Xu Hei divided the remaining two tentacles into many pieces, roasting half and curing the other half to dry in the sun. He would occasionally take them out for a snack, living quite comfortably.
In the blink of an eye, nearly a month had passed on the island.
The previous gains had been fully absorbed by Xu Hei, and he now had a large collection of magical treasures.
The storage bag from the Snake Catcher didn't contain anything valuable, except for a spell jade slip about beast control, which Xu Hei might find useful.
The main treasures came from the mechanism boxes.
"The Ten Thousand Poison Gourd can absorb all poisons and store them inside, releasing them at critical moments to kill enemies."
"The Water Control Pearl, when held in the mouth, allows control over all seawater within a hundred-mile radius, speeding up underwater travel."
"The Earth Vein Fire Seal connects to the earth's flames, using volcanic eruptions to attack, killing and cooking simultaneously."
The magical treasures Xu Hei could use were mainly these three.
The others were either too low in level or too high, completely unusable.
For instance, the highest-level magical treasure Xu Hei obtained was a tiger-headed cannon, reaching above the fourth tier, requiring a sufficient amount of spirit stones to activate.
Even if Xu Hei used all his current spirit stones, it wouldn't be enough to activate it once.
"Magical treasures above the fourth tier are all mechanism puppets, likely crafted by the City Lord of Wuyou himself," Xu Hei speculated.
He still had two mechanism jades left unused and wanted to try his luck with high-level items, not wanting to waste them on ordinary boxes.
Although he couldn't discern any pattern, the grade of treasures seemed entirely random.
Xu Hei put away the treasures, planning to go out to sea and catch some seafood.
Having finished the giant octopus, he wanted to try something different, like sharks, jellyfish, clams, sea turtles, lobsters, and even whales, which he found quite tempting.
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He didn't want to touch the tentacles from the butcher, as they were too much of an eyesore.
Before leaving, Xu Hei set up a killing formation to ensure he wouldn't be discovered, erased his traces, and left the small island.
...
A few days after Xu Hei left.
In the distance, a cloud of auspicious clouds floated on the sea surface, speeding towards the island. On the cloud stood four people: an elderly man in a Taoist robe, a middle-aged man with a beard, and two young individuals, a boy and a girl.
The elderly man in the Taoist robe was none other than Tianji Shangren.
The middle-aged man with the beard was Liu Buqun.
The other two were Wang Ding and Wang Qin.
"Penglai Island is far away, and there's a stronghold ahead where I often rest. Let's take a break for two days," Tianji Shangren said calmly.
Soon, they descended onto a solitary island.
With a wave of Tianji Shangren's hand, a phantom pavilion appeared in the middle of the island, suspended three meters in the air, gradually solidifying. It was a cave dwelling he had meticulously crafted before.
Wang Ding and Wang Qin were stunned; this was the power of an immortal!
Liu Buqun looked around hesitantly and asked, "Is this place safe?"
Tianji Shangren smiled and said, "Even if someone passes by, they won't discover the formation on the island unless a late Core Formation stage cultivator searches inch by inch with their divine sense."
Liu Buqun nodded slightly. This person's cultivation wasn't very high, but his ability to conceal was impressive.
Tianji Shangren stepped on the auspicious cloud and flew into the pavilion, disappearing with the group. The pavilion also vanished from the island, as if it were just an illusion.
...
Deep Sea Area.
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Xu Hei wandered for two days, finding nothing but some small shrimps.
Only then did Xu Hei realize that the giant octopus from before was purely a stroke of luck.
Additionally, he discovered that the demonic beasts in the ocean communicated using a strange sound wave, inaudible to ordinary humans, only detectable by demonic beasts.
Xu Hei captured a Foundation Establishment stage dolphin and studied it for two days, finally learning some tricks.
"Tell me, where are the Core Formation stage demonic beasts?" Xu Hei demanded.
"In that trench, there are many great demons at the demon core stage! Please don't hurt me; I'll tell you everything. Just don't eat me," the dolphin pleaded pitifully.
"Trench?" Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and said, "Lead the way, and I won't eat you!"
"Yes!" The dolphin quickly led the way.
Following the guidance, Xu Hei continued forward and finally reached the trench after half a day.
The trench stretched for ten thousand miles, located in the middle of the seabed, like a giant abyssal mouth, devouring everything, instilling a natural sense of fear.
However, Xu Hei felt no fear.
"You can go now."
"Thank you, Flood Dragon Grandpa!" The dolphin quickly swam away.
Xu Hei gazed at the trench, slowing his approach.
The outside of the trench was dark blue, while the inside was pitch black. The deeper he went, the dimmer the light became, with only faint glimmers of light scattered around, possibly from some kind of luminescent creatures.
Xu Hei continued to dive, spreading his divine sense. The water pressure increased, even suppressing his divine sense. His dragon scales closed, emitting a faint cracking sound.
Xu Hei kept diving, and after an hour, he couldn't see his hand in front of him, seeing nothing at all.
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The rocks on both sides became narrower, as if the trench had reached its bottom.
But Xu Hei could smell traces of spiritual qi, right at the deepest point.
After a moment of silence, Xu Hei conjured an external incarnation to lead the way.
"If I can't handle it, with my Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique and the Water Control Pearl, escaping shouldn't be a problem," Xu Hei thought to himself.
The incarnation continued to dive, passing through a narrow passage, and suddenly, the view opened up.
He arrived at a vast bottom space.
"Huh?"
Xu Hei let out a soft exclamation. Beneath the trench, there was another world, vast in area, with a wide field of vision.
Even the light here was slightly brighter, with a faint blue hue.
When he focused his gaze downward, he was stunned.
Below, there was a massive seabed, vast and boundless. On the seabed lay an indescribably enormous corpse.
The corpse was a thousand meters long and five hundred meters wide, a hundred times larger than the previous octopus!
Compared to this corpse, the octopus was tiny.
Xu Hei was instantly shocked by the sight.
At this moment, most of the corpse was reduced to bones, with only a small portion of flesh remaining, being gnawed on by various sea creatures.
The sea creatures that could reach this place were not weak, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.
There were also some at the demon core stage, equivalent to human Core Formation cultivators, leisurely eating on the side.
Strangely, these demonic beasts did not fight each other. After eating a portion, they would retreat to the side to refine, not disturbing others' meals.
"Another one has come."
Many sea beasts noticed Xu Hei, but they only glanced at him briefly, not paying much attention. Most didn't even look at him, continuing to eat.
After finishing, they would retreat to the side to refine, allowing other sea beasts to take their turn.
There were fish, shrimp, insects, and all kinds of demonic beasts.
Their common trait was that they didn't quarrel, seemingly following an unspoken rule, silently abiding by it.
////270////
The scene was something Xu Hei had never witnessed in his life, leaving him speechless with shock.
The corpse appeared to be the largest whale in the ocean, dead for some time, and in life, its cultivation was not low, possibly even reaching the Elemental Infant level.
A whale at the Elemental Infant stage must have consumed countless sea fish and shrimp during its life, and in death, it returned everything to the ocean.
Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, then retracted his transformation and approached the massive corpse in his true form.
The body was divided into three sections: the head, torso, and tail, with demonic beasts feeding in each area.
There was plenty of food, so there was no need to fight over it; everyone could eat their fill.
When Xu Hei arrived, the Foundation Establishment demonic beasts in front of him backed away, clearing a path and moving elsewhere to feed.
Xu Hei bit into a piece of meat and swallowed it. The Demon God Cauldron quickly refined it, and a surge of energy, far greater than that of an octopus, flooded into Xu Hei's body, raising his body temperature and making him feel hot all over.
"Awesome!"
Xu Hei blew out a string of bubbles, exclaiming in satisfaction.
The most energy-rich part of the whale was the blubber, where the Elemental Infant essence was primarily stored. However, such a luxury had long been consumed by the stronger beings who arrived first, leaving mostly bones.
But for Xu Hei, it was a rare treasure.
Ordinary demonic beasts would take a long time to refine a piece of whale meat, but with the Demon God Cauldron, Xu Hei could refine it immediately, giving him a significant advantage in efficiency.
He continued to devour the whale meat, swallowing pieces much larger than himself, yet his body showed no signs of swelling.
Xu Hei carved his way from the whale's back to its belly, creating a passage.
He tried eating a piece of whale bone, hoping to absorb the marrow, but unfortunately, the digestion was too slow. Even with the Demon God Cauldron, it took a long time to refine just a bit of the surface.
To get to the marrow, it would take at least a whole day.
With no other choice, Xu Hei stored the bones and continued to gnaw on the whale meat.
Xu Hei's voracious consumption quickly caught the attention of the other sea beasts, who stared in disbelief.
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They had seen fast eaters before, but never this fast!
In just a short while, Xu Hei had consumed the equivalent of ten Demon Core stage sea beasts! And he showed no signs of stopping.
"Is he a reincarnated starving ghost?"
"What species is this?"
"This is ridiculous, is his stomach a bottomless pit?"
The sea beasts were all shocked.
Normally, a Demon Core stage beast would need to rest after a few bites, but Xu Hei had already surpassed the limit.
"Hey, kid, you're overstepping! Get lost!"
Suddenly, a massive claw shot towards Xu Hei's neck with lightning speed.
Xu Hei quickly shrank back, squinting his eyes as he stared at the creature inside the whale's belly.
