"This creature, there's something peculiar about it!"
Chu River could no longer be bothered with the errors in his own words. Having lived in the North Wilderness for decades, he considered himself well-acquainted with fierce beasts and strange demons, yet he had never encountered such an odd and rare creature.
From start to finish, the creature had only struck out with its claws twice and sneezed once, yet it managed to take control of the situation. To say it was formidable was indeed true, but what was truly strange was the creature's counterattack—it was too concise, lacking any wild fury typical of beasts, striking with just the right measure. Moreover, after severely wounding two Golden Elixir cultivators, it did not make any superfluous moves but hovered calmly in mid-air, exuding a sense of inscrutable depth.
Chu River could assert that this being must possess extremely high spiritual intelligence, or perhaps it had already become an enlightened spirit... Eh, could it be that a Great Demon from Six Barbarian Mountain was merely passing by?
With this thought, he hurriedly issued an order to his subordinates controlling the Flying Shuttle: "Don't rush over there, wait, observe a bit longer!"
Indeed, he had changed his mind again, but he didn't feel the slightest bit embarrassed. Shifting from maximizing benefits to prioritizing safety was, after all, the most realistic consideration upon realizing that the Dragon-Serpent Creature was not to be trifled with. Soon, the Flying Shuttle halted its advance, lurking within the black sand tide, but they couldn't linger for too long, or they risked being devoured by the dark tempest.
Chu River did not believe that the Hunting Group aboard the Floating Cloud Boat would take the loss of two combatants lightly. They would either slink away in defeat or muster all their strength for a vengeful counterattack!
"Make your move already!" Chu River murmured in anticipation.
The people on the Floating Cloud Boat really seemed to take the hint, or perhaps the uncertain fate of the two Golden Elixir cultivators had enraged them. Although no one flew out, the massive boat began to move in that direction, layers of Divine Light illuminating its structure, clearly activating the preset Rune Array—perhaps some powerful weapon was about to be deployed.
Chu River had to revise his opinion once more and secretly wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow. This Floating Cloud Boat, unassuming in appearance, was also a form of disguise. Not to mention anything else, just the overflowing Talismanic Mystic Light—if he had followed through with his original plan, seeking to gain both person and treasure, he might have ended up with a broken tooth!
At that moment, Chu River saw the Dragon-Serpent Creature raise its head, the Pale Golden Light Bead with its watery Moonlight Glow began to slowly descend, looking as if it would soon disappear into its mouth.
Yu Ci lifted his head, and above him, the pale golden orb was his Life-Defining Golden Talisman, still in the process of formation but not yet fully condensed. If one were to look closely, they would see countless complex and eye-dazzling mystical rune patterns etched upon it. Most of these were faint outlines, with only a small portion radiating a vibrant, life-giving golden light.
It must be said that those cunning thieves had indeed struck at his vital point.
The Life-Defining Golden Talisman was already crucial to his existence, not to mention the core of the talisman, which was the very foundation of his Life and Death Talisman. He had been using the Taiyin Body Refining Technique to absorb and transform the surrounding primordial qi of heaven and earth, advancing his cultivation level. Yet, unexpectedly, there were others lurking nearby, coveting his treasure, and without a word, they attempted to snatch it away. It was no wonder he had resorted to lethal force in response.
Despite the several hundred feet long Fish-Dragon's imposing and majestic stature, it was merely the external manifestation of divine power, a minor detail. However, if the Life and Death Talisman were to be damaged, it would indeed be a laughingstock.
Well, part of the blame fell on Shadow Ghost. It was the one who had instigated him to adopt this form, claiming it was most in line with the Dao of Living Beings and that cultivation in such a state would be most efficient. The results were debatable, but its capacity to attract trouble was second to none.
"You're the one looking for trouble," he retorted to the Shadow Ghost, its voice chilling. The statement wasn't wrong, for Yu Ci was indeed not in a mood to keep the peace. After all, it was a rare opportunity to test the depth of his mastery over the Primordial Root Qi Method, acquired over two years.
Having spent such a long time in the Sky Rift Valley, constantly encountering fierce birds and beasts, with only the occasional demon to slay for variety, he was thoroughly weary of it. Now, confronted with a group of cultivators of no small cultivation level, even from a hundred miles away, his blood seemed to ignite with anticipation.
"Let's have a round of excitement before we talk," he said with a laugh. Yet before he could truly engage, a streak of azure light was already upon him.
"Whoa!"
Caught off guard by this kind of attack, Yu Ci swiftly twisted his body, and the azure light grazed past the great head of the Fish-Dragon. A muffled boom followed as tens of feet behind him, the moisture in the air spontaneously condensed into a block of ice, which then shattered, exploding with a powerful shockwave. The coldness it released was astonishingly intense.
"This is the Azure Wave Yin Thunder; the equipment aboard that vessel is quite impressive."
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Yu Ci found that, limited by distance, his perception still faced some difficulties. If he were to retreat another twenty or thirty miles, perhaps things would be much easier.
Before the thought had fully formed, a series of azure lights burst forth from the Floating Cloud Boat, unleashing dozens of Azure Wave Yin Thunders at a speed beyond the capture of the naked eye. The barrage enveloped the Fish-Dragon Outer Form in a chilling cold, freezing ten miles around and forming a vast Cold Aura Circle. At the same time, the Floating Cloud Boat gradually picked up speed, looking as if it was gearing up for a massive charge.
The continuous barrage of Yin Thunder from the ship showed no sign of stopping, a testament to a seemingly endless reserve and a display of considerable wealth and power. However, the Fish-Dragon Outer Form demonstrated a nimbleness that belied its massive size, deftly avoiding each attack. Suddenly, at a certain moment, Yu Ci sensed something; almost immediately after, there was a muffled explosion. Amidst the sky filled with azure light, a net burst open and descended like a canopy, its every silk thread shimmering with a faint azure glow.
