Lingnan Town.
A small boat drifted silently into the deep sea under the cover of night. Before long, it disappeared into a thick, endless fog.
This trip had taken more than two months already without them noticing.
Since Chen Sanshi couldn't cultivate martial arts, he spent every day and night cultivating the Five Elemental Formula. Finally, he had reached the threshold of a breakthrough.
His spiritual root, complete in all five elements, continuously absorbed spiritual qi from the spirit pearl. After countless cycles of refining, the qi returned to his dantian. What had once been a faint white mist grew denser, taking form and multiplying in quantity.
Two threads…
Five threads…
When ten threads finally formed, they intertwined inside his dantian, condensing into a mist as thick as a hemp rope.
At last—
The panel flickered.
Technique: The Five Elemental Formula · Qi Refining (Early Stage)
Progress: 0 / 500
The proficiency for the second layer hadn't increased—it was still 500. In fact, the first three layers were all considered the early stage; the detailed subdivision came from how the technique itself was structured.
A full year.
It had been almost one year since Mount Ziwei.
And yet, he had only reached the second layer of Qi Refining—still unable to perform basic sword flight.
Worse still, from the mid-stage of Qi Refining onward, the difficulty of cultivation increased exponentially. Judging by his current aptitude, it would take around forty years to reach perfection in Qi Refining—and his chance of forming a Foundation was… zero.
On this trip, besides gathering the materials he needed for advancing to the True Force Realm, he also had to find immortal-cultivation techniques, pill formulas, and the ingredients for them.
At the stern of the boat—
"Chen Sanshi, got you!"
Zhao Zhao shouted as she hauled a massive crab out of the sea.
The creature's shell gleamed like armor plates, its body as long as a man's arm. It was a general crab, counted among the treasure beasts of the sea. Even a cultivator at the Profound Manifestation Realm would gain great benefits from eating one.
Zhao Zhao used a special net to trap the crab, dragged it beside an iron pot, stabbed it clean through with her sword, and tossed it in to boil. Before long, she was sitting cross-legged on deck, happily eating her prize.
Chen Sanshi had a whole bag of Fasting Pills but refused to eat them, saving them to sell for spirit stones instead. He made her fish every day—it wasn't much different from how the Lingnan Town soldiers forced the fishermen to work.
"Here," Zhao Zhao said, breaking off a chunk of crab and tossing a handful of fodder toward Qianxun's mouth. "I can tell he doesn't treat you well either. Doesn't even give you anything good to eat."
Qianxun nodded in agreement.
"What are you two whispering about?"
Chen Sanshi didn't bother being polite. He grabbed half a crab and ate as he walked. "Focus on steering the boat—we're almost there."
"Oh."
Zhao Zhao bit into the crab even harder.
Half a day later, a hazy island appeared ahead of them.
At the island's edge stood a stone stele carved with four large characters: The Edge of the World.
As the spirit boat approached the shore, they had finally reached their destination.
The place bore almost no trace of the previous great battle—it had clearly been cleaned up by someone. The land was spotless, yet desolate, with no one in sight.
His master had warned him—
The seals between Heaven and Earth were loosening, and it was irreversible.
For now, they could still use the ancient teleportation array to travel between realms. But soon, once the array reopened completely, large numbers of cultivators would flood through.
For cultivators at the early and mid stages of Qi Refining, this was manageable. But the late stage and perfection stage would bring immense complications.
Chen Sanshi told Qianxun and Zhao Zhao to wait while he went ahead to inspect the ancient teleportation array. After confirming the area was safe, he took out a jade token and began transmitting them one by one to Heavenly Water Isle following the prescribed sequence.
"Should we head straight to the market?" Zhao Zhao asked.
"Let's stop by Small Stone Village first."
"Village?"
Small Stone Village.
"Immortal Master, you're back again?"
Old Li called out cheerfully as he waved them into his house.
The yard was still the same one, the couple still the same two old folks.
They lit a fire and cooked two simple dishes.
"How's Ping'an?" Chen Sanshi asked as he ate.
"That little rascal—who knows where he's gone!"
Old Li scowled. "Ever since… well, he doesn't tend the cattle anymore, doesn't farm either. Who knows what he's up to. He's never home these days."
"Grandpa, Grandma."
