At the same time, within the Sea Serpent lineage.
After a long period of seclusion, Hai Teng finally emerged from his cave dwelling.
His entire being was brimming with energy, his vitality surging like a furnace, causing the surrounding seawater to heat up and bubble.
"I, Hai Teng, have successfully formed a purple Golden Core. This is a perfect Golden Core! In my life, I, Hai Teng, am not inferior to anyone!!"
At this moment, Hai Teng was filled with boundless pride, almost unable to resist letting out a long howl to the sky.
After successfully dispersing his core, he had secluded himself for two months, consuming countless rare treasures, and finally today, he reformed his core and achieved the long-desired purple core!
Even in ancient times, he would have been a top-tier Chosen!
Although his cultivation had fallen from the late Core Formation stage to the early Core Formation stage, his true strength had not diminished much. Instead, the formation of the purple core had given him even greater potential for progress!
"Xu Hei, once I find you, I will fight you at the same realm and wash away my past humiliation!" Hai Teng's eyes were filled with a fierce battle intent.
"Hai Teng, the elders are calling for you!" A voice came from nearby.
"Alright!"
Hai Teng understood that the elders had discovered his successful core formation and had prepared a celebration banquet for him, which he could not miss.
A stick of incense later—
"What? A white snake took down an entire ship of evil faction followers, including five Core Formation stage cultivators, all dead without a trace."
Hai Teng gasped, his eyes filled with shock.
Elder Jin in front of him merely smiled slightly and said, "Such a white snake, are you tempted?"
The surrounding elders all turned their gaze towards Hai Teng, waiting for his response.
They had already discussed it, planning to send Hai Teng to propose marriage, thus legitimately drawing the white snake to their side.
Such a high-quality immortal seedling couldn't be given away to the Turtle lineage, could it?
After all, they were all of the serpent species, practically half-relatives. A marriage between land snakes and sea snakes was reasonable.
Competing for high-quality disciples had always been a tradition, and this was a legitimate method; no one dared to object.
Hai Teng took a deep breath, nodded heavily, and praised, "Not bad!"
The elders immediately broke into smiles, and Elder Jin's eyes were filled with joy.
"Not bad, a formidable opponent!" Hai Teng praised.
All the elders' expressions froze instantly.
Hai Teng praised, "I didn't expect that after Xu Hei, another Chosen has appeared, worthy of being my opponent!"
The elders' faces darkened, and Elder Jin almost spat out a mouthful of water.
Elder Jin hurriedly explained, "That white snake is female, and her beauty is unmatched even among the serpent tribe. Many clansmen are smitten!"
Hai Teng pondered, "Then I misspoke, I should call her a Chosen Maiden."
"So, aren't you tempted?" Elder Jin pressed again.
Hai Teng pondered for a long time, a hint of heat rising in his eyes. He immediately set off, swimming towards the Turtle lineage.
The elders were overjoyed and hurried to follow. Elder Jin even took out invitations, planning to invite guests to witness the birth of two newcomers.
The heat in Hai Teng's eyes was visible to every serpent, a sign of intense passion, clearly indicating his interest.
"Good! Excellent!"
Hai Teng's eyes blazed with fire as he shouted, "Just out of seclusion today, and I've encountered a peerless Chosen. I'll take you as my first opponent! I'll defeat you first, then go and defeat Xu Hei!"
"..."
All the elders were wide-eyed and speechless, and Elder Jin directly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
"Hai Teng, all you know is fighting? I'm here to help you propose marriage, propose marriage! Do you understand?" Elder Jin roared.
"Propose marriage?" Hai Teng squinted his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them, and said, "What kind of spell is that? Why have I never heard of it?"
"..."
The entire room fell silent.
Elder Jin felt dizzy and fainted on the spot, causing a commotion.
...
In the depths of the East Sea, within the dark and sunless Sea Eye.
"It's been two days, why hasn't Hou Siping come out yet?"
Ma Fugui paced back and forth, anxious.
He appeared calm on the surface, but his inner panic caused sweat to form on his forehead.
"Hou Siping is at the late Core Formation stage. With his cunning, even if that kid is at his peak, he couldn't possibly be Hou Siping's match."
"But why hasn't he come out yet? Could it be that Hou Siping is secretly cultivating in the oil well behind my back?"
Various thoughts flashed through Ma Fugui's mind. He wanted to check personally but felt that doing so would surely arouse suspicion.
As for sending someone else, he didn't trust anyone; Hou Siping was his only confidant.
He had absolute trust in Hou Siping; this person would never betray him, not even in death. There must have been some unforeseen event!
"Damn it, could that kid have been hiding his strength?"
Gradually, Ma Fugui began to suspect that Xu Hei might have hidden his strength and turned the tables on Hou Siping.
Even though the possibility was slim.
"Two days without coming out, could that kid have died in the oil well?" someone asked with a laugh.
"Dead or not, why don't you go and see?" the banker joked.
"Tch! I'm not going!"
"You go if you want!"
Everyone pushed the responsibility onto each other; no one would easily go down the oil well, as it was fraught with danger. Anything could happen, and if there was a collapse or someone with ill intentions, it would be too late for regrets.
"If another day passes without him coming out, I'll have won, tenfold odds, five hundred thousand spirit stones!" Ma Fugui laughed.
The banker nodded and said, "Alright, I can afford to pay five hundred thousand spirit stones."
Thus, another day passed, and Xu Hei still hadn't come out. The banker sent someone down to check, but they found nothing.
In the end, Ma Fugui won five hundred thousand spirit stones.
But there was always a string taut in his heart, unable to relax, with a sense of foreboding.
He suspected that the other party might be hiding somewhere, secretly growing. Sending a slave down, what could they possibly find?
"In a few more days, even if it raises suspicion, I'll have to go down personally to see what Hou Siping is up to!" Ma Fugui gritted his teeth in secret.
...
Deep beneath the oil well.
Xu Hei hid in a cave, having refined his Golden Core and a small amount of heavy oil.
His cultivation advanced rapidly, reaching the peak of the early Core Formation stage.
He was just a step away from the mid-stage Core Formation.
As long as he consumed a Qingyuan Pill or a similar breakthrough pill, he was confident he could reach the mid-stage Core Formation. But in such a dangerous environment, Xu Hei dared not do so.
"Breaking through to the mid-stage Core Formation requires at least half a month of seclusion, possibly several months. This place is not suitable."
Xu Hei contemplated.
He deeply understood the energy contained in the heavy oil, which greatly aided in improving his cultivation.
Just by refining three barrels, Xu Hei reached the peak of the early Core Formation stage.
If the sea god truly absorbed heavy oil to enhance his cultivation, sending so many people to extract it, ten barrels for the Foundation Establishment stage, a hundred barrels for the Core Formation stage...
What kind of cultivation would the sea god have to need such a vast quantity?
Even if it wasn't for absorption, what else could it be used for that required so much?
Just thinking about it made Xu Hei's scalp tingle.
And the Ghost Infant's methods also concerned him.
"Take this opportunity to collect more heavy oil..."
"And as for the person behind the scenes, they've delayed so long without coming down to investigate. I don't believe they can hold back forever."
"Let's create a bit of a commotion later to lure them down."
////311////
Three days passed in a flash.
During this time, Xu Hei dug out fifty barrels of oil from underground. This layer of oil was nearly exhausted, so he had to continue digging deeper.
The deeper he went, the more dangerous it became. Xu Hei tried sending a puppet down the well, but it was soon pulled into the abyss by a tremendous force.
After three days, the butcher's body was completely blackened, severely contaminated.
Xu Hei took a Detoxification Pill and used the Demon God Cauldron to refine it, preventing the contamination from worsening.
The black smoke inside the Demon God Cauldron had also gathered to a certain concentration.
"Let's see if the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd can absorb it."
With a thought, Xu Hei summoned the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, guiding the black smoke from the Demon God Cauldron into the gourd.
Inside the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, there was originally a wisp of poisonous smoke, taken from Bonan.
When this wisp of poisonous smoke came into contact with the black smoke, it rapidly expanded and merged with it, turning into a deep purple color.
"Oh?"
Xu Hei raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected the poisonous smoke he collected earlier to actively merge with the black smoke. This suggested that the Sea God Sect's poison was refined using heavy oil? Since they originated from the same source, they didn't repel each other!
Xu Hei's eyes flickered. He tapped the gourd, and a wisp of purple smoke flew out, transforming into a thin thread.
Originally, Xu Hei couldn't control this purple smoke and it was easy to harm his own people. But ever since it merged with the black smoke, his control over it had greatly increased.
Go!"
Xu Hei pointed forward, and the thin thread rose into the air, randomly sweeping across the air and striking the stone wall, corroding small pits into it.
This poisonous mist thread wasn't very aggressive towards objects, but it was extremely polluting, posing a devastating threat to living beings.
Xu Hei seriously doubted that even Elemental Infant cultivators would want to be contaminated by this poison.
"Return!"
With a thought, Xu Hei recalled the thread back into the gourd.
