Chapter 26 - ch 320-29

"Words alone aren't enough; you'll need to provide some evidence."

Boss Liu's eyes flickered slightly as he spoke with a smile.

"Isn't that simple?"

The bald man clapped his hands.

In an instant, streams of electricity surged from the water tank, converging into countless dazzling bolts of lightning, crackling as they shot towards Boqi and Hai Meng.

Such lightning could easily penetrate a mid-stage demon core Sea Beast.

Boqi and Hai Meng's expressions changed drastically. Boqi spat out a stream of bubbles, blocking the electricity, while Hai Meng's tail whipped up a whirlwind to resist.

These were immortal spells from the Penglai Sea!

But they couldn't hold out for long, and soon both were scorched and blackened by the electricity.

Immediately after, countless flying needles shot out, piercing their bodies and drawing blood, staining the seawater red.

"That's enough!" Boss Liu raised his hand.

"Stop!"

The bald man quickly gestured, and the killing formation in the water tank ceased its attack. The two Sea Beasts were already covered in wounds, barely clinging to life.

The evidence was undeniable; the talents of these two Sea Beasts far surpassed ordinary Demonic Beasts and were invaluable.

"You Whale Hunting Gang sure have guts, daring to capture the Chosen of the Penglai Sea."

Boss Liu chuckled.

"Ah! Business is tough, so we had to take risks. How about it? Are they worth as much as that whale?" The bald man laughed.

"Of course they are."

Boss Liu beamed, his heart overjoyed.

He pondered what price would be reasonable, given that these two Demonic Beasts were unique, with no market price for reference. Although similar goods had appeared before, the price varied each year.

Especially in recent years, as Sea Beasts became scarce, prices kept rising, and demand exceeded supply. Patrons eagerly sought such treasures to heat up the market.

"So, what price does Boss Liu intend to offer?" the one-eyed elder asked solemnly.

"Well..." Boss Liu was about to speak.

Suddenly, a cold voice came from the shadows.

"How about your life as payment?"

The voice was chilling, and as it appeared, the three men simultaneously stepped back, their eyes locking onto a corner behind the water tank.

There, a sword light flashed like lightning, arriving in an instant.

It was too fast; this was Xu Hei's Ever-changing Fish and Dragon at full speed. Almost as soon as the three reacted, the sword light was upon them, and the bald man was killed instantly, his head pierced by the sword.

The one-eyed elder quickly distanced himself, and Boss Liu reacted swiftly, summoning a gourd.

"Slash!"

Xu Hei's figure flickered, the sword light made an incredible sharp turn, and in an instant, it slashed at the one-eyed elder, severing his arm. Blood gushed out, but he didn't even flinch. He formed a seal with his hand, and the Restriction Formation on the ship immediately emerged, enveloping everything.

Xu Hei felt an immense pressure, as if he had fallen into the abyss of an oil well, constantly being pulled.

"A Flying Sword?"

The one-eyed elder squinted, sensing no other life forms through the formation, only the sword.

Could it be that the Sea Beasts in the water tank were controlling it?

This sword was something Wang Hu picked up along the way. It was indeed suspicious! If Wang Hu weren't already dead, he would even suspect Wang Hu of being a spy, deliberately bringing such a thing back.

"Capture!"

Boss Liu took out a gourd, and the moment Wang Hu died, he had already summoned it, aiming it at Xu Hei and sucking forcefully.

This gourd was a top-tier third-grade Magical Treasure, highly effective against Flying Swords, known as the Sword-Swallowing Gourd.

Under the combined pressure of the formation and the Magical Treasure, Xu Hei's movements were hindered, his speed greatly reduced, and he was even being pulled back, about to be sucked into the gourd.

With Xu Hei's current strength, if fully prepared, he could definitely contend with someone at the late Core Formation stage.

But this was the opponent's territory, and he was outnumbered. Xu Hei had been on the run, with no preparation, at a disadvantage in every aspect.

Moreover, the cultivators before him were battle-hardened and experienced. Except for the bald man who was killed instantly, the other two were clearly ruthless, showing no remorse for their fallen comrade, only cold, absolute calm.

"Absolute Forbidden Domain!"

The one-eyed elder formed a seal with one hand, and the formation transformed instantly, increasing the pressure in the air. This was a Forbidden Space Formation.

At the same time, footsteps could be heard outside the cabin, indicating that the other crew members had heard the call and were coming to assist.

"Do you think you can stop me?"

Xu Hei's eyes were cold as his body expanded. The Diamond Suppression Technique was fully activated, compressing his true essence to the limit, and in the next second, it exploded.

"Boom!!"

Xu Hei's body shattered, splitting in two, and an unformed sword embryo flew out. At the same time, Xu Hei's true form detached from the Black Dragon Sword, transforming into a serpentine shape.

Initially only three meters long, it rapidly expanded at a terrifying speed into an eighteen-meter-long horned serpent.

"What?!"

Both men were shocked.

A snake hidden within a sword? What kind of absurd trick was this?

They had lived most of their lives and had never heard of such a bizarre occurrence. Today was an eye-opener. Not only them, but the Sea Beasts imprisoned in the back were also dumbfounded.

But the two men had excellent psychological resilience and adaptability! Especially Boss Liu, who, upon seeing the Flying Sword turn into a snake, merely narrowed his eyes before quickly putting away the Sword-Swallowing Gourd and taking out a flute, ready to play it.

The flute was snake-shaped, containing a strong bloodline suppression, clearly a Magical Treasure designed to counter Snake Demons!

Xu Hei, however, paid no heed, his figure flickered as he charged at the one-eyed elder, aiming to eliminate one opponent first to reduce the pressure of the battle.

"Ten Thousand Poison Gourd!"

Xu Hei opened his mouth and spat, shooting out a toxic arrow, formed from the poison of the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.

The one-eyed elder summoned a mirror, and his form was immediately refracted into countless duplicates, his true body hidden. The toxic arrow lost its target.

"Explode!" Xu Hei uttered a low command.

"Boom!!"

The toxic arrow exploded, and the purple-black mist spread instantly, corroding the countless duplicates of the one-eyed elder. One of them spat blood, his entire body turning black as his life force rapidly dwindled.

Originally, Xu Hei dared not use this poison lightly, as it could affect others, harming both enemy and self. But after being refined by the Demon God Cauldron and fused with heavy oil, he gained control, able to wield it perfectly.

With a thought, Xu Hei gathered the toxic mist, concentrating it on the only wounded elder.

The one-eyed elder was decisive, immediately detonating half of his body. Using the burst of blood light, his remaining upper body soared into the air, avoiding the toxic mist, and shot towards the exit like an arrow, while the formation pressed down at full speed.

Simultaneously, Boss Liu's flute sounded, emitting a series of distorted notes that could shatter one's mind, especially effective against sea Demonic Beasts.

"Be careful, that's the Sea Demon Flute!" Boqi exclaimed.

The Sea Demon Flute, containing the blood of an ancient beast, once played, would unleash the full might of ancient pressure, rendering Demonic Beasts almost powerless, stripping them of their resistance!

At this moment, Xu Hei showed no fear, sinking his breath into his Dantian, opening his mouth wide, and letting out a roar.

Dragon Shatter Roar!

////321///

"Roar!!!"

Xu Hei unleashed his full cultivation power, the terrifying true essence within his demon core forming waves that surged forward, obliterating the flute sound into nothingness.

Behind him, a massive dragon's phantom appeared, roaring in unison, shaking the heavens and earth.

The oppressive aura from a drop of ancient beast's bloodline was like child's play in the face of the dragon's roar, utterly insignificant!

"How is this possible!?"

Boss Liu exclaimed in shock, suffering a backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying, crashing into the wall, his expression filled with terror.

The one-eyed elder, who was about to escape to the exit, had his eyes bulge out, blood streaming from his orifices, letting out a miserable scream as he fell to the ground, even his Divine Sense forcibly shattered, dying instantly!

He was roared to death!

Xu Hei's Dragon Shatter Roar had unknowingly reached the second level, the soul-shattering realm.

At this moment, the Dragon Shatter Roar not only controlled but also possessed the power to shatter souls.

The imprisoned sea beasts erupted in cheers, shouting excitedly, rallying for Xu Hei.

Boqi was so moved that tears flowed, muttering repeatedly, "Someone's come to save me, someone's come to save me... no, a snake's come to save me."

The barely alive Hai Meng lifted her head, looking at the tall and imposing figure, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Especially after hearing that deafening dragon roar, her heart trembled violently, time seemingly frozen at this moment.

"How is it him?"

"That sound is... a dragon's roar?"

In Hai Meng's heart, there had always been a belief—Her brother was invincible, destined to become a Flood Dragon, a king of his generation, ruling over all sea creatures, unmatched.

This belief had been ingrained in her since birth, when Hai Teng defeated a Golden Eagle to protect her, and it had stayed with her ever since.

Later, when Hai Teng outshone all others and entered the Penglai Sea, becoming the first Chosen of the Sea Serpent Clan, Hai Meng's belief only grew stronger.

It was like a brand, etched in her heart.

But ever since Xu Hei appeared, shattering the invincible image of her brother in her mind, her world had collapsed.

