Chapter 482: Bad Luck

In a guest room on Spirit Turtle Island, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a futon, with several empty porcelain bottles arranged before him.

Dozens of green orbs of light flitted about the room, with the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada excitedly flapping its wings, chasing after them. These green orbs were the souls of low-grade second-tier demonic beasts, a potent tonic for the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada. The room was warded with restrictions, preventing the green orbs from escaping. One by one, they were ultimately consumed by the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada. After devouring dozens of second-tier demonic beast souls, the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada flew back to Wang Changsheng, letting out an excited chirping sound.

Wang Changsheng clearly felt a slight, yet definite, increase in his divine sense. Though the boost was minor, he realized that continuous growth would be beneficial for his cultivation of the "True Scripture of Kui Water" in the long term.

Ye Lang had informed Wang Changsheng about the Fire-Scaled Boar's lair. Wang Changsheng, along with Chen Yilong and his wife, eliminated the beast, acquiring a mid-grade third-tier demonic core and hide. As a reward, he gave Ye Lang ten thousand spirit stones and promised a substantial future reward for any information about other third-tier demonic beasts. To facilitate communication, Wang Changsheng also provided Ye Lang with a communication conch, which allowed them to contact each other within a five-thousand-mile radius. A pair of such communication conchs was costly, valued at seven thousand spirit stones.

Wang Changsheng put away the Soul Devouring Golden Cicada, lifted the restrictions, and then left the room. Wang Ruyan and Wang Qingjun were in the stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting, while Wang Qingshan was in seclusion, cultivating.

"Wife, Qingjun, please stay here. I'm going to the auction and will return as soon as I've acquired what I need."

Over the past two years, the four of them had hunted dozens of second-tier demonic beasts and three third-tier ones. Should they sell these materials, Wang Changsheng would have enough funds to bid for a magic treasure at auction. Recently, rumors had spread widely about rogue cultivators causing unrest. The Law Enforcement Elder of Yellow Dragon Island was actively pursuing them, with a bounty of five hundred thousand spirit stones offered. Wang Changsheng decided to travel alone, believing it would be easier to escape if he encountered danger by himself.

"Husband, please be careful. We'll be waiting for your return."

"Ninth Uncle, take care. We'll be waiting for your return."

Wang Changsheng nodded, offered a few parting instructions, and then left their residence. Spirit Turtle Island lacked a large teleportation array that could directly reach Golden Dragon Island. Wang Changsheng thus needed to travel to Yellow Dragon Island, which housed a major teleportation array connecting to the Five Dragon Sea Region. Upon leaving Spirit Turtle Island, Wang Changsheng stomped the ground, transforming into a long blue streak that soared through the air.

The Coral Sea Region possessed only four large market cities. While many immortal cultivation forces in the South Sea were led by Core Formation cultivators, none had the power to establish their own market cities. The situation in the South Sea was unique; a market city needed to possess multiple teleportation arrays, and one without a Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing it could simply not sustain itself. Once, several minor sects had collaboratively established a market city. Initially, it was unremarkable, but it gradually began to flourish. Later, however, a group of rogue cultivators besieged the city. They had infiltrated agents beforehand, who then coordinated with the external forces to breach the defenses. They plundered vast amounts of wealth, and countless cultivators met tragic ends. From that time onward, low-level cultivators dared not venture into any market city not overseen by a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Seven days later, Wang Changsheng appeared above a vast, boundless expanse of ocean. Looking around, he saw no human figures and no islands in sight. Wang Changsheng frowned slightly. He looked towards the southeast and saw several streaks of light rapidly approaching his position. Behind them, a dazzling red light followed, moving with incredible speed. Wang Changsheng could sense over a dozen Core Formation cultivators flying towards him, six of whom were at or above the fifth layer of Core Formation. Simultaneously, more than a dozen powerful divine senses swiftly swept over Wang Changsheng.

"Daoist Ye, quickly return and report to the Island Master. There isn't just one rogue cultivator; there are many. Elders Fan and Liu have already been killed by them. We need the Island Master to intervene." A somewhat urgent male voice suddenly rang out.