"The poison from Bonan, combined with the fusion of heavy oil black smoke, is yet another powerful weapon for me!" Xu Hei thought to himself.
Next, Xu Hei continued to channel the black smoke from the Demon God Cauldron into the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.
This was a delicate task, requiring meticulous control over both magical treasures. It took Xu Hei two days to complete, leaving him exhausted.
After a brief rest, he was about to dig for more oil.
Suddenly, Xu Hei's expression shifted as he looked toward the cave entrance.
The cave was blocked, but he could clearly sense that people had come down, and not just one.
"More slaves... Since that person doesn't dare to come down personally, I'll give you a push!"
Xu Hei's eyes turned cold. He tossed out some Spirit Stones and flicked his fingers, causing the stones to explode and release a surge of Spiritual Qi.
The people outside, upon approaching, immediately felt the long-lost surge of Spiritual Qi. But they didn't dare to absorb it, their faces changing dramatically as they retreated cautiously.
How could Spiritual Qi appear out of nowhere in an oil well?
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This oil well had been deserted for a week because people had died here. Was it haunted?
No one dared to approach, and they all retreated. Two bold individuals, tempted by greed, wanted to move forward to absorb the Qi, but with everyone else leaving, they stood out and had to retreat as well.
Not long after, about an hour later, a figure clad in a black robe descended from the well.
This person had a gloomy expression, slightly plump, and was protected by a golden Talisman that temporarily shielded him from the heavy oil's contamination. He also used an Invisibility Talisman, fully armed, as he entered the oil well.
This person was Ma Fugui, who had drawn lots to investigate the anomaly.
He moved swiftly, quickly reaching the source of the Spiritual Qi eruption, and looked around, indeed finding faint traces of a Formation on the stone wall.
"So it's hidden here!"
Ma Fugui's eyes turned cold. He retreated slightly and summoned five Formation flags, placing them around the Formation.
Then, with a change of hand gestures, the Five Elemental Formation flags connected, outlining complex patterns that intertwined with the Formation left by Xu Hei.
In just a few breaths, Ma Fugui successfully hijacked the illusion Formation!
Stealing Formations was Ma Fugui's specialty, allowing him to do so without the other party noticing.
In fact, Xu Hei hadn't sensed the loss of the Formation, nor did he notice anyone coming down.
But from an hour ago, he had been highly focused, all his attention on the cave entrance.
His Black Dragon Sword, Blood Killing Sword Formation, Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, and even the Minor Annihilation Talisman he acquired at auction were all aimed forward, ready to unleash a deadly strike at any moment.
He knew that the person behind the scenes might come down without him sensing it, possibly sneaking into the cave silently.
Having suffered once at the hands of Hou Siping, Xu Hei wouldn't make the same mistake twice. No matter what kind of demon or monster it was, as long as his firepower was strong enough, he'd turn them to dust.
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"This Formation doesn't seem like Hou Siping's work..."
Ma Fugui squinted his eyes, and with a bit of thought, he immediately guessed that Hou Siping had been harmed. The other party might have deliberately released Spiritual Qi to lure him down and then kill him.
This made him extremely cautious.
"Just an early Core Formation stage, even if you suppress your cultivation, so what? Who hasn't hidden their strength?"
Ma Fugui sneered. On the surface, he was at the mid-stage Core Formation, but in reality, he had late-stage cultivation, and with a magical treasure, he could rival someone at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.
However, he was always cautious. To be safe, he took out a lamp.
This lamp was called the Seven Star Lamp, using the soul as oil, it could preserve his soul from destruction. Even if he died here, he could be resurrected within the Seven Star Lamp, at the cost of burning his soul.
The Seven Star Lamp lit up, rising with the wind, floating to the well entrance.
After doing all this, Ma Fugui's figure flashed, rushing into the illusion Formation, holding a string of ancient beads.
"Kill!"
Xu Hei's eyes focused. At the moment the disturbance appeared in front, the Black Dragon Sword instantly thrust out. Simultaneously, a thin line shot out from the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, directly forward, and six Blood Killing Swords unsheathed simultaneously.
He also threw out a Minor Annihilation Talisman, ready to detonate!
No matter who came down, daring to intrude into his Cave Dwelling, killing them was the simplest solution.
Xu Hei hadn't considered capturing them alive, as the risk was too great. He didn't want to be played with again by someone like Hou Siping. Killing was the safest option.
Ma Fugui had just stepped into the cave, the string of beads in his hand not yet activated, when a massive wave of attacks hit him.
This was an attack Xu Hei had been preparing for a long time. Normally, he wouldn't be able to unleash so many magical treasures in an instant. But after meticulously preparing for an hour, it had become a Formation, revealing all his trump cards, killing anyone who dared to block his path!
Xu Hei would no longer underestimate anyone, even if it was just a small fry, he'd turn them to dust!
"Poof!"
Ma Fugui was first pierced by the six Blood Killing Swords, breaking through his outer defenses, then the Black Dragon Sword shattered his protective golden light.
The ancient beads in his hand had just been raised when they were pierced by the thin line from the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, directly stabbing into his body, the poison penetrating him.
And with the Minor Annihilation Talisman about to hit, Ma Fugui's face changed dramatically, his pupils contracting to a point.
////312/////
In just a moment, a strong sense of despair surged in his heart.
It was too sudden. The barrage of magical treasures came too quickly. Ma Fugui didn't even have a chance to resist. He had just stepped into the cave dwelling and was immediately finished.
His trump cards, his talismans and magical treasures, all the strategies he had meticulously prepared, didn't even have a chance to be used before he died instantly.
To prevent this person from faking death, Xu Hei even threw out his only Minor Annihilation Talisman.
"Thud, thud, thud..."
Under the chaotic slashing of the Blood Killing Sword and the Black Dragon Sword, combined with the effects of the poison, Ma Fugui died instantly, his body torn to pieces, turning into a pile of minced flesh, emitting wisps of toxic gas.
His blood was drained by the Blood Killing Sword, his physical body corroded by the poison, and his Golden Core pierced by the Black Dragon Sword, dead beyond any doubt.
Xu Hei quickly retrieved the Minor Annihilation Talisman.
Just now, if there had been even a sliver of a chance that this person survived, he would have unhesitatingly activated the Minor Annihilation Talisman to deliver a massive blow.
"Who is this person?"
Only then did Xu Hei focus his attention, and from the shattered remains, he could vaguely discern that it was a steward, at mid-stage Core Formation, but had concealed his cultivation, clearly possessing a Golden Core of the late Core Formation stage.
It seemed that this person had just summoned a string of ancient beads, but they immediately lost their effect upon contact with the poison.
Xu Hei beckoned the ancient beads into his hand, and upon a brief inspection, found it to be a top-tier third-grade magical treasure.
"This person isn't completely dead?"
Xu Hei's pupils contracted, and he instantly leaped up, rushing out of the cave.
He discovered that the string of ancient beads bore the opponent's Divine Sense imprint, indicating that the opponent wasn't dead, and the imprint remained stubbornly intact!
Xu Hei didn't even have time to pick up the storage bag before he dashed out of the cave, speeding towards the wellhead.
From the moment Ma Fugui entered the cave and died, to Xu Hei rushing out, it all happened within a single breath.
As soon as Xu Hei exited the cave, he headed straight for the wellhead. Both his true self and the butcher moved simultaneously, and soon, they spotted a lit Seven Star Lamp floating out of the wellhead, flying into the distance.
"Look, what is that?"
"A Seven Star Lamp? Ma Fugui's Seven Star Lamp?"
"Even using his life-saving item, what danger did he encounter?"
The appearance of the Seven Star Lamp caused a stir among the stewards, and Ma Fugui's familiar group of gamblers all widened their eyes, knowing what the Seven Star Lamp signified, especially a lit one.
After the oil well anomaly earlier, Ma Fugui suggested drawing lots to decide who would go down, and it ended up being Ma Fugui himself.
He was just supposed to go down and investigate, but who knew it would result in a fatality!
"Take action!"
The banker of the gamblers was the first to move, flashing to the wellhead, and the other three gamblers immediately followed suit.
The Seven Star Lamp flickered with a ghostly light, quickly burning out, transforming into a phantom figure, which was Ma Fugui's soul. He targeted the nearest person, his figure flashing as he rushed into that person's forehead.
This was a slave in Xu Hei's team, at early Core Formation stage, who was now clutching his head and screaming in agony, desperately resisting Ma Fugui's body snatching.
"Boom!!"
The wellhead exploded, and a burly figure burst out, none other than the butcher, along with Xu Hei's true self, the Black Dragon Sword.
"It's you!?"
The gamblers recognized Xu Hei immediately, realizing he was the one presumed dead in the well a week ago, unexpectedly still alive.
After Xu Hei appeared, his gaze shifted, instantly locking onto a Core Formation cultivator in his team.
"Body snatching? Let's see how you do it!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Hei's eyes as his flying sword shot out, and the butcher also unleashed a barrage of tentacles, attacking Ma Fugui, while the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd was ready to be deployed at any moment.
