"Everyone says that Master Zhang, being the owner of Wanxian Restaurant, must have a lot of old wines, which can't compare to the wines in the restaurant. This smell is indeed top-notch! The last few times I went to sea, my master, my senior brother and I..." Xi Tiehan's eyes lit up. After taking the wine pot, he took another intoxicating sniff and liked it even more. He then began to recount his previous experiences.
But when the topic turned to his previous trips to the sea, his expression immediately became serious.
"On the first expedition, those who went down were all disciples below the level of Quasi-Grand Master, but all above level 45. They were all the best among the cultivators of various forces, except for those above the level of Quasi-Grand Master!" Xi Tiehan licked his lips and stated. "Senior Brother Huang Song and I also went in together, but we only went in to less than 2,500 meters before we couldn't go any further and had to return!"
Not without regret
Zhang Guodong listened intently, quite curious. He also noticed the lingering fear on Xi Tiehan's face. Zhang Guodong understood the level of cultivator Xi Tiehan was referring to as cannon fodder under the command of those great masters.
Lured by the promise of rewards, and each with their own hidden agendas, some cultivators bravely ventured into the sea. However, the sects of ancient cultivators were, after all, extraordinary. It was simply unbelievable that treasures were everywhere, as they claimed, readily available.
These people are only used to gather information.
With the strength of cultivators at levels 45 to 48, and with the help of defensive magical artifacts, they could dive to a depth of 2,500 meters underwater—that's an incredible depth! Mortals, using only breathing apparatus, can only dive to a maximum depth of about 200 meters, so this is a tenfold difference.
At such a depth, the underwater pressure is immense. Without defensive magical artifacts, and with the massive drain on their life force, they would likely be unable to descend beyond a thousand meters.
"Junior Brother Xi, have you encountered any danger? Are there even more powerful ferocious beasts?" Zhang Guodong asked hurriedly. At this depth, only more powerful ferocious beasts could survive, such as the "Star-Devouring Treasure Beast," with its enormous and extremely defensive tortoise shell. Going any deeper, there shouldn't be any more...
question.
“Yes! But individually they’re not very strong. However, they can move freely in water thousands of meters deep, and their speed is extremely fast! Most of the ferocious beasts are not large, only a few meters long, but they come in groups. When my senior brother Huang Song and I saw a group rushing towards us, there were hundreds of them. Remembering the instructions of our master and senior uncles, we had no choice but to turn back. If we were too slow, we would have been surrounded by these ferocious beasts!” Xi Tiehan said with a wry smile, then his expression changed as he added, “However, some people were still careless! In this environment, life force and demonic energy are severely depleted, and there is simply no extra fighting power. My senior brother Huang Song and I left earlier, but four others were a step too late and were immediately surrounded by several groups of ferocious beasts. In the blink of an eye, their defensive magic artifacts were breached. They were all devoured! You didn’t see the ferocity and speed of those ferocious beasts when they were devouring us, it was absolutely insane!”
As he spoke, Xi Tiehan gasped, utterly agitated. He had never seen such a small, ferocious beast, one he could kill with a single slap, swarm in from hundreds of them at that depth. They could devour a cultivator of level 45 or higher in the blink of an eye, leaving not a bone! At that depth, even the weakest beast becomes incredibly terrifying when surrounded by a large group.
Zhang Guodong also grew nervous. It seemed he had underestimated the ferocious beast horde. The seemingly weak individuals were actually a formidable fighting group. Given the right environment, they could become even more ferocious, posing a greater threat to cultivators.
"Moreover, the closer we get to the target, the more ferocious the beasts become. Although their numbers decrease, their combat power increases exponentially! I never expected that so many ferocious beasts would be hidden in the seabed!" Xi Tiehan added.
Zhang Guodong nodded slightly. No one had ever imagined, or even noticed, that the seabed was so dangerous. These ferocious beasts were probably mutated, created specifically to target cultivators, weren't they?
"Senior Brother Zhang, we'll go into the sea first thing tomorrow morning. Don't be careless. If you really can't hold on, turn back immediately! At a depth of 2,500 meters, even a top-tier mid-level defensive magic weapon will reach its limit without sufficient life force! Going any deeper will consume even more life force. I'm afraid even a mid-level defensive magic weapon won't be able to hold on!" Xi Tiehan suddenly reminded Zhang Guodong.
"Thank you for the reminder, Junior Brother Xi!" Zhang Guodong clasped his hands in thanks.
Next, Xi Tiehan recounted the second expedition. Of the first group of cultivators who went down, four died. Those who came out were all quite frightened, and aside from reporting to the higher-ups of various forces, they remained silent about the details.
Alternatively, you could simply say something like, "There are ferocious beasts underwater, it's dangerous," or "The ancient ruins shown on the map should be accurate." Ferocious beasts also prefer places with abundant spiritual energy.
The second group was selected separately. Of course, some of the first group were also included, serving as guides. This second group included several near-Grandmasters, as well as one cultivator from the city's side and several cultivators who were just below the level of near-Grandmasters, essentially serving as warriors under the command of the five Wood Emperors.
