2037 It“s the Fisherman Who Profits From the Fight Between Two Fish
Based on his previous plan, once the Blackback Tortoise walked into their ambush, they would immediately activate the formation, and with the strength of the Silverback Mayflies and Pavilion Master Kui Xiao, they would swiftly take it down. In fact, even capturing it alive would not have been out of the question!
The appearance of Citadel Lord Bai Xuansheng was outside their expectations, but it did not affect them too much.
Instead, it would just make things simpler for them. They could reap the reward once the two of them tired one another out.
While they were chatting with one another, the Blackback Tortoise swallowed the diamond crystal whole, but the diamond crystal continued to absorb the energy from the ores nonstop.
This provoked the Silverback Mayflies into action. They immediately began flocking over, causing the surrounding water to billow deafeningly.
The Blackback Tortoise was not the only one who came under their attack. Citadel Lord Bai Xuansheng also suddenly found himself swarmed by innumerable Silverback Mayflies, forcing him to release his zhenqi and form a protective barrier around himself.
Caught off guard by this abrupt situation, Citadel Lord Bai Xuansheng took a look around him before looking downward. “Friends hiding below, let’s take down this Blackback Tortoise together. Given its size, there’s more than enough to go around!”
His voice caused the surrounding water to billow, and it arrived in the ears of Zhang Xuan and the others clearly.
“He’s found us?” Elder Feng was stunned.
“That’s not necessarily the case. Since the Blackback Tortoise was able to notice that there’s something amiss about the diamond crystal, as a Semi-Divinity realm expert, Citadel Lord Bai might have noticed something as well. Most likely, he’s trying to coax us out to deal with the Blackback Tortoise alongside him… It’s fine, just ignore him,” Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head.
Given how conspicuous the diamond crystal was, the chances were that someone would have dug it out by now. It was too much of coincidence for it to appear there at such a moment, especially since the Blackback Tortoise was attracted to shiny things.
With such evidence, it was not difficult for Bai Xuansheng to figure out that someone else had laid a trap there to ambush the Blackback Tortoise.
It was just that he did not know whom the other party was and what power they belonged to.
Boom!
The Blackback Tortoise saw that the formation did not activate even after the shout, but it was extremely certain that there was someone hiding there. The fact that those that were hiding there did not make a move despite an invitation from a Semi-Divinity realm expert likely meant that they were confident of dealing with it.
With this, it knew that if it really fought against this first Semi-Divinity realm expert and exhaust itself, there was a good chance that it might lose its life. Thus, with a furious roar, it rammed its body right toward Bai Xuansheng.
This time, it moved with even greater speed. Before one could even blink, its massive body had materialized right in front of Bai Xuansheng. Its humongous physique left one feeling as if a comet was crashing right toward one.
This ram wielded the ability to destroy even a Heavenly High Immortal in an instant.
“Let’s see who is stronger!” Bai Xuansheng seemed to have expected this move from the Blackback Tortoise, and he burst into laughter.
He swiftly conjured a massive shield right before him.
As soon as the shield appeared in the water, it immediately lengthened itself until it was over several hundred meters in width and height, the same size as the Blackback Tortoise. As the two collided with one another, a resounding reverberation reminiscent of the chime of a bell echoed loudly in the air. The Silverback Mayflies in the surroundings were immediately jolted into powder.
Pavilion Master Kui Xiao’s eyes narrowed. “That shield is a Semi-Divinity realm artifact?”
He had known Bai Xuansheng for many years, and they were extremely familiar with one another. They had fought several times before, and they were equally matched in terms of fighting prowess.
When did the other party gain a Semi-Divinity realm artifact like that?
With such an artifact in hand, there was no way that Pavilion Master Kui Xiao would stand a chance against him anymore!
It was no wonder he dared to challenge the Blackback Tortoise without any preparation. With just this artifact in hand and his superior cultivation, he was more than capable of standing his ground against it!
“Lock!”
After blocking the Blackback Tortoise’s ram, Bai Xuansheng laughed once more, and he rotated the shield in his hand. Hula!
It immediately scattered into something reminiscent of a fishnet. Innumerable metal chains darted forth and wrapped themselves around the Blackback Tortoise, locking it firmly in place.
