"Let's go, let's go up!" After a moment of surprise and doubt, Zhang Guodong mustered a bit of clarity and shouted, and the three of them took the boat and flew up to the island reef.
This small boat cannot be abandoned; it will be needed for the second half of the sea voyage. Zhang Guodong simply couldn't hold on any longer; even if the reefs were animal dens, he had to venture there.
With their feet firmly on the ground, Xuan Qingbo and Liu Meigui could easily unleash their full power, making them far stronger than in the sea. In contrast, the ferocious beasts of the sea could only truly thrive in the water.
After traversing dozens of meters, the three landed on the reef. Zhang Guodong hurriedly instructed, "Protect me!"
Then he sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state, swallowing a large number of pills to restore his life force and heal his injuries, and began to heal himself.
Xuan Qingqi and Liu Meigui dared not be careless, and disregarding everything else, they found a flat rock to sit on and began to guard their surroundings. They had already reached the South China Sea. Without Zhang Guodong's powerful assistance, the journey would be even more dangerous.
"Junior Sister Bo, I still feel unsafe on this island. It seems like something is watching us!" About fifteen minutes later, Zhang Guodong's face was no longer so pale, and the cold sweat had stopped. The two women breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear that Zhang Guodong's healing had entered a positive phase.
Along the way, Zhang Guodong overexerted his magical power, damaging his meridians. Both of them knew that wherever the medicinal power passed, the damaged meridians would feel a burning pain, which was simply torture.
Liu Meigui looked at the large reef mountain, which was tens of meters high, behind her for a while, and then suddenly said.
The massive, tens-of-meters-high reef is the main body of this island, and the three of them are currently only a dozen meters above the water on the reef. They are over a hundred meters away from the main reef, with their backs to it. However, this long, narrow reef isn't very large. What dangers could be lurking on it?
Xuan Qingban frowned and glanced at it a few times, then asked uncertainly, "Could this ferocious beast be hiding on an island reef?"
"How about I go scout it out? On land, those ferocious beasts can't do anything to us!" Liu Meigui suggested. "Sea beasts are powerful in the water, traveling in packs, but on land, no matter how many come, we'll kill them all!"
Xuan Yaohui was also somewhat tempted, but seeing that Zhang Guodong was still recovering and not knowing how long it would take, she shook her head and gave up the idea.
Zhang Guodong is now her fiancé, and not a bad one at that; she can no longer simply leave him to his fate. Compared to the allure of adventure, Zhang Guodong's safety is paramount.
"Sister Rose, I won't go. Guodong is still healing, and I have to protect him!" Xuan Qinghui said.
"Well, never mind then, I won't go. Let's search this island together after Senior Brother Zhang finishes his healing!" Liu Meigui glanced at Zhang Guodong, who was in meditation, somewhat surprised by Xuan Qingban's address. It seemed that this junior sister and Zhang Guodong had a very close relationship, as she was actually calling him by his full name.
She was eager to explore the island and reefs, and also had the idea of treasure hunting. The ruins of an ancient cultivation sect had been discovered overseas, making the entire overseas region a place that cultivators longed for, and she was no exception.
Perhaps there are ruins or relics left by cultivators on these islands and reefs?
However, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to explore the treasure alone, leaving Zhang Guodong and Xuan Qingbo behind, lest they have any negative opinions of her. Friendships and trust between cultivators are difficult to establish; currently, the two sides are getting along well, and Liu Meigui doesn't want to cause any trouble.
Liu Meigui sat down cross-legged again to protect Zhang Guodong.
How severe is Zhang Guodong's meridian injury?
In fact, his meridians were indeed severely damaged, but fortunately he had a lot of pills, and the physical strength of body cultivation, or magic cultivation, was very high, and the recovery ability was also strong. So after a quarter of an hour, the damaged meridians began to recover quickly under the effect of the pills.
At this rate of recovery, it should take three days. It's estimated that it will be almost fully recovered. This rate of recovery is several times stronger than that of an average cultivator!
Healing alone is rather tedious. Zhang Guodong waits until his recovery enters a healthy state. Once that's done, he'll focus on two things at once, beginning to comprehend the laws of life. He doesn't want to stop cultivating for a moment, although this kind of cultivation is slow and tedious in the early stages, and may not be fast later on, but it's very interesting. He's just like a child with an extremely strong thirst for knowledge, greedily exploring and absorbing every bit of "professional knowledge." Only here, this "professional knowledge" has been replaced by "the laws of life." That's all.
