The Transmigrator's Cultivation

Chapter 39 - Arc 3: Disaster at Sea | Chapter 39: Ying Fish

Translator: Lynn

Xu Ziqing’s expression became complicated as he observed the scene. He had witnessed an inverted water vortex at the bottom of the secret lake before, but the current water vortex was completely different. Its power and impact were reminiscent of the “Dragon-Sucking Water” technique.

However, this was not a “Dragon-Sucking water” situation, as the vortex was confined to a specific area and was not wreaking havoc on the sea like a swift wind.

Dong Lizhao had never witnessed such a spectacle before and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Sir, what is this?”

Xu Ziqing had already realized that the massive formation was not a natural occurrence but rather man-made.

With his enhanced eyesight, he could discern more than ten dots of colored light hovering around the water vortex. These were the spiritual lights emitted by activated magical artifacts.

Since magical artifacts lacked spiritual intelligence, it indicated that the people responsible for this were cultivators.

Xu Ziqing had some doubts in his mind. The water vortex and the group of cultivators were obstructing their direct path. If they were to detour, it would add thousands of nautical miles to their journey, putting a strain on Xu Ziqing’s spiritual power and limiting the duration of the Vajra Shield.

However, if they wanted to proceed, they would have to encounter those cultivators.

Xu Ziqing pulled Dong Lizhao closer and instructed him, “There are people ahead. From now on, you must remain silent.”

Dong Lizhao looked surprised but complied, saying, “Yes, sir.”

Seeing his obedience, Xu Ziqing felt relieved and maintained a serious expression as he continued forward.

As they approached, the view became clearer.

Among the group of ten or so cultivators, there was a woman positioned in the center. She stood on two colored discs and wore a red dress with a flowing train, radiating beauty.

Beside her stood twelve male cultivators, ranging from the sixth to the eighth level of Qi refinement, each standing on a flying sword. The colors of the spiritual lights emitted by their swords varied, indicating different attributes of their cultivated techniques.

Upon seeing their faces, Xu Ziqing, with his exceptional memory, recognized them instantly.

The woman was a relatively weak cultivator at the second level of Qi refinement. Xu Ziqing had encountered her previously in the Herb Pavilion when he first arrived in Lower Herb County. At that time, she was searching for spiritual herbs to replenish her spiritual power, suggesting that she might be an alchemist.

Upon closer observation, Xu Ziqing noticed that the twelve men and their flying swords were arranged in a formation, seemingly connected by a spell. The woman stood at the center of the formation, in a safe position. This sight sparked a vague idea in Xu Ziqing’s mind—could there be some sort of mystery within these waves?

However, due to this suspicion, Xu Ziqing couldn’t proceed rashly. He slowed down, his feet gracefully landing on the blue leaves as he suspended himself in mid-air about ten feet away from the front.

The cultivators, being proficient in spell formations, were naturally sensitive to their surroundings, and it didn’t take long for them to detect Xu Ziqing’s presence.

A male cultivator approached Xu Ziqing, giving a subtle signal to the others, and asked, “Who are you, and why are you here?”

Xu Ziqing smiled politely and replied, “My name is Xu Ziqing. I’m just passing through. I was hoping you could make it easier for me.”

The male cultivator eyed him skeptically and inquired, “Just passing through?” He then looked at the young boy Xu Ziqing was holding and asked, “And who is this?”

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Xu Ziqing explained, “He’s my new apprentice, accompanying me on the journey.”

The cultivator, whose cultivation level was similar to Xu Ziqing’s, decided to show some respect and said, “My lady is ahead, so it’s best for you to take a detour.”

Xu Ziqing sighed inwardly and said, “I have an urgent matter at hand and can’t afford to take a detour…”

The cultivator scrutinized Xu Ziqing but didn’t turn him away. Instead, he said, “Wait here. I will go and consult with the lady.”

With no other option, Xu Ziqing had to wait patiently.

After a short while, three or four cultivators appeared, escorting the woman. She held her head high with an air of arrogance and remarked, “I recognize you.”