"Stop!"
The banker shouted, summoning a large flag, which whipped up a fierce wind, blowing away the butcher's tentacles and even severely hindering the true self Black Dragon Sword, reducing its speed as if trapped in a quagmire.
"Do you dare to stop me?" Xu Hei's gaze turned icy.
The banker, named Blood Vengeance, was the leader of this group and the strongest in cultivation, being the only one among the sixteen stewards who hadn't concealed his Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.
Such a powerful cultivator, when fully exerting his strength, would indeed be difficult for Xu Hei to take down, forcing him to watch helplessly as Ma Fugui attempted to snatch another's body.
"Ma Fugui was just going down to investigate, yet you suddenly killed him. Why? Give me an explanation!" Blood Vengeance demanded.
Meng Hao also arrived, demanding, "What's going on?"
As the only third-level steward here, Meng Hao was the main person in charge of extracting heavy oil, and everyone had to follow his orders.
"Meng Hao, you're just in time. You know about the drawing lots earlier, right? Ma Fugui went down to investigate, but this person destroyed his physical body and now wants to pursue his soul. I had to intervene!"
Blood Vengeance's face was grim as he stared intently at Xu Hei.
Meng Hao looked at Xu Hei, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes, and said, "Give me an explanation!"
Killing a fellow steward was a capital offense.
Previously, killing Xu Sheng could be explained as Xu Sheng harboring ill intentions and plotting against Xu Hei, with only two witnesses, the impact was minimal and could barely be glossed over.
But now, in front of all the stewards and slaves, killing a fellow steward was far more severe than before!
If this wasn't handled impartially and was covered up privately, it would cause huge trouble.
Moreover, the Nightmare Demon Lord only mentioned giving him some care, not covering up a capital offense, which was a completely different matter.
Meng Hao held a token in his hand, his third-level steward token, and he locked his gaze on Xu Hei, shouting, "I give you three breaths to explain, or face immediate execution!"
Within the Sea God Sect, the hierarchy was strict. A third-level steward had the authority to mobilize forces, could request the intervention of Elemental Infant cultivators, and could directly contact protectors! No one dared to disobey!
Xu Hei, however, couldn't be bothered to explain. After three breaths, Ma Fugui would have successfully snatched a body, and he wasn't skilled in words. Engaging in verbal sparring with humans was undoubtedly foolish.
He didn't believe he could out-argue Ma Fugui. Once the other party completed the body snatching and made a few clever arguments, it would all be in vain.
Moreover, what reasoning could be had with a group of evil faction cultivators?
Xu Hei directly summoned the Minor Annihilation Talisman, activating the incantation.
"Stop!" Meng Hao's face changed.
Blood Vengeance's expression also shifted dramatically, and he rapidly retreated. While he wanted to stand up for Ma Fugui, it didn't mean he was willing to take such a huge risk.
The other gamblers were all panicked, retreating en masse to avoid being caught in the blast. Clearly, the Minor Annihilation Talisman had a formidable reputation within the Sea God Sect! It was a deadly weapon that didn't differentiate between friend and foe!
"Stop immediately! If you persist in your folly, I will have no choice but to summon the protector!" Meng Hao coldly warned.
Xu Hei remained unfazed, having already decided to abandon the butcher and have his true self escape, with a plan in mind.
"Capture!"
Suddenly, a low shout came from afar, and a spell seal was cast, flying into the head of the Core Formation slave.
The next moment, Ma Fugui's soul phantom was forcibly extracted by a large hand, held in its palm. On the soul's forehead appeared a large "Capture" character.
The owner of this large hand was none other than the scholarly Lin Ziye.
Xu Hei's pupils contracted as he stared at the character on Ma Fugui's forehead, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Meng Hao, don't you have the ability to kill and interrogate souls? Just kill this person and interrogate the soul, won't that suffice?" Lin Ziye's lips curled into a bright smile.
Meng Hao replied, "Are you joking with me?"
Interrogating a soul required killing the person first. Without evidence, killing Ma Fugui would be absurd.
////313////
As an enforcer, it's my duty to uphold justice. Coincidentally, I've served as an enforcer before and am quite adept at handling such disputes."
Lin Ziye glanced at Xu Hei and smiled slightly, "Fellow Daoist, tell us, why are you pursuing this person?"
An enforcer... Xu Hei initially didn't want to explain, but suddenly, someone came to his mind.
Thus, Xu Hei slowly said, "This person trespassed on my cultivation ground. Shouldn't he be killed for that?"
Hearing this explanation, Meng Hao was left speechless.
Cultivation ground? You call an oil well a cultivation ground?
Fing Hell, who would open a cave dwelling in an oil well to cultivate?
Lin Ziye's mouth twitched slightly... This reason doesn't even qualify as a reason.
"Deacon Meng, I'm innocent! I have no enmity with this person. I merely discovered an unusual formation, and as soon as I went in to investigate, this person destroyed my physical body."
Ma Fugui cried with tears streaming down his face, "This person was clearly fishing for trouble. He had already ambushed the entrance. Anyone who entered was doomed. If you had gone down, you might not have escaped death either."
With a few words, Ma Fugui painted Xu Hei as a villain who killed for treasure, making it seem like anyone who encountered him would be killed.
Moreover, Xu Hei wasn't good with words, which only solidified the accusations against him.
Xu Hei's face turned livid. He regretted not acting immediately instead of talking.
"Alright, the evidence is clear. Death penalty!"
Lin Ziye smiled slightly and snapped his fingers, producing a crisp sound.
In the next moment, the character "imprison" above Ma Fugui's head transformed into "destroy". His eyes filled with terror, and he let out a piercing scream, struggling continuously.
In an instant, Ma Fugui's soul shattered, disintegrating in terror, dying on the spot.
Ma Fugui was dead, his form and spirit completely annihilated, with no chance of revival!
Everyone was stunned.
This sudden reversal made everyone think they were seeing things. Clearly, Xu Hei's guilt was established, so how did Ma Fugui end up being executed?
Xu Hei was also dumbfounded.
This was supposed to be impartial justice? This is what you call impartial justice?
"You... courting death!"
Meng Hao's expression stiffened, then he flew into a rage. Killing a deacon in front of so many people, what did that make of him?
"What are you waiting for? If we don't question the spirit, it'll be too late." Lin Ziye laughed.
"Men, seize these two criminals!"
Meng Hao shouted in fury.
In an instant, numerous deacons sprang into action, surrounding Xu Hei and Lin Ziye, whether they were willing or not.
At the same time, a powerful will emanated from Meng Hao's token, locking onto the two of them.
Xu Hei was about to resist when Lin Ziye transmitted a message, "Don't be impulsive. He won't do anything to us."
At this moment, everyone surrounded Xu Hei and Lin Ziye but didn't make a move, instead turning their gaze to Meng Hao.
Meng Hao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, "I'll summon the soul and question it! If I can't get a satisfactory answer, you'll all die!"
He glared fiercely at Lin Ziye and raised the soul banner.
Countless soul fragments floated in the void, gathering together to form a phantom humanoid shape.
But compared to before, Ma Fugui's eyes were lifeless, clearly having lost self-awareness.
Meng Hao asked sternly, "Ma Fugui, is what you said just now true?"
"Mostly true," Ma Fugui replied numbly.
As soon as he said this, Meng Hao squinted his eyes, "What do you mean by 'mostly true'?"
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Everyone noticed something was off, turning their gaze to Ma Fugui, waiting for his answer.
A struggle flashed in Ma Fugui's eyes, but under Meng Hao's stern gaze, he returned to a blank state, "Most of what I said is true, except for the part about having no enmity with this person, which is false."
"Then what grudge do you have with this person?" Meng Hao asked.
Ma Fugui paused for a long while before saying blankly, "I sent my confidant Hou Siping to infiltrate the oil well and assassinate this person..."
He recounted the details of sending Hou Siping.
At this moment, the entire place fell silent, deathly quiet.
Goodness! And he called that no enmity? This was a deep-seated grudge. Ma Fugui had deceived everyone. If it weren't for the spirit questioning, they would have been kept in the dark.
What's more baffling was that Xu Hei didn't say a word in his defense, only thinking of killing.
"Hou Siping?" Meng Hao squinted his eyes, "A slave with sealed cultivation, why did you send him?"
"Hou Siping's cultivation was sealed on the surface, but with my help, he broke the seal. I provided him with a large number of spirit stones for formations and an Explosive True Pill. With his abilities, he was more than enough to deal with this person," Ma Fugui said slowly.
"..."
Everyone was left speechless, stunned by such words.
Secretly cultivating a confidant, unsealing a slave, gifting pills—these crimes combined were enough to sentence Ma Fugui to death.
Even though none of them were clean, all having some dirty dealings.
But doing it secretly is one thing, being exposed publicly is another.
"Why did you want to kill him?" Meng Hao asked again.
Xu Hei also looked over, as this was what concerned him.
"Because I have something important, with Xu Sheng..."
