Chapter 997

Zhenhai City!

A majestic war city standing at the mouth of the East Sea, built specifically to defend against the incursions of coastal demonic beasts.

It was not built by relying on elegant and winding mountain terrain, but was cast using the coldest, heavy black-sinking rock, combined with volcanic magma that erupts year-round on the Tiannan Continent.

The city wall resembles an ancient dragon's spine, stretching for hundreds of miles with no end in sight, forcibly carving out a foothold from the fierce sea.

The city wall is so high that looking up at it almost breaks one's neck. Atop it are placed rows of Heavenly Origin Spirit Energy Cannons, their muzzles dark and oppressive, as if they could destroy everything.

Below are nine massive floodgates, known as the Zhenhai Gates. Each one is over dozens of feet thick, covered in rugged, ferocious barbs and the dangerous glow of arrays. These Zhenhai Gates are layered, not only protecting Zhenhai City tightly but also blocking a large number of low-level sea demons from flowing upstream from the estuary into the interior.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou, having drunk freely for a night, walked through the various checkpoints of Zhenhai City, watching the Zhenhai Gates open and close to let them pass, his heart filled with shock.

Beside him, the Second Qi Qi Shixiong, Fu Bin, saw this and couldn't help but laugh: "Little Junior Brother seems very shocked?"

Accustomed to the grand cities of the interior, which are dominated by styles of ornate elegance and ancient grandeur, Zhou Zhou Fuyou truly could not hide his shock when facing the ferocious Zhenhai City, which resembled a war beast.

He exclaimed: "Truly a majestic city! It is completely different from the elegant style of my Heavenly Origin Dao Sect!"

"Then you are mistaken, Little Junior Brother." Fu Bin laughed heartily and said with emotion: "Three thousand years ago, my Heavenly Origin Dao Sect was the only Soul Transformation holy land in the world to purge demonic beasts across the five continents. Three thousand years later, my Heavenly Origin Dao Sect has even more feats of conquering the four continents and unifying the mountains and seas. When it comes to martial prowess and iron-blooded spirit, who in the world can compare to my Heavenly Origin Dao Sect?"

Every other word was "my Heavenly Origin Dao Sect," his speech filled with pride and reverence.

Not only Zhou Zhou Fuyou, but the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators beside him were also infected by this spirit.

"Magnificent is my Heavenly Origin!"

They were also disciples of the Dao Sect!

When another gate opened, Zhou Zhou Fuyou flew out, flying at low altitude along the river channel.

He asked curiously: "Early this morning, True Person Wen left in a hurry, and Second Qi Qi Shixiong, you urgently ordered us to the battlefield—has something happened?"

The smile faded, and Fu Bin's expression turned solemn.

"Something did happen. It is said that a great battle broke out in the sea last night, of an extremely high level, definitely at the Nascent Soul level."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Zhou Fuyou and the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators could not help but change color.

"A Fourth-tier Demon Emperor participated in the battle?"

At the peak of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, demonic beasts in the seas near the Central Plains were almost extinct; there was simply no talk of any demonic disaster.

But with the Great Tribulation of the Central Plains, the continent split into several pieces, and the demonic beasts that had been quiet for many years gradually reappeared.

They left traces.

The first few decades were fine, mostly low-level First-tier and Second-tier demonic beasts.

But in recent years, a large number of Third-tier Demon Kings have emerged one after another.

And now, even a Fourth-tier Demon Emperor has participated in the battle!

How could everyone not be stunned?

Fu Bin said in a deep voice: "It should be so, otherwise True Person Wen would not have left so hurriedly. Zhenhai City is under his command; although there are other fortress cities along the coast, Zhenhai City is absolutely the most important one and must not be lost. Therefore, he must investigate the specific situation."

"And us?"

"Don't worry, Demon Emperor-level powerhouses will naturally be dealt with by Nascent Soul True Persons. Our purpose is to blockade areas other than the estuary and protect some arrays from being destroyed."