The marine environment offers different opportunities to understand the laws of life. It's like opening another window for Zhang Guodong. Experiencing the same laws of life in different environments yields different insights, like complementary elements.
Its divine sense covered an area of sixteen miles, encompassing all fish, shrimp, and creatures of all sizes in the sea. Even hundreds of meters below the surface, lurked a colossal beast. Its shell, resembling a tortoise shell fifty or sixty meters in diameter, would extend its seven- or eight-meter-long red flesh beneath the shell whenever an animal passed by. Most of these aquatic creatures would then become its prey. It wouldn't even consider anything too small; the smallest creatures were at least two meters long, and to this massive aquatic behemoth, a two-meter-long animal was merely a small snack.
It turned out to be an unknown ferocious beast!
Zhang Guodong scanned its body with his divine sense, but it remained completely unaware. He was somewhat surprised. Were there so many ferocious beasts in the sea? When did they appear?
Suddenly, a wisp of gray energy rose from its body and instantly merged into Zhang Guodong's mind along with his divine sense. Zhang Guodong didn't even have time to react and was shocked.
"Boom!"
An earthquake struck his mind, throwing the world into chaos. A moment later, everything calmed down. Zhang Guodong's mind cleared, and his understanding of the laws of life deepened considerably. This was a gain he hadn't achieved in two months!
All because an unknown ferocious beast has appeared in the sea!
"This ferocious beast is actually so helpful to my understanding of the Laws of Life?! My God, what's going on? Just by locking onto it with my divine sense, I can gain the Laws of Life? This is absurd!"
A powerful magical force descended from the sky, entering Zhang Guodong's body like a blessing from heaven. Just like the blessing and enlightenment he received outside the square during the major reshuffle of the provincial party committee in Xiqin Province, it was as if the spiritual power formed by heaven and earth was directly poured in, improving his cultivation.
This time it's exactly the same! Could it also be an epiphany? No, this time it's being infused with incredibly pure magical power! Magical power! This time, what's being infused is even more powerful than all the magical power I have left.
"Level 44!" Zhang Guodong was stunned. This healing had actually raised him by one level! All his injuries were instantly healed.
Xuan Qingban and Liu Meigui, who were not far away, suddenly felt a powerful pressure descend upon the island, making it hard for them to breathe. However, it lasted for less than a second before disappearing without a trace.
"What happened!" Liu Meigui jumped up, her face filled with panic. Even Xuan Qingbo was extremely nervous. Could it be that some powerful expert had descended upon this place?
But even if a great master descends and deliberately exerts pressure, what about the person?
"Sister Rose, don't be nervous. The sea is vast. Perhaps some treasure is about to be born?" Xuan Qingban said.
Liu Meigui's eyes lit up, and both of them released their spiritual senses at once. A treasure! It could only be a treasure from an ancient cultivator!
However, this release, though seemingly insignificant, attracted all sorts of ferocious beasts.
For some reason, these ferocious sea beasts were incredibly sensitive to spiritual sense, able to detect things from a distance of a hundred miles. Moreover, the reef was surrounded by skeletal remains, suggesting a large number of beasts. The moment their spiritual senses were released, the surrounding sea erupted into chaos. Fish of all sizes thrashed about in panic, scrambling to escape. The scene was truly spectacular.
"Not good!" The two men's expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly withdrew their spiritual senses. But it was too late.
Ferocious beasts within a hundred miles all surged towards this side.
The two were dumbfounded. It would be a lie to say they weren't panicked.
"Junior Sister Ban, what do we do now? What's going on? Why are all the ferocious beasts swarming towards us? Could it be that some kind of treasure is about to be unearthed?" Liu Meigui said in a panic. A treasure is good, but you have to be alive to get it. One ferocious beast isn't scary, but a whole group of them surrounding us makes escape very difficult.
Xuan Qingxuan forced himself to remain calm and said, "Sister Mei Hun, don't panic. There are many ferocious beasts, but we are on an island, so they can't do anything to us!"
"Oh no! Could it be that another powerful expert has descended here?" Liu Meigui was about to nod when she immediately felt a pressure descend upon them, affecting both of them.
