After Chaoxiangzi retrieved the flying ship, he switched to a smaller boat that could seat four people. "Oh, so you are the renowned genius formation master of the Chaotian Immortal Sect!" Qu Biyao's eyes widened in shock.
"Cousin, don't be rude. So both young sect leaders are here. My apologies!" Tu Yue also felt confused. He had long heard that the Chaotian Immortal Sect had two young sect leaders, but he had never seen them appear at the same time. If one was in the world, the other would surely be guarding the sect. Could there be a change in the Chaotian Immortal Sect?
"It's nothing!" Chaoxiangzi said and fell silent.
Not long after they entered the cave, they found that the boat could not proceed, and the cliff top was getting closer and closer to the water surface. Zhaoyangzi took out a water-repelling bead. The dignified Chaotian Immortal Sect would certainly not lack such a small water-repelling bead. It was taken from a merfolk.
The Tu family had always been searching for the entrance to the secret realm in the underground river of Dushan, so they naturally had treasures to repel water. Their family's secret art, the Turtle Breathing Technique, could allow them to stay underwater for a long time without breathing.
Qu Biyao also had a water-repelling bead. She never lacked things that could be bought with money.
After putting away their light boat, the four of them entered the water. The water was dim. Zhaoyangzi took out a luminous pearl and led the way. He remembered the map of the secret passage clearly after only one glance. The Tu Yue siblings were in the middle, and Chaoxiangzi was at the rear.
After swimming underwater for a while, at the bottom of a river, they were shocked by the scattered skeletons at the bottom. Qu Biyao and Tu Yue exchanged glances, understanding that the human bones must include those of their family members who had been sent to explore the waterway, and that they were buried here. Their hearts felt heavy. This trip was coming to an end, and they would send people to collect the bones and bury them properly.
"Be careful, there's a demonic beast in the dark!" Zhaoyangzi suddenly transmitted.
"What is it?" Tu Yue extended his divine sense to investigate but found nothing unusual.
"It's a catfish monster that has achieved sentience, its cultivation has reached the level of a Demon Emperor." Zhaoyangzi believed in minding his own business. As long as it didn't target them, he wouldn't bother with that foolish fish hiding in the dark!
"Demon Emperor?" Qu Biyao gasped. She was now at the Nascent Soul stage, but this was underwater. Her cultivation would be at a disadvantage against a water-attribute demonic beast of the Demon Emperor level.
Tu Yue now understood why there were so many skeletons here. Those who encountered this demonic beast never returned, and those who didn't were lost in the waterway, their spiritual power exhausted, and they would end up as food for the fish!
Unfortunately, the catfish monster did not know what Zhaoyangzi was thinking. It only knew that it was hungry. Several human cultivators with cultivation had arrived. As long as it ate them, its abilities could advance further. Greed made it ignore the dangerous aura emanating from the person in front. At a corner, it charged out.
"Seeking death!" Zhaoyangzi saw that the foolish fish ignored the pressure he was exuding and even opened its mouth full of sharp teeth to bite him.
Zhaoyangzi swung his sword with his backhand. The Azure Wind Sword transformed into thirty-six sword energies and shot out rapidly! The oncoming catfish was instantly dismembered, and the water became bloody and messy. The red blood obscured Qu Biyao's vision!
"So... so strong!" She swallowed her saliva. This young sect leader Chaoyang was definitely not to be trifled with. She was afraid of being dismembered by him...
Tu Yue was also stunned. He was also at the middle Nascent Soul stage and was thinking about what move to use in the water to deal with this fish monster and avenge his ancestors. The scales of a fish monster that reached the Demon Emperor level must be incredibly tough. He never expected it to be resolved by the young sect leader Chaoyang in one move. What was this young sect leader Chaoyang's cultivation level? He was truly strong!
Zhaoyangzi drew in the void, and the catfish monster's inner core was held in his palm. Since Qilin was about to emerge from seclusion, it could be used as a snack for Qilin.