Thus, she harbored resentment, wanting to take revenge on Xu Hei, and to restore her brother's image, she even deceived herself into believing Xu Hei's victory was unworthy, his methods despicable.

Until the scene before her eyes appeared, completely overturning her beliefs.

Her dreams seemed to return to the moment she was born, when Hai Teng battled a Golden Eagle to protect her, slaying a great demon in the form of a young serpent.

Now, the dream reappeared, only Hai Teng was replaced by Xu Hei.

"Friend, let's talk this out, it's all a misunderstanding!"

Boss Liu's expression changed drastically. When his Sea Demon Flute failed, he knew this snake was not something he could contend with.

Xu Hei's gaze was icy as he said, "I know it's a misunderstanding. I only have a grudge with the Whale Hunting Gang, it has nothing to do with you, now get lost!"

"Yes!"

Boss Liu quickly cupped his fists and turned to flee.

But just as he turned around.

Xu Hei opened his mouth, shooting a poisonous arrow that turned into a purple streak, piercing towards Boss Liu's back.

Boss Liu clearly didn't expect a demonic beast to use deceit. But as he turned, he also produced a handful of throwing knives, flicking his wrist to release them, the knives shooting towards the sea beasts in the water tanks.

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Both acted almost simultaneously, without delay!

This man was extremely cunning and clever, suspecting that Xu Hei had infiltrated to rescue these sea beasts.

Thus, he had a plan, attacking the sea beasts as he turned, forcing Xu Hei to save them, giving him a chance to escape, all in one go.

But he miscalculated, Xu Hei had no intention of letting him go, and seized the moment he turned to take his life!

"Friend, it's a misunderstanding!"

"Too late!"

Boss Liu let out a wretched scream, Xu Hei's gaze icy cold, as a black phantom flew from his body, also using Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, intercepting all the flying knives.

It was Ji Ying, the Corpse Beetle!

"Thud!"

The purple poison arrow pierced Boss Liu's back, the light of the magical treasure on him flickering, trying to resist, but Xu Hei's venom, derived from sea serpent poison and enhanced with heavy oil, was not something a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator could withstand.

In an instant, Boss Liu's back melted away, leaving a large hole, his body turning pitch black, blood streaming from his orifices, spewing black blood.

He had already reached the exit, collapsing at the doorway.

"Boss Liu!"

Outside, cries of shock rang out, all the crew members staring wide-eyed, filled with disbelief.

From the moment they received the enemy attack signal to rushing to support, it had only been a few breaths of time, how had they all died?

The bald man was dead, the one-eyed elder was dead, even their major patron Boss Liu was dead.

Such a horrifying scene before them was like a bolt from the blue, leaving them stunned, at a loss for what to do.

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"Quick! Run!"

"Go call the boss!"

"Boss Liu is dead too, something big has happened!"

The crew scattered in panic, Xu Hei glanced around, seeing two at the early Core Formation stage, the rest at the Foundation Establishment Stage, he instructed Ji Ying, "Kill, leave no one alive!"

Ji Ying let out excited cries, she hadn't been out for a walk in a long time, trapped in the Black Dragon Sword for three months, and now, just as she appeared, her annoying master had sent her to block knives, which had filled her with resentment.

Now, her master was finally doing something right, letting her have a feast, and that was the happiest thing.

"Buzz!"

Ji Ying's form flickered continuously, rushing out of the cabin, charging into the crowd, her sharp mandibles like sawteeth, instantly devouring a person's head.

Then, she burrowed into another's ear, and the person fell to the ground without warning, eyes bulging, dying in convulsions.

...

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xu Hei sent out the Blood Killing Sword, cutting through the seals on the water tanks, dismantling all the chains.

At the same time, he released healing pills, handing them to Boqi, instructing her to take them.

"Thank you, thank you!"

Boqi repeatedly expressed her gratitude, taking the pills and quickly refining them to heal her injuries.

Hai Meng, also severely injured, glanced with envy but said nothing, only bowing her head and saying, "Thank you!"

Xu Hei originally intended to kill her, but hesitated for a moment and refrained.

He already had enough enemies, adding the Sea Serpent Clan was unnecessary, and besides, the Whale Hunting Gang needed an opponent to restrain them.

"I didn't plan to save you, get lost and don't appear before me again!"

Xu Hei coldly left a remark, collecting the corpses of the group, along with their storage bags.

Boss Liu, in addition to a storage bag, surprisingly had a storage ring, with a layer of golden Restriction on it. Xu Hei touched it, recoiling as if electrocuted, a serious look flashing in his eyes.

"I can't take this storage ring!" Xu Hei thought to himself.

The owner of this golden Restriction must have reached the Elemental Infant stage, and not an ordinary one. Xu Hei didn't want to be hunted down again.

///322////

Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he layered multiple flight formations onto the storage ring. After compressing them, he concentrated the power at one end of the ring, creating a thrust.

Then, he split off an external incarnation, took the storage ring, and flew out of the cabin to the deck, tossing it into the distance.

"Whoosh!"

The storage ring transformed into a streak of blue light, flying far away and quickly disappearing beyond the sea's horizon.

"If they want to chase, let them chase as far as they can," Xu Hei thought to himself.

At this moment, people were gathering on the coast, likely drawn by the commotion. In the distant city, figures flickered, and powerful auras were approaching.

Xu Hei returned to the cabin and carved out a large pit at the bottom. Without anyone to control it, the formation there was easily dismantled by Xu Hei.

"Crash!"

Seawater rushed into the cabin, and the whaling ship began to sink.

The captured sea beasts rushed out through the breach, returning to the ocean. Even the dead whale was thrown into the sea by Xu Hei, with a propulsion formation attached to it, pushing it as far as possible.

Dying in the sea was better than being captured by humans; at least it could sustain some marine life.

Xu Hei didn't know when he developed such thoughts, nor was he clear about his motives. He just felt like doing it and did it without any particular reason.

Seeing the pregnant mother whale killed stirred an inexplicable anger in him, anger towards the Whale Hunting Gang.

And seeing the evil faction raising Ghost Infants, thinking of the methods used to refine them, he felt the same anger.

Such emotions were almost impossible for the old Xu Hei to experience.

Xu Hei took a deep breath. He knew that having emotions wasn't necessarily beneficial for survival, but without emotions, being perpetually rational and calm, how would he be different from a withered tree?

Even a sword has its own spirit!

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Xu Hei suppressed the distracting thoughts in his heart.

What Xu Hei didn't realize was that during this process, his second dragon vein had unknowingly loosened a bit, something even he hadn't noticed.

Before long, Ji Ying returned, covered in blood and looking plumper, with excitement gleaming in her compound eyes.

Not only did she devour all the crew on the ship, but she also stormed into the dock and consumed everyone from the Whale Hunting Gang on the shore.

It was the most satisfying feast she had ever had, and her intelligence had grown significantly.

"Retreat!" Xu Hei commanded.

Ji Ying automatically flew back to the gap between his dragon scales. Just as Xu Hei submerged into the water, a loud shout came from afar: "The one who slaughtered my Whale Hunting Gang's ship, trying to escape?!"

"Stay here!"

From a great distance, a massive hand reached out, tearing through the air, locking onto Xu Hei, and crashing down on him.

Xu Hei's face darkened. He unleashed the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique fully, while activating the Water Thunder Wings, speeding away at a pace comparable to the Elemental Infant stage, narrowly avoiding the fierce strike.

"Boom!!!"

The hand struck the sea surface, raising towering waves. The spray turned into ice spikes mid-air, shooting towards Xu Hei in the sea, completely locking onto him.

Though Xu Hei dodged the initial attack, he was still caught by the aftermath, flung forward into the deep sea.

The ice spikes relentlessly pursued him, aiming for his back. As soon as he entered the sea, a large area of water froze, drastically reducing his speed.

"Great Perfection of the Golden Core!"

Sensing the aura of the pursuer behind him, Xu Hei's expression turned grim.

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If he were at his peak, he could easily shake off this person. But after a long journey and a fierce battle, he was exhausted, his speed significantly reduced, leaving him with no choice but to gamble.

Xu Hei quickly swallowed a pill, flicked his tail, and activated his entire body, surging forward in an instant.

The other sea beasts also rushed out, scattering in different directions, but the pursuer seemed solely focused on Xu Hei, targeting only him.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, Hai Meng's voice rang out, rising from the sea, spitting out a token that floated in front.

She spoke in human language, heard by all the nearby cultivators, who turned to look.

"I am Hai Meng of the Sea Serpent lineage in the Penglai Sea. If you dare kill me, word will spread, and the Sea Serpent lineage will annihilate your entire Whale Hunting Gang!" Hai Meng shouted.

At this moment, she was severely injured, on the brink of death, yet she bravely hovered in the air, relying on her last bit of mental willpower to confront the Great Perfection Golden Core cultivator.

This was a high-stakes gamble!

She was betting that the opponent wouldn't dare kill her! Killing her would invite endless retaliation, making it impossible to fish at sea again!

"I am Boqi of the Penglai Sea. If you dare kill me, your Whale Hunting Gang will be wiped out."

Boqi also flew up, mimicking her stance, repeating her words.

The actions of the two demons undoubtedly had a deterrent effect.

