Chapter 250: Chapter 237: Soaring Water Master
The unpleasant look vanished in a flash. Baihua Xiu’s expression returned to normal in an instant. "You won’t. We’re partners!"
He chuckled. Seeing the cold, elegant Sect Leader’s expression change at his words, Nie Yun knew that she was extremely wary of him, even though she was the one who had invited him. Deciding not to press the issue, he changed the subject. "This person with a special talent your friends found... what is their talent?"
"A Soaring Water Master!"
"A Soaring Water Master?" Nie Yun’s eyes widened. "Your friends are really something else, finding someone with a rare talent like that..."
Soaring Water Masters, also known as Water Element Masters, possess a special talent, much like Tracking Masters and Assassin Masters. They have a Soaring Water Dantian. Once a person with this talent enters the water, they can automatically form a pair of Soaring Water wings. Not only can they breathe freely underwater, but they can also move even faster than they do on land!
Soaring Water Masters, Celestial Travelers, and Earth Masters are collectively known as the three great escape talents. Anyone possessing one of these three dantians would receive special training from their Sect. When they employed their escape techniques, it was impossible to catch them, even if you were significantly stronger!
People with this talent were exceedingly rare. Back in the day, there were fewer than ten of them across all Eight Great Sects of the Floating Heaven Continent combined! ’For Baihua Xiu’s friends to actually find one to help is no small feat.’
Baihua Xiu explained, "The Demon Saint Ruins lie in the deepest part of the Endless Ocean. Without this talent, we wouldn’t be able to venture too far in, even as Ultimate Venerables!"
The Qi Sea Continent was surrounded by a vast, endless body of water known as the Endless Ocean. Even Ultimate Venerable Powerhouses, despite their abundant True Qi, didn’t dare to venture too deep. For one, there were far more Demon Beasts in the ocean than on land. Furthermore, since the body of an Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse had not yet achieved communion with the natural world, they could only use their True Qi to survive without air for a short time. It wasn’t a long-term solution.
A Soaring Water Master was different. Their surging Soaring Water Qi allowed them to continuously replenish their True Qi from the water itself. A person with this talent was even more formidable in the water than on land!
’If I had this talent, crossing large bodies of water in the future would be a breeze...’
’Right now, of my Ten Great Dantians, my Main Dantian can’t be cultivated. I’ve only awakened six others: Storage, Pill Fire, Beast Taming, Tracking, Healing, and Great Strength. That leaves three empty Dantians that I can develop into any special talent I choose. If I could acquire a Soaring Water Dantian, it would be a wise choice, giving me a solid escape route when needed.’
Pushing the thought aside, Nie Yun asked, "When do we leave?"
"There’s no time to waste. The sooner we leave, the better. We’ll set out immediately! Oh, right. When we meet my friends, it would be best if you didn’t tell them your name is Nie Yun. That name has become far too conspicuous recently."
Baihua Xiu cautioned.
"I understand. For now, my name is Yun Tong, an ordinary Loose Cultivator."
Nie Yun had single-handedly annihilated the Mi Tian Sect and exterminated the Divine Wind Empire’s original Royal Family, leaving no one alive. His name had become far too renowned. Using it would undoubtedly make others wary and cause more trouble down the line. It was better to be low-key.
The name Yun Tong was a combination of a character from his own name, Nie **Yun**, and one from his brother’s, Nie **Tong**.
"Alright, let’s go then." Baihua Xiu had assumed that with his youthful temperament, Nie Yun would be very protective of his reputation. She’d expected it would take a lot of persuading to get him to hide his identity. She was surprised when he agreed so readily. She couldn’t help but glance at him again. ’This man is becoming more and more inscrutable.’
’He’s powerful and ruthless, yet he handles matters with a deft touch and doesn’t try to steal the spotlight. Even old monsters who have lived for centuries might not possess such wisdom. I truly can’t fathom how a boy who isn’t even seventeen can be like this.’
"Alright!" Nie Yun nodded. He mentally instructed the Wind Wolf King, Zi Tong, and Hei Yan to watch over Yangg Yan, Feng Xiao, Tie Lan, Luoqing City, and the others. Then, he followed Baihua Xiu as they flew swiftly away from Divine Wind City.
’According to the latest news, my parents and the others have been captured and taken to the Divine Holy Empire. The Divine Holy Empire isn’t like Divine Wind City; it’s teeming with powerful experts. If I go there with my current strength, I won’t be at the very bottom, but I definitely won’t be able to make a splash!’
’If I rush in recklessly, not only will I fail to save my parents, but I’ll probably get myself killed. I’m better off using this time to find a way to increase my strength!’
’After all, if the legends are true and the Nine-Heart Demon Fruit Tree really contains that... thing, it shouldn’t be hard for my Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique to shatter the shackles of the third level and reach the fourth!’
’The Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique, just like the Nine-Turn Nirvana Skill, is divided into nine levels, each progressively more difficult. The power gap between each level is at least tenfold. Once I reach the fourth level, my physical strength will surge tenfold. Combined with my Great Strength Dantian, I might still not be a match for a Heaven-Seizing Creation Secret Realm Powerhouse, but I’ll have few, if any, rivals at the Ultimate Venerable Level!’
’Only with that kind of power will I have a real means of survival when I enter the Divine Holy Empire!’
It was precisely for this reason that Nie Yun had agreed to Baihua Xiu’s request without a moment’s hesitation, accompanying her to the Endless Ocean in search of the Demon Saint Ruins.
After leaving Divine Wind City, the pair picked up their pace. Baihua Xiu seemed intent on testing Nie Yun’s strength, as she flew the entire way without a single break. After three straight days and nights of flight, she was the first to find her stamina failing.
No matter how abundant an Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse’s True Qi was, it had its limits. An Ordinary Venerable would run out of True Qi after just an hour of continuous flight. After flying at full speed for three days and nights without rest, even with Baihua Xiu’s immense reserves of True Qi, her Qi Sea was beginning to run dry.
When Baihua Xiu turned to look at Nie Yun with a sense of resignation, she was left utterly speechless. He looked perfectly relaxed, as if flying for three days and nights straight hadn’t affected him in the slightest!
It was only then that Baihua Xiu truly understood how terrifying the boy’s True Qi reserves were.
They landed to rest for half a day, then continued flying for another three days and three nights. Finally, the two arrived at the edge of the Divine Wind Empire, where the boundless Endless Ocean stretched out before them.
The ocean teemed with far more life than the land. Demon Beasts at the Gang Formation Realm, Armor Realm, and Qi Sect Realm were commonplace. Many lone Ultimate Venerable Powerhouses would enter the ocean to hunt Demon Beasts, accumulating resources to trade for better cultivation materials. Of course, they never dared to venture too deep. If they were targeted by an Ultimate Venerable Level Demon Beast of the sea, they wouldn’t even know what hit them.
There were also scattered islands throughout the ocean, often occupied by powerful humans who would establish Sects there. These Sects were frequently besieged and annihilated by Demon Beasts shortly after their founding. However, there were exceptions. Any that managed to survive would come to possess immense fortunes. Their disciples lived like kings and marquises, and if they returned to the mainland, they would become wealthy magnates whose fame spread far and wide.
It was said the Zhao Family, one of the Four Great Families, had made their fortune in the ocean, accumulating a vast amount of seed capital that allowed them to become known as the God of Wealth of the Divine Wind Empire.
"That’s Tianxin City. We agreed to meet there. Let’s head down."
Baihua Xiu pointed to a coastal city and shot downwards.
