"Hehe, of course not! If everyone was prepared to participate before, after several painful lessons, most of them will probably have to stay! The underwater exploration is less than halfway through the depth, and the remaining halfway is definitely more dangerous! Even with Master and the others, they probably can't take care of many of their own people. Everyone can only protect themselves. If we really encounter any uncontrollable danger, we still have to leave hope for the sect!" Xi Tiehan said with a chuckle.
"That's right!" Zhang Guodong nodded. If it's just the current depth of exploration, top experts supporting less experienced ones shouldn't be a big problem, ensuring the main force isn't lost. But as the dive deepens, even top experts will be overwhelmed.
Because while protecting themselves, they also have to guard against potentially huge dangers at any time and be ready to fight at any moment. In that case, it's really impossible to take care of just a few people.
Of course, those preparing to dive into the sea must be at least near-master level experts. Moreover, they must be equipped with high-level magical artifacts. Otherwise, they wouldn't even dare to attempt such a deep dive!
"So, which official will stay in the textile market? My two companions were unprepared and lack understanding of this place, so I'm afraid they won't be able to go down! I'll have to ask the textile market for help!" Zhang Guodong said.
It's a bit of a shame, but Zhang Guodong made the decision for Yan Qingwei and Liu Meigui, letting them stay on the island.
"This must be Senior Uncle Chixiao, right?" Xi Tiehan asked uncertainly. "Senior Uncle said that although some cultivators from the Dog Clan have arrived this time, he suspects that some are still missing, so he has to be on guard! Your companion can stay here. Don't worry!"
When Xi Tiehan said this, he was clearly considering Zhang Guodong one of his own. Moreover, it seemed likely that Zhang Guodong would be joining them later as part of the second echelon.
The top tier naturally consists of those top experts.
The second tier consists of near-Grandmasters, and even those possessing sufficiently high-level magical artifacts. Xi Tiehan, Huang Song, Ziyan, and five other near-Grandmasters will also follow. Zhang Guodong will soon form the second tier for the Imitation City faction with them. The selection of personnel for the second tiers of the other forces should be similar.
Xi Tiehan thought to himself, "According to my master and senior brothers, Zhang Guodong is practically the number one near-Grand Master! Even near-Grand Masters wouldn't be a match for Zhang Guodong in a one-on-one fight." Now that the second tier of martial arts in the city has such a powerful ally, Xi Tiehan and the others naturally want to win him over.
In fact, although Emperor Mu was the most powerful person on the island, he was not arrogant. He also had to guard against any unforeseen circumstances. Leaving his fourth brother, Chi Xiao, behind was a precaution in case the future elite of the city were harmed. Prevention was better than cure!
Finding ancient ruins is of paramount importance, but cultivating the next generation of backbone workers in the textile industry is equally crucial; caution is always the best policy.
However, Zhang Guodong would need to persuade Xuan Qingwei and Liu Meigui to stay on the island or simply return.
Especially Xuan Qingban, this woman always puts the prosperity of the Qingxuan Sect first, and she's very persistent about it. Without a good reason, it's really hard to say.
After Xi Tiehan left, Zhang Guodong packed up the tent and walked over to the two women.
“You all know how dangerous this underwater adventure is. My suggestion is that you either stay on the island or go back!” Zhang Guodong said directly.
Xuan Qingban frowned, clearly unwilling to remain on the island. Liu Meigui, however, looked at Xuan Qingban. She too was having second thoughts. She hadn't expected that this ancient ruin was truly, as the map showed, slumbering deep in the sea.
Moreover, there are so many ferocious beasts lurking in the sea! Nearly thirty cultivators of level 45 or above have already perished! And a near-great expert has also died!
Her cultivation level was far below level forty. Moreover, she didn't possess a single high-level magic weapon. If this continued, she would surely die.
Xuan Qingsuo opened his mouth as if to refute, but the words could not be uttered.
Without Zhang Guodong's support, how far can she hold on? A sense of bewilderment crept in.
Zhang Guodong was delighted and seized the opportunity to say, "It's settled then. You and Sister Rose will stay on the island. Lord Chixiao from Fangshi and many other cultivators will also stay. You'll be sheltered with him. I've already spoken to them!"
"Of course, if you really obtain more than three treasures, I will leave some for you!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang! I've decided to stay. With my current cultivation level, I'd only be a burden if I went!" Liu Meigui said with a delighted smile, giving Zhang Guodong a charming smile.
"Alright!" Xuan Qingban nodded helplessly. "You, be careful!"
"Don't worry! If it's just me alone, I'm more than capable of protecting myself!" Zhang Guodong laughed heartily.
Zhang Guodong left Xuan Qingban with many life-restoring and healing pills, as well as several Hundred Herbs Rejuvenation Pills. Liu Meigui was also fortunate enough to receive one, which she used to save her life.
Seeing Zhang Guodong pull out so many pills, even Xuan Qingwei was stunned. She knew Zhang Guodong was wealthy and powerful, with the restaurant earning over a million spirit stones, but the sheer number of pills—tens of thousands! That's worth tens of thousands of low-grade spirit stones!