The oppressive aura descended intermittently, yet no powerful experts appeared on the island. This greatly relieved the two, but it didn't ease their worries. Didn't they see that within a hundred miles, the sea was teeming with dark, chaotic hordes of ferocious beasts?
Different ferocious beasts roamed freely here. Fierce battles and bloodshed were inevitable; thick, intoxicating stench of blood enveloped the sea for hundreds of miles around, turning the water into layers of crimson foam and blood. It was utterly horrific!
At first, the two were terrified and utterly shocked. But after a while, they became numb. With so many ferocious beasts gathered together, a brutal battle of devouring was clearly inevitable.
They failed to notice that a few ferocious beasts that had devoured their own kind or other beasts quickly grew larger, as if the meat of those beasts was a miraculous tonic for them. Of course, this was only a very small minority; most of the beasts, although they also participated in the battle of consumption, did not show a significant increase in size.
Among them, a dozen or so large creatures with tortoise shells appeared, and they were the most formidable. Upon their appearance, the other ferocious beasts fled in fear. Even those that dared to challenge them were torn to shreds in moments. Not only were their tongues incredibly powerful, capable of wrapping around and stuffing beasts into their mouths, but their claws were also revealed to be exceptionally sharp. A single slash could slice another beast in two!
The battle lasted for four days. After four days, the vast sea calmed down. Most of the ferocious beasts hid in the water, only surfacing once every few days before diving back down. It appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, deadly danger lurked beneath the surface.
"Phew, that feels great!" Zhang Guodong suddenly moved, stretched, and said.
The willow-lined rose and the emerald green stalks, not far from him, had entered a meditative state, cultivating. They were no longer protecting Zhang Guodong; each unable to endure the torment any longer, they had entered into meditation to pass the time.
At first, they were worried that the ferocious beasts would come to the island, so they were on high alert and on guard. But after witnessing so many ferocious beasts gather together, not a single one came to the island, which relieved them. They also felt very tired, so they all entered a meditative state. They were relieved. After observing for a few days, they realized that these ferocious beasts did not seem to like coming to land.
So when Zhang Guodong finished healing and woke up, he found that neither of the two women were protecting him; instead, they were cultivating. He was both amused and exasperated. How irresponsible! He was now the one protecting them!
"Alright, being a protector for a beautiful woman is a blessing!" Zhang Guodong shook his head slightly, took out a cushion, sat down again, and then took out some other items to keep track of time.
Chapter 4: Five levels gained in a row! The Devouring Star Beast
A pile of charcoal fire rose on the barbecue grill, the blazing charcoal radiating intense heat, drying out the reef where Zhang Guodong was located considerably. Within three or four meters, everything was dry and comfortable to look at.
Finding a dry spot on these reefs is truly difficult. Basically, the reefs are constantly eroded by the sea and shrouded in mist. It's impossible to dry off even if you wanted to.
I felt the warmth emanating from the charcoal. To better comprehend the laws of life, Zhang Guodong rarely wears his dust-repelling magic items anymore, so his clothes were wet, but they had already dried by now. The gentle sea breeze was quite comfortable.
On the grill, there were some meat skewers and a few grilled buns. The meat skewers sizzled and dripped with oil, and the aroma of the meat was irresistible. Every now and then, Zhang Guodong would flip the meat skewers and wipe them on the grilled buns, repeating this process.
Holding a flask of wine in his hand, it was a strong liquor, fiery hot to drink, but just right for this cool, windy island.
Zhang Guodong's face was beaming with joy, despite the countless dangers surrounding him. He ignored the ferocious beasts that occasionally surfaced at sea, completely disregarding them.
Unexpectedly, that powerful, ferocious beast with the tortoise shell had quite a background. That intricate tortoise shell was a magical object, containing many secrets. It could even allow him to absorb a few strands of gray energy, accelerating his comprehension of the laws of life!
In just four days, those dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts actually allowed him to break through five levels in succession! He reached level forty-eight!
If this got out, it would probably scare a lot of people. Five levels in four days, and that's from level 43 to the mid-stage of level 48!
The feeling of being infused with that magical power was incredibly wonderful. Zhang Guodong even felt a little regretful that there were only a dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts. For several days in a row, not a single one of them had been added.
These dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts, which Zhang Guodong has named "Treasure Beasts," may not be entirely appropriate, but for him, "Treasure Beasts are far more helpful than some rare and precious treasures. The name 'Treasure Beasts' is truly fitting."
The two women's deep meditation was unexpected by Zhang Guodong. It had lasted for ten days, yet they showed no signs of waking up. Zhang Guodong had initially thought they were just passing the time out of boredom. But his role as their protector had lasted for ten days!
Look, this is likely to continue. The life force and demonic energy around the two women are increasing day by day, and their cultivation progress is remarkably rapid.
It turns out that it wasn't just them who reaped great rewards; they also had opportunities.
“This place is indeed a treasure!” Zhang Guodong glanced at the two of them, then lay down on a few futons and released his divine sense once again.
Eight more days later!
Xuan Qingqi and Liu Meigui woke up almost one after the other. Both wore expressions of joy; clearly, they had gained a great deal from this sudden cultivation session!
Congratulations, Sister Rose!
"Hehe, Junior Sister Ji also had a great harvest, didn't she? Congratulations to her too!" Liu Meigui couldn't hide her joy and giggled.
Moved by the pressure of repeated magical descents, Xuan Qinghui entered a meditative state for eighteen days, raising her cultivation to level thirty-six! That's an incredible increase of one and a half levels! With her solid foundation and the added opportunity, her momentum for breaking through to new levels is incredibly strong. This is evident from her breakthrough from level thirty-four to thirty-five, and then to thirty-six in one go.
Liu Meigui's opportunity didn't last the same eighteen days either; she also leveled up, reaching level thirty-three! Originally, the difference in cultivation between the two women wasn't significant, but this advancement widened the gap considerably. Xuan Qingban's concealment technique could no longer perfectly hide her cultivation level.
Liu Meigui then realized that this Junior Sister Hui's cultivation level was higher than hers. However, Zhang Guodong told her to continue calling Xuan Qingji "Junior Sister Ji," so she would avoid any awkwardness.
This also reveals the difference in talent between the two women; Xuan Qingwei's cultivation talent is indeed extraordinary.
"Congratulations, Sister Rose! Junior Sister Bo's cultivation has greatly improved!" At this moment, Zhang Guodong also woke up and congratulated her with a smile. "Sister Rose, Junior Sister Ban. Please have a seat!"
They pulled out two futons from their bodies, one for each person. They then netted three of them.
"Hey, Senior Brother Zhang, I can't see your cultivation level at all!" Liu Meigui exclaimed in surprise when she saw Zhang Guodong.
"Let's go, let's go up!" After a moment of surprise and doubt, Zhang Guodong mustered a bit of clarity and shouted, and the three of them took the boat and flew up to the island reef.
This small boat cannot be abandoned; it will be needed for the second half of the sea voyage. Zhang Guodong simply couldn't hold on any longer; even if the reefs were animal dens, he had to venture there.
With their feet firmly on the ground, Xuan Qingbo and Liu Meigui could easily unleash their full power, making them far stronger than in the sea. In contrast, the ferocious beasts of the sea could only truly thrive in the water.
After traversing dozens of meters, the three landed on the reef. Zhang Guodong hurriedly instructed, "Protect me!"
Then he sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state, swallowing a large number of pills to restore his life force and heal his injuries, and began to heal himself.
Xuan Qingqi and Liu Meigui dared not be careless, and disregarding everything else, they found a flat rock to sit on and began to guard their surroundings. They had already reached the South China Sea. Without Zhang Guodong's powerful assistance, the journey would be even more dangerous.
"Junior Sister Bo, I still feel unsafe on this island. It seems like something is watching us!" About fifteen minutes later, Zhang Guodong's face was no longer so pale, and the cold sweat had stopped. The two women breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear that Zhang Guodong's healing had entered a positive phase.
Along the way, Zhang Guodong overexerted his magical power, damaging his meridians. Both of them knew that wherever the medicinal power passed, the damaged meridians would feel a burning pain, which was simply torture.
Liu Meigui looked at the large reef mountain, which was tens of meters high, behind her for a while, and then suddenly said.
The massive, tens-of-meters-high reef is the main body of this island, and the three of them are currently only a dozen meters above the water on the reef. They are over a hundred meters away from the main reef, with their backs to it. However, this long, narrow reef isn't very large. What dangers could be lurking on it?
