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Chapter 225: Consuming the Yin-Yang Fish, Life Soul Breakthrough! Liu Tianning’s Legend!
🕑 Added 2024-11-12 13:00:18 +0000 UTC"Wh-What? Liu Tianning?!" Xiao Baoyu shuddered immediately.
For someone like him, who constantly flaunted his background, he naturally paid great attention to the backgrounds of others.
And his father, Marquis Wucheng, had specifically instructed him to never offend certain individuals, and Liu Tianning was one of them.
"Are you Zhao Xing, by any chance?" Xiao Baoyu’s attitude took a complete 180-degree turn.
"Indeed, it is I, Zhao Xing, though I’m not worthy of being addressed as 'brother' by you."
"Oh no, you're most certainly worthy!"
"Brother Zhao, I, Xiao Baoyu, have truly been blind. I never imagined I would meet you here."
Xiao Baoyu was quick to discard any hostility, flying over nervously, without even a hint of suspicion.
"Hmph." Long Xiao snorted. He wasn’t one to hold grudges against wealthy or influential people. He deeply respected individuals like Xia Jing and Ji Ziyun, who, despite their noble birth, worked hard to cultivate and better themselves. Xia Jing, for example, despite being a prince, had endured countless trials and suffered numerous hardships to master the Gluttony Technique. Even without a special fortuitous encounter, his power would have reached the fourth layer.
But Xiao Baoyu had no such skill. He was already at the seventh rank yet couldn’t even fly steadily. Relying solely on his father’s status, he’d been boastful earlier and was now pathetically groveling. The sight disgusted Long Xiao.
"Brother Zhao, my father and the Liu family from Taihe County share some ties. I greatly offended you earlier. Please allow me to come aboard and personally apologize." Xiao Baoyu, with a sheepish smile, bowed repeatedly.
"Xiao Shizi, there's no need for that," Zhao Xing responded calmly, unwilling to engage with him further. "We still have a long journey ahead. Please clear the way."
"Of course, of course!" Xiao Baoyu quickly nodded and waved at the airship behind him. "Clear the way, quickly!"
The Silver Shuttle Airship swiftly moved aside, allowing Zhao Xing to proceed without delay.
As Zhao Xing departed, Xiao Baoyu let out a sigh of relief. "Mother of heaven... I actually encountered that freak's disciple... Thank goodness..."
His father, Marquis Wucheng, was of the fourth rank, a highly regarded noble. Yet, even with such a status, his father had warned him: "Under no circumstances should you ever offend Liu Tianning."
Xiao Baoyu had once asked his father, "But Father, what if I accidentally offend him beyond redemption?"
He remembered his father’s grim reply: "Baoyu, if you truly offend him beyond redemption, then I’ll just have to have another child."
Heaven help him!
Xiao Baoyu had always been the apple of his father’s eye, pampered and protected. Yet, when faced with this question, his father’s response had utterly shocked him!
Xiao Baoyu had foolishly asked again, "But Father, why?"
Marquis Wucheng had remained silent for a long time before reluctantly saying, "Because, son, I can’t defeat him. Even if you had ten fathers, together, we wouldn’t stand a chance against an enraged Liu Tianning."
For a fourth-ranked noble to admit he couldn’t match a fifth-ranked Liu Tianning—this logic was something Xiao Baoyu simply couldn’t comprehend.
Nonetheless, Xiao Baoyu deeply etched Liu Tianning’s name in his memory.
His father had added, "Liu Tianning is a righteous man, not someone prone to wrongdoing. It’s hard to offend him fatally because he doesn’t care about money or power. There are only two things… Ah, forget it, knowing more would do you no good."
"Just remember, if you ever meet someone close to Liu Tianning, treat them with the utmost respect. If that doesn’t work, run away. Whatever you do, don’t provoke them!"
"If you somehow do offend him, apologize immediately! As long as you haven’t crossed the line, there’s always a chance to salvage the situation, because, among the noble families, Liu Tianning is still reasonable."
As soon as he had entered the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, Xiao Baoyu had made it a priority to gather information about anyone close to Liu Tianning.
Zhao Xing’s name had quickly come up on his radar.