"Let's go, this bloody water is slightly toxic. The blood of a demonic beast that has consumed many people is extremely vile!" Chaoxiangzi transmitted to Qu Biyao and Tu Yue. Zhaoyangzi had already swum far ahead.
"Oh, alright, cousin, keep up!" Tu Yue came to his senses and did not forget to remind Qu Biyao.
"Coming, cousin. I won't lag behind." Qu Biyao knew the blood was toxic and had already condensed a spiritual energy shield to isolate herself. She felt disgusted, afraid of the blood touching her.
The four of them had been navigating the waterways in the dark river for a long time without finding anything. Whether they went upstream or downstream, they did not encounter any whirlpools. The map of the Tu family indicated that they would encounter whirlpools, which would lead them to another water area and offer a chance to enter the secret realm.
At this time, the four of them were sitting on a shallow beach of the dark river. They did not know day or night in the cave, and they did not know how long they had been turning. However, the Tu Yue siblings, whose cultivation was relatively weaker, were running out of spiritual power.
"Brother, forget the map. Follow your feelings. Let's try this way to see if we can find it," Chaoxiangzi suddenly suggested.
"Mm!" Zhaoyangzi felt it made sense after hearing this. It seemed the map only showed what the eyes could see. Some places were definitely overlooked.
The four of them recovered their spiritual power and re-entered the water. Zhaoyangzi tried his best to forget the waterway remembered in his mind. He only extended his divine sense, searching for any abnormalities.
His divine sense could not penetrate far. The mountain walls still blocked some divine sense. Finally, at the bottom of the riverbed of a dark river, he detected a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation. Zhaoyangzi was overjoyed; he had found it.
The four of them hurriedly swam towards it. As expected, upon getting closer, they felt an unusual suction force, and finally, they were drawn into the whirlpool...
When they woke up, they saw a strikingly handsome uncle looking at the four of them.
"Qingyang, you're awake?" Dragon God Long San looked at the four of them carelessly while gnawing on a chicken leg.
"Uncle Long, you're here. Where is Venerable? Is this the Dushan Secret Realm?" Zhaoyangzi was overjoyed to see the Dragon God. He had finally found it.
"Hey~ Hey~ You're asking so many questions at once, how am I supposed to answer? I want to ask you too, why are you here? And who are these two little ones?" Long San wiped the corner of his mouth. He was annoyed by Zhaoyangzi's rapid-fire questions!
"Greetings, senior. My name is Qu Biyao."
"Greetings, senior. I am Tu Yue."
Seeing that young sect leader Cha called this middle-aged man Uncle Long, Qu Biyao and Tu Yue naturally did not dare to be disrespectful. The two introduced themselves.
"Oh, oh, oh, the two children are quite polite!" The Dragon God immediately felt favorably towards them. They were good children! Polite!
"Is this Qingyin?" The Dragon God asked hesitantly.
"Yes, Uncle Long, this is my younger brother Qingyin. He hasn't met you yet," Zhaoyangzi explained.
"Greetings, Uncle Long!" Chaoxiangzi performed an ancient禮 to the Dragon God!
"Not bad, I heard Xiao Ju Xun mention you! You are proficient in formations. Let's spar another day!" The Dragon God knew that Qingyin was not only proficient in formations but also a master of mechanisms!
Zhaoyangzi surveyed the surroundings, finding that they were by the river. The river was only tens of meters wide, with a gentle current. The banks were lush with tall trees, and the spiritual energy was dense. No, this spiritual energy seemed to be mixed with immortal spiritual energy.
"Uncle Long, where did you find us?" Zhaoyangzi couldn't help but ask.
"Oh, I was just eating chicken legs here. You suddenly emerged from the water. I wanted to ask you how you got here?" The Dragon God also found it puzzling. He hadn't sensed any aura before, and these four people just appeared out of nowhere.