It was an East Sea Giant Claw Lobster, also at the initial Demon Core stage, feasting inside the whale's belly, the best part of the meat.
After missing its strike, the lobster glared at Xu Hei before turning back to its meal, its large claws quickly tearing off chunks of whale meat and stuffing them into its mouth.
"Kid, you've eaten enough, scram before you regret it!"
The Giant Claw Lobster glared at Xu Hei with its large compound eyes, threatening him.
This action amused many demonic beasts, who were eager for Xu Hei to leave.
Xu Hei was eating too fast. A whale this size would normally take months to a year to finish, but with Xu Hei joining in, it might be gone in less than half a month.
Xu Hei stared at it for a while, then nodded, "Alright, I'll leave."
The Giant Claw Lobster's eyes flashed with disdain as it continued eating.
Just as it looked away.
"Whoosh!!"
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Suddenly, Xu Hei moved at full speed, opening his mouth wide and swallowing the Giant Claw Lobster whole. It was a surprise attack, and the lobster had no time to react before it was inside Xu Hei's stomach.
"Ah!! You tricked me!" The lobster roared in fury, thrashing inside Xu Hei's stomach, but once refined by the Demon God Cauldron, it fell silent instantly.
A Demon Core stage beast was swallowed by Xu Hei in an instant!
The nearby sea beasts were all shocked, stopping their feeding to watch in fear.
Fighting over food wasn't unheard of, but it was rare. Weaker beings would usually give way, and those of equal strength wouldn't clash to avoid injury and being taken advantage of by others.
Who knew this snake was so fierce, swallowing a sea beast of the same realm in one gulp.
"You bastard, you're dead! How dare you eat my brother!"
A furious shout came from afar, and a massive crab leaped from an open space, landing in front of the whale, its compound eyes locking onto Xu Hei.
It was a Golden Armor Crab, its entire body covered in dark golden armor, its claws like tiger-headed guillotines, emitting a blade-like aura that sliced through the seawater.
This demon's cultivation had reached the mid Demon Core stage, having consumed enough whale meat and was digesting in the open space. Who would have thought its brother would be swallowed by a snake!
"Your brother?"
Xu Hei frowned, wondering how a shrimp and a crab could be brothers.
"Die!"
The Golden Armor Crab roared, snapping at Xu Hei from a distance, making his neck feel cold as if a guillotine was falling from the sky.
He quickly dodged, the seawater in front of him sliced into a deep groove, striking the whale bone with a crisp sound. Xu Hei's dragon scales sparked from the impact.
"Blade Storm!"
The Golden Armor Crab leaped into the air, transforming into a spinning top, creating a deep-sea whirlwind, its endless sharpness slicing towards Xu Hei.
"Your brother tasted good."
Xu Hei smiled slightly, compressing his true essence within his body, raising his dragon scales, and charging towards the Golden Armor Crab head-on.
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He realized the whale's parts were divided into several grades, with only the strong having the right to occupy the highest grade.
The weak could only eat leftovers, not even qualifying for the best parts. Without showing some strength, trouble would keep coming.
Facing a mid Demon Core stage opponent, Xu Hei didn't slack off, using the Diamond Suppression Technique, his body glowing with a golden hue, raising his dragon scales, and colliding with it head-on.
"Boom!!"
A scream echoed.
All the sea beasts stopped, watching with wide eyes.
The mid Demon Core stage Golden Armor Crab was sent flying, its shell shattered, spewing yellow substance into the air.
The crab roe was knocked out!
In contrast, Xu Hei only retreated a few feet, unscathed, the difference in strength clear.
Xu Hei rushed forward, inhaling the crab roe into his body, exclaiming in delight.
Crab roe was the most nutritious part of a crab, more energy-rich and absorbable than the whale's scraps.
And much tastier.
Without a word, Xu Hei chased after the fleeing Golden Armor Crab, flicking his tongue, his eyes shining with excitement.
All the onlookers were dumbfounded, never expecting this initial Demon Core stage snake to send a mid Demon Core stage opponent running for its life.
Despite the level difference, it could crush its opponent!
Xu Hei was now even stronger than when he had just broken through. After eating the octopus and a large amount of whale meat, his physical strength had reached a new level.
This was the amplification brought by the Demon God Cauldron.
Others needed to retreat to digest, but Xu Hei could eat and digest simultaneously, growing stronger and saving countless hours.
"Crab roe, delicious!!" Xu Hei's eyes almost glowed with fire, his tail swaying as he excitedly pursued the Golden Armor Crab.
The Golden Armor Crab was terrified, fleeing with all its might, never imagining the snake to be so fierce. Had it known, it wouldn't have dared provoke it even with a hundred guts!
"Stop!"
Suddenly, a loud shout came from ahead.
---------
////271////
The sound waves surged with the tide, forcing Xu Hei to stop and look into the distance.
The golden-armored crab also halted, landing nearby, trembling all over with a weak aura.
The speaker was a slender, ring-patterned sea snake, its body covered in silver rings, with a small, narrow head and pitch-black eyes staring at Xu Hei, exuding a sense of danger.
This snake was also at the mid-demon core stage, but close to the late stage.
Unlike Xu Hei's sturdy physique, the sea snake resembled a slender whip, clearly not suited for body cultivation, yet it possessed venom.
"Are you here to cause trouble? You've eaten enough already, and now you want to devour others. What do you take this place for?"
"The remains of the senior belong to everyone. If you devour them alone, what will others eat?"
This sea snake, unlike the shrimp soldiers and crab generals who acted directly, launched a verbal attack, standing on the moral high ground to accuse Xu Hei.
In an instant, Xu Hei was placed in opposition to all the demonic beasts.
"Yeah, this guy has eaten too much!"
"After eating whale meat, he still wants to devour others. Is there no order here?"
"This place doesn't welcome the greedy!"
Three other sea snakes chimed in, clearly supporters of the large sea snake.
The sea snake family had been residing here for a month, and those at the Foundation Establishment Stage had made breakthroughs. One sea snake had even just successfully formed its core, indicating the benefits of whale meat.
But with Xu Hei's devouring, the food they could share would be greatly reduced.
This large sea snake was also on the verge of the late Core Formation stage. Just one more month, and it could attempt a breakthrough.
Such a rare opportunity couldn't be disrupted by an outsider.
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"Oh?" Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and said, "When we were dividing the whale blubber earlier, why didn't you speak up? Now you're here to criticize me?"
Whale blubber was the most energy-rich substance, with ninety percent of the whale's essence concentrated in the fat.
The large sea snake frowned and said, "That was for the strong. What does it have to do with us?"
"So you know it's for the strong! Now, I'm stronger than you. If you have the ability, take me down; if not, stop whining!" Xu Hei mocked coldly.
These words infuriated the large sea snake.
If she had broken through to the late demon core stage, she wouldn't need Xu Hei to say anything; she would have acted immediately.
But now, even if she could fight Xu Hei, it would be extremely difficult, and she might get injured. In such an environment, with threats all around, getting injured was not a good idea.
"Everyone, this snake is greedy and has started a killing spree, severely disrupting order. Why don't we join forces to slay it and share the spoils?" the large sea snake said loudly, trying to incite others.
The demonic beasts looked at her, but few responded.
Only her fellow sea snakes echoed her.
Xu Hei's abilities were witnessed by all the demonic beasts. If anyone dared to step forward, they might be made an example of.
Not everyone was like her, on the brink of a breakthrough, desperately needing that bit of meat. They were all here to get free benefits, to eat a few bites along the way, and no one wanted to fight.
As time passed with no response, the sea snake's expression turned awkward.
"Come on, start fighting already!"
A young dolphin said gleefully.
"Sea snakes, don't be cowards, attack together and take down that Big Black!"
Another dolphin shouted, both brothers just wanting to watch the fun.
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The silver-ringed sea snake looked at the two dolphins and said, "Could you two lend a hand?"
"Of course, we support you spiritually!"
"Yes, we'll cheer for you!"
The two dolphins said in unison.
The large sea snake's face turned almost black with anger.
The first part of their response pleased her, but the latter almost made her spit blood.
Xu Hei couldn't be bothered to argue, returning to continue eating meat. Unfortunately, the crab got away due to the interruption.
"The sea snake family is quite a nuisance."
Xu Hei calculated in his mind, considering his chances if a fight had broken out earlier.
The female sea snake was at the mid-demon core stage, close to the late stage, with three early demon core stage helpers, weaker than the previous Snake Catchers Sect ambush.
But in this deep-sea environment, with many sea beasts watching, he didn't want to end up heavily injured like last time.
Moreover, sea beasts of the same realm were stronger than land demonic beasts and much stronger than humans, given they were in the sea. Xu Hei was new here and hadn't fully adapted to the environment.
"Sister, what should we do?"
"Are we just going to let him go?"
"This is your rare chance to break through!"
The three sea snakes whispered.
The large sea snake's eyes flashed with killing intent and said, "Don't worry, he won't escape. My big brother recently returned from the Penglai Sea and learned some immortal techniques. With his late demon core stage cultivation, he can kill this beast effortlessly. Why should we take the risk?"
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"Big brother is coming back!"
The sea snakes' eyes were filled with excitement.
The Penglai Sea, rich in Spiritual Qi, was a place of immortals that sea beasts longed for. There, it was like the ancient times in the human world, where every sea beast had terrifying cultivation.
In the same realm, they were unmatched, let alone having an advantage over their opponents.
