The wind howls, sand skiffs fly across the desert. The massive flagship sails through the endless sea of sand, surrounded by an escort of ships both large and small. Not even the harsh winter winds can penetrate the thick cabin walls. In the most luxurious cabin, four braziers quietly and steadily radiate warmth, making it feel like spring inside.
All attendants are dismissed, leaving only master and disciple in the room.
Technically, neither of the two in the cabin should be bothered by a little chill. One is the famed Sand Pirate King, Fiona Fang, the other is a big shot who used to roll around in Antarctica—winter desert winds should be nothing. Yet here they are, both dutifully warming themselves by the fire.
Jack Young finally stops driving and sits comfortably on the plush carpet, leisurely tending the brazier. He swaps out his thin shirt (just used to wipe his nose) for fine robes and a white fur coat—looking every bit the big shot, but bundled up tight, not showing off at all.
Across from him, Fiona Fang—the little rascal—is shivering as she stands in a stance, one side freezing, one side roasting, quite the spectacle. The cold side is pressed up to the brazier like a chicken wing, not worried about getting burnt. The hot side is covered with seventeen or eighteen ice sand bags, which hiss and crackle like an old kettle about to boil.
“Girls really do grow up fast,” Jack Young rubs his hands by the fire. “Just in a blink, you’re all grown—sink deeper into your squat, you have to go all the way down, or if your head explodes, I can’t save you.”
“Okay.” Fiona Fang obediently follows instructions, even more docile than she was back when she practiced stances on the water tank.
On one hand, years of training have made her a bit steadier, and she knows what’s good for her. On the other hand, she really can’t afford to mess around. Her internal energy conflict is at a breaking point—even her Frostfire Amulet can’t suppress it anymore. But oddly enough, once she settles into this weird stance, her rampaging qi slowly calms down, no longer at war inside her.
Can you picture a world-class beauty doing a squat stance?
Honestly, it’s not much different from anyone else squatting—just a lot nicer to look at. Well... maybe more than just a little.
In four years, Fiona Fang has gone from a teenage girl to a young lady in her prime. That whole 'girls change at eighteen' thing is no joke—four years ago, Fiona felt a bit inferior when she first met Princess Yihua. But times change, and now she’s right up there with Yihua, both top-tier beauties.
Jack Young can’t help stroking his chin.
If he had to rank looks, with all his worldly experience, Fiona would still make the top tier—right up there with Galadriel. The best part? She’s got zero pretense, which makes her even more admirable.
The disciple he picked up by chance has turned out to be a rare flower. The original novel ‘Peerless Twins’ called her a world-class beauty, and now he sees it’s true. If this world really had some ‘Legendary Hero Ouyang Ting’ guy, he probably couldn’t resist Fiona Fang either.
Seriously, isn’t it weird how this world seems to be overflowing with gorgeous women? Princess Embroidered Jade, Princess Flower Shifter, Fiona Fang, even Mia Wise—the last time he breezed through this martial arts world, every woman he met was stunning.
Is it the soil? The environment? Does the martial arts here come with beauty, skin care, and... body sculpting perks? Or maybe the world’s the same as always, it’s just that as I get stronger and move up in life, the people I meet are on a whole new level?
Jack Young decides not to dwell on these pointless questions and gets back to business—time to ask what’s been happening lately. Time flows differently across worlds; on Earth, it’s only been a few months, but here, four years have passed. Four years might not change everything, but a lot has shifted.
Jack Young looks at the massive sand skiff fleet outside. “So, you’re the Sand Pirate King now?”
“Sand Pirate King?” The question’s a bit random, but Fiona Fang is pretty random herself, so she gets it right away. Even standing in her stance, she lights up and starts chattering: “Master, master, let me tell you, this Sand Pirate King business is actually super interesting!”
Her voice is as clear and sweet as a lark, and soon an epic tale of friendship, passion, inspiration, emotion, adventure, treasure, justice, and peace begins to unfold.
BGM, cue the music~~
Four years ago...
Wealth, fame, power—the first Sand Pirate King once had it all. His words sent everyone in the martial world rushing toward the sea of sand: “My treasure? If you want it, you can have it all. Go and find it—everything in this world is out there!” The whole jianghu went wild, flooding into the South Wasteland, and so began the Great Sand Pirate Era!
In this era, a young girl set sail, declaring her ambition to the endless desert.
“I’m going to find every treasure in this desert!”
And so began the journey to become the second Sand Pirate King.
Rising in the Eastern Sand Sea, sailing through the South Wasteland—the girl just wanted to find the desert’s great treasures, but the world was harsh and villains rampant. Feeling a sense of justice, she didn’t just look out for herself, but stepped up to fight. First she took down the local bully, then crushed the notorious Deaf Desert Bandits. One by one, she defeated powerful foes, riding the wind and waves, blooming with every step.
Of course, along the way, she met a whole crew of reliable companions: the money-grubbing but experienced navigator Old Blind, the fashion disaster but skilled shipwright Old Blind, the tall-tale-spinning conman king Old Blind, the tomb-raiding South Wasteland history expert Old Blind, the mascot-slash-quack doctor Old Blind... and the team’s muscle, King Gamble.
“Hold up, hold up…” Jack Young rubs his brow and interrupts. “Why does Blind Elder wear so many hats, but King Gamble Charles Sterling’s character is so flat? That’s rough. Can’t he at least double as a chef who spins in circles roasting his feet, or have a secret passion for cooking, hidden beneath a cold exterior, with earth-shattering culinary skills?”
“No way, no way, not happening.” Fiona Fang shakes her head like a rattle drum. “King Gamble Charles Sterling used to love betting, but after losing over and over, he barely gambles anymore. He’s got nothing going for him but fighting. And anyway, I already have a chef—and get this, his qi-powered cooking actually glows! Master, you haven’t seen it, but that stinky tofu was shining bright, absolutely radiant! I ran all over trying to collect a set of Legendary Cookware for him… ”
“Hold up, hold up…” Jack Young keeps rubbing his brow, feeling like there’s too much to roast and not sure where to start. Finally, he picks something familiar: “Let’s put the RGB cooking aside for now—did you just say King Gamble Charles Sterling keeps losing? Who’s beating him?”
He’s seen King Gamble’s skills before—those almost magical gambling techniques are unforgettable. Plus, King Gamble is now a top-level master with sharp instincts. So who could possibly beat him over and over?
“It’s your disciple—me.” Fiona Fang tilts her head and lifts her nose. “I’m not quite the Sand Pirate King yet, but in the world of gambling, I’m known as the Gambling Saint.”