Only twenty-two people reached the second island. Three followed Pirate Boss, plus himself made four. Seven followed Pirate Number Two, plus himself made eight.
The last group to arrive, led by Cai Zhiyin, totaled ten people. Besides Cai Zhiyin, a Rank 4 Gu Master, there were Zhou Ming, Qiu Hongyan, and the captain, who were Rank Three Gu Masters. The other six were Two-Turn Gu Masters.
"It seems you are the ones who wish to participate in the trial? Only a dozen people have been eliminated, you're all very confident."
The Land Spirit appeared in the air again, counting the people with his chubby little hands. He said, "Hmm, a total of eight people meet the qualifications to participate in the Legacy trial. Do all eight of you wish to participate?"
Among these eight were Cai Zhiyin, Pirate Boss, and Pirate Number Two. The other three shook their heads repeatedly, stating they were there to help them pass the trial.
"It seems you have already formed your teams. Very well, I now announce the first trial."
The Land Spirit pointed his finger at the sea ahead, and several light screens appeared, sealing off a thousand-meter-long and wide section of seawater, like a giant fish tank, isolating the water there from the outside world.
"In this thousand-meter-long, wide, and deep section of seawater I have now isolated, various types of fish have been placed."
"These fish vary in value. Your first trial is to go into the sea and catch fish. Within three hours, whichever side catches fish with the highest total value wins."
"A Gu Immortal Blessed Land prioritizes management. A Gu Immortal who can manage a Blessed Land well will surely thrive."
"This first trial is to see if you have discerning eyes, the primary condition for managing a Blessed Land well—vision!"
The Land Spirit pointed again, and a three-meter-long incense stick, as thick as an arm, was directly inserted into the island. Its top was lit, and wisps of white smoke rose.
"A reminder: you still cannot attack each other in this round. Focus on catching fish, don't have any crooked ideas."
"Begin now!"
After speaking, the Land Spirit leisurely conjured a rattan chair and sat on it comfortably. An old-fashioned expression appeared on his small face as he quietly awaited everyone's performance.
"Quick! Go into the sea and catch fish!"
Everyone dared not delay, and one by one, like dumplings, they jumped into the sea, each employing their methods to catch fish.
However, they immediately discovered that the fish in this sea were not simple. Not only were there many varieties, but there were also King of Beasts, Thousand Beast King, and even Myriad Beast King among them!
Pirate Boss, relying on his status as a Rank 4 Water Path Gu Master, rushed directly to the bottom of the water as soon as he entered, wanting to go deeper to catch more valuable fish.
However, he quickly showed a look of horror and rapidly floated upwards.
Because he had just felt the aura of a beast emperor comparable to a Rank Five Gu Master in the deep sea. That heavy pressure made it difficult for him to breathe, and he dared not continue to dive.
"Ah!" A scream, even underwater, still reached Pirate Boss's ears.
He looked up and saw a Two-Turn Gu Master bitten in half at the waist by a star-patterned shark. Blood diffused, immediately attracting more star-patterned sharks to rush out and feast on the Two-Turn Gu Master's flesh.
"These star-patterned sharks are all King of Beasts! So many King of Beasts gathered together, even if I were to act, there's a chance I could be bitten back and injured."
Pirate Boss felt his scalp tingle and quickly went in another direction, preparing to first rendezvous with the three people who followed him before starting to catch a large number of sea fish.
'I didn't expect casualties so quickly.'
Zhou Ming was also diving towards the bottom of the water. She also heard the commotion from above, looked up, and found that she had no impression of the Gu Master killed by the star-patterned shark. It should be from the pirate's side, so she ignored it and continued to dive.
She was not a Water Path Gu Master and had no Water Path Gu worms to assist her. Her speed underwater was not as fast as Pirate Boss's. Pirate Boss had already floated up for a while when she just felt the beast emperor's aura at the bottom of the sea. Startled, she also quickly stopped diving.
'This depth should be enough.'
'Fortunately, I had previously exchanged for some Wood Path Gu worms unique to the East Sea. Even though I'm at the bottom of the sea, my methods won't be too affected.'
She activated the Grass Seed Gu, and a large number of grass seeds began to sprout in her hand.
Then she activated the Seaweed Gu, turning those newly sprouted grass seeds into seaweed that spread out, carried by the seawater in all directions.
A large amount of seaweed grew underwater, clinging to rocks, corals, shells, and everything else it could attach to, rapidly proliferating and growing in patches, adding a touch of green to the seawater.
"My true essence actually can't keep up."
Zhou Ming, in the seawater, showed a slight smile. Since becoming a Forest Sea Reincarnation Body, she had rarely experienced a lack of true essence.
Now her Aptitude had dropped to ninety percent, and she was suppressed by the East Sea's heaven and earth to become a Rank Three Peak Gu Master. The consumption of true essence was too fierce, making her rediscover the feeling of true essence depletion.
"However, it's almost done."
Zhou Ming stopped cultivating seaweed and began to use primeval stones to replenish her true essence. At the same time, she activated the Wood Charm Gu and Grass Movement Gu within her body, using a simplified version of the City - Spring Grass and Trees Grow Deep Killing Move.
The seaweed growing in the water became her eyes and ears, gradually outlining the underwater terrain, synchronizing it into her consciousness one by one.