Fu Bin explained briefly, and everyone felt slightly relieved.

Rumble!

Another Zhenhai Gate opened, and the elites from the Four Imperial Halls of the Tiannan Dao Palace took the opportunity to fly through.

Fu Bin scanned the rear and then said to Zhou Zhou Fuyou: "Little Junior Brother, I have already assigned your team for you. After leaving the city, you will lead them to patrol the eight-hundred-mile radius of Mount Liubo Mountain."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou had previously looked at the coastal map and roughly knew where Mount Liubo Mountain was.

Therefore, after identifying his position, he asked about the specific mission.

"Are we relying only on the twenty of us?"

The Four Imperial Halls dispatched a total of four hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators and twenty Golden Core Masters this time, led by the Golden Core Masters in teams, divided into twenty large groups. Within each large group, they would also be divided into five small teams of four people each.

Added together, that equals one hundred small teams.

Fu Bin shook his head: "Mount Liubo Mountain is so large, of course, it's impossible to rely only on the twenty of you. In normal times, there are cultivators from various families stationed there, and they are the true main force. You are the mobile force; wherever an emergency occurs, you go to support."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou suddenly understood.

This kind of arrangement is relatively much freer and also better hones the independent action ability of the Dao Palace geniuses, far more effective than any rigid mission.

"Alright, the ninth gate will open soon, which also means we have completely left Zhenhai City. Behind us, while slaying demons and earning merit, don't forget to protect yourselves."

After Fu Bin gave his instructions, he accelerated and rushed to the very front.

When the ninth gate, which resembled a mountain, opened, the Dao Palace geniuses flew in all directions like meteors.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou looked back at the ninth gate; unlike the ancient and solid gates in front, this one was covered in slippery mucus and fragments, with a strong smell of blood. Clearly, these were the flesh and blood left behind by countless low-level demonic beasts that had charged at Zhenhai City.

His gaze gradually fell on the one hundred

Foundation Establishment cultivators following him.

There were a few acquaintances inside, or rather, relatives.

Zhou Zhou Yuwei, Zhou Zhou Yuhao, Zhou Zhou Yuqi, and his cousin Lin Lin Qingtong.

They were all disciples who had successfully reached Foundation Establishment over the years and had also become disciples under the Houtu Hall.

Second Qi Qi Shixiong assigning them to his own team was also for his convenience to look after them nearby.

Facing Zhou Zhou Fuyou's gaze, the crowd was somewhat restless.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou's lips trembled slightly, and he spat out two words.

"Let's go!"

Mount Liubo Mountain, one hundred miles from the sea.

The mountain is towering, with clouds gathering; whenever the sea breeze blows, large amounts of clouds and mist roll and flow, resembling waves.

Hence the name Mount Liubo Mountain!

Zhou Zhou Fuyou's arrival received a grand reception from the leaders stationed on the mountain.

A full six Golden Core Masters came together to welcome him. This shows the respect, and even more so, the status of the geniuses of the Tiannan Dao Palace.

The leader was a Golden Core late-stage Great Cultivator named Jiedu, who came from a humble family.

After grandly receiving Zhou Zhou Fuyou, he began to introduce the specific situation of Mount Liubo Mountain.

Eight hundred miles in radius, the terrain is vast and steep.

Although it is relatively close to the sea, it is a good place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

There are a total of six major Golden Cores and tens of thousands of low-level cultivators guarding it together.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou listened to his introduction while observing the details of Mount Liubo Mountain.

He discovered that the cultivators here had different clothing, with different badge signs on them.

"It seems that just like my Zhou family back then, they are cultivators sent by various families on the Tiannan Continent to perform sea patrol missions."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou thought of his parents, who had also performed such missions back then and unfortunately fell.

Suddenly!

Zhou Zhou Fuyou's footsteps stopped at the foot of the mountain, where an array light curtain was shrouding the area.

"What is this place?"

