Chapter 156: Fishing Out a Menace

Xu Qing's battle achievements were impressively high, with his total score surpassing three thousand, mostly thanks to the shadow's efforts. At this point, Xu Qing dared not continue accumulating points; he felt he had done enough.

He worried that earning too many more points would make it seem too fake. Upon checking the mission leaderboard, he discovered a great number of formidable killers within the sect. The top-ranked individual had already killed over ten thousand, while seven or eight people had scores above seven thousand, and even more exceeded five thousand. However, Xu Qing believed that most of these individuals must have had their own unique methods, or perhaps they were primarily dispatching Qi Condensation cultivators. Otherwise, such figures would be impossible, too exaggerated, and unreasonable, especially since the Sea Corpse Race was not that weak. Moreover, when Xu Qing checked the name of the top-ranked person, he saw it was Wu Jianwu, which left him speechless.

He felt it was highly probable that many of these scores were fabricated. With someone like Wu Jianwu involved, Xu Qing believed that even if an investigation were eventually conducted, he wouldn't be implicated, as his own score was reasonable, unlike the others who seemed overly fake. Of course, there were genuinely powerful individuals; Xu Qing noted that the second-ranked person was the Second Prince, with over eight thousand kills.

Observing the leaderboard, Xu Qing vaguely sensed that perhaps the sect welcomed such data during wartime. Firstly, it could boost morale; secondly, it could motivate other disciples through comparison; and thirdly, it would showcase the Seven Blood Eyes' power, intimidating all. After some contemplation, Xu Qing decided against further accumulating battle merits. Feeling a bit tired, he began searching for a simpler mission. Soon, his gaze settled on a "transfer assistance" mission.

Cultivators from the Second Peak specialized primarily in alchemy. Pills were not only for healing and improving cultivation; there were also poison pills and various other types of concoctions, including one particularly known as "Forbidden Pills." These were typically prepared for war. Once used in combat, their power was bizarre and difficult to counteract, possessing various forms of soul-shattering mass destruction. They could cause mutation, attraction, or trigger astonishing celestial phenomena, and each Forbidden Pill had different abilities and activation methods. Generally, Forbidden Pills were designed for immediate detonation.

Therefore, they were mostly refined into semi-finished products within the sect, and then transported to specific areas on the battlefield to be fully completed.

In this particular mission, due to the numerous small island chains surrounding Mermaid Island, which contained many volcanoes, these islands had become the preferred alchemy sites for Second Peak cultivators. However, the Sea Corpse Race also greatly valued these locations. Under their fierce offensive, they diverted some forces to breach the defense lines of the Second Peak's alchemy islands. This led to an urgent mission: to summon Foundation Establishment cultivators to delay the enemy and assist the Second Peak cultivators in evacuating as quickly as possible. The mission reward was substantial: 300,000 spirit stones.

Xu Qing was quite tempted after seeing it. Such transfer missions were more orderly compared to engaging in chaotic battles on the main battlefield. As Xu Qing pondered, more than half of the twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators required for the mission had already accepted.

Xu Qing did not hesitate and immediately accepted the mission.

Upon the mission's acceptance, a portion of the spirit stones was immediately credited to his account, along with teleportation coordinates and instructions to depart at once. Xu Qing glanced at the information, headed straight for the teleportation array, and after inputting the coordinates, his figure vanished in an instant as the array's light enveloped him.

South of Mermaid Island, across the vast ocean, lay a string of small, pearl-like islands. These islands had long been formed and, being too small and containing volcanoes, were unsuitable for habitation.

On the Seven Blood Eyes' nautical charts, this group of islands was known as the Pearl Island Chain.

At this moment, volcanoes across the Pearl Island Chain were erupting, causing countless black volcanic ash to fall like dark snow, accompanied by crimson molten lava raining down upon the entire island chain. Black, dry snow and scorching, crimson rain transformed the Pearl Island Chain into a scene resembling the Yellow Springs.

Around the Pearl Island Chain, the sea churned with towering waves, and figures emerging from beneath the water were rapidly landing on shore, charging towards the islands. These figures rising from the seabed were all from the Sea Corpse Race.

As they landed, slaughter and fierce combat intensified, with roars and rumbling reverberating in all directions. The fluctuations of spiritual power and the alien aura were also extremely strong. On one of these islands, a large number of Sea Corpse Race members had already reached the core area.

This was a valley, its ground thick with black volcanic ash. Occasional drops of scorching lava forced those within the valley to activate their defensive barriers. These individuals were disciples of the Seven Blood Eyes, mostly from the Second Peak. Each of them looked anxious, constantly glancing at the Fifth Peak disciples who were desperately trying to repair the formation not far away. Because this island had volcanoes, Second Peak disciples were ordered to use the geothermal flames to bury Forbidden Pills. However, the arrival of the Sea Corpse Race was extremely sudden and fierce. Thus, immediately after burying the Forbidden Pills, before they could even calibrate them, they were forced to choose to evacuate. However, with the appearance of the Sea Corpse Race army, all formations in the area were affected; they could only arrive but not depart. It seemed the Sea Corpse Race intended to use the Pearl Island Chain as both a trap and a breakthrough point.

This was indeed the case. The Sea Corpse Race had split their forces into two. The army heading towards Mermaid Island was merely a feint to tie down the enemy, while this location was the true objective. They planned to establish the Pearl Island Chain as their front-line command post, occupying it to contend with the Seven Blood Eyes.