After all, Liu Tianning was a member of the Military Inspectorate, yet he didn’t typically concern himself with ordinary matters or seek battle merits. He only held a nominal position as a teacher at Taicang Academy in the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven.
But, for Zhao Xing, Liu Tianning had personally made a trip to the Soul Sacrifice Pass.
So, when Xiao Baoyu heard the words, "My master is Liu Tianning," he had been utterly terrified.
He wasn’t ready to risk his father having another child, so he had quickly surrendered and apologized.
"Shizi, Shizi? We should resume our patrol," an elderly man reminded him.
"No, no more patrols!" Xiao Baoyu clutched his chest. "That Xing guy gave me such a tiny benefit, but he put me at such a huge risk! Do you realize I almost caused my father to need a new son?!"
"Huh?" The elderly man was trying to wrap his mind around the logic of his young master’s words when he heard Xiao Baoyu continue.
"Let’s just find some random iceberg to anchor at, play Gu Pai for two hours, and then head back."
"But Shizi, didn’t you just say you wanted to accomplish something big…"
"Don’t mention that! We’ll do as I say!" Xiao Baoyu stomped back onto the ship, his face flushed with indignation.
The elderly man could only offer a wry smile and follow his orders.
"Restricted zone! This area has been sealed off by the Joint Exploration Team!"
Not long after resuming their flight, Zhao Xing encountered another blockade—this time, a Blood Shadow Airship.
"I, too, am an advanced exploration officer! The seven alliances agreed that the southwestern route belongs to Pei Yuanchang, the rightful heir of the Frost King. Why are you reneging on your word?!"
"We recognized your Hailan Airship, so we didn’t attack you directly!" shouted the bearded warrior who emerged. "As for the agreement, I don’t know anything about that! Go ask Pei Yuanchang yourself!"
Frustrated, Zhao Xing had no choice but to reveal another card. "You may not recognize Pei Yuanchang, but surely you recognize Liu Tianning?"
"The Liu Tianning Exploration Team?" The bearded warrior eyed Zhao Xing suspiciously. "And what is your relationship to Lord Liu?"
"My master is Liu Tianning. I am Deputy Officer Zhao Xing! Now, do I pass or not?"
The bearded warrior’s face immediately changed, and he quickly pulled out an Earth Mirror.
After carefully checking, he found that Zhao Xing was indeed listed as one of Liu Tianning’s subordinates, and his appearance matched the description.
"So you are indeed a disciple of Lord Liu. Of course, you may pass! We’ll clear the way immediately!"
The bearded warrior swiftly ordered his Blood Shadow Airship to move aside.
Zhao Xing had intended to ask about this warrior’s relationship with Liu Tianning, but before he could, the man not only moved aside—he fled the scene in a flash!
Zhao Xing: "..."
He hadn’t expected such an outcome.
Could it be that Liu Tianning’s name held so much weight even now?
Nothing he had read in the Records of the Marquis had suggested that Liu Tianning had been particularly fearsome in his youth.
In fact, in the Records of the Noble Families, Liu Tianning’s Taihe County lineage was only noted for its unparalleled mastery of straw puppet techniques.
By the time Zhao Xing had met Liu Tianning, the man had already ascended to the rank of a cold and ruthless First Rank powerhouse.
How had he gained such a formidable reputation so early on?
Zhao Xing realized that he didn’t know as much about this "future villain" as he had thought.
For one, Liu Tianning wasn’t as cold as he had assumed. There was a certain charm to him! And the story of Princess You Ruo? Well, there was also Murong Qing, who, of all things, happened to be married!
Moreover, while Liu Tianning was efficient in his actions, he wasn’t necessarily heartless.
At least, Zhao Xing had never heard of him being particularly brutal or having dealt with any major cases harshly.
"I guess I don’t know Old Liu well enough yet," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
As the Blood Shadow Airship retreated, the bearded warrior's deputy, a younger officer, expressed his confusion. "Why are we running, brother?"
"He really is Liu Tianning’s disciple," the bearded warrior explained.
"But still, even if he is, do we need to run like this?"
"You're young, inexperienced, and haven’t seen much of the world. It’s only natural that you don’t understand."
"But, big brother, you’re a fifth-rank warrior! Shouldn’t you be able to hold your own?"