The shapes, sizes, and auras of the fish swimming near the seaweed were also fed back, known by Zhou Ming.
"Indeed, the deeper one goes, the more powerful fish there are. Thousand Beast King, Myriad Beast King, and even beast emperors comparable to Rank Five Gu Masters… This is already a Domain that these Gu Masters today cannot reach."
"However, it's not necessary to go deep to find valuable fish. Jade fish, cold bone fish, golden thread fish… these fish are very valuable. A Two-turn King of Beasts level can fetch the price of ordinary fish at Rank Three or even Rank Four."
"Those fish are up there too, aren't they? Any one of them appearing would cause a scramble."
Zhou Ming looked upwards, seeing fish swimming and figures indistinctly. Sunlight shone down, refracted by the seawater, making all underwater scenes appear hazy and distorted.
Zhou Ming did not participate in those scrambles. She had an immature plan, which she intended to try out.
It wouldn't matter if it failed. Anyway, there were others in the team to back her up. This first trial clearly favored more people, and their side happened to have the most people.
After resting for a while and recovering her true essence, Zhou Ming continued to urge the water plants to grow, constantly extending deeper into the sea, allowing her to "see" increasingly deep underwater scenes.
More and more powerful fish emperors with Rank Five strength appeared, their intertwined auras, even transmitted only through the water plants, made Zhou Ming feel a sense of oppression.
Such a dense number of beast emperors would be impossible in nature, but here, with the Land Spirit's control, even if these fish emperors were densely packed together, as long as the Land Spirit didn't want them to fight, they wouldn't fight.
The continuously growing water plants attracted the attention of some fish emperors. Zhou Ming quickly slowed down her growth rate and lowered her aura. The fish emperors turned around twice, flicked their tails, and soon left, losing interest.
Zhou Ming then continued to urge the water plants to grow. Gradually, the number of surrounding fish emperors became fewer and fewer, and the thousand-meter depth specified by the Land Spirit gradually reached its bottom.
Just then, an immense pressure, transmitted upwards along the water plants, reached deep into Zhou Ming's Soul. The terrifying aura, even after being reduced by ninety-nine percent, directly caused Zhou Ming to freeze on the spot, her mind a blank.
After a while, Zhou Ming's consciousness gradually recovered, her eyes filled with a hint of fear, as she looked into the darkness of the deep sea, her heart still trembling slightly.
"Desolate Beast? The Land Spirit actually brought a Desolate Beast? Could there be an Immortal Gu left in this Blessed Land?"
This discovery, after Zhou Ming's initial fear, was followed by excitement.
Desolate Beasts are a level higher than beast emperors; their combat power is far beyond what Gu Masters can contend with. A Desolate Beast hosting an Immortal Gu is equivalent to a Rank Six Gu Immortal. Above Desolate Beasts are Ancient Desolate Beasts and Ancient Desolate Beasts, corresponding to Rank Seven and Eight-Cycle Gu Immortals, respectively.
In other words, the Desolate Beast currently in the water is very likely an existence comparable to a Rank Six Gu Immortal!
And according to the Land Spirit, the owner of this Blessed Land was only a Rank Six Gu Immortal in his lifetime.
The Land Spirit governs the Blessed Land, but even in the Blessed Land, the Land Spirit is not omnipotent. A powerful Desolate Beast, if the Land Spirit doesn't have sufficient means to control it, can cause various destructions unchecked.
And now, this Desolate Beast can actually be arranged here by the Land Spirit, which is enough to show that the Land Spirit has the means to control this Desolate Beast. Such a means is very likely an Immortal Gu, without a doubt!
Immortal Gu are unique!
A Blessed Land with an Immortal Gu and one without an Immortal Gu are completely incomparable in value.
Various cunning schemes flickered in Zhou Ming's eyes. She repeatedly sorted through the plans she had been conceiving since first entering the Blessed Land. Suddenly, her heart stirred, and she pressed her brow with some surprise.
The water plants in the deep sea continuously grew, gradually revealing the appearance of that Desolate Beast.
When she finally "saw" the Desolate Beast clearly, Zhou Ming's heart couldn't help but surge with renewed joy.
"This is actually a Desolate Beast Dragonfish?"
Dragonfish are creatures widely present in the Five Regions. They are docile in nature, and although their name contains the character for Dragon, they rarely actively attack other living beings, and their combat power is generally at the bottom among their peers.
However, Dragonfish meat is the most widely used foodstuff, edible by humans, wild beasts, and Stranger alike.
The most impressive thing is that it can be used as supplementary food to feed Gu worms, replacing a portion of Gu worm food and reducing the cost of raising Gu worms.
Even Desolate Beast-level Dragonfish are like this; both their aggressiveness and combat power are at the bottom among Desolate Beasts. Furthermore, Desolate Beast Dragonfish meat can be used to feed Immortal Gu, which all Gu Immortals need, making its trade very widespread.
'If it's a Desolate Beast Dragonfish, perhaps I can do this…'
A bold idea arose in Zhou Ming's mind, and she turned to scan the fish near her.
Only now did she finally begin to act, extensively catching fish.
But she wasn't catching these fish to take them up for the Land Spirit to calculate their value; she was using them as bait.
She wanted to—fish for a Desolate Beast!
Thanks mwah~