Without exception.
The second group was much stronger overall and knew better about the ferocity of the sea monsters. So this time, everyone worked together and didn't stray too far from each other even when they went into the sea, fighting as a group.
This strategy was indeed a significant improvement, resulting in numerous casualties among the various ferocious beast groups. However, the team also suffered losses, their life force and demonic energy dwindling. Even with replenishment pills, the supply couldn't keep up with the limited consumption. If anyone made a mistake in their defenses, it was almost certain death, as the water pressure was far more terrifying than the ferocious beasts! In an instant, it crushed the cultivators into a bloody pulp, leaving them utterly dead.
They encountered several new ferocious beasts in deeper waters, mostly solitary, but lurking nearby, almost like a pack. After several fierce battles, the blood stained the seabed thousands of meters deep, attracting even more beasts. Reluctantly, after losing seven or eight members in the second group, they immediately returned!
This dive record is 3,800 meters!
However, the jade talisman indicated that the site was located at a depth of 10,000 meters on the seabed. 3,800 meters is far less than 10,000 meters.
The third and fourth batches didn't set many records. However, at 4,500 meters, the casualties became even worse. Each time they went down, even with some precautions against the ferocious beasts, several people would still die. In these four trips, nearly thirty people died!
There is also a near-master among them!
The rest of the people were all highly skilled cultivators.
Based on Xi Tiehan's account of the threats in the sea, Zhang Guodong summarized them into three main points. First, the threat of ferocious beast hordes. Beasts capable of withstanding the pressure of deep water are all incredibly fast, and their appearance in large groups poses a significant threat to cultivators. Cultivators have a great sense of insecurity in the sea, as it hinders their ability to exert their strength, especially their attack power.
Even their mobility has decreased significantly, resulting in a decline in overall strength and a passive, defensive situation.
Secondly, there's the water pressure. From the moment the water enters the room until the very end, proper precautions must be taken. Otherwise, if any oversight occurs and one's life force or magical power is depleted, the sudden surge in water pressure could turn them into mincemeat.
Thirdly, Zhang Guodong added another point: competition among cultivators. Although there is unity and cooperation, generally speaking, there are differences in strength, and it's entirely possible that one might scheme against the other!
When they ventured into the sea to explore, the eight waves of the alliance did not mention the blood oath binding them; the mere verbal agreement already contained concerns about potential competition.
The two talked, and time flew by; before they knew it, it was evening.
Many cultivators were already up and about, indulging their appetites. Even the five members of the Wood Emperor's group were no exception. They had set up a long table, laid out wine and dishes, and were chatting and laughing, seemingly unaffected by tomorrow's exploration.
Xi Tiehan glanced at his master and the other four senior disciples, swallowed hard, and said to Zhang Guodong, "It's getting late. Senior Brother Huang and Sister Zisong are waiting for me!"
Huang Song, Zi Yan, and several of his direct disciples were together, while other high-ranking stewards from the market were in another group. Zhang Guodong found Xi Tiehan's behavior amusing.
Just as he was about to thank him and agree, he caught a glimpse of Ziyan. A thought struck him; this matter needed to be resolved, otherwise he wouldn't feel at ease. So he said, "Junior Brother Xi, I have plenty of food and drink here. Let's chat. We were still quite unsatisfied earlier, and Junior Brother Xi's words were very helpful! Of course, I also invite Junior Brother Huang and Junior Sister Ziyan to come over. Anyway, we'll all be going to sea tomorrow, and we'll need to look after each other. Getting to know each other beforehand is beneficial! I'll call two of my companions over!"
As he spoke, Zhang Guodong waved his hand and took out a number of "novelties." "Here, there are also several jars of wine," he said, making Xi Tiehan's eyes light up so much they almost popped out.
"Hehe, very good! Senior Brother Zhang, I'll go call Senior Brother Huang and Junior Sister Zi right away!" Xi Tiehan gave Zhang Guodong a knowing smile, the meaning of which Zhang Guodong understood. In Xi Tiehan's view, this meant Zhang Guodong was going to apologize to Junior Sister Zi; everyone had seen the two of them acting like "lovers having a tiff" earlier.
Since he was going to do a good deed to the end, and there was also some exquisite food and drink to enjoy, Xi Tiehan naturally looked down on the food that his senior brother Huang and his companions had prepared. After all, he was the owner of Wanxian Restaurant; his generosity was certainly not lacking.
"Hey, don't rush, Junior Brother Xi, there's still some wine here. I think we should send a few jars to Lord Mu and the others. And some to the stewards too!" Zhang Guodong quickly stopped him, waving his hand to take out ten more small jars of wine. Since they'd already gone all the way to be good people, a little more bloodshed wouldn't matter.
Xi Tiehan stared in disbelief, thinking, "My goodness, these are truly amazing things! Ten jars in one go. If you're talking about the crystals, it's probably worth three to five hundred thousand low-grade crystals!" Zhang Guodong didn't even frown.
