Chapter 80: Understanding the Dharma through the Sea

Through the vision provided by the dragon-whale, Xu Qing clearly saw that the terrifying entity at the bottom of the sea had not departed. Instead, it twisted its body and paused in the distance. Its long, serpentine neck swayed, and its dragon-like, crocodile-like head was turned towards them. Its indifferent gaze, filled with murderous intent, locked onto Xu Qing's boat and the dragon-whale beneath it. It seemed to be assessing the strength of its prey, ready to attack at any moment.

Its body resembled a colossal penguin, over two hundred zhang long. Four massive, dragon-like fins swayed slightly, covered in barnacles and trailing countless tiny tendrils. Most astonishing was its exaggerated and slender neck, adorned with a row of black spikes. It was indeed a Plesiosaur! This was one of the common hunters of the Forbidden Sea mentioned in the Sea Lore records.

Xu Qing's breathing quickened slightly, but he remained calm. His experience in the restricted jungle taught him that when facing powerful fierce beasts, one must never show fear unless there was absolutely no chance of fighting back. The Sea Lore described Plesiosaurs as naturally cautious; if they sensed their opponent was not to be trifled with, they would usually retreat first.

With this thought, a cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. "Both of you, fully unleash your cultivation to create a deterrent!"

Senior Sister Ding immediately complied without a word, her cultivation erupting even more intensely, creating powerful ripples. Although Zhao Zhongheng was foolish, he wasn't beyond redemption; he quickly unleashed his cultivation and even maneuvered the Phoenix-Bird vessel into an attacking posture. All of this made the Plesiosaur beneath the sea restless; it moved slowly but clearly wasn't ready to give up.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and let out a cold snort. With a single-hand incantation, the eight winged sails of his vessel instantly retracted, and its defenses fully activated, while his cultivation surged to full power. With a roar, the aura of the eighth layer of the Sea Mountain Art suddenly erupted, and a ghoul's shadow instantly appeared behind him. Its cracked skin, azure body, spiraling single horn, and mad scarlet eyes made the ghoul let out a ferocious roar towards the seabed the moment it appeared. An astonishingly high temperature violently spread outwards.

This heat was peculiar; it seemed unquenchable by water, causing some evaporated mist to rise from the surrounding sea, making the area hazy. The Plesiosaur immediately grew agitated, seemingly uncomfortable with this sudden change, and began to retreat, though not by much. This scene made Senior Sister Ding's eyes widen, her gaze shining with intense admiration. Zhao Zhongheng, on the other hand, gasped, his expression once again filled with shock as he looked at Xu Qing.

Ignoring the two of them, Xu Qing's full attention was now on the Plesiosaur. After the Sea Mountain Art, he unhesitatingly activated his Transforming Sea Scripture at full power. Immediately, the seawater around his vessel turned into surging undercurrents, and the dragon-whale's aura became violent, locking onto the Plesiosaur. Not only that, but the single horn and four legs of Xu Qing's vessel also emitted a brilliant glow, spreading a powerful deterrent. The devouring power contained within the horn, and the over three thousand blades within each leg, were now poised for eruption, radiating an astonishing chill. This clearly made the Plesiosaur's entire body shudder, its neck spikes rapidly shaking. It had evidently sensed a strong threat, resulting in a standoff with Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's gaze merged with the dragon-whale's eyes, staring coldly. In this manner, a stick of incense's worth of time passed. The Plesiosaur swam around in a circle, realized Xu Qing was not an easy target, and slowly retreated. Finally, with a flick of its body, it abandoned the hunt and disappeared into the distance.

Xu Qing did not relax his vigilance, maintaining this armed state and controlling his vessel. Only after his vessel had completely left this sea area for half a day did he finally exhale deeply. Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng on the Phoenix-Bird vessel also let out sighs of relief.

"The Sea Lore states that this sea beast dislikes risk and only attacks when it has absolute certainty. It truly was so." Xu Qing looked up, gazing at the sea ahead. He knew this was merely the near-shore area, far from the deep sea. Yet even so, it was already this dangerous. One could only imagine that the entire ocean must be incredibly bizarre and perilous. Xu Qing's gaze then fell upon the remnant face of the deity in the sky. Everything was because of its arrival. Its appearance had altered all living things, making everything more brutal and terrifying. Xu Qing fell silent, staring at the sea. After a long while, the image of the Plesiosaur he had just seen slowly surfaced in his mind, and a thoughtful glint appeared in his eyes.