The bearded warrior scoffed. "My fifth-rank title was granted through the court's patronage. How could I compare myself to Liu Wanfa?"
The young officer's curiosity deepened. "Big brother, just how powerful is Liu Tianning?"
The bearded warrior reminisced. "Back during the Dingxin Era... hmm, I can’t quite remember the exact year, but I was once stationed at Guiyuan Cave-Heaven under the military command of the realm."
"I was already in my fifties, yet still stuck at the eighth-rank Spirit Bridge stage."
"But Liu Tianning—he wasn’t even twenty years old back then, and he had already reached the peak of the seventh-rank Earth Fiend stage!"
"Keep in mind, the heirs of noble families all have titles or honorary ranks. Their cultivation paths aren’t as restricted."
"Liu Tianning held no official post at the time. His strength came entirely from self-cultivation."
"He had come to Guiyuan Cave-Heaven on a journey and happened to pass through Liangcheng. At the time, the administration there was far from the clean system we have today."
"There was a notorious official in Liangcheng—a corrupt man who had colluded with the garrison commanders, engaging in all sorts of graft and greed. They even kept a group of bandits as enforcers!"
"Somehow, these bandits set their sights on Liu Tianning and his friends."
"In the end, Liu Tianning singlehandedly wiped out an entire mountain stronghold of nearly two thousand men, including seven Heavenly Gang stage bandit leaders and over fifty Earth Fiend stage warriors. He killed every last one of them!"
The young officer retorted, "Bandits can’t be that strong, right? Even with seven sixth-ranked warriors, fifty seventh-ranked ones, and a thousand men, they would just be a motley crew. It would be easy to break their will to fight."
"Do you think they were ordinary bandits? Many of them were former military officers. And Liu Tianning didn’t just break their morale—he slaughtered them all!"
The bearded warrior scoffed. "If you’re unimpressed by bandits, what about the regular army of Guiyuan Cave-Heaven? Surely, you respect them?"
"Of course! Guiyuan Army is ranked among the top three hundred strongest forces!"
The bearded warrior sighed. "When the corrupt official got wind of Liu Tianning’s actions, he feared exposure. So, he colluded with the garrison commanders and dispatched regular troops to capture Liu Tianning."
"My battalion was among those deployed to encircle him."
"But, in front of three battalions—more than three thousand soldiers—Liu Tianning personally decapitated a sixth-ranked general!"
"What?!" The young officer’s expression shifted dramatically. "Is that true?"
"Three battalions from one of the strongest armies," the bearded warrior recalled, "I won’t lie to you, kid. I was so terrified I nearly wet myself… But fortunately, Liu Tianning only killed the general. He spared the rest of us soldiers."
"I haven’t seen him since that day. Years later, when I heard his name again, it was because of his legendary battle at the head of the Xunyang River…"
Just as the young officer was eagerly awaiting the rest of the story, the bearded warrior's Earth Mirror buzzed with a new message from Xing Ming, ordering the unit to relocate.
"Let's go. We’ve got a new mission near the Black Coral Reefs of Icefire Island."
After another brief flight, they finally reached Icefire Island.
Before them were eight airships blocking their path once more.
This time, before anyone could speak, Zhao Xing took the initiative to wave Liu Tianning’s banner.
"This is the banner of the Liu Tianning Exploration Team! Who dares block our way?!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In an instant, all eight airships vanished without a trace.
"..."
Even Long Xiao was stunned. "Your master’s name is almost too effective, isn’t it?"
Chen Shijie was equally astonished. He had never imagined a Shennong could command such respect in this manner.
Based on what he knew, a Shennong shouldn’t be invincible in combat at their rank.
For example, both Xia Jing and Long Xiao were also of the sixth rank, but Chen Shijie knew Liu Tianning wouldn’t stand a chance in a one-on-one fight against them.
Yet, Liu Tianning’s name alone commanded this level of respect—not through status or background, but sheer strength!
"Don’t ask me—I haven’t been his disciple for long," Zhao Xing was just as baffled. He still wasn’t sure how powerful Liu Tianning truly was.
But Zhao Xing had a rough guess.
Liu Tianning was not only the Military Shennong but also the unrivaled master of Straw Puppet Techniques. His combat prowess might be considered an anomaly—despite being in the fifth rank, his combat strength was likely on par with those of the fourth rank.
