Chapter 730
The pearl in Xiao Yuying's hand was none other than the Canghai Pearl she had previously lent to Zheng Fa for his protection.
Since Zheng Fa hadn’t used it, upon returning to the Jiushan Realm, the item naturally returned to its rightful owner.
She channeled her spiritual energy into the Canghai Pearl, her lips moving as if in prayer.
In an instant, the pearl emitted a shimmering blue light that illuminated the faces of everyone in the small courtyard.
As the lord of the Jiushan Realm, Zheng Fa suddenly felt something and instinctively activated his洞虚灵眼 (Dongxu Spiritual Eye), directing his gaze toward the Canghai Pearl.
It was as if he could see a vast deep sea.
In the pitch-black waters, rich spiritual energy swirled.
Only faint glimmers of light flickered, suggesting something was sleeping in the darkness.
“What is it?”
Suddenly, a voice emerged from the Canghai Pearl.
The voice was soft and melodious, seemingly feminine, yet Zheng Fa could detect an underlying coldness.
Xiao Yuying lowered her head, her tone respectful:
“I humbly request my master to lend assistance.”
The Canghai Pearl flashed again, as if an eye was surveying the surroundings, and then the woman asked, “To save you?”
“Not to save me.”
The woman fell silent for a moment, seemingly annoyed, before slowly saying, “You have only one chance.”
“I understand, Master.”
“Who?”
Upon hearing Xiao Yuying's response, the woman's voice turned even colder, yet she did not delay.
Xiao Yuying quickly described Senior Sister Zhang’s identity, appearance, and location. The woman said nothing more, but the scenery within the Canghai Pearl began to shift.
It was as if an eye leaped from the water, sweeping over one island after another.
Zheng Fa, unwilling to wait idly, grabbed Xiao Yuying and the anxious Uncle Pang, and they headed straight for Hongsha Island.
As he flew, he kept his eyes on the images within the Canghai Pearl. Just as they exited the Jiushan Realm, the scene revealed Senior Sister Zhang and Uncle Huang:
Senior Sister Zhang held the Qingjing Bamboo, protecting Uncle Huang and the others as they retreated.
Her face was as pale as snow.
Before her sat an old monk with long eyebrows, seated upon a golden lotus, relentlessly pursuing them.
The old monk held a wooden fish, occasionally striking it, producing a serene sound.
Buddha light surged like waves, enveloping Senior Sister Zhang.
She did not resist directly; instead, the innate Eight Trigrams spun rapidly before her, as if she were calculating her escape.
Then, with a flash, she used the Qingjing Bamboo to narrowly evade the Buddha light.
Zheng Fa, well-versed in the innate Eight Trigrams, could see that Senior Sister Zhang's approach was extremely cautious, merely seeking to avoid the old monk's sharpness while waiting for rescue.
However, the gap in their cultivation levels was too vast. Even with the innate Eight Trigrams and the Qingjing Bamboo, Senior Sister Zhang was now at a disadvantage.
His heart raced with urgency as he urged the rainbow light forward.
But as Uncle Pang had said, the sea was vast, and in an instant, he felt somewhat powerless.
The disparity in raw strength had rendered Senior Sister Zhang's clever tactics increasingly ineffective.
The old monk struck the wooden fish again.
The innate Eight Trigrams spun, but Senior Sister Zhang's figure trembled slightly, as if her power was waning. She could foresee a path to survival but could not evade this strike, forcing her to take it head-on.
Zheng Fa's heart sank with anxiety.
The scene within the Canghai Pearl shifted once more.
A dragon's roar!
A dragon's roar surged from the depths of the sea, colliding with the Buddha light emitted from the wooden fish.
It shielded Senior Sister Zhang and the others behind it.
The old monk's expression changed slightly as he stood up from the lotus seat, staring intently at the sea, his gaze filled with suspicion.
Unbeknownst to them, the sky was gathering countless white clouds.
A fierce wind whipped across the sea.
A massive, intimidating shadow slowly emerged from beneath the water.
The old monk's expression grew increasingly grave, his body radiating golden light as he shouted:
“Lord Shuyu!”
Zheng Fa couldn't help but glance at Xiao Yuying, astonished.
Xiao Yuying's master was even more formidable than he had imagined!
Earlier, when Xiao Yuying had taken out the Canghai Pearl, Zheng Fa had suspected that her master must be a Dao Fruit cultivator, perhaps even residing within the sea.
And not just any Dao Fruit cultivator.
But what was this old monk shouting about?
A dragon?
He had seen many dragons before.
Uncle Pang even had a Five Dragon Heavenly Palace.
But true dragons, or rather, ancient dragons, had long since faded from the world, leaving only legends behind.
The dragons that remained were not purebloods, barely meeting the threshold of dragonkind:
In simple terms, they were knock-offs.
Yet this old monk was a Dao Fruit cultivator, referring to the dragon lord, clearly indicating that this was not the same as the dragons Zheng Fa had encountered before.
