Pang Xiu Shi, Ye Qin, and the remaining five Golden Core cultivators departed from the ancient ship outpost, soaring rapidly on their artifacts toward the Desolate Spirit Ruins. The Sea of Scarlet Blood spanned an immense distance; even for Golden Core cultivators, flying ceaselessly for hundreds of years would not be enough to traverse the entire vast ocean.
Although the ancient ship outpost was relatively close to the ancient ruins, and the group flew at full speed, the journey ahead remained long, certainly not a matter of three or five days.
Ye Qin piloted the Black Cloud Barrier, a top-grade flying artifact, sharing the ride with Huangfu Bing'er. Their speed was still exceptional, keeping steady pace just behind Pang Xiu Shi at the vanguard. Inside the Black Cloud Barrier, Bing'er sat in meditation, eyes closed, cultivating her internal energy.
Ye Qin, however, remained vigilant throughout the flight, constantly observing the condition of the Sea of Scarlet Blood.
The sea surface in the Sea of Scarlet Blood was not typically scarlet; on the contrary, it was an unbelievably deep azure blue. At a glance, it was refreshing and exhilarating. Massive ancient warships lay stranded on the sandy reefs of small islets, bathed in the setting sun, possessing an almost eternal, tranquil beauty. Nevertheless, any Golden Core cultivator arriving in this area was in no mood to appreciate such scenery.
Beneath the calm surface lurked countless ferocious sea beasts, concealing grave dangers. Even late-stage Golden Core cultivators dared not casually venture beneath the waves before thoroughly assessing the situation.
Of course, flying through the sky was not guaranteed safety either; massive demonic birds occasionally swept across the heavens. One or two high-tier demonic birds were not terrifying on their own. The greatest danger lay in swarms of mid-to-low-tier demonic birds hunting across large swathes of the sea.
A team of Golden Core cultivators might stand a chance against one or two high-tier demonic birds, perhaps even managing to hunt them down. However, if they stumbled into the main hunting grounds of mid-tier demonic birds, escape often became impossible; they would be utterly annihilated, flesh and bone gone, leaving no thought of hunting behind.
Pang Xiu Shi was intimately familiar with the territory tens of thousands of miles around the ancient ships, possessing seasoned experience. He chose routes deliberately far from the known territories of the demonic birds, thus avoiding significant risks. The downside was that this made the already long journey seem even more protracted.
Pang Xiu Shi, Ye Qin, and the others proceeded cautiously from the ancient ship outpost. Not long after they left, another small squad of four Golden Core cultivators departed the outpost, trailing them distantly. The leader of this group was none other than the Cao brothers, whom Du Ran of Shangtang Palace had sought out, leading a quartet of treasure-hunting cultivators.
The Cao brothers were identical twins, both appearing as middle-aged men, dressed almost exactly alike, and possessing identical cultivation levels—Ninth Stage Golden Core. They were difficult to distinguish, making it impossible to tell who was the elder brother and who was the younger. Only they themselves likely knew the difference.
“Elder Brother Cao, that fellow named Ye actually joined forces with Pang Xiu Shi. Truly detestable. Hmm, if we want to kill him, it might cause us a lot more trouble,” remarked one of the cultivators surnamed Li.
A sinister look crossed the face of the younger Cao brother. “That team led by Pang lost two capable hands last time. Now they only have three late-stage Golden Core cultivators. The four new recruits are all mid-stage Golden Core novices; they’re hardly worth mentioning. The weakest among us four is at least Eighth Stage Golden Core. Why don't we just rush them now and wipe them out, taking all their loot?”
“Younger Brother, when will you ever curb that impatient nature? Those three led by Pang, although slightly weaker in cultivation, coordinate flawlessly; it won't be easy to take them down quickly. And that Elder from Purple Sword Palace who just joined—although his cultivation is only mid-stage Golden Core, holding an Elder position in an Immortal Palace means his methods won't be simple.”