A woman's voice came from outside mid-meal.
It was dusk. A young woman in fine clothes, clearly not from a poor household, pushed open the courtyard gate. She was beautiful, carrying a basket filled with meat and eggs.
"Girl?"
Old Li craned his neck, stunned for a moment when he saw her. His clouded eyes first flashed with joy, then fear. He hurriedly ushered her inside. "Girl, why did you come back again?"
"He's in seclusion," the young woman said, placing the basket down. She took out a few gold beans from her pouch. "I've saved these over the past two years. Exchange them for silver and stop chopping firewood. And this gentleman…"
She paused when she noticed the white-robed man in the room. Before Old Li could explain, she realized it herself, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "You must be the Immortal Master. My brother Ping'an has mentioned you before."
"You're Ping'an's sister?" Chen Sanshi asked, recalling that Old Li once mentioned Ping'an had an older sister who'd married into the city—as a concubine.
And judging from her words, her husband was… a cultivator.
"Put that down and leave quickly," Old Li urged anxiously. "Girl, you mustn't come back again, not these days!"
Under the couple's persistent urging, the young woman reluctantly left the village.
Not long after she was gone, several cultivators at the early stage of Qi Refining arrived.
They stood before different households, knocking impatiently until doors opened. Soon, young boys and girls were led out. The cultivators tossed down a few pieces of cheap silver or gold before leaving as they pleased.
"What's this?" Chen Sanshi asked quietly. "Are they… buying people?"
"Exactly," Old Li rasped bitterly. "The Immortal Masters from the city love coming to poor places like ours to pick out young virgins and boys. If they fancy someone, they toss some silver as they like. From then on, the bought ones—boy or girl—become their private servants. Without permission, they can never leave the city."
"Then…" Zhao Zhao asked seriously, "Can't they just refuse to sell?"
"Refuse?"
Old Li let out a hollow laugh. "If you don't sell, those Immortal Masters have a hundred ways to make you sell."
"The court?"
Zhao Zhao asked again, "Can't we report this to the court?"
"The court?" Old Li gave a bitter laugh. "Here in Heavenly Water Isle, the court is nothing but decoration."
His tone was calm and dull, like stagnant water. "The ones who truly rule Heavenly Water Isle are the immortal sects above us—the Upper Sects. They don't care about such small matters."
"Then… rebel?"
Zhao Zhao held half a steamed bun in her hand. "Back where I'm from, when people can't live anymore, they rebel."
The moment she said it, she realized how childish that sounded.
Mortals—what could they possibly use to fight immortals?
"How many troops does this Upper Sect have?"
The quiet voice came from Chen Sanshi, calm but carrying weight.
"What?"
Old Li looked puzzled. "Immortal Master, what did you say?"
"I said," Chen Sanshi's tone deepened, "these Upper Sects you mentioned—what realm are their cultivators in, how many troops do they have, where are they located, and what's the relationship among them?"
"This…"
Old Li spread his hands and gave a wry smile. "You're really asking too much of an old man like me. How would I know that?"
In villages like theirs, every newborn was tested by special examiners. If one had spiritual roots and decent aptitude, a mark would be left on their body. When they reached the right age, people from the sects would come to take them away.
In other words—
From the moment a person was born in Heavenly Water Isle, their fate was already decided.
Those cultivators at the early stage of Qi Refining he mentioned earlier—
Most of them were merely rogue cultivators.
In the Daze Market, they belonged to the very bottom of society, the ones who could only live in the shanty districts.
They liked taking out their frustration from the cultivation world by oppressing mortals. To put it bluntly, it was just the weak striking at those even weaker than themselves.
"It's nothing," Chen Sanshi said, dropping the topic. "I'm used to asking such things—I led armies before. Anyway, since Ping'an isn't here, I won't trouble you further. Goodbye."
Originally, he had planned to leave Zhao Zhao and Qianxun here and go to the Daze Market alone.
But seeing this situation, he realized that even the mortal world wasn't safe.
After bidding farewell to Old Li, he left Small Stone Village with Zhao Zhao and the horse, traveling overnight. By dawn, they arrived at the Daze Market.
The market was the same as before.
The shantytown still had the same familiar faces.
Chen Sanshi found a teahouse and settled Zhao Zhao and Qianxun there first.