Xuan Qingban frowned and glanced at it a few times, then asked uncertainly, "Could this ferocious beast be hiding on an island reef?"
"How about I go scout it out? On land, those ferocious beasts can't do anything to us!" Liu Meigui suggested. "Sea beasts are powerful in the water, traveling in packs, but on land, no matter how many come, we'll kill them all!"
Xuan Yaohui was also somewhat tempted, but seeing that Zhang Guodong was still recovering and not knowing how long it would take, she shook her head and gave up the idea.
Zhang Guodong is now her fiancé, and not a bad one at that; she can no longer simply leave him to his fate. Compared to the allure of adventure, Zhang Guodong's safety is paramount.
"Sister Rose, I won't go. Guodong is still healing, and I have to protect him!" Xuan Qinghui said.
"Well, never mind then, I won't go. Let's search this island together after Senior Brother Zhang finishes his healing!" Liu Meigui glanced at Zhang Guodong, who was in meditation, somewhat surprised by Xuan Qingban's address. It seemed that this junior sister and Zhang Guodong had a very close relationship, as she was actually calling him by his full name.
She was eager to explore the island and reefs, and also had the idea of treasure hunting. The ruins of an ancient cultivation sect had been discovered overseas, making the entire overseas region a place that cultivators longed for, and she was no exception.
Perhaps there are ruins or relics left by cultivators on these islands and reefs?
However, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to explore the treasure alone, leaving Zhang Guodong and Xuan Qingbo behind, lest they have any negative opinions of her. Friendships and trust between cultivators are difficult to establish; currently, the two sides are getting along well, and Liu Meigui doesn't want to cause any trouble.
Liu Meigui sat down cross-legged again to protect Zhang Guodong.
How severe is Zhang Guodong's meridian injury?
In fact, his meridians were indeed severely damaged, but fortunately he had a lot of pills, and the physical strength of body cultivation, or magic cultivation, was very high, and the recovery ability was also strong. So after a quarter of an hour, the damaged meridians began to recover quickly under the effect of the pills.
At this rate of recovery, it should take three days. It's estimated that it will be almost fully recovered. This rate of recovery is several times stronger than that of an average cultivator!
Healing alone is rather tedious. Zhang Guodong waits until his recovery enters a healthy state. Once that's done, he'll focus on two things at once, beginning to comprehend the laws of life. He doesn't want to stop cultivating for a moment, although this kind of cultivation is slow and tedious in the early stages, and may not be fast later on, but it's very interesting. He's just like a child with an extremely strong thirst for knowledge, greedily exploring and absorbing every bit of "professional knowledge." Only here, this "professional knowledge" has been replaced by "the laws of life." That's all.
The marine environment offers different opportunities to understand the laws of life. It's like opening another window for Zhang Guodong. Experiencing the same laws of life in different environments yields different insights, like complementary elements.
Its divine sense covered an area of sixteen miles, encompassing all fish, shrimp, and creatures of all sizes in the sea. Even hundreds of meters below the surface, lurked a colossal beast. Its shell, resembling a tortoise shell fifty or sixty meters in diameter, would extend its seven- or eight-meter-long red flesh beneath the shell whenever an animal passed by. Most of these aquatic creatures would then become its prey. It wouldn't even consider anything too small; the smallest creatures were at least two meters long, and to this massive aquatic behemoth, a two-meter-long animal was merely a small snack.
It turned out to be an unknown ferocious beast!
Zhang Guodong scanned its body with his divine sense, but it remained completely unaware. He was somewhat surprised. Were there so many ferocious beasts in the sea? When did they appear?
Suddenly, a wisp of gray energy rose from its body and instantly merged into Zhang Guodong's mind along with his divine sense. Zhang Guodong didn't even have time to react and was shocked.
"Boom!"
An earthquake struck his mind, throwing the world into chaos. A moment later, everything calmed down. Zhang Guodong's mind cleared, and his understanding of the laws of life deepened considerably. This was a gain he hadn't achieved in two months!
All because an unknown ferocious beast has appeared in the sea!
"This ferocious beast is actually so helpful to my understanding of the Laws of Life?! My God, what's going on? Just by locking onto it with my divine sense, I can gain the Laws of Life? This is absurd!"