Xu Ziqing replied, “We met at the Medicine Hall.”

The woman grunted dismissively and stated, “I’m here to capture a demon pet. If you don’t want to go around, then wait. But if you cause any trouble and hinder us, you’ll be held responsible!”

Xu Ziqing frowned but nodded, saying, “I won’t be a hindrance. Please proceed quickly.”

The woman waved her hand and signaled the cultivators, saying, “Let’s hope it emerges soon so I can capture it.”

With a respectful bow, Xu Ziqing led Dong Lizhao back to a safe distance. Dong Lizhao, observing Xu Ziqing negotiating with the cultivators, dared not speak a word. He realized that the relationships among cultivators were just as intricate as those in the mundane world and that one had to be cautious.

As they retreated, Xu Ziqing gazed at the water vortex. He hadn’t heard anything about this place in the market, suggesting that the woman had her own sources of information. Based on his assessment, she was likely not from the county town and had come specifically to capture this demon pet.

While contemplating this, the situation suddenly changed.

Suddenly, a two-foot-long flying fish emerged from the elongated tail of the water vortex. It had a brown body with a red tail and wings, and its amber eyes sparkled with a vibrant red glow.

Unaware of any danger, the flying fish swam freely at the bottom of the vortex, seemingly unaffected by its surroundings.

The cultivators remained relatively still, performing intricate hand gestures, while the woman in the middle waved a formation flag, using the cultivators as auxiliary flags to practice changes in the formation.

Observing the scene, Xu Ziqing smiled knowingly. It was another illusory formation designed to confuse the flying fish, making them believe they were swimming undisturbed in an empty sea.

The flying fish happily flapped its wings and ascended along the swirling current. Reaching the top, it abruptly dove back down and hovered in the center of the vortex. Opening its mouth, the fish spat out a brilliant blue bead.

The bead, adorned with intricate water patterns, emitted a magnificent light. As the flying fish exhaled, the bead moved back and forth, swaying with the rhythm of its breath. The bead appeared to be affected by the air currents, stretching and retracting in a mesmerizing manner. Even more astonishing was the giant water vortex, seemingly created by the bead itself. It expanded and contracted in sync with the movement of the bead.

Overjoyed by this sight, the woman’s beautiful face grew even more delicate. “There’s a bead in the flying fish’s belly that can manipulate water… Yes, that’s it!” She exclaimed with excitement. “Hurry, capture it for me!”

The group of cultivators sprang into action, abandoning their flying swords and floating up in unison. The next moment, the twelve flying swords turned around simultaneously, aiming their tips at the flying fish, and shot forward.

The flesh of the flying fish was incredibly resilient, making it difficult to harm with ordinary magic weapons. However, its inner pellet, vulnerable when outside its body, was as delicate as that of an ordinary fish. The cultivators employed an illusion formation to confuse the fish and coax it into expelling its inner pellet before launching their attack.

In an instant, numerous flying swords burst forth, piercing through the water vortex. The waves surged, and the flying fish remained suspended in the middle of the vortex, finally realizing the change in its predicament.

Desperate to retrieve its inner pellet, the fish swished its tail to evade the onslaught of flying swords from all sides. But the swords swiftly turned again, following the cultivators’ commands to form a simple sword formation, surrounding the fish with a dazzling brightness. Despite its agility, the fish found it difficult to escape the encirclement.

The calculations were spot on, and it was no wonder the woman was so confident in claiming that she could “capture it easily.” The cultivators rejoiced as they witnessed the flying fish’s struggle.

However, their premature celebration was short-lived.

A ripple of sound waves spread out like concentric circles, causing a tingling sensation in the ears of the cultivators and briefly freezing their souls.

At that moment, the flying fish leaped upward. Instead of immediately retrieving its inner pellet, its eyes blazed with a mix of red and turquoise-blue light. The sea churned, and the water vortex violently disintegrated, unleashing colossal waves hundreds of feet high.

Even with the sword formation in place, what could it possibly do against such a massive onslaught?