The sea snakes continued eating, ignoring Xu Hei.
The large sea snake's eyes flickered as she secretly released a scale, which disappeared into the ocean current.
Unlike her siblings, she had been enlightened by an immortal from Penglai Island in her childhood, possessing extraordinary intelligence, and was given a name, Hai Meng.
Hai Meng had no deep hatred for Xu Hei. Her actions were purely out of curiosity about why Xu Hei could eat so much and fight beyond his level.
She speculated that Xu Hei must have a great opportunity!
"He must have a storage artifact, and the whale meat is stored in it. This opportunity comes from an immortal, and he must have an immortal inheritance!" Hai Meng speculated internally.
Demonic beasts living in the ocean rarely encountered humans, but she knew what immortals meant, unimaginable benefits.
Whatever it was, she had to obtain it!
At the same time, Xu Hei also frowned, pondering the large sea snake's actions.
"This snake didn't attack me directly but incited others to join in, which is unusual. Moreover, her gaze was always off, too much killing intent."
"With such scheming, she definitely won't let it go. She's plotting against me!"
Facing such an opponent, Xu Hei wouldn't treat her as an ordinary sea beast but as a human.
He needed to find a way to eliminate her and remove any future threats.
"Hey, brother, could you come over for a moment?"
At this moment, a barely audible voice came from the side; it was the dolphin speaking.
Xu Hei glanced at him and frowned, "What is it?"
The dolphin hesitated for a moment and approached, "Brother, do you have any human treasures?"
Xu Hei's eyes turned cold, wary, "What do you mean?"
"Don't misunderstand, brother!" The dolphin quickly waved its fin, explaining, "It's just that my sister likes human jewels and gems. I wanted to see if you could sell me some. If not, it's okay, I'll leave."
////272///
His expression was tense, as if he was afraid of displeasing Xu Hei, and he quickly stepped back.
Behind him was a slightly smaller dolphin, equally nervous, its eyes blinking rapidly. This was his sister.
Dolphins are intelligent creatures, fundamentally different from those large shrimp and crabs. He could vaguely guess the significance of Xu Hei.
"No," Xu Hei shook his head.
The dolphin sighed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, but he still reminded, "By the way, big brother, that sea serpent is very vicious. She has a brother who once followed an immortal in the Penglai Sea and learned immortal spells. He's not someone to be trifled with. I advise you to be careful."
With that, the dolphin siblings turned and left, the sister's eyes revealing an undeniable sense of loss.
Xu Hei's gaze flickered slightly as he transmitted his voice, "Do you have a grudge against that sea serpent?"
He had no familial ties with the dolphins, and they had no reason to warn him, so this was the only explanation.
The dolphin siblings paused, the brother turned around, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "To be honest, an elder in our dolphin family was poisoned by the sea serpent and hasn't recovered to this day, suffering day and night."
Xu Hei's heart tightened. Is the sea serpent's poison really that potent?
What Penglai Sea, what immortal spells—he was completely in the dark about these matters. Xu Hei was new here and knew nothing about these things.
He only knew that Tianji Shangren seemed to come from Penglai Island.
"Can I ask you about some things?"
Xu Hei produced a crescent-shaped purple jade stone, which he had obtained from a mechanism box, possessing defensive properties.
This item was barely of the third-tier beginner level, useless to him, but perfect for giving away.
The dolphin sister's eyes immediately lit up.
Seeing this, the dolphin brother quickly spat out a layer of water curtain, isolating the area so that outsiders couldn't see.
"Ask away, big brother, I'll tell you everything I know," the dolphin brother said.
Xu Hei tossed the jade stone over, which the dolphin sister caught in her mouth, making a joyful purring sound.
"Here's the thing, I come from the open sea and am not familiar with the situation here..." Xu Hei explained briefly.
Upon hearing this, the dolphin brother immediately began to speak at length.
"Big brother, you've come to the right person. Our dolphin family, if nothing else, is top-notch in intelligence. Our members are spread throughout the East Sea and often interact with humans. We know everything under the sky!"
The dolphin sister chimed in, "We know everything under the sky!"
...
At the other end of the whale's skeleton.
Hai Meng saw the water curtain rising in the distance, her eyes almost spitting fire. Not only did the dolphins not help, but they also started conversing with that horned serpent. It was outrageous!
Even more infuriating was that the golden-armored crab ran off without a word, despite her saving its life.
"When my brother returns, you're all doomed!"
Hai Meng's gaze was sinister as she gnawed on whale meat, desperately pushing herself to the limit, only lamenting that her stomach was too small to eat more.
After some time of conversation.
Xu Hei had learned quite a bit.
The Penglai Sea is a sacred place yearned for by sea beasts, its location unknown, with a natural massive barrier, isolated from the world. Without an immortal to lead the way, one cannot enter.
It's said that the spiritual qi inside is abundant, no different from ancient times. The demonic beasts that emerge from the Penglai Sea are all powerful, unmatched in the same realm.
Hai Meng's brother was led inside by an immortal to study, and once he returns, he will become a dominant force.
"So there are such sacred places at sea, comparable to ancient times!"
Xu Hei was quite surprised internally.
The dolphin family is considered a relatively large family in the East Sea, very friendly with humans. Several members have been to the Penglai Sea, but few return.
As for immortal spells, they can be understood as advanced spells cast by demonic beasts, only teachable by immortals, and are highly praised.
Xu Hei had never witnessed them, so he couldn't make a judgment, but he wasn't afraid. The dragon clan's ultimate techniques he possessed were stronger than any immortal spells.
Xu Hei took out some strange items and gave them to the dolphin sister, Boqi.
These siblings, the brother named Bopu and the sister named Boqi, were at the mid and early stages of their demon cores, respectively.
"Wow, thank you, Brother Hei," Boqi exclaimed excitedly, making a unique squeaking sound, her eyes shining.
Xu Hei had a good impression of these siblings. It's said that dolphins are usually very friendly, only showing their ferocious side during group hunts.
"Brother Hei, feel free to visit my home anytime. I'll be here for the next month!"
Bopu took out a simple map made from some unknown skin and handed it over.
The map had only a few markings, indicating trenches, some islands, and seabed locations. Xu Hei glanced at it and found that the place was quite close to his cave dwelling, so he nodded.
"I'll visit when I have the chance."
Xu Hei put away the map and continued to devour the whale meat.
Boqi and Bopu only ate a few bites before leaving.
After that, no one disturbed Xu Hei.
After eating for an entire day, Xu Hei finally felt he had reached his limit.
Even with the Demon God Cauldron refining, he felt a sense of fullness, his meridians and flesh were all in a saturated state, and his Golden Core had grown significantly, seemingly reaching a critical point.
This wasn't a breakthrough in cultivation but a breakthrough in his meridians.
The first of the nine dragon veins was about to be opened!
"Using this whale carcass to open the first dragon vein, now's the time!"
Xu Hei internally shouted, gathering all his energy, concentrating it in his head, and channeling it downward toward his abdomen.
Opening a dragon vein is a long process.
Xu Hei remained still on the whale's remains, eyes closed, even his breath restrained to the extreme.
"This guy finally had his fill."
"I've never seen anyone eat so much."
The distant sea beasts all gasped, having witnessed something extraordinary.
Hai Meng also breathed a sigh of relief. She was really worried that Xu Hei would eat everything in one go. It seemed that this horned serpent had its limits and wasn't a bottomless pit.
At this moment, Xu Hei's first dragon vein was rapidly extending, moving downward.
This process was neither fast nor slow. The further it went, the more difficult it became.
As time passed, when the first dragon vein neared completion, an indescribable terrifying pressure emanated from Xu Hei's body, causing ripples to spread.
"What is this aura?"
The demonic beasts immediately looked at Xu Hei, eyes filled with shock.
Hai Meng also noticed Xu Hei's movements, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. This aura was definitely not that of an ordinary demonic beast!
"Big sister, why do I feel like that horned serpent is a flood dragon?"
Beside Hai Meng, a sea serpent spoke in amazement.
"What nonsense! A flood dragon, him?"
Hai Meng was instantly angered by this, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost losing her composure.
Only her brother had the qualifications to become a flood dragon. The horned serpent before her was merely relying on its strength, learning some wild tricks from who knows where, incomparable to her brother's orthodox immortal spells.
Her brother was her belief, and no one could belittle him, no matter who they were!
////273//
"The aura is indeed strange. Has he learned some kind of Immortal spell to try and scare me?"
Hai Meng's eyes flickered with suspicion about Xu Hei's motives.
Before long, the terrifying aura abruptly ceased.
Xu Hei ultimately stopped at the last step, unable to fully unlock the first Dragon Vein, just a bit short.
With so many people around, even releasing a little aura drew attention. If he truly unlocked it, who knows what might happen.
He didn't want to make it public knowledge.
Not all sea beasts were simple-minded; there were cunning ones like Hai Meng.
Reflecting on his actions over the past few days, Xu Hei realized he had been too conspicuous, constantly in the spotlight since arriving here.
This was not a good sign.
But there was no choice. To become stronger, consuming whale meat was necessary, and it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention.
"I want to keep a low profile, but my strength doesn't allow it," Xu Hei sighed inwardly.
After a brief thought, Xu Hei dismantled some whale vertebrae, storing them in his Storage Bag, intending to refine some bone marrow later in a secluded place to officially unlock the first vein.
He didn't dare take too much, knowing his limits. If he took it all, it would surely incite public outrage.