How far into the fourth rank he could reach, Zhao Xing couldn’t be certain. After all, Liu Tianning had only fought once at the Soul Sacrifice Pass, and it hadn’t even been a full battle.
But judging by the number of puppets in the Myriad Palace, Zhao Xing estimated that Liu Tianning could stand undefeated within the fourth rank.
At the Fourth Rank Primordial Spirit stage, there weren’t many techniques that could truly damage Liu Tianning’s life soul. As long as his life soul remained unharmed, he was essentially unbeatable!
His ultimate combat strength depended on how many Wanfa Puppets Liu Tianning could summon and how much power they carried from his original self.
Xia Jing chimed in, "I’ve heard my father mention him before."
"Oh?" Zhao Xing perked up. "Tell me more. What did Xiahou say?"
Xia Jing thought for a moment. "He said Liu Tianning had reached the fifth rank before the age of thirty, but for the next ninety years, he stayed in that rank, never advancing. It’s said that he took on the responsibility of his family’s legacy, devoting himself to mastering the Liu Family’s Straw Puppet Techniques."
Zhao Xing nodded. Liu Tianning was now 127 years old. If he had been a prodigy in his youth, reaching the fifth rank before thirty, it made sense that mastering the Liu Family’s Straw Puppet Techniques—the most complex and profound technique—would take him this long.
Other sects would have long exhausted their resources and moved on to higher ranks, but Liu Tianning had spent nearly a century refining his puppetry.
Still, something didn’t add up. Why had Liu Tianning remained at the fifth rank for so long? Surely, advancing to the fourth rank shouldn’t have been difficult for him.
Zhao Xing felt a growing sense of intrigue.
Xia Jing continued, "When he was sixty years old, there’s a famous story about him—his battle at the head of the Xunyang River."
"The Xunyang River?" Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "The fourth-largest river in Daoyuan Continent?"
"That’s right," Xia Jing said. "He was passing through Xunyang County on his way to assume a new post when a massive natural disaster occurred."
"The river surged, creating waves said to be as tall as a hundred zhang."
"A hundred zhang?" Chen Shijie gasped. "That’s a disaster on the scale of an entire prefecture!"
One zhang was about three meters. A hundred zhang was over 300 meters tall!
That was an unimaginable sight.
Even a grade-seven tectonic eruption, triggering an undersea earthquake, would only produce waves around eighty meters high.
"Of course, these tales are often exaggerated," Zhao Xing said. "A wave cresting at over 300 meters doesn’t mean the entire disaster was that severe. Xia Jing, continue.”
Xia Jing nodded. "Right. But this disaster wasn’t natural—it was caused by an external force, a rogue sect from outside the realm."
"Liu Tianning happened to be passing by and intervened, calming the raging waves."
"But just as he was dealing with the water, a fourth-rank warrior, along with eight fifth-rankers, ambushed him."
"He had the entire city of Xunyang behind him, and a massive wave before him. If he dodged the attack, the city would be flooded, and the people behind him would perish. If he didn’t dodge, he’d be hit by their combined strike."
"And then?" Long Xiao asked eagerly.
"Then, with one hand, Liu Tianning held back the towering wave. With the other, he pointed at the nine rogue warriors, turning them into nine baby fish."
"The wave was then pressed down."
"That was his Hou Transformation Technique!" Chen Shijie couldn’t help but exclaim. "To think his Hou Transformation Technique is that powerful!"
"Is that even true?" Ji Ziyun wondered. "Why have I never heard of it?"
"I don’t know if it’s true or not. That’s just what my father said," Xia Jing replied.
Zhao Xing wasn’t particularly surprised. If Liu Tianning could pull something like that off, it would only add to his reputation as one of the most talented Shennong practitioners across several dynasties.
"My father mentioned that Liu Tianning was a guest at the Xunyang County King’s estate when he first heard the story. The letter he received afterward was filled with fear and relief, so it’s likely true," Xia Jing added.
"Who’s the Xunyang County King again?" Zhao Xing faintly recalled the name but couldn’t place it.
"He’s Princess You Ruo’s uncle," Ji Ziyun explained. "And a descendant of the Bishui Sect."
