CHAPTER 422: 422. THE PIRATE’S CHALLENGE BEGINS

At the heart of Veins Peak Island stood a towering mountain, its jagged silhouette stretching nearly 3,000 feet into the sky. The very center of this mountain held a massive sinkhole—wide, dark, and foreboding—that plummeted deep beneath the sea. The air around it buzzed with raw energy, hinting at ancient dangers lying in wait far below.

A sleek, ominous broken ship is near the edge of the cliffs, its sails and everything was missing, but the ship is said to be an old legend where an Immortal flick his hand and threw a ship on the top of the mountain.

Today, the entire mountain had become a stage. Hundreds of Immortal Practitioners had gathered around the cliffs. They weren’t here just for entertainment. They were here to witness something rare— a Pirate Challenge under old traditions.

The crowd stirred as a group of Dark elves descended from the sky, their presence casting eerie shadows over . The ’fake’ Phantom Pirates had not yet arrived, but the ’real’ one had.

From it, the crew of Kael Driftsbane disembarked.

Kael captain and Vice Captain, Talindra. Behind them came their crew—each more intimidating than the last.

One of them, a bald-headed dark elf with a thick, curled mustache and a cocky swagger, looked around with narrowed eyes. He scoffed loudly.

"Are those fake imposters too scared to show up?" he sneered. "Not a single one in sight. Cowards."

"Easy, Kanth," Talindra said with a smirk. "If they don’t show by the appointed time, we win this round automatically. Let’s just enjoy the view until then."

Kanth grinned and pulled a strange cigar from his coat. With a spin of his fingers, he caught it stylishly between his lips. The cigar lit itself with a spark of made by his fingers snap.

He inhaled deeply and

Cough cough!

Talindra raised a brow. "What the heck? That made a Grandmaster cough?"

Kanth chuckled through the smoke. "Sorry, Vice Captain. This one’s made from Thunder Nicotiana mixed with Sunflower Pipeweed. Strong enough to make your soul sweat."

He took another puff and—

Cough cough!

Before the others could mock him further, the atmosphere shifted.

A strange, melodic hum drifted through the air—like a siren’s lullaby, soft yet haunting. Many of the Immortal Practitioners gathered around the cliffs felt a brief dizziness, as if they had slipped into a dream.

Then they saw them.

Three figures emerged out of nowhere at the far end of the cliffs, walking slowly and confidently toward the gathering.

First was a stunning woman clad in a provocative outfit that seemed to fuse elegance and seduction. A whip hung lazily from her hip, and her hair danced with the breeze—Temptress, ( Lily Gomes.)

Next floated an ethereal figure in white—a ghostly beauty whose flowing robes revealed just enough to hint at her graceful form beneath. Her eyes glowed softly, her feet never touching the ground—Ghost Princess, (Mana in her adult form.)

And finally came a sharp contrast to the two: a bunny-eared girl in a sleek black dress, fishnet stockings hugging her legs, and a wicked scythe strapped to her back. Her blade shimmered with silver-black runes—Lady Reaper, (Su Fei.)

Gasps echoed through the crowd.

Even Talindra found her eyes shamelessly trailing over the newcomers. "Now that’s an entrance of Hotties." she muttered under her breath.

The trio stopped a few steps away from Kael’s crew. Temptress stepped forward, her tone sharp and commanding.

"Since we’re here," she said, "let’s begin."

Kanth grinned again, flicking ash from his cigar. "Where’s your precious captain? Sleeping through his own duel?"

Temptress smirked. "Main characters always arrive at the climax. But don’t worry—we’re more than enough to handle you."

Kanth’s grin faded, but before he could respond, Kael raised a hand.

"Enough. We don’t need pointless banter. Who’s participating from your side?"

Temptress raised her hand without hesitation. "I am."

She walked boldly toward the edge of the sinkhole, her footsteps echoing with a strange confidence.

Kael watched her carefully. "You know the rules. You have one day to retrieve the item that once belonged to Gunn Calway. If you fail to bring it back, you lose the first challenge."

Ghost Princess frowned. "You didn’t even tell us what the item is."

Kael gave a half-smile. "We don’t know. It’s information we received from Gunn Calway himself. That’s all we have."

Temptress narrowed her eyes. "And the information you promised in return?"

Kael nodded. "You’ll get it—before the final round ends. I gave my word."

