Free Web NovelChapter 532: Chapter 269: Closing the Gaps! Vital Energy Like a Deep Sea! (Part 2)
During ancient times, resources were abundant, allowing for such cultivation to be maintained. But now, various resources are extremely precious. Even major sects must use good steel where it’s most needed. As body refining progresses further, the resource expenditure becomes severe, gradually beyond what ordinary people can afford.
Moreover, relying solely on the body for traversing falls short in Dao practice.
No matter how strong a human body is, it can’t compare to the ancient gods and demons.
Additionally, it is difficult to rival various powerful magical treasures.
While body refining cultivators have not faded into oblivion, they are considered a niche path, with few practicing dual cultivation of body and magic.
There’s no exaggeration in saying that Zheng Yi now has an additional massive gold-devouring beast, making the required resources considerably vast.
...
Zheng Yi didn’t speak, merely waved his hand lightly, allowing all the guard cultivators to fulfill their duties and continue to protect this island’s forbidden area.
Immediately afterward, his figure moved, disappearing in an instant.
The next moment his silhouette flickered, Zheng Yi found himself in the meeting hall, but unexpectedly, the three leaders, including Kui Ma, were absent, leaving only a secretary on duty here.
Zheng Yi frowned slightly; on his way here, he had sensed something was amiss. It seemed the number of people on Poison Dragon Island had dwindled significantly, with even fewer warships anchored in the mother port. It seemed that during his seclusion, the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang executed some significant operation.
"What has happened?!"
Upon seeing the suddenly appearing Master of Celestial Demons, the secretary here promptly bowed respectfully.
Zheng Yi learned the whole story from their mouths.
It was quite simple: the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang had a conflict with the nearby Black Dog Pirate Gang, and it was no ordinary conflict—it was an all-out clash.
The scale of the conflict was immense, with all three leaders, including Kui Ma, involved.
Through the secretary’s detailed explanation, Zheng Yi obtained the answers he wanted.
The root cause of this conflict stemmed from the orders Zheng Yi issued before entering seclusion.
To acquire more resources, the three leaders frequently set out, intercepting all fleets passing through the sea area, seizing the resources onboard.
There are no clearly defined border limits within the sea realm, so sometimes chasing down merchant fleets means trespassing into sea areas controlled by other pirate gangs, colloquially known as crossing the line.
Thus, in their pursuit of merchant ships, the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang frequently crossed the line, inciting a fierce conflict with the neighboring Black Dog Pirate Gang.
This time, both sides chose a small island in the middle to negotiate.
"This counts as an opportunity!"
Though the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang is also one of the more renowned among the One Hundred and Eight Paths Pirate Gangs in the sea realm, possessing formidable strength, the territory they occupy is still too close to the edge. The resources Zheng Yi needs now are overwhelmingly vast.
The Heaven-Cutting Vine takes everything and summarizes itself.
This trait has transformed Zheng Yi into an unprecedented ocean monster in order to nurture the Seven Treasures Marvelous Tree.
Relying solely on the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang cannot possibly satisfy his needs; Zheng Yi plans to conduct a major operation upon emerging from his seclusion.
If he can control a sufficient number of pirate gangs, on this vast sea realm, it will undoubtedly bring unimaginably enormous resources.
It’s hugely beneficial for him to step into Core Formation, condensing a Ninth Grade Golden Core.
...
Originally, due to being in a weakened state, Zheng Yi was unwilling to forcibly fly over the ocean.
After all, the ocean is not like land; it hides numerous predators, including unprecedented ones, equivalent to Core Formation Stage barbaric sea beasts. If his previous physique was attacked by these sea beasts, it would be quite troublesome.
However, now that his body has thoroughly matured, Zheng Yi simultaneously activates multiple talisman seeds such as ’invisibility’ and ’swift movement,’ traversing the sea surface at lightning speed.
Generally, those sea beast predators find it difficult to detect Zheng Yi under such circumstances.