Of course, if the Seven Blood Eyes army came to rescue, the Sea Corpse Race could instantly turn their feint at Mermaid Island into a real battle.

At this moment, all teleportation arrays on the island were affected, with some even destroyed by the Sea Corpse Race. However, some were preserved by Sea Corpse Race cultivators for their own reasons. They planned to lie in wait, ambushing any arriving Seven Blood Eyes rescue cultivators to kill them and earn contributions within the Sea Corpse Race.

Meanwhile, in a deep pit in the northwestern part of the island, some distance from the core valley, a teleportation array was glowing. Dozens of Sea Corpse Race cultivators surrounded this array.

The leader was an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Sea Corpse Race, appearing to be a three-eyed alien. He gazed at the glowing array, his eyes glinting, and let out a low cry.

"Prepare yourselves! Carefully detect the spiritual power fluctuations. If the arrival is a Life Fire cultivator, destroy the array immediately! I hope it isn't, so I can gain a decent contribution." This Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator stared at the glowing array, his heart filled with anticipation.

This particular war, due to the unexpected cultivation breakthrough and sudden intrusion of the Seven Blood Eyes Ancestor on that day, had severely wounded the Sea Corpse Race's ancestor and thrown the entire race into chaos. Had it not been for the reawakening of several slumbering ancient elders, the Sea Corpse Race would likely have faced annihilation at that time.

In the subsequent conflicts, after Mermaid Island was occupied by the Seven Blood Eyes and became their front-line command post, multiple counterattacks by the Sea Corpse Race ended in failure. At this critical juncture, the Sea Corpse Race's high-ranking officials, desperate for victory, spared no expense, offering vast amounts of resources and even opportunities for "life leaps."

By earning a certain amount of contribution, one could exchange for these resources and opportunities, which naturally stirred the emotions of the Sea Corpse Race cultivators.

The Sea Corpse Race cultivators by the teleportation array within the volcano were precisely motivated this way. However, their leader was also cautious, fearing the arrival of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had activated their Profound Radiance state. Thus, he had brought several spiritual artifacts capable of detecting energy fluctuations.

Beside him lay a giant eyeball, from which seven or eight tentacles extended, burrowing into the foreheads of seven or eight Qi Condensation Great Perfection Sea Corpse Race cultivators. Sustained by them, it closely monitored the array. Soon, the eyeball emitted a white light.

Seeing this light, the Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator relaxed, a sanguine grin appearing on his face. He was about to charge, but in the next instant, as the array's light flared, before the figure within could clearly materialize, a black ray whistled out from the formation first.

Its speed was immense, instantly closing in on the Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator.

The Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator's expression changed, and he rapidly retreated. Yet, the black ray was incredibly alluring, suddenly accelerating to double its previous speed. Furthermore, the sound of bells rang out, shaking his soul and causing the Sea Corpse Race cultivator's body to momentarily stiffen.

The next moment, the black light approached, piercing the Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator's chest and passing straight through.

Simultaneously, as the figure within the teleportation array rapidly materialized, the observing eye beside it suddenly flared with light, no longer white, but red. "Red spiritual power! Destroy the array quickly!" the injured Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator exclaimed in panic. As he spoke, the other Sea Corpse Race members around him also changed expressions and simultaneously moved to destroy the array.

But at that moment, a dragon's roar echoed from within the array. A plesiosaur abruptly burst forth from the rapidly forming figure. Upon its emergence, its body infinitely expanded, ultimately reaching a hundred zhang in size, enveloping the array within its form.

With a rumble, its formidable body blocked all surrounding spells, allowing the teleportation within the array to complete smoothly without interference. The figure within the array, at this moment, became clear from its previous outline. It was Xu Qing.

Xu Qing did not immediately step off the array. He stood there, coldly observing his surroundings.

He saw the astonished Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator, as well as the more than ten terrified Qi Condensation Sea Corpse Race members around him.

He also noticed that his location was a small volcanic crater. As for the sneak attack he encountered upon arrival, while Xu Qing hadn't predicted it precisely, his vigilance and alertness had become habitual. Moreover, he had previously used this method to ambush others, so he naturally wouldn't neglect his own defenses. This led to the preceding events. At this moment, Xu Qing retracted his gaze, and a volcanic eruption suddenly occurred within his body, directly activating his Profound Radiance state.

As flames rose from his body and terrifying high temperatures emanated, everything around him instantly warped. The eyeball used for detecting spiritual power exploded directly, and the seven or eight Qi Condensation Sea Corpse Race members connected to it cried out in agony, spitting blood as they collapsed. Other Qi Condensation Sea Corpse Race cultivators around him also screamed. Due to the immense disparity in cultivation between them, Xu Qing was, in their eyes, an unapproachable presence, much like how Xu Qing had viewed the Third Elder when he was in the Qi Condensation realm.

Although he was not the Third Elder, these Qi Condensation Sea Corpse Race members were also not his former self.

So, the feeling was not significantly different. At this moment, agonizing screams echoed all around. Xu Qing suddenly took a step forward, his speed immense, instantly closing in on the Foundation Establishment Sea Corpse Race cultivator who had been pierced by the black iron spike. While the man's expression remained horrified and he had no time to react, Xu Qing's right hand already pressed against his skull, slapping down fiercely. Instantly, a large amount of black flame erupted and covered him, rapidly consuming him. The Sea Corpse Race cultivator tried to struggle, but the aura of Xu Qing's Life Lamp formed a terrifying suppression.