The Penglai Sea gathered the most elite demonic beast groups of the East Sea. Each one that emerged was an elite, ranking among the top in combat power, all with sect inheritances.

They weren't wild sea beasts; they had solid backing.

Even if the Whale Hunting Gang captured them, they could only sell them secretly, hidden in dark rooms with sealing formations, never daring to sell them openly.

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Despite her words, Hai Meng was internally anxious. If it were Hai Teng, he would naturally have the authority to say such things, but she was just a newcomer, and the Sea Serpent lineage might not care about her fate.

But thinking of her brother, she mustered her courage. Even if the Sea Serpent lineage didn't care, her brother surely would!

The man on the shore halted, squinting at Hai Meng and Boqi.

"Move aside! I have no interest in you two. My target is only that big snake. Don't be foolish!"

The man was bare-chested, adorned with sea beast tooth jewelry, wearing leather pants, his muscles exposed and gleaming with a bronze sheen. His face had gills like a shark, allowing him to survive underwater for long periods.

This man was the leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai.

He was also Ye Kong's father.

Xu Hei glanced at the man's appearance, finally recalling why the Whale Hunting Gang sounded so familiar. It turned out to be the faction Ye Kong belonged to, previously mentioned by the Nightmare Demon Lord.

Members of the Sea God Sect were originally from various sects and forces, coming from all over, a true hodgepodge.

"Don't even think about it! If you dare, step over my dead body!"

Hai Meng shouted, blocking the way.

Boqi also blocked the path, shouting, "Step over my dead body too!"

"You think I don't dare?"

Ye Hai stepped on the sea surface, his eyes turning azure. In an instant, the seawater froze layer by layer, transforming into a frozen world.

Before Hai Meng and Boqi could react, their bodies were frozen, turned into ice sculptures.

Ye Hai hadn't used his full strength. Though he stayed on Star Island, unafraid of demonic beast retaliation, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, using only half his power.

However, in those few moments, Xu Hei had already escaped to the edge of sight.

Ye Hai's gaze turned cold. Just as he was about to pursue, he saw the space where Xu Hei was suddenly twist, and in an instant, he vanished without a trace.

It was the fluctuation of a Small Teleportation Talisman!

"Escaped?"

Ye Hai's expression changed. He leaped into the air, with a few strides reaching the spot where Xu Hei disappeared, thoroughly investigating inside and out, but found no clues except for lingering spatial fluctuations.

Even after scanning the area for hundreds of miles with his Divine Sense, there was still no trace.

////323////

"Just a Small Teleportation Talisman, and it disappeared just like that?" Ye Hai's face was ashen.

Unwilling to give up, Ye Hai thought that a Small Teleportation Talisman couldn't have moved someone too far, so it might still be nearby.

He immediately began searching the sea surface, taking out a device resembling a detector to meticulously scan every inch beneath the water, leaving no corner unchecked.

...

On Star Island, in a secluded alley.

A rift suddenly appeared in mid-air, and a shadow of a snake fell from it, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.

The fallen snake, covered in black and gold dragon scales with a single horn on its head, was none other than Xu Hei.

Fortunately, this place was remote, and Xu Hei's appearance didn't attract any attention.

After surveying his surroundings, Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, and his expression turned peculiar.

"I actually returned to Star Island?"

Xu Hei realized that his Small Teleportation Talisman seemed to randomly transport him in any direction, unable to specify a location, so appearing on the island wasn't surprising.

However, as long as the displacement was far enough, that person wouldn't be able to find him.

Xu Hei's muscles contracted, and his massive body shrank to about two meters. Being too large would attract attention, making it unsuitable for hiding in a human city.

Star Island was vast, with complex forces interwoven, and the Whale Hunting Gang was just one of them, occupying a small territory.

As long as Xu Hei didn't have the bad luck of landing on someone else's turf, he should be fine.

There was no one around, but on the precious land of Star Island, every piece of land had an owner, and to settle down, one had to pay to buy it.

Xu Hei found an empty pavilion, sneaked inside, dug a hole underground, and set up a simple shielding Formation to hide himself.

Then, he took a Pill and focused on recuperating.What he needed to do now was to restore his combat power as quickly as possible and buy a place to live on Star Island.

Then, he would go into seclusion to break through to the mid-stage Core Formation.

After a battle, Xu Hei's cultivation had loosened again, and he could break through at any time, just lacking a suitable Cave Dwelling.

...

Time slowly passed.

The incident with the Whale Hunting Gang caused quite a stir on Star Island. A whaling ship was sunk by a snake, and a dozen crew members were slaughtered cleanly.

This alarmed various parties, and the gang leader, Ye Hai, was furious, posting images of the horned serpent everywhere, vowing to find Xu Hei and skin him alive.

A heavy reward was offered for anyone who spotted the snake.

In less than a day, the island was plastered with bounty notices.

Bounty orders usually targeted pirates or evil cultivators, but a bounty for a snake was unprecedented.

The Whale Hunting Gang didn't have such influence, indicating that higher-ups had given instructions.

It was said that a certain high-ranking individual had gone out for a day to track something and returned with some injuries, looking quite disheveled after many hardships.

Of course, Xu Hei knew nothing about this. Even if he did, he wouldn't care. Being wanted was nothing new to him; back in the Chu Kingdom, he had been wanted countless times.

If he wasn't wanted, he would feel embarrassed to be in the mix.

At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding ten meters underground in a pavilion of the Melodic Sect, in seclusion and recuperating.

...

Three days later.

Xu Hei opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them. His cultivation had reached the threshold of the early Core Formation stage.

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Xu Hei exhaled a breath of turbid air, thinking to himself, "I'm just a step away from the mid-stage Core Formation, and I can break through at any moment!"

During these three days of seclusion, Xu Hei had fully absorbed his previous gains.

To his surprise, not only had his cultivation reached the threshold, but his second Dragon Vein had also advanced rapidly, opening up more than halfway.

This was an unexpected joy.

It should be noted that during his two-plus months in the Sea God Sect, the second Dragon Vein had shown no signs of progress. It was only after rescuing a group of Sea Beasts that the Dragon Vein began to loosen.

Initially, even Xu Hei himself hadn't noticed, but now the change was evident.

The changes brought by the Dragon Vein were different from cultivation; it greatly enhanced Xu Hei's ability to utilize his cultivation techniques.

Currently, Xu Hei practiced three cultivation techniques, with the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon as the core, running through his entire body.

The second was the Puppet Mechanism Technique, used to control the butcher.

The third was the White Emperor Inheritance, the Diamond Suppression Technique.

Especially the Diamond Suppression Technique, which had a high upper limit. If fully activated, its power could be described as world-shattering, beyond what ordinary meridians could bear, and would directly burst open, only the Dragon Vein could withstand it.

The more Dragon Veins, the stronger the power of this technique, directly increasing Xu Hei's combat power limit.

A cultivator's combat power is not a fixed value; having or not having a Magical Treasure, one's true essence, state, and whether they are in a favorable terrain or environment all have a significant impact.

For example, in the oil well, Xu Hei faced Hou Siping, a late Core Formation stage slave with nothing but meager true essence and a pitiful killing Formation.

Hou Siping's displayed combat power was similar to that of the one-eyed elder, not even as good as Boss Liu.

Boss Liu, though mid-stage Core Formation, was experienced, with many Magical Treasures, having countermeasures against both Flying Swords and Snake Demons.

If it weren't for Xu Hei's Dragon Shatter Roar being so heaven-defying, directly disabling the Sea Demon Flute, Xu Hei would have suffered greatly.

Similarly, Ye Hai, at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, posed far less of a threat to Xu Hei than Qin Xuanji.

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Qin Xuanji, an Extreme Realm cultivator of the Core Formation stage, was so strong that Xu Hei had no concept of his power, only knowing that he alone was equivalent to an army.

Xu Hei's mind recalled the various cultivators he had encountered, and his desire for power grew stronger.

Power, ultimately, is power!

If he could break through to the mid-stage Core Formation and open up the second Dragon Vein, Xu Hei was confident he could fight against an average Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.

Of course, excluding someone like Qin Xuanji.

Unknowingly, the Zhou Family's ancestor, Zhou Qing, who had once chased Xu Hei into a corner, was no longer a concern for him.

"First, go out and buy a residence."

Xu Hei took out a puppet, a passerby he had brought from the mainland, whose name and origin he had forgotten, the body already rotting, with a square face, large forehead, squinty eyes, and a greasy middle-aged appearance, just barely usable.

Just then, two figures appeared in the distance, approaching the pavilion, a man and a woman.

The man was unremarkable, while the woman was charming and alluring, with a graceful figure, a rare beauty by human standards, both at the Foundation Establishment stage.

On Star Island, Foundation Establishment cultivators and late-stage Qi Refining cultivators were the most common.

With Xu Hei's current cultivation, even if he stood in front of these two, they wouldn't notice him.

"Why not kill these two and take their Cave Dwelling?"

Xu Hei's eyes flashed, but he dismissed the idea. He had just arrived and didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, not knowing which force's territory this was.

Judging by the woman's attire, she seemed to be a disciple of some sect, with a pattern of zither strings and bamboo forest, and the words "Melodic Sect" on it.

The man's origin was unknown, dressed in black and masked, as if he was about to do something shady.

