"That damned bastard!" Mutuo spat, his frustration boiling over. Despite his anger, he could not overpower his opponent. He activated his golden light and performed a series of hand seals. The red glow on his face dimmed momentarily.
After a while, he finally got a result and said impatiently, "I can't deduce his whereabouts. How can he be in the Eastern Sea?!"
His crimson face contorted in anger as drops of blood trickled from his nostrils. Wiping it away with his hand, he gritted his teeth.
"Your paranoia has cost me... You better make it up to me when we get back!"
However, Situ Mo had fallen into deep thought, ignoring him. A whirlwind of doubts filled his mind.
How could this be possible? Could Kong Tingyun really have let her guard down? There are only one or two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators left in the Profound Peak Gate... Logically, she should be able to escape safely. She must have more than one Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator aiding her...
Mutuo called out to him three times before Situ Mo finally snapped back to reality. He murmured, "Mutuo, this may be a trap. You and I should retreat a hundred li for now and wait for an opportunity. It'll be safer to stay close to Golden Sack Island. If anything goes wrong, we can get away in time."
"Y-Y-You...! That's not far from Yuezhou Island! Kong Tingyun can escape easily! What are you thinking?!" Mutuo scolded in disbelief.
Seeing the determination on Situ Mo's face, Mutuo had no choice but to express his frustration.
"All of you from the southern immortal dao are damn cowards; so paranoid all the time..."
————
The Li Family members rode the current all the way to the Scarlet Pristine Sea before coming to a gradual stop. They broke through the water's surface, and Li Yuanjiao deactivated his spell, gazing into the distance.
The sea here had gradually turned pale turquoise, its seabed covered in deep red reefs rich in iron. From above, it appeared a vibrant tapestry of turquoise and red, earning it its name Scarlet Pristine Sea.
Kong Tingyun admired the magnificent scenery before explaining, "Two thousand years ago, this sea was known as Qunyi. Later, the eighth son of the Converging Water True Hornless Dragon was captured here. The dragon clan punished him for matricide by binding him to a deep cliff at the bottom of the sea. They built nine cold iron pillars, nailed him to the cliff, dismembered him, and let the demons devour his remains. As a result, the sea turned turquoise overnight, and the demons within it gradually transformed, becoming what they are today."
She smiled softly and continued, "The True Hornless Dragon had nine sons—six of converging and three of pristine. Now, only two remain in the world; the rest have perished."
Kong Tingyun paused, then added softly, "Some say that the dragon clan did this to scatter the Pristine Water Metallic Essence throughout the Scarlet Pristine Sea, making it difficult to gather them."
Li Yuanjiao pondered for a moment before asking, "Why doesn't the dragon clan simply keep it for themselves to create a Golden Core...?"
Kong Tingyun stepped on a cloud and quietly replied, "The True Hornless Dragon swallowed the Pristine Water Feathered Serpent and died... The enmity between them remains unresolved. To this day, dragons still devour feathered serpents, and the eighth son is one such feathered serpent!"
"The Daoist Master of my family speculated that perhaps the dragons fear that if they consume the Pristine Water Metallic Essence, they will soon grow feathers and turn into their enemy!" she added.
"Horrible..." Kongheng murmured a Buddhist chant before continuing in a low voice, "Feathered serpents and dragon species share the same origins; the only difference is that one is of Pristine Water and the other of Converging Water. It's truly a sin that they're killing each other like this..."
Li Yuanjiao looked thoughtful as he began to grasp the concept of the Golden Core.
Golden Core Realm cultivators... Are they those who obtained Metallic Essence... or are they those who achieved Fruition Attainment...?
Kong Tingyun's voice interrupted his thoughts as she said seriously, "I have something to trouble fellow Daoists with."
"Situ Mo is cunning, and he has a Master Monk from Zhao State as his assistant. I will be gone for several months; he will undoubtedly learn of this and likely ambush me on my way back. Please keep your distance and conceal your presence..." she explained.
Li Yuanjiao immediately caught on and smiled inwardly.
So there's indeed a Buddhist cultivator supporting him!
Realizing that the threat was only a Buddhist cultivator rather than a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, Li Yuanjiao felt much more at ease. He immediately replied, "I have a dharma artifact that can conceal presence. Perhaps Kongheng and my younger sister should keep their distance while I stay beside you? At least it'll be easier for both of us to prevent them from escaping."
"All right!" Kong Tingyun nodded approvingly.
Li Yuanjiao activated the Profound Patterned Bottle, and a mysterious spiritual mist enveloped his body. He flew forward with Kong Tingyun, leaving Kongheng and Li Qinghong behind.
Kongheng felt slightly awkward being alone with her. He lowered his head and began chanting a Buddhist scripture, but Li Qinghong ignored him, her gaze fixed on the endless turquoise and red sea as a thought crossed her mind.
It would be wonderful if Father could see such magnificent scenery.
————
Li Yuanjiao and Kong Tingyun rode the wind together. Kong Tingyun remained silent, but she sensed that Li Yuanjiao was close by, flying leisurely alongside her. As they journeyed deeper into the Scarlet Pristine Sea, doubts began to creep in.
That guy is cautious. If fear the further we go, it'll be more difficult to defeat him.
While she was lost in thought, several golden lights emerged from the reefs beneath them, and a golden streak suddenly shot up from the sea. Situ Mo broke through the water, squinting slightly as he fixed his gaze on Kong Tingyun.
The sea was vast, its water veins flowing seamlessly, with no solid ground to plant formation flags or harness spiritual energy. Few formations could be established in such an environment, and even if Situ Mo possessed a treasure formation, he had yet to set it up.
Kong Tingyun feigned surprise before sarcastically saying, "We are very close to the two islands right now! Do you think the guest cultivators on my island are all blind?"
The sea was vast and both of them were direct descendants of immortal gates. Naturally, they were unwilling to grant each other the opportunity to use escape spells. The fierce battle would likely only end with one of them dead, eliminating the need for a large formation. Nevertheless, Kong Tingyun was fearless, given their proximity to the two islands.
Situ Mo stared at her for a moment, as if trying to discern something, before saying, "Fellow Daoist... you are quite brave. I don't need to kill you; I only need to severely injure you..."
While Situ Mo distracted her with his words, he discreetly performed a series of hand seals. As he completed the six seals, he hooked his index fingers while keeping the other three fingers together, summoning a golden saber that came out from his palm.
It's that spell!
Li Yuanjiao recalled his past encounter with it and silently put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Suddenly, the sea below them erupted once more, and a burly monk with a clean-shaven head and a red complexion soared out, brandishing a staff with both hands and preparing to strike at Kong Tingyun.
Kong Tingyun remained calm, slapping her storage pouch. A golden mountain emerged, flying toward the monk to suppress him. The monk sneered fearlessly as he attempted to catch it with his hands.
However, when Mutuo's hands made contact with the golden mountain, his tongue unexpectedly went numb, and only four of his facial features remained—his lips had vanished, leaving a smooth space below his philtrum. Horror washed over him as Kong Tingyun sneered coldly.
"This golden mountain has been waiting for you, monk!"
With that, she produced another jade pearl that shone brightly, directing its light at the golden saber. Situ Mo's spell suddenly faltered as his golden saber hummed and vibrated uncontrollably like a dragonfly that had its tail pinched.
Kong Tingyun remarked casually, "I would love to see how you plan to seriously injure me."