As long as they didn't wander too far from the business district, safety was guaranteed. After all, the Deacon Hall paid cultivators to maintain order—they weren't there just to drink tea.
Chen Sanshi then headed to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion to see if he could sell the pills he had on hand.
This time, he had come to the cultivation world using his true identity.
"Fellow Daoist, I have some pills here. Do you accept them?"
The female attendant, Si Liu, smiled sweetly. "Oh? Could it be that Fellow Daoist is an alchemist?"
"I am," Chen Sanshi answered truthfully. "A first-tier alchemist."
"Our Treasure Gathering Pavilion always welcomes cooperation with freelance alchemists," Si Liu said, maintaining her smile. "Our prices are also the fairest in the entire Daze Market. May I ask what kind of pills you specialize in and how much you can supply each month?"
"Each month?"
Chen Sanshi caught the key phrase.
A few more questions revealed the situation—
Whether it was the Treasure Gathering Pavilion or other large shops, cooperation wasn't for one-time sales. They required formal contracts for long-term supply, with a fixed monthly quota.
"Please understand," Si Liu explained politely. "For cultivators, the quality of pills is crucial. After all, if a pill goes wrong inside the body, it can kill. Only with long-term partnerships can both sides ensure safety and accountability."
"If Fellow Daoist can't commit to a regular contract," she added, "you can visit the 'Fish and Dragon Fair' within the Daze Market. Entry costs five spirit crystals, and you can trade freely there."
"I understand."
Chen Sanshi didn't leave immediately. Instead, he wandered the pavilion as an ordinary customer.
Clarity Spirit Pill – Grade: Tier-1 (Lower)
Effect: Increases the mana of early-stage Qi Refining cultivators
Price: 5 low-grade spirit stones each
Yellow Dragon Pill – Grade: Tier-1 (Lower)
Effect: Increases the mana of early-stage Qi Refining cultivators
Price: 8 low-grade spirit stones each
Both were pills that improved mana for early-stage cultivators—and both were expensive.
If possible, he'd rather refine them himself.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the pill formulas.
Compared to pills, pill formulas were far more valuable.
"Miss," Chen Sanshi asked, "do you have any of the following—'Undying Grass,' 'Spirit Rhinoceros Horn,' or 'Mirror God Fruit'?"
Any one of those three could open the Divine Aspect.
"Those?"
Si Liu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Those materials are mostly used by body cultivators to open their Divine Aspect, aside from alchemy purposes. We don't have them here."
"However," she added, "the Deacon Hall does. They've also been recruiting a lot of martial cultivators lately. If you're interested, you can go take a look."
"Alright."
Before leaving, Chen Sanshi glanced at the Golden Bow and Silver Bullet displayed on the wall.
200 spirit stones.
If he sold everything he had—and added the girl's trinkets—he might just be able to afford it.
But for now, spirit stones were better spent on improving his cultivation.
After thinking it over, he left the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and made his way toward the Deacon Hall.
The Daze Market awaited.
The business was managed by one of the nearby major cultivation clans—the Li Clan.
Naturally, the Deacon Hall also belonged to the Li Clan.
When Chen Sanshi entered the first-floor hall of the building, he immediately saw a notice posted on the wall. It stated that they were recruiting martial cultivators at the late Mortal Shedding Stage and above. The rewards included not only spirit stones but also rare treasures required to break through into the True Force Realm. The participant could choose one treasure freely. For those already above the True Force Realm, suitable treasures for cultivation advancement would be provided instead.
He went up to the second floor to find the deacon and ask for more details.
If the job was simply working inside Daze Market, he knew he wouldn't qualify.
"The market's already fully staffed," the deacon, Xu Youliang, said lazily as he yawned. "These are all external missions. You'll have to leave this world and head to the Eastern Divine Continent, which is still under the Great Seal. If you're at least mid-stage True Force Realm, one trip like this is basically stuffing your bag full of spirit stones and resources. You won't have to worry about cultivation materials for years."
The True Force Realm was divided into three stages—early, middle, and late.
They corresponded roughly to the late Qi Refining Stage, early Foundation Establishment Stage, and mid Foundation Establishment Stage among cultivators.
In other words, Daze Market was trying to recruit a mid-stage True Force martial cultivator—equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator in power.
