To eliminate his love rival and win back Yu Renshu's heart, Fang Qinghao was willing to do anything. Only by killing Shen Feng could he reclaim Yu Renshu's affection. Although Yu Renshu's heart had never truly belonged to him, making the word "reclaim" inappropriate, Fang Qinghao had become utterly obsessed. He now viewed Yu Renshu as the woman he deeply loved, and for her, he would do anything.
Despite having lost track of Shen Feng and Li Keyi at this moment, and finding it difficult to locate them again, Fang Qinghao didn't concern himself with it. They were at sea, and on the sea, his abilities were at their strongest.
Thus, Fang Qinghao summoned colossal waves, tens of meters high, crashing them against the surrounding coral islands. Though these waves were only a dozen meters tall, seemingly insignificant compared to those generated by sea beasts, their destructive power was considerable.
When the giant waves struck the coral, the more fragile parts were instantly snapped. Coral, formed from the hardened skeletons of coral polyps, was incredibly strong, yet it was being broken by the waves. This demonstrated the immense power of Fang Qinghao's assault. His attack did not cease; seeing that the waves hadn't achieved much, he continued to use his abilities, making the waves relentlessly pound the islands.
Fang Qinghao was not wrong; at sea, this was his domain. While using his abilities, Fang Qinghao's face remained relaxed, showing no signs of strain. He was indeed the man who had earned the title of hero. Yet, such a powerful figure at sea had been absent during yesterday's battle, only to take advantage of Shen Feng's unconscious state. This was truly shameless.
Li Keyi, carrying Shen Feng on her back, struggled onward while evading the waves. When a wave approached, it was best to find a sturdy place to take cover. If she hadn't been injured, it wouldn't have been so troublesome. However, with one of her legs broken, having to move while carrying Shen Feng was incredibly painful. The ache from the fractured bone intensified, and the makeshift splint was about to give way.
"No, I can't just wait to die. I have to find a way to fight back. It would be best to lure Fang Qinghao closer. If Fang Qinghao comes within two meters, I can use my laser blade to finish him. My abilities are useless right now and would only expose me," Li Keyi thought to herself.
Waiting passively was not Li Keyi's style. Even in her current predicament, she didn't want to waste time. While delaying was the best course of action – waiting a day for Shen Feng to complete his evolution, after which he would undoubtedly be immensely powerful and capable of dealing with Fang Qinghao effortlessly – Li Keyi still wished to take the initiative.
Fang Qinghao was gradually losing patience, especially seeing that even after he had revealed Shen Feng's actions, Li Keyi still refused to abandon him. Shen Feng was a complete scumbag, so why was Li Keyi still so devoted? Why?
"Li Keyi, I know you are a proud woman who disdains men weaker than you. But there are men in this world stronger than Shen Feng. You don't need to cling to a crooked tree and hang yourself. You need to see this clearly and not walk down this path to the end!" Fang Qinghao continued his verbal assault, appealing to her emotions and reason. If Li Keyi would only abandon Shen Feng, then everything would be resolved.
However, there was still no change on the coral island; neither Shen Feng nor Li Keyi appeared. Fang Qinghao now knew that Li Keyi was determined to be stubborn. She could have chosen a better man, but Li Keyi simply refused to let go of Shen Feng.
"Li Keyi, think carefully, what's so good about Shen Feng? That guy is incredibly fickle; he has several wives and is always away, neglecting his household. Why would you want such a philandering man? Oh, I see, you must be after Shen Feng's status as the City Lord of Yuzhou, and now you want to be the City Lord's wife, don't you? I never expected you to be such a vain, materialistic woman." Fang Qinghao continued to use his abilities while waiting for a response.
The reason he said these things was to provoke her verbally. If Li Keyi couldn't resist retorting, Fang Qinghao's plan would succeed. Once Li Keyi spoke out, she would make a sound, and her location would be exposed.
Yet, Li Keyi remained unresponsive, completely ignoring Fang Qinghao's words. Fang Qinghao felt that his insults were not potent enough to provoke Li Keyi, so he continued.
"Li Keyi, I truly don't know what to say about you. Shen Feng is a scoundrel. In Yuzhou, he squandered money, built the Fengshen Palace to enjoy life, and completely disregarded the welfare of the common people. You like such a scoundrel? I understand now; you must be birds of a feather flocking together. As the saying goes, 'Near vermilion, one becomes red; near ink, one becomes black.' It seems you've also become a scoundrel."