Xu Hei didn't plan to interfere, just as he was about to leave.

The two embraced in front of Xu Hei, and as soon as they entered, they began undressing, engaging in some indescribable actions.

"Hmm?"

Xu Hei squinted his eyes. What was going on? How did it escalate to this?

Such a scene, Xu Hei had only witnessed once in the Purple Mist Sect, and now it was the second time. The man was sneaky, fully disguised, and even set up a Restriction at the door.

Xu Hei immediately thought of two words—an affair.

Cultivators couldn't do without wealth, companions, methods, and land, so this was common. Xu Hei pondered for a moment, deciding to observe from a learning perspective, thinking it wouldn't take too long, at most...

Just as Xu Hei silently counted to five seconds in his mind, the man had already finished.

////324////

"So fast?" Xu Hei was taken aback.

At this moment, the man was panting heavily, his steps unsteady.

"Did you get in?" the alluring woman asked.

"..." The man remained silent.

The atmosphere in the pavilion was somewhat tense.

"I've been... not in the best state recently, but this is definitely not my true level," the man suddenly said.

The alluring woman immediately raised her eyebrows, teasingly saying, "I went through so much trouble to bring you in, and this is all you can do? What a waste of my expression!"

The man gritted his teeth and said, "Who knew that the disciples of the Melodic Sect, who seem so pure and innocent on the surface, could be so skilled in private? Who could withstand that?"

"I don't care. If you don't satisfy me, I'll report you immediately!" the alluring woman threatened.

The man shivered at the thought. If he were caught in the Melodic Sect, he'd surely be skinned alive.

He steeled himself and swallowed a red pill, his body immediately heating up, ready to go again.

Xu Hei shook his head, not intending to watch the scene unfold. There was nothing worth seeing, just the usual.

He was about to leave when suddenly a sharp, piercing scream erupted from the pavilion.

"Ah!!"

The man's entire body turned pale, trembling, as his life force rapidly drained away, being absorbed by the woman.

The alluring woman's skin became even more radiant and her cheeks flushed. She giggled, "Is this your true level? I really like it!"

The male cultivator wanted to speak but couldn't utter a word. His eyes rolled back, foam at his mouth, convulsing as his body visibly withered.

In just a few breaths, the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator turned into a dried corpse.

But it wasn't over; even the corpse shrank, rapidly diminishing, with the bones being absorbed.

In just about ten breaths, the man had vanished, leaving only a storage bag and an empty robe.

A living person, gone in ten breaths.

"Hiss!" Xu Hei gasped.

What the hell just happened? In the blink of an eye, he was gone!

From their conversation, this woman was a disciple of the Melodic Sect, not an evil faction cultivator. How could she have such a technique? Absorbing life force, this was clearly a demonic art!

"This Star Island isn't as peaceful as it seems," Xu Hei thought to himself.

Xu Hei had the ability to discern people, and this woman was clearly unrelated to the Sea God Sect, purely cultivating this demonic art on her own.

Evil cultivators were everywhere, on the sea and on the mainland, nothing surprising.

Of course, what people called evil cultivators was just a human-defined term. From Xu Hei's perspective, from a demonic beast's point of view, wasn't the Whale Hunting Gang also evil?

Fighting against the heavens, battling the earth, plundering all beings, Xu Hei had already seen through the essence during his enlightenment in Wuyou City.

Even Xu Hei himself could be defined as an evil cultivator, just by creating the butcher, a man-eating monster, he couldn't be more evil!

However, Xu Hei had his own bottom line.

The alluring woman stretched lazily, licked her lips, and walked out of the pavilion with cat-like steps, planning to find her next prey. Unknowingly, her appearance became even younger, and her cultivation level increased.

Xu Hei stuck to his original plan, not intending to get involved.

He took out a decoy, placed his true self into a cloth bag, and with a few flashes, left the area.

Not long after Xu Hei left, about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.

The alluring woman suddenly returned, landing back in the pavilion.

She sank into the ground, arriving at the place where Xu Hei had been in seclusion, which had been handled by Xu Hei, leaving no trace of anything unusual.

"Master, who was here just now?" the alluring woman asked.

A moment later, a gentle voice floated from the void, "I don't know."

"..." The alluring woman fell silent.

"This person is only at the early Core Formation stage, but his concealment ability is extremely strong. He bears no hostility towards you, so he probably isn't here for you. Don't delve into this matter, just pretend it never happened," the voice in the void continued.

"Yes!" The alluring woman cupped her fists.

...

Star Island was formed by a fallen star from the heavens, possessing rare star power.

The island was divided among eight major forces, each occupying a portion of Star Island's territory. Each force had a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core overseeing it.

The closer to the center of the island, the denser the star power. The open and covert struggles among the eight forces for territory had never ceased since ancient times.

Of course, to establish a foothold on the island, besides having strong personal strength, one also needed backing! Each force had hidden high-level support behind them.

For instance, the Whale Hunting Gang had close cooperation with the Sea Commerce Guild.

They would give up some of their interests to gain strong backing support; otherwise, they couldn't have lasted long on Star Island.

At this moment, in a secret hall of the Sea Commerce Guild.

The leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai, and the deputy leader, Ye Lu, sat on one side. Standing before them was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in simple attire, wearing a storage ring, with a gentle and amiable demeanor, showing no emotions.

This person was the cultivator tracking the storage ring.

"According to reliable information, Ye Hai, one of the two demonic beasts you froze has died," the refined cultivator said.

"Died?"

Ye Hai was taken aback. He had only struck casually, deliberately holding back half his strength. How did it die?

"Those two demonic beasts were already severely injured, and with your interference, it's normal for one to die. Now, the Sea Serpent lineage in the Penglai Sea is causing trouble for your Whale Hunting Gang everywhere. You probably won't be able to go to sea for the next three to five years," the refined cultivator said.

"..." Ye Hai fell silent.

Not going to sea for three to five years, how would they support all the people under the Whale Hunting Gang?

"Mr. Li, the leader only killed a sea serpent, is it that serious?" Ye Lu frowned.

"If it were an ordinary sea serpent, I could mediate for you, but that sea serpent has a significant background. They may not give me face," the refined cultivator sighed.

Ye Hai gritted his teeth, "Is there no way?"

The refined cultivator took a sip of tea, remaining silent.

Ye Hai's expression was grim. After hesitating for a long time, he steeled himself and handed over a storage bag to the refined cultivator.

The refined cultivator glanced at it, his face expressionless, but he didn't refuse. He just waved his hand and said, "Go back and wait for my news."

"Thank you, Mr. Li!"

Ye Hai respectfully cupped his fists and left the Sea Commerce Guild with Ye Lu.

Mr. Li weighed the storage bag in his hand, took a sip of tea, and shook his head with a smile, "It's difficult!"

Is it really difficult?

...

Xu Hei walked down the street, gathering information about Star Island through questioning.

The island's territory was roughly divided among eight major forces, each with backing support.

The main backers were three: the Sea Commerce Guild, Penglai Island, and the Bounty Alliance.

The Sea Commerce Guild was the largest merchant group in the East Sea, nothing more to say, he had seen them before on Twin Islands.

Penglai Island was the largest immortal sect in the East Sea.

The Bounty Alliance was somewhat special, a group of bounty hunters formed a team, their main targets were hunting pirates for rewards, or taking on private jobs.

As long as there was money to be made, they'd do any job.

Therefore, they became the backing for some forces, known as guest elders, but of course, this group was the most unreliable.

Xu Hei walked to the entrance of the Sea Commerce Guild, intending to buy a cave dwelling, simply because he was most familiar with the Sea Commerce Guild.

Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped, quickly retreating to the corner of the street.

He saw a shirtless burly man walk out of the Sea Commerce Guild's entrance, adorned with various sea beast teeth as ornaments, with blue pupils and messy hair, it was Ye Hai.

Ye Hai appeared preoccupied and didn't notice Xu Hei's decoy puppet. He and Ye Lu left together, disappearing in a flash.

Xu Hei inadvertently witnessed this scene, his expression immediately darkening.

////325/////

The Sea Commerce Guild was not a place he could go.

Although this neutral guild allowed anyone to enter, and it wasn't uncommon for the Whale Hunting Gang to trade there, Xu Hei wasn't willing to take any risks.

What if the bounty on Xu Hei was issued by the Sea Commerce Guild? Entering would be like walking into a trap.

"I'd better go somewhere else."

Xu Hei turned and headed to another guild, the Immortal Pavilion under Penglai Island.

Due to the presence of Master Tianji, he didn't want too much contact with Penglai Island, but it seemed to be the only choice.

Xu Hei suddenly thought about finding a backer; these days, relying on oneself alone was incredibly difficult.

...

Not long after Xu Hei left.

A refined and amiable middle-aged cultivator stepped out of the Sea Commerce Guild's entrance, holding a cup of tea, smiling as he looked in the direction Xu Hei had left.

Earlier, when the two from the Whale Hunting Gang went out, Xu Hei immediately hid to the side. Although his actions were subtle and quick, Ye Hai and his companion didn't notice, but this refined middle-aged man sharply detected it.

Even more strangely, the cultivator who seemed to be heading to the Sea Commerce Guild turned around afterward and headed straight in another direction.

