Chapter 682: Chapter 682
According to the elderly couple, danger lurked everywhere once they left Duyan Island.
Venturing into the depths of the Stormy Demonic Sea, they not only had to watch out for demonic beasts that could appear at any moment, but also remain wary of unfamiliar cultivators. In such a chaotic place, anyone could turn into a murderous thief without raising eyebrows.
The couple had roamed the Demonic Sea for decades and had survived more than one life-threatening encounter, all thanks to their vigilance and quick reactions.
They had brought together the other three cultivators to form this beast-hunting squad, and only after surviving many trials together did they establish mutual trust.
They were also frank with Qin Sang. Under normal circumstances, they would never accept a job from a stranger in the Core Formation Realm. However, because the Qiongyu Merchant Guild and Ran Luo had vouched for him, and the reward offered by both Qin Sang and the merchant guild was exceptionally generous, they had agreed to the commission.
After several days of travel, they moved further and further from Duyan Island.
Qin Sang could clearly sense that, once they had passed beyond the patrol range of Duyan Island’s cultivators, everyone in the group grew markedly more cautious.
Later on, whenever they unexpectedly encountered other immortal cultivators, both sides would spot each other from afar and, without knowing each other’s strength, instinctively keep their distance. Neither side dared to approach rashly, and conflict was avoided entirely.
This seemed to be an unspoken rule of the Demonic Sea.
The elderly couple were indeed well-acquainted with this region. The route they had chosen never brought them into contact with any powerful demonic beasts. Their journey had been smooth and uneventful. After more than ten days, they finally reached the predetermined location.
"Up ahead is the trench."
They landed cautiously on a desolate island and concealed themselves. The elderly man pointed forward and spoke to Qin Sang.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Qin Sang felt that the sea ahead looked darker than usual, as though countless dangers lurked beneath its depths.
"Daoist Master, the peak Demonic Spirit Realm Blue Jiao we discovered before made its lair three days east of here. Unless something unexpected has happened, it should still be there. Shall we head out now?" the old woman whispered.
Standing with his hands behind his back, Qin Sang turned his head slightly and asked, "Since you’ve known the location of the Blue Jiao’s nest for some time, why haven’t you hunted it yet? With the five of you working together, taking down a peak Demonic Spirit Realm Blue Jiao shouldn’t be difficult, should it?"
The old woman replied, "Under normal circumstances, no, it wouldn’t be. But first, the nest contains more than one Blue Jiao. While the others may not be as strong as the leader, they’re not to be underestimated. Second, the Demonic Sea is teeming with demonic beasts, especially in the depths of the trench. If we can’t slay the Jiao quickly and retreat in time, we may attract others. If surrounded, our chances of survival would be slim. Truth be told, despite our years of experience, we’ve rarely hunted peak Demonic Spirit Realm beasts. Each time we do, we make thorough preparations."
Qin Sang nodded. "Since you say it’s so dangerous, I can’t afford to be careless either. When we hunt the Jiao, we’ll need someone to stand guard on the perimeter and monitor any movement in the surrounding sea. Among you, who’s skilled in scouting and detection?"
The couple exchanged a glance.
The old man replied, "Reporting to Daoist Master, my wife and the elder sister from the Wang Family both have means to detect approaching beasts in advance."
"Good. Once we find the Jiao group, let the two of them stand guard outside. The rest of you will come with me to hunt. I’ll handle the peak Demonic Spirit Realm Blue Jiao myself. The weaker ones will be yours to deal with. As for the spoils, we’ll divide them according to our agreement. Aside from the leader, all the other Blue Jiao will be yours." Qin Sang nodded.
Delight appeared on all five faces, and they agreed at once.
As long as Qin Sang dealt with the Blue Jiao leader, handling the others would be easy. The value of a Jiao’s body was incredibly high, and they stood to gain a great deal.
With the plan set, they immediately resumed their journey.
Upon entering the trench, Qin Sang shed his earlier relaxed demeanor. He actively released his spiritual consciousness to scan the surrounding waters for any signs of movement.
On the evening of the third day, six Daoist silhouettes appeared above a vast, empty stretch of sea. The waters here were strangely calm, with no visible trace of Jiao activity.
"This is the place. These Blue Jiao emerge every full moon, leaving the trench in groups to stir up waves. That is the best time to strike."
The old man spoke softly, then circled around and led the group to a small reef island where they concealed themselves and lay in wait.
Qin Sang calculated with his fingers. It would be the full moon in two days. They could only wait patiently.
Time passed quietly, and in the blink of an eye, two days had gone by.
At nightfall, a brilliant full moon hung slanted in the sky, bright as a silver disc. Its cold, silvery light washed over the sea, shimmering gently with the waves.
Despite the full moon’s appearance, the sea remained eerily calm.
The six of them held their breath, eyes wide, watching the sea for the slightest disturbance. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on N0veI.Fiɾe.net
As time wore on and midnight approached, the moon climbed high overhead. Still no sign of the Jiao.
Just then, the old man suddenly let out a low cry.
Qin Sang followed his gaze and saw a faint mist rising over the sea, though it was impossible to tell when it had begun to form. At first glance, it looked like natural sea fog.
Such scenes were common in vast oceans, but something about this fog felt different.
"These Blue Jiao always summon clouds and breathe out mist when they appear, concealing their true forms within it..."
With the old man's voice transmitting directly into his ears, Qin Sang noticed that the mist on the vast sea surface was slowly drifting, growing larger with each passing moment. Within a few dozen breaths, it had spread to cover a wide expanse of water.
At the same time, slender figures began to appear faintly within the mist, their forms flickering in and out of sight.
The Jiao had emerged.
Qin Sang quietly left the reef island and approached the mist. After stopping at a cautious distance, he watched as the group of Blue Jiao frolicked joyfully within the mist, completely unaware that danger was drawing near.
After observing for a while and confirming that the information was accurate—that the strongest among this group of Blue Jiao was merely at the peak of the Demonic Spirit Realm—Qin Sang decided to strike immediately.
The ebony sword shot out from between Qin Sang’s brows, and the sword qi instantly surged with power.
Without pause, the ebony sword carried a brilliant, blinding sword light and slashed down viciously toward the center of the mist.
The five cultivators on the reef island saw the burst of sword light and rushed into action.
"You two, go guard the left and right flanks. The rest of you, come hunt the Jiao with me!"
The old man quickly gave out instructions. Before he had even finished speaking, Qin Sang had already charged into the mist with his sword in hand. Roars of rage and chaos echoed from within as the Jiao reacted to the sudden assault.
The old man shouted in alarm, unleashing his full strength as he dove into the mist.
The other three each used their own techniques and entered shortly after. Inside, they found the Blue Jiao in complete disarray. The three quickly spread out into formation and began the hunt. At the center of the mist, they spotted a figure suspended in the air. Before him, a massive hand formed from true essence was gripping a Blue Jiao tightly.
The Jiao's entire body was drenched in blood, barely clinging to life. The giant hand held it with crushing force, leaving it utterly incapable of resistance.