Listening to Fang Qinghao's incessant stream of insults, Li Keyi desperately wanted to retort because she knew Shen Feng better than Fang Qinghao did. Shen Feng might have had minor flaws, but overall, he was a good person, not the scoundrel Fang Qinghao described. Shen Feng had consistently promoted farming in Yuzhou and stabilized grain prices. The people of Yuzhou, if not living in prosperity, were at least living in peace. In contrast, Fang Qinghao had made no contributions yet lectured others extensively.
"No, this guy really deserves to die. He's completely fixated now. I need to find a way to deal with him quickly. Ah, there's a giant whale here. I completely forgot about it. How could I have forgotten?" Li Keyi suddenly spotted the colossal whale in the sea. As time passed, the whale's belly grew larger and larger, its massive body resembling a small mountain, its belly distended and filled with gas.
Upon seeing the whale, Li Keyi devised a plan. A whale that died on shore had to be dealt with promptly, or it could pose a danger to those nearby. A dead whale was still dangerous, and Li Keyi's method was to exploit this danger.
Li Keyi removed Shen Feng's clothes and then her own, placing them in a hidden spot within the coral thicket. Afterward, she hid with Shen Feng to the side. This wasn't all; Li Keyi quietly gathered sunlight, focusing it onto the whale's belly.
Microbial fermentation was influenced by temperature. Under the influence of temperature, the decomposition rate of microorganisms accelerated. Although photons had no mass, they possessed energy. This sea area was in the tropics, where sunlight was already intense. Now, with Li Keyi concentrating it, the temperature of the whale's abdomen also rose.
Fang Qinghao was still searching for Shen Feng and Li Keyi. As he searched, he made a decision: "Li Keyi, since you are obstinate, I will have to let you and Shen Feng become lovers destined for death together."
It could be said that if Li Keyi hadn't obstructed him, Fang Qinghao would have already killed Shen Feng. Fang Qinghao had originally intended to go to the ring island to search for evolution crystals. The evolution crystal of a ninth-tier sea beast would undoubtedly be a very precious item. However, he had stumbled upon Shen Feng and Li Keyi, who were recovering from injuries, and decided it was a good opportunity to settle a personal score.
Just then, Fang Qinghao saw clothes faintly visible in a coral thicket in the distance. As he was about to approach, intense light suddenly shone from the sky, blinding him again. He couldn't see clearly for a moment, but now, Fang Qinghao had memorized their location.
"Shining into my eyes now? It's too late! I already know your location!" Fang Qinghao sneered, and then unleashed his abilities, sending massive waves crashing towards the direction where he had seen the clothes. The power of the giant waves was immense, and with continuous attacks, Li Keyi would be unable to resist.
However, when Fang Qinghao arrived at the coral thicket, he strained his eyes, and his vision recovered slightly. Upon closer inspection, he saw only a few pieces of clothing hanging on the coral. Seeing this, Fang Qinghao's nose flared with anger, and he shouted, "Li Keyi, you can't keep playing these petty tricks forever! When I catch you, I'll show you what despair is!"
But at that moment, Li Keyi's voice echoed from a distance: "Is that so? Unfortunately, you no longer have the chance."
The whale's belly continued to swell, appearing from a distance like an overinflated balloon. The microbial fermentation was evident. When the whale died, the gas in its abdominal cavity could not escape, leaving only one outcome: explosion.
"Boom..." The whale exploded. The location of the explosion was precisely as Li Keyi had calculated. Li Keyi was not adept at long-range attacks, as her laser blade could not reach distant enemies. However, defeating enemies using knowledge was something she could do with ease.
The explosion from an ordinary whale could even kill a human. Now, this was the explosion of the world's only ninth-tier sea beast. The explosive force was comparable to dynamite. A massive shockwave, mixed with the whale's internal contents, erupted outwards.
Fang Qinghao was directly in the path of the gas eruption following the whale's explosion. The immense impact instantly shattered his internal organs. He and the nearby coral thicket were sent flying by the massive blastwave, their final destinations unknown.
Li Keyi, meanwhile, lay on the ground, pressing Shen Feng beneath her to protect him from harm. As for Fang Qinghao, he was undoubtedly dead; there was no need for any doubt.