At this point, Ma Fugui's eyes suddenly bulged, showing a look of terror. His soul shattered with a bang, leaving nothing behind.
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"What?" Meng Hao's face changed.
The soul summoning and questioning were broken. Was there something unspeakable that couldn't be said?
Everyone exchanged glances, shocked by what had just happened.
No matter what, the truth was revealed. Ma Fugui was in the wrong first; he plotted against Xu Hei, who then retaliated and killed him.
Even without this incident, just the exposure of his dealings with Hou Siping was a death sentence.
The only mystery was Ma Fugui's last half-sentence, which he didn't finish before suddenly exploding.
Yet, in this strange situation, everyone present surprisingly didn't ask more, didn't think more, and didn't discuss it privately.
This made Xu Hei thoughtful.
Earlier, he faintly sensed a powerful force infiltrating from the outside, acting on Ma Fugui's soul, causing his sudden death mid-sentence.
Seeing everyone's tacit agreement not to pursue the matter further, Xu Hei quickly had a hunch.
It was the demon lord's guardian of this place who didn't want him to finish speaking!
The deacons present were all smart people. Realizing this, no one dwelled on the meaning of Ma Fugui's last words. It's better not to ask what shouldn't be asked.
"Alright, the truth is out. Disperse," Meng Hao said.
The deacons dispersed, returning to their respective groups.
In the distance, the slaves were somewhat reluctant to leave. It was their first time seeing a deacon killed in public, and many were gloating, especially the over a hundred under Ma Fugui's command.
They had suffered enough humiliation and couldn't wait for Ma Fugui to die.
Xu Hei cupped his fists, "Thank you for earlier."
"No problem. As an enforcer, it's my duty to uphold justice," Lin Ziye said with a smile.
Uphold justice—Xu Hei didn't believe a word of it.
Xu Hei pondered for a moment, not thinking Lin Ziye would help him for no reason. There must be some reason.
He lowered his voice and transmitted, "Are you Xu Qingfeng?"
Lin Ziye put away his smile and asked in return, "Do you think, with his nature, he would join the Sea God Sect?"
Xu Hei was speechless.
Xu Qingfeng was upright and unyielding, the only absolutely righteous person Xu Hei had ever seen. He would never associate with the evil faction.
"Heh, I'm not the same kind of person as him," Lin Ziye said with a smile.
////314////
Although Xu Hei had his doubts, he couldn't shake the feeling that Lin Ziye wasn't some kind of evil cultist. At least, he hadn't seen any evidence of that so far.
"Then why did you join the Sea God Sect?" Xu Hei couldn't help but ask.
Lin Ziye smiled slightly and didn't answer the question. Instead, he asked, "May I know your name, Fellow Daoist?"
"Xu Hei," Xu Hei replied without hesitation.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, if you were an enforcer who believed in fairness and justice, would you think the process is more important, or the result?" Lin Ziye asked again.
Xu Hei couldn't answer.
The question was too profound, leaving him completely puzzled.
Lin Ziye smiled openly and said, "For example, if the process is important, just now, Fellow Daoist Xu should have defended himself, justified his killing of Ma Fugui, and then acted!"
"But if the result is important, you would skip all the formalities and just cut down Ma Fugui directly."
Hearing this, Xu Hei quickly said, "Of course, the result is more important."
Lin Ziye nodded in satisfaction.
He didn't converse with Xu Hei for long. The two quickly parted ways and each led their own teams.
With more than half a month left, Xu Hei first retrieved Ma Fugui's storage bag and then gathered his men to start extracting heavy oil.
The Core Formation cultivator who had narrowly escaped death earlier clasped his fists and thanked Xu Hei, "Thank you, sir!"
This person was Tian Zang, who had almost been body-snatched by Ma Fugui. His gratitude was sincere.
"No need for formalities, just do your job well," Xu Hei said.
"Yes!" Tian Zang bowed.
आसनसोल महिला ने खोजा घरेलु उपाय जो पुरुष ऊर्जा में करता है सुधार
Vigorman
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Initially, he had some reservations about Xu Hei distributing pills privately, but now, since Xu Hei had saved his life, he would do anything Xu Hei asked.
After receiving the pills, although everyone was tense, they didn't reveal anything and quietly took them, increasing their chances of survival.
Compared to Xu Hei, Lin Ziye next door was much stricter. His actions were no different from other enforcers.
Under his command, the slaves were full of complaints, and many had died.
Xu Hei had initially suspected that this person might be Xu Qingfeng in disguise, but seeing this, he completely dismissed the idea.
"This person and Xu Qingfeng are from the same sect, both are enforcement elders of the Astrology Bureau."
Xu Hei reluctantly came to this conclusion.
He couldn't see what Lin Ziye's purpose was for now, but he was much less wary of him.
At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly recalled Ma Fugui's last words.
The reason for killing him was because he had something important, in Xu Sheng...
Xu Sheng's storage bag? Xu Hei had already gone through it thoroughly. Other than having several times the wealth of a typical Core Formation cultivator, there was nothing special.
So, what was the next part?
"Xu Sheng's cave dwelling?" Xu Hei's eyes flashed.
A token is needed to enter a cave dwelling, which made much more sense.
However, what the demon lord's protector wanted to cover up was likely more than just this.
"The cave dwelling... forget it." Xu Hei shook his head, giving up on the idea of exploring it, as it wasn't part of his plan.
...
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Days passed by.
During this time, Xu Hei continuously distributed pills. After half a month, his team had only lost five people, the lowest mortality rate among all teams.
This was in stark contrast to other teams.
Some noticed the anomaly, but having witnessed Xu Hei's fierce reputation, no one dared to report it. If the report failed and Xu Hei retaliated, the unlucky one would be themselves.
However, Blood Vengeance secretly recorded the anomaly in a jade slip, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.
He and Ma Fugui weren't life-and-death friends, but he knew how much wealth Ma Fugui had. Now, this person had acquired Ma Fugui's storage bag, and it was said that Xu Sheng had also died at his hands.
The amount of spirit stones this person had was unimaginable.
"Blood Vengeance, you've been watching this person for over half a month. If you have any ideas, just say it, and we'll help you."
Three gamblers gathered around, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Blood Vengeance said, "What ideas could I have? Don't try to pry words out of me!"
"Heh, don't pretend with us. We're not outsiders."
"This person has all of Ma Fugui's wealth, including the fifty thousand spirit stones he just won from you. Don't you want to take it back?" the two gamblers beside him laughed.
Blood Vengeance's gaze turned cold, and he scolded, "Stop talking nonsense. I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said."
"Yeah, right, I don't believe you!"
The three of them cursed loudly.
...
Barrel after barrel of heavy oil was drawn from the well, piling up on the ground.
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Ten barrels for the Foundation Establishment Stage, one hundred barrels for the Core Formation Stage.
Xu Hei also went down the well multiple times to collect heavy oil. He alone dug up three hundred barrels, storing them in void stones. Heavy oil couldn't be stored in storage bags, but it could be kept in void stones.
During this period, his skin grew darker, and the butcher had already turned black from pollution, making everyone secretly click their tongues and call him a madman.
Of course, Xu Hei was still somewhat restrained; otherwise, he could have collected over a thousand barrels without needing to rest.
Bai Qiushui, whom Xu Hei observed secretly, completed the task of one hundred barrels on the twenty-eighth day, barely passing, but he clearly held back. In his spare time, he was reading a small booklet, though it was unclear what the content was.
...
Unknowingly, the month-long period had ended.
"The deadline has arrived, now let's check if everyone has met the standard!" Meng Hao announced loudly.
He first inspected Xu Hei's team, and everyone had met the standard, while other teams had various issues.
Those who hadn't met the standard turned pale and were dragged out of their teams, detained and taken away in panic.
Then, everyone moved the heavy oil onto the oil ship, stacking it in the cargo hold. Each barrel of oil was placed at a distance from the others, with formations set up to isolate them, to prevent accidents from gravitational attraction if they were too close.
"Upon returning this time, the protector will reward based on the amount of heavy oil provided by each team," Meng Hao said.
He gave Xu Hei an extra glance and said, "Your performance is the best, and you might be promoted to a second-level enforcer."
Xu Hei remained unmoved.
He knew that once Ye Kong was extracted, the Nightmare Demon Lord could no longer sense him. As soon as he left the Sea Eye, he would be immediately discovered.
Xu Hei's plan was to escape the moment he left the Sea Eye.
He still had six Small Teleportation Talismans on him, and with the Water Thunder Wings at full speed, even an Elemental Infant stage cultivator might not be able to catch up with him.
However, the butcher would inevitably have to be abandoned.
The Nightmare Demon Lord wasn't an ordinary Elemental Infant stage cultivator, and using the butcher to draw attention to increase the chances of a successful escape was very necessary.
As long as his true self left the Nightmare Demon Lord's range of perception, he had more than a ninety percent chance of escaping.
And with the three anti-tracking magical artifacts given by Hei Huang, it was impossible to be caught afterward.
"Let's do it! I can't stay in this cursed place for another moment."