And that direction was towards another small guild, the Immortal Pavilion.

"Heh, interesting! Does my Sea Commerce Guild have some kind of monstrous beast?"

The refined cultivator's lips curled up as he took a sip of tea.

...

On the bustling wide street, the crowd was lively and endless, with buildings lined up on both sides, high-rises standing tall, and the street bustling with activity.

Looking around, the street was filled with cultivators, while mortals were rare, living in remote, impoverished areas.

In the air, there was a faint scent of blood and sea, as hunting sea beasts was the main source of income for cultivators.

Xu Hei moved quickly, heading straight for the Immortal Pavilion.

He had a feeling that someone was watching him.

He had made a mistake earlier, encountering Ye Hai and his companion and failing to control his emotions, immediately hiding to the side.

Although this action prevented Ye Hai from discovering him, such abnormal behavior would surely not escape the notice of higher-level cultivators.

Having encountered the Nightmare Demon Lord, Xu Hei knew well how keen the spiritual perception of Elemental Infant cultivators was; nothing could escape their eyes.

Xu Hei made a decisive move, running away directly. This was an open strategy; he didn't believe the other party would really chase him down the street over such a trivial matter.

...

Inside the Immortal Pavilion.

A young girl in her prime stood at the entrance, doing simple reception work.

Any guest entering, no matter the transaction, she would patiently guide them, not daring to stop.

Because if she stopped, the steward on the first floor would use it as an excuse to insult her.

Despite feeling countless grievances, she could only grit her teeth and persist.

"Wang Qin, you can't drag your brother down, you can do it too!" The girl clenched her fists, encouraging herself inwardly.

This girl was none other than Wang Ding's sister, Wang Qin.

She had come to Penglai Island with her brother, but her talent was lacking, with mixed spiritual roots, and she was only at the early stage of Qi Refining, so she was sent to the Immortal Pavilion to do simple reception work.

The main business of the Immortal Pavilion was selling resources from Penglai Island while also purchasing external materials, accepting all as long as the price was right.

Suddenly, she smelled a hint of corpse stench.

Wang Qin looked up to see a middle-aged, greasy man with a square face, large forehead, fat body, and small eyes standing in front of her. His arms were crossed over his chest, squinting as he looked her up and down.

"Ah." Wang Qin was startled but still respectfully said, "Senior, welcome to the Immortal Pavilion. What do you need?"

Xu Hei got straight to the point: "I'm here to buy a cave dwelling."

Wang Qin replied skillfully, "May I ask what level of cave dwelling you wish to buy, Senior? We have first-tier cave dwellings here, with good lighting, close to the docks, and equipped with a small Gathering Spirit Array..."

"I want the best cave dwelling, the one with the strongest defense!"

Xu Hei said, having plenty of money now, he naturally wanted the best.

"…"

Wang Qin was momentarily stunned, thinking she had misheard.

"Is there a problem?" Xu Hei looked at Wang Qin.

For some reason, looking at the girl in front of him, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if he was seeing Little Niu from his hometown.

"Of course, no problem, Senior, please wait a moment!"

Wang Qin quickly bowed her head and ran off.

From afar, Xu Hei heard a scolding voice and saw a girl with her head down being pointed at and cursed by an old man with a sharp face in a private room.

After the old man finished scolding, he snorted coldly and walked over to Xu Hei with a smile on his face.

"This esteemed guest, the cave dwellings are all in the back mountain. Please follow me to the back mountain for a detailed discussion!"

This was the steward of the Immortal Pavilion, named Mu Hou, dressed in a gilded robe and wearing a high hat, looking quite dignified.

Xu Hei nodded and followed Mu Hou towards the back mountain.

Just as Xu Hei stepped out the back door, two men in black rushed into the main entrance of the Immortal Pavilion.

These two had cold, stern faces, eyes full of frost, with no detectable spiritual power fluctuations, only a murderous aura, like two assassins.

"Dear guests, may I ask what you need?"

Wang Qin hurriedly stepped forward to greet them.

The two said nothing, their eyes simultaneously locking onto the direction Xu Hei had left, and they walked slowly in that direction.

"Hey? Dear guests..."

Wang Qin stepped forward but was glared at by one of them, who said, "Little girl, we're just here to have a look."

"What, can't we even take a look at the Immortal Pavilion?"

Their words left Wang Qin speechless.

After speaking, the two exchanged a glance and headed straight in the direction Xu Hei had left.

At that moment, Wang Qin suddenly let out a cry of "ouch," fell to the ground, and spat out blood.

"What happened?!"

The guards of the Immortal Pavilion rushed up, seeing no one else in the hall but the two strange men in black, they immediately surrounded them.

"They... hurt someone!" Wang Qin pointed at the two and said.

The two looked bewildered.

They had clearly seen Wang Qin run up and then suddenly fly back, spitting blood. What did it have to do with them?

"It wasn't us!" the two quickly said.

"What's going on?"

Mu Hou returned, glanced at the situation in the hall, then at the injured Wang Qin, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.

One of the men said, "This girl flew out on her own, it has nothing to do with us."

"You're lying, you clearly knocked me away," Wang Qin gritted her teeth and said.

Mu Hou scanned the situation in the hall, squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then said to the two, "Please leave, our shop didn't serve you well today. Next time you come, I'll personally apologize to you!"

Mu Hou cupped his hands and put on a smile.

Seeing the guards eyeing them like tigers, the two knew they couldn't stay and could only snort coldly and leave.

The guards also retreated, disappearing without a trace.

In the hall, Mu Hou coldly glanced at Wang Qin and sternly said, "Come here!"

Wang Qin shivered, walked over, and lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.

"Slap!"

Without a word, Mu Hou slapped Wang Qin, causing her nose to bleed.

Then, he stared at Wang Qin coldly and said, "Give me an explanation!"

Wang Qin lowered her head, tears streaming down.

"I've made my choice!"

Suddenly, Xu Hei appeared behind them and said, "I've already picked the cave dwelling. Here are the spirit stones, I want the third-tier A-grade."

Xu Hei tossed over a storage bag.

Mu Hou took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and his face changed dramatically.

Inside the storage bag were 300,000 spirit stones!

This was the most expensive A-grade cave dwelling among the third-tier ones. Mu Hou hadn't made such a big deal in two years; this single transaction was almost equivalent to half a year's profit.

It's worth noting that even the most expensive auction items rarely sold for this much.

"Alright, I'll take you there right away!" Mu Hou said excitedly.

"No need, I'll have her take me," Xu Hei pointed to the injured Wang Qin.

//////236////

"This..."

Mu Hou's gaze froze for a moment, a barely noticeable glint in his eyes, then he smiled and said, "Of course."

"Wang Qin, take this senior to the back mountain, to the third-tier A-class Cave Dwelling. Here's the token."

"Make sure this senior is satisfied, no matter the request. Otherwise, I'll hold you accountable!"

Mu Hou handed over a token, the latter half of his sentence was a stern whisper.

Wang Qin wiped her tears, took the token, and quickly bowed, "Yes!"

Under Wang Qin's guidance, Xu Hei left the Immortal Pavilion and headed towards the back mountain.

She took out a handkerchief, wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes, and once again put on a professional smile.

"Your name is Wang Qin?" Xu Hei asked.

"Yes, I was originally called Wang Xiaoya, but the teacher changed it for me."

Wang Qin answered instinctively, not realizing she had said something she shouldn't have.

"Why did you stop those two earlier?" Xu Hei asked again.

"Because they're bad people!" Wang Qin replied.

"Bad people?" Xu Hei was taken aback.

Xu Hei knew those two were after him with ill intentions, but how did Wang Qin determine that? How did she conclude they were "bad people"?

Moreover, when Mu Hou asked her to explain earlier, she said nothing, yet when he asked, she answered?

"To be honest, senior, like my brother, although my aptitude is poor, we both have the ability to see through people. I can tell who's good and who's bad. For example, senior, you are a good person." Wang Qin said earnestly.

Hearing this, Xu Hei was stunned.

Wang Qin looked at him quietly, her small nose, fluttering eyes, short hair tied behind her, eyes bright as stars, scrutinizing Xu Hei, and nodded again, "Yes, you are a good person."

"I'm a good person..." Xu Hei fell silent.

What kind of good person was he?

Countless innocents had died by his hand. If judged by human moral standards, he was far from being a good person.

"How do you judge good from bad, can you tell me?" Xu Hei smiled.

"Sure!" Wang Qin nodded vigorously.

"No matter who it is, everyone has an aura. If the aura is light, it means they're a good person. If it's dark, then they're a bad person..."

"However, seeing auras is very exhausting, so I usually don't use this ability. Using it too much makes me dizzy..."

Wang Qin explained in detail how to see auras, almost without reservation, telling Xu Hei everything.

"Also, only my brother knows about this. My brother said if I see someone with a white aura, I can trust them completely."

"Besides my father and brother, only you, senior, have a white aura."

Wang Qin explained tirelessly.

After listening, Xu Hei fell into silence.

Undoubtedly, this was another area he was completely ignorant of. He had never heard of such an ability. But Xu Hei wasn't one to dwell on things he couldn't understand, so he chose not to think about it.