It turned out that this Semi-Divinity realm artifact was a weapon with flexible form!
This is bad. At this rate, the Blackback Tortoise will really be his!” Elder Feng exclaimed in panic.
The Sevenstar Pavilion had prepared nearly an entire month for this, and the Blackback Tortoise was already well within their reach. They never would have thought that someone else would snatch their prey at a crucial moment like this!
“There’s no need to panic. If it was that easy to capture the Blackback Tortoise, it would already be dead by now,” Zhang Xuan consoled with a smile.
Right after he had said those words, the Blackback Tortoise suddenly opened its mouth, and the diamond crystal floated out of its body.
The appearance of the diamond crystal immediately illuminated the dim surroundings, but this time, it seemed to shine with even greater splendor than before.
Hong long long long!
At the same time, the tremors in the surroundings became more intense. Frenzied currents tore through the water, stirring up massive waves on the seabed.
Somehow, the Blackback Tortoise was increasing the rate at which the diamond crystal was absorbing energy from the ore!
Huhuhu!
As the tremors grew even more violent, the Silverback Mayflies flew into even greater frenzy. They immediately charged over with utmost desperation, swarming the Blackback Tortoise and the diamond crystal in an instant.
“Damn!” Seeing this, Bai Xuansheng’s face turned livid. “Scram, you pests!”
He waved his hand furiously to fend off the Silverback Mayflies as he tried to pull the steel chains that he had wrapped around the Blackback Tortoise. However, it felt as if he had lost the connection with his Semi-Divinity realm artifact, leaving him unable to control it!
Huala!
Just like that, his Semi-Divinity artifact lost its effectiveness and fell through the body of the Blackback Tortoise and collapsed at the bottom of the ocean.
“Elder Liu, what’s going on?” Even Pavilion Master Kui Xiao was unable to make sense of the situation.
A Semi-Divinity artifact should have been extremely powerful, not to mention that it possessed its own consciousness. How could it be rendered ineffective just because it was swarmed by a large number of Silverback Mayflies, such that it even lost the ability to fly?
“Most artifacts are forged with metal, and that chain he is holding is no exception. While Silverback Mayflies are living beings, they do have an extremely high level of metal content in their bodies. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to form such a bright reflective surface on the water!” Zhang Xuan explained with a smile.
“These Silverback Mayflies might be small, but they emit a unique force field that they use to communicate with one another. It’s due to this force field that they are able to maintain a huge, orderly formation. Any weapon, when coming into proximity with such sheer number of Silverback Mayflies, will find the connection between its body and its spirit obstructed due to the compounded force field, thus sealing off its strength. The Blackback Tortoise must have known about this, which is why it intentionally lured Citadel Lord Bai Xuansheng here.”
The other two were stunned.
They never would have thought that the tiny Silverback Mayflies would be capable of neutralizing the effects of Semi- Divinity realm artifacts.
If they headed over, would their acupoints be sealed, resulting in them losing their fighting prowess, too?
“It’s no wonder they say that those unfamiliar with oceanic creatures should stay away from the water. It seems like there are many baffling wonders underwater that are beyond our imagination…” Pavilion Master Kui Xiao shook his head and sighed.
The Sea of Exiled Stars was rumored to be not beneath the City of Collapsed Space in terms of danger, but as a Semi- Divinity realm cultivator, he had thought that there was nothing much for him to fear anymore. After all, even the strongest beast living in the waters would only be at the Semi-Divinity realm, just like him.
However, it seemed like strength was not enough to guarantee one’s survival. If one let one’s guard down, it was only a matter of time before the oceanic creatures devoured one alive!
Naturally, as a beast native to the Sea of Exiled Stars, the Blackback Tortoise was well aware of these creatures, which was why it had chosen to lure Citadel Lord Bai Xuansheng over and lure him into using his weapon. It was all in order to cripple him!
“It’s about time. Elder Feng, may I trouble you to release the seal on this Spatial formation?” Zhang Xuan said.
Elder Feng was slightly taken aback by the abrupt request. He was just about to nod and get into action when the young man suddenly shook his head. “Never mind, we won’t make it in time at this rate. I’ll do it myself.”
After saying those words, he took a step forward and stomped lightly on the ground.