Xu Hei glanced at Blood Vengeance's position, where the four of them were gathered, discussing something, which made Xu Hei's expression darken.
////315////
Blood Vengeance hid his intentions well, showing no hint of hostility. However, his two companions couldn't conceal their murderous intent, which Xu Hei saw through at a glance.
Sometimes, a foolish teammate is all it takes. But even without them, Xu Hei would still be wary of this person.
Xu Hei considered whether to teach this group a lesson in advance, to prevent them from causing trouble during his escape and creating unforeseen complications.
He didn't want to deal with the Nightmare Demon Lord and this bunch of nuisances at the same time.
As Xu Hei's eyes flickered with thought, he immediately took out a lamp, placed it on the ground, and lit it. It was the Seven Star Lamp he had found in Ma Fugui's storage bag.
Then, he took out the Minor Annihilation Talisman, held it in his palm, and walked directly towards Blood Vengeance and his group.
This put Blood Vengeance and his men on high alert, and they all summoned their magical treasures.
"What do you think you're doing?" Meng Hao glared and asked.
"Nothing much, just taking a stroll. Is that not allowed?" Xu Hei replied nonchalantly.
Meng Hao's face turned dark.
A stroll? With a Seven Star Lamp and a Minor Annihilation Talisman, it was clearly a stance of going all out. Who would believe such nonsense?
However, Xu Hei didn't continue forward. He sat on the ground and muttered to himself, "Sorry, I've been heavily polluted lately. My hands are a bit shaky, and my brain isn't working well. You'd better stay away from me, lest I accidentally set this thing off. No responsibility taken."
After speaking, Xu Hei opened his skull, revealing it to be empty, without a brain. His hand holding the talisman shook violently.
This scared everyone, making Blood Vengeance and his companions' faces twitch.
They realized that Xu Hei was a madman. Who knew when he might go crazy? They immediately dismissed the idea of making a move and decided to discuss it after returning.
"Back to the ship, return trip!" Meng Hao gritted his teeth and ordered.
"Yes!"
Numerous stewards soared into the air, heading towards the sea surface, not wanting to linger for even a second.
Being with such a madman was sheer torture.
Blood Vengeance and his group also shot into the sky, leaving the light barrier and fleeing upwards.Seeing everyone distancing themselves from him, Xu Hei smirked coldly. This was all part of the plan.
Finally, Xu Hei picked up the Seven Star Lamp and left the area.
The moment he broke through the light barrier, there was still no sense of being watched. Xu Hei realized that his plan to shed his skin like a cicada had succeeded, and the Nightmare Demon Lord could no longer track him.
Xu Hei turned to look at the seabed behind him and was taken aback.
He suddenly had a feeling that the shape of the Sea Eye's bottom resembled the indentation of a fist.
The mountainous terrain, with its uneven contours, seemed as if it had been punched out by someone.
Xu Hei shook his head abruptly. Punched out by a fist? How could that be possible? This Sea Eye must have formed in ancient times, and its contours couldn't have been preserved until now.
...
On the way back, everyone remained silent.
All voluntarily distanced themselves from Xu Hei, as he was indeed heavily polluted. Whether he was pretending or not, no one wanted to take the risk.
Only Lin Ziye stayed somewhat close to Xu Hei.
"I thought you would make a move directly," Lin Ziye said with a smile.
"I'm not that stupid," Xu Hei replied.
"What a pity, missing out on a good show," Lin Ziye sighed.
Xu Hei was speechless. Did this guy wish for his death?
An hour later, everyone returned to the oil ship from the seabed.
The heavy oil on the ship had been organized by the slaves and neatly placed in the hold.
Next, they would transport the heavy oil to the designated location.
Xu Hei held the Seven Star Lamp, looking at the Sea Eye below and his position, a resolute look flashing in his eyes.
The butcher was at the bow, and his true self was at the stern. As soon as they left the Sea Eye's range, it would be time for him to act.
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"Set sail!"
At Meng Hao's command, fifteen oil ships moved in unison, heading forward.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, one oil ship accelerated, moving ten times faster than the others, transforming into a long rainbow, speeding towards the northwest like lightning, with the momentum of thunder!
It didn't resemble an oil ship at all, more like an arrow, faster than an Elemental Infant stage cultivator, creating towering waves as it moved.
Everyone was stunned, including Xu Hei, except Meng Hao, who was the first to react and was about to take action.
"Boom!!!"
Suddenly, a massive shadow fell on the oil ship ahead, turning the sea surface pitch black, sinking down like a giant mouth swallowing the heavens and earth, engulfing the ship into an endless abyss, plunging into the deep sea.
Xu Hei stood there in a daze, dumbfounded.
He was just about to act, and someone else had already fled?
The owner of that ship was none other than Lin Ziye.
The direction he fled was precisely the direction Xu Hei's true self had planned to go.
"Hmph! Someone tried to escape, and I caught them on the spot. Nightmare Demon Lord, you owe me a favor."
At this moment, a voice like that of a deep-sea demon echoed from beneath the sea, ringing in everyone's ears. It was the mysterious demon lord guarding the Sea Eye.
He had been lying in ambush nearby all along!
This sudden change immediately disrupted Xu Hei's plan, and countless thoughts flashed through Xu Hei's mind as he pondered his next move.
His original plan was for the butcher to head southeast and his true self to go northwest, but Lin Ziye had beaten him to it, running straight into someone else's face and getting captured by the demon lord.
Should he still escape?
"Wait, Lin Ziye…" Xu Hei's pupils contracted.
Lin Ziye had arrived three days before him, but in reality, Xu Hei had been captured for a month.
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This person appeared neither too early nor too late, just after he was captured, and fled before him. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?
Could it be that Lin Ziye came specifically for him?
Xu Hei didn't believe he had such connections that someone would send someone to rescue him. It didn't make sense emotionally or logically.
So what exactly was going on? Xu Hei was completely bewildered.
...
At this moment, on another oil ship.
Bai Qiushui, dressed in coarse clothes, looked at the booklet in his hand, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
"If words have power, then it is now!"
Bai Qiushui sank his energy into his dantian, his expression solemn, and shouted, "To hear the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening!"
"Clap, clap, clap…"
In an instant, golden light radiated from Bai Qiushui's body, and a surge of righteous energy emerged. His muscles grew wildly, his stature rose, and the coarse clothes on his body were torn apart by his massive muscles!
"Bang!!"
In the blink of an eye, Bai Qiushui transformed into a muscular giant, standing two zhang tall, as big as a bull, like a giant.
The restriction seals within his body were like his clothes, instantly shattered by his muscles.
"You…"
The steward on the oil ship widened his eyes, about to summon his magical treasure, but in the next second, a heavy iron fist slammed into his face, too fast to defend against.
"Boom!!!"
The man spat blood, his mouthful of teeth shattered, flying backward, spinning 3600 degrees in the air. As a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, his head was blown apart with a single punch! Instant death!
Xu Hei heard the commotion over there and looked over, stunned.
"Ugh ah ah!!"
Bai Qiushui roared to the sky, pounding his chest with his fists, striding like a giant of immense strength, crashing into the oil ship's defensive formation. With a punch, he shattered the entire ship's formation into pieces.
Xu Hei stared at Bai Qiushui's bizarre body, frowning, "Is this what the Diamond Suppression Technique looks like?"
Meanwhile, from the distant dark sea surface came a thunderous laugh.
"Hahaha! Sea God Sect's petty scoundrels, Old Master is here. Surrender at once!"
The laughter was like thunder, exploding in the void, stirring up towering waves, shaking the heavens.
////316////
"Boom!!!"
The ocean erupted with towering waves, crashing down like rain, rippling across the expanse and unleashing a massive tsunami.
All the oil ships raised their protective shields to withstand the oncoming storm. Amidst the endless mist, Xu Hei could see an old scholar, dressed in a Confucian robe and holding a giant brush, glowing with a blue light, floating towards them on a scroll.
"Old Master?" Everyone was shocked to their core.
Even if Xu Hei was inexperienced, he had heard of the renowned Old Master.
One of the three island lords of Penglai Island, known as the Sage of Confucianism!
He was no small figure but a top-tier powerhouse. Although his exact cultivation level was unknown, dealing with a Demon Lord was surely within his capabilities.
"Old ghost-backed man, why are you here?!"
A voice filled with surprise came from beneath the turbulent sea.
"Hmph, my student is here. As a teacher, how could I not save him? And what do you mean by calling me an old ghost-backed man?!"
The old scholar's eyes widened in anger, and with a wave of his brush, he drew a giant "palm" character that landed on the sea.
In an instant, a massive palm print pressed onto the sea, sinking into it, followed by a muffled groan.
The turbulent sea calmed visibly, with even the darkness dissipating significantly.
But soon after, the sky turned dark, and pairs of eyes appeared in the void above, bringing indescribable eerie terror, as darkness descended, threatening to devour everything.
The second protector, the Nightmare Demon Lord, had arrived.