This great net, initially disguised as an Azure Wave Yin Thunder, was suddenly deployed and, in the moment it unfolded, resonated with the previously formed Cold Aura Circle. Vast stretches of the void were immobilized by the intense cold, trapping the immense Fish-Dragon within, winding it tightly.
"This contraption can't possibly be designed just for catching fish!"
The sprawling azure net somewhat resembled Li You's Thousand Knot Yin Thunder Net, but each of its net knots and silk threads was solid. Sensing the curse power formed through layer upon layer of refinement on it, Yu Ci couldn't help but sneer internally.
Fifty miles was not a great distance. The Floating Cloud Boat accelerated several times and was now close at hand. The pressure from its twenty-plus zhang long hull was palpable. As it neared the Cold Aura Circle, three Golden Elixir cultivators leaped from the ship, flew ahead, and skillfully infused the net knots with Pure True Sha. In an instant, the entire net emitted an even colder azure light, seeping into the target's sinews, flesh, and bones.
Following that, another figure shot from the ship like lightning, heading straight for the Pale Golden Light Bead that had descended to just a few feet above the Fish-Dragon's head.
With two in the lead and four following, six Golden Elixir cultivators leaped from the ship, prompting Yu Ci to regard them with newfound respect: "If there were a living creature here, the odds of escape would be slim indeed."
Yu Ci couldn't help but admire the professionalism of these individuals; it was just unfortunate that they had targeted the wrong person from the start.
As the Fish-Dragon Outer Form responded to his mental command, it was the True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon, which had gradually returned to its former state over two years, that acted. A sliver of the primordial heavenly dragon's instinct drove the Fish-Dragon Outer Form to suddenly stretch its long body and emit a clear, piercing, cloud-penetrating cry from its throat.
The moment the cry sounded, the four Golden Elixir cultivators, each absorbed in their duties, were all stunned. Particularly the one who had charged close to the Fish-Dragon—his Brain Palace and internal organs were bombarded by the sound waves. And that creature, which seemed neither dragon nor snake, opened its previously half-closed eyes, and a golden light pierced straight through his soul, as if a nail had been hammered in. In an instant, his entire body and mind were petrified.
The Pale Golden Light Bead descended, returning to the mouth of the Fish-Dragon.
At that same moment, the cultivators in the sky, who had been watching this scene, saw their vision blur. When it cleared, the long shadow of the dragon-snake had already escaped from the dark green light net. With a "hmm" from its mouth and nose, something was mixed into the chilly mist, and the cultivator who had sought to snatch the "Essence Blood Pill Pearl" let out a miserable scream and tumbled downwards.
In the distant Flying Shuttle, Chu River was dumbfounded. "Could that creature understand the profound transformations of the mystic?"
There was no other explanation. The large dragon-snake body had escaped the binding net as if it were a mere illusion, not even losing a single scale.
Yu Ci let out a hearty laugh, feeling exhilarated.
Of course, those people on the Floating Cloud Boat couldn't trap him, because at that moment, he was somewhere between reality and illusion. He had projected his Mental Image into the plane of reality, or more precisely, he had manifested the Fish-Dragon Outer Form, which was a phantasm of his Mental Image, before everyone's eyes.
Yes, this was the projection of a Mental Image.
Two years ago, within the Inner Void of the Heart, Yu Ci had severed the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, obtaining the sword aura of the celestial sword-slaying manual, which had severely wounded He Qing. This directly precipitated her Great Ordeal of Inner Demons, leading to her untimely death. It was at that moment, the sword aura of celestial slaying tore through the inner and outer void, breaking barriers, and forcibly elevated the mastery of the Primordial Root Qi Method from "drawing qi into the realm" to the level of "inner and outer completion."
From that moment on, theoretically, Yu Ci's Inner Void of the Heart could manifest in the realm of reality, fully exerting its power therein and shattering the barrier between the real and the illusionary, forging a new path.
Why was he not afraid of the dire consequences of "Boiling Blood and Qi Cauldron," where internal fire scorches the heart? The reason lay in the fact that, although his conventional cultivation had reached a standstill, he was still able to advance in the Primordial Root Qi Method. He refined the increasingly violent Primordial Qi caused by the "Marrow-Burning Curse," providing it an outlet for transformation and release. This also accelerated the growth of the Inner Void of the Heart. The Manifestation of Mental Image, external to him, was like a Separate Consciousness and Thoughts possessing the full strength of Yu Ci, enigmatic in its blend of truth and illusion, endowed with Divine Power. The force it now wielded surpassed even that of his physical self.
Breaking free from the Great Net Binding, just by the expressions of those on the boat, Yu Ci knew they had nothing new to offer. Coupled with the God Slaying Sting radiating from the Ten Yin Transforming Radiance Veil, having slain three men, he had no desire to linger. Flicking his tail, he turned to leave.
With a loud "bang," the prow of the Floating Cloud Boat cracked. Screams tangled in the bone-chilling cold, spreading outwards.
※※※
"Manager Shen, you have won."
In the spacious cabin, the man seated at the seat of honor spat disdainfully without a trace of grace, letting his spittle splash onto the luxurious plush carpet. Then, casually picking up the Sword with Scabbard beside his chair, his gaunt face twisted into a grim smile:
"I only thought these fools were somewhat useful, but it turns out they're a hundred times more idiotic than I had imagined."
Opposite him, a few feet away, the woman who had just won the wager was pale, showing no joy. She sighed inwardly and closed her eyes. The next moment, screams burst forth from the cabin, stretching all the way to the head of the Floating Cloud Boat, and then, as if sliced by a knife, stopped abruptly.
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I have also posted the following more chapters on https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e [All free]