The wine we just drank was far superior to what you'd find in a restaurant; it was a whole level above. Even Uncle Mu's wine barely reached that level, and he usually couldn't bear to drink it.
Sending out ten small jars of wine greatly increased the goodwill that everyone in the market had towards Zhang Guodong.
Xuan Qingban and Liu Meigui returned to Zhang Guodong's side, Xuan Qingban in particular with a cold expression. Upon seeing Zhang Guodong, he snorted and said, "Quite the ladies' man. He's already bewitched You Lanfu's precious disciple so quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Meigui smiled faintly, then sighed inwardly. This Senior Brother Zhang was indeed a womanizer. Even Junior Sister Ban was jealous. Clearly, Junior Sister Ban and Senior Brother Zhang were very close, in that kind of relationship. And what about herself? Admiring the strong, especially such a young and powerful one, Liu Meigui felt somewhat lost.
Zhang Guodong gave a wry smile, but then grasped Xuan Qinghu's soft hand and squeezed it, saying, "This is a complicated matter, and it's not what you think. I'll explain it to you one by one later!"
Xuan Qing snorted and tried to shake off Zhang Guodong, but he wouldn't let go. She pinched him hard, making him wince in pain. Xuan Qing's face flushed instantly. Good heavens, what's wrong with me? Am I jealous?
Seeing that Xi Tiehan's group was about to arrive, Zhang Guodong finally released Xuan Qingwei. However, Xuan Qingban sat down to Zhang Guodong's left, while Liu Meigui sat to his right. With two beauties by his side, he seemed quite carefree.
When Xi Tiehan mentioned Zhang Guodong's invitation, Huang Song and the others, who were also eager to get closer to Zhang Guodong, saw that their master and steward had received wine from him, and immediately accepted. No cultivator is immune to the allure of wine.
Only Ziyan didn't want to go, but seeing the ambiguous and understanding expressions on everyone's faces, her pale face became even more alluring, and with a stomp of her foot, she accepted it.
However, the look in her eyes when she glared at Zhang Guodong was full of hatred. Even when she ate the food he had prepared, she bit down hard, as if the food was Zhang Guodong himself. But to others, this didn't seem like the case at all; they simply assumed it was a young couple having a tiff. They were actually quite surprised. Ziyan didn't seem to like men much. Was she really having an affair with Zhang Guodong?
Zhang Guodong had a barbecue grill on his side, an essential piece of equipment for almost every outdoor trip. Its many uses attracted everyone's attention. There was plenty of food and drink, and the atmosphere became lively.
Later on, Zhang Guodong was so busy he couldn't keep up. Even Mu Di's side came over and asked for a lot more barbecue. As a result, the food, barely cooked here, was gone in the blink of an eye, served to so many people.
Exhausted, Zhang Guodong gritted his teeth, took out two pressure cookers, and placed them on the barbecue grill. He filled the bottom with charcoal, used up all the crystals, and created a small array to concentrate the heat. Two pots of stewed game!
The group didn't disperse until 11 PM. They had eaten and drunk their fill. Their relationship with Zhang Guodong had improved considerably.
However, this area was a complete mess.
Zhang Guodong glanced at it, too lazy to pack up. He simply moved on, finding another open space to set up the tent. Although he had just been busy, he wasn't at ease.
Xuan Qingqi and Zi Yan actually developed a great deal of hostility!
Zhang Guodong didn't know whether he should be happy or depressed.
Xuan Qingban looked at Ziyan and naturally felt unhappy that she had gained another "love rival" to share her husband, Zhang Guodong. Ziyan, on the other hand, saw Xuan Qingban and Zhang Guodong looking intimate, and remembering that this bastard had ruined her purity and taken her virginity, she even hated Xuan Qingban.
Women are often strange like that. They might be complete enemies, with no emotional connection whatsoever, yet somehow, they still end up doing it. Perhaps even Ziyan herself doesn't realize it.
Zhang Guodong is really domineering when he's messing with women.
The final expedition to explore the ruins of the ancient sect at sea captivated the hearts of all cultivators. No one wanted to fall behind. Hundreds of cultivators, likely representing most of the elite from the outside world, were present. The major figures were all there. Most of the future elites were also present.
The next morning, Zhang Guodong was still meditating, lost in thought, when Xi Tiehan's booming voice rang out outside Zhang Guodong's tent. "Senior Brother Zhang, time to get up! You're the last one to get up!"
A moment later, Zhang Guodong pulled back the tent flap and stepped out. Looking around, he saw that everyone was indeed fully equipped. Even Xuan Qingban and Liu Meigui were.
Apart from his own tent, everyone else packed up their belongings.
"Junior Brother Xi, is everyone going to sea this time?" Zhang Guodong glanced at the entire island, then looked at Xuan Qingbo and Liu Meigui, and asked in confusion.
First update: 4,000 words. Second update: 4,000 words, to be continued shortly. This novel is officially published on "Qi".
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