Chapter 147: The Disaster of the Sea Serpents
Days later, as the Taiqing disciples arrived at the city of Taiwu, they found a number of nominal Taiqing disciples stationed there glancing at them in surprise.
"Seniors, thank goodness you were able to make it back! Considering you were all gone for the better half of a year, the sect has sent investigators to Taiwu," one nominal disciple reported.
"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.
"By the third month of your departure, we reported your lack of contact to the sect. Perhaps because an elder was leading your party, the sect didn't take action until just a few days ago, when a stork from the sect bore word stating that an elder would be coming by sea with a group of disciples in tow, here to investigate your disappearance. We would be responsible for meeting them here—but all of you came back before their arrival!"
"Which elder?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"Elder Zhao Yuanjiao."
"Zhao Yuanjiao? Isn't he a senior disciple in the Ascended division? Has he reached Spiritsong and become an elder?" Ye Dafu cried out.
"Yes!" the nominal disciple replied.
"As Elder Ku's most senior apprentice, he should be helping out Senior Brother Nanfeng, rather than hindering him at every turn! I hate this sort of person—how can someone like him ascend to Spiritsong? This isn't just!" Ye Dafu grumbled.
Xiao Nanfeng gave Ye Dafu a strange look. The sudden transformation in his attitude disconcerted him.
"Senior Brother Nanfeng, don't you worry. I, Ye Dafu, am a man of integrity. I'll stand by your side and teach Zhao Yuanjiao a lesson if he dares to target you!" Ye Dafu patted his chest.
Xiao Nanfeng: ... Was this really Ye Dafu? Why did it feel as though he had been possessed?
"Teaching who a lesson? Just don't create trouble for your senior brother!" Ye Sanshui rapped Ye Dafu on the head.
"Why are you beating me, Third Uncle? I'm just trying to deepen my relationship with Senior Brother Nanfeng and make up for what I did in the past! Can't you see?" Ye Dafu whispered.
Ye Sanshui gave his nephew a strange look. Even when you're whispering, your words are still so loud and clear—are you trying to ensure that the young master hears them?
"Please don't hold it against him, Senior Brother Nanfeng," Ye Sanshui apologized, scratching his head.
"No, it's quite alright." Xiao Nanfeng relaxed.
He understood that Ye Sanshui had to have revealed his identity to Ye Dafu. Although Ye Dafu was boastful and big-headed, he did know how to distinguish right from wrong—or he wouldn't have accumulated so many lackeys. The fact that Ye Dafu wanted to reconcile with him would hardly be a problem.
"We won't be waiting for Zhao Yuanjiao," Xiao Nanfeng decided. "Prepare some horses. We'll be riding back to the sect with haste."
"Understood!" the nominal disciple immediately replied.
Some of the disciples needed care as quickly as possible, with wounds and illnesses that might very well lead to permanent debilitation if left untreated. The disciples rode all the way to a harbor by the Eastern Sea.
There, more nominal Taiqing disciples were waiting for them. The disciples arranged for passage on a ship toward Taiqing Island.
After a day's voyage, someone on deck suddenly shouted, "Halt!"
Everyone walked up on deck to find flotsam drifting toward them. On one of the largest pieces of flotsam was the word 'Taiqing'.
"A ship from the Taiqing sect? Could there have been trouble at sea?" someone cried out.
"Where could the disciples on board be? We have to search around!" Xiao Nanfeng instructed.
The Taiqing disciples rowed toward the source of the flotsam on small canoes, but there was nothing to be found. Everything had been swallowed up by the sea.
"We don't have a lead, Senior Brother."
"We'll head upstream against the current," Xiao Nanfeng called out.
"Yes, Senior Brother!" the nominal disciples replied.
"Senior Brother, the sea is vast, and these currents may change at will. With just this flotsam to go off of, it'll be nearly impossible to find any survivors," Ye Sanshui murmured, frowning.
"I know, but it won't hurt to take this slight detour. If we can't find anything, we can give up then."
"Very well!"
The ship sailed against the current for a day and a night. Just as the disciples were about to give up, someone suddenly shouted, "Senior Brother, that's a signal flare from the Taiqing Sect!"
On an island not too far away, from time to time, there would be a burst of fireworks into the air. It was particularly eye-catching.
"A signal from Taiqing disciples! Are they trapped on that island? We have to rescue them!"