A powerful magical force descended from the sky, entering Zhang Guodong's body like a blessing from heaven. Just like the blessing and enlightenment he received outside the square during the major reshuffle of the provincial party committee in Xiqin Province, it was as if the spiritual power formed by heaven and earth was directly poured in, improving his cultivation.
This time it's exactly the same! Could it also be an epiphany? No, this time it's being infused with incredibly pure magical power! Magical power! This time, what's being infused is even more powerful than all the magical power I have left.
"Level 44!" Zhang Guodong was stunned. This healing had actually raised him by one level! All his injuries were instantly healed.
Xuan Qingban and Liu Meigui, who were not far away, suddenly felt a powerful pressure descend upon the island, making it hard for them to breathe. However, it lasted for less than a second before disappearing without a trace.
"What happened!" Liu Meigui jumped up, her face filled with panic. Even Xuan Qingbo was extremely nervous. Could it be that some powerful expert had descended upon this place?
But even if a great master descends and deliberately exerts pressure, what about the person?
"Sister Rose, don't be nervous. The sea is vast. Perhaps some treasure is about to be born?" Xuan Qingban said.
Liu Meigui's eyes lit up, and both of them released their spiritual senses at once. A treasure! It could only be a treasure from an ancient cultivator!
However, this release, though seemingly insignificant, attracted all sorts of ferocious beasts.
For some reason, these ferocious sea beasts were incredibly sensitive to spiritual sense, able to detect things from a distance of a hundred miles. Moreover, the reef was surrounded by skeletal remains, suggesting a large number of beasts. The moment their spiritual senses were released, the surrounding sea erupted into chaos. Fish of all sizes thrashed about in panic, scrambling to escape. The scene was truly spectacular.
"Not good!" The two men's expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly withdrew their spiritual senses. But it was too late.
Ferocious beasts within a hundred miles all surged towards this side.
The two were dumbfounded. It would be a lie to say they weren't panicked.
"Junior Sister Ban, what do we do now? What's going on? Why are all the ferocious beasts swarming towards us? Could it be that some kind of treasure is about to be unearthed?" Liu Meigui said in a panic. A treasure is good, but you have to be alive to get it. One ferocious beast isn't scary, but a whole group of them surrounding us makes escape very difficult.
Xuan Qingxuan forced himself to remain calm and said, "Sister Mei Hun, don't panic. There are many ferocious beasts, but we are on an island, so they can't do anything to us!"
"Oh no! Could it be that another powerful expert has descended here?" Liu Meigui was about to nod when she immediately felt a pressure descend upon them, affecting both of them.
The oppressive aura descended intermittently, yet no powerful experts appeared on the island. This greatly relieved the two, but it didn't ease their worries. Didn't they see that within a hundred miles, the sea was teeming with dark, chaotic hordes of ferocious beasts?
Different ferocious beasts roamed freely here. Fierce battles and bloodshed were inevitable; thick, intoxicating stench of blood enveloped the sea for hundreds of miles around, turning the water into layers of crimson foam and blood. It was utterly horrific!
At first, the two were terrified and utterly shocked. But after a while, they became numb. With so many ferocious beasts gathered together, a brutal battle of devouring was clearly inevitable.
They failed to notice that a few ferocious beasts that had devoured their own kind or other beasts quickly grew larger, as if the meat of those beasts was a miraculous tonic for them. Of course, this was only a very small minority; most of the beasts, although they also participated in the battle of consumption, did not show a significant increase in size.
Among them, a dozen or so large creatures with tortoise shells appeared, and they were the most formidable. Upon their appearance, the other ferocious beasts fled in fear. Even those that dared to challenge them were torn to shreds in moments. Not only were their tongues incredibly powerful, capable of wrapping around and stuffing beasts into their mouths, but their claws were also revealed to be exceptionally sharp. A single slash could slice another beast in two!
The battle lasted for four days. After four days, the vast sea calmed down. Most of the ferocious beasts hid in the water, only surfacing once every few days before diving back down. It appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, deadly danger lurked beneath the surface.
"Phew, that feels great!" Zhang Guodong suddenly moved, stretched, and said.
The willow-lined rose and the emerald green stalks, not far from him, had entered a meditative state, cultivating. They were no longer protecting Zhang Guodong; each unable to endure the torment any longer, they had entered into meditation to pass the time.