The principle of matching strength with resources applies everywhere.
This place had never been monopolized by any family, suggesting some kind of restraint.
Xu Hei acted discreetly, swallowing a few vertebrae before leaving in a hurry.
Follow him!"
Hai Meng and three sea snakes quickly left, trailing behind Xu Hei.
Leaving the trench, Xu Hei sped upward, holding the Water Control Pearl in his mouth, easily detecting the pursuit behind him. The sea snakes made no effort to conceal themselves, blatantly following him.
Xu Hei immediately halted, and the sea snakes stopped too, maintaining a safe distance.
"Courting death!"
Xu Hei's gaze turned cold, and he dove towards the sea snakes. However, they quickly retreated at an astonishing speed, returning to the trench's bottom, hiding behind the whale's corpse.
They had no need to fight Xu Hei, avoiding unnecessary risks.
Xu Hei didn't continue the chase. With a swift turn, he used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon along with the Water Control Pearl to control the sea, shooting away like an arrow, disappearing above the trench in an instant.
"What speed!"
The three sea snakes were shocked.
Hai Meng's eyes flashed with surprise, murmuring, "He's got some skills, but he's fallen into my brother's Ten Thousand Mile Soul Chasing Lock. It won't matter where he runs!"
One of the sea snakes beside her asked, "Should we still follow him?"
"No need, my brother will handle him. You'd just be a burden!"
Hai Meng's eyes flickered. After Xu Hei was far away, she left the trench, quietly following behind.
...
After leaving, Xu Hei circled nearby, leaving various misleading scents, then created a clone, splitting in two different directions.
However, after half an hour of this, he still felt a sense of being locked onto.
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This feeling, faint yet persistent, had been with him since leaving the trench, as if he had hit a layer of Divine Sense membrane, constantly tracked to the ends of the earth.
"Something's wrong! There's no Divine Sense membrane in that trench. Who's locking onto me? What method are they using?" Xu Hei pondered internally.
This was definitely not Hai Meng's doing; she wasn't that strong!
It was highly likely her so-called brother had made a move.
Faced with this unknown tracking method, Xu Hei didn't take it lightly, speeding up and considering whether to return.
He had left many killing formations on the island, but if the opponent truly had late-stage demon core cultivation, those formations might not be effective.
"Better find a place to test things out first."
Xu Hei made a decisive decision.
Since he couldn't avoid this battle, he might as well face it head-on.
But not here, where the ocean was full of dangers, and a big threat could emerge at any moment. He didn't want to put himself at risk.
After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei changed direction, heading towards the dolphin territory.
It wasn't far, near his Cave Dwelling. If he couldn't win, he could return to the island, using formations for assistance, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He didn't fully trust the dolphin clan, but he had reasons that compelled them to be friendly.
Two hours later.
Xu Hei arrived at the dolphin clan's location, a coral reef area, scattered with rocks, picturesque. The dolphins' territory wasn't fixed, occasionally migrating, and this season, they were here.
"Brother Xu Hei, welcome, welcome!"
As soon as Xu Hei arrived, Bopu appeared out of nowhere, patting his belly with his fin, making a drum-like sound.
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"Welcome, welcome!" Boqi also appeared, patting her belly, creating a slapping sound, their unique welcoming ritual.
Additionally, there were two young dolphins Xu Hei hadn't seen before, performing the same ritual.
"Someone's after me. I might be in for a big fight," Xu Hei stated bluntly.
"Huh?" Bopu was taken aback, whispering, "Are you confident?"
"Not sure, but at least it won't be too ugly," Xu Hei replied earnestly.
Bopu immediately patted his chest, "Don't worry, on my turf, even a Flood Dragon has to bow. We've got your back!"
"We've got your back!" Boqi echoed excitedly, seemingly only capable of repeating.
Xu Hei nodded, settling on a rock, quietly waiting for the opponent to arrive.
He sensed a powerful aura within the dolphin territory, though very weak, appearing and disappearing, likely their poisoned elder.
Xu Hei had antidote pills left by Xu Bai, along with various ancient Spirit Medicines, capable of curing all poisons. This was his leverage!
Xu Hei calmed his mind, waiting for about an hour.
In the distance, suddenly, ocean waves surged, rolling in, like a raging sea, a giant abyssal mouth, various celestial phenomena appearing.
These phenomena weren't real, but a manifestation of a spell.
Simultaneously, a vast, boundless aura, accompanied by terrifying pressure, approached from afar, as if facing a real Flood Dragon, making resistance impossible.
Xu Hei opened his eyes, not showing fear but excitement instead.
"They're here!" Xu Hei exhaled, staring into the distance.
At the horizon, a blue light flickered continuously, spanning thousands of meters in an instant, arriving in the distant sky.
It was a thirty-meter-long sea snake, not overly large, its scales a deep blue, like the patterns of the sea, magnificent, its head held high, exuding an innate regal majesty, overlooking all beings.
Just a glance gave Xu Hei a sense of urgency; this was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
The sea snake clan's prodigy, Hai Teng.
This was a sea overlord, destined to be a king by both temperament and talent!
Upon appearing, Hai Teng immediately locked eyes with Xu Hei, his deep gaze lingering for a while, nodding in admiration, "Not bad!"
////274///
He stared at Xu Hei, nodding slightly, his eyes full of admiration.
"You're different from other snakes. In you, I see the potential of a Flood Dragon. As long as you survive, you're destined to become a ruler."
"Such talent is rare in the world. I've only seen it in one peerless king snake before, and that king snake was me!"
Hai Teng began with a round of praise.
But the last sentence made Xu Hei's mouth twitch slightly.
You're praising yourself so seriously, don't you feel embarrassed?
Yet Hai Teng's face remained calm, speaking with confidence, as if it were only natural.
Hai Teng declared loudly, "Now, you have two choices. One, become my follower. Although one sea cannot accommodate two dragons, I, Hai Teng, wish to emulate the sages of humanity and gather talents. You will be a great general under my command."
"Two, oppose me and face a dead end!"
"I heard from Hai Meng that you have the ability to fight beyond your level. But defeating two shrimp soldiers and crab generals is nothing to boast about. If I were at the early stage of the demon core, I could do the same!"
Hai Teng's words were filled with strong confidence.
In the ocean, even with the same level of cultivation, strength can vary greatly. Shrimps can be among the weakest sea beasts, while the mightiest whales can fight several levels above.
Hai Teng returned from his studies with absolute confidence, ready to crush all his peers. Even against whales, he could fight!
Xu Hei merely sneered, "You can try."
Upon hearing this, Hai Teng laughed instead of getting angry.
"Haha, as expected of the snake I admire, you have spirit!"
Hai Teng laughed loudly, staring at the group of dolphins appearing behind him, "Are you waiting here to prevent me from bullying you with numbers? There's no need!""I, Hai Teng, am upright and disdain to rely on others. Let's have a fair fight, dare you?"
As he spoke, Hai Teng's cultivation level suddenly plummeted, his aura retracting. In an instant, he suppressed his level from the late stage of the demon core to the early stage, matching Xu Hei's level.
This made Xu Hei's eyes widen in surprise.
Suppressing his cultivation? What a joke! Doesn't he know the meaning of death?
"Hai Teng, what are you doing? This is too risky!"
Behind Hai Teng, a giant sea eel appeared, repeatedly warning him.
This sea eel was enormous, over three times Hai Teng's size, with a flat body and eyes that sparkled with electricity, possessing the cultivation of Great Perfection.
"Senior brother, don't worry. Since I, Hai Teng, want to win, I must make my opponent truly convinced!" Hai Teng said with a smile.
Xu Hei was speechless; in terms of courting death, he had to admit defeat.
"Are you sure you want to suppress your cultivation?" Xu Hei reminded.
Hai Teng nodded, "Of course, I want you to be completely convinced and submit to..."
At that moment, Xu Hei suddenly disappeared, transforming into a streak of lightning, charging towards Hai Teng.
Xu Hei's movement didn't even cause a ripple in the water, reaching within an inch of Hai Teng in an instant.
"So fast!"
Hai Teng's pupils contracted.
The distant sea eel's expression also changed drastically.
Too fast! So fast that no one could react in time. Xu Hei's sudden attack caught everyone off guard.
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Moreover, this speed surpassed any immortal spells they had seen.
"Unbeatable! Unbeatable!"
A signal of extreme danger rose in Hai Teng's heart, making his whole body tingle, his scalp numb, as if with just a thought, he would perish immediately.
No more holding back! This is serious!
Finally, at the moment Xu Hei rammed into him, Hai Teng stopped suppressing his cultivation, rising to the mid-stage of the demon core, with surging true essence forming a protective barrier. Almost in the next instant, Xu Hei crashed into his chest.
"Poof!!"
Hai Teng's protective true essence was shattered, the remaining force surging up, instantly creating a large hole in his chest, blood splattering, and the entire snake was sent flying like a broken whip.
Even at the mid-stage of the demon core, he was severely injured with one strike!
This was partly due to Xu Hei's sneak attack, but more so, it was the perfect combination of speed and power, along with the fact that his first dragon vein was about to be opened, enhancing his strength to a new level, achieving success in one strike.
"Weren't you going to suppress your cultivation?"
Xu Hei sneered, once again using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, attacking Hai Teng, beating the snake while it was down.
"Despicable! You ambushed me!"
