89: Chapter 89 Hidden Dragon Soars from the Abyss, Sword Pointing at the Inland Sea

A massive tower ship, flying a battle flag with the character "Lin," slowly sailed toward that isolated island in the far north.

Standing at the front of the ship's deck was an old man in a crimson Daoist robe; this person was exactly the Third Elder of the General Affairs Hall of the Linghu Lin Clan, Third Elder Lin Changyun, who was in charge of managing the Family's logistics.

At this moment, Third Elder Lin Changyun gripped the ship's railing tightly, his old eyes fixed on the island ahead.

"It has been three years..."

Third Elder Lin Changyun murmured to himself in his heart.

According to the Lin Clan's rules, disciples at the Qi Refining Stage sent out to guard a Spiritual Vein serve a three-year term.

Today was the day that the Reed Island guarding Cultivator, Lin Ze, completed his three-year term and the day for the rotation and handover.

In Third Elder Lin Changyun's memory, three years ago, Lin Ze was just a youth stuck at the Second Level of Qi Refining, burdened with the "Pseudo-Spiritual Root" of a four-element mixed spiritual root consisting of water, wood, and earth.

At that time, Reed Island was a desolate wasteland overgrown with weeds.

As the tower ship gradually approached the warning range of the Formation, the dozen or so elite disciples from the Main Island behind Third Elder Lin Changyun all gasped, and some even unconsciously gripped the Magical Artifact at their waist.

"Third Elder, is this... is this really Reed Island?" a young Deacon at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining asked with a trembling voice.

In their line of sight, on that beach once regarded as a desolate place where even birds wouldn't defecate, a dam now held the waters at bay.

"Stop looking like you've never seen the world before."

Third Elder Lin Changyun scolded sharply, but his own hand, hidden inside his sleeve, was also trembling slightly.

He knew that what was hidden on this island was not just these Mortals armed to the teeth, but also a Second Order Low Grade killing array, the Canglang Sword Array, which could even strangle Foundation Establishment Stage old monsters.

"Buzz..."

As the tower ship approached, the Water-Moon Heaven-Blurring Array's light screen, which isolated the world, rippled open to create a passage to both sides.

At the end of the passage, upon the water walkway.

A figure in a cyan robe appeared, like an immortal descending to the Mortal world.

Lin Ze stood with his hands behind his back, the early summer breeze brushing past his handsome yet deep-featured face, making his sleeves flutter and snap.

He did not intentionally release his Spiritual Pressure, but the profound foundation firmly established at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining, Middle Stage, and the aura of the "Limit-Breaking Heavy Water" spontaneously circulating deep within his Dantian, which was as steady as a deep pool or a towering mountain, caused the water veins of the entire Reed Island to pulse in rhythm with his breathing.

"Third Uncle, you have traveled through wind and waves; it has been hard on you."

Lin Ze nodded slightly.

Third Elder Lin Changyun leaped off the tower ship and landed steadily on the walkway.

"Zeler, your merit in reclaiming this land over the past three years is obvious to everyone in the Family. The Old Patriarch specifically ordered me to come and take over the daily defense of Reed Island and welcome you back to Feiyun Main Island!" Third Elder Lin Changyun said.

"I appreciate Third Uncle's concern," Lin Ze smiled faintly.

"The Mortal guard on this island and the infrastructure of the outer Formations have all been recorded and registered. However, before the handover, I still need to pack up some of my personal belongings."

"That is only natural. The Family will never interfere with the private property you earned from your dividends," Third Elder Lin Changyun nodded repeatedly.

Lin Ze turned around and, without further words, walked straight toward the Cold Spring Spirit Eye at the center of the island.

"Rise!"

Lin Ze stood by the Cold Spring and formed an ancient hand seal with one hand. At this moment, his Major Achievement level Fish Rearing Technique and Spirit Net Technique merged perfectly.

"Rumble!"

The surface of the Cold Spring boiled instantly, and a massive water vortex formed in the center of the spring eye.

Under the dumbfounded gazes of Third Elder Lin Changyun and the dozen or so Main Island disciples behind him.

"Splash..."

Thousands of Top Grade Green Jade Cold Fish broke through the water's surface one after another, leaping into the air.

With a wave of his sleeve, Lin Ze opened a specially made giant Spirit Beast Pouch, and the "river" formed by the Top Grade spirit fish poured continuously into the bag.

"This... Green Jade Cold Fish of this quality are at least Top Grade mutant species among the First Order Low Grade. And there are so many?"

Third Elder Lin Changyun swallowed hard.

When all the Green Jade Cold Fish had been cleared, Lin Ze's sword finger pointed toward the deepest part of the Cold Spring.

"Little ones, it's time to go."

"Hiss-roar!"

A long cry erupted from beneath the water.

A fish fry burst out of the water.

