239: Chapter 239 Blocking the Way

Ye Tianhao was slightly stunned.

The Silk Ribbon protecting the woman was still swirling with fine moon-white spiritual light, and wherever it passed, even the air was covered in a layer of thin frost. It moved so fast that only an afterimage remained, aiming straight for the Shadow Flying Shark King's pair of crimson, violent vertical pupils.

"Roar!"

Sensing the danger to its eyes, the Shadow Flying Shark King jerked its head aside, its massive wing-fins flapping frantically in an attempt to crush the troublesome Silk Ribbon.

But the snow-white Silk Ribbon seemed like a living thing, nimbly avoiding the sweep of the wing-fins and instantly wrapping around the shark king's eye sockets.

Cold Spiritual Qi poured in frantically along the Silk Ribbon, and the intense pain in the shark king's eyes caused it to let out a deafening roar.

In an instant, the Shadow Flying Shark King's entire body came to a sudden halt; its eyes burst directly, and it completely lost its vision.

"Strike while the iron is hot! Kill it!"

Yun Jian shouted sternly.

Once these words were spoken, the surrounding Cultivators saw that the shark king was in a blind rage and had lost all semblance of order, so they all did their best to slay it.

Ye Tianhao gathered spiritual power into his sword, and the blade in his hand instantly expanded, turning into a giant sword several zhang long. As the sword swung, it was as sharp as the wind.

Because it was being besieged from multiple sides, the shark king had long since lost the chance to react. Facing this sudden attack, it let out a roar.

Its wing-fins snapped instantly, blood splattered, and it could no longer fly.

Seeing this, the Cultivators of the Ganglei Sect turned around, thunderous light appearing in their hands as they struck at the shark king that was about to flee.

The Shadow Flying Shark King's eyes were wrapped and frozen by the Silk Ribbon, its vision obstructed, and it was further frozen by cold qi and hounded by sword rainbows, falling completely into a desperate situation.

It struggled frantically, the scales all over its body standing on end, and it spat out pitch-black venom that melted ice and corroded seawater wherever it passed.

But it was no longer able to turn the tide.

Yun Jian thrust his sword fiercely into the shark king's blood-drenched gills with great power.

Spiritual Qi rushed through the wound straight to the Inner Core, instantly detonating the spiritual power within the shark king's body.

"Boom—!"

The massive twenty-zhang body crashed heavily onto the frozen sea surface, the ice layer instantly shattering, and a colossal wave surged.

After twitching a few times, the Shadow Flying Shark King completely lost its breath.

Its dark blue scales lost their spiritual light, becoming dull and lusterless.

A completely azure Inner Core, flowing with dense water vapor, slowly drifted out from its wound, emitting tempting Spiritual Qi fluctuations.

"Finally, it's settled," Lu Shaoyou said with a sigh of relief.

The surrounding Cultivators were already exhausted, their spiritual power completely spent. They didn't know how much they had lost to kill such a massive Late Stage Rank 2 shark king.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Minghai Realm.

The Sect Masters of various Sects gathered around the entrance. The appointed time had arrived, and all the Sect Masters were about to work together to open the gate and let the Disciples they had sent out return.

Fan Lang stepped forward and smiled, "I wonder how many people will return safely this time. The Minghai Realm is full of opportunities, but it is also full of death traps. I fear the Disciples might lose their lives due to greed for treasures."

Murong Xiao smiled disdainfully, "For Sect Master Fan to be so worried about gains and losses, you don't look like the leader of a Sect. Cultivation is originally a Heaven-Defying act; the winners live and the losers die. If you don't even have this much Heart-Nature, you should get off the path of cultivation as soon as possible. There's no need to be so sentimental."

On the side, Yun Ling smiled and said, "Sect Master Murong's words are incorrect. The Minghai Realm's dangers are unpredictable. Undercurrent sea eyes and bewildering formations with illusory mists are even more impossible to guard against. It is a great fortune if the Disciples can retreat in one piece; if they truly perish within, it would be a great regret for the Sect."

Gui Suer laughed softly, "Sect Master Yun is exactly right. You all have sat at the helm of your Sects for many years, and the Disciples under your command are all Foundations you've cultivated personally. How could you truly be stone-hearted?"

Murong Xiao's brows knitted into a knot, but he wasn't angry at having lost Face before everyone.

Instead, the cold aura around him grew even stronger, and Spiritual Qi surged as he flicked his sleeves, "Enough nonsense. The hour has arrived. Join forces to open the formation!"

