227: Chapter 226 Ambush!

The next morning, in front of the Red Fire Peak mountain gate.

When Jiang Hanzhou arrived, a cyan-black flying boat was already floating quietly in mid-air.

The flying boat was about ten zhang long and three zhang wide, its hull engraved with dense Formation patterns that shimmered with a faint blue light in the morning sun.

A standard Dragon Abyss Palace flying boat—the qing ting boat.

Beside the hull, two figures had been waiting for a long time.

The person on the left wore the mysterious black martial attire of Black Tortoise Peak, with twin swords hanging at her waist; her face was delicate yet carried a hint of sharpness.

Her aura was more condensed than before, clearly showing she hadn't wasted these past twenty-odd days.

Liu Ningshuang.

Standing beside her was a burly young man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing the crimson robes of Red Fire Peak. He had thick eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, and a rugged face. His arms were bare, with knotted muscles where faint reddish-gold patterns could be seen flowing beneath the skin—a sign of having reached a certain Realm in fire-attribute cultivation techniques.

His aura was blazing and domineering, clearly at the Peak of the Yuan Xiang middle stage.

Jiang Hanzhou stepped forward and performed a cupped-fist salute.

“Jiang Hanzhou of Red Fire Peak greets Senior Sister Liu and Senior Brother Zhou.”

Liu Ningshuang nodded slightly, a flicker of complex light flashing in her cold eyes.

She remembered Jiang Hanzhou.

During the Dragon Gate Trial twenty-odd days ago, she had seen with her own eyes this youth stand out from the crowd in the illusion zone, being the first to charge out.

Later, in front of the Yuelong Hall, he had forced Ao Zhan back three steps, shocking everyone present.

And now, as he stood before her, his aura was unfathomable, even more inscrutable than it had been twenty days prior.

Late Yuanxiang Stage.

She inwardly sucked in a breath of cold air.

Three months, from the Initial Stage of Yuanxiang to the Late Yuanxiang Stage—what kind of cultivation speed was this?

The burly youth, however, was straightforward. He laughed heartily and returned the salute.

“Zhou Lie of Red Fire Peak! I’ve long heard that the new Disciple Elder Xue took in is a tough character. Meeting you today, your reputation is indeed well-deserved!”

He stepped forward, sizing Jiang Hanzhou up with eyes full of appreciation.

“Forcing Ao Zhan back three steps at the Dragon Gate Trial and manifesting four types of True Intent during the True Intent Heart Examination—brother, you’ve really brought honor to our Red Fire Peak!”

Jiang Hanzhou smiled slightly.

“Senior Brother Zhou overpraises me.”

“What overpraise!” Zhou Lie waved a large hand. “I, Zhou Lie, admire capable people most. You’ve achieved this much in less than half a year since joining the Sect. Once you enter the inner Sect in the future, our Red Fire Peak will finally have someone who can challenge those bastards from Heavenly Sword Peak!”

Liu Ningshuang’s brow furrowed slightly, and she gave a light cough.

“Senior Brother Zhou, serious business takes priority.”

Zhou Lie scratched his head and gave a sheepish smile.

“Right, right, right. Serious business first.”

He turned and pointed toward the qing ting boat.

“Let’s go. We can talk on the way.”

The three of them leaped onto the flying boat.

Zhou Lie took a jade talisman from his robe and pressed it into the Formation eye at the bow.

The qing ting boat jolted violently, and the layer of blue light surrounding it suddenly flared up!

In the next instant—

The flying boat turned into a streak of light and shot through the air.

Aboard the qing ting boat, the three sat cross-legged.

Zhou Lie took a Jade Slip from his sumeru pouch and handed it to Jiang Hanzhou.

“Junior Brother Jiang, this is the latest intelligence on Fishing Ground No. 4. Take a look first.”

Jiang Hanzhou took it and sent his Divine Sense inside.

A moment later, his brow furrowed slightly.

The intelligence stated that Fishing Ground No. 4 was located deep in the East Sea, about four thousand li from Dragon Abyss Palace.

The waters around the fishing ground were rich in a type of Spirit Fish called 'Green-Scaled Fish,' which was an important source of Materials for the Dragon Abyss Palace Pill Refining Room.

