Silver Moon City was a large city next to a vast sea in the northeast.
Gu Hai’s group left the city and rode on the flying ship, quickly heading for this vast sea.
On the deck:
Gu Hai, Shangguan Hen, Long Wanqing, and Venerable Liu Nian revealed grave expressions while Mu Chenfeng appeared confused.
“We are going to the Silver Moon Sea?” Mu Chenfeng asked, feeling curious.
“The zither bestowal event will take place in a few days. We can go and scout the terrain,” Gu Hai said with a smile.
“That’s true.” Mu Chenfeng nodded.
The flying ship was very fast and soon arrived in a vast sea region.
Some islands dotted the sea region.
“There it is, the Silver Moon Sea, the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s conferred sea,” Long Wanqing pointed to the nearby sea region.
Everyone lowered their head and looked.
At this moment, there were already many ships on the sea. Some cultivators also rode on immortal cranes flying in the surroundings.
“Huh? So many people have come already?” Mu Chenfeng felt slightly startled.
“They should be cultivators from Silver Moon City. They must have heard that the zither bestowal event will be held here, so they came to watch. There are already thousands of people in the surroundings. I guess that they are not just the people with the invitations. Many people without invitations came to watch as well. Perhaps they are hoping for some unexpected gains,” Long Wanqing said with a frown.
Gu Hai nodded.
“I looked through the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s history over the past few days. At first, the Silver Moon Mountain Manor was not in the city but in this sea region. Back then, the founder of the Silver Moon Mountain Manor, Teacher Yinyue, ruled this Silver Moon Sea. At that time, countless buildings filled the many islands in this sea region, an incredibly bustling place. After that, the Silver Moon Mountain Manor moved to the land, and a city eventually grew around it,” Gu Hai said.
Venerable Liu Nian nodded and said, “That’s right. The Silver Moon Sea is actually not big. Speaking of which, it is just about the size of your Nine-Five Island. Although the Silver Moon Mountain Manor moved to land, it maintained its secondary residence here, in the north of the Silver Moon Sea, on Silver Moon Island. I heard that Teacher Yinyue comprehended the Dao there. All the Silver Moon Mountain Manor disciples go there to make their first zither.”
“The north of the Silver Moon Sea, Silver Moon Island? What about the south?” Gu Hai looked at Venerable Liu Nian.
“The south? There are some small islands there. They are just small islands, so the Silver Moon Mountain Manor never managed them,” Venerable Liu Nian explained.
“Oh?” Gu Hai looked at Shangguan Hen.
Shangguan Hen showed a bitter smile as he said, “We went to the south during the past few days. Initially, we thought that there would be nothing stopping us. In the end, we were wrong.”
Under Long Wanqing’s command, the flying ship flew slowly to the Silver Moon Sea’s south.
The flying ship flew high in the sky, hiding in the clouds. No cultivators came here, as all the cultivators who came for the zither bestowal event went to the north, near Silver Moon Island.
“Your Majesty, look. Look at those three islands arranged in a pyramid shape!” Shangguan Hen frowned as he pointed to the islands below.
Gu Hai looked over. There were indeed three small islands with fog covering them, preventing him from seeing inside.
“Initially, Venerable Liu Nian and I thought that they were ordinary remote islands. However, we discovered otherwise when we approached. Many soldiers were camped on these three islands. Venerable Liu Nian said that they were City Lord He’s soldiers.” Shangguan Hen frowned.
“Oh?” Gu Hai looked at Venerable Liu Nian.
Venerable Liu Nian smiled bitterly. “Back then, Long Xiaoyue had countless pursuers, including this humble monk and that He Shikang. Naturally, I would look into my competitors. I am sure that those people were He Shikang’s trusted men.”
Gu Hai nodded.
Coo!
Suddenly, an immortal crane carrying a cultivator flew over.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, three sharp arrows shot out from one of the small islands.
Coo!
The immortal crane let out a miserable cry, killed on the spot.
“What?” the person on the immortal crane exclaimed.
“Take him down!” A group of immortal cranes immediately flew up from the islands, carrying ten or so officers.
“What? Who are you? I am only passing by!” that person exclaimed as he fell.
As this cultivator had not reached the Nascent Soul Realm yet, he could only fall after the immortal crane died.
He tried to enter the sea in his horror, preparing to flee by diving.
“Roar!”
Suddenly, an enormous white dragon head came out of the middle of the three islands.
Crunch!
That dragon head swallowed that falling cultivator in one bite.
Upon seeing that the matter was resolved, the officers riding the immortal cranes returned to the three islands.
Gasp! “Why is this happening? Why are He Shikang’s soldiers harming the innocent? That person was just passing by, but they exterminated him?” Mu Chenfeng exclaimed.
“Indeed, there are sin dragons,” Long Wanqing said with narrowed eyes.
“When Venerable Liu Nian and I saw the soldiers, we hid underwater. However, the sin dragons in the sea discovered us the moment we entered the sea. Fortunately, Venerable Liu Nian was there, allowing us to flee,” Shangguan Hen said with an unsightly expression.
“What are you all doing here?” Mu Chenfeng exclaimed while goggling.
Shangguan Hen ignored Mu Chenfeng. Instead, he looked at Gu Hai and said, “Your Majesty, I sense that it is here. It’s definitely right.”
“What is the use of that snake head?” Gu Hai asked with a frown.
He Shikang’s soldiers camped here, and Duke Lu Yang’s sin dragons guarded the place. What was below? Was it for the snake head?
“The snake head has venom that can melt and undo many seals,” Shangguan Hen explained.