Hearing this, the elder Cao cultivator frowned slightly. “Even ants can overwhelm an elephant if there are enough of them. Let’s follow first and look for an opportunity to strike. Otherwise, if our first strike fails and we alert them, finding another chance won't be nearly as easy.”
“Big Brother is right; let's follow for now!” The younger Cao brother conceded, seeing the sense in his brother’s words, and said no more.
Another person in the team suddenly glanced behind them, his expression fierce and malicious. “Elder Brother Cao, there are a few people following us, likely those five cultivators from Shangtang Palace. Should we—?”
He made a chopping motion with his hand, his expression utterly vicious, showing no respect for Du Ran and his group as employers.
The elder Cao cultivator sneered. “That fellow Du wants to play the game of borrowing a knife to kill. He doesn't realize if he can even hold onto that knife. They want us to kill the Elder from Purple Sword Palace so they can reap the benefits. Mantis stalking the cicada—they aren't qualified to be the oriole!”
“Let them follow for now. Since they want to watch the outcome, we'll deal with the prey first, then take care of them all in one go. We can kill the Purple Sword Palace Elder, and we should eliminate the Shangtang Palace trash afterward to avoid future complications.”
“Hmph! Unless we make them regret being born into this world, do they really think the treasure hunters in the Sea of Scarlet Blood are pushovers?”
“If that fellow Cao can successfully eliminate Elder Ye of Purple Sword Palace, we’ll have made a huge contribution and avenged past humiliations. Back home, I wonder what rewards the Ancestors of the Immortal Palace will bestow upon us.”
“It’s just that five million low-grade spirit stones are a bit too expensive,” lamented several Golden Core cultivators allied with Du, feeling a pang of regret amidst their excitement. Five million? Are they kidding? Does that old bastard think I’d hand over such a massive sum of spirit stones to a group of notorious evil cultivators in the Sea of Scarlet Blood?! Who do they think they are!
Du, however, harbored equally malicious intentions, laughing heartily. “Both sides are evenly matched; the final result will only be mutual destruction. Once that Ye fellow is dead, we’ll take care of Cao’s group. That way, nobody will suspect me, and we’ll gain all their wealth for free.”
“Ah!”
“Senior Brother Du, truly a brilliant scheme!”
Throughout this flight, Ye Qin occasionally exchanged a few words with the other two newly joined mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
These two new mid-stage Golden Core cultivators were both surnamed Wang: one was an elder, and the other was middle-aged; both appeared rather honest and simple.
They claimed to be an uncle and nephew from a minor cultivation family. Having two Golden Core cultivators emerge from one family was quite an honor for them. They had come to the Sea of Scarlet Blood together, hoping to find treasures and earn more spirit stones to support the younger generations of their clan.
Judging by their attire, they wore low-grade robes that looked well-worn, suggesting they were accustomed to frugality and did not possess the wealth typical of Golden Core cultivators.
“Daoist Friend Ye, since we will be adventuring together in the Sea of Scarlet Blood for a long time, we hope for your guidance and support!” The elder surnamed Wang enthusiastically pulled his nephew closer. “Nephew, quickly pay your respects to Daoist Friend Ye! In the future, you must seek guidance from Daoist Friend Ye on cultivation insights.”
“Daoist Friend Ye, please guide me often in the future!”
The middle-aged man bowed in resignation. Ye Qin was clearly younger than him, and their cultivation levels were similar, yet his uncle insisted he address Ye Qin as Daoist Friend, putting him a rank below.
“Mutually, mutually!” Ye Qin felt a fondness for the simple and pure uncle and nephew pair. However, he didn't pay too much attention to them. He was slightly puzzled.
Why did Pang Xiu Shi recruit these four rather ordinary mid-stage Golden Core cultivators to accompany them to the ancient ruins?
