Chapter 599 - 508: Wreaking Havoc in the Sea Area

The Black Tortoise Sea Region.

This sea region was rich in Spiritual Qi and abundant in resources. Legend had it that in ancient times, a Celestial Demon Xuanwu had fallen here.

Whether this was true or not could no longer be verified, but it was an established fact that the Black Tortoise Sea Region was teeming with all sorts of spirit turtle demon beasts, and that the blood of these spirit turtles contained a potent life force that could be used to refine Lifespan Extension Pills.

The power that ruled this sea was Tingchao Pavilion, a staunch vassal of the Jade Void Sword Sect!

At the center of the sea region was Black Tortoise Island.

The docks.

Dozens of small, black-canopied boats were tied to the wooden posts of the docks with sturdy, water-soaked hemp ropes.

At a glance, it was easy to be reminded of livestock tethered to stakes in a pasture.

In fact, it was more or less the same.

Or rather, in the eyes of their superiors, these fishermen who lacked Spiritual Roots were no different from livestock.

Oh, but that wasn't quite right.

Livestock needed to be meticulously cared for; their food and lodging couldn't be skimped on to prevent them from getting sick or injured and being unable to work.

But these fishermen at the very bottom were like weeds, with no benefits whatsoever. They were left to fend for themselves, braving the wind and waves to hunt for turtles, only to have their prices maliciously driven down by the fishing guild's manager.

"Mr. Li, this purchase price is far too low!"

"This batch we caught is all fresh sea turtles, and there's even a spirit turtle in there. I'm afraid your price isn't quite appropriate, is it?" a rugged man with rough, dark skin weathered by the years protested in a low voice, staring at the portly, finely-dressed middle-aged man before him, a jade belt cinched at his waist.

"Too low?"

"Fine by me. I won't buy them, then. You can find someone else to sell to," the portly middle-aged man said with a sneer, not angry in the least. His eyes were full of mockery.

"This..."

"Find someone else?"

Behind the rugged man, the crowd of fishermen all showed expressions of alarm and unease.

The fishing guild monopolized the docks. If Mr. Li didn't buy from them, who else would dare take their seafood?

It wasn't that the guild had absolute control, but it just wasn't worth offending them over some cheap seafood.

Mr. Li fondled a pair of walnuts in his hand and said nonchalantly, "Selling or not, give me a straight answer. I'll only give you one minute to consider it."

"Mr. Li!" The rugged man took a step forward, clenching his jaw as a vicious glint appeared in his eyes. Few fishermen who dared to venture out to sea were cowards!

'We're all flesh and blood. Pushing us like this, isn't he afraid of a bloody confrontation?!'

"Insolent!" Two thuggish lackeys beside Mr. Li immediately stepped in front of him, drawing the long sabers from their waists and barking a reprimand.

"Aiya, aiya... Why the need for all this," Mr. Li said with a slow smile.

"I can't help it if the price is a little low. My twelfth son tested for a high-grade Spiritual Root last month, and he'll be entering Tingchao Pavilion to cultivate next year. Money's a little tight, so I hope you can all be understanding."

"HISS..."

"A celestial sect..."

The fishermen were stunned, their faces a complex mix of emotions. To have one's Spiritual Root detected and enter a celestial sect to cultivate...

Every mortal shared this dream. It meant crossing class divides, a carp leaping over the dragon's gate!

At the same time...

This was also a threat!

Killing a fishing guild manager and killing a cultivator's family member were two entirely different concepts.

When a cultivator sought revenge, they didn't need evidence. They would just wipe out three generations of a family without a second thought, leaving no one alive!

"Huu..."

The thought of the terrifying methods of cultivators was like a bucket of cold water poured over him, and the anger in the rugged man's heart was extinguished.

"So? Do you agree to this price?"

Mr. Li asked with a grin.

"...We agree."

The rugged man in the lead uncurled his clenched fists, his expression dimming as defeat washed over him.

HUFF.

He raised his head and couldn't help but glance toward the center of Black Tortoise Island, at the Floating City suspended high in the sky.

