143: Chapter 143 The Demons of Pearl Reef

Qin Ling paid no attention to Bengbu.

He stepped on the coral reef-paved ground, passed through the temple gates of Zhuguang Temple, and walked into that dim seabed illuminated by pearls and luminous snails.

His golden figure emerged from the golden light, his entire body shrouded in a layer of faint golden light.

The monsters on Zhuguang Reef saw that golden figure walking out of the temple gates, and they all knelt down one after another.

Those who could kneel knelt, those who could not kneel lay flat, and those who could not lie flat prostrated themselves.

They looked at that golden figure appearing in front of the divine temple, the expressions in their eyes complex, containing piety as well as deeper awe.

They recalled the last time they saw this golden figure manifest.

At that time, Lord Qinling was holding a headless, incomplete carcass of a weasel in his hand.

The aura of a Fourth-Turn Great Demon seeped out from that carcass, pressing down so hard that the demonic qi within their bodies trembled.

They thought that was the strength of a deity, killing a Fourth-Turn Great Demon just like that, carrying the carcass back and throwing it beside the dragon corpse.

But now they knelt here, looking at that golden figure, sensing that the aura enveloping them was even stronger than last time!

Compared to the aura of Lord Qinling, even Little Li Dragon in its prime fell far short!

Just what kind of realm was this deity's true strength?

The monsters of Zhuguang Reef worshiped respectfully.

Qin Ling, who had walked out of the divine temple, first turned his head to look at the horizontal dragon corpse beside Zhuguang Reef.

Little Li Dragon's corpse was still there, its silver-white scales shimmering with a cold light in the dimness.

But he remembered that when he came to see it last time, this dragon corpse was still three zhang long.

Now nearly half of it was missing, the traces of meat being cut away revealing themselves from the gaps in the scales, with jagged edges.

He glanced again at the open space beside the dragon corpse, where Huang Zu's headless corpse had once been placed.

Now there was nothing left, not even bones remained.

That Fourth-Turn weasel, from skin to bone, from flesh to internal organs, had been eaten clean by the monsters in this sea.

Seeing this, Qin Ling turned around, his gaze falling upon the prostrated monsters.

Previously, the Third-Turn monsters on this Zhuguang Reef were few and far between, countable on one hand, but now, with a casual sweep of his gaze, he saw seven or eight of them.

That Sea Turtle demon was at the early Third-Turn; when he came last time, it was still at the peak of Second-Turn;

That Blue Crab was at the mid Third-Turn; when he came last time, it was still at the early Third-Turn;

That Starfish was at the early Third-Turn; when he came last time, it was still at the peak of Second-Turn.

There were even more Second-Turn monsters, and nowadays the monsters of Zhuguang Reef were densely packed with First-Turn monsters, too numerous to count.

The auras of all the monsters were stronger than before.

Qin Ling was not surprised by this; after all, they had shared and consumed the flesh and blood of so many Fourth-Turn Great Demons—if their cultivation levels didn't improve, that would be absurd!

He recalled his original intention when he threw Little Li Dragon's corpse onto this seabed: to exchange dragon meat for incense points, trading things he didn't need for the incense points he required.

And this approach of his had also fostered the enhancement of the monsters' strength.

Before this, Qin Ling did not care about the increase in strength of the Zhuguang Reef monsters, but now, he felt this seemed to be a good thing.

Especially for what he was about to do next.

The various counties surrounding Guanhai County were all entrenched by demon county magistrates, and because of the existence of Prefect Yin Wuji, he could not move against them for the time being.

He could only find incense from other places.

And the East China Sea Seabed was a good place he had thought of; here, he would be even more unfettered and free!

Qin Ling's divine sense drifted out, landing on Bengbu, which was still lying flat on the sandy ground at the temple entrance.

Bengbu heard the voice transmission coming from Qin Ling, and its entire body trembled along with it.

After Qin Ling's voice transmission ended, the gap in Bengbu's shell abruptly widened, and its tongue popped out straight and rigid, carrying its sound far away through the seawater.

"Lord Qinling has a divine decree——!"

All the monsters still kneeling on the sandy ground raised their heads, various eyeballs staring at the Clam Spirit standing at the temple entrance.

Bengbu cleared its throat, its tongue pointing in the direction of the deep sea, and said with a devout expression.

"Lord Qinling says that there are still too many small monsters in the current East China Sea who lack his protection and his grace."

"Lord Qinling cannot bear to see them living such days, so Lord Qinling hopes that a team will leave the coastal waters and head towards deeper waters."

"To establish a new divine temple there and protect more small monsters of the East China Sea."

Waving its tongue, its voice raised by a few decibels, it continued.

"Those willing to go will receive more graces from Lord Qinling, such as more dragon meat!"

The monsters were quiet for a moment, and soon some monsters stood up.

An early Third-Turn Sea Turtle demon swam out, its eyeballs staring at Bengbu as it said.

"I am willing to go to the deeper waters for Lord Qinling."

A Third-Turn Blue Crab crawled out from the sandy ground, raising its pincers and saying.

"I will go too, to establish a new divine temple for Lord Qinling and protect more small monsters of the East China Sea!"

A Third-Turn Starfish crawled out from the coral bushes, spreading its five arms and lying flat on the sandy ground as it said.

"I will go too, Lord Qinling will not treat us unfairly."

Those Second-Turn and First-Turn small monsters shouted even more excitedly that they wanted to head to the deeper waters for Lord Qinling.

The sounds grew denser and louder, tentacles flailing wildly in the seawater, and pincers tapping loudly against the sandy ground.

After all, they had already witnessed how generous Lord Qinling was; merely offering incense daily allowed them to receive the meat of a Fourth-Turn Great Demon!

Bengbu's tongue-hand shook in the seawater, its eyeballs poking out from the gaps in its shell and sweeping a circle over the monsters of Zhuguang Reef.

It remembered what Lord Qinling had said just now in his divine sense, so it began to point with its tongue.

Its tongue lifted, pointing at the Sea Turtle demon at the very front of the procession.

"You, come out."

The Sea Turtle demon swam out from the procession.

Bengbu's tongue pointed again at the Blue Crab.

"You, come out."

The Swimming Crab Demon crawled out from the sandy ground, its pincers raised above its head.

Bengbu's tongue pointed once more at the Starfish.

"You, come out."

The Starfish crawled out from the coral bushes, lying flat with its five arms spread out.

It pointed at several more Third-Turn demons, and after finishing, lowered its tentacle-tongue and retracted it back into its shell.

Those Third-Turn demons that were pointed out walked out from the procession, stood in front of Zhuguang Reef, and waited.

Those Second-Turn and First-Turn demons that were not pointed out still had their tentacles and pincers raised, not knowing what had happened.

"The Third-Turn ones go, the Second-Turn and First-Turn ones stay behind. The situation beyond the coastal waters is unclear, so you guys shouldn't go for now."

Bengbu's tongue waved as it spoke; this was also what Lord Qinling had instructed it in his voice transmission.

Those Second-Turn and First-Turn small monsters were quiet for a moment.

They did not make a fuss, merely retreating to the sandy ground, retreating into the crevices of the coral reefs, and retreating into the thickets of seaweed.

They watched those Third-Turn demons standing in front of Zhuguang Reef, their eyes filled with envy, but even more with anticipation.

One day, they too would become Third-Turn monsters!