It swam in mid-air, its body naturally surrounded by a ring of incredibly heavy water ripples.

"Are those dragon whiskers and dark-gold scales?"

"A variant species with True Dragon Bloodline?"

Lin Ze did not explain the Heaven-Defying origins of this Heavy Water Dragon Carp; he simply gave a light wave of his hand and properly stored it into a Profrost Jade Box.

Immediately afterward, the entire ground of Reed Island began to vibrate violently.

"Crash!"

Water sprayed into the sky, blotting out the sun.

A behemoth leaped out from the depths of the Cold Spring and crashed heavily onto the terrace in front of the water cabin.

It was the Black-Armored Water-Seeking Turtle, Xiao Xuan, which had completely stabilized at the First Order Medium Grade Realm.

And in Xiao Xuan's shadow, a streak of deep dark green quietly emerged.

The Green-Scaled Cold Shadow Fish transformed into a ghost that almost merged with the Void Realm, hovering in mid-air.

"Two... two Top Grade Spirit Beasts at the Peak of First Order Medium Grade?"

Third Elder Lin Changyun was now completely numb.

How was this a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Middle Stage who had been sent out to guard an island?

With this kind of foundation, even a Foundation Establishment great Cultivator would be driven mad with envy upon seeing it!

However, Lin Ze's packing was not yet over.

After putting Xiao Xuan and the Cold Shadow fish into the Beast-Taming Bag, he slowly raised his head, his deep eyes looking toward the rolling clouds above Reed Island.

He spread his arms and let out a low whistle toward the sky.

"Purple Thunder, return to the array!"

"Rumble..."

High in the firmament, the originally clear sky was instantly obscured by gales and dark clouds.

"Screech-roar."

Under the gaze of Third Elder Lin Changyun and everyone else.

An ancient variant Spirit Beast dove down from the Nine Heavens' clouds.

The Wind-Thunder Sea Flood Dragon.

"Thump."

"Thump."

The dozen or so Main Island disciples could no longer withstand such terrifying Spiritual Pressure and visual impact; their legs gave way, and they all knelt on the walkway, shivering.

Even the Third Elder, Third Elder Lin Changyun, was pale and wide-mouthed at this moment, as if his throat were being gripped by an invisible giant hand.

"A dragon... a flood dragon. How is this possible? He actually hatched a living flood dragon on this desolate island?"

In the cultivation world, any Spirit Beast tainted with the "Dragon" Bloodline was a priceless treasure and a Divine Beast used by major Golden Core Sects to suppress their Luck.

And now, this Divine Beast had actually folded its wings and landed on the shoulder of that cyan-robed youth, nuzzling his cheek.

"Good job, little one."

Lin Ze patted the thunder-patterned single horn on Purple Thunder's forehead, then with a flick of his sleeve, he took it into a top-tier Spirit Beast Ring.

At this point, Lin Ze's belongings were all packed.

He turned around and looked at the completely petrified Third Elder Lin Changyun, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Third Uncle, I will have to trouble you with the handover of the island."

"Good, good... Zeler, you... you are simply..."

Third Elder Lin Changyun was incoherent.

In front of the walkway, on the Bluestone Square.

Village Chief Lin Cang led the two hundred guards clad in cold iron heavy armor, as well as the five hundred Mortal men, women, and children behind them, all kneeling on both knees.

No one gave an order, but the movements of the five hundred-plus people were perfectly synchronized, and every person's eyes were filled with hot tears.

"We respectfully see off the Immortal Master."

"May the Immortal Master enjoy eternal immortal blessings and may his Great Dao reach the heavens."

The sorrowful yet infinitely reverent shouts echoed for a long time over the Yunmeng Great Marsh.

Over these three years, it was this cyan-robed youth who had given them hope to live.

Village Chief Lin Cang's face was covered in tears, his forehead pressed against the cold stone floor.

Lin Ze's footsteps paused slightly.

He looked back at the dense crowd of Mortals kneeling on the ground.

"Everyone, rise."

Lin Ze did not waste words; he simply formed a seal with one hand, and a wave of Major Achievement level Pure Water Art magic, containing extreme vitality, transformed into a sky full of nourishing light-rain, falling into the bodies of the five hundred Mortals, leaving them one last grace of cleansing their marrows and refining their essences.

"Lin Cang, guard this island well and wait for my return."

"Clang!"

A sword hum resounded through the world.

That half-step Second Order water shadow snake bone sword, which he had nurtured to the limit, shot out and hovered beneath his feet.

Dressed in his cyan robe, Lin Ze stepped onto the Flying Sword and soared into the sky.

The water-governing wind-flow robe stirred up cyan and blue interwoven wind-swept cloud patterns in mid-air, and he transformed into a streak of ghostly blue light, instantly charging into the clouds.