son subconsciously opened the email, he discovered: he was wrong, terribly wrong.
His father had heroically sacrificed himself to save others!
Conversely, Officer Lin, when facing a life-or-death situation, had deliberately pushed others into the sea to save himself!
In the end, he couldn't escape the law of cause and effect, perishing to the jaws of a sea monster.
"He bravely faced national peril, viewing death as a return journey."
The Huo family's eldest son looked at the video of his father holding a fish fork and slowly advancing with a fearless demeanor, and tears welled up in his eyes.
He suddenly fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing three times to his father in the video, "Father, you are the hero in my heart! My lifelong hero!"
After kowtowing three times, the Huo family's eldest son wiped away his tears, rose resolutely, and departed.
The confidante of Officer Lin, left bewildered, chased after him, "Young Master Huo, what's wrong? Young Master Huo, we haven't discussed the specific revenge plan yet! Please don't leave!"
Outside the door, the voice of the eldest son of the Huo family echoed, "Our Huo family is a noble lineage; how can we associate with mere clowns?"
"If you want revenge, go do it yourself! This matter is no longer related to our Huo family!"