Chapter 528: Peeping

Seven years later.

Over a certain sea area in the Outer Star Sea, a team of over a dozen cultivators, their cultivation levels varying, flew slowly at low altitude, constantly looking left and right as if searching for something.

Most of these cultivators were at the Foundation Establishment stage, with only the three leaders having reached the Core Formation stage. One was a mid-Core Formation cultivator, and the other two were early Core Formation cultivators.

"Brother Qiu, is that Level Six demonic beast truly nearby? We've already searched this sea for several days, and the search area has been repeatedly expanded. Could the information be inaccurate?" a middle-aged cultivator with a pale golden complexion asked impatiently.

He was addressing a gloomy, hawk-faced elder by his side. The elder was the highest-cultivated Core Formation mid-stage cultivator in their group.

"Why the rush, Fellow Daoist Min? The information we received only gave a general location. A few days' margin of error is quite normal. This is still better than us aimlessly wandering in other sea areas. I'm confident the person who gave me this information wouldn't dare to deceive this old man," the elder said calmly, his expression unchanged.

"Could that demonic beast have already left this sea area? Or perhaps this isn't its actual nest?" another fierce-looking burly man suddenly interjected.

"No, it couldn't have. This is a rare Lapis Lazuli Beast. We just scanned the nearby seabed with our spiritual sense. Below, it's entirely covered with the three-colored algae that this beast loves to consume. Its nest definitely won't be far from here," the hawk-faced elder affirmed calmly.

It seemed the hawk-faced elder held considerable prestige among the three. The other two said nothing more after hearing his words, continuing to release their spiritual sense to search the surroundings. As for the Foundation Establishment cultivators behind them, they were mostly their juniors and disciples, so naturally, none of them spoke out of turn.

Led by the trio, this team searched the sea area for another half day, but unfortunately, still found nothing. Even the hawk-faced elder now slightly furrowed his brow.

"Sigh! We were doing so well staying in the Abyss. Even if we couldn't claim monthly gains, it was still possible to acquire three or four high-level demonic cores a year. But now, things are terrible. Since we left that place, in the past two years, we've only hunted two high-level demonic beasts in total. We can't even get one demonic core each." The cultivator with the pale golden complexion, surnamed Min, complained again, as if burdened by frustration.

"Enough, Brother Min, it's not as if you don't know the situation in the Abyss now. Going there isn't for hunting demonic beasts anymore; it's practically seeking death."

"Speaking of which, it's truly bizarre! The Abyss wasn't exactly safe before, but as long as one was clever and didn't wander into the central area, life was quite comfortable. But now, ever since the demonic beast riot two years ago, the entire Abyss has become a complete forbidden zone. High-level cultivators who entered almost never returned. Even last year, several Nascent Soul Venerables teamed up and rushed into the central area to investigate, but they encountered some unknown level of demonic beast and ultimately fled in terror. Reverend Fa among them only survived with his Nascent Soul. It seems we can't stay on Qiyuan Island for much longer." The fierce-looking man who spoke had a lingering fear, his face slightly pale.

"Fellow Daoist Xuan has a point. Although the demonic beasts in the Abyss have been relatively docile, not having stepped out of the Abyss once so far, who knows when these beasts might suddenly go berserk and surge out? This isn't impossible. We truly must be prepared!" The hawk-faced elder said, his face twitching slightly after a moment of silence upon hearing this.

It seemed the elder's expression also changed at the mention of the Abyss demonic beasts.

"But right now, the Star Palace and the Anti-Star Alliance are still locked in fierce battle over there. The teleportation arrays still allow exit but no entry. Even if we wanted to leave, we can't," Fellow Daoist Min said with a bitter laugh, his face showing helplessness.

"Hmph! That's not necessarily true," the fierce-looking man said with a dismissive expression.

"Oh? Does Brother Xuan have another way?" Fellow Daoist Min first showed surprise, then his spirits lifted.

"Heh heh! It's not really another way, but I heard that someone on Qiyuan Island is selling teleportation talismans at a high price. Although the quantity is limited, some people have indeed used them to return to the Inner Star Sea!" The man lowered his voice, speaking rather mysteriously.

"Such a thing exists? Then we..." Fellow Daoist Min's face brightened, and he was about to ask for more details, but the hawk-faced elder coldly snorted, interrupting him.

"Both of you, stop dreaming! Even if you got your hands on teleportation talismans, would you really dare to return to Tianxing City? The Inner Star Sea is even more dangerous than our Qiyuan Island right now! If you went back, you'd definitely be caught by both sides and used as scapegoats. And while the Abyss demonic beasts here seem abnormal, at least everything outside the Abyss is still fine. If something truly happened, we could just find a desolate island to hide on. That's much better than getting involved in some great war back there." The elder's eyes flashed with a peculiar light, seemingly already confident about this matter.