Hai Teng was furious, caught off guard while he was speaking. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so embarrassed.
However, Xu Hei's strength was indeed beyond expectations, forcing him to get serious.
"Immortal spell, Water Tornado!"
Hai Teng shouted, and the surrounding seawater surged, forming tornadoes that circled around him, integrating offense and defense, making it impossible to get close.
However, Xu Hei's Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique had already reached the fifth level, allowing him to traverse any terrain as if it were flat ground, even ignoring some formations. This water tornado was useless!
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"Boom!!"
In the next second, Hai Teng was hit again, blood spurting out as he was sent flying, while a large piece of flesh appeared in Xu Hei's mouth, which he swallowed in one gulp.
"This sea snake doesn't taste great, not as good as lobster," Xu Hei commented.
"You wretched creature, courting death!"
In the distance, the sea eel was utterly enraged, lightning sparking in its eyes, ready to act. The dolphin army was also prepared to intercept.
Hai Teng shouted, "Senior brother, don't intervene, leave it to me!"
The sea eel halted, the lightning in its eyes retracting.
At this moment, Hai Teng hovered ten meters below the sea surface, the water tornado vanished, the churning seawater calmed, and his eyes were unprecedentedly calm.
He stared at Xu Hei, took a deep breath, and released his cultivation, finally returning to the late stage of the demon core.
The missing piece of flesh on his body was covered with a layer of sea beast leather. Instead of anger, a rare excitement appeared in Hai Teng's eyes.
"Body cultivation, it's actually the rare body cultivation, and the cultivation technique you practice is the ancient White Emperor's Diamond Suppression Technique, isn't it?" Hai Teng said.
This statement left Xu Hei stunned, and even the sea eel was taken aback.
"I spent three years in the Scripture Repository, reading extensively, and hold great respect for the sages of humanity, so of course, I know the name of the White Emperor."
Hai Teng stared at Xu Hei, speaking solemnly, "You have the qualification to make me go all out!"
Xu Hei just shook his head, "You sure talk a lot of nonsense."
At this moment, Hai Teng closed his eyes, and strange scenes appeared around him, images shifting, vaguely revealing the shadow of a giant dragon rising from the sea, its majestic gaze surveying the world, the dragon swimming across the seas, summoning winds and rain, lightning and thunder, the sea flooding, and all demons submitting.
This scene seemed almost real, captivating and genuinely awe-inspiring.
"Phenomenon! Junior Brother Hai Teng has actually cultivated a phenomenon of heaven and earth, this should be the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas phenomenon!" the sea eel exclaimed.
Dragon King Patrolling the Seas, a phenomenon of heaven and earth.
It was the first time Xu Hei heard such a term, sparking his curiosity.
His eyes flashed, and he once again took the initiative to attack, using his pure physical body to charge into the phenomenon.
However, this time, his movement was hindered, as if trapped in a muddy swamp, unable to move an inch, his speed slowing down.
"Within my phenomenon, I am the absolute ruler!" Hai Teng declared.
///275////
"Immortal Spell, Overturning Mountains and Seas!"
Hai Teng shouted, and the seawater surged up like a towering mountain, crashing down on Xu Hei with the force of a collapsing sky. Within the phenomenon of the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas, the shadow of a giant dragon roared towards the heavens, its claw pressing forward with unstoppable might.
At this moment, Hai Teng seemed to transform into a flood dragon, every movement carrying the power to destroy the heavens, making others feel insignificant, a stark contrast to before.
"Xu Hei, watch out!" Bopu shouted.
"Be careful!" Boqi echoed.
This was Hai Teng's full-force attack, with the strength of the late stage of the demon core, truly formidable.
Xu Hei felt an intense sense of danger. He quickly held the Water Control Pearl in his mouth, gathering all the seawater in front of him to form a vortex. At the same time, he compressed his true essence madly, a faint golden hue appearing on his skin, a sign of his Diamond Suppression Technique reaching minor success!
"Blood God Armor!"
The Blood God Armor appeared on Xu Hei's body, activating his strongest defense. He charged forward fearlessly, colliding with Hai Teng's immortal spell like a blood dragon.
"Boom!!"
The earth shattered, mountains shook, and in that instant, it was as if a massive tsunami had been triggered, reducing the coral reefs below to dust.
A sea eel snorted coldly, and the surging waves immediately halted, stabilizing the area.
Within the dolphin group, experts also acted to steady the seawater.
The scene ahead was obscured, only the clash of two giant serpents visible, followed by energy waves sweeping in all directions, creating terrifying heat waves that evaporated large swathes of seawater.
"Whoosh!"
Xu Hei was sent flying backward, crashing into the rocks on the seabed, creating a large pit, his bones nearly shattering. Hai Teng was also in bad shape, the phenomenon of heaven and earth blurred, and he spat blood, his aura weakened.
Being injured by a wild serpent, and fighting beyond his level, was originally a great humiliation, but instead of being angry, Hai Teng laughed wildly.
"Hahaha! Good! This is truly the heir of the White Emperor, such a body cultivator, I acknowledge you!" Hai Teng laughed maniacally.
Xu Hei hid among the rocks, quickly swallowing an ancient spirit medicine to heal, his expression extremely grave.
Although Hai Teng's words were somewhat deranged, and he loudly announced his spells every time, making one speechless, he was indeed a formidable opponent, his strength rivaling even Lei He.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Hai Teng shouted again, "Immortal Spell, Yellow Springs Burial!"
With this move, Hai Teng's aura plummeted rapidly, becoming weak.
Xu Hei's heart tightened, sensing imminent danger.
"Not good!"
He quickly summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, merging with it without hesitation.
"Boom!"
At that moment, the circle of rocks and reefs on the seabed turned liquid, darkening in color to form a pitch-black surface, like the legendary Yellow Springs River, threatening to bury Xu Hei.
The Black Dragon Pagoda was also trapped in the Yellow Springs River, sinking deeper, as the light of the world dimmed.
"This is my strongest attack, Yellow Springs Burial. Once fully submerged, it will erase the soul directly, a certain death for anyone at the Demon Core Stage! How will you respond?" Hai Teng laughed.
At this moment, Xu Hei's vision blurred, his consciousness fading, as if he truly would be erased by the Yellow Springs.
Yet, Xu Hei's mind calmed. He opened his mouth, revealing a tiny black light.
This light, smaller than a grain of sand, was formed by compressing his true essence hundreds of times.
As it appeared, all nearby light vanished, even creating a blank area in the Yellow Springs water, as if devoured.
"What?" Hai Teng's pupils contracted.
"Whoosh!"
The Black Dragon Pagoda disappeared, and Xu Hei reappeared.
At this moment, a black light appeared on his horn, devouring everything around it. The Yellow Springs water couldn't approach, and anything within thirty meters was silently consumed.
Whether seawater or light, nothing could come near. That area, except for Xu Hei, turned black, as if even space was collapsing.
"This is also my strongest attack!"
Xu Hei's gaze was grim, his body feeling weak, but in the next second, he rose up, charging at Hai Teng.
Where the black light passed, seawater vanished, creating a vacuum world around Xu Hei. This terror was indescribable, enough to make anyone's scalp tingle at a glance.
"Hai Teng, retreat!" the sea eel urgently shouted.
However, Hai Teng ignored it, his gaze fixed on the light, laughing excitedly.
"Hahaha! This is the power of the White Emperor, the true body cultivation!"
Hai Teng's laughter grew more frenzied, and under the intense battle spirit, the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas phenomenon behind him became more solid, the dragon king's shadow almost tangible, gradually merging with Hai Teng.
At this moment, Hai Teng's aura soared to its peak.
"Xu Hei, among all the snake demons I've fought, I, Hai Teng, acknowledge you as the strongest!"
With a shout, Hai Teng advanced instead of retreating, charging at Xu Hei with unstoppable momentum, like a moth to a flame.
"You're courting death!"
The sea eel could no longer endure, rushing towards Hai Teng.
His master had instructed him to follow Hai Teng, to prevent him from entering a berserk state, which even immortals couldn't stop.
This condition, said to only appear in teenagers, was especially evident in Hai Teng.
The master's words were indeed true...
At the same time, Hai Meng and a group of sea snakes arrived at the farthest point.
"They're fighting!"
"How far has it gone?"
They arrived late, too far to see which side was Hai Teng and which was Xu Hei.
"The one with the upper hand must be my brother. He will surely win and crush the horned serpent to dust!" Hai Meng said confidently.
The power ahead was too terrifying, one side devouring all light, the other with a phenomenon of heaven and earth, making them afraid to approach for fear of being caught in the crossfire.
The dolphin army also charged out, ready to assist at any moment.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, Xu Hei, with the black light above his head, crashed into the phenomenon of heaven and earth. Even the phenomenon was absorbed, leaving a void, space completely collapsing.
Hai Teng also entered the void, his eyes filled not with fear, but extreme excitement.
"Boom!!!"
The black light suddenly contracted, as if reaching its limit, then exploded with a world-shaking blast.
"Boom!!!"
Seawater soared, shockwaves shook the sky, the earth crumbled, sun and moon dimmed, as if the entire seabed would collapse. Even the stability maintained by the dolphins was broken, scattering them in all directions with cries of alarm.
In the chaos, a glimpse of an eel's silhouette could be seen, rushing into the explosion's center to rescue the unconscious Hai Teng, while Xu Hei also suffered a heavy blow, sent flying, caught by Bopu and Boqi.