Logically, if Pang Xiu Shi truly sought partners for treasure hunting, he should have looked for stronger, late-stage Golden Core cultivators to increase their chances of gaining something significant within the ruins. Ye Qin quickly formed a suspicion: “Cannon fodder! I can’t think of any other reasonable explanation.”
In this seven-person team, besides Pang, Zhu, and Yang—the three late-stage Golden Core cultivators who were the absolute main force—the other four were all mid-stage Golden Core cultivators brought in temporarily. Pang Xiu Shi hadn't even paid close attention to their actual strength.
This also explained why Xiu Shi and Zhu Shi barely interacted with them during the journey; only Yang Shi occasionally spoke a few words. For cultivators destined to be cannon fodder, it was likely they wouldn't survive the trip to the ruins anyway, so there was little point in engaging in deep conversation.
“Cannon fodder!?”
Ye Qin sneered inwardly. We’ll see who ends up as the real cannon fodder! Do I dare venture into ancient ruins with late-stage Golden Core cultivators if I don't have some solid backup?
Putting aside the fact that his Five Elements Sword Array was already perfected, he had a demonic skeleton creature that had cultivated to the Seventh Stage Golden Core, and a Silver Armor Guard at the Ninth Stage Golden Core. His personal strength alone was enough to contend with two Ninth Stage Golden Core experts without falling into a disadvantage.
If he added the minor divine artifact, the Xun Thunder Ancient Mirror, he carried, plus the minor divine artifact Crimson Flood Dragon Sword he kept for Bing'er—
These two minor divine artifacts, if driven by immense elemental energy at the cost of drastically plummeting their cultivation during a life-or-death situation, were powerful enough to instantly slay late-stage Golden Core cultivators.
In other words, Ye Qin and Bing’er, each sacrificing one layer of their Golden Core cultivation, could simultaneously execute two late-stage Golden Core cultivators instantly. Their combined strength completely surpassed that of Pang Xiu Shi's trio. That is, unless those three also possessed minor divine artifacts.
But minor divine artifacts were usually devastating weapons held by late-stage Nascent Soul Ancestors. Occasionally, they might be bestowed upon direct descendants of these Ancestors, but certainly not something just anyone could possess!
“You best not harbor any foolish notions, or else…”
“I will let you know who the real cannon fodder is.” Ye Qin scoffed internally, calculating quietly. After a few pleasantries, Ye Qin lost interest in idle chatter. Seeing the oppressive atmosphere in the squad where conversation was nearly impossible, the two Wang-surnamed uncle and nephew also resigned themselves to driving their artifact forward quietly.
“Stop!”
Pang Xiu Shi suddenly raised an eyebrow, feeling a sharp sense of danger approaching. He halted instantly. “We are being followed!”
“Extremely stealthy. Their technique for concealing aura is superb. Hmph, trying to hide from me—no way!”
Yang Shi, Ye Qin, and the others in the squad were startled and stopped immediately, scanning the surrounding sea and the desolate islands within a hundred-mile radius with their divine sense.
Within their line of sight, there was no sign of anyone. Their divine sense also failed to detect any enemy presence.
But they trusted Pang Xiu Shi’s judgment. Pang Xiu Shi was exceptionally sharp and seasoned; if the highest-cultivation member of the squad said they were being tracked, he was almost certainly correct.
“Old Zhu, did you notice who has been tailing us along the way?” Pang Xiu Shi’s face darkened.
“No need to guess. It’s the Cao brothers’ group.”
Zhu Shi, usually expressionless and taciturn, suddenly spoke with certainty. “I noticed something was amiss as soon as we left the ancient ship outpost. When we departed, there were 473 Golden Core cultivators and over a dozen Nascent Soul Ancestors in the outpost. The Ancestors wouldn't bother tracking us; they’d just act. As for those 473 Golden Core cultivators, excluding today’s newcomers, I know all the others by heart. The newcomers wouldn't target us. Among the veterans, the only ones who would entertain such a thought, and have the audacity, are the Cao brothers—those treasure-hunting villains.”
