Dongyu Town (1)
Xuanxiao Sect is located in the Eastern Region of the Immortal Realm. As the most powerful sect in the Eastern Region, any demons and evil spirits that other sects cannot deal with will be reported to Xuanxiao Sect for support.
Dongyu Town is a small town on the coast of the East China Sea. Local people mostly make a living by fishing and live a rich and happy life.
Two weeks ago, four fishermen were out at sea when a sudden strong wind blew up, the waves crashing into their boat, and the four fishermen fell into the deep sea, never to be found. For the next few days, no matter how clear the weather or how calm the sea, whenever anyone went out to sea, a tsunami would strike within a quarter of an hour.
Including the initial four fishermen, nearly fifteen people had fallen into the deep sea in Dongyu Town, all of whom had died without exception. Logically, a few bodies should have drifted back, but none had. Several houses near the sea had also been smashed to pieces by the raging waves.
The Heguang Sect, which is closest to Dongyu Town, sent disciples to investigate for several days, but they only found demonic energy, but they didn't know what kind of demon it was. How could they suppress it? Helplessly, they asked for help from the Xuanxiao Sect.
When Cang He first received the news, he planned to go and solve it himself. He was more accustomed to solving problems alone, so he put away the jade slip and was about to leave, but was stopped by Wan Wuji.
Wan Wuji was quite disappointed: "You are the dignified leader of Xuanxiao Sect, is this kind of thing worth your participation? Didn't Sect Master Renguang go too?"
Cang He was a skilled fighter, but when faced with this situation, he seemed dazed. He humbly asked for advice: "What should I do?"
Wan Wuji knew very well that his junior brother had a stubborn mind, so he didn't get angry when he heard him ask the question. Instead, he felt relieved that the silly boy was finally growing up.
He patted Cang He's shoulder and said, "Zhao Zhao and A Tiao are also at the age of training. Previously, I only let them eliminate some minor demons. This time, why not let them give it a try?"
Seeing Cang He frown, seemingly disapproving, Wan Wuji shook his head and laughed. He said gently, "I know you're worried about Zhao Zhao getting into trouble, but Ah He, there will always be times when you can't protect her. If you ascend to heaven in the future, who will be able to protect her?"
Cang He didn't say anything, his hand tightly gripping the jade slip, his fingertips turning white.
"She can't stay with the sect forever. She'll have to face the calamity one day." Wan Wuji said nothing more, patted his shoulder again, and walked away. He knew Cang He would figure it out.
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When Lin Zhuo and Xie Zhitiao arrived at the main hall, Ling Qingqiu and You Jingjia had already arrived.
Seeing that everyone was present, Canghe took out the jade slip and told the four people about the recent situation in Dongyu Town.
Finally, he paused, then spoke, "I've discussed this with your uncle. This time, the four of you will go together. We must restore peace to Dongyu." He then looked at Lin Zhuo and Xie Zhitiao, "You two should not act rashly. Don't act alone. When you're out, obey your brothers and sisters in everything."
He looked at his mature disciple again, suppressed his emotions, and said, "Do you understand everything?"
The four of them looked at each other and said, "Understood."
Cang He nodded: "We'll set off in a quarter of an hour." The four of them stepped out of the palace gate one after another. Cang He spoke again: "Qing Qiu, stay for a while."
Ling Qingqiu paused and turned back. Only after the other three disappeared did Cang He look at him.
"I'm leaving the sect this time to train you." He paused again, "Don't let Zhao Zhao out of your sight. Qingqiu, can you do this?"
Ling Qingqiu's eyes flickered slightly, and he opened his lips to respond. This was the second time Cang He had reminded him of this. After a moment's thought, he secretly denied it. Rebirth was too strange. Perhaps his master had glimpsed the secrets in his seclusion.
Dongyu Town was not far away. The four of them flew on their swords and soon arrived at Heguangzong.
The leader of the Heguang Sect had been in seclusion for the past few years, with his son, the Young Sect Leader Yun Ce, in charge. Yun Ce had been waiting here long before the news arrived, with Wu Chengsong, the eldest disciple of the sect leader, standing beside him.
