Although passing the first trial had taken a heavy toll, leaving him severely injured, the fact that Feng Yi could carry him through the third trial meant its difficulty wasn't too high.
The system message had already stated that the first trial was the hardest. Without those three attackers, clearing the third trial wouldn't have been an issue, nor would Feng Yi have had to endure so much.
They had deliberately held back in the first trial, ensuring they were selected, all for the sake of targeting him.
Ye Yu's killing intent surged when he realized what Feng Yi had done—his fury toward those three only grew.
Xiong Houdao had withdrawn 10% of his strength, forcing Feng Yi to bear the full brunt, leaving him critically wounded. Yet Feng Yi had pushed through, ensuring Ye Yu could complete the third trial without succumbing to his injuries.
He could have chosen to withdraw and receive Ling'er's healing, but for Ye Yu's sake—to secure him triple the rewards—Feng Yi had risked everything.
Once everything became clear, Ye Yu's heart burned with rage and shock. He hadn't expected Feng Yi to go this far for him.
Even the crew of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew was moved.
Ye Yu asked, "Is the Righteousness Pirates' location far from here?"
Zhang Naran nodded. "Quite far. They're in a different sea. It's impossible to reach them quickly."
Ye Yu sighed. Being in separate seas made a swift reunion impossible—navigation was fraught with dangers, harsh environments, and treacherous waters.
He had hoped that if they were nearby, Ling'er could help speed up Feng Yi's recovery. But now, that wasn't an option.
Just then, Feng Yi woke up—weak and barely conscious.
Ye Yu immediately contacted him.
Feng Yi's first concern was for Ye Yu. "Benefactor, how are your injuries? Are you alright? Did you catch a cold?"
Touched, Ye Yu replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine. You shouldn't have taken such a risk for me. Your chances of dying were far higher than mine. Even if I had faced three strong enemies in the second trial and my injuries worsened, I could've withdrawn for treatment. But you left yourself no way out."
Feng Yi's medical crew knew best—his survival had been sheer luck, thanks to timely intervention. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made it.
Now, Feng Yi lay wrapped in bandages, feverish and frail, his injuries still severe despite being stabilized.
Yet he smiled weakly. "I'm just glad you're unharmed. I conserved my strength in the first trial precisely to help you later. I had to do it—and now, I'm happy I succeeded. You got triple the rewards."
Though Ye Yu had indirectly saved Feng Yi before, this debt of gratitude weighed heavily on his heart.
Ye Yu asked, "What was the third trial like?"
Even without asking, he could imagine how perilous it had been.
Feng Yi gave a brief explanation—a freezing trek to the finish line.
No wonder Feng Yi had asked if he'd caught a cold. The bitter cold, combined with Ye Yu's severe injuries, would have been deadly. Ye Yu now understood that Feng Yi had prioritized keeping him warm, layering extra furs over him.
Every member of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew would remember this kindness.
Though Feng Yi wasn't one of them, he was already more than a comrade.
Knowing Feng Yi was still battling a high fever, Ye Yu kept the call short, urging him to rest. But before ending it, he asked one last question:
"Do you want to join the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew?"
Feng Yi smiled cheerfully, "Of course I'd like to, but most of my crew probably wouldn't qualify as junior crew members. So, let's forget it."
Ye Yu felt genuine admiration—this man truly valued loyalty.
Feng Yi certainly had the strength to become an Executive if he joined their crew.
However, his pirate crew wasn't particularly strong, and most of his members wouldn't pass the junior crew assessment. Even if he wanted to, he had to give up the idea outright.
Ye Yu pondered whether to grant Feng Yi special privileges.
If he did, his own crewmates would undoubtedly have no objections—in fact, they'd likely urge him to do so.
Feng Yi anticipated this and said, "I want to stay with my crewmates. Besides, it's better not to bring everyone aboard—the weaker ones would only be in greater danger."
He had a point. The junior crew members of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew were at the level of full-fledged crew members in other powerful crews. Bringing Feng Yi's weaker members aboard would only put them at risk—like mortals caught in a battle between gods.
Ye Yu proposed, "Here's what we can do: since we won't meet again anytime soon, the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew will establish the Hegemon Feather Grand Fleet by the mid or late stages. At that point, your crew can directly join as one of the fleets. That way, you can all join together without worrying about being a burden."
Feng Yi and his crewmates' eyes lit up with excitement—they were more than willing.
Without further discussion, Ye Yu told Feng Yi to focus on recovering and ended the call.
Then, his expression turned icy and resolute as he said to Xia Ling, "Spread the word: from now on, the Righteousness Pirates are under the protection of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew. Anyone who dares harm them will face my undying wrath."
"Understood, Captain."
...
Meanwhile, several pirate crews learned about Ye Yu's teammates from this mission and understood how crucial their help had been in clearing the third stage.
Xiong Houdao and his crew were strong, so some subordinate crews of powerful pirate factions—operating in the same waters as the Righteousness Pirates—planned to cause trouble.
But when they heard the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's declaration, they immediately backed off, not daring to provoke them.
No one dared to cause trouble in the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's territory, let now with such a bloodthirsty warning.
At that moment, Xia Ling asked curiously, "Captain, do you know who the three attackers were?"
Sun Long fumed, "They were well-prepared, aiming to eliminate you. We must find them."
Ye Yu shook his head. "They were masked in black and didn't use any Fruit Abilities. All we know is they were either powerful Non-Ability Users or Ability Users whose natural combat skills were already formidable."
Though he had his suspicions, he naturally couldn't reveal his knowledge of One Piece.
Xia Ling sighed. "That does make it hard to guess."
Xiao Ke mused, "Even without using abilities, the pool is small. The world's top Chosen Ones haven't made many appearances yet. We can rule out Jin Mo and Bai Shaohan—the Mo Mo Fruit Ability User doesn't match the described physique either."
Ye Yu nodded. "The range is narrow. Some top Chosen Ones are still lying low, but they'll surface eventually—like in twenty days with the two rankings. They won't miss that."
No one would pass up the two rankings—the rewards were bound to be exceptional, not to mention the fame, titles, and prestige. Every strong contender would seize the opportunity.
Zhao Yan'er snorted coldly. "If there are still such powerful figures hiding, it only gives us more motivation."
The crew members nodded. At first, they thought the two lists presented a great opportunity, but now it seemed there were hidden dragons among them.