"Penglai Island, are you declaring war on our Sea God Sect?" the Nightmare Demon Lord's sinister voice echoed.
"I'm just here to save a student of mine, why are you so anxious?" Old Master replied with a faint smile.
...
Xu Hei hesitated no longer. He knew if he didn't escape now, it would be too late.
"Move!"
At Xu Hei's command, all the slaves on the ship took the pills. These were antidote pills, breaking the restrictions like detoxifying poison.
Originally, these pills required a certain amount of spiritual power to activate, but with Xu Hei's distribution of pills over the past days, these people had already gained spiritual power, easily breaking the restrictions.
Then, everyone quickly took out their prepared flying swords and fled in all directions, with a hundred people escaping at once.
"Rebellion, rebellion! You're all rebelling! This is suicide!" Meng Hao roared in fury.
But as soon as he spoke, his voice stopped.
An oil ship, under Xu Hei's control, charged at him like a madman.
Meng Hao's face changed drastically, and without hesitation, he turned the ship around to flee, but the other ship was too fast and too close, and they collided instantly.
"Boom!!!"
The two oil ships collided, causing a violent explosion, flames soaring into the sky, and oil barrels flying everywhere.
The barrels shattered, the heavy oil clumped together, creating a terrifying suction, pulling in those who couldn't dodge in time, their screams echoing, adding to the chaos.
More slaves joined the escape.
In the distance, Old Master was battling two Demon Lords, while Xu Hei was rebelling, and the slaves were fleeing.
The scene was too chaotic, leaving others unsure of what to do or which side to take.
In the past, Blood Vengeance and the three gamblers would have certainly targeted Xu Hei, but considering Xu Hei's earlier intimidation, they hesitated.
"This is the Sea God Sect's territory, how much trouble can he cause? Kill him, this is a great opportunity to earn merit!"
One gambler's eyes turned cold, hesitating only for a few breaths before chasing after Xu Hei.
Two of the remaining three also rushed out, pursuing Xu Hei.
Blood Vengeance, the most cunning, also followed, but he lagged behind. He had already suspected Xu Hei might escape after seeing him distribute pills to the slaves and had made some preparations in advance.
However, the appearance of Lin Ziye and Old Master surprised him, but regardless, Xu Hei had to be eliminated.
...
Xu Hei didn't engage with these people, fleeing at full speed, only slightly altering his plan, with both the butcher and his true self escaping in the same direction.
However, his true self was noticeably faster, gradually widening the gap with the butcher.
"Water Thunder Wings!"
At this moment, a pair of wings appeared on Xu Hei's Black Dragon Sword, gliding through the water, creating a vacuum channel in the sea, like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, forming a straight line towards the distance.
The Water Thunder Wings, a treasure given by the Dolphin Clan, placed a great burden on the physical body but offered incredible speed, comparable to Elemental Infant cultivators!
At this extreme speed, the distance between him and the butcher widened further.
Once beyond a certain limit, the butcher would lose control.
Xu Hei hesitated, wondering if the Nightmare Demon Lord was truly engaged in battle with Old Master, and whether he should recall the butcher.
"No, that's an evil faction protector. Who knows if he's fighting Old Master with full strength or if he still has a sense locked onto this place?"
"If he's been sensing the butcher all along, recalling him would directly expose my true self!"
"I must escape with all my might, leaving no room for luck!"
Xu Hei's gaze was firm, fully activating the Water Thunder Wings and using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to escape at the fastest speed, leaving the butcher far behind.
At this time, in the distance from the butcher, two figures were swiftly moving through the sea on a watercraft, looking rather disheveled. It was Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui.
At this moment, Bai Qiushui had reverted to his normal form, panting heavily, his face pale.
"How did these two end up together?" Xu Hei was momentarily stunned.
Lin Ziye glanced at the butcher and smiled wryly, "Fellow Daoist Xu, I apologize for keeping this from you. My mission here is to rescue the descendant of the White Emperor, as per my teacher's orders, which I dare not disobey."
"…"
Xu Hei fell into a long silence.
Bai Qiushui was equally puzzled, having just learned the truth.
"So, the Master has taken a liking to me and wants to take me as a disciple?" Bai Qiushui asked in confusion.
"That's right. Having studied the Master's teachings, you're already my junior brother, and it's too late to regret it." Lin Ziye laughed.
Bai Qiushui immediately took out a small booklet, which he had picked up in the cell, containing some sage teachings.
Normally, he wouldn't even glance at such things, but as a slave locked in prison with nothing to do, he studied them out of boredom.
Who knew that by studying them, he would become a disciple of Confucianism?
"Is this... how you take disciples?" Bai Qiushui was speechless.
"Haha, you're a rare physical cultivator, and our teacher values physical cultivation the most. You have more potential than I do, and one day, you might achieve sainthood with your physical body!" Lin Ziye beamed.
Bai Qiushui was left speechless, unable to connect physical cultivation with being a student of the Master. One focused on body refinement, the other on scholarship—how did they relate?
However, he did seem to have gained strength from the book just now.
///317////
Bai Qiushui originally thought it was his long-suppressed true essence suddenly releasing, breaking through the seal all at once.
But unexpectedly, there was another factor.
"How did you know I am a descendant of the White Emperor, and why do you know I was imprisoned here?" Bai Qiushui was still puzzled.
Xu Hei was also confused by this.
The timing was just too coincidental, right when he was captured and about to escape. It didn't make sense.
Lin Ziye explained, "It's said that a rogue cultivator delivered the message. Normally, a rogue cultivator's message wouldn't reach the teacher, and even if it did, the teacher wouldn't believe its contents."
"But there was a black dog by his side, the same one that repelled two Demon Lords."
"With this dog as proof, the teacher believed the message after receiving it and risked sending me deep into enemy lines to scout the location of the Sea God Sect."
Xu Hei suddenly understood.
It was Hei Huang and Han Te, secretly arranging for a big shot to rescue him!
No! It was to rescue Bai Qiushui.
They just happened to save him along the way.
No wonder it was such a coincidence; everything made sense now.
"Boom!!!"
Suddenly, Xu Hei collided with an invisible wall, producing a dull sound. Water rippled, and countless complex patterns appeared beneath the sea surface. Formations emerged in the distance, quickly converging.
In an instant, the butcher's limbs were locked by the formation, unable to move.
"Formation?"
Lin Ziye squinted his eyes and immediately noticed a group of people chasing after them, led by Blood Vengeance and three other gamblers.
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It seemed the formation here was set up in advance, lying in ambush, and they just happened to run into it.
Xu Hei's face darkened, and he shouted, "You go quickly, don't worry about me. I have my own way to escape!"
Xu Hei's serious expression made Lin Ziye's heart tremble. He quickly nodded and said, "Alright!"
Lin Ziye was not indecisive. He drove the watercraft at full speed, heading into the distance, and soon disappeared from sight.
At this moment, Blood Vengeance and his group closed in, surrounding Xu Hei's puppet butcher from four directions.
Xu Hei said coldly, "Did you set up this formation in advance?"
"That's right. When you were distributing pills to others, I guessed you might try to escape, so I set up the formation here in advance, waiting for you to take the bait!" Blood Vengeance replied calmly.
"Then how did you know I would escape in this direction and not another?" Xu Hei asked.
"I set up formations in other directions too, a total of eighty-one places. As long as I intercept you in one place, the remaining eighty will quickly converge, forming the Eighty-One Lock Chain Formation."
Blood Vengeance patiently explained.
The Eighty-One Lock Chain Formation was a unique secret technique of his Vajra Sect, specifically used for large-scale capturing of prey. Although it covered a large area, its drawback was that it could only target one person.
If Lin Ziye were also captured, the formation's power would be dispersed, allowing both to escape.
However, targeting Xu Hei alone was enough.
As long as he obtained the wealth on Xu Hei, it would completely compensate for the loss of the eighty-one formations.
Moreover, capturing the escaped steward would be a great achievement, and killing him on the spot would earn him many contribution points, directly promoting him to a third-level steward.
As for Meng Hao, he would definitely be demoted for serious dereliction of duty.
Xu Hei's expression remained calm. At this moment, his true self was fleeing at full speed, already reaching a critical point. If he continued forward, he would lose sense and control over the butcher.
"I wonder what fate awaits the butcher. Farewell!"
Xu Hei sighed inwardly, hesitated no longer, and his true self accelerated, turning into a stream of light, rushing into the distance.
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As for the butcher's fate, it was left to chance.
However, as long as the butcher wasn't completely destroyed, given his level of refinement over the butcher, he might be able to reclaim it if he encountered it again!
At the same time.
In the cloudy sky, Old Master's scolding voice echoed, "You two young people, ganging up on an old man, have no sense of martial virtue! I'm not playing with you anymore, goodbye!"
Leaving those words, Old Master turned and left without hesitation.
"Coming here and wanting to leave? Stay!"
An angry shout came from beneath the sea, and the seawater formed a ferocious giant mouth, rushing towards Old Master in the sky.
The shadow in the sky also spread out, seemingly trying to intercept.