Ling Qingqiu clasped his fists towards him and said, "Young Master Yun, it's been a long time." The two had met once when Yun Ce accompanied Sect Master Yun to visit Xuanxiao Sect.
Yun Ce raised his eyebrows and clasped his fists, adding a hint of sarcasm: "Junior Brother Ling actually still remembers me. I am truly flattered."
Ling Qingqiu was stunned for a moment, seemingly unprepared for such a statement. Finally, You Jingjia stepped in to help. "Senior Brother Yun, stop teasing him. Don't you know he's just a piece of shit?"
The complaints from his junior sister were the most heartbreaking. Ling Qingqiu glanced at her and said nothing.
Wu Chengsong had once fought demons with Lin Zhuo, but it was actually just Lin Zhuo passing by and offering him a hand. Xie Zhitiao had also heard her mention Wu Chengsong before. The group was no strangers, and as they walked toward the sea, they discussed their current operation.
Wu Chengsong and his disciples explored the area nearby and only sensed a faint demonic aura.
Either this demon wasn't very powerful, or it was extremely adept at hiding. Being able to stir up a raging storm and shatter surrounding buildings meant it couldn't be a small demon.
Yun Ce has always been cautious in his actions. After discussing with Wu Chengsong, he selected two disciples with higher cultivation from those who volunteered to go and eliminate the monster. They disguised themselves as fishermen and went out to sea on a calm day.
The two had clearly underestimated the demon's strength. If they hadn't reacted promptly, He Guangzong would have lost two promising talents. Even if Yun Ce and Wu Chengsong had intervened in time, the two disciples would have been severely injured. To date, only one has woken up.
When talking about the experience that day, Yun Ce put away the nonchalant smile on his face and his expression became a little serious.
"This morning, the disciple who woke up sent someone to tell us," he said, looking straight at the sea with a gloomy expression, "that dormant demon might be a dragon, at least at the middle stage of the Spiritualization Realm."
The Heguang Sect wasn't a particularly prestigious sect, originally founded to provide an alternative for those with a talent for cultivation who didn't want to be away from their families. The people of Dongyu Town were simple and honest, filled with laughter and joy, a fact entirely due to the support of the Heguang Sect.
Sect Master Yun was currently in seclusion, breaking his Mirror Mirror. The sect lacked any powerful individuals who could take charge. Yun Ce and Wu Chengsong, with their late Nascent Soul cultivation, stood no chance against a mid-stage Spiritualization demon. Furthermore, demon cultivators were inherently stronger than humans of the same level.
The houses along the way were empty. After knowing that it might be a dragon, Wu Chengsong immediately sent people to help the people move into the city.
The group stopped at the beach. The sea was calm, the sun high in the sky, and the wind blew over the water, causing the water to sway slightly and sparkle.
"We don't know where it's lurking, nor do we know when it will fully erupt and destroy Dongyu." Wu Chengsong's face was expressionless, but his hands were clenched tightly. He grew up in a fishing village, and even after two hundred years on the immortal path, he still found it difficult to sever his attachment to this land and its people.
Yun Ce seemed to want to say something, but Ling Qingqiu patted him on the shoulder and he swallowed his words back.
"Brother Wu." Ling Qingqiu looked at Wu Chengsong, "If we go deep into the seabed, we'll need someone outside to provide support and protect the people. In that case, you and Brother Yun will guard the outside."
Wu Chengsong was stunned. He wanted to follow them in and kill the enemy. Finally, he loosened his grip and whispered, "Okay." Yun Ce didn't say anything else. Ling Qingqiu was the undisputed leader of this generation of cultivators, and he trusted him deeply.
You Jingjia followed Yun Ce and Wu Chengsong back to set up a defensive formation, leaving only three of them waiting at the beach.
Xie Zhitiao was bored as he watched the seabirds flying across the sky. Suddenly, he asked, "Brother, why do you want Brother Wu and Brother Yun to stay?"
Lin Zhuo looked up at him, somewhat surprised that he had the same question as himself.
Ling Qingqiu glanced at the two of them, not exposing Xie Zhitiao's suspicions. Lin Zhuo could sometimes seem a bit dull in her emotional perception, but normally, when she was alone with them, it wasn't noticeable. It was his oversight; he hadn't expected her to question it.