Master Jiedu spread his hands: "I don't know, Zhenhai City doesn't let us manage these things, they just tell us to guard Mount Liubo Mountain well."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou frowned: "Since this is a place we guard, how can there be an existence with an unknown background?"

He reached out and touched the light curtain.

However, what he felt was unusually tough, difficult to advance even an inch.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou snorted softly, the magic power on his body suddenly changed, and a wisp of black airflow lingered at his fingertips.

Chi chi chi...

Master Jiedu's expression changed slightly; as a dignified Golden Core late-stage Great Cultivator, he actually felt a trace of danger from this young man in front of him.

What was that black airflow?

Just as Zhou Zhou Fuyou was about to break the array, the light curtain suddenly

cracked open a hole large enough for one person to pass through, and then a figure walked out.

With just one glance, he stared fiercely at the two of them.

"Did you not receive the order from Zhenhai City? You are not allowed to interfere with the local array, you just need to guard it well!"

Jiedu seemed to recognize the person and quickly said: "This Qi Qi Shixiong, I am truly sorry. Fellow Daoist Zhou is a newly arrived mobile support, he doesn't understand these things yet."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou raised an eyebrow; he remembered that before leaving Zhenhai City, Second Qi Qi Shixiong had briefly mentioned guarding some local arrays.

Was it these?

He took a step back and withdrew his magic power.

"Junior Brother Zhou Zhou Fuyou, greets Qi Qi Shixiong!"

The man's eyes lit up: "Is it Zhou Zhou Fuyou of the Tiannan Dao Palace?"

"Exactly!"

"So it's Junior Brother Zhou, I am Xiao Lian Xiao Lian Yuanshan, let's communicate more when we have time in the future. As for today's matter, the ignorant are not guilty, just be careful in the future."

After a simple greeting, Xiao Lian Xiao Lian Yuanshan retreated back into the array.

The scene was quiet for a moment, with only the array light curtain, which was slowly emitting spiritual energy, still existing.

"Let's go!" Jiedu whispered from the side, as if afraid of disturbing the people inside.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou hummed and followed behind.

After walking a distance, he voiced the doubts in his heart.

"Master Jiedu, your cultivation realm is much higher than that Qi Qi Shixiong Xiao Lian Xiao Lian Yuanshan just now, why do you address him with such respect?"

Master Jiedu was helpless: "He is a true disciple of the Dao Sect from the Lanke Mountain Range, not comparable to us ordinary family cultivators who belong to the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect in name but have never actually entered Lanke Mountain."

Zhou Zhou Fuyou was startled, and then he reacted.

No wonder that person's attitude changed after confirming he was from the Tiannan Dao Palace.

The Tiannan Dao Palace is also part of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, and the disciples of the Four Imperial Halls are naturally Dao Sect disciples. Moreover, geniuses like himself are eight or nine out of ten likely to enter the Dao Sect's ancestral Lanke Mountain Range in the future and become true Dao Sect disciples!

That "Junior Brother Zhou" was sincere and heartfelt, without the slightest falsehood!

Master Jiedu changed the subject: "Also, did you not see his family badge?"

Zhou Zhou Fuyou recalled the badge he had seen in a fleeting glance earlier; it was just a few wavy lines, connected together, which inexplicably had some Dao charm.

This family crest...

Zhou Zhou Fuyou reacted immediately.

Back on the Central Plains Continent, there were thousands of large and small families, each with different family badges.

No one would deliberately memorize all these family crests.

Only twelve family crests were recorded in the classics, and everyone would memorize them in their hearts.

Because those twelve family crests represented the twelve giant families that were high above and had always dominated the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect.

The Twelve Giant Houses!

And the family crest with the connected lines just now was one of them.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou blurted out: "Xiao Lian Xiao Lian Yuanshan, the Xiao Lian family!"

Master Jiedu spread his hands: "Yes, it is the Xiao Lian family, one of the Twelve Giant Houses, and also the main family of our Dao Sect's ancestor Liancheng today!"

