Everyone’s heart settled back down. They could sense the rolling waves shielding them from most of the mist, which saved them the trouble of dealing with the poison. They could refocus on responding to potential threats.
And just as Jiang Chen had predicted, the mist prevented the enemy from being alerted, despite the dramatic fashion with which the Black Tortoise traversed the sea.
Other than a few encounters with some underwater creatures, the journey was uneventful.
More importantly, this was the tortoise’s territory. It knew the terrain like the back of its claw.
The heavy mist didn’t hinder it at all. The tortoise was able to navigate the area even with its eyes closed. It swam as fast as a cultivator flew.
The “island” that was the tortoise moved swiftly but steadily. Everyone was shocked by how smooth the ride was. How was this possible when it was moving so quickly?
Even the ten divine forefathers were shocked. They wondered how the island could move on its own, and at such an amazing speed. Understanding descended after a short while.
Only marine creatures were able to swim so quickly. They didn’t know what the creature was, or how Jiang Chen knew it, but one thing was for certain – the Eternal genius must be on friendly terms with it, or it wouldn’t spare no effort to help him.
The ten forefathers exchanged a look and saw in each other’s eyes a newfound appreciation for the young man. This was beyond their expectations. There seemed to be nothing that Jiang Chen couldn’t do.
The ten forefathers might be some of the most powerful cultivators in this area, but they couldn’t command marine creatures.
They were naturally untameable. Even the mighty ten forefathers would have trouble exerting authority.
If the creatures were angered, they were likely to retaliate and launch an attack. The coming swarm would be a catastrophe for the islands in the region.
The other forefathers couldn’t ask Jiang Chen for an explanation, but Eternal’s forefather could. “What is this ‘island,’ Jiang Chen? It’s a powerful marine creature, isn’t it?”
Jiang Chen didn’t want to expose the Black Tortoise. He nodded. “It is. The island is its other form. Don’t worry. Even if we’re detected by powerful foe in this area, they won’t pose a threat to us. Besides, I believe that the enemy is waiting in mid air. They’ll never foresee that we’re brave enough to travel by water.”
Eternal’s forefather was thoroughly impressed.
Martial’s forefather sighed. “We’ve lived for a long time, Jiang Chen, and we’ve seen many young geniuses, but none of them are as remarkable as you. These creatures have always been hostile to human cultivators. Even we never dream of taming one of them. How did you do it?”
That was a universal question. There were countless creatures within the vast ocean around Myriad Abyss. If they could tame a few of them, it’d be a significant boost to the ten sacred lands’ power.
Unfortunately, no one from the ten sacred lands had ever succeeded in doing so.
“I know some ancient beast language, so I can talk to them,” Jiang Chen responded faintly, smiling. “We’ve made a few transactions. I haven’t really tamed this creature.”
He didn’t want to expose his relationship with the Black Tortoise.
The others were stunned. It was shocking that Jiang Chen knew the ancient beast language!
The more they thought about it though, it wasn’t that surprising. He had two powerful sacred beasts as companions, the Vermilion Bird and the True Dragon.
Therefore, it made sense that he knew the ancient beast language. That must be how he’d befriended his companions.
Eternal’s forefather was delighted by the revelation.
If Jiang Chen could teach the language to his fellow members of the sacred land, Eternal would gain another advantage over the others. The ability to communicate with spirit creatures was invaluable. It was something others couldn’t even dream of.
The forefather was thrilled and was already plotting how to convince Jiang Chen to pass on the knowledge. Of course, he wasn’t going to say anything in front of everyone.
“It’s clear from the creature’s speed that it knows the area well,” said the forefather. “Have you told it where we’re going?”
Jiang Chen smiled. “Don’t worry. It knows what it’s doing.”
This was the Black Tortoise’s home territory. It was only natural that it knew where to go.
“Good! Wonderful!” Eternal’s forefather was pleased. Jiang Chen had saved the ten sacred lands yet again.
Eternal had cemented its role as the leader. Flora wouldn’t think of fighting for the position at current. Even Flora’s two most loyal allies had to admit he’d done an impressive job. Jiang Chen and Flora’s Lu Mingye was night and day.
Jiang Chen sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes in meditation. They hadn’t escaped the danger yet. He didn’t want to waste his time answering questions.
Another fifteen minutes later, the Black Tortoise messaged Jiang Chen.
“We’re getting close to the exit, young master. I sense an ambush there. Tell your companions to get ready for a fight.”
With that reminder, Jiang Chen opened his eyes and got to his feet. “Get ready, everyone, we’re reaching the exit soon. However, there may be a difficult fight waiting for us. Be prepared. We have to exert our dominance. Given our foundation and strength, the ten sacred lands will be able to gain the upper hand by catching them off guard!”
That much, Jiang Chen was sure of.
The ten sacred lands were the ruling factions in Myriad Abyss, after all. Although many cultivators had escaped the Boundless Prison, they shouldn’t be able to defeat the ten sacred lands.
If they were more powerful than the sacred lands, they would’ve attacked openly before. Why else spring a trap on Sandplain Island?
Moreover, even though the fugitives had banded together, they might not be a close-knit group.
What kept them together was a shared interest. They weren’t comrades in arms who would go through hell together. A major defeat could break them apart.
Therefore, it was crucial for the ten sacred lands to dominate the first battle.