Ye Qin looked toward Zhu Shi in surprise. He had memorized every Golden Core cultivator entering or leaving the outpost? This person's patience and low profile were terrifying.
“The Cao brothers!? It’s that group?” Pang Xiu Shi frowned deeply, clearly showing great apprehension toward the pair.
Yang Shi’s expression also changed sharply. They frequented the outpost and were well aware of the cultivators who came and went. Who would dare?
“The Cao brothers? Who are they?” Ye Qin, new to the Sea of Scarlet Blood, had never heard of them.
“Notorious villains in the ancient ship outpost. Those two are both Ninth Stage Golden Core cultivators, specializing in ambushing treasure hunters. They are extremely greedy and ruthless, difficult to provoke. They are the most infamous high-stage Golden Core cultivators at the ancient ship outpost,” Pang Xiu Shi stated plainly.
Throughout the journey, he never stopped using his divine sense to scan a hundred-mile radius. If the Cao group lingered too long anywhere, their tracks were discovered.
“But, at the ancient ship outpost, we always kept to our own business. Although we had conflicts before, it was a long time ago. Why are they suddenly targeting us this time?”
Yang Shi couldn’t help frowning. “When we were at full strength, they wouldn't dare scheme against us. Could it be that because we lost two men on the previous trip to the Desolate Spirit Ancient Ruins, they see our strength diminished and want to take advantage?”
“Unlikely. The Cao brothers act purely on greed; they won't make a move without a substantial payoff,” Pang Xiu Shi suddenly looked towards Ye Qin and his wife, and the two Wang-surnamed uncle and nephew. “Which one of you provoked that fellow Cao?”
“Never seen this person before.” Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er exchanged a look and shook their heads.
“The Cao brothers? Who are they?” The two Wang-surnamed uncle and nephew also looked bewildered.
“Uncle, did we accidentally offend anyone at the ancient ship outpost?”
“Nephew, we had no impression! As soon as we arrived, we met Daoist Chengdou, and then we joined up with Daoist Pang and the others.” Pang Xiu Shi scrutinized their expressions; they didn't seem to be lying.
He himself couldn't believe that a few mid-stage Golden Core cultivators who had just arrived in the Sea of Scarlet Blood would manage to provoke the Cao brothers.
“Enough wasted effort. If disaster is coming, it cannot be avoided. Once the Cao brothers set their sights on you, few escape alive. Everyone, prepare yourselves.”
“There are four of them in their group, all top-tier cultivators at the Eighth or Ninth Stage Golden Core. If a fight breaks out, the four of you stick together and tie down one of them.”
“The remaining three of us will handle the other three.”
“We’ll wait right here for them to show themselves!”
Seeing that no useful information could be extracted, Pang Xiu Shi conferred with Zhu Shi and Yang Shi, then formed their defensive formation, awaiting the enemy.
The surrounding sea in this area was extremely open, offering no cover. The enemy could approach either from the sky or from underwater. Even if the Cao brothers intended an ambush, it was impossible. Huangfu Bing’er stopped her meditation, stood up beside Ye Qin, and quietly waited for the enemies to arrive.
The Wang uncle and nephew seemed visibly nervous. They appeared to have never fought against late-stage Golden Core cultivators before.
A moment later, the Cao group, who were stealthily approaching Pang Xiu Shi’s party, realized their presence had been detected. Cao Xiu Shi hesitated for a second before decisively abandoning all concealment.
“Splash!” Four high-stage Golden Core cultivators erupted from the sea about ten miles away, dissolving the faint blue light concealing their auras. They immediately soared toward Pang Xiu Shi’s group on their artifacts. In a few blinks of an eye, they were right before them.
The elder Cao cultivator muttered a quiet regret internally. They were barely ten miles away from launching a surprise attack, only to be discovered by that fellow Pang. He knew Pang was extremely shrewd and not easily fooled.
