Chapter 85: Comprehending the Dao through the Sea

Through the Dragon Whale in the sea, Xu Qing clearly saw that the terrifying existence on the seabed had not left at this moment.

Instead, it twisted its body and paused in the distance, its long serpentine neck swaying, its head—resembling both a dragon and a crocodile—facing them.

Its cold gaze, filled with murderous intent, locked onto Xu Qing’s boat and the Dragon Whale below, as if weighing the strength of its prey, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

Its body resembled a giant penguin, over two hundred zhang in size, with four massive dragon fins swaying slightly, covered in barnacles and countless tiny tentacles; most astonishing was its exaggerated, slender neck, which bore a row of black, sharp spikes.

It was indeed a plesiosaur!

This was one of the common predators in the Forbidden Sea mentioned in the Sea Records.

Xu Qing’s breathing quickened slightly, but he remained calm; his experience in the forbidden zone jungles told him that when facing a powerful beast, unless there was absolutely no possibility of a fight, one must never show fear.

Especially since the Sea Records described the plesiosaur as naturally cautious, so once it felt the opponent was not to be trifled with, it would usually be the first to leave.

Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes.

"Both of you, release your full cultivation bases to form a deterrent!"

Senior Sister Ding did not hesitate and immediately complied, her cultivation base erupting more violently to form ripples; although Zhao Zhongheng was foolish, he was not hopelessly stupid, so he hurriedly released his cultivation base and even maneuvered the Phoenix Bird to adopt an attacking posture.

All of this made the plesiosaur under the sea restless; it moved its body slowly, but clearly did not want to give up yet.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and let out a cold snort. He pinched a seal with one hand, and the eight wing-sails of his magic boat immediately retracted. As the defensive barriers were fully activated, he channeled his cultivation base to its limit at this moment.

Amidst a roar, the aura of the eighth level of the Sea Mountain Art erupted suddenly, and a Ba shadow appeared directly behind him.

With cracked skin, a cyan body, a spiral horn, and those blood-red, crazed pupils, the Ba let out a ferocious roar toward the seabed the moment it appeared.

Furthermore, an astonishingly high temperature spread violently.

This high temperature was peculiar, as if it could not be extinguished by water; water vapor evaporated from the surrounding sea surface, making the area hazy. The plesiosaur became restless, seemingly uncomfortable with this sudden change, and began to retreat, though not by much.

This scene made Senior Sister Ding’s eyes widen, a brilliant light appearing in them, while Zhao Zhongheng gasped, his gaze toward Xu Qing filled with renewed horror.

Ignoring the two of them, Xu Qing’s full attention was on the plesiosaur. After the Sea Mountain Art, he channeled his Sea Transformation Scripture to the limit without hesitation. Immediately, the seawater around the magic boat turned into surging undercurrents, and the Dragon Whale’s aura became violent, locking onto the plesiosaur.

Not only that, but the horn and the four legs of Xu Qing’s magic boat also emitted a brilliant light, spreading a powerful deterrent.

The devouring power contained within the horn, and the more than three thousand blades within each leg, were now ready to erupt. The chill was astonishing, causing the plesiosaur to visibly shudder, the spikes on its neck shaking rapidly; it clearly felt a strong threat and entered a standoff with Xu Qing.

Xu Qing’s gaze merged with the eyes of the Dragon Whale, staring coldly.

Just like that, an incense stick of time passed.

The plesiosaur circled around, realized that Xu Qing was not to be trifled with, and then slowly retreated. Finally, its body flickered, it abandoned the hunt, and it disappeared into the distance.

Xu Qing did not lower his guard. He maintained this armed state and maneuvered the magic boat until it had completely left these waters for half a day before he finally let out a long breath.

Senior Sister Ding at his side and Zhao Zhongheng on the Phoenix Bird also let out sighs of relief.

"The Sea Records say this sea beast is not fond of taking risks and only strikes when it has absolute certainty. It is indeed true."

Xu Qing raised his head and looked at the sea ahead.

He knew that this was actually just the near-shore area, far from the deep-sea region.

Yet even so, it was already this dangerous; one could imagine that the entire ocean must be eerie and dangerous to the extreme.

Thus, Xu Qing’s gaze fell upon the sky, on the remnant face of the god.

Everything was because of her arrival.