And the Li Clan's patriarch himself was at the mid Foundation Establishment Stage.
With such comparable strength, this was no simple "recruitment." It was practically a partnership.
The resources offered were far beyond what the Daze Market itself could afford.
After Chen Sanshi probed indirectly for more information, he finally learned the truth.
This task was actually commissioned by the Shengyun Sect.
The Shengyun Sect was a major sect with Golden Core cultivators in its ranks. Only a sect of that level could afford to hire martial cultivators at mid and late True Force Realm levels.
And their goal—
Was to enter the Eastern Divine Continent!
The Eastern Divine Continent was still sealed. Even if one could enter via an ancient teleportation array, the Heavenly Dao's suppression remained. Anyone above a certain cultivation level would die instantly within the seal.
It was said that back then, the old ancestor of Qingxuan Mountain destroyed one of his own incarnations just to prevent the seal from breaking further.
Given the current state of the seal, the highest cultivation level that could safely enter the Eastern Divine Continent was late Qi Refining or perfection stage.
But that restriction only applied to cultivators of the Dao.
Martial cultivators, however, were not bound by the same rule—at least not those at the True Force Realm.
Thus, the Shengyun Sect had spread the word through various cultivation clans and independent factions, searching for martial cultivators above the True Force Realm.
And their purpose for going to the Eastern Divine Continent was obvious—
To find spiritual veins.
Most likely, they had already discovered something and needed stronger combatants to secure it, ensuring nothing went wrong.
"Fellow Daoist," Chen Sanshi pressed further, "can you tell me in detail what we'd actually be doing there?"
"You sure ask a lot of questions."
Xu Youliang's patience was running out. "If you want to go, sign the Blood Contract now. You'll immediately receive the materials to break through into the True Force Realm. If you're not going, then get lost."
A Blood Contract…
There was no way Chen Sanshi would hand over his life like that.
So, it seemed obtaining those rare treasures would be extremely difficult.
That was the reality of martial cultivation.
The demand for resources was even higher than for Dao cultivation. Even at the True Force Realm, a martial cultivator's lifespan barely increased at all.
Speaking of lifespans—
After the Great Cataclysm, the modern lifespans of cultivators were as follows:
Qi Refining Stage: 120 years
Foundation Establishment Stage: 250 years
Golden Core Stage: 500 years
As for martial cultivators—
Even at the late True Force Realm, their lifespan was still only around 120 years. Only after breaking through again could their longevity begin to match cultivators of the same level.
Because of this, fewer and fewer people in the cultivation world chose the path of martial training. Those who did were mostly individuals without spiritual roots but with strong martial talent.
However, due to the short lifespan of martial cultivators, most resorted to extreme means to obtain resources—fighting, killing, and looting. They relied on strength to break through barriers, earning martial cultivators an infamously bad reputation in the cultivation world.
'I'll have to think of another way,' Chen Sanshi thought, turning to leave.
But as soon as he stepped outside, a voice called out behind him.
"Young man, please wait."
Chen Sanshi turned around.
An old man stood there. His face was deeply wrinkled like old bark, his cheekbones sharp, his cheeks sunken, and his cloudy eyes dim. Yet on his back rested a massive rectangular blade—seven feet long and ten inches wide.
That weapon alone marked him as a martial cultivator—and not just any, but a Martial Saint.
"Senior," Chen Sanshi greeted politely with a cupped-fist salute. "Do you need something from me?"
"Young man," the old man said, his voice rough but steady, "you were just asking about the treasures needed to break into the True Force Realm, weren't you? And you refused because of the Blood Contract? Don't misunderstand."
He continued, "It just so happens I have one Mirror God Fruit. If you're willing, I'd like to make a trade."
"Oh?" Chen Sanshi's eyes lit up. "Senior, please speak. How many spirit stones are you asking for?"
"I don't want spirit stones."
The old man shook his head. "I only want one thing—a Xi Bi Fish. If you can catch that fish for me, I'll personally hand you the Mirror God Fruit."
"A fish?"
Chen Sanshi frowned. "Does it have to be that specific fish? What about other beasts?"
"It must be that fish," the old man replied firmly.
