234: Chapter 233 Returning to the Palace

Jiang Hanzhou pressed down on her hand.

"Wait."

He took out a Jade Slip from his sumeru pouch and sent his Divine Sense into it, imprinting everything he had seen and heard on this journey. Then, together with the token he had searched from the Blood Shark Island Disciple, he handed them to Liu Ningshuang.

"Send these back together. Let the Sect send people to take over."

Liu Ningshuang took the Jade Slip and the token, then activated the communication talisman.

A golden light shot out from the talisman, piercing through the seawater and heading straight for the sky.

The three stood there, watching the light gradually fade into the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

Then, Jiang Hanzhou turned around and looked at the massive flood dragon bones once more.

The flood dragon bones emitted a faint golden glow in the darkness. Although the light was dim, a single glance made one's heart tremble. It was a natural suppression from a higher level of life; even a thousand years after death, it still made people afraid to look directly at it.

His gaze fell upon that unformed Dragon Essence.

Within the Dragon Essence, that tiny flood dragon shadow was slowly swimming. As if it sensed his gaze, its swimming speed quickened slightly.

Jiang Hanzhou stared at the flood dragon shadow, silent for a long time.

Then, he withdrew his gaze, turned, and walked out of the cave.

Zhou Lie and Liu Ningshuang followed behind him, the three of them walking one after another into the long, narrow tunnel.

Behind them, the massive flood dragon bones lay quietly, the light of the Dragon Essence flickering slightly in the darkness as if waiting for something.

Or perhaps, as if watching something.

—

On the surface of the sea, the setting sun was sinking in the west.

When Jiang Hanzhou's group of three broke through the water, the horizon had already been dyed a golden red.

Zhou Lie gasped for breath, ripped off the Breath-Concealing Talisman stuck to his chest, and cursed, "Damn it, we're finally out! It was way too suffocating underwater!"

Liu Ningshuang did not speak, merely watching the sun as it was about to sink below the horizon. Her face was pale and her aura weak—fighting one against nine earlier, her injuries were much heavier than they appeared.

Jiang Hanzhou took out two healing Medicinal Pills from his sumeru pouch and handed them to the two.

Zhou Lie took it, swallowed it in one gulp, and then looked at Jiang Hanzhou.

"Junior Brother Jiang, that slash you just used—what was its name?"

Jiang Hanzhou was silent for a moment before slowly saying:

"Tidal Heaven-Burning Slash."

"Tidal Heaven-Burning Slash..." Zhou Lie repeated the name, his eyes full of wonder. "The power of that slash was simply terrifying. That old thing Bloodfang Old Monster, a figure at the half-step Meridian Condensation stage, was sent fleeing in panic by your single slash. Brother, this ultimate move of yours is qualified for the true inheritance!"

Jiang Hanzhou shook his head.

"It was just luck. That slash nearly drained me dry."

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

His hands were trembling slightly, with several charred marks remaining on his palms—that was the backlash from the Fusion of the four types of True Intent. Although the slash was successful, the price paid was much greater than he had imagined.

At least a dozen places in his Meridians had developed fine cracks.

His Qi and blood were nearly seventy percent depleted.

His Divine Soul was weak to the extreme.

If Bloodfang Old Monster hadn't fled but had chosen to fight to the death instead—

He wasn't sure if he would still be standing.

Zhou Lie seemed to see his weakness and patted his shoulder.

"Alright, don't think so much. A win is a win, regardless of how it was won."

He turned and walked toward the qing ting boat, taking out several jars of wine and tossing one each to Jiang Hanzhou and Liu Ningshuang.

"Come, have a drink. Calm your nerves."

Jiang Hanzhou caught the wine jar, slapped off the mud seal, and tilted his head back to take a large gulp.

The wine entered his stomach, turning into a warm current that nourished his damaged Meridians.

He gazed at the sun about to sink below the horizon, silent for a long time.

Then, he spoke, his voice calm:

"Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Sister Liu."

The two looked at him.

Jiang Hanzhou's gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

"Before Bloodfang Old Monster left, he said something."

Zhou Lie frowned. "What?"

"'I will unite with my backers to take revenge on me.'"

Liu Ningshuang's pupils contracted slightly.

Zhou Lie was silent for a moment, then laughed.

That smile carried a hint of disdain and mockery.

"Backers? What backers could he have? That bunch of evil cultivators from Blood Shark Island can only jump around in this small corner of the East Sea. If they truly annoy the Dragon Abyss Palace, the Palace Master will act personally and wipe them out in minutes."

Jiang Hanzhou shook his head.

"It's not a backer of Blood Shark Island."

He turned around and looked at the two of them.

"The Ten Thousand Gu Sect."

Zhou Lie's smile froze on his face.

Liu Ningshuang's expression instantly became solemn.

The Ten Thousand Gu Sect.

That was an evil Sect that had been jointly wiped out by the Dragon Abyss Palace and the Sea Quelling Department. Although their headquarters were destroyed and their Sect Leader executed, many remnants still roamed overseas, barely surviving.

And those remnants were best at hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity for revenge.

If Blood Shark Island truly colluded with the remnants of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect...

Zhou Lie took a deep breath and said solemnly:

"This matter must be made known to the Sect."

Jiang Hanzhou nodded.

"I've already left all the intelligence in the Jade Slip. When the Sect's people arrive, they will handle it."

He paused, looking toward the deepening darkness of the sea in the depths of the East Sea.

"Now—it's time for us to go back."

The three leaped onto the qing ting boat.

Zhou Lie activated the Formation, and the qing ting boat jolted suddenly, turning into a streak of light that streaked across the sky.

Behind them, the waters of Fishing Ground No. 4 gradually receded, finally disappearing beyond the horizon.

—

Red Fire Peak, Hanzhou Residence.

Jiang Hanzhou sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, surrounded by a faint dark golden light.

Inside his body, the great water-fire cycle operated slowly, nourishing his damaged Meridians. Tidal True Intent and Pure Yang True Intent flowed alternately, and wherever they passed, those fine cracks healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Deep within his Dantian, the three-colored flame burned quietly. Around the flame, the dark golden halo was even denser than before—it was the mark of the preliminary Fusion of the four types of True Intent.

He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.

His hands no longer trembled, and the scorched marks on his palms had mostly faded.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Then, he raised his head and looked out the window.

Outside, the night was deep, and the sky was full of stars.

In the distance, the bells of the Dragon Abyss Palace's main peak echoed, heavy and far-reaching.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The night wind blew past, bringing a hint of coolness.

He gazed at the starry sky, and the scenes from the day flashed through his mind—

Bloodfang Old Monster's blood-red eyes.

The unformed Dragon Essence within the flood dragon bones' chest cavity.

The flood dragon shadow slowly swimming within the Dragon Essence.

And, that slash he had unleashed.

Four types of True Intent, fused into one.

The power of that slash far exceeded his expectations.