"A friend from afar, isn't it delightful?"
Old Master just laughed, and the scroll beneath his feet lifted him up. His body merged into the book, turning into a flying leaf that vanished into the void.
The Nightmare Demon Lord said, "You go after that old man, I have some personal matters to attend to."
The Devouring Demon Lord didn't speak, just snorted coldly, and the shadow beneath the sea also vanished into the void, disappearing without a trace.
...
Blood Vengeance waved his sleeve, and countless blood-colored flying needles shot out, piercing into the butcher's body, embedding in every joint and bone.
But to his surprise, the joints and bones inside the butcher seemed endless, countless in number.
"This person is strange, probably having cultivated some demonic art, with more than one body inside." Blood Vengeance said in a deep voice.
Others also cast spells, shattering the butcher's armor, exposing his body. Beneath the pitch-black skin were countless joints and muscles, various organs twisted together, making one's scalp tingle.
"What kind of monster is this!"
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Everyone was astounded.
"I heard this person is called Ye Kong, originally just at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Somehow, he had a stroke of luck, breaking through to Core Formation, and was noticed by the Protector, becoming a steward."
"Damn! This person looks disgusting, let's burn him clean first!"
A man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks released a fire lotus, spewing flames that engulfed the butcher's body, charring it black, burning off limbs, and even half of the head.
"Enough!"
Blood Vengeance noticed something was wrong and quickly stopped the flames.
Previously, the butcher in front of them had some reactions, seemingly brewing some move, but as time passed, there was no movement.
Blood Vengeance thought the other was pretending, staying vigilant, but even as it was nearly burned to death, there was still no movement.
"What kind of trick is this person playing?" Blood Vengeance squinted his eyes.
And at that moment, all the butcher's eyes simultaneously turned, locking onto the four people.
In the next second, countless octopus tentacles shot out, stabbing towards Blood Vengeance and the others.
"Attack!"
Blood Vengeance's face darkened, quickly summoning his magical treasure, launching various attacks at the butcher. Five-colored lights flashed continuously, the booming sound like firecrackers, stirring up waves.
However, the butcher also began to counterattack, forming a thick whale armor on its surface, deflecting all attacks back, with heads protruding from its face and dozens of arms appearing, looking extremely ferocious.
Having lost Xu Hei's control, the butcher began acting on instinct, like a corpse puppet!
"Go all out!" Blood Vengeance shouted.
...
After several breaths of attack, the sky darkened.
Everyone's hearts tightened, quickly stopping their attacks, kneeling on the ground, bowing to the sky, "Greetings, Protector!"
In the dark sky, a pair of eyes like whirlpools appeared, scanning everyone, finally stopping on the butcher's broken body.
"Whoosh!" The butcher's figure flew into the sky, disappearing into the dark clouds.
Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
"Did you do this?" An icy voice came, like a ghost whispering.
Blood Vengeance and the others didn't dare to lie, quickly nodding, "Yes!"
////318/////
This man, as a steward, released all the slaves and fled amidst the chaos. We must pursue and kill him," Blood Vengeance explained.
A voice came from the shadows in the sky, "Indeed, you have done well!"
Hearing such praise, everyone felt a surge of joy, but the Demon Lord's tone suddenly turned sinister, "But unfortunately, you ruined my plans!"
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
"Ahhh!!"
The two people beside Blood Vengeance were instantly sucked into the dark clouds in the sky, grabbed by octopus-like tentacles. Soon after, their blood-curdling screams echoed, accompanied by the horrifying sounds of chewing, sending chills down everyone's spine.
Blood Vengeance and another cultivator dared not breathe, their bodies trembling like leaves, drenched in cold sweat.
Moments later, the chewing sounds ceased.
The butcher appeared once more, but now his body had two more human forms, the two who had just been devoured, with heads and limbs intact, grotesque and terrifying, like a fusion monster.
The butcher opened all his eyes, speaking in a chilling voice, "From now on, I am the Nightmare Demon Lord."
Dozens of mouths spoke simultaneously, creating an echo, mixed with the familiar voices of the two who had just died.
Blood Vengeance's eyes bulged, and the other person nearly fainted.
Previously, it hadn't seemed so terrifying, but under the influence of this horrifying scene, the sight before them was like a nightmare, completely shattering their psychological defenses.
"Ah!!"
Blood Vengeance fell into the sea, while the other late Core Formation stage cultivator flipped his eyelids and fainted.
The Nightmare Demon Lord in the sky had long disappeared, his whereabouts unknown.
...
On the calm sea, a serpentine sword light sped forward at an astonishing speed, reaching the level of an Elemental Infant.
Strangely, the sea surface where Xu Hei passed left not a ripple.
The sword's surface was covered with a blue leather armor, and the sea surface remained unchanged as if the sword was merely an illusion.
This was armor made by Hei Huang using eel skin, imbued with complex immortal patterns, allowing one to come and go without a trace, leaving no mark. The downside was that it consumed a great deal of true essence and was only effective in water.
Additionally, a magnet was attached to the middle of the sword, disrupting tracking.
Finally, a jade pendant hung from the sword's hilt, shielding it from celestial calculations.
With the combined support of these three magical treasures, it was virtually flawless, impossible to track.
"I've been fleeing for an hour, and the Nightmare Demon Lord still hasn't found me. This old dog's three-piece set really helped a lot!"
Xu Hei thought to himself.
However, Xu Hei felt he was still not out of danger. The opponent was a protector of the Demon Lord, not to be underestimated.
Xu Hei continued to accelerate, taking out refined heavy oil to quickly replenish his true essence.
Whether it was the Water Thunder Wings or the old dog's three-piece set, they were a huge burden on him, requiring him to stop occasionally to recover his strength before continuing to escape.
He wouldn't act lightly without adjusting to his best state, to avoid leaving any flaws during movement that the opponent might discover.
"Let's go!"
Once again, Xu Hei moved forward swiftly, leaving no ripples behind.
At this moment, twenty thousand miles behind Xu Hei, a Divine Sense capable of covering the ocean was probing the deep sea, searching for any clues.
An hour had passed since the Nightmare Demon Lord set out, yet he had found nothing.
"How can this be?"
The Nightmare Demon Lord's voice questioned.
In terms of tracking and enemy seeking, his ability was the best among the four protectors. Every time he set out to capture someone, he was the main force.
It was precisely his keen insight that ensured no one escaped.
But now, tracking a Core Formation cultivator had taken him a full hour with no progress. This was unprecedented.
"Strange, I clearly felt he was moving in this direction. Why hasn't he left any trace, not even a ripple?" The Nightmare Demon Lord's voice was puzzled.
His current form was no longer the dark sky but had become the butcher, each eye turning as he pondered.
He tried various methods, even using the Soul Chasing Compass, but to no avail. This not only didn't discourage him but made him even more excited.
"The East Sea is full of dangers. I don't believe you can maintain this state forever. There will be a moment of carelessness!"
The butcher's form flickered, continuing forward, the shadow in the sky moving with him, heading forward.
...
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed since Xu Hei's escape.
Xu Hei was certain he had left the Sea God Sect's territory, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles, yet he still didn't relax, maintaining his previous escape strategy.
Hiding himself, not acting rashly unless in peak condition.
He wouldn't leave even the slightest trace, perfecting every detail.
The only risk was that after moving for a while, he would stop to adjust his breath, during which some spiritual power fluctuations might occur.
Of course, such spiritual power fluctuations were common in the vast ocean.
Everywhere were demonic beasts cultivating, sea birds in the sky, fish demons underground, all capable of emitting spiritual power fluctuations. It was too common, and he didn't think the opponent would focus on such a flaw.
"Continue!"
Xu Hei took a deep breath, refining half a barrel of heavy oil, and sped towards Star Island.
This was indeed the case.
Initially, the Nightmare Demon Lord could barely discern, but now he had completely lost his bearings.
A day ago, he was already over a hundred thousand miles off from Xu Hei's true escape direction.
After three more fruitless days of pursuit, he had no choice but to give up.
"I'll remember you!"
The Nightmare Demon Lord's only clue now was the butcher, who was closely related to that person. Using this as a lead for celestial calculations might reveal a location.
But he wasn't skilled in this and needed to consult an expert.
...
A week later.
When a massive island appeared in Xu Hei's sight, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
One of the three major islands of the East Sea, Star Island, had finally arrived.
The power of Star Island was much stronger than Twin Islands. It's said that an ancient star fell, crashing into the ocean, and was lifted by a mighty force to form an island here.
Its area is more than ten times that of Twin Islands, making it the undisputed largest island in the East Sea.
It's said that even after a million years, Star Island still retains powerful star power, making it a holy land for artifact refining, pill refining, talisman crafting, and cultivation, attracting countless powerful cultivators.
The forces on the island are equally complex, with no clear island master to this day.
But one thing is certain, the Sea God Sect's influence definitely doesn't reach here.
No matter which side, they all eradicate evil faction cultivators.