"Its appearance seems more suited for survival in the Forbidden Sea." Xu Qing mused inwardly. Sitting cross-legged, he formed an incantation with his hands. Immediately, the Forbidden Sea Dragon-whale beneath his vessel slowly began to change its appearance under his guidance.

Meanwhile, Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng, having escaped danger, now looked towards Xu Qing, exhaling in relief. Her eyes shone brighter, while his expression remained one of lingering bitter shock. Although they hadn't seen Xu Qing personally attack, his formidable aura, the terrifying ghoul's shadow, and the presence of the Forbidden Sea Dragon-whale made it clear to both of them that Xu Qing was far stronger than they had initially imagined.

"'Qi-blood manifestation'? Not only has this Xu fellow formed the Forbidden Sea Dragon-whale through his Transforming Sea Scripture, but his body refinement has also reached Great Perfection! How can he be this strong?!!"

"Not only is Junior Brother Xu handsome, but his cultivation is also deeper than what we previously judged. And who knows, he might have even more hidden techniques he hasn't used. A person like him will most likely be able to establish his foundation in the future..."

As their thoughts diverged, the dragon-whale beneath Xu Qing's vessel gradually underwent a greater transformation. Its neck slowly grew slender, a row of sharp spikes appeared, and four fin-limbs extended from its body, making it increasingly resemble a Plesiosaur. A sense of ferocity, surpassing its former state, grew stronger on it as the transformation progressed. Before seeing the Plesiosaur, Xu Qing couldn't achieve such minute control over the transformation. But now that he had seen one, he felt that its form would make the dragon-whale faster and more agile and powerful in hunting.

At the same time, around him, as the Transforming Sea Scripture operated, swordfish formed on the seabed, pseudo-toothed birds materialized, and even faintly, a small giant figure slowly took shape from the gathering water droplets. Until the next moment, with a roar from the sea surface, the transformed dragon-whale, altered by Xu Qing, directly burst out of the water and roared in mid-air. Lines of swordfish accompanied it, forming arcs like rainbows in the sunlight. This scene immediately made Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng's eyes widen. After sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations of the Seventh Peak's Transforming Sea Scripture emanating from it, they were utterly mesmerized.

Not all disciples who mastered the eighth layer of the Transforming Sea Scripture could achieve ultimate control to form a dragon-whale. Nor could all disciples who formed a dragon-whale comprehend and alter its form through ultimate control. All of this left Senior Sister Ding and Zhao Zhongheng even more astonished than they already were. Whether it was the Plesiosaur or the swordfish, these were not spell patterns recorded in the Transforming Sea Scripture. Rather, they were insights Xu Qing gained during this voyage. The ocean was like an enlightened one. While profound and mysterious, it could also wordlessly inspire and enlighten those with attentive hearts.

Time slowly flowed by in this manner. On the subsequent journey, Zhao Zhongheng became increasingly bitter and disheartened. He had fully realized that this Xu Qing... was someone he could not afford to offend. The probability of Xu Qing establishing his foundation in the future was extremely high, and once he did, Zhao Zhongheng would have to respectfully bow to him. He also didn't want to seek help from his grandfather for this, because he didn't dare. He had encountered similar situations before, and while the other party might have suffered, he suffered just as much. Several times, he felt as if his grandfather would beat him to death. So, he could only continuously pray in his heart for the journey to end quickly and for Xu Qing to leave soon.

Under his prayers, the sea was calm for the next few days, and the three encountered no dangers. The vessel gradually approached the Xishan Islands, drawing closer until its outline could be seen in the distance. Meanwhile, Senior Sister Ding's enthusiasm remained high throughout the journey. Since boarding the ship, the materials she had offered to gain knowledge were already worth over three hundred spirit stones. This showed Xu Qing Senior Sister Ding's thirst for knowledge and respect for it. He thought she was a good person, especially since his own hunting trip might not yield as much if it didn't go smoothly... However, considering that he had spent a significant amount of his cultivation time guiding her and resolving her questions about flora, and also had a protective responsibility along the way, Xu Qing weighed the matter and felt that their transaction was very reasonable. But for the last half-day, Xu Qing still patiently answered Senior Sister Ding's inquiries, though he no longer accepted her materials. He greatly appreciated her eagerness to learn. Upon seeing this, Zhao Zhongheng sighed in despair. He felt that if a pretty boy started refusing money, it meant he was about to make a move... So, he looked up at the Xishan Islands in the distance, wishing he could reach them immediately, end the voyage, and have Xu Qing leave quickly.

