"What an idiot."
Seeing Yun Tianhe daydreaming about flying a boat through the air, Han Lingsha couldn't help but sigh lightly. Although Yun Tianhe had changed in some ways since descending the mountain, his fundamental nature remained as innocent and straightforward as ever.
"Flying a boat… an interesting idea, but wouldn't a gourd be better? Add a few lines of poetry, and the Drunken Sword Immortal could make his debut early."
"To ride the sword through the wind, to eliminate evil between heaven and earth. With wine, there's joy; without wine, I'm mad nonetheless." This was the famous verse of the Drunken Sword Immortal.
Sword flight, or 御剑飞行, is a broad term in this world—it doesn't necessarily require a sword. A person could just as easily ride a spear, a gourd, or even a boat if they wished. Yun Tianhe's whimsical idea wasn't entirely implausible. Unlike the Jia family's 御物术 (Object Manipulation Technique), which requires nurturing an object from a young age until it becomes a spiritual artifact, sword flight merely requires a basic mastery of spiritual energy. For example, Huai Shuo was able to control the Wangshu Sword to carry Yun Tianhe and the others on their first meeting without any prior bonding.
Compared to 御物术, not to mention the Eight Miraculous Techniques, sword flight was a far more versatile and efficient skill.
"Let's get moving," Daniel said, steering everyone back to their task.
The group boarded the boat, but when Han Lingsha offered to take control, Daniel intervened. Having spent time in the world of One Piece, Daniel had acquired a rudimentary understanding of sailing. Although he wasn't a navigator, steering a boat was a simple task for him—especially when augmented by his internal energy, which allowed him to guide the vessel effortlessly without the need for oars or sails.
"Let's circle around Bailinzhou first and look for where the whirlpools are strongest," Han Lingsha suggested as they approached the small island in the center of Chaohu Lake.
Unlike in a game where one follows predetermined sequences to defeat monsters, the group wasn't here to fight the large bird rumored to inhabit the island. They were here to investigate the source of the whirlpools and the alleged water demons. Han Lingsha, recalling her past exploration of the island, recounted her struggles with the giant bird. Her signature technique, Smoke and Rain Soul Seize, had proven useless, as the bird could simply fan its massive wings to dispel the smoke.
"Look over there—those must be the whirlpools. Stop the boat; we shouldn't get any closer," Murong Ziying instructed.
The group spotted several massive whirlpools roughly a kilometer ahead, clustered together. If they ventured any further, the boat could easily be caught and destroyed. After all, this boat wasn't theirs to risk—it had been generously lent by the local fishermen and would need to be returned.
Earlier, Yun Tianhe had suggested taking the boat for themselves to try flying it, but clearly, he hadn't thought through the implications.
"I sense demonic energy," Murong Ziying said gravely as the group left the boat at Bailinzhou's shore and flew toward the whirlpools.
Hovering several meters above the churning waters, Murong Ziying's expression hardened. His stance against demonic creatures was absolute—there would be no mercy.
"It's coming from underwater. Do any of you know how to swim?" Han Lingsha asked, her tone a mix of seriousness and curiosity. While Murong Ziying had a zero-tolerance policy toward demons, both Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli shared a more nuanced perspective, particularly toward creatures that hadn't actively harmed humans.
"Swimming won't be necessary. I'll teach you all the Water Breathing Technique. With this, you'll be able to breathe freely underwater," Murong Ziying replied. He recited an incantation and guided the group through the basics of channeling their internal energy to activate the technique.
"This is amazing!" Yun Tianhe exclaimed, his excitement palpable. As someone who had spent much of his childhood playing near streams and waterfalls, the prospect of exploring underwater with ease was thrilling.
"If only I'd known this earlier," Han Lingsha muttered to herself. Over the years, her search for relics had often taken her to underwater ruins, where she'd had to rely on tools like air bladders. The Water Breathing Technique would have made her explorations far easier.
"Focus on your training," Murong Ziying interjected sternly. While the technique was simple and quick to learn, he insisted they practice until it became second nature. In the midst of a potential underwater battle, any lapse in focus could prove fatal.
"Got it, Martial Uncle," Han Lingsha replied with a playful grin before settling into her training.
Roughly an hour later, the group completed their preparations and dove into the water. Initially, they encountered no resistance. The lakebed was clear, offering an unobstructed view as they descended deeper.
To their astonishment, they soon spotted an enormous underwater city shielded by a massive dome of shimmering energy.