////276////
This time, the tremor was so intense that it created a deep abyss-like crack in the space within the seawater, resembling a void world, with seawater frantically pouring in.
Staring at the pitch-black spatial rift, everyone fell silent, their eyes filled with shock.
"What a terrifying strike, what kind of power is this?"
"It's too frightening! Even space can be torn apart. I've only heard that a human's Minor Annihilation Talisman can achieve this!"
All the demonic beasts held their breath, their eyes wide open.
After about ten breaths, the rift slowly healed, and the space returned to its original state.
The sea eel's gaze was terrifyingly gloomy, with a clear intent to kill in its eyes.
It was a close call! If he hadn't rescued in time, a disaster might have occurred.
This Hai Teng is a madman; he could have just dodged, but instead, he charged head-on, practically courting death!
He quickly took out a pill and injected it into the unconscious Hai Teng, instantly stopping the bleeding.
At this moment, Hai Teng's entire body was covered in tattered scales, his flesh and blood a mess, with no intact area, and his internal organs severely damaged.
"What a madman," the sea eel cursed inwardly.
On the other side, Xu Hei was supported by Boqi, too weak to even move, his whole body limp and powerless, barely staying conscious.
Xu Hei had dragon scales protecting his body, so externally he seemed fine, but internally he was severely injured, mostly self-inflicted.
The opponent was at the late stage of the demon core, and Xu Hei had no other choice but to fight desperately.
At all costs, compressing his true essence led to such consequences. It was his first time compressing his true essence so many times.
The most severely injured part was his meridians. Except for that one dragon vein, all of Xu Hei's other meridians were fractured, even shattered, making healing extremely troublesome.
However, to Xu Hei's surprise, that one dragon vein seemed to show signs of opening up?
This brought him some joy, but his physical injuries didn't allow him to be too happy too soon.
"Xu Hei, how are you feeling, are you okay?" Bopu asked anxiously.
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"Are you okay?" Boqi echoed.
Xu Hei barely mustered a breath and said, "I have a way to cure the poison affecting your elder."
After saying this, Xu Hei fell into a state of unconsciousness.
Before passing out, he also reminded Ji Ying to rush out and kill if he encountered danger.
This was a double insurance.
"He can cure Grandpa's poison!?" Bopu was surprised.
Bopu had no doubt about Xu Hei's words. Anyone could see from the recent battle that Xu Hei had a significant background, rumored to be a descendant of the ancient White Emperor.
They hadn't heard of the White Emperor, but from Hai Teng's tone, it was clear that the White Emperor's descendant was no ordinary person and wouldn't lie about such things!
...
At this moment, Hai Meng led a group of sea snakes to the scene.
Seeing Hai Teng severely injured and unconscious, they were all thunderstruck, dumbfounded.
"How could this happen?"
"How could my brother be severely injured!?"
Hai Meng couldn't believe her eyes.
In her eyes, her brother was invincible, unmatched among his peers, the future Flood Dragon, a kingly figure, how could he be beaten into unconsciousness?
And by an unremarkable horned serpent!
Such a stark contrast brought a violent shock, making Hai Meng feel like she was dreaming.
"Senior Lei Man, what exactly happened? Why is my brother severely injured? The opponent must have had help, they must have used despicable means to ambush him, right?" Hai Meng hurriedly asked.
Lei Man, however, had no mind to entertain her, carrying Hai Teng on his back, swimming towards the dolphin group.
Seeing this, the dolphin group quickly gathered together, forming a wall of flesh, blocking the front.
"Hand him over!"
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Lei Man stopped in front, uttering just two words.
"This is the territory of the dolphins, sea eels are not welcome here!" Bopu said.
"Not welcome!" Boqi echoed.
Lei Man's face darkened, coldly saying, "You are just a small branch of the dolphin family, and you dare to challenge me. Do you know who I am?"
"I don't care who you are!" Bopu said.
"Don't care who you are!"
"Who are you!"
"Who!"
A group of dolphins echoed.
Lei Man's face twitched, revealing a row of sinister teeth, with thunderous anger brewing in his eyes. As an electric eel, his temper was not good at all.
At this moment, an old dolphin swam up behind the group of young dolphins.
"Friend Lei, apologies, but we cannot hand over this horned serpent to you!" The old dolphin's voice was calm, yet his tone left no room for doubt.
Lei Man's gaze shifted, staring at the old dolphin for a long time before nodding.
"In that case, I won't insist, farewell!"
Without any extra words, Lei Man supported Hai Teng and turned to leave, leaving only a silhouette behind.
This large sea eel, twenty meters long, with a flat body and a mouth full of sharp teeth, was a bad-tempered thunder-type sea eel, definitely not one to be trifled with.
The old dolphin's eyes were solemn, waving his fin, he said, "Retreat, let's go home."
"Yes!"
The dolphins carried Xu Hei back to their territory.
The recent battle had wreaked havoc on the coral group, but fortunately, their territory was vast, with countless underwater nests and cave dwellings, all with beautiful scenery.
They placed Xu Hei in a sea cave, cared for by the siblings Bopu and Boqi, while the other dolphins returned home.
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This sea cave was Boqi's nest, filled with human objects, various emeralds, diamonds, and shiny things, placed everywhere.
There was also a moonstone hanging at the top, making the sea cave as bright as daylight.
"I don't know what Xu Hei likes to eat, Boqi, go catch a turtle for him to nourish himself," Bopu said.
"Okay."
Boqi swam out to hunt, and soon brought back a snapping turtle.
The snapping turtle was still alive, placed next to Xu Hei.
"But he's still unconscious, how do we feed him?" Bopu pondered.
Suddenly, the snapping turtle opened its mouth and bit towards Xu Hei's tail.
"Swish!"
In an instant, a pitch-black shadow darted out from the gap between Xu Hei's dragon scales and then darted back.
In just a moment, the snapping turtle was reduced to a skeleton.
This startled the siblings.
"What was that just now?"
"What was that?"
The siblings looked at each other in confusion, unable to see anything clearly.
...
In the blink of an eye, a night passed.
The next day, Xu Hei slowly woke up, his whole body in unbearable pain. He took a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine, along with healing pills and meridian-repairing pills, and meditated for another half day. It wasn't until noon that he felt rejuvenated.
To fully recover would still take some time.
The Diamond Suppression Technique, forcibly compressing true essence hundreds of times, came at a great cost, no wonder it was exclusive to body cultivators. If it were someone with a weak body, it wouldn't just be a matter of fractured meridians.
Their entire body might collapse and die.
"Those black particles have immense destructive power, but the cost is equally great, ordinary meridians simply can't withstand it!"
Xu Hei thought to himself, that was an ultimate technique that could only be performed when the Diamond Suppression Technique was mastered to a minor level.
At this moment, his first dragon vein showed signs of being opened, just one step away, and with a day of seclusion, he could complete it.
This was an unexpected joy.
The battle with Hai Teng had benefited him greatly.
/////277////
Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense to observe the surroundings.
This was a dolphin's cave dwelling, located underwater, with bright lighting. From the interior setup, it seemed to be Boqi's cave dwelling, adorned with decorations only seen in the human world.
Various pearls and gemstones, anything colorful, were collected and hung on the walls.
The crescent-shaped purple jade that Xu Hei had gifted earlier was hung in the most conspicuous spot.
Xu Hei thought for a moment and took out some more human items to embellish the surroundings.
"Brother Xu Hei, you're awake!"
A voice came from outside the cave.
Bopu swam over with a basket of box turtles and entered the cave.
Boqi followed beside him but remained silent and listless.
"I heard you love eating turtles, so I specially brought you a specialty from Turtle Island. Come and try it." Bopu placed the box turtles on the ground.
"I love eating turtles?" Xu Hei was taken aback. He had no idea.
"You don't know, but when you were unconscious, as soon as a turtle was placed beside you, it would be devoured in seconds. It was that fast," Bopu laughed.
"..." Xu Hei was dumbfounded.
He immediately guessed that it was Ji Ying's doing.
After Ji Ying formed its core, its intelligence was high, and it wouldn't miss such food delivered to its mouth.
"Huh?" Xu Hei glanced at Boqi and asked in confusion, "Why isn't she repeating?"
Upon hearing this, Boqi lowered her head, eyes full of grievance, almost on the verge of tears.
Bopu sighed and said, "At the family meeting earlier, she mimicked the elders speaking and got punished.""..." Xu Hei was speechless.
He could already imagine what the family meeting looked like.
The elders speaking above, the younger ones repeating below, caught red-handed, how embarrassing.
"I just mimicked her for a couple of sentences, and they punished me with a month of confinement, boohoo!" Boqi's eyes were brimming with tears, her fins touching each other.
At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly had a flash of inspiration and remembered a joke he learned in human life.
"Boqi, let me tell you a joke," Xu Hei said with a smile.
"What joke?"
Boqi's eyes lit up, eagerly looking over, and Bopu also listened curiously.
Xu Hei said, "Once upon a time, there was a pufferfish, it swam and swam, swam into the sea, and then... it turned into a dolphin."
"Puff puff puff!"
"Hahaha!"
The two dolphins laughed in unison, Boqi laughed until tears came out, rolling on the ground.
Xu Hei just watched them quietly, saying nothing.
To be honest, he didn't find the joke particularly funny, but since it was dolphin-related, he told it, not expecting such a good effect.