The other two exchanged glances for a moment, finding the elder's method, though clumsy, seemed genuinely feasible.

Just as the two were about to discuss the matter further with the elder, a rough, strange roar suddenly echoed from a distant direction. Immediately afterward, a series of explosive rumbling sounds simultaneously erupted from the same direction.

"A Lapis Lazuli Beast!"

Fellow Daoist Min and the fierce-looking man exchanged glances, almost simultaneously exclaiming, their faces filled with pleasant surprise.

"It's definitely the call of a Lapis Lazuli Beast. It seems someone found it before us. Let's go. Don't expose our tracks. We'll act as the situation dictates," the hawk-faced elder said coldly to the two, a sharp look flashing across his face.

The other two nodded in understanding. The three immediately transformed into streaks of light and flew away. But after a flash of light mid-flight, they disappeared without a trace. As for the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, they also nervously set off in rapid pursuit.

A moment later, the three Core Formation cultivators, including the hawk-faced elder, silently flew near a coral island a few miles in size. The earth-shaking roar of the demonic beast emanated from that location.

The scene before them was exactly as they had expected.

A translucent, pale white sea beast was trapped within a red light barrier. The demonic beast, over ten *zhang* in size, emitted countless milky white filaments, desperately cutting through the surging red light around it, appearing extremely fierce.

But this was not what the three were most concerned about. Their gaze was fixed elsewhere.

Above the small island, a young man in a pale blue robe stood motionless in mid-air. He stood with his hands behind his back, a leisurely and self-content expression on his face.

"Brother Qiu, this person is only at the early Core Formation stage. Should we make our move?" The fierce-looking cultivator, surnamed Xuan, excitedly transmitted his voice, his words filled with surprise.

"Don't rush. Let's check if anyone else is hidden nearby. Don't fall into a trap!" The hawk-faced elder's face flashed with a grim expression upon hearing this, but he forcefully restrained himself from acting. He spoke cautiously.

"Fellow Daoist Min! Brother Qiu's words make sense. An early Core Formation cultivator, alone, daring to lure and capture a Lapis Lazuli Beast. Something feels off. There might be some trickery involved." Fellow Daoist Min also seemed extremely cautious, warning with a reminder.

The fierce-looking man's heart also tightened upon hearing this. He quickly released his spiritual sense to search the vicinity but found nothing.

At this moment, the blue-robed youth in the air made his move. He raised a single hand, and seven streaks of green light shot out from it. After circling in the air, they merged into a giant green light sword, about ten *zhang* long. It descended with a deep hum.

The Lapis Lazuli Beast below seemed to understand the danger. It opened its mouth and spat out a white crystal orb. The crystal orb expanded in the wind to about a *zhang* in size, unceremoniously meeting the giant sword descending from the air.

The descending giant sword's speed remained unchanged, but a startling thunderous roar was faintly emitted. With a deafening boom, it collided with the crystal orb.

But at that very instant, the giant sword seemed to blur. With a "swoosh," an identical giant sword shot out from the green light. It then vanished from its original spot in a flash, only to suddenly reappear above the Lapis Lazuli Beast's head the next moment, silently slashing down.

The demonic beast let out a desperate, furious roar. The white filaments on its body suddenly shot upwards, seemingly trying to forcibly withstand the blow and escape.

However, with a "thud," the giant sword effortlessly cleaved off the Lapis Lazuli Beast's massive head. Emerald green blood splattered everywhere!

Witnessing the youth instantly annihilate the demonic beast, the hawk-faced elder and the other two were somewhat stunned.

"Was that really a Lapis Lazuli Beast?"

This beast was famously difficult to deal with even among Level Six demonic beasts. Yet, it was instantly killed by this youth with a single sword strike. This was too incredible! Could the other party not be an early Core Formation cultivator, but a late Core Formation one?

The three, including the hawk-faced elder, repeatedly confirmed with their spiritual sense, but the blue-robed youth who was now descending beside the demonic beast's corpse was indeed at the early Core Formation stage. However, a Level Six Lapis Lazuli Beast – even if the three of them teamed up, defeating it wouldn't be difficult, but to kill it so effortlessly was simply impossible for them.

Could the young cultivator be feigning weakness to ambush a stronger opponent, perhaps possessing some secret art to conceal his true cultivation? The hawk-faced elder and the other two became suspicious and doubtful!