"This… this must be the legendary Kingdom of Juchao!" Han Lingsha exclaimed, her voice tinged with awe. As a self-proclaimed master thief and an expert in tomb raiding, she couldn't contain her excitement at discovering such an ancient and well-preserved site.
"Juchao Kingdom?" Liu Mengli asked, her curiosity piqued.
"According to legend, during the Shang dynasty, there was a small kingdom by the shores of Chaohu Lake. It was said to have angered the gods and was cursed, sinking beneath the lake. I always thought it was just a myth, but it turns out to be real! I can't believe I missed it during my last trip here," Han Lingsha explained, her tone a mix of excitement and regret.
"This place seems to have become a den for demons," Murong Ziying noted grimly. His gaze swept over the city, where various humanoid creatures with distinct monstrous features roamed the streets. A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes.
"Ziying, wait!" Han Lingsha quickly intervened as Murong Ziying prepared to strike.
"We don't know for sure if they've harmed anyone. Let's investigate first," Liu Mengli added, her tone calm but firm.
"Demons harming humans—isn't that reason enough to act?" Murong Ziying retorted coldly, his fingers already forming the gestures for a sword incantation.
"Ziying, don't forget our mission. We're here to find the final Cold Relic. These creatures have lived at the bottom of Chaohu Lake for who knows how long. They might have information we need," Han Lingsha argued.
Murong Ziying hesitated, visibly torn between his instincts and Han Lingsha's logic. After a moment, he reluctantly lowered his hand, though his expression remained tense.
"That looks like an entrance over there. Let's check it out," Daniel suggested, pointing to what appeared to be the city's main gate.
As they approached, two guards standing on a raised platform spotted them. Both were humanoid in form but bore distinct aquatic features—one resembling a shrimp and the other a crab.
"Halt! Who goes there? Humans, what is your business in the Kingdom of Juchao?" the shrimp-like guard demanded, gripping his weapon tightly.
"Shrimp soldiers and crab generals? Are we about to meet an underwater Dragon King?" Daniel wondered internally, his curiosity piqued. The presence of such aquatic creatures made him wonder if dragons might exist in the Xianjian universe after all.
"We seek an audience with your leader. Could you please inform them of our arrival?" Han Lingsha said, stepping forward with a friendly smile.
"You wish to see the Elder? Do you know them?" the shrimp soldier asked, his tone skeptical.
"We don't," Han Lingsha admitted after a moment's hesitation.
"Then leave at once! If you don't, don't blame us for being rude," the shrimp soldier barked, raising his weapon threateningly.
"Ziying," Han Lingsha whispered as Murong Ziying moved to draw his sword. She gave him a pointed look, silently urging him to hold back. To her relief, he complied, though it was clear he was close to losing patience.
"Hey, look over there—aren't those the Huai demons we met before?" Liu Mengli suddenly pointed to a group of small humanoid figures in the distance.
"It's really them!" Han Lingsha exclaimed. She turned to the guards and said, "We know those people. Could you let us in to speak with them?"
The shrimp soldier hesitated before nodding to his crab-like companion. "Wait here," he said before heading off to confirm their story.
A few moments later, one of the Huai demons—Huai Zhi—approached with the shrimp soldier. Recognizing the group, Huai Zhi greeted them warmly. "It's you! This is wonderful! Our leader has been talking about you recently."
With Huai Zhi vouching for them, the guards finally allowed the group into the Kingdom of Juchao.
As they walked through the city, Daniel observed their surroundings closely. Most of the inhabitants were clearly demons, their monstrous features on full display. However, a few appeared entirely human.
"Interesting… some of them are hiding their true forms, while others aren't. This place might be more complex than we thought," Daniel mused. If the city truly was a neutral ground, it might be an invaluable source of information—not only about the Cold Relics but also about the elusive Five Spirit Pearls.
If there were any chance that the Spirit Pearls had fallen into the hands of a demon, this was the place to find out. Unlike scattered immortals like Summer Yuenchen, who might have limited knowledge of the demonic world, the inhabitants of Juchao Kingdom were likely to have their fingers on the pulse of demonic affairs.
"Huai Zhi, it's good to see you again! How have you been?" Liu Mengli asked as they walked.
"We've been well. The Elder here has been kind to us," Huai Zhi replied. "Oh, our leader will be so happy to see you!"
But before the conversation could continue, a familiar voice rang out from nearby.
"Huai Zhi, get over here! What are you doing talking to them?" It was Huai Mi, her tone filled with suspicion and anger. Her gaze locked onto Murong Ziying with unmistakable hostility.
"That man… he killed our parents!" Huai Mi hissed, her voice trembling with rage.
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I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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