Along the way, Xu Hei talked about other things, from his hometown to the sea, from the Chu Kingdom to the Qin Kingdom.

Wang Qin answered everything patiently, not just out of her duty as a maid, but because she was happy to have met a good person.

Gradually, Wang Qin forgot the pain on her face and showed a genuine smile.

She had been too repressed. Since coming to the Immortal Pavilion, she had been constantly tense and anxious, afraid of saying the wrong word and being punished. Only now, seeing someone with a white aura, did she dare to open her heart and share her thoughts.

She even boldly criticized Manager Mu, saying he was obviously not a good person, disrespectful in his old age.

Xu Hei chuckled and asked, "What do you know about the local forces on Star Island?"

"I don't know much about the local forces, just some gossip I've heard from other maids..." Wang Qin said.

These maids knew the most about gossip, and once they started, they wouldn't stop.

Among them, she mentioned the Melodic Sect, which consisted entirely of female disciples and prohibited contact with men, thus fostering a strong culture of sisterhood.

Two female elders even became Dao companions, and there was a third-party female cultivator involved, making it all very dramatic.

Xu Hei listened, secretly clicking his tongue, unsure of how to comment, and could only shake his head with a wry smile.

In the midst of their lively conversation, time passed quickly.

Unknowingly, they stopped in front of a Cave Dwelling in the back mountain.

From within the Cave Dwelling, Xu Hei sensed faint spiritual power fluctuations, different from anything he had encountered before.

This kind of spiritual power fluctuation, Xu Hei had only seen in one material—Star Meteorite Iron!

"The power of the stars."

The Cave Dwellings on Star Island were so expensive precisely because there was a small amount of star power underground. If one could absorb it, the benefits would be immeasurable.

Of course, sensing it was one thing, absorbing it was another.

"Senior, this is the third-tier A-class Cave Dwelling. Here's your Cave Dwelling token. I'm maid Wang Qin, remember to give a good review!"

Wang Qin handed over the token, her smile as bright as a flower.

Xu Hei took the token, refined it, and his mind instantly connected with the Cave Dwelling's formation.

"Thank you for guiding me, this is for you."

Xu Hei tossed over a watermelon.

"Watermelon?" Wang Qin was dumbfounded.

She had seen people rewarded with spirit stones, but never with a watermelon.

In fact, this watermelon was picked by Xu Hei at the entrance of Snake Village. After being nourished by spiritual qi, it had gained the effects of a spirit medicine.

Giving Wang Qin spirit stones, she might not be able to absorb them and would likely have to hand them over. Giving her a watermelon, she could actually eat it and improve her physique.

Wang Qin touched the watermelon, looking at it for a long time, feeling a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Her nose tingled, and her eyes turned red.

She thought of a summer many years ago when her father picked watermelons and shared them with her, her brother, and her mother. The family ate the watermelon together, filled with joy.

Now, those people were no longer around.

Wang Qin stood there in a daze, closed her eyes, and tears fell like rain.

...

Xu Hei sighed, entered the Cave Dwelling, reinforced a layer of shielding formation, then put away the bystander, and his true form appeared, immediately forming a snake formation.

Xu Hei took out a Qingyuan Pill, took a deep breath, and swallowed it.

"Boom!!"

A thunderous roar erupted within him, and the deep purple Golden Core was rapidly turning black, becoming more rounded in shape.

A slight cracking sound came from its surface. Initially, the sound was small, and there weren't many cracks, but as time passed, the cracks grew larger, as if a bigger, fuller Golden Core was about to emerge.

"Mid-stage Core Formation, this is it!"

Xu Hei held his breath, took out ten barrels of heavy oil, and placed them nearby, ready to consume at any moment.

...

East Sea, Penglai Sea.

Hai Meng lay within a large ice sculpture, eyes closed, looking peaceful, surrounded by a group of Sea Serpent Clan members, quietly watching her.

Hai Teng stood at the forefront, his face showing no emotion, only calmly asking, "Can she still live?"

Elder Jin beside him just shook his head, "Her injuries are too severe. Once thawed, she will surely die. If kept frozen, she can live for a few more years."

"But living like this is no different from being dead."

"Whether to thaw her for a sea burial or let her continue living, as her family, the decision is yours."

Elder Jin quietly looked at Hai Teng.

A sea burial was a unique funeral for marine creatures, where the body was cast into the sea to be naturally decomposed by the ocean, never shying away from others consuming their remains.

They were born of the sea and returned to the sea; that was their destiny.

Hai Teng closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently. After a long time, he opened his eyes and said, "My sister, of course, will have a sea burial."

"But before that, I have something to do."

After speaking, Hai Teng turned and left, swimming into the distance.

Elder Jin watched him, and the other sea serpents also looked over, eyes filled with shock.

Could he be...

"Hai Teng, you must think carefully, the Sea Commerce Guild has already contacted us, we will not intervene!" Elder Jin said sternly.

Hai Teng did not look back, drifting further away, and just as he was about to disappear, a cold voice echoed in all directions.

"Whether you intervene or not is your business, what does it have to do with me, Hai Teng?"

////227////

After eating the watermelon, Wang Qin felt light and fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she had no idea how many days had passed.

"Oh no, I need to get back quickly."

Panic set in for Wang Qin. She had been gone for so long, she was sure to be punished.

...

An hour later.

Immortal Pavilion, conference hall.

Wang Qin knelt in the middle of the conference hall, head bowed, not daring to meet Mu Hou's gaze.

Inside the hall, other maids stood silently by. They were older, more advanced in cultivation, and more experienced. Their eyes showed disdain and mockery, or sympathy, but they all remained silent.

"Five days, you disappeared for five whole days, Wang Qin, how dare you!"

Mu Hou squinted his eyes, his voice stern and cold, "Speak, what did you do in those five days, what did you say to that guest, tell me everything in detail."

Wang Qin's body trembled as she recounted the events, "The guest gave me a watermelon, and after eating it, I fell asleep."

Mu Hou had already investigated the matter in secret and knew the truth. He sneered, "What I want to know is what you talked about on the way. Tell me everything, don't leave out a single word!"

Wang Qin's face turned pale.

How could she possibly tell others about those words?

Those were her secrets, and she even spoke ill of Mu Hou.

Biting her lip, Wang Qin shook her head, "I'm sorry, I... I forgot!"

"Forgot?"

A maid immediately let out a cold laugh.

"Slap!"

A whip lashed across Wang Qin's face, drawing blood from the corner of her mouth and knocking out a tooth.

This time, it wasn't Mu Hou who acted, but another maid named Liu Hongmei, a trusted confidante trained by Mu Hou.

"Anything given to you by a guest must be handed over, even a steamed bun, you can't keep it for yourself, did you forget?" Liu Hongmei said coldly.

"I was wrong, I'm sorry!" Wang Qin knelt on the ground, her body trembling.

There was never such a requirement before, only spirit stones needed to be handed over, but how could she argue? She could only admit her mistake.

"What if the guest poisoned you? Wang Qin, you're still young and easily deceived. We're doing this for your own good! Beating you is also out of concern for you!"

Another maid kindly reminded her, also one of Mu Hou's people.

"Yes! You're right!" Wang Qin lowered her head, tears falling.

Another whip struck, adding another scar to Wang Qin's body.

"Don't forget, it's the Immortal Pavilion that took you in. Without it, you are nothing. Think more about what you've done for the Immortal Pavilion, not just what you can get!"

Liu Hongmei lectured, spittle flying.

The two of them, one playing the bad cop, the other the good cop, took turns scolding Wang Qin. It was clear they had been well-trained by Mu Hou in disciplining newcomers.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault!"

Wang Qin could only keep apologizing, tears streaming down like rain.

Seeing that the scolding was almost over, Mu Hou clapped his hands.

"Creak!"

At this moment, the door of the conference hall opened.

Two figures in black robes, exuding a chilling aura mixed with killing intent, walked in. They were the two black-clad cultivators who had barged into the hall last time.

Last time, Wang Qin had intercepted them, ruining their plans. Now, they were invited into the conference hall by Mu Hou.

Wang Qin was completely stunned.

One of them looked at Wang Qin, a mocking smile on his lips.

"You, lead the way!" The other said directly, pointing at Wang Qin.

Mu Hou, expressionless, explained, "These two esteemed guests have purchased a new cave dwelling next to the third-tier A-class cave dwelling. You will lead them there."

"Wang Qin, this is your chance to atone, don't disappoint anyone."

From Mu Hou's tone, it was clear he had made some secret deal with these two and knew their intentions.

Last time, in front of many guards, he couldn't openly reprimand Wang Qin to curry favor with outsiders and risk criticism.

But now, in front of his own people, he had no such concerns.

The Immortal Pavilion had three managers, and Mu Hou was just one of them, responsible for managing the reception on the first floor.

The other two managed logistics and security, and procurement of supplies, respectively.

Mu Hou didn't want to leave any handle for the other two to catch.

Above the three managers was the Grand Elder, also known as the General Manager, an Elemental Infant cultivator, who was above everyone and had a fiery temper.

Even though Mu Hou sold a cave dwelling for three hundred thousand spirit stones, he could only keep twenty percent of the profit, with most of it going to the treasury. But this time, through the backdoor deal, he pocketed a full one hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones.

