Chapter 58: Chapter 35: Raising Demons for Divine Techniques, Underwater Crystal Palace (Part 2)
Xuzhuang closed and reopened his eyes, having activated a Daoist technique to open his Mystic Eyes. His gaze pierced through the layers of mist, finally catching a faint glimpse of the figure within. His expression immediately tensed.
Zheng Zhang’s hair was a mess, his face a mask of terror. His Jiao Long Yellow Robe was in tatters. He clutched his left shoulder with his right hand—his left arm was gone. The muscles on his shoulder looked as if they had been snapped, brutally torn off, dripping with blood!
The moment Xuzhuang looked over, he saw a demon leap out of thin air below Zheng Zhang. It had a single horn on its forehead but no eyes, nose, or ears—only a gaping, bloody maw. Two rows of sinister, half-foot-long fangs jutted out, with bits of flesh still hanging from them.
The single-horned demon shot forward, opening its mouth to bite at Zheng Zhang’s leg. But Zheng Zhang seemed prepared this time. With a great shout, a violent spiritual light erupted from his body as he struck downward, smashing the demon directly into the sea.
Having thwarted the demon’s attack, Zheng Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. But then, the hair on his body suddenly stood on end, and a look of utter disbelief filled his eyes.
From the void, within the black mist, countless single-horned demons leaped out like a school of fish. Their bloody maws gaped in silent, maniacal laughter as they swarmed forward, instantly engulfing Zheng Zhang.
At first, spiritual light continued to flare from within the swarm. Then came Zheng Zhang’s blood-curdling screams, which soon turned to pleas for mercy. A moment later, all went silent. The demons scattered, leaping back into the void and vanishing to parts unknown. Not a single drop of blood remained—only a tattered piece of yellow cloth, which drifted down into the sea.
At the same time, flashes of spiritual light and incessant shouts erupted from the black mist ahead and behind. As time went on, the shouts turned to wails. It was clear the others were meeting a grim fate one by one.
"Xu Lang, your Mystic Eyes are so powerful. They can even see through my Demon Sect techniques." Shishi smiled sweetly, her beautiful eyes sparkling. One would never guess she was the cruel and domineering master of those demons.
Xuzhuang replied, "...Your Demon Sect techniques are the truly powerful ones."
A look of disappointment crossed Shishi’s face. She sighed. "Born into the Demon Sect, one has no choice. I never wanted Young Master Xu to see the demons I raise, which is why I tried to hide them... Young Master Xu, do you despise me even more now?"
Xuzhuang replied coolly, "Techniques are merely tools. Used for righteous ends, they can bless all living things. Used for evil, they bring endless suffering. Whether orthodox or demonic, they are all just paths. There is no fundamental difference."
Shishi said, "Why do you avoid answering the question I truly care about, Young Master Xu?"
"Please, stop joking," Xuzhuang said. "Since the trouble here is dealt with, we should get moving." As he spoke, his body flickered, transforming into a streak of sword light that shot into the distance.
Shishi’s lips curled into a smile. She raised a slender hand, her sleeve sliding down slightly to reveal a silver-white Bracelet on her fair wrist. Six or seven small bells hung from it, shimmering with different colors. They swayed in the wind but made no sound. Suddenly, the surrounding gloom receded. The black light converged, flowing like water back toward Shishi’s wrist and into one of the bells.
JINGLE JINGLE~ The bell chimed, but the sound vanished in an instant.
Shishi lowered her hand. Her figure moved, but without any flash of light. It was as if she had simply been ’shifted.’ In the blink of an eye, she was a hundred miles away. A moment later, she had already covered six hundred miles.
As promised, Xiao Si was waiting for them. Xuzhuang had already arrived and was standing in mid-air with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out at the distant ocean, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Shishi simply ’shifted’ into place beside them, making Xiao Si’s heart leap in fright. ’What kind of Escape Technique is that?’ he thought.
It was only then that Xiao Si realized this human woman, whom both His Highness and he himself had dismissed as some lovesick fool, was not so simple after all.
Shishi smiled faintly and flew to Xuzhuang’s side. "Xu Lang," she said with a pout, "why didn’t you wait a moment for me?"
’...Then again, maybe I’m overthinking things.’
Xiao Si shook his head and said to the pair, "You two, the Dragon Palace is still hundreds of thousands of miles away. To get there quickly, we must go deep beneath the East Sea and take the ’Water Dao’."
"Allow me to give you both a ride."
Xuzhuang pulled his gaze back from the ocean and exchanged a look with Shishi. They nodded in unison. "Agreed."
Xiao Si bowed to the two of them, then suddenly dropped low and revealed his true form. His back was covered in shield-like scales and his four limbs were like oars—he was a giant sea turtle. However, his appearance was not nearly as docile as his human form. His jaws were serrated, sharp claws protruded from his limbs, and his body was so enormous it could have easily carried a pavilion on its back. He was clearly a unique species; it was even possible he possessed dragon’s blood.
"Mr. Xu, Fairy Shi, please climb onto my back," Xiao Si said, his voice booming. "If you are not proficient in the Water Escape technique, you can also take shelter inside my shell."
Xuzhuang nodded and, without ceremony, flicked his Daoist Robe and landed on the turtle’s back, seating himself. He had the Five Elements Escape Technique, so he had no fear of the water. It was unclear what protective arts Shishi possessed, but she also landed on the turtle’s back and sat down, leaning slightly against him.
Seeing them both seated, Xiao Si wasted no time. His body sank, plunging straight into the sea. Once underwater, a sweep of his oar-like limbs sent him diving rapidly toward the depths of the ocean.
Xuzhuang had traveled the East Sea before, but he had never dived into the depths of the open ocean.
In the deepest parts of the sea, where the light of the sun could not penetrate, it was cold and utterly dark. If not for one’s Spiritual Sense, it would be impossible to see anything. Surprisingly, however, life was not at all rare in these depths. There were creatures hundreds or even thousands of feet long, and others as tiny as mayflies. They came in a thousand bizarre and grotesque shapes, each with its own unique "charm."
Xiao Si carried the pair through the pitch-black water. As Xuzhuang admired the underwater scenery, he also made sure to silently memorize their route.
After about an hour had passed like this, Xuzhuang’s Spiritual Sense suddenly stirred. At a certain point ahead of them, it was sucked into something and abruptly stretched out, winding into the distance. If his Spiritual Sense had not been so resilient, it might even have been damaged.