This Floating City was the heart of Tingchao Pavilion's rule over the Black Tortoise Sea Region. It was incredibly prosperous, and it was said that there was even a Nascent Soul True Monarch stationed within the Floating Immortal City!

If not for the Light Illumination Array, the sheer size of the Floating City would be enough to blot out the sky over half of Black Tortoise Island, causing crops to wither and die.

Power! Authority! Domination!

And... the division between mortal and immortal!

It was all so directly on display!

"Huu..."

A storm of emotions churned within the rugged man, finally resolving into a mournful sigh. "Ah, cultivators..."

"Excellent."

Mr. Li fondled his walnuts, his face wreathed in smiles.

He too turned his head, looking at the Floating Immortal City in the center of the island with eyes full of yearning.

'My Twelfth has good aptitude. I might even be able to move into the Immortal City within my lifetime,' a thought surfaced in Mr. Li's mind, and he felt a wave of emotion.

The Floating City suspended in the sky, the physical manifestation of Tingchao Pavilion's rule, represented the supreme power in the Black Tortoise Sea Region!

The billion-plus people of the sea region all looked to the Floating Immortal City as their goal. They either revered its power and submitted in obedience, or they yearned to share in its glory and climb its steps.

Regardless, this Floating City was an indelible presence burned into their hearts!

However.

At that very moment.

HUM!

At the edge of the horizon, an incredibly dazzling, scarlet light suddenly flared, like a blood-red sun falling from the heavens to descend upon the Black Tortoise Sea Region!

The clear sky was almost instantly irradiated by this blood-red sun, creating a scene like fiery clouds, a sunset painted in blood!

It changed the very heavens and the earth!

At that moment, from the source of the light, a scorching scarlet beam hundreds of yards in diameter, like a blood-colored spear piercing the firmament, tore the sky asunder!

With a cataclysmic force that could incinerate the heavens and boil the seas, it crossed an unknowable distance and, before the shocked eyes of countless people, viciously struck the Floating City suspended in the sky at the center of Black Tortoise Island!

BOOM!

A world-shaking explosion!

A mushroom cloud thousands of yards high suddenly rose, and countless motes of bloody spiritual light scattered!

The Floating City, wreathed in blood-red flames, began to fall toward the ground!

"No!"

"We're under attack!"

"The Floating Immortal City is going to crash? How is that possible?!"

The cultivators living in the Floating City were filled with terror and panic!

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators who could fly felt their hearts pound. If the Floating City crashed and the cooling Array for the Spiritual Furnace failed, the resulting superheated explosion would be enough to severely injure even a Golden Core master!

"Which brazen scoundrel dares to act so presumptuously!"

A stern, aged cry rang out!

Immediately after.

A vast wave of Magical Power emerged. In the void, scorching true fire blazed, coalescing into a gigantic, sky-blotting hand of flame that caught the Falling Immortal City!

An old man with red hair and a red beard, clad in a Blazing Flame Robe, appeared in the air.

A Nascent Soul True Monarch!

Faced with such a crisis, the guarding Nascent Soul from Tingchao Pavilion had no choice but to show himself!

But then.

A flippant, mocking laugh drifted from the horizon. "Refining Fire True Monarch, early-stage Nascent Soul... right?"

HUM.

The immense, dark form of the Ghostly Flood Dragon phased out of the netherworld's shadows and appeared.

Su Ye stood there in a complex black robe, his waterfall of black hair unbound. His eyes were icy silver, filled with a wild, unrestrained arrogance as he stared at the Refining Fire True Monarch!

"Yehai..."

The Refining Fire True Monarch's pupils contracted. Su Ye's reputation was at its peak; there was almost no one in the sea region who didn't know his name!

"Yehai, what is the meaning of this? Retreat at once, and I can let today's matter slide!"

The Refining Fire True Monarch's tone had unconsciously softened. Su Ye's reputation had been built on a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood; not long ago, he had just killed two Nascent Soul cultivators.

How could a mere early-stage Nascent Soul like him act tough?

However, this posture was utterly useless against Su Ye.

He laughed so hard he almost cried. "Hahaha..."