He introduced himself. "My surname is Wei—single name, Xuan. If you find the fish, come to the shanty district, house number Jia-Ding. I'll be waiting. Once you bring it, the Mirror God Fruit will be yours."
"I understand."
Chen Sanshi clasped his hands in salute and took his leave.
After he left, he noticed Wei Xuan discussing the same matter with others.
Clearly, the deal wasn't exclusive to him—it was an open bounty.
Still, it was worth trying.
Undying Grass, Mirror God Fruit, and Spirit Rhinoceros Horn.
The first two were artificially cultivated spiritual materials, extremely rare in number. The last one, Spirit Rhinoceros Horn, came from a Tier-2 demon beast—hard to find and even harder to defeat.
Chen Sanshi went to a shop called Scripture Repository Pavilion and spent one spirit crystal to buy a copy of Beast Compendium, planning to study the local monsters in detail.
Soon, he found the entry for the Xi Bi Fish.
The fish barely counted as a Tier-2 spirit beast, but to martial cultivators, its value couldn't compare to that of a Mirror God Fruit. Its only unique property was that eating it could neutralize over 1,000 kinds of immortal poisons.
"Why does it have to be a fish?" Chen Sanshi muttered, rubbing his temples.
If it were any ordinary fish, even if he couldn't catch one with a rod, he could just jump into the river and spear one himself.
But the Xi Bi Fish was different. It lived deep underground, surfacing only when lured by food. The only practical way to catch it was by fishing.
He patiently continued reading through Beast Compendium.
Within half an hour, he had memorized every spirit beast and demon beast that appeared within tens of thousands of li in this region. Now, he had a rough idea of how to catch the fish.
He immediately went to the teahouse, retrieved the little fool Zhao Zhao, and left Qianxun behind.
In the eyes of cultivators, Qianxun was nothing more than a low-grade spiritual beast—couldn't even fly, barely worth a glance. No one would bother stealing her. The teahouse even offered beast-keeping services for a fee, so Chen Sanshi paid some spirit stones to leave Qianxun there temporarily.
Still, it reminded him that he really needed to buy a storage bag capable of holding living creatures. It would save him a lot of trouble in the future.
"Where are we going?"
Zhao Zhao followed obediently behind him, watching the bustling market crowd.
"Fishing."
The Red Ridge Mountain Range stretched for hundreds of thousands of li, filled with countless demon beasts—dangerous but rich in resources. Cultivators from nearby markets often entered to hunt, but unlike mundane hunters, the risk was staggering.
The mortality rate for hunting there exceeded 30%.
That meant for every three who entered, one never returned.
A tax also had to be paid before entering, as the entire mountain range was private territory of the Shengyun Sect. The rules were just like in the mortal world—each person had to pay one spirit stone. Not exorbitant, but definitely not cheap.
Moreover, both the skies and the ground were patrolled by cultivators. Anyone caught sneaking in without permission would be executed on sight. Only certain routes were allowed for entry, and once inside, your life or death was your own problem.
At the foot of the first mountain stood a finely built pavilion that served as the "ticket office." A crowd of cultivators had already gathered there.
Among them was a familiar face.
When Chen Sanshi had first come to The Edge of the World, he had disguised himself as a scabby-headed wanderer and traveled with a group to the ancient teleportation array. Their leader back then had been Lu Boqin.
Judging from his current attire, Lu Boqin was now an Enforcement Deacon of Daze Market's Deacon Hall. Seeing him here, he was likely preparing for a hunt.
After paying their spirit stones, Chen Sanshi and Zhao Zhao passed through the checkpoint.
Lu Boqin approached with a friendly smile and greeted him using the exact same words from their first meeting. "Brother, what a coincidence meeting again! The Red Ridge Mountains are dangerous these days. Care to travel together?"
Back then, this same man had refused to exchange his jade token for a cave residence—Chen Sanshi still remembered that clearly. What surprised him was that the man had managed to survive and even make a living in the cultivation world.
"Yes, yes," another man chimed in. "A few powerful demon beasts are on the verge of breaking through lately, hunting cultivators everywhere. Just these past two days, over 20 people have died."
That was what set the Red Ridge Mountains apart from ordinary ranges.
Not only did people hunt beasts—
the beasts hunted people too.
Survival of the fittest. The law of the jungle.
