Chapter 85: Dead

Although he understood the Shenmu Sect's true intentions in recruiting rogue cultivators, Chen Mobai still yearned for the Foundation Establishment Pill. It was said that just one of these pills could give a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining Layer 9 at least a 30% success rate in establishing their foundation, making it a miraculous elixir for ascending to a higher realm. If he could get his hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill, Chen Mobai would be willing to try it, even if its medicinal toxicity was excessive. After all, once he established his foundation, he would have ample time to neutralize the pill's toxins.

Unfortunately, even though the Shenmu Sect had the most lenient conditions for recruiting rogue cultivators among the Seven Great Sects of the Eastern Barrens, they only did so once every ten years, and primarily recruited those skilled in talisman crafting. Such Qi Refining cultivators, once admitted, could immediately generate revenue for the sect with minimal training. Furthermore, to earn enough sect contributions to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills, these individuals would generally put their utmost effort into undertaking missions and crafting talismans. Cultivators who grew up in such an environment and successfully established their foundation rarely had low achievements in the end.

Chen Mobai considered this and realized that if he wanted to blend in, he would need to quickly hone his talisman crafting skills. Conveniently, the five types of talismans described in the Shenmu Sect's Talisman Crafting Handbook were precisely what was tested during each recruitment session for rogue cultivators. He decided that after his entrance examination, he would prioritize talisman crafting second only to his cultivation.

By this time, dawn had broken.

Chen Mobai gathered his equipment and, for the first time, independently rented a boat to hunt demonic beasts. He was fully prepared, armed with numerous talismans. Furthermore, he chose a Black-Shelled Tortoise, known in Yunmeng Marsh for its strong defense but average offensive power. Therefore, his solo operation proceeded without any mishaps, and he easily dispatched a lone one.

During the process, he encountered the Ba siblings, who had also rented a boat. Chen Mobai greeted them across the lake, then they each took their hunted spoils and departed, heading back to Qingguang Island from two different directions.

"These two siblings, it feels like they’re wary of me," Chen Mobai murmured to himself on his boat. The distrust among people in the Tianhe Realm was even stronger than he had imagined. Despite having fought alongside the Ba siblings a few times and building some camaraderie, they still kept their distance when encountering each other in Yunmeng Marsh. Regarding this, Chen Mobai could only be grateful that he hadn't run into Qi Hou and his junior martial brother Xi; that would have been truly awkward.

After safely returning to Qingguang Island, Chen Mobai sold the Black-Shelled Tortoise he had hunted to a vendor at the dock who specialized in purchasing such demonic beasts. Since his talismans focused primarily on entanglement and containment, the most valuable part of the beast, its shell, was perfectly preserved, and he sold it for 2 spirit stones. After being processed by an artifact refiner, these Black-Shelled Tortoise shells could be made into defensive magical artifacts.

Chen Mobai kept one tortoise leg for himself. He had also brought some seasonings with him this time, planning to cook this highly nourishing ingredient. However, just as he was carrying the severed leg back to his wooden hut, a streak of spiritual light, like an arrow shot from a bow, flew from the distant waters and slammed into a handcart filled with demonic beast meat nearby. Instantly, flesh and blood splattered everywhere.

Chen Mobai swiftly activated his Water Manipulation Art, forming a hemispherical water barrier in front of him that blocked all the flying flesh and blood.

"Which little bastard blew up all the goods this old man painstakingly collected this morning?!"

An Qi Refining Layer 8 cultivator, disregarding the gore covering him, furiously rushed to the spiritual light, punched it open, dragged out the person inside, and was about to give them a good beating.

"Quickly report to the island master! There’s a demonic beast army… charging… this way…"

The person within the spiritual light, however, was barely clinging to life, coughing up blood continuously as he spoke. A powerful talisman he had clutched in his hand had also turned to ash.

"Huh, it’s him," Chen Mobai exclaimed in surprise upon seeing that it was Ba Jiang.

Just then, the two Shenmu Sect disciples who had been standing at the dock watching the commotion had a drastic change in expression upon hearing Ba Jiang’s words. One of them instantly pushed away the meat vendor who was about to strike, while the other, with a pained expression, slapped a 'Revitalization Talisman' onto Ba Jiang.

"Send a message to Martial Uncle Zheng—the highest emergency one!"

After applying the talisman and stabilizing Ba Jiang, the Shenmu Sect disciple turned to his junior martial brother, who was suppressing the meat vendor. The latter nodded, took out a talisman from his robes—presumably for internal Shenmu Sect communication—and, after infusing it with spiritual energy, sent it directly into the sky.

Whoosh!

A pillar of fire instantly erupted, shooting straight into the clouds, clearly visible to everyone outside their homes on Qingguang Island.

"What’s happening?!"

Less than a minute after the talisman was launched, a white-haired elder, radiating powerful spiritual light, flew from the highest point of Qingguang Island. His gaze was like lightning, and he hovered in mid-air. His formidable aura immediately told Chen Mobai that this person was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"A rogue cultivator reported that a demonic beast army is on the move and heading towards Qingguang Island," the Shenmu Sect cultivator stationed at the dock was very efficient, conveying the crucial information to Martial Uncle Zheng in a single sentence.

Upon hearing this, the white-haired elder immediately flew higher into the sky. Chen Mobai clearly saw him launch twelve talismans in all directions. Approximately eight or nine breaths later, seven of them flew back, landing in his palm.

"Everyone retreat to the island! Immediately activate the grand formation! Simultaneously, send word to all sect disciples outside: Do not return to the island; find a way to survive on your own."

Martial Uncle Zheng, who had been stationed in Yunmeng Marsh for many years, had long prepared for such a situation. After confirming the demonic beast army's presence using demon-seeking talismans, he decisively began issuing orders and mobilizing the sect members.

"Understood, Martial Uncle Zheng!"

The Shenmu Sect disciple, who had been holding Ba Jiang, immediately put down the messenger who had delivered his warning. He then joined his junior martial brother in retracting the valuable spirit boats docked at the shore, and activated the grand formation node there.

As for the other rogue cultivators on the shore, there was no need to say more. Upon hearing the Foundation Establishment cultivator's command, they knew the situation was real and instantly scattered. Abandoning even their goods, they rushed to the market to frantically purchase combat talismans, magical artifacts, and pills.

Cultivators who had only just left the island were relatively lucky: the Shenmu Sect disciples waited until they were back on shore before activating the grand formation. As for those who had already gone far, they could only pray for good fortune. Even the Shenmu Sect disciples who had left the island, according to the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s instructions, could only resign themselves to fate. They could only hope that they wouldn't encounter the demonic beast army and would survive this calamity.

Seeing the dock instantly empty, Chen Mobai immediately ran to Ba Jiang, who was barely alive, and carried him on his back. Ba Jiang appeared to have overdrawn all his spiritual energy to activate the life-saving talisman.

Ba Jiang, seeing that Chen Mobai hadn't run away in this situation but had instead come to save him, was deeply moved.

"Where’s your sister?" Chen Mobai remembered clearly seeing the two siblings not long ago.

"Dead," Ba Jiang replied simply.

Those two simple words made Chen Mobai pause. He was reminded once again of the perils of the Tianhe Realm.