The beautiful woman found herself surrounded by twelve men who attempted to guide her in evading the towering waves. However, with each attempt to ascend higher, the waves matched their height, gradually draining the cultivators’ energy. They had already depleted much of their spiritual energy manipulating the sword and illusion formations, causing exhaustion to set in.

Standing atop the highest wave, the Ying Fish gazed coldly at the struggling crowd of cultivators. Its fish-like eyes disregarded them, as the inner pellet behind its head emitted a radiant blue light that extended for a hundred feet. The fish seemed to consider the cultivators mere playthings, amusing itself with their futile efforts.

Despite Xu Ziqing and Dong Lizhao standing only ten feet away, the waves paid little attention to their presence. While most of their focus was on the cultivators who had set up the formation, some waves surged in their direction, attempting to engulf them both.

Dong Lizhao’s face turned pale as he experienced the piercing screams emitted by the Ying Fish. Although he managed to endure it, Xu Ziqing quickly covered his ears, preventing him from being affected. This further reinforced the fears and gratitude that the young boy, who was barely ten years old, held towards Xu Ziqing for his earlier warnings during their journey.

As a seventh-level Qi refiner, Xu Ziqing could barely protect himself from the colossal wave’s impact, experiencing only a slight aftershock. He witnessed a cultivator being struck by the wave, who was then relentlessly crushed by subsequent waves, making it impossible for him to save himself.

The woman, who was shielded by the cultivators, had lost all traces of her arrogant demeanor. Her complexion turned pale, and she clung to a male cultivator, shouting, “You useless fools, take me back immediately! Otherwise, I will have my father punish you!”

The men had lost their flying swords and were considerably weakened. They had expended a significant amount of spiritual energy to protect the woman.

The man whose arm was grabbed by the woman pushed her away and retorted, “We are qualified individuals. How can we willingly die here?”

Another man seemed to be swayed by the idea. “If we escape on our own, we can ensure our survival.”

“Yes, I agree with that.”

“But what about the sect master?”

One person sneered, “Once we’re back on land, we can simply claim that we sent the lady back first.”

The group of male cultivators looked in the direction of the cultivator who had just sunk to the bottom of the sea and burst into hearty laughter.

The woman, already furious from being pushed away by her guards, was about to unleash her anger. However, upon hearing their words, a hint of fear flickered in her eyes, although her words remained unforgiving. “You ungrateful bastards! How dare you treat me like this! If you are willing to make amends now, I can plead with my father for leniency!”

Despite her domineering nature, her later words were already a concession. However, the men were no longer willing to tolerate her. While a father’s wrath could be fearsome, leaving the woman behind meant certain death. They all abandoned her and fled in different directions.

The cultivators fled with astonishing speed, utilizing all their strength to transform into streaks of light, narrowly evading being swallowed by the waves several times. Eventually, they scattered in different directions, leaving the Ying Fish unable to pursue them all. Although it managed to catch a few who had dared to challenge it, the majority of the cultivators regained their lives and fled without looking back.

The woman still had her colorful trains beneath her feet, but her situation had worsened significantly. Once separated from the men who had protected her, she was immediately drenched by several water splashes, causing her hair and garments to become disheveled and clinging to her body.

Consumed by hatred, she couldn’t help but curse, but the fish had already eliminated several of her enemies. How could she be spared from the colossal waves that crashed down upon her? In a panic, she attempted to escape using her colorful trains, but her cultivation was too weak, and the train’s speed was inadequate to match the waves. Desperately searching for a way out, she suddenly caught sight of Xu Ziqing wading through the waves. She shrieked, “Save me, and my father will reward you generously!”

Her shrill voice reached Xu Ziqing’s ears. Although this woman possessed a disagreeable character, she had not committed any crime. How could he stand idly by and watch her perish? Without hesitation, he extended his hand to help her.

Unfortunately, he also had to protect Dong Lizhao, so he couldn’t reach her as quickly as he desired.