Her appearance had changed all living things, making everything more ferocious and terrifying.

Xu Qing was silent, looking at the sea for a long time... The image of the plesiosaur from just moments ago slowly emerged in his mind, a look of contemplation appearing in his eyes.

"Its appearance seems better suited for survival in the Forbidden Sea."

Xu Qing pondered in his heart. After sitting cross-legged and pinching a seal, the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale beneath his magic boat slowly began to change its appearance under his attempt.

At the same time, Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng, having escaped danger, were relieved and looked at Xu Qing; the former’s eyes were brighter, while the latter still harbored horror amidst his bitterness.

Although they had not seen Xu Qing strike, the ferocity of his aura, the terror of the Ba shadow, and the existence of the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale made it clear to them that this Xu Qing was even stronger than they had previously thought.

"Qi and blood manifestation—not only has this Xu formed a Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale with his Sea Transformation Scripture, but his body refinement has actually reached the Great Perfection. How can he be this strong!"

"

"This Junior Brother Xu is not only good-looking, but his cultivation is deeper than we judged, and he might even have hidden methods he hasn't used yet. A person like this is highly likely to reach Foundation Establishment in the future..."

Just as they were lost in their own thoughts, the Dragon Whale beneath Xu Qing’s magic boat changed more and more.

Its neck gradually became slender, a row of sharp spikes appeared, and four fin-limbs grew from its body, looking more and more like a plesiosaur.

A feeling that surpassed the past, becoming more ferocious, grew stronger within it as it changed.

Before seeing the plesiosaur, Xu Qing could not make such nuanced changes, but now that he had seen it, he felt that its form would allow for greater speed, as well as more flexibility and attack power in hunting.

At the same time, around him, as the Sea Transformation Scripture circulated, swordfish formed in the seabed, false-toothed birds manifested, and even a small giant figure slowly began to take shape within the gathering water droplets.

Until the next moment, amidst a roar from the sea, the Dragon Whale, whose appearance had been altered by Xu Qing, broke through the surface and flew out, letting out a roar in mid-air, while schools of swordfish rose with it, forming rainbows under the sunlight.

This scene immediately caused Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng’s eyes to widen; they were stunned after feeling the spiritual energy fluctuations of the Seventh Peak’s Sea Transformation Scripture upon it.

Not all disciples at the eighth level of the Sea Transformation Scripture could possess the ultimate control required to form a Dragon Whale.

And not all disciples who formed a Dragon Whale could gain insight during that ultimate control to change the form of the Dragon Whale.

All of this made Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng’s already shocked hearts even more shaken.

Whether it was the plesiosaur or the swordfish, these were not techniques recorded in the Sea Transformation Scripture, but insights Xu Qing had gained from this trip to the sea.

The sea was like an enlightened master.

While deep and eerie, it could also, through silent teaching, inspire those with the heart to receive its enlightenment.

Time passed slowly like this. On the road ahead, Zhao Zhongheng became increasingly bitter and dejected; he had completely realized that this Xu Qing... was someone he could not afford to provoke. The probability of the other party reaching Foundation Establishment in the future was already high to the extreme, and once he reached Foundation Establishment, he would need to pay his respects respectfully upon seeing him.

He did not want to ask his grandfather for help, because he dared not; he had encountered similar situations before, but the result was that while the other party suffered, he suffered just as much, and there were a few times he felt his grandfather was going to beat him to death.

So he could only pray in his heart for the journey to end sooner and for Xu Qing to leave quickly.

Under his prayers, the sea remained calm over the next few days, and the three encountered no dangers. The magic boat gradually drew closer to the Xishan Archipelago, until the outline of the islands could be seen from afar.

Senior Sister Ding’s enthusiasm remained high throughout the journey; since boarding, the materials she had given in exchange for knowledge were worth more than three hundred spirit stones.

This showed Xu Qing her thirst for and respect for knowledge. He felt she was a decent person; after all, if his hunting trip this time hadn't gone smoothly, his harvest might not even have been this much...

However, thinking that he had spent a large amount of his cultivation time guiding her and answering her questions about herbs, and that he also had the responsibility of protection along the way, Xu Qing weighed it in his heart and felt their transaction was very reasonable.

But for the last half-day, Xu Qing continued to answer Senior Sister Ding’s questions patiently, though he no longer accepted her materials; he greatly appreciated her love for learning.