Wang Changsheng cursed inwardly. From the man's words, it seemed Yellow Dragon Island's Law Enforcement Elder was being hunted by rogue cultivators. The world truly was in disarray. Yellow Dragon Island was one of the four major powers in the Coral Sea Region—was it about to undergo a significant upheaval? Not long ago, Yellow Dragon Island's Law Enforcement Elder was apprehending rogue cultivators; now, the rogue cultivators were hunting the Law Enforcement Elder. Wang Changsheng was not from Yellow Dragon Island at all, but with eight rogue cultivators present, even if he claimed innocence, would they believe him?

Two of the streaks of light were exceptionally fast. Wang Changsheng had already clearly discerned the appearances of the two individuals, his brows furrowed tightly. One was a dignified middle-aged man at the fifth layer of Core Formation, and the other was a short, stout old man in red robes at the sixth layer of Core Formation. Both wore expressions of terror. These were the very individuals Wang Changsheng had encountered when he previously rescued Ye Lang and his party. Wang Changsheng dared not linger. He transformed into a blue streak of light and shot through the air at tremendous speed. The South Sea truly was on the verge of significant upheaval. The fact that Yellow Dragon Island's Law Enforcement Elder was being hunted by eight rogue cultivators was a claim no one would believe. Hadn't it been reported that there was only one rogue cultivator? How had that number escalated to eight? Could someone be attempting to overthrow Yellow Dragon Island's rule?

"Trying to flee? All of you, halt!" A male voice, filled with murderous intent, suddenly rang out. The next moment, a deafening roar erupted, uncannily similar to a lion's roar. Upon hearing this sound, Wang Changsheng felt as though his head had been struck by a heavy object. He grew disoriented, his escape speed slowed, his vision blurred, and his body swayed precariously. A man's miserable scream suddenly echoed! Wang Changsheng turned to look and saw the red-robed old man, a sixth-layer Core Formation cultivator, cleaved in two by a long red halberd. A red shield, shattered into two pieces, plummeted into the sea below.

Wang Changsheng broke out in a cold sweat. A blue light intensified around his body, and he swiftly accelerated his escape. Simultaneously, the five Core Formation cultivators from Yellow Dragon Island also increased their speed. They no longer dared to stay together, instead dispersing and flying in various directions. The red light, in fact, was a snake-shaped flying boat, shimmering with spiritual energy. Eight Core Formation cultivators stood aboard, with a hulking, broad-shouldered, black-faced man, an eighth-layer Core Formation cultivator, standing at the forefront.

"Don't let them get away! Pursue them; leave no one alive!" the black-faced man ordered coldly, then transformed into a black streak of light and shot through the air at tremendous speed. The others each selected a target and gave chase.

Wang Changsheng dared not stop for a single moment. He could sense a second-layer Core Formation cultivator behind him, moving with extreme speed. His only option was to accelerate his escape, flying onward.

After the duration of steeping a cup of tea, Wang Changsheng halted. He turned around, his eyes flashing with a cold glint as he looked behind him. A streak of green light rapidly flew towards him. It wasn't long before the green light stopped, hovering a hundred *zhang* away. The green light, astonishingly, revealed an odd demonic bird with a tiger's head, an eagle's body, and three legs beneath its abdomen — a low-grade third-tier demonic beast. A curvaceous young woman in a blue skirt sat atop the creature, her expression indifferent. With her cultivation at the second layer of Core Formation and a low-grade third-tier spirit beast at her command, she would have no trouble dealing with Wang Changsheng.

"If I told you I'm not from Yellow Dragon Island, would you believe me?"

The young woman in the blue skirt nodded gravely and replied, "I believe you, but you must still die." She tapped the spirit beast's back with her delicate foot and launched herself into the air. The beast flapped its wings, conjuring a fierce gust of wind that rushed toward Wang Changsheng. The young woman in the blue skirt raised her hand, and a translucent blue jade bottle flew forth. It spun, instantly growing larger, then spewed a vast, white cold wind that solidified into a massive white ice sculpture, lunging at Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng's expression turned cold. He knew this battle was inevitable, and he had to finish it quickly. If he lingered too long, it would be troublesome if the opponent's companions caught up.