Seeing Pang Xiu Shi staring at him with a cold smile, Cao Xiu Shi felt no embarrassment and laughed loudly. “I wondered who was waiting for me here—it turns out to be Daoist Brother Pang. Long time no see, how have you been?”
“Your Water Element Submergence Technique is quite impressive!”
Pang Xiu Shi snorted coldly. “Daoist Friend Cao, drop the pleasantries. If you think you can take advantage of our weakened strength to launch a sneak attack, you’ve miscalculated. Seven against four, you won't gain any advantage!”
“Daoist Brother Pang, we have dueled several times before; we both know each other’s capabilities.”
Hearing this, the elder Cao cultivator stopped bothering with courtesies, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. “But you lost two men on your last treasure hunt; you are no match for me now. Today, I was entrusted by someone to handle a personal matter unrelated to you. Leave these two, and you can go.” As he spoke, he pointed directly at Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er.
Ye Qin’s expression remained normal, devoid of emotion. Internally, however, he understood. He had just arrived in the Sea of Scarlet Blood; he had no enemies here, only a minor verbal conflict with Du Ran of Shangtang Palace recently.
This Cao Xiu Shi must have been hired by Du Ran to deal with him. Although the opponent was strong and highly cultivated, their numbers were small. As for Pang Xiu Shi’s group, Ye Qin wasn't worried; since they dared to stay, they must have some confidence.
Indeed, Yang Shi couldn't resist mocking him. “Daoist Brother Cao has quite the booming voice! Asking for two people right off the bat? If you ask for two or three more times, won't I, your sister, become a lone survivor? Why don't we just surrender to you one by one so you can kill us more easily? How about that?”
The elder Cao cultivator suddenly let out a cold laugh and uttered a single word: “Good.”
With the agreement, the situation instantly shifted dramatically.
“Demon Suppressing Hammer! Dare to obstruct me, Cao? Go to hell!”
Before his voice faded, he opened his mouth, and a black light erupted. A small, hexagonal, inky-black hammer instantly enlarged, transforming into a massive, heavy meteor tens of feet high, weighing like ten thousand tons of a giant mountain, accompanied by a terrifying momentum. It smashed toward Pang Xiu Shi, who was directly in front, amidst an intense, overwhelming storm of wind and waves.
“Blood Soul Magic Blade! Ten Miles of Scarlet Sea!”
The younger Cao cultivator beside him also spat out a sharp red ray. That ray instantly morphed into a blood-red long saber, fifty feet in length. As the blade turned, boundless waves of blood churned; the sky and sea within a radius of several miles instantaneously turned a deep scarlet hue. The Blood Soul Saber, refined with the blood of countless living beings, possessed terrifying destructive power.
The rising blood-red blade, covered in countless secret runes, emitted countless sharp shrieks and howls. Driven by divine sense, it hacked with full force toward the taciturn Zhu Shi.
The two Golden Core cultivators, the Cao brothers, immediately targeted the two strongest Golden Core cultivators on Pang Xiu Shi's side as soon as they attacked.
The remaining two cultivators allied with them also made their moves, their strikes exceedingly vicious. One controlled a Primordial Spirit Flying Sword to attack Yang Shi. The other summoned a net-like magic treasure and tossed it toward Ye Qin, Huangfu Bing’er, and the two Wang-surnamed uncle and nephew.
Pang Xiu Shi’s trio was intimately familiar with the Cao group’s methods and had long been on guard. Seeing the elder Cao suddenly attack, Pang Xiu Shi was not surprised. He opened his mouth and summoned a Primordial Spirit magic artifact. “Seven Treasures Canopy Umbrella, swift!”
As the treasure umbrella appeared, it instantly expanded to dozens of feet in size, spinning rapidly, sending out layers of seven-colored flowing light, exquisitely magnificent, tightly guarding Pang Xiu Shi.
