Chapter 497: Chapter 497

For the Fishing Man, they come in all sizes, they bite the hook, they're valuable — that's what fish are.

Jiang Ziya fishes partly because he likes it, partly because it's valuable and helps support his household. He's never forgotten his initial dream of Cultivation. Although he's already achieved Immortal Ascension now, he still hopes to take a few more steps forward to see a higher view.

It was originally just a peaceful fishing routine. He skillfully baited, cast his line, and calmed down, hoping to catch some big ones today. He waited for over three months, and with the vast and unending starry sky, not getting a bite for three months was normal.

He continued to wait, and another three months passed. Old Jiang was indeed a top-tier Fishing Man. His mindset remained calm. A lack of bites for such a long time surely meant big fish were nearby!

And so he sat for another year. Old Jiang's face remained steady. He still had a few Star Spirits left from last time, so as long as there were fish in the basket, he didn't consider himself empty-handed — he continued fishing!

This waiting lingered for another two years.

Jiang Ziya was silent for a while. It seemed it wasn't a good day for fishing. Just as he was about to reel in, the other end of the rod was suddenly tugged strongly. Without his mind reacting, his arms instinctively started to pull hard against the force. During the struggle, a round, chubby creature that looked quite adorably silly appeared before Jiang Ziya's eyes. Latest content publıshed on novel✶fire.net

This creature, resembling a seal, stared at Jiang Ziya without fear. Old Jiang couldn't quite figure out what was going on but didn't mind, considering it as discovering a new entry in his illustration book.

As he was preparing to put it into the fish basket, the creature spoke.

"Brother, Brother Jiang, long time no see."

Jiang Ziya was startled by the seal but quickly recognized the voice: "Brother Shen, why have you become ? I'll find help for you right away!"

The seal's pitch-black eyes flashed with a hint of comfort.

"Brother, it's too late. Master is surrounded in Chaos... drained... drained dry..."

Before he finished speaking, the seal's plump body began to convulse, and then the flesh began to fall off automatically, looking very eerie. Shen Gongbao was clearly in pain but still tried hard to open his mouth and spit out a black lotus seed.

Jiang Ziya disregarded Shen Gongbao's current appearance and rushed to embrace him, who had turned into a fleshy stick with bits of flesh still falling off, constantly injecting his own mana into him, hoping it would help.

The seal's skin had completely fallen away, leaving only flesh, bones, and two pitch-black eyes in the sockets on his face.

"Brother, I'm not willing; he's biased. I'm not worse than you."

After saying the final words, the bones supporting the seal's flesh also began to soften, eventually turning into a puddle of flesh in Jiang Ziya's arms.

"Brother Shen! Brother Shen!"

The seal did not answer Jiang Ziya again, for he had already turned into red and white flesh glued to Old Jiang's clothes.

Jiang Ziya felt deep sorrow. Yuan Shi Tianzun was indeed biased, but it was not towards him, but his lot was indeed a thousand times better than Shen Gongbao's. It could only be said that he was lucky to have chosen the right path.

Carefully sorting through the information Shen Gongbao left behind, Jiang Ziya cautiously gathered up all the flesh and finally took the black lotus seed, quickly returning, heading straight to the Heaven Palace intending to report it to the Jade Emperor. But he suddenly halted midway.

Jiang Ziya was well aware of how his master Yuanshi Tianzun's relationship was with the Jade Emperor. What if Hao Tian detained him?

Old Jiang turned his head toward Ziwei Star. After thinking for a while, he still felt Nezha was more reliable.

Nezha wasn't home, but fortunately, a method of contact was left behind. Jiang Ziya, in a desperate and bloody state, knew that coming to find Nezha was critical, so upon receiving the message, Nezha bid farewell to Master Puti and returned to the starry sky.

Upon his return, he saw Jiang Ziya looking lost and with blank eyes, an extremely rare sight for this cunning person.

"Brother Ziya, what is the matter that has you so panicked?"

Seeing Nezha had returned, Jiang Ziya looked around. Nezha understood and activated the array, enveloping them both with mana to obscure all signs. With Nezha's possession of Hongmeng Purple Qi, no one except the Six Saints could notice him, not even Hao Tian.

