Chapter 214: The Sky Is High, Birds Fly Free [Thank You, Patron

On the fourth morning, Xia Daoming told Mo Mo Yongzhi and the other two that he would travel alone to seek opportunities.

At first, the three were shocked and surprised, but then their gazes toward Xia Daoming unconsciously gained a hint of admiration.

They had assumed that after enduring the dangers of these past three days and witnessing the monstrous beasts of Dragonfish Sea—creatures that could suddenly erupt from the seabed at any moment—Xia Daoming would be too terrified to pursue solo action.

Yet unexpectedly, Xia Daoming still decided to act alone.

Soon, Xia Daoming departed alone on his flying vessel.

Watching his flying vessel vanish beyond the northern horizon, the three exchanged complex glances.

"This Xia Daoming has unwavering resolve—I couldn't match him in that regard back then. Too bad his talent is average and he has no background!" Shao Shao Shiyu sighed, his eyes filled with regret.

"He's a fascinating, unique disciple—I truly like him. I was even considering that if we returned to the sect, I could cultivate closer ties with him and arrange joint expeditions. What a pity!" Wan Wu Yue also wore an expression of regret.

"Everyone has their own path. We're not Golden Core elders—what good does regret do us? Let's go!" Mo Mo Yongzhi said.

"That's true." Wan Wu Yue nodded, about to launch her flying vessel, when suddenly her body trembled slightly, her face paled, and she blurted out: "Why is he heading north? Doesn't that leave him not a single chance of survival?"

Upon hearing this, Shao Shao Shiyu and Mo Mo Yongzhi both changed color.

In Dragonfish Sea, the farther north you go, the more fourth-rank beasts roam.

Thus, the northern waters hold the most forbidden zones.

Even the extreme northern sea is entirely forbidden—no one dares to step foot or investigate it yet.

"Don't overreact. Dragonfish Sea is vast. We're currently in the southwest waters—he's merely flying north a bit, but still within the southwest region!"

"Besides, Xia Daoming has a sea map—he knows the markings. He's surely aware of the dangers to the north and won't recklessly venture there. Otherwise, he wouldn't be resolute—he'd be foolish." Shao Shao Shiyu quickly regained his composure and said.

"That's true!" Mo Mo Yongzhi and Wan Wu Yue both exhaled in relief.

Yet after that relief, the three soon shook their heads in quiet regret.

Even if he avoids the northern waters, with Xia Daoming's strength, going solo still carries an extremely high risk of death.

——

In Dragonfish Sea, heading north.

A single flying vessel drifted slowly through the air.

Onboard, Xia Daoming scanned the horizon, searching for islands and shallow waters.

Blood Rain Dragon's Breath Grass either grew on land or in shallow seas.

At the same time, Xia Daoming kept part of his awareness alert to movements beneath the sea.

As for aerial threats, he didn't bother guarding against them.

The strongest cultivators entering the Dragonfish Sea were merely Foundation Establishment experts.

Such cultivators, if exceptionally gifted with solid foundations, could pose some threat to him.

For instance, Shen Tu Xiao of the Shen Tu clan from Wu Yue Kingdom, mentioned by Mo Mo Yongzhi—he, at Foundation Establishment peak, could duel with pseudo-Golden Core cultivators; his power was astonishing and likely a threat to Xia Daoming.

But ordinary Foundation Establishment peak cultivators, like the Black Sect's Tuoba Kui encountered at the entrance, posed little danger in a one-on-one fight.

Foundation Establishment peak cultivators entering Dragonfish Sea were exceedingly rare, making encounters extremely unlikely.

Under these conditions, Xia Daoming had no reason to be wary.

If any cultivator spotted him alone and tried to kill him for his possessions, they'd only be unlucky.

Xia Daoming piloted his flying vessel, gliding slowly at low altitude.

Suddenly, a familiar, powerful aura surged from the seabed, followed by violent winds and towering waves.

"Frost-Scale Scale Xionge!" Xia Daoming's pupils contracted slightly.

Yet this time, unlike when he was with Mo Mo Yongzhi and the others, he did not flee at full speed.

Instead, he stood tall at the bow, gripping the Black Dragon Spear, his gaze sharp as a blade fixed on the most turbulent waves.

Martial cultivation isn't advanced through quiet contemplation alone—it must be forged through countless battles.

This time, entering Dragonfish Sea, he sought not only opportunities but also to temper his martial path.

The beasts of Dragonfish Sea were the perfect whetstones for his martial refinement.

The sea split apart as the Frost-Scale Scale Xionge burst forth.

The moment it emerged, a black spear pierced the air.

The spear carried immense force, which erupted into the shape of a black dragon.

The Black Dragon Spear was the spine and sinew of that dragon.

The Frost-Scale Scale Xionge 's Yuanben ferocious, bloodthirsty eyes, seeing the spear transform into a dragon with terrifying, dominant energy, flickered with fear. Its scaled body, bristling with jagged ridges like a spiked club, whipped up a colossal wave and slammed it toward the charging black dragon.

"Boom!" A thunderous crash.

The wave crashed down.

The Frost-Scale Scale Xionge had already used the recoil to dive back into the sea, swimming desperately deeper.

"No way! What kind of Scale Xionge is this? Totally overrated!"

Xia Daoming stared, dumbfounded—the Frost-Scale Scale Xionge had fled after just one strike.

But most third-rank beasts weren't as hollow as the Frost-Scale Scale Xionge.

As Xia Daoming flew north, every few hours he encountered one or even a group of foolish beasts.

He didn't hide his strength—he fought them fiercely.