Thus, twilight gradually passed. As the three continued their voyage, even though Senior Sister Ding was reluctant, the Xishan Islands became clearer and clearer in their sight. Upon reaching Senior Sister Ding's destination, Zhao Zhongheng was internally ecstatic and looked expectantly at Senior Sister Ding on Xu Qing's vessel.

"Junior Brother Xu, are you really not coming with us? I'm going to visit an elder, my aunt, who has profound cultivation and enjoys mentoring juniors. You would surely gain a lot if you came," Senior Sister Ding said, turning to Xu Qing to persuade him before disembarking.

Zhao Zhongheng's heart immediately sank, leaping into his throat. He stared intently at Xu Qing, terrified that Xu Qing might nod.

"No, I won't. I have other matters to attend to. Senior Sister Ding, take care."

Xu Qing showed a polite smile. After Senior Sister Ding disembarked, repeatedly looking back as she walked onto shore, Xu Qing's vessel emitted a muffled sound, slowly backed away, turned its direction, and prepared to sail into the distance. On the island shore behind him, in the sea breeze, Senior Sister Ding's Daoist robe fluttered, her black hair danced, and her beautiful face lifted. Her bright eyes gazed far at Xu Qing on his vessel, and she suddenly spoke loudly: "Junior Brother Xu, take care on your journey! When this voyage is over and I return to the sect, I'll come find you to continue asking for guidance!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhongheng's heart sank again, and his face fell. Hearing her, Xu Qing on his vessel nodded slightly, waved his hand, and controlled his vessel to gradually sail into the open sea.

As he moved away from the island and his vessel returned to calm, a sharp glint rose in Xu Qing's otherwise tranquil expression. Standing on his vessel, he slowly seemed to transform into a sharp sword about to be unsheathed, his gaze turning cold as he looked towards the Forbidden Sea beyond the distant islands. That direction was his destination: the location of Sea Lizard Island. At his current speed, he could reach it in at most two days. As a public resource point rich in sea lizard hides, Sea Lizard Island was bound to be a place of slaughter and contention.

A cold light flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. His journey of many days across the ocean had made him more familiar with the Forbidden Sea, and at the same time, he was ready... to make his move. "Must be more vigilant..." Xu Qing murmured. With a wave of his right hand, the speed of his vessel immediately surged again, whistling across the sea surface, drawing closer to Sea Lizard Island according to the sea chart. Along the way, he began to organize his daggers, put on his gauntlets, sharpened the tips of his black iron skewers, and arranged his poisons.

One day, two days...

As twilight spread across the sky on the third day, and the reddish glow of the setting sun filtered through gaps in the dark clouds onto the sea, and the wind on the ocean surface grew noticeably more violent, an island finally appeared before Xu Qing. The island was entirely black, as if shrouded in gloom, seemingly hiding man-eating fierce beasts. Rot and dampness pervaded the air, radiating decay and death. Hundreds of vessels, each distinct, floated scattered on the surrounding sea surface, none of them from the Seventh Peak. On the beach, there were also some human and beast carcasses, whose time of death was unknown, giving off a chilling aura.

Looking further up, the island was enveloped by dark mountain forests, with peaks rising one after another. A bleak, oppressive aura, like the dark clouds of twilight, pressed down heavily, permeating all directions. Moreover, as Xu Qing's vessel approached, gazes hidden within the mountains and jungles seemed to instantly open, coldly locking onto Xu Qing. Xu Qing clearly sensed the ill intent in those gazes. He looked up, his eyes slowly narrowing, his expression calm, yet his body exuded an aura as sharp as a blade. He seemed to transform into a lone wolf, causing those gazes to halt, then, sensing something, they all retracted one by one. Xu Qing's expression was unreadable. With a flicker of his body, he stepped onto the beach, waved his hand to put away his vessel, dusted himself off, and walked towards the jungle. As he passed by the various carcasses around him, he glanced down.