The Demon Suppressing Hammer, heavy as ten thousand tons, arrived with fierce momentum. With a world-shaking boom!, it struck the Seven Treasures Canopy Umbrella. However, the incredibly domineering force was absorbed by the multicolored light.
This violent heavy strike failed to damage the Seven Treasures Canopy Umbrella and instead lashed out at the surrounding sea. Within a radius of several miles, the sea roared, “Boom!…” creating towering waves hundreds of feet high. Countless rotten dead fish and shrimp floated to the surface. For a time, neither Cao nor Pang could gain the upper hand.
Zhu Shi on the other side also reacted swiftly. His body turned, and the Black Fiend Staff behind his back shot out. He formed a hand seal, and the staff transformed into a single-horned, black-scaled monstrous python, which opened its fangs to meet the Blood Soul Saber stirring up waves of blood in the sky.
The younger Cao cultivator’s expression changed slightly upon seeing this, realizing the gravity of the situation. He did not meet the attack head-on. He formed a hand seal, and the Blood Soul Saber stopped abruptly in mid-air. Three streaks of blood-red saber energy were unleashed, striking toward the Black Fiend Staff and Zhu Shi separately.
But at that moment, the beast sculpture atop the Black Fiend Staff spewed out a cloud of black gas.
This black gas seemed almost alive; it shot out several tendrils that entangled the saber energies. The black gas corroded the saber energies, emitting strange “squeaking” sounds. The blood-red aura visibly thinned and dissolved.
“Damn it!” The younger Cao cultivator was greatly vexed. That black gas actually suppressed the blood essence of the Blood Soul Saber.
Yang Shi engaged one of the Eighth Stage Golden Core cultivators.
Ye Qin quickly surveyed the three cultivators—Pang, Zhu, and Yang—and felt reassured. Although they appeared to be at a disadvantage, it was merely a stalemate; there was no risk of collapse. He focused on dealing with the Eighth Stage Golden Core cultivator on his side. Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er, however, each used two Primordial Spirit artifacts to fend off their respective enemies.
The Wang uncle and nephew, before their opponent even reached them, hastily threw out several top-tier flying swords to engage the enemy.
The fierce-looking Eighth Stage Golden Core cultivator on the opposite side tossed out a Flame Net magic treasure, covering an area of several hundred feet. Flames blazed everywhere, enveloping the four of them as the net descended. This Flame Net, amidst the heavy flames, also contained specks of silver light, seemingly mixed with some kind of Mithril. Furthermore, dozens of high-tier fire-element flying swords were suspended within, colliding and weaving through the space, slaughtering any enemy caught in the net.
This Luo Net magical artifact, though only a top-tier item, housed dozens of high-tier fire-element flying swords, forming a complete Heavenly Net of Flying Swords formation. Its devastating power was significantly more terrifying than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul artifact.
Once a Core Formation stage cultivator was trapped within the net, escaping the confined space of the fiery web was impossible, simultaneously facing the frantic siege and slaughter of dozens of high-tier flying swords—a defense utterly unguardable.
The Wang uncle and nephew, struggling to control seven or eight top-tier flying swords, were somewhat flustered, trying to fend off both the Fire Net artifact and the multitude of swords within it, aiming to pin down the Luo Net artifact itself.
For two cultivators of ordinary strength, mere fourth or fifth-tier Core Formation practitioners, who didn't even possess a single Nascent Soul artifact between them, holding back an eighth-tier Core Formation master was exceedingly difficult. "A top-tier Luo Net artifact laced with Mithril?! It certainly possesses some magic-resistance, preventing others from breaking the net with spells. However, its weakness is its inability to withstand the heavy strike of a sharp magical weapon!" Ye Qin sneered, snapping a binding incantation. A piercing golden light shot through the void. "Golden Crow's Blazing Light Sword, strike it down for me!"