“Huh? What snake head can melt and undo seals?” Mu Chenfeng goggled in confusion.
Long Wanqing and Venerable Liu Nian knew that it was the Black Tortoise Prime’s head. However, they did not know why Shangguan Hen wanted it.
——
The soldiers on the three islands did not notice the flying ship hiding in the white clouds.
In a huge basin in the deep sea below, dozens of one-thousand-six-hundred-meter-long dragons with an asterisk-shaped mark on their foreheads were circling in the water.
Among them was a two-thousand-six-hundred-meter-long black dragon coiled on a large rock at the bottom of the sea, resting with its eyes narrowed.
Suddenly, the black dragon opened its eyes wide, and the surrounding water rippled.
“Oh? Here again? Humph!” the gigantic black dragon said coldly with narrowed eyes.
“Three of you, follow me!” the gigantic black dragon ordered coldly.
Boom!
Four gigantic dragons suddenly charged out of the sea, radiating a ferocious aura as they soared into the sky.
——
In the sky above the sea:
Mu Chenfeng glared at Gu Hai and said, “Gu Hai, what’s going on? Are we not scouting the place in preparation for the zither bestowal event? What’s going on with this snake head and these sin dragons? Why do I feel that you are here for some broken snake head?”
Gu Hai ignored Mu Chenfeng. Instead, he looked at the surrounding sea region and said with a frown, “Perhaps this zither bestowal event is not as simple as it appears.”
“Oh?” Mu Chenfeng said in confusion.
Venerable Liu Nian nodded and said, “That’s right. Of all places, they chose to hold the zither bestowal event in this sea region. The manor lord must have some plans.”
“Perhaps…” Gu Hai frowned as he looked at the sea below.
Suddenly, the sea churned.
“Huh?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
Boom!
A black figure suddenly soared into the sky, charging at the flying ship. The gigantic black figure had a vast aura that summoned a strong storm as it charged towards the flying ship.
“Oh no! It’s a sin dragon!” Venerable Liu Nian’s expression changed.
“Roar!”
A dragon roar thundered as a tail suddenly slammed into the flying ship.
Buzz!
Suddenly, countless ritual arrays appeared on the flying ship. Even so, the tail containing an overwhelming force walloped the flying ship into the distance.
“Ah!” Mu Chenfeng’s expression changed dramatically.
Gu Hai and Shangguan Hen quickly grabbed the railings. Long Wanqing stabled her footing.
Venerable Liu Nian instantly charged out of the ritual arrays and threw a palm strike at the dragon. “You evil creature!”
An enormous manifested palm appeared and caused the tail to tremble slightly. However, it did not significantly harm the dragon.
Boom!
After the flying ship got flung away, three sin dragons immediately broke out of the sea and surrounded it.
Venerable Liu Nian stood in front of the flying ship and looked at the largest black dragon in shock.
“Gui Mian?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
Gui Mian led the sin dragons in hunting the black tortoises in the Northern Sea previously. At that time, it fought Miao Chen in an intense battle for some time. Before leaving, Lu An had called out its name.
“I was wondering who it was. So, it is Venerable Liu Nian? And Elite Hall’s people?” Gui Mian said with a cold smile.
The gigantic dragon revealed a ferocious expression. Although the flying ship was large, the gigantic dragon was larger.
The four gigantic dragons trapped the flying ship in the center, blocking all paths of escape.
“Sin dragon Gui Mian, how dare you attack my flying ship? Are you attempting to rebel?!” Long Wanqing demanded while glaring.
“Hahahahahaha! Rebel? Hall Master Long, you are exaggerating. How could I rebel? This is just a personal grudge. There’s no need to elevate it so much. Furthermore, you should not have come to the Silver Moon Sea. Now that you are here, you can forget about leaving!” Gui Mian sneered.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
The other three gigantic dragons roared, affecting the weather. Dark clouds suddenly covered the sky, bringing with them torrential rain. The surroundings turned dark.
Mu Chenfeng’s expression changed dramatically as he said in horror, “How did things turn out like this? Why did you attack us? We are just passing by!”
“Division Master Mu, it looks like my guess came true. The Silver Moon Sea is a troublesome place.” Gu Hai smiled bitterly.
Buzz!
Venerable Liu Nian waved his hand. Eighteen Buddhist prayer beads instantly enlarged, looking like eighteen spherical mountains surrounding the place.
“Gu Hai, Hall Master, leave first. I’ll block them!” Venerable Liu Nian yelled.
“Alright!” Long Wanqing nodded as she answered.
“Boundless Buddhist Sea!” Venerable Liu Nian waved his right hand.
Buzz!
The eighteen mountain-like Buddhist prayer beads surged towards the four gigantic dragons with an overwhelming force.
“Humph! Venerable Liu Nian? I have long heard of you. Unfortunately, you are like me, just in the Nascent Soul Realm. I am more than sufficient to deal with you. You lot! Take down the flying ship! Roar!” Gui Mian roared.
Boom!
As a dragon tail swung, eighteen lightning bolts in the sky immediately flashed towards the eighteen Buddhist prayer beads as if heeding Gui Mian’s command.
Gui Mian charged at Venerable Liu Nian.
“Quickly control the flying ship to leave!” Long Wanqing called out.
Just at this moment, a red dragon tail swung around and interfered with the flying ship’s ritual arrays, preventing the flying ship from leaving.
“Roar!”
The three subordinate dragons seemed to spew out icy storms from their mouths as they crashed into the flying ship’s ritual arrays.
Rumble…!
The flying ship’s ritual arrays trembled. Then, a red dragon pulled on the entire flying ship, instantly dragging it to the bottom of the sea.