So, Xu Hei laughed along with them.
The inheritance of Wuyou City, Xu Hei, having lived a life as a human, though just a void memory, unknowingly influenced him, adding something extra to him.
Even Xu Hei himself didn't know what it was.
"By the way, the elder specifically instructed me to bring you over once you woke up," Bopu said.
Xu Hei nodded, glanced at Boqi, who was still laughing uncontrollably, and helplessly turned to leave.
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...
Inside the dolphin territory, there was a dolphin palace.
Dome-shaped and square, entirely blue, its appearance was not much different from a human palace, just with more entrances and exits for easy access.
Led by Bopu, Xu Hei entered the palace. He could sense that the weak aura was inside the palace.
An older dolphin appeared before Xu Hei, the same one that negotiated with Lei Man yesterday.
"Young friend Xu Hei, I am the patriarch of the Bo clan of the dolphin family, Bo Xi," the old dolphin introduced himself.
"Greetings, sir," Xu Hei replied.
"I heard that you can cure the poison afflicting our elder. If it's true, how can we ask for your help?" Bo Xi asked sincerely.
Xu Hei pondered for a moment and said, "I can't guarantee a cure, but I can give it a try."
He didn't make any absolute promises, leaving a way out.
Bo Xi was overjoyed and said, "As long as there's a chance, whether or not you can cure him, as long as you can alleviate the pain, our Bo clan is willing to offer any reward."
"Please follow me."
Bo Xi quickly led the way, and Xu Hei followed.
Inside the palace, there were some basements and small rooms.
They entered a dark entrance and came into a room.
The room was isolated from the outside, with no seawater, and the air was dry. However, dolphins at the Demon Core Stage could already float without needing water.
On a bare stone slab lay a dolphin with a shriveled body. His body was covered with various purple spots, emitting a strong, pungent odor. His once massive body had shrunk, and long without contact with water, his vitality was nearly depleted.
"What a strong poison," Xu Hei's heart sank.
This dolphin's cultivation had reached the Elemental Infant Stage, stronger than the patriarch.
At least, this Bo Xi patriarch had not yet successfully formed a Nascent Soul, only at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, close to a false infant state.
To poison an Elemental Infant Stage demonic beast, the toxicity must be incredibly potent.
"This is my brother, Bonan, also the only Demon Infant Stage genius of our clan. He was ambushed by an assassin from the sea serpent family during his Nascent Soul formation. Although he succeeded, he was severely injured."
"He doesn't dare enter the sea, as the poison would spread with the seawater, penetrating every dolphin's body, possibly leading to a catastrophe. He can only seal himself on land, but as a result, his vitality is dwindling."
Bo Xi's voice was heavy, filled with anger and helplessness.
Xu Hei stared at Bonan's body, his Divine Sense probing for a long time before moving closer.
"Young friend Xu Hei, be careful, this poison can also permeate the air!" Bo Xi reminded.
Xu Hei approached Bonan. This Demon Infant Stage powerhouse seemed to sense a presence nearby, a look of vigilance appearing between his brows, his power surging. But after Bo Xi secretly transmitted a message, he calmed down.
"Young friend, don't blame me for being cautious. I don't know your background or true identity, so some precautions are inevitable. Please refrain from any actions that might be misunderstood as dangerous during the treatment, as I fear I might unintentionally harm someone," Bonan said.
Although he was poisoned, he still had some strength. For the safety of the clan, he had to be cautious. If anything happened to him, the entire Bo clan would face big trouble.
"I understand."
Xu Hei nodded and took out an ancient Spirit Medicine of ten thousand years.
In Wuyou City, he had obtained a total of ten Spirit Medicines over ten thousand years, which were also useful for the Elemental Infant Stage. What he took out was the Purifying Lotus, capable of purifying the body.
"This is..." Bonan immediately fell silent.
Xu Hei only clipped a small petal from the Purifying Lotus, put away the main body, and used the Gravity Technique to deliver the petal.
"Take this medicine and try to expel the poison from your body."
Xu Hei didn't start with Xu Bai's pill but first used a small amount of ancient Spirit Medicine to assist in expelling the toxin, the safest approach.
"Alright!"
Bonan took a deep breath, eyes filled with determination, and absorbed the petal into his body. Then, he circulated the nearly exhausted power of his Demon Infant, fully refining it, concentrating the toxin on the surface of his skin.
"Ha!" Bonan let out a low shout, cold sweat oozing from his body, veins bulging.
Gradually, a large purple spot appeared on his abdomen, the color becoming more vivid and dark, as if it would turn into poisonous water and drip out.
Xu Hei stepped back slightly, his eyes flashing, and took out a purple gourd.
This gourd was the Magical Treasure he had obtained from the mechanism box, the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, capable of storing all kinds of poisons.
////278///
Xu Hei activated the gourd, drawing in the air from a distance. The purple mark on Bonan's abdomen gradually seeped out, releasing wisps of mist that were absorbed into the gourd.
As time passed, more and more mist was drawn out, forming a visible bridge of purple energy between the gourd and Bonan.
The poisonous mist was continuously extracted, and the poison spots on Bonan's skin began to fade.
"It really works!"
Bo Xi, watching from behind, was shocked, his heart filled with excitement and joy.
After about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Xu Hei took out a small piece of petal and had Bonan consume it, continuing the extraction process. This step was repeated three times before he finally stopped.
At this moment, the poison spots on Bonan's body had reduced by half, and their color had significantly lightened.
Bonan gasped for breath, drenched in sweat from the effort of expelling the poison, which was a great strain on him.
"This poison is too stubborn to be removed in a short time. Rest for now, and I'll return in three days."
Xu Hei put away the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.
Bonan took a long time to catch his breath before nodding.
"Alright! As you say."
Bonan got up and looked towards the clan leader in the distance, "Brother, prepare some food for me."
Bo Xi was momentarily stunned and said, "You can eat now?"
"That's right, this young friend's detoxification is effective. I feel hungry," Bonan replied.
Bo Xi was moved to tears. Since Bonan had sealed himself, he hadn't touched a drop of water or a morsel of food, and his vitality was nearly exhausted.
He wiped away his tears and nodded heavily, "I'll prepare it right away."
Xu Hei also left the room.
"Young friend," Bonan called out, hesitating for a moment before lowering his head, "Thank you."
Xu Hei said nothing, just smiled calmly.
Being thanked was extremely rare in his life. He had spent most of his life plundering and killing, rarely helping others voluntarily.
Even this time, he acted because the Dolphin Clan had helped him.
"I have some pills here, but their effects are too strong. Your body is too weak now to handle them. I'll give them to you once you've recovered enough."
Xu Hei said this to increase his importance.
Bonan nodded repeatedly, "Alright! During this time, if you have any needs, just let me know, and I'll arrange it."
"Yes, our Dolphin Clan has plenty of resources. Whatever you need, just say the word, no need to be polite!" Bo Xi chimed in.
"We'll talk after the treatment is complete," Xu Hei smiled, flew out of the room, and left the Dolphin Palace.
Only then did he realize that a large group of dolphins had gathered outside the palace, waiting for the results.
"Chief, how is it?"
"Is Bonan alright?"
The dolphins hurriedly gathered to ask.
Bo Xi smiled, "No need to worry, Bonan's condition has improved, thanks to this young friend who drove out the poison!"
Upon hearing this, all the dolphins were moved to tears, looking at Xu Hei with gratitude.
"Thank you, young friend!"
"You're our savior!"
"You saved our Bo clan."
Voices of gratitude filled the air.
Xu Hei felt a bit uncomfortable and quickly swam away from the place.
His small island wasn't far from here, only an hour's full-speed journey. He planned to return and meditate for two days, open the first dragon vein, and then come back to continue the detoxification.
Although he was reluctant to part with the Purifying Lotus, a rare spirit medicine, he had made up his mind to help to the end.
"People have connections, dragons have dragon veins, the Dolphin Clan is my first dragon vein," Xu Hei thought to himself.
Hearing that Xu Hei was leaving, Bopu initially wanted to see him off but thought better of it, considering Xu Hei might not like being followed, and decided against it.
He just reminded Xu Hei to be careful on the road.
...
Xu Hei rested for a night, enjoyed a sumptuous meal, and quietly left the Dolphin Clan early the next morning.
He split into an external incarnation, taking two routes and leaving various misleading signs, circling the Dolphin Clan several times before heading to his island.
He wasn't worried about the Dolphin Clan; it was just a habit.
Xu Hei moved at full speed, swimming for more than half an hour, getting closer to his island.
Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a chill, as if he was being targeted. This feeling was familiar; he had experienced it after coming out of the trench.
"Being watched again! Who is it?"
Xu Hei's mind flashed, quickly thinking of Hai Teng, Hai Meng, and that sea eel.
It couldn't be the Dolphin Clan; if they wanted to act, they wouldn't have waited until now. Besides, after these two days of interaction, Xu Hei didn't believe anyone in the Dolphin Clan harbored ill intentions.
Moreover, Xu Hei's departure was silent, from an inconspicuous spot, absolutely unnoticed.
"I didn't notify anyone, nor did I leave any signs. How did they lock onto me?"
"And last time, after coming out of the trench, it was the same. How did they find me?"
Xu Hei's eyes were serious. He had to understand the principle behind this tracking ability and find a way to counter it, or he could be ambushed at any time.
