Chapter 55: Blue Water Crocodile (Seeking Updates! Seeking Collections!)

Gurgle—

In the vast lake, a large-bodied turtle glided through the water.

It's strange that, despite its huge size, its speed isn't slow at all, yet it hardly affects the water flow.

Even when it swam through a large school of fish, it merely pushed them aside, causing no disturbance.

This turtle was naturally Yunhe, who was trying to explore the great lake, with a very clear goal.

Huh.

Suddenly.

Yunhe stopped controlling the water flow, his body slowed, and he looked down at the dense aquatic plants.

He sensed a faint special spiritual aura fluctuation.

With a swipe of his claw, he dove underwater.

Siss!!

As soon as he stopped outside the weeds, a water snake shot straight at him to bite; its body showed obvious demonic power fluctuations, clearly a water snake with demonic power at the early First Stage Middle.

Buzz—

But before it could reach Yunhe, a silver flash streaked through the water.

The next second.

The fierce-looking water snake's movement stalled, its eyes wide, its body slowly turning into several segments.

Crimson spread out, and a strong smell of blood followed.

Afterward, a short silver small sword that perfectly matched the water flow circled around Yunhe a few times before being put back into his storage bag.

'A low-grade magical artifact is enough to deal with these First Stage Middle demon beasts with ordinary defenses.'

A thought flashed in his mind; Yunhe dug out the water snake's gallbladder and stored it in his storage bag.

Since the Cultivator Body successfully sent over these two storage bags, Yunhe suddenly felt much more convenient.

At least he won't miss out on good things due to difficulty carrying them.

He pushed aside the weeds.

He saw, within the layers of silt, a dark green spiritual plant faintly glowing with weak light.

'This water-containing grass should be almost two hundred years old, right?'

Water-containing grass is one of the main ingredients for refining Water Rhythm Pills; it's not a rare spiritual plant, often seen in the market of the cultivation world, and its value is not high.

But those are mostly ten- or twenty-year-old water-containing grass, at most fifty-year-old; Yunhe had never seen a hundred-year-old one, let alone a two-hundred-year-old.

'The demon beast world is indeed underdeveloped.'

The world where the Demon Beast Body resides has richer spiritual energy, thus nurturing many spiritual plants.

Part of it is eaten by various demon beasts.

Naturally, another part remains.

This water-containing grass is one of them.

In fact, this water-containing grass is not the first spiritual plant Yunhe has found on this journey; his storage bag already quietly holds three spiritual plants over a hundred years old.

This is still him moving along a water flow route; if he sweeps outward from Huanhu Dao as the center, he will certainly collect more.

Controlling the water flow, he carefully harvested the water-containing grass and stored it in his storage bag.

'The utilization rate of spiritual plants by demon beasts is too low.'

To demon beasts, spiritual plants are precious, but they just swallow them whole, wasting most of their medicinal potency.

'I don't know if these high-year spiritual plants can be "sent" over.'

One can try starting with low-year spiritual plants to explore the current "transmission" limit between the two bodies.

'With so many spiritual plants, should the Cultivator Body consider learning alchemy?'

This thought just rose, and he himself pinched it off.

Energy is limited, so for now he won't consider alchemy.

At least we have to wait until Foundation Establishment to talk about it.

After storing the water-containing grass, Yunhe didn't linger and continued forward.

'Huh? The spiritual aura has obviously become denser.'

In the soil layer beneath the silt at the lake bottom a day later.

Last time it came here, a demon beast discovered its traces.

Although he has the Turtle Breath Body Forging Technique to conceal his aura and the Earth Escape Technique to hide his form, such a large turtle moving underground still easily leaves traces.

Especially when encountering demon beasts living in the soil layer beneath the lake bottom.

But this time.

His Turtle Breath Body Forging Technique had reached minor accomplishment, and at the same time his Earth Escape Technique also reached minor accomplishment; moving through the soil layer, he would no longer leave any traces.

'Mm, there's a formidable guy to the southeast, and to the southwest there seems to be a First Stage Late demon beast.'

Unlike in the cultivation world, where cultivators, even if they don't know aura-restraining techniques, mostly keep their spiritual power inward, demon beasts have no notion of 'hiding their prowess' or 'being low-key'; they constantly display their formidable demonic power, thereby overawing other demon beasts and indicating their status as the territory's master.