"Trash who can't even fight their way out of a small Secret Realm like the Minghai Realm deserve to die; they aren't worthy of even a bit of the Sect's Luck."

Yun Ling hastily smoothed things over, his Face piled with a polite smile as he raised his hand to calm everyone, "The priority is to open the realm gate. Delays breed trouble. If the realm walls close, the Disciples inside will never be able to return. Everyone, take your positions!"

Everyone said no more and moved to their positions, forming a circle according to the pre-arranged directions.

They simultaneously performed hand seals, and the spiritual light around them surged, interweaving into a brilliant net of light that slammed into the space ahead.

"Hum!"

In the gap of the turbulent flow, a clear opening slowly appeared. A yin wind howled, carrying a faint smell of blood and the salty scent of seawater, blowing against their Faces.

Meanwhile, on the frozen sea area of the Minghai Realm.

Everyone looked at the killed Shadow Flying Shark King and the open exit ahead, and a hint of joy finally appeared in their eyes.

Yuan Zhan, an Elder of the Ganglei Sect, immediately stood out and said, "This shark king will be kept by my Ganglei Sect for the time being. Once we are out, how about we divide it equally?"

Once these words were spoken, Yun Jian, Jia Sha, and Huang Shanyin all showed some dissatisfaction.

This was a Late Stage Rank 2 Yao Beast; its flesh, skin, and bones were all excellent Artifact Refining Materials. The Ganglei Sect was powerful; if they went out, it would be a miracle if they shared it with them.

Seeing this, Huang Shanyin said, "Elder Yuan, this shark king is the result of our collective hunt. It's better to divide it on the spot to avoid complications after we leave."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jia Sha's cold Spiritual Qi spread out like thin ice: "Elder Huang is right. It's better to divide it as soon as possible."

The cooperation from just now began to turn into a confrontation because of the division.

Yuan Zhan's Face turned livid. The Ganglei Sect's overbearing aura had been exposed in public. He tightened his grip on the Thunder Hammer in his hand, thunder power rolling in his palm, but he was ultimately wary of the three parties joining forces.

He snorted coldly and said, "You all underestimate my Ganglei Sect too much. I was only keeping it on your behalf; how could you say I'm keeping it for myself?"

"Since you don't trust me, then we shall divide it on the spot!"

Although he was unwilling, he also knew that infighting at this moment would be more trouble than it was worth, as the residual aura of the Yao Beasts in the Minghai Realm had not yet dissipated.

If they started consuming their own strength, it might attract more Vicious Beasts. At that time, let alone treasures, even their lives would be hard to save.

Just as everyone was preparing to start carving up the shark king's corpse and counting the spoils of war, a violent humming suddenly came from the distant void.

The seawater beneath the ice layer churned frantically, and the originally calm sea surface kicked up a colossal wave.

A familiar spatial fluctuation swept toward them.

"It's the exit! The Sect Masters have opened the exit!"

A sharp-eyed Disciple cried out in surprise, pointing at the surging spiritual light at the void crack, his tone unable to hide his excitement.

Everyone instantly forgot about fighting over the shark king and looked up. They saw a massive light gate splitting open in the sky, its brilliant spiritual light penetrating the cold mist of the Minghai Realm.

From behind the gate, Spiritual Qi fluctuations from the outside world faintly drifted through, mixed with the Divine Sense transmissions of several Sect Masters.

The voice was short and majestic.

"Withdraw quickly! The exit is unstable; you must come out within one incense stick's time!"

Yuan Zhan made a prompt decision, waving his hand to put the shark king's corpse into his Storage Pouch, and said sternly, "The treasures will be divided later. Exit the realm immediately! If you miss the time, no one can expect to leave alive!"

Everyone dared not delay. They all put away their weapons and, carrying their respective harvests, sped toward the realm gate.

On the frozen sea surface, figures stepped across the ice, the sound of Spiritual Qi breaking through the air echoing incessantly.

The remaining smell of blood and sea salt behind them was swept away by the gale, while the spiritual light at the realm gate grew more brilliant and also more unstable, as if it could close completely at any moment.

Suddenly, several black shadows flew over and completely surrounded the exit.

Yun Ling looked over and saw it was Old Man Withered Wood of the Xuanyou Sect and the incorporeal ghost shadow behind him.

"Leaving so soon? Won't you stay and have a good battle with me?"

The ghost shadow let out bursts of eerie laughter that made one's skin crawl.