To prevent the opponent from fishing, Xu Hei deliberately created a mirage of Star Island to deceive him. He even circled around, comparing it with surrounding scenic islands one by one.
He also sent out an External Incarnation to investigate, encountering fishing cultivators along the way.
Finally, he confirmed this was indeed Star Island.
The stone in Xu Hei's heart finally settled. A week of continuous high-speed travel, using several magical treasures simultaneously, had greatly drained his physical and mental energy.
Both physically and mentally, he was in an exhausted state, needing rest.
"How should I enter the island? In sword form or revert to a snake?" Xu Hei pondered.
At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly smelled a scent of blood.
Demonic beasts are extremely sensitive to the scent of blood, often sensing it from thousands of miles away. Xu Hei looked back and saw a massive ship approaching from afar, slowly heading towards the port.
The ship was covered with iron hooks, spears, cannons, and other heavy weapons, carrying a giant whale corpse.
The scent of blood wafted from the ship.
Xu Hei quickly determined it was a whaling ship.
"What a huge gun whale, its aura must be at the Demon Core Stage. The Whale Hunting Gang has returned fully loaded again!"
On a fishing boat, two fishermen sighed.
"Truly envious, when will we have such luck?"
"I remember a hundred years ago, every trip out to sea would catch a big whale, but now it's becoming rarer."
The two sighed.
Xu Hei frowned, suddenly finding the name Whale Hunting Gang somewhat familiar.
"Whale Hunting Gang? Where have I heard that before?"
Just as Xu Hei was pondering, a bald man flew from the whaling ship, holding a large machete, looking at Xu Hei in surprise, "Oh? There's actually a sword floating on the sea."
////319/////
At this moment, Xu Hei didn't hide himself, quietly floating on the sea surface, drifting with the waves.
The bald man showed a look of delight, leaping onto the sea and grabbing Xu Hei from a distance, without actually touching him.
"Wang Hu, you're really bold, daring to take something with an unknown origin. Aren't you afraid it might be something evil?" A middle-aged cultivator on the ship sneered.
"Haha, what's there to fear? At worst, I'll sprinkle it with black dog blood to drive away any evil," Wang Hu laughed heartily.
"Black dog blood, how about that black dog on Twin Islands?" the middle-aged cultivator joked.
"Screw you! Can we afford to mess with that?" Wang Hu cursed.
Wang Hu grabbed Xu Hei from a distance, returned to the whaling ship, and placed him on the ground.
"Master Li, can you see if this thing is useful?" Wang Hu asked.
An elderly man walked over, his hair white as a crane's feathers, his clothes spotless, adorned with ink paintings of landscapes, typical of Penglai Island's style.
Master Li stared at Xu Hei, observed for a moment, then calculated with his fingers, shaking his head, "I can't figure it out, but this thing has considerable power; it's a good sword!"
Wang Hu nodded, tried to put Xu Hei into a storage bag, but couldn't, so he picked him up and sealed him in a room, planning to deal with it after returning to the gang.
Xu Hei had no particular thoughts, just wanted to hitch a ride to avoid any inspections, which were quite bothersome.
He had calculated the cultivators on this ship: two at the early Core Formation stage, two at the mid-stage, and the rest were Foundation Establishment cultivators, none of whom posed a threat to him.
However, the fact that they managed to kill a gun whale at the early stage of the demon core was truly unexpected; they must have special means to deal with large demonic beasts.
It's known that the strength of whale-type demonic beasts can't be measured by cultivation level; a whale at the early stage of the demon core can easily crush a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, surpassing levels as easily as eating or drinking.
The various weapons installed on this ship must be their method of hunting.
Xu Hei took out a Divine Pill, which was absorbed into the sword tip upon contact, and he fully refined it, waiting quietly to dock.
...
Before long, the whaling ship slowly entered the port.
Along the way, a formation's light circle scanned the ship, and two cultivators came to inspect, but upon recognizing it as a Whale Hunting Gang's ship, they let it pass without hindrance.
The Whale Hunting Gang held considerable influence on Star Island.
An hour later, the ship docked smoothly, and Xu Hei had finished refining the pill, his spiritual power significantly restored.
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
With a thought, Xu Hei broke free from the seal, creating a hole in the floor, planning to sneak into Star Island.
The reason for choosing this place to cultivate in seclusion was simple: Xu Hei feared being captured by the Sea God Sect.
He didn't want to randomly find a place in the sea to cultivate in seclusion, only to be discovered. Although he believed he handled things well, why choose a risky place when there's a safe one?
Xu Hei passed through the floor, arriving in the lower cabin.
This was where whale carcasses were stored, emitting a strong bloody smell. Xu Hei's divine sense swept over the whale corpse; the demon core had been extracted, and the whale's surface bore various wounds, with a large blood hole in the abdomen, piercing from the front to the back, likely the fatal wound.
Inside the whale's belly was a newly formed baby whale, already lifeless.
Xu Hei felt a sudden surge of melancholy, but he didn't dare linger, quickly scanning and preparing to leave.
Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped in his tracks.
He discovered a hidden door beneath the whale's corpse, leading to a large room from which faint cries for help emanated.
These distress signals were inaudible to humans, only detectable by a demonic beast like him.
Xu Hei was reluctant to save anyone, as they were unrelated to him, so why bother? But among these signals was a familiar voice he had definitely heard before.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered, and he immediately applied an Invisibility Talisman. After donning the old dog's three-piece set, he flashed to the hidden door and slipped inside.
The hidden door was sealed with a formation, but under the sixth level of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, the formation was like walking on flat ground, and Xu Hei easily flew in.
The Black Dragon Sword entered the room, and he saw a giant water tank, vast in area, containing various fish-type demonic beasts separated by nets.
Sea snakes, moray eels, dolphins, squids... all sorts of sea beasts were present.
"Boqi?"
Xu Hei's gaze locked onto a dolphin, none other than Boqi, the sister of Bopu from the Dolphin Clan.
At this moment, Boqi's fins were bound by chains, unable to move, only able to emit "ee-ya ee-ya" cries for help from her mouth, beyond the frequency humans could perceive, audible only to her kind.
Besides Boqi, Xu Hei also recognized an acquaintance, slender with silver stripes, it was Hai Meng.
Hai Meng was confined with a group of sea snakes, also sending out distress signals, but the signals were blocked by the formation, barely transmitting through the walls.
If Xu Hei hadn't passed by the whale's corpse and happened upon the hidden door, he wouldn't have heard these faint sounds.
Xu Hei harbored deep hatred for Hai Meng, as she had repeatedly tried to harm him. Unexpectedly, she had been captured by humans.
However, Xu Hei was also puzzled; both Hai Meng and Boqi had significant backgrounds, so how did they end up in human hands?
At this moment, footsteps approached from outside the hidden door. Xu Hei swiftly moved to the back of the large water tank, hiding himself. Although he had applied an Invisibility Talisman, he remained cautious.
Moments later, the bald man, accompanied by a wealthy merchant with a greasy face, approached the whale's corpse. The merchant was dressed in luxurious attire, adorned with defensive magical artifacts, clearly a man of wealth.
"A gun whale, early stage of the demon core, with a 93% intact body, not bad, not bad. I'll offer 380,000 Spirit Stones for it, how about that?"
The merchant's laughter echoed from outside.
Xu Hei, hiding inside the hidden door, could clearly hear the conversation outside.
Such an astonishing price made Xu Hei gasp; catching a whale was indeed so valuable, no wonder it attracted so many.
"Haha, of course, we at the Whale Hunting Gang have been doing business with Boss Liu for years, the price is fair. However, I also have some private goods..."
The bald man lowered his voice, and Xu Hei couldn't hear the rest.
"Oh? Show me!" Boss Liu said seriously.
At this moment, the hidden door opened, and three people walked in.
Boss Liu was the wealthy merchant, accompanied by the bald man and a one-eyed elder, all three at the mid-stage Core Formation.
"Oh? Just these?"
Boss Liu glanced at Boqi and the other sea beasts, showing a puzzled expression.
Although these sea beasts had considerable cultivation, with two even reaching the mid-stage of the demon core, their value couldn't compare to the whale, not even a third.
He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"Haha, Boss Liu might not know, but these sea beasts have significant backgrounds!"
The bald man lowered his voice, smiling, "In fact, these two sea beasts are new disciples recruited by the Penglai Sea."
He pointed at Boqi and Hai Meng, a look of pride flashing in his eyes.
Boss Liu's eyes immediately brightened.
Disciples of the Penglai Sea, with such a status, the nature of the matter was entirely different.
Not to mention other uses, just taking them out to demand ransom from the Penglai Sea would yield a huge profit.
That's just the most basic approach.
A more advanced method would be to imprint their souls and refine them into beast slaves. With the talents of these two demonic beasts, they could potentially reach the late stage of the demon core in the future, naturally increasing their value several times over!
Moreover, they were both females with excellent bloodlines, making them ideal for breeding, producing outstanding demonic beasts in quantity.
This is the qualitative change brought by talent, entirely different from the value of wild demonic beasts.