"Like hell I’ll trust a pirate’s word," Temptress muttered. "But fine. We’ll discuss that after I win."

"But you are also a pirate." Talindra muttered.

Without another word, she turned and faced the abyss.

Wind roared from the depths below. The sinkhole seemed to breathe—pulsing with Eerie Energies. Yet she showed no fear.

"I wonder what kind of trap you’ve prepared for me," she murmured.

And with a final wink toward Ghost Princess and Lady Reaper, Temptress jumped—diving into the abyss like a falling star swallowed by darkness.

Gasps spread through the crowd again.

Talindra leaned forward, intrigued. "She’s bold."

"Or foolish," Kael muttered, though even he couldn’t hide the curiosity in his eyes.

For a moment, silence reigned.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Meanwhile, in the Rented Luxurious Room...

Tyler was sound asleep on a velvet-cushioned bed. The subtle rise and fall of his chest was the only movement in the bed. He looked peaceful—too peaceful, considering the chaos brewing outside.

Nearby, Mathilda and Darla.

"That was really one effective curse," Mathilda muttered, glancing at the deeply sleeping Tyler. "I could forcefully break it and wake him up, but since it’s harmless... and considering he hasn’t rested properly since the fight with that crazy Clown, I figured I’d let him sleep."

"Mmm... Stop," Darla whimpered, trying to squirm. "Boss is sleeping..."

"He won’t wake up," Mathilda replied in a teasing whisper. "Let yourself relax, girl.."

"Aaan I-It feels too good... Stop. I am so wet." Darla’s face turned pink as she moaned.

Mathilda smirked. "Wet by Oil, right?"

Mathilda was sitting on a low stool beside the bed, lazily twirling a bottle of glowing blue oil between her fingers. Darla, lying on her stomach with a towel over her lower back, let out a small, muffled groan.

She dipped her fingers into the warm oil and continued massaging Darla’s back with practiced ease.

Just then, the door creaked open.

One of the ship’s maids stepped in, freezing at the sight of Darla lying facedown and Mathilda hands reaching between her legs with an open bottle of glowing oil in hand.

"Oh! You’re just in time," Mathilda said brightly, tossing the bottle toward the stunned maid. "I made a new massage oil blend. Great for stress, aches, emotional baggage—whatever. Come help me test it."

Without waiting for an answer, she pulled off her coat and flopped down beside Darla with a sigh. "Apply it to my back. Don’t be shy."

Still flustered, the maid hesitated, then slowly walked over and began applying the oil, cheeks glowing like fire.

The soft sounds of contented sighs, giggles, Moans and the gentle clink of bottles filled the room. From the bed, Tyler stirred faintly — but didn’t wake.

"Another way to wake him up, without any side effects are our moans.... " Mathilda whispered with a grin and then , "Aaann..."

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Temptress jumped into the depths of the sinkhole.

But it wasn’t just any ordinary mountain sinkhole.

The very moment she crossed the edge, the environment shifted dramatically. The temperature warped—blistering heat and bone-chilling cold rushed at her from all sides, clashing in waves. Yet, she remained unfazed.

As she descended deeper, her hair danced wildly around her, caught in the chaotic air currents. Her eyes narrowed in focus. With a breath, she extended her divine sense outward.

Instantly, her mind filled with the layout of the space. The interior walls of the sinkhole weren’t smooth. Instead, they were jagged and uneven, like the maw of some ancient beast. Strange glowing craters dotted the walls, and several hidden cave mouths were tucked within the rock, radiating faint traces of aura.

"If I want to ambush, I would probably do it now..." she muttered to herself.

Suddenly, her senses screamed a warning.

Before she could react, a beam of energy shot out from a cave along the wall— fast, precise, and powerful. It struck her square in the side, sending her flying midair. Her body was hurled like a ragdoll, crashing into the rocky surface of the inner wall with a thunderous impact. Dust and rubble burst from the point of collision.

Floating toward her from the direction of the attack was a slender woman, calmly hovering in the air.

She had golden-blonde hair that flowed like sunlight and a delicate face with soft, almost innocent features. In her hand, she held a smoking star-shaped charm. Her eyes, however, were lifeless—cold and devoid of emotion—as they locked onto the Temptress.

If Tyler had been here, he would have recognized her in an instant.

The mysterious figure floating before Temptress was none other than Masha.