Chapter 118: There’s Always a Dolt Somewhere
Xu Qing looked down at the ground.
Wherever the Spirit Breath Lamp had been pointing specifically, he knew it was underground. Huang Yan’s jade slip had gone into some detail about what was beneath the Merfolk islands.
For complicated cultural reasons, the Merfolk civilization was divided into an upper world and a lower world. The upper world was on the surface of their islands, and the buildings there were usually made of either skeletons or shells. Merfolk liked skeletons. It didn’t matter if they were the skeletons of fishes, animals, or other intelligent non-Merfolk species. The more sinister and evil-looking the skeletons were, the more they liked them. It was a cultural legacy that was passed down within the very souls of the individual Merfolk.
The second world was under the surface. It wasn’t a cave network. Rather, that world existed beneath the islands themselves, within the sea. All of the Merfolk Isles were like that. The reality was that the islands were like leaves floating on the water, with buildings both above and below, and some mysterious force that prevented them from sinking. The jade slip used only one word to describe the undersea world of the Merfolk: magnificent.
Reportedly, the buildings there were constructed of colorful coral, atop which grew sea anemones with countless tentacles. Other than that, Xu Qing wasn’t sure what the place looked like.
“Let’s go,” the Captain called. “There’s nothing good up here. The fish eye is where the entrance is.”
With that, he blurred into motion.
Xu Qing decided to follow, though he kept some distance. His relationship with the Captain was unusual, and though he trusted him in some ways, he distrusted him in others. The Captain had always seemed like a mysterious person. And though Xu Qing couldn’t quite figure the man out, he had the feeling that he was dangerous. That was especially true since, despite the fact that Xu Qing was now capable of fighting Foundation Establishment enemies, whenever he sensed the Captain’s aura, it seemed stronger than his own.
It was very puzzling. Every time he achieved a breakthrough, he would intentionally feel out the Captain, and every time, the man seemed stronger than himself. Because of that, he had to keep his guard up.
The two of them sped along through the fish skeleton city toward the entrance of the world below.
Along the way, they saw quite a few Seven Blood Eyes disciples. Some moved along in the shadows, some looted buildings, and some searched Merfolk corpses hoping to find spirit stones. Others waited to ambush others, be they fellow disciples or Merfolk.
The disciples were like wild dogs, adept at both staying concealed and at hunting prey. Those who saw Xu Qing and the Captain made sure to stay out of their way, though it was hard to say if it was because of the former or the latter.
“See those fellows?” the Captain said, pointing to a group of disciples demolishing a building. “Most of them could have broken through a long time ago, but they kept their cultivation bases suppressed so they could come here and get rich. Each one has a keener sense of smell than a dog. My god... they’re even demolishing houses to take as loot. It’s outrageous.”
The building they were tearing down was unique, as it was constructed from shells that pulsed with spirit power.
As Xu Qing looked over, the Captain suddenly rushed toward the group of disciples, his cultivation base flaring with power. In response, the group backed away and then disappeared into the shadows. Eyes glittering, the Captain then continued the demolition work. Xu Qing joined him, taking the shells away one by one. [1]
“These things are amazing,” the Captain said. “I wonder whose house this was. Even just one of these things will sell for a few dozen spirit stones.”
Xu Qing didn’t respond, but he started collecting the shells even faster. After enough time passed for half an incense stick to burn, they left. The house was gone.
Along the way, they found other similar situations, and the Captain stopped at all of them.
“This is ridiculous. These old-time disciples are obviously extremely strong! I can’t believe they’re stooping to stealing loot from kids like us!”
Xu Qing looked at the Captain’s face, confirming that he appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.
“What are you looking at?” the Captain asked, looking askance at Xu Qing.
“You’re no kid,” Xu Qing replied calmly. “I am.”
This was only the fourth thing Xu Qing had said since encountering the Captain.
The Captain sighed. “Deputy Captain Xu, I think it might be better if you just stayed silent. No talking, okay? By the way, I’d appreciate it if you hurried up and paid me the 5,000 spirit stones you owe me.”
With that, the Captain started moving along at top speed.
