Chapter 164: Chapter 113: Harvest

The Treasure Ship rocked violently, letting out a deep, muffled RUMBLE.

As the ship broke through an area shrouded in rising steam, the scene before them suddenly became clear.

In the center of the devastated waters, a powerfully built old man stood hovering in mid-air.

He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a full head of white hair, yet he exuded a rugged and heroic aura.

The old man held a crimson Treasure Saber as wide as a door panel. The blade steamed with scorching white vapor, a clear sign it had just been through a great battle.

A vermilion wine gourd hung from his waist, and he was currently tilting his head back, drinking heartily.

It was none other than the Dean of the Li Fire Institute, Hong Yuandong!

Not far from Hong Yuandong, a red, Li Fire Institute-style fast boat floated quietly on the water. Several disciples in Li Fire Institute attire stood at its bow, led by the elite disciple Xiao Ruize.

His breathing was slightly ragged, a clear indication he had also taken part in the recent battle.

“Junior Martial Uncle Hong! Senior Brother Xiao!” Nie Shanshan said, cupping her fist.

Hong Yuandong lowered his wine gourd, wiped the wine stains from his beard, and nodded at Nie Shanshan.

She was the Chief Disciple of the Gui Water Institute, who would, in all likelihood, one day inherit the position of Dean.

Hong Yuandong didn’t put on the airs of an elder with her.

The Treasure Ship drew near, and Nie Shanshan led Chen Qing and the other Gui Water Institute disciples down to the deck of the Li Fire Institute’s fast boat, joining Xiao Ruize.

Chen Qing consciously stood slightly behind the other Gui Water Institute disciples, reining in his aura and observing silently.

Nie Shanshan asked, “Senior Brother Xiao, have you seen Junior Brother Wu by any chance?”

Xiao Ruize replied, “I’ve already found Junior Brother Wu Yuanhua. The Demon Sect scoundrel is dead. I saw that Junior Brother Wu’s injuries were too severe and he was unconscious, so I left a few of our martial brothers to look after him.”

Nie Shanshan nodded, looked at Hong Yuandong, then glanced at the still-churning water, which was permeated with the lingering, scorching aura of True Astral. “Junior Martial Uncle Hong, that commotion just now…?”

Hong Yuandong pointed to a spot beneath the water and said in a deep voice, “That old fiend Zuo Feng from the Infinite Demon Sect! And a few of his lackeys! The bastard is cunning. Seeing things were going badly, he fled deeper into Qianchuan Marsh with the remnants of his defeated forces! Your master and Shi the Sixth from the Xuanjia Sect went after them. I’m staying here to stand guard and kill any stragglers.”

“Zuo Feng?!” The expressions of the Gui Water Institute disciples changed slightly.

A chill ran through Chen Qing’s heart. He had seen that name in the tabloids; he was a notoriously vicious figure from the Demon Sect in Yunlin Prefecture.

Nie Shanshan, however, caught the key part of his statement and couldn’t help but ask, “Elder Shi from the Xuanjia Sect is here too?”

Hong Yuandong took a swig of wine and continued, “This Zuo Feng was originally an Inner Sect Elder of the Xuanjia Sect! He betrayed his sect seven years ago and joined the Infinite Demon Sect. Now, he’s one of the Eight Great Guardians of the Yunlin Sub-Pavilion. His strength has grown at a shocking speed.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and pointed to a huge, ink-jade-colored piece of shell in the distance. “See that thing? It’s the carapace of an Ink Armor Turtle! And a newly matured one at that!”

“Newly matured?!”

Xiao Ruize couldn’t help but cry out in alarm, “Such a massive Exotic Beast, and it’s only just reached adulthood? Then its parents…”

It was no wonder Song Ming hadn’t recognized it. Although he had long since reached the Early-stage Embrace Pill Power, he had never truly seen an Ink Armor Turtle before.

Chen Qing’s heart pounded with alarm.

’So that mountain-like Ink Armor Turtle from the Water Eye was only newly matured.’

’How terrifying must the Overlord that birthed it be?’

’What in the world happened in the depths of Qianchuan Marsh?’

“Junior Martial Uncle Hong, do you know what sort of disaster has occurred in the depths of Qianchuan Marsh? For even a bloodline of the Overlord Level to suffer such a terrible fate and be exploited by the Demon Sect?” Nie Shanshan voiced the question on everyone’s mind.

Hong Yuandong’s thick brows furrowed. He slowly shook his head, a hint of apprehension on his face. “No idea! The source of this Qianchuan Marsh connects to the depths of the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp. It has always been mysterious and fraught with peril. Even I wouldn’t dare venture into its core lightly.”

“This recent incident is strange. Did the Overlord Level Exotic Beasts fight amongst themselves, or were they driven out by something even more terrifying? Hard to say! That bastard Zuo Feng was performing a blood sacrifice here. He probably wanted to use the Essence Blood of the Exotic Beasts that fell during this chaos for his Cultivation of the Infinite Demon Skill. He really lucked out.”

As he spoke, two streaks of light shot across the distant sky, rapidly approaching.

One was as cool and clear as moonlight—it was the Dean of the Gui Water Institute, Chu Jinyun.

She landed gracefully on the bow, a stern, murderous glint in her eyes. Her moon-white robes were unstained by even a speck of dust.

The other figure landed like a great boulder, smashing onto a reef beside the boat with a thunderous CRASH and sending up a huge splash.

The newcomer was tall, with graying hair and a beard. It was none other than the Xuanjia Sect’s Sixth Elder, Shi Zhenyue.

The Gang Qi around his body had yet to settle, clear evidence that he had just been through a vicious battle.

“Junior Sister, Elder Shi, how did it go? Did you manage to kill that traitor Zuo Feng?” Hong Yuandong asked.

Chu Jinyun shook her head slightly, her cool voice tinged with regret. “He got away. A Demon Sect expert came to his aid at the critical moment. Elder Shi and I were unable to finish the job.”

Shi Zhenyue’s voice, deep and rumbling like muffled thunder, cut in, his tone heavy with a hint of astonishment. “This Zuo Feng… his strength has grown far faster than expected! Seven years ago, when he defected, he had just crossed the threshold into the Astral Force realm. Now, he was able to hold out against the two of us for a long time and even withstood a direct sword strike from Master Chu! The sinister and domineering nature of his Demon Skill is truly frightening!”

Chu Jinyun sneered, “Hmph! The Demon Sect’s Demonic Techniques are just a shortcut. Their foundation is bound to be unstable! It’s like building a tower on sand—it looks impressive, but it’ll topple with a single push! Nothing compares to our steady, step-by-step approach for building a solid, reliable foundation!”

Though her words seemed to be aimed at Zuo Feng, her gaze swept over the young disciples on the boat. It was clear her speech was meant for them, a warning not to be tempted by the Demon Sect’s shortcuts to power.

Hong Yuandong also nodded slightly. “Junior Sister Chu is absolutely right. The Infinite Demon Sect has always used fast-track Evil Skills, power, and wealth to bewitch people and win over the weak-willed from every sect—even Elders and Tributors are not immune. All of you must guard your hearts, distinguish right from wrong, and not destroy your own futures.”

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