Chen Sanshi glanced over the group.
There were four of them—two martial cultivators and two mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators. He didn't see the companions from their previous journey: the sword-carrying youth or the Martial Saint.
"Ah, those brothers Tang and Liu," Lu Boqin said sadly, "they didn't listen to me. Insisted on entering the mountains alone. And the result… they never came back. I should've stopped them. Truly, I don't want to see more fellow cultivators die in vain."
"Deacon Lu, don't blame yourself," someone consoled him. "As the saying goes, good advice can't save a doomed man. You did what you could."
From their tone, it was clear Lu Boqin had a solid reputation in Daze Market now.
"Hey, you two!" a young cultivator called out to Chen Sanshi and Zhao Zhao. "Want to join us?"
"Thank you for the kind offer."
Chen Sanshi cupped his fists politely. "But my cultivation is shallow. If I followed you, I'd only slow you down. Please forgive me for declining."
With that, he tugged Zhao Zhao along and left.
The young cultivator watched their backs, then secretly used a detection spell. His lips curled in disdain. "Hah, what arrogance. I thought they were experts, but they're just Qi Refining—one first layer, one second. Where do they get the guts to enter the mountain? They're basically food for beasts."
"He's a martial cultivator," Lu Boqin noted sharply. "But never mind that. With the seven of us together, we'll have no problem handling a single Dire Wolf."
"A martial cultivator?" said the Martial Saint among them, Kong Jincheng. "Speaking of that, Deacon Lu, did you see the recent bounty at the market? As long as you sign the Blood Contract, you get one of the Three Treasures directly. We wouldn't need to risk our necks hunting for them."
"That's true," Lu Boqin said, "but have you actually read what's written in that Blood Contract?"
"No," Kong Jincheng admitted. "Deacon Lu, since you work in the Enforcement Hall, could you tell us a bit about it?"
"It's no real secret," Lu Boqin said evenly.
Lu Boqin said grimly, "The Blood Contract states—once signed, it's a fight to the death. Whoever goes to that so-called Eastern Divine Continent this time will most likely never return."
Kong Jincheng sighed. "It must be related to the ancestral vein again. But regardless, we have to find a way to awaken our Divine Aspect. If we can't find the right heavenly treasures soon, we'll have no choice but to take the risk. We martial cultivators are like rowers going upstream—if we don't move forward, we'll be swept back."
"You're right," Lu Boqin replied. "Let's not waste time. We'd better get into the mountains now."
"Agreed!"
The Red Ridge Mountains.
A seven-colored sky-hawk soared overhead, its wings blotting out the sun. In the forest below, a three-headed black leopard darted through the shadows, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The brush rustled constantly, and eerie cries echoed through the woods.
The deeper they went, the denser the forest grew. The air turned heavy and dim.
Zhao Zhao followed closely behind the man in the white robe. Suddenly, she felt something cold sliding around her neck. When she touched it, it was icy and slick. She tried to pull it off—but it wouldn't budge, tightening instead.
Then—
A snake's head rose right before her eyes, staring straight at her. Its mouth opened wide, about to spit venom.
"Ah—!"
Clang!
A flash of steel.
Before the venom sprayed, the snake's head was already on the ground.
Zhao Zhao finally tore the white serpent from her neck and flung it away.
"Pick it up," Chen Sanshi said calmly as he sheathed his blade. "That's a Tier-1 spirit beast—the White Jade Snake. Its gallbladder's worth five spirit stones."
"It's worth money?"
Zhao Zhao blinked, then cautiously crept closer. Still trembling, she scooped it up, shoved it into her waist pouch, and wrapped the pouch's strap around several times. When she finally looked up, the white-robed man was already several hundred paces ahead. She hurried after him, panting.
"Be careful," Chen Sanshi said without looking back. "If that snake had bitten you, you'd be dead."
He spoke casually, but his attention was razor-sharp, senses spread across the forest.
Because here in Red Ridge Mountain—
The prey was watching him too.
That's right.
He wasn't just hunting. He was also being hunted.
This place was different.
It had no spiritual qi, but the sun and moon's essence was extraordinarily dense.
The beasts here were intelligent.
Chen Sanshi was certain—if he made a move and failed to intimidate the surrounding creatures, other monsters would immediately swarm him. Possibly endlessly.