But over the past seven days, frequent anomalies had occurred at the fishing ground.

First, the seawater temperature plummeted, dropping nearly ten degrees within three days. Those Green-Scaled Fish couldn't withstand the cold and fled one after another, leaving the fishing ground nearly deserted.

Then came spiritual power turbulence. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi around the fishing ground was being churned by something, sometimes turning violent like a tide, other times falling silent like stagnant water. Several fishing boats that went to investigate were torn to shreds by that turbulent spiritual power.

The most bizarre part was the dark shadows.

According to reports from nearby fishermen, huge dark shadows could often be seen swimming beneath the sea at night recently. Those shadows were about ten zhang long and moved as fast as lightning; wherever they passed, schools of fish scattered in terror and fishing nets were torn to pieces.

Some daring fishermen cast nets to investigate, but as soon as the nets hit the water, they were torn to shreds by an invisible force.

Along with that, one fisherman's arm was ripped clean off from the shoulder.

Jiang Hanzhou put down the Jade Slip and looked at Zhou Lie.

“Hasn't Dragon Abyss Palace sent anyone to investigate?”

Zhou Lie shook his head.

“They did. Three days ago, Heavenly Sword Peak sent two inner Disciples. The result—one heavily injured, one missing.”

His expression turned solemn.

“The one who came back heavily injured only said one thing—‘There’s something underwater, and it’s not a Yao Beast.’”

Jiang Hanzhou’s pupils contracted slightly.

Not a Yao Beast?

Then what was it?

Liu Ningshuang suddenly spoke, her voice cold.

“I heard that the ancient flood dragon remains are located near there.”

Jiang Hanzhou looked at her.

Liu Ningshuang continued.

“The ancient flood dragon remains are the carcass left behind after a flood dragon falls. Although the flood dragon is dead, the remains often retain part of its former pressure and aura. If those remains truly shifted, causing spiritual power turbulence and plummeting water temperatures in the surrounding sea, it would make sense.”

She paused, her gaze fixed directly on Jiang Hanzhou.

“But those dark shadows don't seem like they were caused by the remains shifting.”

“What do you mean?” Zhou Lie asked.

Liu Ningshuang pondered for a moment before saying slowly.

“I’ve looked through the Sect’s ancient records. A shift in flood dragon remains usually causes two situations—first, the leaking of dragon pressure, which suppresses surrounding creatures; second, the dissipation of Dragon Qi, which attracts Yao Beasts to gather.”

“But whether it's leaking dragon pressure or dissipating Dragon Qi, neither would form the kind of conscious movement seen in those ‘dark shadows.’”

She raised her head and said word for word.

“Those dark shadows look more like—someone is operating in the shadows.”

Jiang Hanzhou’s brow twitched slightly.

Someone operating in the shadows.

Blood Shark Island.

He recalled the intelligence Jiang Tao had given him—Blood Shark Island had secret dealings with the remnants of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect. And that Black-Robed Person's aura was eerie and unpredictable; even Bloodfang Old Monster was respectful to him.

If those dark shadows were the people of Blood Shark Island operating in secret...

What were they trying to do?

Were they also after the ancient flood dragon remains?

He took a deep breath, suppressing his thoughts, and said in a deep voice.

“How much longer until we arrive?”

Zhou Lie looked at the sky outside the boat.

“At our current speed, another two hours.”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

Inside his body, that great cycle of water and fire slowly rotated.

Tidal True Intent and Pure Yang True Intent flowed through his Meridians, endless and unceasing.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Heart Blade vibrated gently, the dark-gold dragon patterns on the blade flickering slightly.

Two hours later.

The qing ting boat jolted suddenly and slowly came to a halt.

The three opened their eyes, stood up, and looked out from the boat.

Below was a stretch of grayish-blue sea.

The sea surface was as calm as a mirror, without a single ripple. The sunlight fell, refracting into tiny fragments of light on the surface; it should have been a beautiful scene of shimmering waves, but at this moment, it made one’s heart turn cold for no reason.

Because it was too quiet.

Quiet like stagnant water.

No sea birds, no schools of fish, no traces of any living creature's activity.

Only endless grayish-blue, covering everything.