At first, they were worried that the ferocious beasts would come to the island, so they were on high alert and on guard. But after witnessing so many ferocious beasts gather together, not a single one came to the island, which relieved them. They also felt very tired, so they all entered a meditative state. They were relieved. After observing for a few days, they realized that these ferocious beasts did not seem to like coming to land.
So when Zhang Guodong finished healing and woke up, he found that neither of the two women were protecting him; instead, they were cultivating. He was both amused and exasperated. How irresponsible! He was now the one protecting them!
"Alright, being a protector for a beautiful woman is a blessing!" Zhang Guodong shook his head slightly, took out a cushion, sat down again, and then took out some other items to keep track of time.
Chapter 4: Five levels gained in a row! The Devouring Star Beast
A pile of charcoal fire rose on the barbecue grill, the blazing charcoal radiating intense heat, drying out the reef where Zhang Guodong was located considerably. Within three or four meters, everything was dry and comfortable to look at.
Finding a dry spot on these reefs is truly difficult. Basically, the reefs are constantly eroded by the sea and shrouded in mist. It's impossible to dry off even if you wanted to.
I felt the warmth emanating from the charcoal. To better comprehend the laws of life, Zhang Guodong rarely wears his dust-repelling magic items anymore, so his clothes were wet, but they had already dried by now. The gentle sea breeze was quite comfortable.
On the grill, there were some meat skewers and a few grilled buns. The meat skewers sizzled and dripped with oil, and the aroma of the meat was irresistible. Every now and then, Zhang Guodong would flip the meat skewers and wipe them on the grilled buns, repeating this process.
Holding a flask of wine in his hand, it was a strong liquor, fiery hot to drink, but just right for this cool, windy island.
Zhang Guodong's face was beaming with joy, despite the countless dangers surrounding him. He ignored the ferocious beasts that occasionally surfaced at sea, completely disregarding them.
Unexpectedly, that powerful, ferocious beast with the tortoise shell had quite a background. That intricate tortoise shell was a magical object, containing many secrets. It could even allow him to absorb a few strands of gray energy, accelerating his comprehension of the laws of life!
In just four days, those dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts actually allowed him to break through five levels in succession! He reached level forty-eight!
If this got out, it would probably scare a lot of people. Five levels in four days, and that's from level 43 to the mid-stage of level 48!
The feeling of being infused with that magical power was incredibly wonderful. Zhang Guodong even felt a little regretful that there were only a dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts. For several days in a row, not a single one of them had been added.
These dozen or so strange and ferocious beasts, which Zhang Guodong has named "Treasure Beasts," may not be entirely appropriate, but for him, "Treasure Beasts are far more helpful than some rare and precious treasures. The name 'Treasure Beasts' is truly fitting."
The two women's deep meditation was unexpected by Zhang Guodong. It had lasted for ten days, yet they showed no signs of waking up. Zhang Guodong had initially thought they were just passing the time out of boredom. But his role as their protector had lasted for ten days!
Look, this is likely to continue. The life force and demonic energy around the two women are increasing day by day, and their cultivation progress is remarkably rapid.
It turns out that it wasn't just them who reaped great rewards; they also had opportunities.
“This place is indeed a treasure!” Zhang Guodong glanced at the two of them, then lay down on a few futons and released his divine sense once again.
Eight more days later!
Xuan Qingqi and Liu Meigui woke up almost one after the other. Both wore expressions of joy; clearly, they had gained a great deal from this sudden cultivation session!
Congratulations, Sister Rose!
"Hehe, Junior Sister Ji also had a great harvest, didn't she? Congratulations to her too!" Liu Meigui couldn't hide her joy and giggled.
Moved by the pressure of repeated magical descents, Xuan Qinghui entered a meditative state for eighteen days, raising her cultivation to level thirty-six! That's an incredible increase of one and a half levels! With her solid foundation and the added opportunity, her momentum for breaking through to new levels is incredibly strong. This is evident from her breakthrough from level thirty-four to thirty-five, and then to thirty-six in one go.
Liu Meigui's opportunity didn't last the same eighteen days either; she also leveled up, reaching level thirty-three! Originally, the difference in cultivation between the two women wasn't significant, but this advancement widened the gap considerably. Xuan Qingban's concealment technique could no longer perfectly hide her cultivation level.