But all things have exceptions, and some sea beasts with unique abilities can sense his traces. However, due to the dreadful divine-demonic aura emanating from his body, originating from the Divine Demon Blood of the Azure Heaven Dominating Blood, it easily intimidates all sea beasts.
They flee upon sight, let alone ambushing him; upon discovering his presence, they would likely flee for their lives in the next instant.
Compared to human cultivators, these deep-sea predators have an innate advantage in sensing aura sensitivity.
Only they understand how terrifying Zheng Yi’s divine-demonic aura is at this moment.
It is the pinnacle existence truly belonging to the divine-demonic body.
Though it is merely a trace, to ordinary marine fierce beasts, it is akin to encountering some terrifying prehistoric giant beast from the sea bottom—a fear that is instinctual.
...
Boom boom!
On that unnamed small island, the Poison Dragon Island and Black Dog pirate gangs clashed fiercely. As Poison Dragon Island’s trio of leaders, Kui Ma and others led their group against five Purple Mansion cultivators.
The battle had hardly begun when it became immensely intense.
Violent explosions churned the surrounding air directly, and roaring waves were shattered by flying rocks.
The power of the explosions continuously surged on the small island, clouds of mist resembling miniature mushroom clouds, piling one upon another, gradually spreading across the island’s sky.
Both sides are notorious pirates; their lives are tied to their waistbands and they lick blood off blades—a ferocity that is uncanny. Every move is almost a life-and-death struggle, devoid of any human sentiment.
These individuals are not pampered sect cultivators; although their methods are not as varied as sect cultivators, they are sinister and their attack power is extremely strong.
The Purple Mansion cultivators continuously collided, and the explosive magical power formed tiered shock waves in the air, layers upon layers as if seeking to entirely segregate the space.
The sky above grew dark and oppressive, with patches of dark clouds looming over the sea realm, giving a sense of impending storm-filled oppression.
The battle persisted; within the One Hundred and Eight Paths Pirate Gangs, two factions erupted into intense strife on this unnamed island, almost without clear information.
Among both sides’ high-ranking members, real fire was sparked, each deadly strike aiming to turn the opponent into mincemeat, and fatal clashes ensued.
Above the clouds, Zheng Yi did not immediately reveal himself. With his cultivation and the hidden profundity of the Celestial Demon Relic, these people were utterly incapable of detecting him. His gaze, like lightning, fixed upon the movements on the island.
Eight figures continuously collided on the island, waves of shock created by magical power collisions spread in all directions.
"Red Demon, what kind of madness is this? Are you really bent on fighting to the death today?!"
Black Dog Pirate Gang leader, Black Dog Bo Beida, shouted in anger, himself being a fire element cultivator, inherently irritable, but now completely bewildered by the fighting.
He couldn’t comprehend what madness had possessed the Poison Dragon Island pirate gang—top to bottom, they’ve all gone berserk, what benefit is there to such a fierce fight against them?
It felt less like a negotiation and more like seeking vengeance—a life-and-death vendetta, wishing for at least one of them to perish.
Even the deceitful and cunning pirates were perplexed, unable to fathom such self-damaging behavior.
We’re all out here to profit, why risk one’s life?
Yet now, even a clay statue would be ignited with real anger; Black Dog Bo Beida’s eyes burned with heat, as if he could incinerate the opponent entirely.
"Black Dog, if you agree to merge into the Poison Dragon pirate gang, I might consider sparing you!"
Red Demon Ao Kui Ma spoke calmly, maintaining composure.
Black Dog Bo Beida was full of rage, yet inwardly somewhat resigned.
Though the Poison Dragon pirate gang only had three leaders, Kui Ma’s strength level was formidable even among pirates.
The others, Yi Boxiong and Zhaoxiang Peng, too, were top-notch experts, at least Late Stage of the Purple Mansion level. Although Black Dog seemed to have a numerical advantage, in reality, when clashes occurred, they were suppressed.
He couldn’t understand how a matter of resolving sea area conflicts could escalate into a group battle.