Suddenly, the massive shadow in the sea flickered, and in an instant, a woman stood in the void.
Her robes were ancient, her face youthful, yet her demeanor was extremely cold.
Most notably, she had two delicate dragon horns atop her head.
“Indeed, it is the Dragon Lord.”
Lord Shuyu glanced at Senior Sister Zhang and directly stated, “I want her alive.”
“Dragon Lord, this is my Leiyin Temple…”
“Do you wish to fight?”
The old monk's expression shifted, revealing a hint of trepidation.
Zheng Fa felt a jolt of surprise.
From the earlier confrontation between Senior Sister Zhang and the old monk, he could roughly guess that this was likely a true immortal from Leiyin Temple.
Given the Dragon Lord's strong stance, she too must be a true immortal?
“Dragon Lord, are you willing to offend my Leiyin Temple for this person?”
“And you, Leiyin Temple, are you willing to offend me for her?”
What a bold exchange!
Zheng Fa couldn't help but glance at Xiao Yuying again, feeling a bit dazed.
No wonder Master Yan would rather take a beating from Yan Wushuang than offend Xiao Yuying.
This girl’s background was as solid as diamond.
He recalled how Xiao Yuying had felt burdened for having consumed a few extra bottles of Baihua Spirit Dew.
But it was no exaggeration to say that at this moment, seeing the Dragon Lord, Zheng Fa would gladly offer Baihua Spirit Dew for Xiao Yuying to bathe in.
The old monk's expression was also stiff. He frowned at the Dragon Lord, seemingly reluctant.
The two stood in silent confrontation in the air.
After a moment, the old monk actually pressed his palms together, and the Buddha light enveloped him, vanishing without a trace.
…
The rainbow light descended, and Zheng Fa landed beside Senior Sister Zhang, looking around, only to find that the Leiyin Temple group had completely disappeared.
He couldn't tell if the old monk had been intimidated by the Dragon Lord or if he had anticipated Zheng Fa's arrival and fled swiftly.
“Senior Sister, are you alright?”
Senior Sister Zhang shook her head, glancing at Lord Shuyu, and bowed her hands in gratitude: “Thank you for saving me, Dragon Lord.”
However, Lord Shuyu seemed disinterested in further conversation, turning her gaze back to Xiao Yuying.
Xiao Yuying pursed her lips and raised the Canghai Pearl above her head.
Lord Shuyu waved her hand slightly, taking the Canghai Pearl into her palm, her gaze shifting from Xiao Yuying to Zheng Fa.
Without acknowledging anyone, she vanished into a flurry of waves, leaving no trace behind.
Zheng Fa and the others exchanged glances, then turned their eyes to the downcast Xiao Yuying, all speechless.
…
The group landed on Hongsha Island, surveying the damage.
Fortunately, there was little loss.
Thanks to Senior Sister Zhang's innate Eight Trigrams, Jiushan Sect had managed to secure a slim chance of survival, with no disciples harmed.
Uncle Pang held a communication mirror, notifying the disciples on various islands that the crisis had passed.
However, Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang wore grim expressions.
This crisis had been averted thanks to Lord Shuyu.
But what about next time?
Zheng Fa's gaze fell on Xiao Yuying, filled with gratitude and guilt.
Clearly, Lord Shuyu was not willing to act as a babysitter for her disciples indefinitely.
The protection given to Xiao Yuying was likely a one-time affair.
Yet, she had used it to save Jiushan Sect.
Sensing Zheng Fa's emotions, Xiao Yuying smiled lightly: “I won’t face much danger in the Jiushan Realm from now on; the Canghai Pearl isn’t of much use to me anymore.”
This statement was, of course, unconvincing.
Though Lord Shuyu appeared cold, after this intervention, she seemed unwilling to offer Xiao Yuying further protection.
This was almost a matter of life and death.
For Xiao Yuying, the loss was indeed significant.
Seeing the lingering sense of indebtedness on his face, Xiao Yuying shook her head: “My master has never been particularly kind to me; taking me as a disciple was not out of affection.”
Zheng Fa frowned.
He had never heard Xiao Yuying elaborate on her master before and was unaware of the underlying circumstances.
“My master is the last of the ancient dragon lineage in the Xuanwei Realm,” Xiao Yuying explained. “I am not of dragon blood, and I cannot cultivate dragon techniques, so I haven’t spent much time with my master.”
“The last of the ancient dragon lineage?”
“Yeah.” Xiao Yuying nodded. “My master once said that the ancient dragon lineage was incredibly glorious, revered by heaven and earth, and was the overlord of the seas, nearly invincible in the ocean.”
“Yet… she is the only one left.”
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa felt a stir in his heart and looked at Senior Sister Zhang.
To his surprise, Senior Sister Zhang was also looking at him. Their eyes met, and they both understood each other's thoughts:
Cling to the powerful!
The retreat of the Leiyin Temple did not guarantee the safety of the trade routes between the East and West Continents.
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