This makes it easy for Yunhe to avoid those powerful demon beasts.

'Are First Stage Late demon beasts really so numerous because the spiritual energy here is denser?'

But why is it denser?

And there is another question.

'How can a Black Fish with First Stage Middle demon beast power escape from so many late-stage demon beasts?'

Moreover, it's not just this one fish; it's the whole school.

Is it because of the previous disturbance in the lake that they fled in the chaos?

Is this where he went this time the riot center?

Is this the riot center he went to this time?

We'll produce each line.

Let's go line by line.

Is this the riot center he went to this time?

Translation: "Is this the riot center he went to this time?"

Check: He this time went to is riot center? Could be "Is this the riot center he went to this time?" Good.

"No, if the black fish picked up that skull in the riot center, then even if the riot attracted most of the demon beasts' attention, it couldn't possibly leave."

Translation: "'No, if the Black Fish picked up the skull at the riot center, then even if the riot attracted most of the beasts' attention, it couldn't possibly leave.'"

Need to keep quotes? The Chinese uses 【】 which are quotation marks. We can keep as single quotes or double? Use double quotes? Usually we keep as quotes. I'll use double quotes for clarity.

Thus: ""No, if the Black Fish picked up the skull at the riot center, then even if the riot attracted most of the beasts' attention, it couldn't possibly leave.""

But we need to keep the Chinese quotes? Not required. We'll just use English quotes.

"So the cause of the riot should be deeper in the lake; at that time so many demon beasts were drawn away, the demon beasts here would inevitably be affected, so the black fish school took advantage of the chaos to leave."

Translation: ""So the cause of the riot should be somewhere deeper in the lake; at that time, so many beasts were drawn away, so the beasts here were inevitably affected, and thus the Black Fish school took advantage of the chaos to leave.""

Note: "Black Fish group" -> Black Fish school (or group). Use "Black Fish school". Keep "Black Fish" as per glossary.

Thinking this way, Yunhe felt more relieved.

Translation: "Thinking this way, Yunhe felt much more at ease."

At that time, the riot even attracted the demon beasts living in the shore waters, showing how great its influence was.

Translation: "At that time, the riot could even attract the beasts inhabiting the waters near the shore, showing how great its influence was."

With Yunhe's current strength, he is not yet qualified to come into contact with that level.

Translation: "With Yunhe's current strength, he still isn't qualified to come into contact with that level."

"Huh?"

Translation: ""Huh?""

Yunhe, burrowing through the soil layer, narrowed his eyes.

Translation: "Yunhe, who was burrowing through the soil layer, narrowed his eyes."

"An illusion?"

Translation: ""An illusion?""

Just now, he faintly felt as if a demonic sense had swept over his body.

Translation: "Just now, he faintly felt as if a Demon Sense had swept over him."

You should know that a demonic sense can at least separate from the body only when a demon beast reaches the second stage, and the degree of separation depends on the beast's spiritual intelligence.

Translation: "You should know that a Demon Sense can at most leave the body only when a beast reaches the Second Stage, and the extent of that departure depends on how much the beast's spiritual wisdom has opened."

But if there were a second-stage demon beast nearby, he would surely notice its demonic aura.

Translation: "But if there were a Second-tier Beast nearby, he would surely notice its beastly aura."

Moreover, if a second-stage demon beast were present, the surroundings could not possibly harbor so many late-stage first-stage demon beasts.

Translation: "Moreover, if a Second-tier Beast were present, the surroundings could not possibly host so many First Stage Late beasts."

That's why he subconsciously thought it was an illusion.

Translation: "That's why he subconsciously thought it was an illusion."

But the next second, Yunhe's body jerked to a halt, his whole body tensing instantly, as a short flying sword shot out from the soil layer.

Translation: "But the next second, Yunhe's body jerked to a halt, his whole body tensing instantly, as a short flying sword shot out from the soil layer."

Ding!!

Translation: "Ding!!"

A clear, crisp sound rang out, like metal striking metal, with the sound wave traveling through the water.

Translation: "A clear ringing sound, like metal striking metal, with the sound wave traveling through the water."

Immediately after.

Translation: "Immediately after."

Boom!!

Translation: "Boom!!"

I don't know what was being struck, but under considerable force, the ground trembled continuously.