E Jiaoran’s joy surged upon spotting Xu Ziqing approaching, but before she could even display a smile, the rapidly descending wave overtook her, plunging her to the depths of the sea…

In the next instant, Xu Ziqing’s face turned slightly pale, as if an immensely powerful pressure was bearing down on him.

When he looked up, he saw the minuscule Ying Fish atop the crest of the wave, glaring at him with a murderous intent!

Despite Xu Ziqing’s inaction, the fish regarded him as one of the cultivators and sought to take his life.

Xu Ziqing momentarily froze, then produced a leaf the size of a bushel in his hand, swiftly handing it to Dong Lizhao. He urged, “Cover your mouth and nose with this. Breathing might become difficult later, but no matter what happens, stay calm and wait. I will ensure your safety.”

Dong Lizhao understood the urgency of the situation and took the leaf without further ado, shielding his face with it. He added, “If I become a burden, you can leave me behind. You know what you want, and I won’t hold any grudges!”

Xu Ziqing didn’t respond, instead waving his hand, causing Dong Lizhao to vanish before him. He sealed him within his storage ring, a space that momentarily suffocated any living entity inside. Xu Ziqing could only hope that Dong Lizhao would survive this ordeal. If he managed to escape successfully, he would be released immediately. However, if he couldn’t… Xu Ziqing feared he would have to perish alongside him.

After securing Dong Lizhao’s safety, Xu Ziqing opened his right palm, summoning the bloodthirsty demon vine, which slithered out with a rustling sound. He grasped a vine that extended nearly ten feet, the longest he could comfortably wield.

His only chance was to get as close as possible to the fish. Once the vine made contact, victory would be assured!

With a glimmer of green light beneath his feet, colossal blades materialized to anchor Xu Ziqing in the sea breeze. Though he swayed back and forth, it was so natural that he remained steadfast.

In the next moment, a roar erupted from the Ying Fish’s mouth, and the waves crashed into the heavens, rushing like a stampede of ten thousand horses.

Xu Ziqing raised his rattan whip and struck down, occasionally shattering the head of a wave. He swiftly maneuvered through the gaps, propelled upward with tremendous force.

Dodging the waves using the recoil, he traversed their path multiple times without encountering any danger or succumbing to the drowning waters.

Enraged by the failure of its spells, the Ying Fish’s eyes burned red, transforming the waves into numerous whirlpools, forming dozens of inverted vortices. Although these water vortices were smaller than before, they collided relentlessly. When two merged, their twisting force multiplied several times!

With a mental command, Xu Ziqing’s left hand clutched the spirit pearl, replenishing his spiritual power, while his right vine whip created a hundred shadowy lashes, deftly navigating through the fissures like a swimming fish.

He resembled a small boat adrift in wind and waves, a rootless water plant carried along by the current. Yet, one day, he might still be swallowed by the vast sea!

Despite having more spiritual energy to replenish his strength, Xu Ziqing couldn’t escape the piercing pain in his head and the blinding sensation that overwhelmed his focused soul.

Meanwhile, the Ying Fish held its elevated position, its inner pellet radiating a brilliant light. As long as it remained in the sea, its power to generate relentless waves seemed boundless.

Xu Ziqing’s body weakened, and his spirit pearls gradually drained of spiritual energy. Despite his determination, the whirlpools persisted without respite.

What could he do next?

Taking a deep breath, Xu Ziqing clenched the spirit pearl tightly—*snap!*

The spirit pearl shattered, and Xu Ziqing’s dantian acted like a whale drawing in water, extracting the spirit energy from the pearl and infusing it into his body, causing the energy within him to surge rapidly.

He gazed at the peak where the Ying Fish still loomed, with only 20 to 30 feet remaining—this was his final stand.

In the midst of this perilous situation, countless sword qis stirred around him, shaking him to his core. A frigid, murderous aura spread like a tsunami in all directions…

A figure in white appeared by Xu Ziqing’s side, their white clothes billowing, ink-black hair cascading down, and their eyebrows seemingly frozen like ice and snow that would not melt for ten thousand years.

It was Yun Lie.

<<End of Arc 3: Disaster at Sea>>

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