His main goal was to catch the Xi Bi Fish, so he didn't want to stir up unnecessary trouble yet.
Once he had the fish, he could worry about hunting other beasts.
He activated Tracking and Hiding.
Every movement in the forest entered his perception. Soon, he crouched down, scraped away the soil, and found some black droppings beneath. Without hesitation, he picked them up and rubbed them between his fingers.
Zhao Zhao wrinkled her nose in disgust, watching as the supposedly legendary white-robed warrior—whom armies once feared—dug through filth for clues. One moment, he examined droppings. The next, he was picking at tufts of fur.
After two full hours, he finally stopped in front of a green shrub laden with bright red berries. He plucked several and nodded.
"Finally found it."
It had taken a long time, but the effort paid off.
The Xi Bi Fish was an extremely cautious creature. To lure it out, one needed this rare red berry as bait.
But finding the berry itself required locating certain lesser beasts that lived near it—a long and winding chain of tracking.
Most people, no matter how strong, wouldn't have the patience or skill for such meticulous work. Even those trained in tracking spells needed real hunting experience to succeed in these wilds.
A river called Tuo River ran through the mountains, filled with countless spirit fish and aquatic beasts.
Chen Sanshi headed for one of its southern tributaries. There, he found a smooth boulder, sat down, and took out a fishing rod from his storage pouch. Mixing the red berries with other herbs and grasses, he prepared the bait and handed it to Zhao Zhao.
"You handle this. I'll keep watch for any monsters."
"So you do need me," Zhao Zhao muttered under her breath, but she didn't argue. Sitting by the river, she put a stalk of honeygrass in her mouth and cast the line.
Only half an hour passed before she felt a strong tug.
"So fast?"
Chen Sanshi frowned. The records in Beast Compendium said catching a Xi Bi Fish could take days. This was far too soon.
Had he known, he would've done it himself.
"Chen Sanshi, hurry! I—I can't pull—ahhh!"
Before she finished shouting, Zhao Zhao was yanked straight into the river.
Through the rippling water, Chen Sanshi saw it—a creature shaped like a frog but with a fish's tail.
The Xi Bi Fish!
It was only palm-sized but unbelievably strong, dragging Zhao Zhao under as it tore the hook from its mouth and tried to flee.
Unfortunately for it—
Though it hid deep in an underwater cave, once it showed itself, there was no escape. Chen Sanshi leapt forward and struck the river with his fist. The blow stunned the fish instantly.
"Got it."
"ROAR—!"
Just then, a thunderous roar shook the forest.
A storm erupted ahead.
A towering tornado surged toward them, tearing through trees as if they were twigs. Trunks snapped, roots ripped free, and debris filled the air.
At the tornado's core, two beasts appeared—stacked atop one another!
The upper body was an old wolf with no forelegs but a pair of massive bat-like wings. Beneath it was another wolf, black as night.
Together, they moved as one, land and sky combined into a single terrifying force.
The Wolf-Bat.
The Bat had wings but weak forelimbs. The Wolf had strength but no flight. So they had fused, creating a monster that could dominate both ground and air alike.
Wolf and bat in collusion!
A phrase once used as an insult in the mortal world had here taken on terrifying form.
"Stop it!"
Boom!
Two Dao cultivators soared forward on their flying swords, but before they could get close, the violent storm conjured by the beast shredded their sword light and forced them back.
That wolf-bat hybrid possessed the strength of a late-stage Tier-1 beast, though it was clearly wounded. After a brief frenzy, it flapped its massive wings, rising into the sky in a desperate attempt to flee.
"Brother!"
From several hundred paces away, Lu Boqin chased after it with his long blade, shouting, "Don't let it get away! If you lend a hand, you'll get a share!"
"That's right!"
One of the wounded cultivators shouted too. "We've hunted this thing for several trips into the mountains. Don't let it escape!"
"You just need to hold it off for a moment! We'll share a vial of its blood with you!"
"Or a piece of its flesh!"
The heart of the wolf and the lungs of the bat—when consumed together—greatly aided in breaking through to the True Force Realm.
Securing this prey would drastically shorten the time needed for their next breakthrough.
Earlier, Chen Sanshi had refused to cooperate with these men for one simple reason.
