Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

Chapter 365: Chapter 360: Shadow Transformation Skill, Shadow-Binding Incarnation

"Ripples of combat..."

’Who could it be?’

Su Ye’s heart stirred.

He brought two fingers together and pressed them to the space between his eyebrows.

He compressed his fan-shaped Divine Sense, which typically covered a wide area, into a single, straight line and sent it probing into the distance.

This was a Divine Sense technique he had learned from the Six Desires Secret Scripture. When one’s Divine Sense was insufficient, it allowed one to extend their detection range by reducing the area of coverage.

’It’s been twenty or thirty years since I last used this technique...’ Su Ye mused to himself.

After he entered the Crystal Realm, his Divine Sense had improved dramatically. Even in the Early-stage Crystal Realm, his Divine Sense was comparable to that of a Crystal Perfection cultivator.

With such a formidable Divine Sense,

this technique had become obsolete.

But now, inside the Mist Forest Divine Kingdom, Su Ye’s once-proud Divine Sense was suppressed, leaving him no choice but to find another way through technique.

BUZZ.

The beam-like Divine Sense shot out in a straight line.

It nearly doubled Su Ye’s current Divine Sense range of eight hundred zhang.

The ripples he sensed grew clearer.

"That’s it."

’It’s definitely the ripples of combat.’

The Spiritual Qi fluctuations stirred up by a clash between high-level beings were like a boulder crashing into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading in all directions.

What Su Ye had first detected were these very ripples.

’Based on the rate of decay in the Spiritual Qi’s activity... one hundred and twenty li east of my position, two beings of at least the fourth rank are fighting fiercely.’

’And what’s more...’

Su Ye raised an eyebrow.

Within those combat ripples, one of the auras felt extremely familiar!

’A fluctuation of Demon Power?’

’Ziyuan?’

Su Ye knew Ziyuan well.

He had even fought against her many times using various methods.

Therefore,

he had firmly committed the aura of her Demon Power to memory.

’Why would Ziyuan be here... Did she enter the Mist Forest Divine Kingdom to try and save me?’

’The probability... is very low.’ Su Ye remained calm and dismissed this possibility.

Su Ye didn’t believe that a few sessions of Yin Yang Dual Cultivation would make his female companion utterly devoted to him... This wasn’t some smut novel, after all!

Given Ziyuan’s level of loyalty, it would be a miracle if she saw Su Ye in trouble and didn’t immediately pop two bottles of champagne before betraying him.

’So...’

’Was she being hunted and had no choice but to flee into the Mist Forest Divine Kingdom?’

Su Ye stroked his chin, pondering.

He felt this deduction was more logical.

’I’ll go take a look.’

’Ziyuan has my restriction seals on her. If I save her, I’ll gain an extra helping hand.’

’As for the risk... if Ziyuan can escape, so can I.’

After some consideration, Su Ye made his decision.

By falling into the Mist Forest Divine Kingdom, he was already one step behind. If he became timid and hesitant, he would have no chance at all!

Then,

he snapped his fingers.

BANG!

The sound was crisp!

The hull of the Ghostly Flood Dragon instantly transformed. Several logging arms retracted, and a pristine white exoskeleton covered the ship.

Twelve Plasma Cannons, along with even more conventional Blood Flame Cannon barrels, emerged on the deck, raising high. The bow of the ship split open, and the main cannon, surging with Blood Flame Streaming Light, activated and began to power up!

In just a few short seconds,

the warship had changed from its logging-machine form into a powerful, heavily armed fortress!

At the same time, the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Array Shield dimmed, becoming a translucent film that concealed the ship’s hull like an optical camouflage!

A Concealment Array.

It came with effects such as breath concealment, sound dampening, and Refraction.

Its only flaw was that when the Array was active, the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s hull had to move as slowly as possible to maintain optimal Concealment.

However, for Su Ye, this wasn’t a problem.

’The Ghostly Flood Dragon is too large of a target. Moving through this Forest Sea could easily alert the enemy. It just needs to follow me in concealment and act as my backup!’

Su Ye tapped his toes and leaped off the deck.

His figure spun through the air, his black robes billowing and creating slight wind resistance. Then, like a wild goose descending, he landed lightly, the soles of his boots touching down on a fluffy, giant mushroom.

The vibrant, semicircular red mushroom was quite springy.

As Su Ye landed on it, the cap sank deep, then sprang back to its original shape a moment later, just like a trampoline.

HUM.

The mushroom cap wobbled.

It provided Su Ye with ample cushioning.

"Thanks~"

Su Ye landed gracefully with a soft chuckle.

He activated a Breath Concealment Skill, covering his body.

Concealing his presence, he snuck toward the source of the combat ripples.

With Su Ye’s fourth-rank Body Refining, even though the rules of the Divine Kingdom prevented him from flying, his running speed was still quite fast!

...

"Hah..."

Within the Forest Sea, Ziyuan ran in a panic.

Her steps were hurried, her hair was a mess, and her almond-shaped eyes were filled with exhaustion.

’I should have... put some distance between us.’

"Hah..."

She veered aside and ducked behind a tree.

She took out a handful of pills from her Storage Ring and swallowed them down like jelly beans. Just as she was about to close her eyes to regulate her breath and digest the medicinal power,

HISS.

From the top of the tree, a venomous snake flicked its tongue, its gaze fixed on Ziyuan.

After a moment’s wait, it coiled its body and shot out like a spring, its two menacing fangs aimed at Ziyuan’s neck!

But at that moment,

as if she had eyes in the back of her head, Ziyuan didn’t even turn around. Her right hand shot out like lightning and clamped firmly around the venomous snake.

HISS!

After being caught, the snake surprisingly didn’t struggle.

Instead, its body rapidly turned illusory.

In a matter of moments,

it transformed from a living creature into a blurry shadow!

Even for a fourth-rank great demon with immense physical strength, how could one possibly bind a shadow?

But just as the venomous snake was about to escape by turning into a shadow,

Ziyuan sneered.

"Fool."

"Did you think the same trick would work on me twice?"

BUZZ!

The mass of shadow, as if struck by lightning, reverted to the form of a venomous snake.

Ziyuan gave a vicious smile. Her hand shot out and easily grabbed the snake’s head, a bloodthirsty light glinting in her beautiful purple eyes!

RIP.

She bit down on the snake’s head, twisted her neck, and tore it clean off!

But the next moment,

Ziyuan’s brow furrowed. She opened her mouth and, with a PTOOEY, spat out a fleshless snake skull.

’This thing isn’t a living creature at all!’

’It’s just a puppet refined from the corpse of a dead demon beast... No wonder its first use of the Shadow Transformation Skill managed to fool even me.’

"Hmph..."

Ziyuan snorted coldly, crushed the snake skull underfoot, and turned to flee.

Being discovered by this puppet meant her trail had been exposed!

...

A few dozen breaths later,

a figure wearing an intricate Dark Gold Robe and holding a Crystal Ball appeared in the same spot.

It was none other than the subordinate god of the Nether Mirror, the Shadow-Binding God!

He glanced at the shattered snake bones on the ground.

"So the snake puppet was destroyed?"

"To be able to break the snake puppet in such a short time... This aberration’s affinity for Shadow Power is truly enviable."

"I really want... to make her my puppet..."

The Shadow-Binding God’s tone was one of rapturous delight.

Then, he raised the Crystal Ball in his hand and said with a wicked smile,

"You can’t escape..."

Within the Crystal Ball, the image of Ziyuan’s retreating back appeared!