Xu Hei's mind raced. Whether it was Hai Teng or Hai Meng, he didn't intend to fight.
Xu Hei pushed his speed to the limit, activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to the extreme, his tail thrashing wildly, stirring up waves, while biting the Water Control Pearl to manipulate the sea, maximizing his speed!
"Whoosh!"
A streak of light cut through the sea, heading towards the island at full speed, creating waves a thousand feet high in its wake. Such speed was astonishing.
"Friend, please wait, I mean no harm!"
A shout came from the distant sky.
The next moment, a bolt of lightning struck from the distant seabed, turning the entire sea surface blue and purple, electric arcs dancing, aiming at Xu Hei's back.
Xu Hei's expression changed, and he quickly leaped out of the water.
"Boom!!"
A thunderous explosion sounded beneath him, blasting the sea into a thousand-foot abyss, water splashing like a torrential rain. Xu Hei had just left the water when he was struck by lightning, his body paralyzed, flung forward.
No harm, this was supposed to be no harm? Fortunately, Xu Hei didn't hesitate for even a second, or he would have taken a direct hit.
"I can't stay in the water; I must get to the sky!"
Xu Hei gritted his teeth, soared into the air, and continued at full speed without slowing down.
The opponent was Lei Man, that Great Perfection Golden Core sea eel. He was definitely not a match. Xu Hei hadn't expected to be so cautious, yet still be targeted.
"Whoosh!"
Another bolt of lightning shot from an unknown distance, exploding in the water. However, Xu Hei was already in mid-air, dodging the attack in time.
Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. This lightning technique traveled far in water but couldn't effectively hit him in the air.
"Beast, stop!"
The opponent stopped pretending, shouting arrogantly. The sea eel frantically flapped its fins, electric arcs dancing all over its body, charging forward with sparks and lightning.
Lei Man's speed was among the top tier among sea beasts, with lightning-enhanced movement, few in the same realm could surpass him. He was confident in chasing down Xu Hei.
But to Lei Man's shock, Xu Hei's speed wasn't slow either!
Despite being at a much lower realm, he could keep up! How was this possible?
/////279////
"What terrifying speed! No wonder Hai Teng lost to him; there's definitely something special about him!"
Lei Man squinted his eyes, the killing intent in his gaze growing even stronger.
Being pursued, Xu Hei couldn't afford to hesitate. He took out a conch shell and blew into it.
This was the summoning conch given to him by Bo Xi, the chieftain of the Dolphin Clan, at last night's banquet. Bo Xi had said that as long as the conch was blown, any dolphin that heard it would quickly spread the word, and the Dolphin Clan would rush to his aid at top speed.
He hadn't expected to use it so soon after leaving the Dolphin Clan.
"A summoning conch? The Dolphin Clan even gave him this? What exactly did this serpent do?"
Lei Man's heart sank. He gritted his teeth and accelerated, the lightning around his body becoming even more dazzling.
Xu Hei also increased his speed. For every bit Lei Man sped up, Xu Hei matched it, maintaining the distance between them.
At this range, unless they were in the sea, Lei Man's lightning couldn't strike from such a distance.
"Hmph! Let's see how long you can keep up with this endurance game!"
Lei Man wasn't in a hurry. His opponent was only at the early stage of the demon core, while he was at the Great Perfection. Even if Xu Hei could match his speed, how could he compete in endurance? Their true essence reserves were at least ten times apart.
Xu Hei realized this too.
The greatest advantage of the Great Perfection of the Golden Core was endurance. With countless years of accumulation, although they hadn't broken through to the Elemental Infant stage, their true essence had become increasingly profound.
Xu Hei's eyes flashed. Facing such a formidable enemy, ordinary magical treasures were useless, and even the Black Dragon Pagoda might not work.
He thought of the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.
This gourd wasn't considered a top-tier treasure, but the toxins it contained were potent enough to poison even those at the Elemental Infant stage. Xu Hei had studied it last night and didn't dare touch it directly, which showed its power.
The downside was that the poison was difficult to control, essentially borrowing external force.
"Let's test it on you first."
With a thought, the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd appeared, releasing a cloud of purple mist that spread backward. It wasn't long before Lei Man charged straight into the purple mist.
"Ahhh!!"The next second, a blood-curdling scream came from behind, more harrowing than a pig being slaughtered.
Xu Hei didn't look back, nor did he care if the opponent was truly poisoned. He released another wisp of purple mist and shot forward, widening the distance.
"You wretched beast, you'll die a horrible death!"
Curses came from behind, but the voice gradually faded away.
With this obstruction, Xu Hei managed to shake off his pursuer.
"What a fierce poison!"
Xu Hei was secretly alarmed, looking at the gourd in his hand. Suddenly, he felt a burning pain all over his body, and quickly put the gourd away in shock.
"Could it be that even I'm getting poisoned?"
His vision darkened, and his consciousness spun. He took a deep breath, fully activating the Demon God Cauldron to absorb the toxins within him and refine them.
After several breaths, Xu Hei stabilized and continued forward.
However, Lei Man was nowhere to be seen.
That faint sense of being locked onto still lingered, so Xu Hei didn't dare be careless. He accelerated, returning to his island at top speed.
...
At this moment, Lei Man stood in place, taking several breaths to suppress the deadly poison within him.
His expression grew darker, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.
He had seen the purple poison mist and hadn't paid it much mind, nor had he intended to avoid it, merely holding an obstacle-avoiding pill. Who knew it would be useless, and he would suffer because of a single misstep?
"What kind of poison is this? Why is it so bizarre that even I've never encountered it?"
Lei Man squinted his eyes. He had tried various antidote pills earlier, all ineffective, and had to rely solely on his cultivation to expel the poison.
Why hadn't Xu Hei used such poison in his earlier battle with Hai Teng, only to bring it out now?
Either Xu Hei had just obtained it, or the poison had significant limitations, or perhaps both.
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"I must use my trump card. Even if it means burning my lifespan, I must capture you today."
Lei Man's gaze was sinister. From his back, bones extended, transforming into a pair of thunderous wings. In the next second, his figure flashed explosively, the wings vibrating, creating a sound of wind and thunder as he broke through the air, his speed doubling from before!
...
On the island, in the sky pavilion.
Tianji Shangren had rested for two days and planned to go out today, but upon calculating, he found that today was not a good day.
He had previously calculated that today was suitable for travel, so why the sudden change? He felt a shadow looming, as if a disaster was imminent.
"Better reinforce the formation."
Tianji Shangren never doubted his intuition, quickly taking out formation flags and placing them around the pavilion.
Meanwhile, in another cave dwelling.
Han Te also felt something was off recently. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt like someone had been on the island.
Sometimes, while deep in cultivation, he even heard human voices.
"Damn it, could someone have come up here? But my formation clearly hasn't detected anything!"
Han Te immediately donned a transparent cloak, stuck on an Invisibility Talisman, and searched the island, but didn't see a soul.
"Could it be a ghost?"
Han Te's expression was uncertain.
His eyes flickered, and he immediately took out a large pile of homemade landmines, burying them underground. Numerous bombs were also hidden around the cave dwelling, ready to detonate at any moment.
These were his handmade creations, and with his artifact refining skills, they could easily kill a Core Formation stage cultivator.
Against stronger opponents, he could use smoke bombs to trap them and escape.
He had finally reached a critical point in his breakthrough, and this was a feng shui treasure land; he didn't want to relocate.
Thus, one person set up formations, and the other buried mines, proceeding methodically on the island.
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Time slowly passed, about half an hour later.
Unknowingly, Han Te had buried mines in a corner of the island, and Tianji Shangren had also walked there.
Suddenly, Han Te's heart tightened, and he looked to the sky.
At the same time, Tianji Shangren's eyelid twitched, and he looked at the ground.
At that moment, time seemed to freeze.
In mid-air, the white-bearded elder was shrouded in smoke and clouds, concealing all his aura, like an immortal descending to the mortal world. On the ground, the purple-haired youth was covered in Invisibility Talismans, completely transparent, like a ghost walking.
Their distance was almost face-to-face, just shy of mouth-to-mouth.
Had they not bumped into each other, so close that they could smell each other's breath, they would never have discovered the other's presence.
"Too close!"
A signal of caution simultaneously flashed in both their minds, their expressions changing drastically as they quickly retreated a hundred feet away.
"It's that old man who steals people's fortunes!"
"It's that purple-haired charlatan?"
Both had seen each other before, and the same thought crossed their minds.
"Why am I encountering him here?"
"What is he doing?"
Staring at each other, they were momentarily bewildered.
No time to ponder further, suddenly, from afar, there was a flash of lightning and thunder, rapidly approaching, the sound like a terrifying wave, the momentum overwhelming.
They looked up to see a massive electric eel, filled with rage, speeding towards them.
The eel's cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, seemingly tracking something.
"Wretched beast, you're at death's door. Once I catch you, I'll skin you alive and pull out your tendons. No matter what tricks you have, it's a dead end!" Lei Man's voice thundered like a storm.
"Whoosh!"
A black horned serpent shot past them in an instant.
Only then did they see clearly that the eel was chasing Xu Hei!
And just as Xu Hei arrived, the formation in the cave dwelling he had left behind lit up, space rippling as a teleportation array appeared.
As the light brightened, a dog-headed phantom gradually solidified, emerging from the spatial rift.
"Little Xu actually found such a place, not bad, a feng shui treasure land, truly rare!" the dog head praised.