Liu Meigui, standing nearby, watched with even greater fascination, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhang Guodong, utterly envious of Xuan Qingban.
If such a generous man were to cherish her, she would definitely throw herself into his arms.
On the cliff at the southwest corner of Phoenix Island, sixty or seventy near-master and master-level figures quickly gathered. Below, the waves crashed against the rocks with tremendous force, and this was also the closest point to the seabed.
Zhang Guodong, Xi Tiehan, Huang Song, Ziyan, and five other near-master-level fighters from each city formed a small group of nine.
The others were in similar groups, with several people in each group and no one alone.
"I have a few words to say before entering the water. I hope everyone will abide by them!" Emperor Mu stood against the wind, appearing even more majestic and imposing. The aura of a top-tier expert emanated from him, creating a great sense of pressure and shock for everyone, who couldn't help but feel awe and reverence for Emperor Mu.
It can be said that the words of the Wood Emperor basically represent the rules, the rules of the game, that all cultivators must abide by.
"Everyone knows how dangerous this underwater adventure will be. Therefore, the great masters and I have jointly decided that once we enter the sea, no one shall betray or attack each other; we must always focus on fighting off the ferocious beasts! Anyone who violates this will face only one fate: death!"
Everyone felt a chill! The Wood Emperor's gaze was terrifyingly cold, seemingly able to penetrate into everyone's soul. No one dared disbelieve the Wood Emperor's words. In the eyes of a top-tier expert, even a near-great expert could be crushed with a single blow.
"After several explorations, everyone knows that the underwater beast horde is difficult to deal with, but we should be even more careful to kill the beasts as quickly as possible. Then leave. Bloodshed will attract more beasts, and once you're surrounded, no one can save you!"
"Another point," Emperor Mu said, "this is the first time the ruins of an ancient sect have been discovered. The dangers and opportunities within are unknown. Once inside, everyone will rely on their own fate. But if danger arises, we must unite against it! Everyone remember, after exploring the seabed, we will face an even greater crisis. Therefore, I wish everyone success in obtaining opportunities and becoming stronger! Do any of you have anything to add?" Emperor Mu stated three points in succession, then, seeing everyone remain silent, he was quite satisfied and turned to ask the dozen or so powerful experts.
Feng Huang, Duanmu Qingyun, Lei Tai, Xingmu Laoguai, Fei Mile, Zhu Huang, and others all shook their heads, remaining silent. They had already discussed and decided on this matter, so naturally they had nothing to add.
Their focus now is all on the sea.
"Since there's nothing to add, let's go!" Emperor Mu smiled slightly and led the way down the cliff. Emperor Feng and more than a dozen other experts followed suit.
By the time Zhang Guodong and his second-tier team looked down the cliff, Mu Di and the others had already disappeared into the vast sea.
Zhang Guodong and his nine companions exchanged glances and immediately jumped off the cliff. Seeing this, the others panicked and hurriedly followed.
Those who go down first may face unknown dangers, but the resistance will be relatively smaller than those who go later. The further they go, the greater the resistance will be.
The bloodshed caused by those ahead in killing ferocious beasts will attract even more, making it more difficult for those who come later. Therefore, entering the sea earlier will reduce resistance considerably. Ideally, one should stay close to Emperor Mu and his group. Of course, staying close to Emperor Mu and his group is highly impractical.
With the strength of the second tier, they simply cannot keep up with the pace of Mu Di and his group.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Dozens of people jumped into the sea, a truly spectacular sight. However, an individual is insignificant compared to the vast ocean. Once inside, they were swallowed by the sea.
"Junior Sister Ban, let's go back. Senior Brother Zhang's cultivation is powerful, even surpassing those near-Grand Masters. He'll definitely return unharmed!" Not far from the cliff, Xuan Qingban and Liu Meigui, who couldn't go into the sea, silently saw Zhang Guodong and the others off. Each with complex emotions, Liu Meigui sighed inwardly, grasped Xuan Qingban's hand, and said...
Xuan Qingban tried to retaliate, but seeing Liu Meigui's concerned gaze, she immediately stopped. With a slight nod, the two headed towards the market's power base. For the foreseeable future, their safety would depend on the protection of the market's forces.
"Sister Rose, do you think there's really a great opportunity at the bottom of the sea? That it would attract so many cultivators to risk their lives to go down there?" Xuan Qingbo said quietly.
Liu Meigui gave a bitter smile and said softly, "Silly girl, how would I know!"
They thought to themselves, whether there would be any opportunity was unknown. But for now, it was all danger. For some reason, so many ferocious beasts had gathered in this seabed? There seemed to be far more than they had seen along the way.
Just after everyone left the cliff, two monkey cries rang out, and two more people appeared on the cliff, seemingly out of thin air—one in green and one in yellow, both elderly men. These two didn't linger; they leaped into the sea as well. Their movements into the water were far more elegant and graceful than those of Zhang Guodong and the other members of the second tier, as if they were floating on air.
None of the hundreds of cultivators on the island, including Chi Xiao who was meditating cross-legged, appeared.