Jiang Ziya took out the black lotus seed and recounted in detail the incident of catching Shen Gongbao. In the end, he also produced a box of flesh.

"Emperor, Brother Shen he?"

Nezha glanced twice before shaking his head. The demonic aura on it was strong, and Shen Gongbao had been completely corroded and annihilated by the Outer Dao, beyond rescue.

Logically speaking, given that Shen Gongbao had already merged with the Demon Lord, even after a loss to Hao Tian in Chaos, he shouldn't have ended up in such a state. Yet, this was the fate he met.

Helpless, Old Jiang sighed. With Nezha shaking his head, it truly signified that his younger brother had perished.

Nezha carefully sensed the demonic aura on Shen Gongbao's flesh and realized it was not from any demon god he had ever come across. He then looked at the black lotus seed, discerning it belonged to the Twelve-Grade World-Destroying Black Lotus.

It felt like something was sealed within the lotus seed. Nezha didn't open it rashly. Based on the information passed by Shen Gongbao, it seemed Yuanshi Tianzun was besieged in Chaos.

As for being drained, what's happening in Chaos with Demon God's tactics is unfathomable — only the person involved would know the truth.

Instead of approaching the Saint right away, Nezha took out his Destroying Immortal Sword, gently stroked it with his finger, and entered the sword with his consciousness. In the surging demonic atmosphere, Old Luo's distressed face reappeared.

He gave a slight observation, and on the surface, Luo Hou showed no anomalies, so he straightforwardly asked, "You've lost your Demon Lord's body?"

Luo Hou's avatar in the Destroying Immortal Sword was constantly verbally tormented by Nezha, and upon seeing him now, he couldn't help but feel irritated.

"Mind your own business with the old ancestor's matters."

Nezha did not show any courtesy towards Luo Hou and retorted, "This young lord enjoys meddling. You old Deng have lost two demon bodies. Now you can't even beat Master Huang Long, right?"

Luo Hou's consciousness can connect with countless Heart Demons, making him well aware of external matters. Hearing Nezha compare his daily beatings with Huang Long infuriated him nearly to speechlessness.

"Brat, wait until the old ancestor is out to teach you well!"

Nezha, indifferent, with the Destroying Immortal Sword as his student, without knowing how to cultivate the Three Demons Cultivation Method, while the Demon Lord had ultimately perished and the demonic body in the Blood Sea was wiped out, come his awakening, with Nezha's swift improvements, it was uncertain who'd challenge whom.

"Trash, say that when you get out."

In this brief exchange, the words cut deep, and Luo Hou's avatar almost dissipated entirely into floating demonic qi.

"You damned brat, one day the old ancestor will feast on your heart and liver!"

Nezha replied dismissively, "Remember the dipping sauce then."

With that, he exited the Heart Demon Space.

Although Luo Hou seemed unaffected, Nezha noticed his power weakening. It's still uncertain if Yuanshi Tianzun has met trouble, but the Demon Lord truly perished. Whether Shen Gongbao's return to relay the news is a trap was uncertain.

Given Yuanshi Tianzun's character, even if caught in dire situations, would he indeed send a once-betrayed disciple like Shen Gongbao for help? That question lingered.

After a mind-bending session, Nezha still didn't figure out the outcome and ultimately said, "Brother Jiang, this matter involves too much; I will now seek out Master Yuan. Once back, act like nothing happened."

Jiang Ziya, having gone through Chaos once, knew he couldn't be of help, only a burden, so he agreed immediately. Still somewhat worried, he asked, "Brother, could my master really be drained dry?"

It wasn't easy to say; in the Primordial, Nezha might laugh it off, but in Chaos, it was a possibility. He could only comfort Jiang Ziya by saying, "Master Yuan Shi is Pangu's True Sect, his power comprehending creation, his Sainthood deeply revered, it's not easy for him to meet an unfortunate end."

Jiang Ziya's troubled heart eased a little as he left Ziwei Star, while Nezha directly rushed to Doushuai Temple. Great Red Heaven in Chaos was too far; Doushuai Temple was much closer.