"Hmm?" Zhao Xing did some quick mental calculations. "Liu Tianning is 127 years old now. Princess You Ruo is 79. When Liu Tianning was 60, she was only 12. Could they have met back then?"
Zhao Xing suddenly envisioned a scenario involving a tsundere princess falling in love with a cold, older warrior.
Xia Jing continued, "My father also mentioned another secret—Liu Tianning once challenged 32 Dao Academies."
"Wait, 32?" Long Xiao’s eyes widened in admiration. "If that’s true, then he’s practically a god!"
"It probably is true," Zhao Xing confirmed. He had read in the Records of the Marquis that Liu Tianning had sparred with numerous Dao Academies in his younger years. He had even been invited to teach at the Dao of Creation Academy in his later years.
At the time, his numerous challenges had been kept quiet because they weren’t exactly considered honorable. But now, after his rise to the rank of Military Shennong, these stories had become celebrated tales of his prowess.
The records only mentioned that "Liu’s techniques were unrivaled, and he fought across 32 Dao Academies without suffering a single defeat."
"Having a master like Liu Tianning is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Ji Ziyun said with a touch of envy. "We’re all so fortunate to be following you, Zhao Xing."
It was true.
From that point on, as Zhao Xing continued to fly across the southwest route of Icefire Island, every airship they encountered quickly retreated at the mere mention of Liu Tianning’s name.
Zhao Xing and his team, who had initially been prepared for battle, now found themselves cruising along without any resistance.
Zhao Xing simply shouted "My master is Liu Tianning!" and entire patrols would vanish from sight.
"One day, if my reputation ever grows to the point where people tremble at the sound of my name, I can die happy," Long Xiao said, both impressed and envious.
"You’ll get there one day," Zhao Xing teased, patting Long Xiao on the shoulder. "But if you keep your current physique, your future son might end up introducing himself as 'Dragon Fatty’s boy.'"
"Get lost!" Long Xiao growled.
Just moments ago, he had been daydreaming about his future glory, only for Zhao Xing to spoil the moment with a single sentence.
Suddenly, his mental image shifted to that of a chubby child shouting, "My dad’s Dragon Fatty."
It was more than enough to ruin the fantasy.
"Hahahaha."
...
Without breaking a sweat, the five of them finally reached the destination Pei Yuanchang had described—the Darkstone Coral Reefs.
This was a shallow coastal area near Icefire Island.
Due to the presence of the nearby volcano, much of the ice had already melted.
Under Pei Yuanchang’s command, a 30-man crew had established a small base, using a tower ship as their central hub.
The leader was a man named Wu Jiang, who had recently advanced to the Pure Origin Realm. He wasn’t originally one of the Frost King’s men but had familial ties to the king. Wu Jiang had assembled his own advanced exploration team.
After entering Yang City, he had established contact with Pei Yuanchang and decided to join forces with his elite team.
When Zhao Xing arrived, Wu Jiang welcomed him warmly.
He already knew Zhao Xing’s identity and had noticed that several teams that had been eyeing his operation had suddenly retreated.
"Lord Yuanrang, esteemed Shizi, I’ll skip the pleasantries." Wu Jiang pointed to the water. "The Yin-Yang Fish you mentioned were spotted in this area."
"However, their small size and agility make them difficult to catch."
"It took us a whole day to find just twenty-four of them."
"As instructed by Master Pei, six of those are reserved for you."
Wu Jiang handed over a crystal box, inside which six large Yin-Yang Fish swam. Each one was significantly larger than the one they had received earlier.
"Thank you."
Receiving a quarter of the catch for simply showing up was more than fair. After all, they hadn’t contributed anything aside from Liu Tianning’s reputation.
Of course, Liu Tianning’s name was worth that much, so Zhao Xing graciously accepted the gift.
"Since you’re here, feel free to explore the area as you wish. Lord Yuanrang, would you prefer to join forces with us, or will you operate independently?" Wu Jiang cautiously inquired.
"Let’s act separately for now but keep an eye out for each other," Zhao Xing replied, understanding that Wu Jiang might be worried about them taking all the credit.
Forming alliances with a more powerful faction often came with mixed feelings of both relief and anxiety.
To ease Wu Jiang’s concerns, Zhao Xing opted for independence.