Liu Meigui then realized that this Junior Sister Hui's cultivation level was higher than hers. However, Zhang Guodong told her to continue calling Xuan Qingji "Junior Sister Ji," so she would avoid any awkwardness.
This also reveals the difference in talent between the two women; Xuan Qingwei's cultivation talent is indeed extraordinary.
"Congratulations, Sister Rose! Junior Sister Bo's cultivation has greatly improved!" At this moment, Zhang Guodong also woke up and congratulated her with a smile. "Sister Rose, Junior Sister Ban. Please have a seat!"
They pulled out two futons from their bodies, one for each person. They then netted three of them.
"Hey, Senior Brother Zhang, I can't see your cultivation level at all!" Liu Meigui exclaimed in surprise when she saw Zhang Guodong.
"Ha, I just made a few discoveries while I was recovering, nothing special!" Zhang Guodong said with a chuckle. You could tell he was a little smug.
Of the three, he had the highest cultivation level, but he also advanced the most levels this time, reaching five levels! Xuan Qingban was at level one and a half, and Liu Meigui was at level one!
However, Liu Meigui wasn't about to let Zhang Guodong off the hook so easily. She asked curiously, "Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhang! What level are you at now?"
"Only level four or five, Sister Rose. It seems that our joint voyage this time has brought us quite a bit of good fortune!" Zhang Guodong said modestly.
"How much?!" Liu Meigui was stunned. Even Xuan Qiwei looked shocked! She knew Zhang Guodong's level was forty-three; this jump of four or five levels would make him forty-eight!
Zhang Guodong felt embarrassed, realizing his attitude was a bit arrogant, so he honestly replied, "I'm currently level 48. I didn't expect to improve so much this time!"
Level 48!
Liu Meigui and Xuan Qingban were stunned and frightened, looking at Zhang Guodong as if he were a monster. Gradually, Liu Meigui's face filled with adoration and a hint of love. Xuan Qingban's gaze towards Zhang Guodong softened, and her cheeks flushed with excitement.
Zhang Guodong's cultivation level has improved, which is the best news for the Qingxuan Sect! It is foreseeable that once Zhang Guodong returns from the Demon-Fighting Battlefield, the Qingxuan Sect will have a powerful expert in charge. With such an expert in charge, even Black Wind City will not easily take action.
Otherwise, a battle between a master and a powerful expert would be disastrous. Escaping would be easy, but seeking revenge against a powerful force would make a master much more difficult to deal with.
“I’m embarrassed by all the stares at me like that! Let’s eat something and then explore this reef together. I feel like there’s some secret here. There are so many giant skeletons scattered around the reef. It seems to be one of the places that ferocious beasts like to go. The three of us have actually leveled up this time. It’s clear that although this place is dangerous, it’s also a treasure trove! If there’s any treasure hidden here, we can’t let it go!” Zhang Guodong chuckled and said.
"How many days have we been cultivating?" Liu Meigui asked in surprise, then frowned.
"It took about twenty-three days in total."
"Although twenty-three days is longer than our planned time, it's fine this way! The ancient cultivator sect ruins are extremely tempting to every cultivator, but our cultivation level is low, and it's unknown whether we can enter there as we wish, let alone obtain any treasures. Now, this place has truly improved our level. It can be said that this is our place of opportunity. It's good to be a few days late!" Zhang Guodong said without any concern.
“Guodong is right, Sister Rose, I think we shouldn’t rush to go! The ancient cultivator’s ruins may not yield any results, and even if they do contain some treasures, there won’t be many. The chances of us finding them are slim!” Xuan Qingwei also said.
“Alright,” Liu Meigui nodded. Zhang Guodong and Xuan Qingwei were telling the truth, and besides, of the three, she was currently the weakest. If the two of them objected, how could she object? It was better to honestly explore the Black Reef; if there were any treasures, she could at least get a share!
The island wasn't large, so the three of them stopped worrying and ate something first. After twenty-three days of cultivation, apart from Zhang Guodong, the two women were suffering from an empty stomach, so their resistance to food comparable to that of a high-class restaurant was very low.
After finishing their meal and drinks, as darkness fell, the three of them realized they had no choice but to return to meditation and adjust to their peak condition, planning to explore the island and reef again early the next morning.
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