"Damn it!"
Yun Ze's heart leaped. Without time to think, and before the immortals on the boat had disembarked, he could only hastily dive deeper!
He knew the old beggar was by the lake, but he didn't dare swim towards him.
Those were immortals!
No matter how powerful the old beggar was, or if he could contend with the immortal on the boat, as soon as he surfaced, he would likely be devoured before he even swam halfway!
Since he could now breathe underwater, it was better to dive to the lakebed, conceal himself with mud, sand, and water plants, and slowly swim back to the shore after the immortal left.
However... he had underestimated the power of an immortal!
As Yun Ze dove to about ten meters, the immortal leaped from the boat.
Even from ten meters away, he could clearly feel a terrifying presence behind him, following him closely!
"Damn it!"
Yun Ze inwardly cursed, his mind repeatedly urging him to turn and check the situation, but he suppressed the urge each time.
He wasn't sure if the other party had discovered him, only knowing that if he turned and their eyes met, he would be doomed!
His only choice was to continue fleeing!
But in the next instant, he felt a heavy pat on his shoulder!
Yun Ze felt his heart about to leap out of his throat, unsure of what to do, while simultaneously sensing a searing heat from his lower abdomen!
That was... the Immortal Jade!
The Immortal Jade was burning!
Could this immortal behind him have some connection to the immortal who gave the Immortal Jade to his ancestor?
Yun Ze instinctively turned his head, only to see the face of a middle-aged man.
His weathered face looked extremely ferocious, with a sinister grin on his lips, like a hunter who had captured his prey!
He didn't look like a benevolent person at all.
But the most crucial thing now wasn't whether he was benevolent, but how to survive!
Just as Yun Ze was about to speak, a most bizarre scene unfolded!
The middle-aged man's hand passed through his shoulder. Under Yun Ze's gaze, the hand passed through his shoulder, arm, and even his chest!
It was as if... his hand had merely passed through flowing water.
The man's eyes showed a hint of confusion, and Yun Ze's eyes held only surprise.
The man floated in place, looking around. After a while, he slowly swam towards the surface, as if he hadn't discovered him.
Yun Ze breathed a sigh of relief, but his confusion deepened.
He prepared to take the Immortal Jade from his embrace, but as his fingers touched half of the Immortal Jade, an extremely profound sensation instantly washed over him!
Everything around him became clear.
Whether underwater or in darkness, as long as he was surrounded by water, or even touched something containing water, Yun Ze could sense and even control it!
It was as if... everything in this lake was within his grasp!
Water manipulation? Was this the use of the Immortal Jade? But why did his ancestors not discover it, and only he could use it?
It couldn't be because he had broken the Immortal Jade, could it?
Yun Ze closed his eyes, carefully savoring the feeling.
He happened to sense a bailiff not far away preparing to board the boat from the lake. With a mere thought, a suction force from the lake pulled the man in!
The lake water surged into his mouth and nose. In less than three breaths, the man had found eternal rest in the lake.
"It's happening again! The water ghost is here again!"
"Immortal! Immortal, save us!"
The sounds from the lake surface transmitted directly into Yun Ze's mind through the water.
Not just the sounds, but with his eyes closed, he could even see the appearances of those people!
The middle-aged man from before had already boarded the boat. His clothes were dry. Seeing someone fall into the water, he had no intention of rescuing them.
He simply stood on the boat with his hands behind his back and uttered indifferently, "Interesting. Let's go back first."
Upon hearing this, Yun Ze watched as the flower boat sailed towards the other side of the lake. Then, he felt as if something within him was being drained, and his head became instantly heavy, as if he might faint at any moment.
"No! I absolutely cannot faint now!"
The crisis was not yet fully resolved. He had to at least get to the old beggar's side!
Yun Ze forced himself to swim towards the shore. With the Immortal Jade controlling the water flow, his speed underwater greatly increased.
But before he could reach the shore, his heavy head could no longer bear it.
As the last trace of consciousness faded into silence, his figure reappeared in the lake.
Immediately, a small, ethereal blue figure also appeared, lifting him from the water and flying towards the shore.
If Yun Ze were conscious now, he would have cried out in surprise.
This small, ethereal blue figure was clearly a miniature version of the old beggar!
Only its size was reduced by dozens of times.
The ethereal blue figure lifted Yun Ze from the water, brought him to the old beggar's side, and then returned to the old beggar's body.
The old beggar slowly stood up and walked to Yun Ze, his eyes fixed on Yun Ze's lower abdomen, his expression indescribably excited.
Immortal Jade!
These were indeed those two pieces of Immortal Jade! He hadn't been mistaken!
But just as he was about to reach out and touch them, a layer of azure light emerged from the Immortal Jade, drying the water stains on Yun Ze's body and clothes, and then quickly integrated into his body.
"Hmm?"
Yun Ze let out a nasal sound, then opened his eyes, only to see the old beggar standing before him: "Sir? How did I get back? Did you save me?"
"Cough, cough."
The old beggar coughed twice, then lay back down on the ground: "Do I need to ask? If I didn't save you, would it be the water ghost?"
Yun Ze quickly got up and bowed to the old beggar with clasped fists: "Thank you, sir, for saving my life and for your tutelage!
This junior has no way to repay you, so please accept me as your disciple! For the rest of my life, this junior will surely repay your kindness!"
An immortal!
This person was definitely an immortal!
Yun Ze had only suspected it before, but now he was certain!
If this person were not an immortal, how could he have saved him from another immortal?
"Take you as a disciple? Let's forget it."
The old beggar crossed his legs and continued to sway: "I've lived freely my whole life and never thought of taking a disciple. Moreover, I haven't taught you anything, only promised to teach you how to get revenge.
As for saving your life... you can repay it now, no need to wait for later."
"Repay it now?"
Yun Ze was confused: "Please enlighten me, sir."
Following that, the old beggar's gaze gradually lowered, from Yun Ze's face down to his lower abdomen.
Before the old beggar could speak, Yun Ze hastily took a step back.
"Sir! I'm not selling myself!"