The moment those tentacles burst from the water, Jian Dan's eyes snapped open from her meditation. A sharp gleam flashed across her gaze. This was clearly an ambush.
Yue Liang immediately brought Lu Xuanyuan to Jian Dan's side. Aside from a few attendants who had been kept separately, the other thirty or so cultivators all rushed onto the deck.
Xiao Die Zhēnjūn and another Zhēnjūn from the Purple Sky Sect were blasting spells at the tentacles that had latched onto the airship. Several Jīndān Zhēnrén drew talismans and began hurling them at the lake surface, trying to force the creature out of hiding.
A few Jīndān Zhēnrén quickly found Lu Xuanyuan and surrounded him protectively.
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow and sent a voice transmission to Yue Liang, telling her to keep an eye on the boy. This was no place for an incident. Then she leapt into the air to join the battle.
The airship lurched violently under the tightening grip of the tentacles, which began exerting crushing pressure against the protective barrier. Xiao Die Zhēnjūn unleashed spell after spell, finally severing one tentacle. The other Zhēnjūn didn't speak a word, but his flying blade whirled through the air and sliced off another. With both tentacles gone, the airship broke free.
"Accelerate! Get out of this lake, now!"
Xiao Die Zhēnjūn barked orders toward the ship's interior. The vessel surged forward, but after only a short burst, it abruptly froze in midair.
"What's going on?"
Before anyone could respond, four more tentacles erupted from the depths, wrapping tightly around the airship and dragging it downward.
Jian Dan had no intention of going down with the ship. "Abandon vessel!" she called to Yue Liang through voice transmission. She stepped onto Cotton Candy and soared into the air. Yue Liang followed instantly, carrying Lu Xuanyuan with her and rejoining Jian Dan.
The other cultivators followed suit, leaping from the vessel onto their swords and continuing to bombard the lake monster from above.
"Yue Liang, stay with Lu Xuanyuan. Don't let anyone approach him. I'll go force that octopus to show itself."
With a gleam in her eye, Jian Dan shot toward the heart of the battle.
By now, most had evacuated the vessel. It was being crushed apart piece by piece, then whipped through the air by a single tentacle. The creature swung the broken stern like a weapon. The suction cups on its limbs began spraying green fluid, and several Jindan cultivators who failed to defend in time fell into the water.
Xiao Die Zhēnjūn unleashed a powerful wood-element technique. The plants along the lake's edge grew madly, their roots extending down into the depths to entangle the octopus. The green vines and the dark brown tentacles wrapped around each other in a fierce struggle.
Jian Dan raised the Mò Xī Sword and unleashed the "Autumn Waters" technique from the Primordial Chaos Art. One clean slash cleaved the lake's surface in two, revealing the monstrous octopus lurking below.
The creature, realizing it had been exposed, opened its maw and spewed a jet of greenish-black water toward her.
"Disgusting."
Jian Dan dodged easily, skating atop Cotton Candy and darting sideways before the attack landed. She flicked her wrist, and countless droplets of water froze into icy blades midair. Her sword swept forward, and the ice swords launched toward the octopus below.
Her aim was clear: sever every one of its limbs. Let's see how it fights without those.
But the lake could not remain parted forever. A moment later, the waters crashed back in, concealing the monster once again.
"Zhēnjūn, aim for the tentacles!"
The two Zhēnjūn from the Purple Sky Sect understood her plan and coordinated their attacks to sever the constantly regenerating limbs.
Jian Dan's sword was fast and precise, especially with Cotton Candy supporting her movement. One strike took off a tentacle, which she casually tossed into her storage bag. Fourth-rank beast meat—nutritious stuff, after all.
Xiao Die Zhēnjūn followed suit, using wood-element spells to tear off more limbs. The silent Zhēnjūn darted between attacks, his speed relentless. After half an hour, no more tentacles rose from the lake.
Jian Dan extended her Divine Transformation stage divine sense. The octopus had already fled. The three Zhēnjūn scanned the area one more time, then regrouped. Xiao Die Zhēnjūn began preparing to summon a backup airship.
Just then, Yue Liang let out a sharp chirp. The four Jīndān Zhēnrén guarding Lu Xuanyuan were suddenly knocked into the water. In the next breath, Yue Liang reappeared at Jian Dan's side with Lu Xuanyuan in tow. The two Purple Sky Zhēnjūn quickly flanked Jian Dan, blocking her exit.
Without turning, Jian Dan asked, "Xiao Lu, what happened?"
Though Lu Xuanyuan's face was pale, he remained composed. He turned to the two Zhēnjūn and said clearly:
"Just now, several Jīndān Zhēnrén came to escort me, claiming they would take me away for safety."
He glanced at Yue Liang, then added, "Yue Liang refused. She said we should wait for the Zhēnjūn to finish the battle first. But they accused her of stalling and endangering me, and then they attacked."
He paused, looked Xiao Die Zhēnjūn straight in the eyes, and continued:
"They claimed to be attacking Yue Liang, but every move was aimed at me. It was clear they wanted me dead. Yue Liang fought back and brought me out."
"Tch. What a clever misdirection."
"So, Zhēnjūn, are we still fighting?"
"It was a misunderstanding. Please accept our apology, Shan Zhēnjūn. Things happened too quickly. Thank you to your spiritual pet Yue Liang for rescuing our young master."
"I already said I'd escort Yue Liang there safely. Seems someone doesn't want us arriving smoothly."
"Thank you for the warning."
Xiao Die Zhēnjūn's face darkened. The fact that their sect's heir had to rely on an outsider for protection was already humiliating enough. But now the real question was, who exactly didn't want them returning safely?