Xu Qing pretended to have not heard. He followed silently, and the two of them got closer and closer to the head of the fish skeleton. Soon enough, they caught sight of a very large cavern there. That was when they heard a huge boom off in the distance.
Looking over, they saw a Merfolk cultivator fleeing from what appeared to be a bright blue streak of light. As the blue light got closer, it became obvious it was a young man wearing a flight talisman. It was none other than the chosen member of the Coast Guard Division, Ding Xiaohai. [2]
Ding Xiaohai looked very somber. During his time on the island, he constantly searched for Merfolk cultivators to kill, and everywhere he went, he left behind corpses. Unless it was absolutely convenient, he didn’t take any loot, as he felt it would influence his slaughter.
As he chased his quarry, he didn’t seem to even notice the Captain and Xu Qing, much less stop to talk to them. He just kept pursuing the Merfolk cultivator he was chasing. He was behaving very differently from the other disciples. Instead of focusing on getting rich like everyone else, he wanted to rack up points!
“What a great disciple!” the Captain said loudly. “See that, Xu Qing? That’s what a real member of Seven Blood Eyes is like! It’s only because of disciples like him that Seven Blood Eyes has a future!” Clenching his hands into fists, he threw them over his head and shouted, “You’re awesome, Elder Brother Ding! Go, go, go! Elder Brother Ding, Celestial Bureau Unit Six from the Violent Crimes Division backs you one hundred percent! You’re definitely going to take first place and become a conclave disciple!”
Ding Xiaohai glanced coldly at the Captain as he fought his opponent.
To Xu Qing it was obvious that Ding Xiaohai was dead set on taking first place.
Meanwhile, the Captain sighed, then leaned over to Xu Qing, lowered his voice, and said, “Don’t be like him. He’s obviously cultivated his way into being an idiot. Why should he give a crap about being a conclave disciple? He’s going to break through soon and get a violet robe. When that happens, the conclave disciples will have to offer him respectful greetings. So why is he working so hard? Does he like the sect that much?”
“Everybody’s different,” Xu Qing said. “It’s hard to say why he’s doing this.”
It was the fifth time Xu Qing had spoken to the Captain. The Captain smiled and pointed at Xu Qing as if he was going to say something in response. But then his expression flickered. Xu Qing reacted similarly, and the both of them jumped backward at the same time.
As they did, the ground in front of them exploded, and four pitch black hands shot out. Though they snatched nothing but air, they also unleashed explosive fluctuations.
From the crumbling ground emerged two figures. Both wore black armor, had long unkempt hair, and had necrotic patches on their exposed skin. Their eyes were bright red, and they exuded a brutal and bloodthirsty air. Without hesitating for a moment, they rushed toward Xu Qing and the Captain.
“Seazombies!” the Captain said. “Be careful, Xu Qing. Both of them are in the great circle of Qi Condensation. They’re not in Foundation Establishment, but Seazombies are strange. Their cultivation relies on mutagen, which means they’re full of the stuff. Plus they have incredibly strong fleshly bodies, and also use zombie poison. We can’t let ourselves get hit too badly.”
A long spear appeared in the Captain’s hands, which he swept toward the incoming Seazombies.
Meanwhile, the ground erupted near Ding Xiaohai as a third seazombie emerged and attacked him.
All three disciples were instantly embroiled in fighting.
Xu Qing quickly experienced what the Captain had just mentioned. Even when he landed a fist strike at full force, his seazombie opponent simply staggered back a few steps, seemingly uninjured. And when he slashed the seazombie’s throat with his dagger, it didn’t even seem to notice. After joining Seven Blood Eyes, Xu Qing had seen quite a few different nonhuman species. But this was his first time encountering a species this bizarre. And then his opponent tossed out some zombie poison, and Xu Qing’s curiosity piqued even further.
Which will be more ferocious? Zombie poison? Or my poison?
1. I just have to point out that there were a lot of Meng Hao comments in Chinese regarding this part…. ☜
2. Ding Xiaohai was first mentioned in chapter 68, and we last saw him in chapter 93. ☜