"Very well, we’ll do as Lord Yuanrang suggests." Wu Jiang sighed in relief.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries and sharing some information, Wu Jiang quickly departed.
"Let’s divide the six Yin-Yang Fish," Zhao Xing said, pointing at the crystal box.
"Zhao Xing, I don’t think we should divide them," Xia Jing replied. "After all, it’s your master’s reputation that earned us this share. We didn’t do anything."
"Exactly," Ji Ziyun added. "I’ve already gained so much from joining your group. I contributed a little before, but this time, we didn’t lift a finger."
"Little brother, don’t make it hard for me to repay such a favor."
Chen Shijie remained silent, ready to support Zhao Xing’s decision no matter what. He didn’t feel the need to voice his agreement.
As for Long Xiao, he was tempted—mostly out of curiosity to taste the fish.
"Alright, I won’t argue then," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "But I will give one fish to Long Xiao. In his current state, it might help him recover."
The power of the life soul could, after all, heal the seven earthly souls of the physical body.
Long Xiao’s swollen appearance was a result of his earthly souls being temporarily out of balance. While the condition wasn’t serious and would resolve itself in time, it was better to restore his combat ability sooner rather than later. Thus, Zhao Xing decided to give him one of the smaller fish.
"Hahaha! Can I vote against it? I want to enjoy his current form a little longer," Xia Jing joked.
This might be his last chance to poke fun at Long Xiao.
After all, Long Xiao had mocked Xia Jing earlier when he had vomited, and Xia Jing had definitely kept a mental note of that.
"Just you wait, Xia Jing!" Long Xiao fumed. "Once I’m back to normal, I’m going to challenge you again, and I’ll make you eat three thousand catties of fish!"
"I’ll be waiting!" Xia Jing wasn’t intimidated in the least.
"Alright, enough bickering." Zhao Xing laughed. "Brothers, please keep watch for me and Long Xiao while we cultivate."
The black and white Yin-Yang Fish felt weightless in his hand, so light it was like holding air.
Its texture was so delicate that it seemed barely there. Yet, as Zhao Xing activated his life soul sense, he could feel an enormous presence within the fish.
"Wait a minute, this is actually a single body with two souls," Zhao Xing thought, using his Heavenly Eye Technique to see that there were indeed two fish intertwined within the single entity.
Such a rare creature was indeed extraordinary.
"This fish must be classified as a life soul treasure—a true dual-purpose creature."
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing swallowed the first fish whole.
At first, his body didn’t react much.
But within his sea of consciousness, his life soul began to tremble slightly.
His Heavenly Eyes grew even sharper.
He ate all six Yin-Yang Fish in succession.
Zhao Xing could feel a distinct sensation of "expansion."
However, having previously consumed the Life Soul Pill and having the top-tier Great Dream Spring and Autumn cultivation method at his disposal, Zhao Xing could easily refine his life soul energy.
Although he couldn’t directly cultivate his life soul, he could at least efficiently absorb the soul power.
It was the same technique he had used to refine the soul power he had plundered from the Blood Spirit Sovereign.
【Life Soul: Late Stage Sixth Rank】
"Six small Yin-Yang Fish, no bigger than the palm of my hand, could yield such remarkable results?"
"Heavenly Eye, activate!"
With his Heavenly Eye Technique, Zhao Xing gazed into the distance.
He could clearly see Wu Jiang over ten thousand meters away, commanding his crew on the water.
Pushing his sight further, Zhao Xing's vision became even sharper.
He could make out every expression on Wu Jiang’s face as if he were standing right in front of him.
"Hmm?" Wu Jiang seemed to sense something and glanced around, but he couldn’t see anything.
At five thousand meters, he could vaguely detect some figures in the distance.
At ten thousand meters, despite the open sea, he couldn’t see anything at all.
Wu Jiang looked up suspiciously before continuing his work.
Although he had consumed a Yin-Yang Fish, Wu Jiang's life soul was still stuck at the late sixth rank.
Additionally, he had never taken a Life Soul Pill and therefore had not opened his Heavenly Eye.
The Heavenly Eye was an effect granted by the Life Soul Pill, not something automatically unlocked at the sixth rank.