Wang Qin's face turned as white as paper.

"Little girl, lead the way, or do you need me to invite you?" One of the black-clad men sneered.

Seeing Wang Qin unmoved, the other snorted coldly, using the Gravity Technique to lift her into the air and control her towards the back mountain.

...

Immortal Pavilion, back mountain.

Inside Xu Hei's cave dwelling, thunder roared, and fierce winds blew. The Spiritual Qi from the ground surged like a flood, being devoured into his body, causing his Golden Core to swell continuously.

Beside Xu Hei, there were thirty empty oil barrels, completely drained of heavy oil.

It wasn't just him absorbing; Ji Ying was also absorbing, and this guy consumed even more than Xu Hei.

At this moment, the Golden Core in his abdomen was covered in cracks, with black light flickering between the gaps. The energy from the ground was being frantically devoured, mixed with a small amount of starlight, pushing the Golden Core to a critical point.

"Break for me!"

Xu Hei shouted.

In an instant, the thunder and wind could no longer be contained, exploding between heaven and earth. The formation of the cave dwelling couldn't hold back such a phenomenon, spreading wildly to the outside world.

At this moment, at the entrance of Xu Hei's cave dwelling.

Two black-clad men stood on either side, their eyes fixed on the cave entrance, a cold smile on their lips.

Only now did they reveal their true identities.

One of them was none other than Ye Lu, the deputy leader of the Whale Hunting Gang.

The other was Xie Yunfei, a bounty hunter and guest elder of the Whale Hunting Gang.

Both were at the late Core Formation stage, with Ye Lu having been at this stage for fifty years, already at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core. However, compared to the leader, his combat ability was slightly inferior.

It was certain that either of these two was stronger than anyone on the whaling ship!

For them to come here, they must have spent a considerable amount of spirit stones.

Mu Hou, being a shrewd person, upon learning of their intentions, immediately opened a new cave dwelling next to Xu Hei's and sold it to them at a high price.

Did Mu Hou break any rules? Not at all, he merely sold a cave dwelling.

Even if someone eavesdropped on their conversation, they wouldn't find any clues. Everything was in compliance with the rules.

As for Wang Qin, she was just an add-on, not worth mentioning.

"Little girl, thank you for leading the way."

Ye Lu looked at Wang Qin, smiling slightly, as a bolt of lightning appeared at his fingertip.

Wang Qin's face turned pale. She said nothing, only closed her eyes in despair.

"Brother Ye, isn't this girl trying to cover for that person? Let's not kill her yet. Let's kill that cultivator in front of her, then kill her," Xie Yunfei suggested.

Ye Lu thought it made sense, nodded, and smiled, "Good idea."

Their purpose here was to kill Xu Hei, as per Mr. Li's orders.

"However..."

At this point, Ye Lu changed his tone and said, "I can't tolerate sand in my eyes, better to kill her now to avoid future troubles."

With that, he pointed at Wang Qin, and lightning shot towards her forehead.

Wang Qin was only at the early Qi Refining stage, and for the opponent to kill her was as easy as crushing an ant. The opponent even deliberately slowed the lightning, making her watch her own death.

In her final moments, many thoughts flashed through Wang Qin's mind.

Did she regret it?

No, not at all.

In the Immortal Pavilion, she couldn't find her own worth. Rather than being oppressed all her life, she'd rather meet her parents. Before dying, being able to confide in a senior, she was already very satisfied.

"Boom!!"

Suddenly, a gentle glow emanated from her body, blocking the lightning outside, dispersing it without even scratching her skin.

"What?"

Ye Lu squinted his eyes, thinking he must have seen wrong.

"Boom!!!"

Suddenly, a terrifying thunderous sound came from the cave dwelling ahead, with fierce winds, thunder, and lightning. The ground shook, the sun and moon dimmed, and various phenomena of heaven and earth emanated from the cave, shaking the earth and alarming the heavens.

/////228////

As they were momentarily stunned, a portal of light opened beneath Wang Qin's feet, and a formation instantly took shape.

Ye Lu's hand moved like a swift wind, striking out with a palm that caused the void to collapse and left a massive palm print on the ground. But Wang Qin's figure had already vanished, transforming into a stream of light that teleported into the cave dwelling.

"There's actually a Minor Teleportation Formation!"

Ye Lu's gaze turned cold as he realized that the little maid seemed quite important, with so many defensive measures placed on her.

Had they known earlier, they would have captured the maid to use as leverage, possibly forcing the opponent to comply, which might have worked wonders.

But who could have predicted that the opponent would save a maid at the Qi Refining Stage?

"Brother Ye, judging by this, the opponent is likely breaking through to the mid-stage Core Formation, which confirms Mr. Li's suspicion that this person is the Snake Demon!"

Xie Yunfei glanced at the phenomenon in the sky and said solemnly.

Ye Lu nodded without saying anything, raising a palm to strike the cave dwelling's door. Thunder erupted from his palm, crashing against it with a deafening roar, purple light exploding as the heavens collapsed and the earth caved in.

However, the door of the cave dwelling seemed welded shut, not moving an inch, only rippling with layers of waves.

"No wonder it's a third-tier A-class cave dwelling, truly tough!"

In Ye Lu's hand appeared a palm-sized eight-sided thunder seal. When fully activated, a giant dragon of lightning emerged from the seal, roaring as it charged at the cave dwelling's door, causing another loud crash. The world shook continuously, and terrifying shockwaves rose a thousand feet high.

A full-force strike from someone at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, how terrifying! Xie Yunfei immediately summoned eight formation flags, planting them around to reflect all energy fluctuations back, preventing them from spreading.

They intended to kill without causing too much commotion, to avoid attracting the attention of some old monsters and causing unforeseen changes.

However, after several consecutive attacks, the cave dwelling's door still only rippled, showing no signs of collapsing.

Instead, the phenomenon inside the cave dwelling grew increasingly intense, with divine thunder from the nine heavens, stars falling, the Five Elements reversing, the heavens collapsing, and the earth caving in, presenting various terrifying scenes before the two, leaving them aghast.

"What kind of phenomenon is this?"

"It's just a breakthrough to mid-stage Core Formation, why is the momentum so terrifying?"

They all knew that some prodigies would cause phenomena of heaven and earth when breaking through. Even some sea beasts could manifest such phenomena, but they had never experienced the power of these phenomena.

No wonder this snake, with just early Core Formation stage cultivation, wiped out their entire ship; its talent was indeed terrifying.

"We must not let him break through!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Ye Lu's eyes. He slapped his chest, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the eight-sided thunder seal, which instantly expanded to over a hundred feet, like a small mountain, with nine thunder dragons appearing, circling around it.

Seeing this, Xie Yunfei took out more formation flags, planting sixteen of them to isolate energy fluctuations.

"Go!"

Ye Lu pointed forward, and the thunder dragons roared, charging at the cave dwelling's door one after another.

...

Inside the cave dwelling.

Xu Hei coiled into a snake formation, quietly spiraling at the center point, drawing a vast amount of spiritual qi from the ground, mixed with the power of the stars, into his body, to be refined by the Demon God Cauldron.

Wang Qin lay unconscious beside him.

Ignoring the commotion outside, Xu Hei buried heavy oil underground as the energy source for the defensive formation, continuously supplying spiritual power. As long as the opponent's attack power didn't exceed the Elemental Infant level, they could never break in.

Even if it reached the Elemental Infant level, it could withstand a few rounds.

Besides, the opponent was acting so stealthily, likely not daring to cause too much commotion. If they destroyed the back mountain of the Immortal Pavilion, it would be hard to settle.

As for how he was exposed, Xu Hei had a few guesses.

But it didn't matter now; what he needed to do was break through with all his might.

Meanwhile, Ji Ying was also lying beside him, frantically devouring the heavy oil, causing various phenomena, though these were covered by the formation outside, saving them the trouble.

As time passed, barrel after barrel of heavy oil was consumed, yet the formation remained solid and unbreakable. This was not only due to the built-in formation of the third-tier cave dwelling but also the formation collection Xu Hei learned in Wuyou City. With these combined, the opponent couldn't break in with just these means.

A day later, the attacks outside ceased.

The two took out formation flags, scattered spirit stones, and began setting up a formation as well.

In the blink of an eye, another two days passed.

On this day, it had been a full week since Xu Hei began his seclusion.

Suddenly, a talisman floated over from afar, landing before the cave dwelling's door.

This talisman was entirely gray, and if Xu Hei saw it, he would recognize it as the Minor Annihilation Talisman!

"Crack, crack, crack!!"

The Minor Annihilation Talisman activated, and countless cracks appeared in the space where the cave dwelling's door was, like shattered glass, instantly disintegrating into a vast dark vacuum area.

No matter how strong the defense, it couldn't hold under spatial cracks, and Xu Hei's cave dwelling door was finally breached!

As the cave dwelling broke open, the two activated a formation, completely covering the area, forming an isolated barrier.

Simultaneously, the shattered void quickly healed, and the space was restored.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The two figures flashed, shrinking the ground to inches, almost simultaneously appearing inside Xu Hei's cave dwelling.

They looked at the imposing horned serpent with various phenomena presenting and, without hesitation, summoned their strongest magical treasures, launching an attack on Xu Hei.