"Tingchao Pavilion, you who cling to the Jade Void Sword Sect and aid a tyrant in his evil!"

"Today, I will take your head, Refining Fire True Monarch, as repayment!"

"Insolent!"

The Refining Fire True Monarch's eyelids twitched violently!

A fire of rage ignited in his heart. A dignified Nascent Soul like himself was being humiliated like this. "A mere Golden Core is far too arrogant!"

"Arrogant?"

"I prefer to call it... having victory in the palm of my hand!"

Su Ye gave a devilish smile, and the icy silver in his eyes flared!

Immediately, the hull of the Ghostly Flood Dragon shimmered with a mysterious, dark light, like magnificent black onyx, as the power of his divine kingdom surged into his body!

"An early-stage Nascent Soul like you? I don't even need my Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect to suppress you with a single hand!"

...

「The next day.」

Another piece of bombshell news spread through the Yaoguang Islands.

Yehai, Su Ye, had launched a surprise attack on Black Tortoise Island, destroyed the Floating Immortal City, and annihilated nearly ten Golden Core cultivators from Tingchao Pavilion!

And the Refining Fire True Monarch, who had been guarding the Floating Immortal City, had his physical body destroyed within ten moves, forcing him to flee thousands of miles as an escaped Nascent Soul!

—And he had barely managed to get away!

What was even more terrifying was that, according to the Refining Fire True Monarch's own account, his opponent hadn't even used his Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect during the battle to defeat him!

He was utterly powerless to fight back!

This level of strength instantly silenced the many Nascent Soul cultivators in the Yaoguang Islands who heard the news.

Su Ye's previous battle record had been magnificent, but to be honest, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs hadn't been that afraid. Activating a Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect at the Golden Core realm surely came with a price.

They didn't believe Su Ye could activate his Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect without restraint.

But now, these Nascent Soul True Monarchs discovered to their horror that even with his regular combat power, this Yehai could actually suppress an early-stage Nascent Soul!

This left them shocked, and even... fearful!

As for the Jade Void Sword Sect, they were furious, severely condemning Su Ye's terrorist acts and branding him a demonic entity!

Furthermore, they solemnly announced that they would launch an operation to make Su Ye pay the price!

However.

The Jade Void Sword Sect had barely finished its trash talk.

A few days later, Su Ye appeared again. Piloting the Ghostly Flood Dragon, he brazenly descended upon one of the sword sect's Tier 4 spirit islands, shattered its Array with a single blast, and conquered it!

All 4,655 of the sword sect's cultivators guarding the island, from Golden Core down to Qi Refining, were wiped out!

Such a massacre sent shockwaves through the sword sect!

And this...

Was only the beginning.

For over a month, Su Ye used the high mobility of the Ghostly Flood Dragon to wreak havoc across the sea region!

He conquered and plundered several trade-focused Immortal Cities and resource-rich spirit islands belonging to the Jade Void Sword Sect and Tingchao Pavilion!

This provocative campaign enraged the Jade Void Sword Sect. They assembled their Nascent Soul True Monarchs with the utmost speed, searching the sea region in an attempt to encircle and kill Su Ye!

However.

As a Tier 5 spirit vessel, the Ghostly Flood Dragon's mobility was simply too great. The sword sect tried every means possible but could not intercept him.

Su Ye relied on his high-speed mobility to play cat-and-mouse with the sword sect's late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, constantly employing guerilla tactics. Whenever he found an opportunity, he would immediately strike, attacking the resource points of the sword sect and Tingchao Pavilion!

These guerilla tactics made the sword sect miserable. Their sect was large and their assets vast; it was simply impossible to protect everything at once!

The sword sect tried to unite the nine major sects, asking them to dispatch Nascent Soul True Monarchs to alleviate their manpower shortage, but they were flatly refused!

After all.

Su Ye's attacks were limited to only the sword sect and Tingchao Pavilion.

He had shown no hostile actions toward the other inner-sea sects.

The Jade Void Sword Sect was desperate.

But they were out of options.

"This can't go on!"

"We can't let him keep leading us by the nose!"