"Senior Brother Wu is a very sentimental person. He cares too much about everything in Dongyu. If we bring him along, there's no guarantee he won't act impulsively. There are too many unknowns, so for the sake of safety, we won't bring him along. Yun Ce is the young master of the Heguang Sect. With him around, the people and disciples will feel much more at ease." Ling Qingqiu paused, his eyes sweeping over the young man sitting on the ground. "A Tiao, you shouldn't be so reckless either."
Xie Zhitiao was confused, but nodded subconsciously. No, what does it have to do with him?
You Jingjia moved quickly, returning with a small boat. After a moment's deliberation, Ling Qingqiu boarded the boat with Xie Zhitiao. Lin Zhuo and You Jingjia held their swords in mid-air, waiting for the monster to appear.
The boat lurched out to sea, a gentle breeze caressing our faces, bringing with it a damp mist. The surface of the water shimmered calmly, making it difficult to see what lay beneath. As the boat drifted further and further away, the houses on the shore grew smaller and smaller.
A seabird landed on the edge of the boat, tilting its head to look at Xie Zhitiao. Xie Zhitiao curled his lips and raised his hand to scratch the bird's head. "Brother," he turned his head to look at Ling Qingqiu, "don't you think it's too quiet?"
Ling Qingqiu's eyes flickered slightly as he looked towards the bottom of the water. It was pitch black; even a cultivator with sharp eyes and ears couldn't make out the water's depths. "This water is strange," Xie Zhitiao continued, "isn't it?"
The seabird flapped its wings, dropped a few feathers, and flew away.
It wasn't obvious on the surface yet, but Lin Zhuo and You Jingjia also noticed something was amiss. The water around the boat grew darker and darker. The schools of fish that had been vaguely visible had already scattered, and the seabirds had vanished.
There was no wind, no waves, and no swaying ripples.
Lin Zhuo frowned. It was too quiet, so quiet that it made him wonder if there were any living things underwater. The Tingyun Sword clanged softly, agitated. Lin Zhuo tried to soothe the sword spirit when he heard You Jingjia's clearly tense voice: "Here it comes."
She looked into the distance and saw a moving black shadow, accompanied by huge waves, rushing towards them.
Lin Zhuo had never seen a monster this large. While the monsters she had faced before were certainly powerful, none had shocked her as much as the one she faced today. Seeing the approaching huge wave, Xie Zhitiao and the other man flew up on their swords. The next moment, the boat was shattered by the huge wave.
Ling Qingqiu pulled out the water-repellent beads from his storage bag and handed them to the others. These were given to him by Canghe before he set out. Although spiritual power could be used to breathe underwater, having the water-repellent beads was better than wasting spiritual power.
The boat was shattered, leaving only a few pieces of wood floating on the sea. The waves calmed down for a moment, and then the monster under the water seemed to realize that it had been tricked. It was instantly angry and stirred up even bigger waves.
The water droplets from the waves rose high into the air, where they were dodged by the four people. The dark figure shook itself, as if to leave.
Ling Qingqiu chased after it with his sword: "Stop it, we can't let it escape." Xie Zhitiao pinched the seabird's feather between his fingers, infused it with spiritual power, and transformed it into a feather blade, shooting straight at the head of the black figure in the water. Vines from the swamp broke through the waves and entangled the black figure.
Xie Zhitiao's awakened spiritual root was a fire element, and spiritual power and water monsters were inherently incompatible. The feather blade pierced the air and pierced its head. The black shadow once again stirred up a huge wave, emitting a sharp whistling sound.
You Jingjia raised her eyebrows, holding a long blade in her hand, using the sword as a pen: "Who doesn't know how to control water?" She has a high level of cultivation and an ice-type spiritual root, which is enough to fight it with water.
Seeing that the sea water was out of his control, with a burning feather blade stuck in his head and the vines on his body getting tighter and tighter, the black shadow finally became enraged.
Its tail stretched out of the water, slapping the waves fiercely, and its entire body finally emerged from the bottom of the water. It opened its blood-red mouth and screamed sharply at the four people in the air, like a dragon's roar, but it was not a dragon's roar.
The four of them saw it clearly.
It was a dragon with a blue-white body and a black lotus on its forehead.
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