At the same time, Xie Yunfei split off an external incarnation, reaching for the unconscious Wang Qin in the deepest part.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!"

At that moment, a series of crackling explosions erupted beneath their feet, and countless black heavy oils gushed from the ground, forming a massive fountain that gathered together, unleashing a terrifying suction force.

The two were shocked, hurriedly retracting their magical treasures and retreating, but it was too late. This time, Xu Hei detonated hundreds of barrels of heavy oil at once, forming a lake of heavy oil that not only sucked them in but also engulfed Xu Hei himself.

"Is this heavy oil!?"

"Where did he get heavy oil?"

The two reacted quickly. Xie Yunfei crushed a Small Teleportation Talisman, instantly teleporting a thousand feet back, escaping the range of the heavy oil, but his incarnation was swallowed and shattered. Ye Lu's body was enveloped in a bubble, blocking the heavy oil, and his true form turned into a flash of lightning, rising from the oil into the air.

Ye Lu realized that this snake was not easy to deal with, having too many backup plans, and it might not be possible to take him down quickly. He changed his plan, targeting Wang Qin in the deepest part of the cave dwelling.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, everyone heard a faint cracking sound echoing in their ears.

The phenomena inside the cave dwelling suddenly vanished, the wind stopped, the thunder ceased, the Five Elements disappeared, and all the commotion was gone.

Only the cracking sound remained, emanating from Xu Hei's abdomen.

At this moment, the Golden Core in Xu Hei's abdomen was covered in cracks, and with a crisp sound, it completely split open, a more rounded and larger Golden Core emerging from the shattered core.

This Golden Core was entirely pitch-black, rapidly spinning above the Demon God Cauldron, emitting a terrifying true essence pressure, ten times stronger than the early Core Formation stage!

Mid-stage Core Formation was officially achieved!

In the lake of heavy oil, a pair of cold, merciless vertical pupils slowly opened, locking onto the two.

At the same time, a voice filled with overwhelming killing intent resounded through the heavens and earth: "You are courting death!"

////329////

What kind of gaze was this?

With just a glance, the two felt as if they had fallen into an abyss, their scalps tingling as if they had seen a primordial beast.

No wonder this serpent could slaughter an entire ship; it was indeed extraordinary, rivaling even the prodigies of the heavens.

Fortunately, they were not ordinary people either. Even if the serpent had broken through, so what? With their preparations, even someone at the late Core Formation stage would meet their end.

"Just a mere mid-stage Core Formation, so what if you've broken through? Today, you will surely die!"

Around Ye Lu appeared countless flying knives, crackling with electricity, splitting into two, then four, multiplying endlessly, covering the sky and earth, spanning thousands of miles.

"Your serpent head is worth five hundred thousand Spirit Stones. As long as I kill you, I can live comfortably for ten, no, twenty years."

Xie Yunfei's eyes burned with intensity. As bounty hunters, they lived for the hunt. Xu Hei had already made it to the top ten on the bounty list, making him their prime target.

It was fortunate that he was a guest of the Whale Hunting Gang, allowing him to obtain this valuable information. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he would not miss!

Xie Yunfei spared no expense, directly summoning a handful of black Thunder Pearls. These pearls, crafted from special materials, could integrate into flesh and explode from within, possessing immense power, specifically designed to deal with Demonic Beasts, capable of blasting a bloody hole with each explosion, a bane to large Demonic Beasts.

"Die!"

Ye Lu pointed forward, tens of thousands of lightning flying knives shot out in unison, transforming into dazzling arcs of electricity, attacking Xu Hei, covering all directions, leaving no room for retreat.

"Blood Killing Sword Formation!"

With a thought, Xu Hei summoned eight blood-colored flying swords, forming a massive sword formation in front of him, clashing with the countless lightning knives.

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"Clang, clang, clang..."

Blood shadows intertwined with lightning shadows, sparks flying, shaking the heavens and earth. The sword formation only lasted for two breaths before showing signs of collapse.

Ye Lu's eyes flashed with disdain, but then he saw a ninth flying sword appear within the Blood Killing Sword Formation, merging the nine swords into one, with Sword Qi soaring.

The Blood Killing Sword Formation only displayed its greatest power when reaching the pinnacle of nine swords. At this moment, under Xu Hei's execution, its power far surpassed that of Zhou Qing in the past.

"Boom, boom, boom!!!"

With the support of nine swords, Ye Lu's lightning knives were beaten back step by step, the situation reversed in an instant. Ye Lu's face turned grim as an eight-sided thunder seal appeared in his hand, and another thunder dragon roared out, charging towards Xu Hei.

"Dragon Shatter Roar!"

Xu Hei sank his Qi into his Dantian and let out a thunderous shout, the dragon's roar shaking the heavens, forming a terrifying sound wave that instantly shattered the thunder dragon, then continued upwards, rushing towards Ye Lu.

This terrifying roar was beyond everyone's expectations in its power.

"What?"

Ye Lu's face changed drastically. Just as he was about to act, he was struck by the sound wave of the Dragon Shatter Roar, blood gushing from his nose, ears, and mouth, his seven orifices bleeding, his mind blank for a moment.

Xu Hei's Dragon Shatter Roar had reached the soul-shattering level, capable of killing with a single strike. Even if it couldn't kill Ye Lu, it could leave him in a temporary daze.

That was enough!

"Die!"

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Xu Hei unleashed his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, instantly closing in to attack the momentarily bewildered Ye Lu.

For this strike, he used no Magical Treasure.

Xu Hei's most lethal Magical Treasures were the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd and the flying sword fused with his true form. However, he had used these treasures once on the whaling ship, and if the opponent examined the battle traces, they might be on guard.

Although Xu Hei didn't believe the opponent could defend against them, to be safe, he changed his combat strategy and unleashed his strongest strike!

Magical Treasure? He himself was the strongest Magical Treasure!

"Diamond Suppression Technique!" Xu Hei's true essence compressed madly, converging at the single horn on his forehead, his entire body radiating a dazzling light, his physical body as hard as glass.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Xie Yunfei flicked his wrist, and Thunder Pearls shot towards Xu Hei, some intercepting his path, but Xu Hei didn't dodge, charging straight through.

Under the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, most Thunder Pearls were evaded, but three still made contact with his body. These pearls were extremely strange, instantly melting and integrating into the gaps between his dragon scales, appearing inside his body.

In that brief moment, Xu Hei had already reached Ye Lu.

Ye Lu opened his eyes, regaining clarity from his daze, only to see the dragon horn and that point of blackness right in front of him.

"Die!"

Xu Hei rammed forward, releasing all his true essence, enhancing his physical strength to the limit. At the tip of his horn, a tiny black particle appeared, capable of destroying the heavens and earth.

"Explode!"

6 भारतीय महिलाएं जो सुंदरता और दिमाग के लिए जानी जाती हैं!

अगर आपका नाम इस अक्षर से शुरू होता है तो बड़ी लकी हैं आप

Simultaneously, Xie Yunfei let out a low shout, clenching his fist, and the three Thunder Pearls that had integrated into Xu Hei's body exploded instantly.

Ye Lu was terrified beyond belief. He had no time to dodge, couldn't even summon his life-saving Magical Treasure, and could only hastily activate all his true essence to form a shield in front of him.

"Boom!!!"

With a thunderous roar, Ye Lu's true essence shield was utterly destroyed. The so-called Great Perfection of the Golden Core defense was as fragile as paper against Xu Hei's horn.

Xu Hei's horn pierced through Ye Lu's chest, creating a massive hole. Upon contact with the black light, the hole rapidly expanded, spreading to his abdomen, then to his head.

Despair filled Ye Lu's eyes. He couldn't imagine that he would fall under a single strike!

Xie Yunfei was equally shocked, unable to fathom how Xu Hei could ignore the Thunder Pearls, willing to risk severe injury to trade his life for Ye Lu's!

Such ruthlessness and decisiveness were something he had never encountered in his bounty hunting career!

"Poof!!"

Ye Lu's body shattered, revealing layers of defensive shields inside, some against poison, some against swords, but they were helpless against Xu Hei's strike. His body was torn apart, blood mist exploded, leaving only a head soaring into the sky, carrying the perfect Golden Core.

Unfortunately, he hadn't reached the Nascent Soul stage, unable to escape like Xu Fu, his soul severely damaged by the Dragon Shatter Roar, doomed to die.

Ye Lu's eyes were filled with intense unwillingness. He couldn't accept dying at the hands of a mid-stage Core Formation Snake Demon. He had many killer moves yet to use, many Magical Treasures unutilized, all because of that moment of distraction, leading to his instant demise, rendering everything futile.

He was unwilling!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"

Inside Xu Hei, three earth-shattering explosions echoed as the Thunder Pearls detonated, wreaking havoc on his body, tearing flesh apart. But under the reinforcement of the Diamond Suppression Technique, Xu Hei's body was greatly strengthened, its resilience and hardness defying logic.

After the bombardment, blood gushed from the gaps in Xu Hei's dragon scales, his body swaying with three large, deep, bone-revealing holes.

Yet Xu Hei endured it, not retreating a single step, not even furrowing his brow!

"How is this possible?"

Xie Yunfei gasped, utterly stunned.