"My life soul has strengthened, and my Heavenly Eye Technique has reached the sixth rank and six transformations. It seems to have some additional effects now."
"Yes, it’s perception... I can vaguely sense Wu Jiang’s emotions as well."
"The Yin-Yang Fish’s effects are indeed extraordinary," Zhao Xing thought.
He had digested all six fish before Long Xiao had even finished absorbing the first one.
"Hahaha, I, Long Xiao, am back!"
A flash of sword light shot into the sky.
Long Xiao, bathed in golden light, reappeared in his normal form.
Not only had he returned to his original physique, but his sword energy had also become more refined.
"Now that you’re back to normal, let’s get to work," Zhao Xing said, rising to his feet. "We can dive into the water and search for more fish."
"If we find traces of them, we can try to set up a fishing spot."
Zhao Xing wasn’t sure if the Water Immortal Lotus and Fish-Devouring Grass seeds would have any effect on the Yin-Yang Fish, but he figured it was worth a try once they located the creatures.
"Let’s get to work!" Energized by the results they had seen from the Yin-Yang Fish, the group was eager to continue their search.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Icefire Island.
A massive Black Dragon Warship was anchored in the sea.
Jizi Ye, wearing cloud-patterned boots and adorned in luxurious clothing, ascended to the highest deck of the warship.
The two lines of guards standing by the stairs were not ordinary soldiers but high-level puppet warriors known as Combat Vajra.
Fifty of these advanced mechanical beasts stood guard aboard the warship.
As Jizi Ye reached the top deck, four people were waiting for him.
"Young Master," they greeted him with a bow.
"Hmm." Jizi Ye took his seat at the head of the table, glancing at the four of them. "What’s the progress on the Yin-Yang Fish?"
"We’ve captured seventy-eight so far," reported a warrior named Qin Chongwu, a fifth-rank Pure Origin Realm cultivator. As he spoke, two Combat Vajra brought forth a crystal box.
"Only seventy-eight?" Jizi Ye frowned. "Why so few?"
He had mobilized considerable resources.
Just on this warship alone, there were fifty Combat Vajra, and many more mechanical beasts and airships were scattered around the area, each equipped with high-level puppets.
These machines didn’t count toward the exploration team’s personnel limit, and as a prince with deep family ties, Jizi Ye had no shortage of resources.
Jizi Ye had been stuck at the fifth rank for many years.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t break through—his father, King Liang, had specifically set limits on his progress.
In order to advance, each prince was required to cultivate top-tier body-refining techniques, which made the process much more difficult.
To reach the Primordial Spirit Realm, every step had to be solid and deliberate. Though the court could grant or revoke promotions at will, self-earned progress was far more stable and resilient.
Many people across the land shared this mindset.
The life soul could nourish the seven earthly souls, and strengthening it was one way to pave the path to the Primordial Spirit Realm. Moreover, enhancing the life soul would provide tremendous benefits when attempting to break into the third-rank Life Soul Realm.
Thus, Jizi Ye was determined to obtain the Yin-Yang Fish.
"Young Master," an elderly sorcerer named Huangfu Song spoke up. "Pei Yuanchang’s exploration team and Xing Ming’s coalition have been expanding, which has led to numerous conflicts during our fishing operations."
"In addition, we’ve just received word that Liu Tianning from the Military Inspectorate may be getting involved as well."
"His Myriad Tower Ship has already arrived at the Extreme Night Sea, and he seems to have reached an agreement with Pei Yuanchang. He has sent his students to Icefire Island."
"Liu Tianning?" Jizi Ye frowned. "Is he coming in person?"
"That... we don’t know," Huangfu Song replied.
"Hmph!" A hint of malice flickered in Jizi Ye’s eyes. "As for Pei Yuanchang’s southwestern line, if anyone gets in our way, kill them! Make an example of them. Let’s see if Xing Ming’s coalition dares to encroach any further!"
"And as for Liu Tianning... unless he personally comes to speak with me, I see no reason to show him any respect. As for his students, drive them away! Just don’t kill them."
Jizi Ye was careful not to cross too many lines with Liu Tianning, but for everyone else, he had no such reservations.
"Understood. I’ll see to it right away."
Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song, along with the other two, promptly set out to execute their orders.
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