This was Zhang Guodong's second deep-sea dive. The first time, he searched for the treasure of "Huangji Sanren" on the shores of the East China Sea, but had no choice but to enter the shallow waters. That time, he was also attacked by the stick-like Zhu Huang. Fortunately, he escaped quickly, otherwise the treasure would have changed hands.
Suddenly, we plunged into the sea, a strong, fishy smell filling our nostrils. The temperature dropped drastically, and the pressure pressed down on us; dozens of bubbles in the surrounding water were seen floating and sinking.
These people all wore small magical artifacts to ward off dust and water, making it impossible for seawater to get close. Zhang Guodong, however, didn't wear any; he was probably the only one among them who insisted on not wearing them. Zhang Guodong's cultivation emphasized being close to nature.
After Zhang Guodong and his nine companions entered the sea, they quickly gathered together, which accelerated their descent, reaching a depth of over ten meters in the blink of an eye.
Separated by water, Xi Tiehan and the others, with their current cultivation levels, couldn't communicate telepathically; they could only use hand gestures. The message was: don't stray too far from each other. Increase your speed.
Zhang Guodong was an exception.
He suddenly remembered something and transmitted his voice, "Everyone, do not release your spiritual senses! The ferocious beasts are extremely sensitive to spiritual senses; they can sense them within a hundred miles! Everyone, follow me!"
All eight were shocked. Zhang Guodong could actually transmit his voice? That was something only a master could do! However, this was not the time to be astonished by Zhang Guodong's abilities.
They genuinely didn't know that spiritual sense could attract ferocious beasts. They only knew that ferocious beasts could easily detect the presence of cultivators.
Fortunately, they had only just entered the sea, and ferocious beasts were mostly absent at this water level, so they quickly withdrew their spiritual senses. Everyone did as instructed. Of the nine, Zhang Guodong was the strongest; even if some were unconvinced, now was his chance to shine.
Following the map on the jade talisman, Zhang Guodong led eight people as they descended. However, the nine of them did not follow the others, but maintained a considerable distance. After a while, when most of them had descended six or seven hundred meters, they began to encounter ferocious beasts, and some began to fight.
Even on Zhang Guodong's side, more than a dozen enormous, white, soft-bodied ferocious beasts swam towards them. Each beast had tentacles twenty or thirty meters long waving about, resembling giant jellyfish.
Xi Tiehan and the others tensed up and prepared to make a move.
Zhang Guodong, however, transmitted a warning: "Don't make a move. It's too early. Dive deeper! Whatever ferocious beasts we encounter, avoid them as much as possible. Even if it takes more time and a longer detour, it's worth it! The net is only just beginning in the 10,000-meter deep sea. If we encounter battle too early, we'll miss out on the opportunity!"
A word of warning! The eight people were startled.
Zhang Guodong led the way and descended, with the others quickly following. Even though the ferocious beast roamed around them, and everyone was extremely tense, they didn't actually make a move.
A close call!
Once the ferocious beasts pounced, Zhang Guodong and his nine companions dove away, and the beasts quickly abandoned them. The sheer volume of blood ahead was what truly attracted them.
They instantly descended, reaching a depth of about 100 meters, but this also consumed a significant amount of their life force, exceeding the planned amount by half a percent.
More than 890 meters!
Xi Tiehan gave Zhang Guodong a thumbs up.
Zhang Guodong returned the smile with a smile, but his divine sense swept across the area above, revealing that some groups of cultivators seemed to be in trouble. They were being entangled by ferocious beasts, and even more beasts were rushing towards them.
The closer the game goes to the end, the fewer people there will be.
"Let's replenish our life force first, then continue descending!" At this moment, Zhang Guodong gave an unexpected order. Instead of continuing the descent, he ordered them to first restore their life force before continuing. "Don't ask me why! Even a top expert would struggle at a depth of ten thousand meters. If we don't conserve our strength, we might be torn to pieces and devoured by ferocious beasts before we even reach the bottom! Protecting ourselves is the priority!"
Then Zhang Guodong stopped explaining. Those who believed him should follow his advice; those who didn't could act on their own.
Seeing that Zhang Guodong had stopped diving and started replenishing his pills, the eight people hesitated for a moment before following suit.
Indeed, it is still early in the journey to our destination, and leaving alone would greatly increase the chances of death.
About ten minutes later, the nine people descended again.
1,900 cartloads of rice!
They encountered several groups of ferocious beasts. Except for two smaller groups, which Zhang Guodong and his nine companions defeated in a single battle and then fled without hesitation, they successfully avoided the danger. They avoided the other groups.
Their eyes were no longer usable, unless they used their spiritual sense. But given Zhang Guodong's warning, everyone feared that using their spiritual sense would attract ferocious beasts.
This increased the danger significantly, and the eerily quiet darkness of the sea only heightened the tension among the group.
Zhang Guodong wasn't having an easy time either. His divine sense was like his eyes, but the eight people around him were slightly thrown off balance. He had to use telepathy to try and calm them down from time to time.
Comparison: Two chapters, eight thousand words completed.
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