Zhao Zhongheng saw this scene and sighed in despair; he felt that if a pretty boy stopped taking money, it meant he was about to make a move...

So he looked up at the distant Xishan Archipelago, wishing he could reach it immediately to end the voyage and have Xu Qing leave quickly.

Thus, the dusk gradually passed. As the three sailed on, even though Senior Sister Ding was reluctant, the Xishan Archipelago became increasingly clear in their sight.

Until they reached the destination of Senior Sister Ding’s trip, Zhao Zhongheng was excited to the extreme and looked expectantly at Senior Sister Ding on Xu Qing’s boat.

"Junior Brother Xu, are you really not coming with us? I am going to visit an elder, my aunt; she has profound cultivation and likes to mentor juniors. You would gain a lot if you came." Before disembarking, Senior Sister Ding turned to look at Xu Qing and persuaded him.

Zhao Zhongheng at the side felt his heart skip a beat, his heart rising to his throat, and he stared tightly at Xu Qing, terrified that Xu Qing might nod.

"I won't go. I have other matters to attend to. Take care, Senior Sister Ding."

A polite smile appeared on Xu Qing’s face. After Senior Sister Ding walked off the magic boat, constantly looking back, and stepped onto the shore, Xu Qing’s magic boat let out a muffled sound, slowly retreated, turned around, and headed toward the distance.

On the island shore behind him, in the sea breeze, Senior Sister Ding’s Daoist robe fluttered, her black hair danced, and her beautiful face was raised. Her bright pupils gazed at Xu Qing on the magic boat in the sea, and she suddenly spoke loudly.

"Take care on your journey, Junior Brother Xu. When this voyage ends and we return to the sect, I will come to you to continue seeking your guidance."

Zhao Zhongheng heard this, his heart skipped a beat again, and his face fell into a mournful expression.

Xu Qing on the magic boat nodded slightly upon hearing this, waved his hand, and steered the magic boat, gradually sailing into the sea.

As he moved away from the islands and the magic boat returned to tranquility, Xu Qing’s expression remained calm, but a sharp intent rose within him.

Standing on the magic boat, he slowly seemed to transform into a sharp sword about to be unsheathed, his gaze becoming cold as he stared at the Forbidden Sea beyond the distant archipelago.

That direction was his destination, where the Haixi Island was located.

At his current speed, he could reach it in at most two days, and as a public resource point rich in sea lizard skin, there must be slaughter and competition there.

A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes; the many days of sea travel had made him more familiar with the Forbidden Sea, and he was also prepared... to strike.

"Must be more vigilant..."

Xu Qing muttered. With a wave of his right hand, the speed of the magic boat beneath him erupted once more, whistling forward on the sea surface, following the sea chart’s guidance as he drew closer to Haixi Island.

On the way, he began to organize his daggers, put on his gauntlets, sharpen the edge of his black iron spikes, and tidy up his poisons.

One day, two days...

When the dusk of the third day filled the sky, and the dim red afterglow spilled across the sea through the gaps in the dark clouds, and the wind on the sea surface was significantly more violent, an island finally appeared in front of Xu Qing.

This island was entirely pitch-black, as if shrouded in haze, seemingly hiding man-eating beasts. Rot and dampness lingered in the air, revealing decay and death.

Hundreds of boats were scattered and floating on the surrounding sea, each unique, but none were Seventh Peak magic boats.

And on the beach, there were some corpses of humans and beasts that had been dead for who knows how long, giving off a chilling feeling.

Looking further up, black forests wound through the island, with overlapping mountains; a murderous aura, carrying a sense of oppression, pressed down deeply like the black clouds in the dusk, filling all directions.

Furthermore, as Xu Qing’s magic boat approached, gazes hidden within the mountains and jungles seemed to open in an instant, coldly locking onto Xu Qing.

The malice in those gazes was clearly perceived by Xu Qing. He raised his head, his eyes slowly narrowing, his expression calm, but a sharp, blade-like aura radiated from his body.

He seemed to transform into a lone wolf, causing those gazes to pause; after sensing this, they withdrew one by one.

Xu Qing was expressionless. He stepped onto the beach, waved his hand to put away the magic boat, flicked the dust off his body, and walked toward the jungle. As he passed by the corpses scattered around, he lowered his head and took a look.