Translation: "I don't know what was striking, but under that considerable force, the ground and soil layer trembled incessantly."

However, it did not cause much effect on it.

Translation: "However, it didn't cause much effect on it."

But afterward, he sensed signs of the soil being dug up; after a slight hesitation, he still 'floated' upward.

Translation: "But afterward, he sensed signs of the soil layer being dug; after a slight hesitation, he still 'floated' up."

He could feel that above him was a late-stage first-stage demon beast.

Translation: "He could sense that above was a First Stage Late beast."

So he was also curious about what that feeling, similar to a demonic sense, actually was.

Translation: "So he was also curious about what that feeling, similar to a Demon Sense, actually was."

But as soon as he left the soil layer, he was greeted by a claw clad in deep-blue heavy armor.

Translation: "But the moment he left the soil layer, what greeted him was suddenly a claw clad in deep-blue heavy armor."

Fortunately, Yunhe had anticipated this and, without hesitation, slapped his claw upward against it.

Translation: "Fortunately, Yunhe had anticipated this, and without hesitation he slapped his claw upward against it."

Bang!!

Translation: "Bang!!"

From the collision of the two forces, orderly streams surged through the water, surrounding mud splattered everywhere, and at the same time a blue water crocodile was flung backward.

Translation: "Under the collision of the two forces, neat streams surged through the water, the surrounding mud scattered, and at the same time a Blue Water Crocodile was flung backward."

Fierce in appearance, relying on its deep-blue scale armor like plating and great power, the blue water crocodile that usually dominates this waterway looked astonished in its ferocious eyes.

Translation: "Ferocious in appearance, relying on its deep-blue scale armor like plating and its great strength to dominate this water, the Blue Water Crocodile's fierce eyes were filled with astonishment."

Watching the giant turtle slowly crawl out of the mud made him feel even more unable to accept it.

Translation: "Watching the giant Turtle slowly crawl out of the mud made him feel even more unable to accept it."

As the dominant creature of this water, it usually overwhelms opponents with absolute strength—when had it ever lost in strength to another demon beast?

Translation: "As the overlord of this water, it usually suppresses opponents with absolute strength—when had it ever lost in strength to another beast?"

"Tsk, what tremendous strength."

Translation: ""Tsk, what tremendous strength.""

Yunhe shook his claw, feeling only a slight numbness.

Translation: "Yunhe shook his claw, feeling only a slight numbness."

He practices the 'Tu Shan Jue', whose first chapter 'Yi Shan Pian' focuses on forging the demon body, and with the 'Three Yang Heavy Water' being hammered day and night, against demon beasts that cultivate purely by instinct, his advantage is truly enormous.

Translation: "He cultivates the 'Mountain‑Carrying Art', and the first chapter 'Leaning on Mountain Chapter' focuses chiefly on tempering the beast body; plus the Three Yang Heavy Water's relentless pounding, against beasts that cultivate purely by instinct, his advantage is truly enormous."

Yet even so, the opposing blue water crocodile still made him feel uncomfortable, which already shows its formidable strength.

Translation: "Yet even so, this Blue Water Crocodile opposite him still made him feel uncomfortable, which already shows how formidable its strength is."

Of course, it was only a numbness.

Translation: "Of course, it was only a numbness."

Taking advantage of the moment while the opponent was startled and adjusting its posture, Yunhe grinned, slashed his claw swiftly, stirred the water flow, and approached at high speed.

Translation: "Taking advantage of the moment it was startled and adjusting its posture, Yunhe grinned, slashed his claw forward, stirred the water, and rushed at extreme speed."

"Whoa!!"

Translation: ""Whoa!!""

Seeing the giant turtle's face suddenly break into a smile, the blue water crocodile instinctively startled, its scales rippling and striking, emitting a 'susu-su' metallic sound.

Translation: "Seeing the big Turtle's face suddenly break into a smile, the Blue Water Crocodile instinctively startled, its scale armor rippling and striking, emitting a 'susu-su' metallic sound."

The next moment, it roared loudly.

Translation: "The next moment, it suddenly roared aloud."

This was both to boost its own momentum and to spew from its mouth a condensed mass of azure water flow, rolling up the lake water and surging forward.

Translation: "Both to boost its own momentum and from its mouth it spat a mass of condensed azure water, rolling up the lake water in a surging rush."