He remembered very well that Lu Boqin had once used his own companions' lives as stepping stones. Traveling with such a man meant that when danger came, you wouldn't receive help—you'd get stabbed in the back instead.
But now that the beast had come straight to him, he saw no reason to avoid it.
"Hold this."
Chen Sanshi tossed the stunned Xi Bi Fish to Zhao Zhao. A flash of silver glimmered from his ring as the Black Serpent Bow appeared in his hand. He drew the bowstring to a full crescent, the arrowhead gleaming like a black sun. The mix of true qi and killing intent fused into a streak of dark light that shot through the sky like a meteor, chasing down the fleeing wolf-bat.
The creature instantly sensed danger. It folded its vast wings like a shield around its body, unleashing waves of demonic energy to clash head-on with the oncoming arrow.
Boom!
The two forces collided, sending a storm ripping through the forest.
Even injured, the beast was still a late-stage Tier-1 monster—it actually endured the strike. But within moments, black smoke hissed from its left wing.
Snake venom. Killing intent.
The two toxins fused together, corroding the flesh in seconds. The beast's left wing rotted away, leaving it flapping unsteadily with the other, barely keeping itself aloft. Unable to flee, it let out a furious, trembling roar.
"Roar!"
"Awooo—!"
The wolf and bat howled together, their demonic energy surging as they whipped up a storm. A dragon-shaped tornado formed from swirling dust and wind, tearing through the forest as it hurtled toward the white-robed figure below.
Clang!
The Red Lotus Blade slid free of its sheath.
One strike—
and the dragon wind split apart.
The forest fell still. The air went quiet.
Boom!
The wolf-bat crashed from the sky. The bat's head rolled across the ground, while the demonic wolf collapsed in a pool of blood, wheezing weakly before going still.
Without hesitation, Chen Sanshi stepped forward, raised the Red Lotus Blade, and in a few swift cuts, extracted the wolf's heart and the bat's lungs.
Only then did Lu Boqin and the other cultivators arrive, stopping short at the sight.
Damn it!
They had only asked him to delay the beast a bit—how had he managed to kill it outright?!
No wonder this man dared to enter Red Ridge Mountain with only Qi Refining second-layer cultivation—he was a martial cultivator!
And that sword technique…
Even wounded, the wolf-bat had been stronger than most mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, yet he had slain it in a single strike. Which meant that killing them would probably take only one strike as well.
"I'm taking the wolf's heart and the bat's lungs," Chen Sanshi said flatly, sweeping his gaze across the group. "Anyone have a problem with that?"
None of the three spoke. Their eyes all went to Lu Boqin, the strongest among them.
"Heh."
Lu Boqin's face twisted for a moment, but he eventually said, "In a hunt, the spoils go to whoever earns them. If not for this friend, that beast would've long escaped and we'd have nothing. It's only fair he keeps the wolf's heart and bat's lungs. May I ask this friend's name?"
"Chen. Chen Sanshi."
Chen Sanshi stored the items away. "Since no one objects, I'll be going. Come on, fool—we're leaving."
"Oh, okay."
Soaked from head to toe, Zhao Zhao grabbed the still-breathing Xi Bi Fish and followed quickly, channeling a trickle of spiritual power into it every so often to keep it alive.
Lu Boqin stared at the corpse of the wolf-bat, frustration flickering across his face.
He wasn't afraid of Chen Sanshi—his own blade skills weren't weak—but in this situation, the man had every right to the spoils.
If he tried to force the issue, it would ruin the respectable image he'd worked so hard to build. After that, who would join him on future hunts?
Forget it.
It wasn't a big loss.
Wolf-bats weren't rare. He could always find another.
"Xi Bi Fish?"
Lu Boqin's gaze fell on the spirit fish dangling from the little girl's hand. "So that's what they came here for? To cure poison?"
"Hah, not quite," said Kong Jincheng. "I'd say he's not after detoxification—he's after a Mirror God Fruit."
"Mirror God Fruit?"
Lu Boqin frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You haven't heard?" Kong Jincheng replied. "There's an old martial cultivator named Wei living in the shanty district. He's been looking for that fish everywhere. His offer? Trade a Mirror God Fruit for it."
Now that's something worth killing for, Lu Boqin thought darkly.