Sometimes, when faced with too many beasts he couldn't kill, he fled.

Sometimes he encountered cultivators.

But they were all cautious, turning away from afar—this left Xia Daoming with a strange feeling.

Soon, it was the seventh day since Xia Daoming entered Dragonfish Sea's Ancient Ruins.

These past days, traveling alone without hiding his strength, Xia Daoming felt as if the sky was vast enough for birds to fly freely and the sea wide enough for fish to leap without restraint.

On this day, Xia Daoming officially entered the northern waters.

The entire northern sea was considered the most dangerous region in Dragonfish Sea, outside the forbidden zones.

Indeed, it was.

On the second morning after entering the northern waters, Xia Daoming was ambushed by two Ice-Flame Sea Snakes.

Ice-Flame Sea Snakes were water-and-fire attribute beasts, extremely powerful—one of the most dangerous and formidable beasts in Dragonfish Sea, aside from fourth-rank ones.

Xia Daoming did not flee—he fought without restraint.

In the end, one Ice-Flame Sea Snake was killed, the other wounded and escaped.

"Thrilling!"

Xia Daoming stored the Ice-Flame Sea Snake in his storage ring and couldn't help crying out in delight.

This serpent's value far exceeded that of a Dragonfish juvenile.

In this battle, he honed his martial path, strengthened his body, and gained a great fortune.

After the thrill, Xia Daoming felt aching all over.

The two Ice-Flame Sea Snakes weren't just powerful in their demonic arts—they were immensely strong, with thick, resilient hides and ferocious temperaments.

Only by engaging them in close combat could Xia Daoming kill one, but it drained him severely.

If a cultivator had equal combat power but weaker flesh, they wouldn't dare get close enough to fight the Ice-Flame Sea Snakes—they'd only manage to drive them off, not kill one.

Cultivators' combat methods made it nearly impossible to hunt third-rank beasts alone in Dragonfish Sea.

Even a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator, if alone, could typically only hunt third-rank mid-tier beasts.

To hunt third-rank high-tier beasts, one usually needed cooperation from other Foundation Establishment cultivators—or good luck.

As for beasts like the Ice-Flame Sea Snake—third-rank top-tier—unless several Foundation Establishment peak cultivators cooperated, it was nearly impossible.

An hour later, Xia Daoming found a small island, took a Jiao Yuan Pill to recover, and once restored to peak condition, set course northwest according to the sea map.

According to the map's markings, over three thousand li ahead lay a group of islands.

The group consisted of thirty-two islands arranged in a semicircle.

In that sea region lived a mature Dragonfish.

Within a five-hundred-li radius centered on the island group lay a forbidden zone—anyone entering would be seen as trespassing, likely provoking the Dragonfish's attack.

The Dragonfish was a descendant of true dragons; places it inhabited had a high chance of producing Blood Rain Dragon's Breath Grass.

Xia Daoming's first target was the waters near this forbidden zone, to search for Blood Rain Dragon's Breath Grass.

As Xia Daoming departed the unnamed island, a flying vessel approached from the sea nearby, heading in his direction.

Standing aboard was Long Long Bingkui and Che Fei of the Star-Moon Sect.

"Husband, isn't this too risky?" Che Fei gazed toward the vast northern sea, her face tinged with worry.

"With our talent, background, and current age—even as Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivators—without a great opportunity, our chances of Core Formation are slim.

Many Foundation Establishment peak cultivators from Wu Yue Kingdom have recently flooded into Dragonfish Sea, suggesting the information we accidentally obtained in Wu Yue Kingdom may be true. If it is, it's a great opportunity to aid Core Formation—how could we miss it?

The disturbance caused by Foundation Establishment peak cultivators easily attracts fourth-rank beasts. The northern waters are home to many such beasts, making it dangerous for them—but not for us.

So even if our combined strength can't match a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator, as long as we're cautious, we still have a chance." Long Long Bingkui said.

"You're right," Che Fei nodded, her desire for Core Formation completely overriding her unease.

"The biggest problem now is that the northern waters are vast, and the deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes. The location of the opportunity's manifestation is said to lie far north, slightly west. Finding it within twenty days is nearly impossible.

Exceeding the time limit is minor—losing spirit stones is nothing—but if they conduct a search and interrogation, even if we somehow obtain the True Dragon Blood Pearl, we won't be able to take it out." Long Long Bingkui frowned.

"We haven't even seen a shadow of the opportunity yet—why worry about this now? Just fly north faster," Che Fei said, scanning the horizon.

"Ahead, there's a flying vessel—only one person aboard. Could it be a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator coming here to seek the opportunity?" Che Fei's face changed as she spotted the distant vessel.

"Possibly!" Long Long Bingkui's face first paled, then brightened as he remembered something: "Our information is extremely limited. The Wu Yue Kingdom's Foundation Establishment peak cultivators must have far more. If we follow him, we'll find the place faster."

"Tail a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator!" Che Fei's face changed.

"Even if we can't defeat him, if he wants to kill us, he'll pay a terrible price. This is the northern waters—beasts are powerful, danger lurks everywhere. So even if he notices us trailing him, he'll never dare fight us to the death. Otherwise, even if he kills us, he'll likely end up in a beast's belly." Long Long Bingkui's lips curled into a sinister smile.

As they spoke, Long Long Bingkui activated the flying vessel, closing in on the one ahead to prevent the other from suddenly accelerating and losing their target.

PS: Made it just in time, haha! Thanks to LoveMyOwnFatBigBoss for becoming the patron of this novel—this chapter is an extra for the patron.

(End of chapter)