But what it didn't expect was that its seemingly fierce strike was blocked by Yunhe's claw, which in a single sweep formed a wall made entirely of water.

Translation: "But what it didn't expect was that its seemingly fierce strike was blocked by Yunhe's claw, which in a single sweep formed a wall made entirely of water—a 'Water Wall'."

Water Wall Technique!

Translation: "Water Wall Technique!"

"The way first-stage demon beasts use their abilities is really crude."

Translation: ""The way a First-tier Beast uses its own abilities is really too crude.""

While that thought flashed through his mind, amidst the blue water crocodile's daze, he had already appeared behind it.

Translation: "As that thought flashed through his mind, while the Blue Water Crocodile was dazed, he had already appeared behind it."

What seemed like a light claw slowly descended.

Translation: "What seemed a light claw descended slowly."

Boom!!

Translation: "Boom!!"

In an instant.

Translation: "In an instant."

Mud rose up!

Translation: "Silt surged upward!"

The lakebed's water strata cracked layer by layer!

Translation: "The lakebed's water strata cracked layer after layer!"

The blue water crocodile's head was actually pressed straight down into the soil layer by him.

Translation: "The Blue Water Crocodile's head was actually pressed straight down into the soil layer by him."

The absolute difference in power, the difference in skill of power usage, and the difference in demon power application—though both are late-stage first-stage demon beasts, the blue water crocodile is far from being a match for Yunhe.

Translation: "The absolute gap in strength, the difference in skill using strength, the disparity in beast power usage—though both are First Stage Late beasts, the Blue Water Crocodile is far from being Yunhe's match."

"Behave yourself!"

Translation: ""Be honest!""

His heavy body stepped onto the blue water crocodile's back, feeling the movement beneath him, Yunhe narrowed his eyes and exerted force with his claw again.

Translation: "His heavy body stepped onto the Blue Water Crocodile's back, feeling the turmoil beneath, Yunhe narrowed his eyes and exerted force with his claw again."

Bang!!

Translation: "Bang!!"

The ground shook again.

Translation: "The ground trembled again."

Pressing its head deeper into the soil.

Translation: "Pressing its head deeper into the earth."

Furthermore, his sharp claws gradually extended, directly piercing the blue water crocodile's proud scale armor and embedding into it.

Translation: "Moreover, his sharp claws slowly extended, directly piercing the Blue Water Crocodile's proud scale armor and embedding into it."

Threads of crimson spread through the water.

Translation: "Threads of scarlet spread through the water."

This one.

The blue water crocodile became completely obedient.

Yunhe could even feel the fear emanating from its body.

What kind of turtle is this?

It looks ordinary, and seemingly lacks any demonic power fluctuations, yet it managed to beat it so badly that it couldn't tell north from south.

At the same time.

Rushing—

The surrounding water surged, and blue water crocodiles came rushing in one after another upon hearing the vibrating scale noise.

But they witnessed a sight that left them all stunned.

Their leader was actually pressed into the ground so miserably that it couldn't move at all.

For a moment, dozens of blue water crocodiles stopped, not daring to move forward.

With fearful expressions, they stared at the 'kind-faced' turtle.

Seeing this, Yunhe raised his eyebrows, showing delight.

His delight was not because the blue water crocodiles didn't advance, but because——this group of blue water crocodiles actually knows fear?

He knows all too well how fierce demon beasts can be, especially those that travel in packs.

But these dozens of blue water crocodiles before him, only at the early and middle stages of the First Stage, can actually watch their leader being subdued by him and yet halt—what does this indicate?

This shows their spiritual intellect is not low!

At least, it's higher than that of ordinary demon beasts of the same level.

Moreover, thinking of the black fish, whose spiritual intellect is also somewhat high.

This indicates that nearby likely possesses a treasure that can slowly help demon beasts awaken their spiritual intellect!

You should know that, for demon beasts, spiritual intellect can, to a certain extent, be linked with demon sense.

Moreover, there was that somewhat ambiguous demon sense just now.

"I found you."

He lifted his claw, and the water gathered.

A clam glowing red was scooped up by him.

Seeing this red clam, Yunhe was genuinely somewhat surprised.

"Linghenclam?"

Well, although it's a bit sudden, if nothing unexpected happens, it might go on sale tomorrow~~

(End of chapter)