No wonder Master Jiedu was so respectful and humble when facing someone whose cultivation realm was far inferior to his own.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou turned his head and looked at the place where the array was located earlier.

His spiritual sense drilled into the depths of Mount Liubo Mountain with persistent force.

Within the earth's veins, lines of array patterns were laid out inside like gullies.

The entire Mount Liubo Mountain was situated within it, and even those array patterns had a strong intention to expand outward.

Zhou Zhou Fuyou's eyes showed thoughtfulness: "What we are guarding is probably not Mount Liubo Mountain, but these secretly arranged arrays!"

Over the vast sea, the dark clouds gradually dispersed.

A majestic figure, holding a blue trident, stood on the sea, looking at the dispersing dark clouds, and let out an angry roar as if venting his anger.

The surrounding sea was stimulated and suddenly exploded, like a boiling tsunami.

He looked fiercely to the left and right, then lowered his flag and returned to the underwater palace.

At this moment, the clam girl's singing continued, and the mermaids danced happily.

In that great hall, the black dragon was still happily drinking Ganlan Ice Wine, enjoying the beautiful singing and dancing.

"Saibo, how is it? Did you catch the guy who was spying on you?"

Saibo put away his trident and snorted coldly: "Fell short of success."

The black dragon raised its head, its dragon whiskers shaking, clearly very surprised.

"You are of the Sea-Patrolling Yaksha clan, living in the sea, with endless magic power. Even if you took action yourself, you didn't capture the enemy? Is that guy so powerful?"

Saibo's face was full of anger: "That guy is also good at controlling water, and is a demon ghost, very slippery."

The black dragon was stunned: "Demon ghost?"

"Yes!" Saibo nodded: "Its true form is a large python, but after I broke it, I discovered it was condensed from pure ghost energy; in reality, it is a Fourth-tier Ghost Emperor. I didn't discover it at first, allowing it to rely on the special ability of the ghost body to gather and disperse without form, and it luckily dodged my strongest blow."

Large python?

Ghost Emperor?

A trace of confusion flashed in the black dragon's eyes.

"The most important thing is that the old guy from Zhenhai City came out, forcing me to stop chasing that demon ghost."

Immediately, Saibo slapped the table.

"We can't wait any longer. Since that old guy in Zhenhai

City knows we are here, the defense will definitely be tighter, we must act in advance!"

"Fine!" The black dragon said indifferently: "Since my master sent me here, it is to let me contribute, you just give the order!"

Saibo took a deep breath: "Zhenhai City looks heavily defended. In reality, there is only one Nascent Soul True Person, and we have three Demon Emperors here, plus you, so taking it down is no problem. Originally, I wanted to wait for a few more helpers so we could kill our way into the interior, but now we can only act in advance. Later, I will contact the other two fellow Daoists to attack Zhenhai City from three directions. You sneak over from the direction of Mount Liubo Mountain, and with your wild beast body, break through the Nine-Layer Gates, so that our clan's children can rush into Zhenhai City and slaughter!"

Finally, he looked at the black dragon.

"No problem, right?"

The black dragon opened its bloody mouth: "Don't worry, a small matter!"

The dark clouds in the sky gathered and dispersed, dispersed and gathered.

When lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, a faint light descended on a small island with the lightning.

The faint light transformed into shape, revealing Xiaobai's graceful figure.

She spat out a breath of turbid air, a look of lingering fear on her face.

"A Fourth-tier mid-stage Demon Emperor, and the most difficult Sea-Patrolling Yaksha, I almost got caught."

While feeling lucky, Xiaobai remembered the situation she had investigated earlier, her face hesitant.

But after a moment, she showed a firm look.

"Absolutely correct, that guy who loves wine is the Black King!"

Thinking of this, Xiaobai directly took out a jade pendant and sent a detailed sound transmission into it.

The first sentence was:

"Master, the Black King has appeared!"