"Hold on!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.
"What's the matter, Senior Brother?"
"Be careful. There's something underwater that's quickly approaching us," Xiao Nanfeng replied.
The disciples looked into the water in shock.
The sea was choppy, and what lay beneath the surface couldn't be seen. The disciples glanced skeptically at each other, but Xiao Nanfeng was certain. He had sensed danger with his spiritual power.
"Quick, steer the ship away!" Xiao Nanfeng instructed.
Just then, something collided against the ship and caused it to shake.
"Snakes, so many snakes! It's a sea serpent!" someone cried out.
The disciples looked down again to see countless black-and-white sea serpents rapidly swimming toward the ship. They swam fiercely and furiously, as though intending to kill everyone on board. Meanwhile, stronger sea serpents were smashing into the ship from underneath, causing it to toss and shake.
"Are these serpents crazy? Are they trying to destroy our ship?!"
"Move it!"
"Kill them!"
The disciples quickly drew their weapons and slashed at the serpents that were clambering around the ship. Some even lowered lifeboats in order to attack the serpents as they popped out from beneath the surface of the water. Under their combined assault, the serpents above the surface were all killed; the remainder didn't dare emerge.
"They're still attacking the ship from underwater, but we can't strike them back!"
"I'll head underwater and have a look," Ye Dafu suddenly volunteered.
"Are you crazy? These sea serpents are highly venomous, and a single bite might kill you. Do you want to die?!" Ye Sanshui immediately held Ye Dafu back.
"I'll be fine. My Indomitable Body will protect me!"
He dove into the water, where a group of sea serpents immediately noticed him. Within a short period of time, he floated back up to the surface. By the time he was dragged back onto the ship, there were indents on his skin from serpent fangs, and his entire face was black and purple all over. He was clearly suffering from acute poisoning.
"Don't die, Dafu!" Ye Sanshui was shocked stiff.
"Can he be saved?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, frowning.
"I'm quite alright. This venom is warming my body up, and it's surprisingly comfortable. I'll have to raise a few sea serpents of my own and have them bite me daily!" Ye Dafu seemed positively excited by the idea.
Xiao Nanfeng: ...
Ye Sanshui: ...
Everyone: ...
Ye Dafu really was a masochist!
"There were many six-meter long sea serpents underwater. For some reason, they're furiously attacking our ship. I even saw a fifteen-meter one swimming over from afar!" Ye Dafu immediately reported.
"Six-meter long sea serpents are at Immanence, while fifteen-meter long ones are at Ascension," Ye Sanshui murmured.
"Could the other ship have been destroyed in this manner too?"
"These sea serpents are highly venomous. Except for Ye Dafu, we'd all be taken out of commission if they were to bite us."
"Sea serpents are far more agile than we are in the water. We can't afford to fight them there."
The disciples were in a frenzy as more and more sea serpents continued to strike at the ship. It was too late to even try to steer it away now.
"Five Ascension-realm disciples will deal with that Ascension-realm sea serpent along with Ye Dafu. Ye Sanshui, you'll lead the others to slay the remaining sea serpents," Xiao Nanfeng finally commanded.
"Understood!" the disciples replied.
"Senior Brother, the sea serpents are underwater. Do we need to dive down?" Ye Sanshui seemed rather hesitant.
"There's no need. Bring me a fishing rod, quickly!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.
"Got it!" One nominal disciple rushed over with a fishing rod.
Xiao Nanfeng immediately tossed the hook into the sea, devoid of any bait. He infused the hook with huge quantities of spiritual power in the manner prescribed by Art of Divine Fishing. The sea serpents found themselves enticed by a treasure that would allow them to transform into a dragon.
They instantly gave up on attacking the ship and swarmed toward the fishhook, biting and tearing at each other in an attempt to get to the treasure first. Their bodies were quickly exposed in the shallows.
"Have these sea serpents all been hypnotized?!" Ye Dafu cried out.
"Senior Brother Nanfeng's spiritual technique is truly incredible!" The other disciples were astounded.
"Strike!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.
"Kill them!" Ye Sanshui and the disciples drew close on lifeboats. They slashed at the serpents, killing large groups of them with every swing. Fresh blood dyed the sea red.
Ye Dafu and five senior disciples struck at the Ascension-realm sea serpent in a frenzy of blows, causing the surface of the sea to roil.
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