Weng!
A huge whirlpool immediately appeared above the hidden Spatial Formation, forming a passageway similar to what they had come in through.
Seeing such a sight, Elder Feng’s jaws slackened. For a very long time, his mouth remained agape.
He had put in a lot of effort to set up this formation, and even with the insignia controlling the formation in his hand, he knew that he would not be able to stop it all of a sudden. Yet, the other party had actually managed to do it with just a simple stomp of his foot…
Was such a thing possible?
Before Elder Feng could recover from his shock, the young man raised his hand toward the opened passageway and grasped upward.
Hu!
The next instant, the falling Semi-Divinity metal chains vanished from sight.
“Close!”
After taking away the metal chain, the young man stomped his foot once more, and the Spatial Formation whirred back to action. Once more, the three of them vanished from the seabed.
“You snatched Citadel Lord Bai’s Semi-Divinity artifact?”
Elder Feng and Pavilion Master Kui Xiao looked at one another in horror.
Do you know just how valuable Semi-Divinity artifacts are? Such an act is practically no different from making enemies out of the Blackmirror Citadel!
Besides, can an artifact of such a tier really be put in one’s storage ring so easily?
Even if you managed to store it in there, if the artifact resists, it will still be able to break out of your storage ring and flee!
The two of them were not the only ones who were taken aback by the situation. Above, Bai Xuansheng was on the verge of descending into lunacy.
It was one thing for him to lose control of his artifact, but he had never thought that those fellows hiding below would actually snatch his weapon without the slightest hesitation!
That weapon was something that their Blackmirror Citadel had paid a heavy price and even reneged on their promise in order to acquire! For it to be stolen away just like that… he felt like he would go insane in that instant!
“Who the hell are you all? Give my weapon back!” Bai Xuansheng roared furiously as he attempted to dash to the seabed.
The Spatial Formation had only opened up for a brief instant, such that even with his cultivation, all he had seen was a palm reaching out. He had not been able to catch a clear glimpse of who was hidden inside.
But no matter who the culprit was, whoever dared to steal his weapon would have to pay with their life!
However, how could the Blackback Tortoise allow Bai Xuansheng to move as he wished? It had not been easy for it to strip the latter of his Semi-Divinity realm weapon, so there was no way it would allow the latter to have any chance of acquiring it back!
Thus, without any hesitation, it dashed right toward him.
This time, before striking its target, it retracted its head into its shell.
Kacha!
The unbelievably resilient tortoiseshell crashed right into Bai Xuansheng, causing the latter’s face to turn ghastly pale. That strike had shattered a number of his ribs, and a spurt of fresh blood escaped from his mouth.
They were both Semi-Divinity realm experts, and Bai Xuansheng’s cultivation was a little higher. However, he was still unable to withstand such heavy ramming from the Blackback Tortoise!
Peng peng peng!
Having managed to pull off a successful heavy strike, the Blackback Tortoise continued with its offense, leaving Bai Xuansheng with no choice but to continuously retreat. He desperately summoned his zhenqi to form a barrier in front of him so as to guard against the Blackback Tortoise’s attacks.
He had to block a series of consecutive attacks before he finally managed to catch a breather to regain his footing. Just when he thought that he could turn the tables around, an incredibly brilliant crystal appeared right in front of him. Its blinding light left his eyes slightly glazed.
In that instant, Bai Xuansheng’s soul nearly escaped from his body. He immediately tried to back away, but it was already too late. The surrounding Silverback Mayflies had already encircled him.
His zhenqi barrier was swiftly devoured, and before he could retaliate, the Silverback Mayflies had already squeezed their way into his acupoints.
“My strength!”
The sealing of one’s acupoints was no different from stripping a train of its engine. Bai Xuansheng was suddenly in a position where he was no longer able to drive his zhenqi properly. This abrupt loss of energy caused his body to plummet downward.
Peng!
Making use of this opportunity, the Blackback Tortoise gathered its momentum and rammed over once more.
The flustered Bai Xuansheng immediately gathered all his physical might to defend against the attack.
Kacha! Kacha!
Without the augmentation from his zhenqi, his hands swiftly fractured inch after inch as he was blasted right into the seabed, creating a massive crater beneath.