Chapter 129: The People of the Sea

This attack came completely without warning, like a sea of fire igniting above the water, instantly seizing everyone’s attention.

A young man appeared atop the nine-story pavilion, standing tall as if riding the wind. He possessed a delicate, feminine beauty, dressed in a striking long purple robe with a fan hanging at his waist, exuding an air of romantic elegance.

Shen Yu raised his head slightly, but he was not looking in that direction; instead, he glanced at the "mirror" that had vanished from the bow of the ship. Just as the light from the mirror was about to shine upon him, the feminine man’s attack had struck the mirror, forcibly ending the Ghost’s "Mind-Eye" manifestation.

For some reason, Shen Yu felt a pang of regret. When he had crossed the Jade Pool years ago, he had seen himself in that mirror, but he wondered what image would have appeared now. It would likely have been the same as before. Yet, having almost forgotten what he once looked like, how would he have felt to see it again?

"That is Xi Jiu from Liubo Mountain—a prized disciple whom the sect cultivates heavily, currently ranked eighth on the Lingyun List." Su Mo paused for a moment before explaining, "The fan at his waist is no mere trinket; it is a Liubo Mountain dharma treasure capable of manipulating wind, thunder, and the five elements."

Shen Yu withdrew his thoughts and gave a soft acknowledgment.

Though Xi Jiu’s appearance was delicate, his nature was incredibly domineering and fierce. Having landed one strike, his momentum did not falter in the slightest. He gripped the jade fan at his waist and swung it heavily forward; gale-force winds mixed with lightning tore through the seawater, surging outward in an endless torrent. The surface of the sea erupted once more, followed by the mournful wailing and ghostly shrieks of the specters.

With the "Mind-Eye" technique dispelled, countless passengers threw open their windows, staring at the scene in shock as murmurs broke out among them.

"With such cultivation, has Xi Jiu already successfully stepped into the Upper Three Realms?"

"The Academy’s Lingyun List will likely be reshuffled again in three years."

"Incredible, truly incredible. Compared to that other rebellious genius from Liubo Mountain back in the day, Xi Jiu seems no less formidable."

Shen Yu listened to their chatter but paid it no mind, his gaze dropping downward. The previously dead and calm seawater had begun to churn and boil quietly.

Su Mo raised his right hand to his forehead to shade his eyes, peering into the distance. Since the distance was great, he squinted and said, "Judging by this display, he intends to kill the specter."

Shen Yu offered no critique, only a comment of ambiguous meaning: "What a fool."

The specter’s wails continued, and it appeared to have no strength to resist. The sea grew increasingly turbulent, and the ship began to tilt dangerously from side to side. Xi Jiu kept waving his fan, his expression arrogant and dismissive, as if the water held nothing of consequence.

Shen Yu began to frown. Some of the older cultivators had also sensed that something was wrong.

***

Shen Yu glanced toward the bow of the ship. At that exact moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

"Boom!"

The sea surface exploded. A massive, pitch-black claw, resembling a tentacle, lunged into the bow of the ship. It struck the middle-aged man and woman standing there, sending them flying several dozen yards back, then snatched up the two children and plummeted rapidly back into the sea.

The ghostly wailing in the distance vanished instantly, and the sea surface turned calm and tranquil once more.

Everything happened too quickly. By the time the shocked crowd turned their heads, the attack was already over. Fear and astonishment washed over everyone. A few among them had possessed the ability to intervene, but they had been so focused on the specter’s movements in the distance that they had ignored the crisis right before their eyes.

Moments later, the panicked, tearful cries of the middle-aged couple erupted from the deck.

Several benevolent-looking elders in the cabin frowned, their expressions filled with hesitation. Had this occurred on the deck or on land, they might have had the ability to save them, but to enter the waters of the Wuwang Sea, facing the ubiquitous specters, would truly be no different than seeking death. They were complete strangers with no karmic connection; risking the foundation of their own Great Dao was simply not worth it. Moreover, the children’s own parents—both of whom were cultivators of decent standing—were busy blaming each other and had no intention or inclination to enter the water themselves, let alone anyone else.

At the edge of a pavilion on the ninth floor of the ship, a deacon responsible for ship affairs on behalf of the Jade Pool bowed slightly, gesturing toward an elderly man of mysterious origin. The old man sipped his spirit tea casually and said indifferently, "They were warned beforehand. They sought their own deaths; it is not worth it."

The charming female deacon whispered, "This is rather strange." For all these years, the specters had never shown any precedent of actively attacking cultivators, aside from their "Mind-Mirror" technique. Why would they do this now?

The old man pondered, then said, "That is indeed a question. I shall look into it later; I cannot have my business ruined."

The Jade Pool only accepted women, yet for one of its deacons to show such respect to a man was a rarity. In fact, this old man was the owner of the ship and the last living descendant of the Mohist school. The massive arrays built into the ship to repel specters were of such masterful craftsmanship that even the Jade Pool held him in high regard.

At the bow, Shen Yu watched the gradually calming sea, showing no sign of surprise.

***

The specters were born of heaven and earth; they were never meant to be this weak. But if it were truly feigning weakness, then it could only mean one thing—it was preparing something.

Shen Yu realized this, making him the only one to have seen the entire sequence of events clearly. As for why the specter had taken the initiative to attack, there was a reason: the specter was drawn to water, and the boy happened to be a water-element spirit body, which was a great supplement for the creature.

Though the reason was sound, a flicker of confusion remained in Shen Yu’s eyes.

"I am going down to take a look," Shen Yu said. "Senior Brother, do not wait for me. I will make my way to the Jade Pool on my own."

Su Mo frowned slightly. In his view, Shen Yu was never one to meddle in unnecessary affairs.

"Something is not right," Shen Yu explained. "I am bored, so I will go see."

Su Mo did not press him further. He nodded and said, "Little Junior Brother, go and return quickly."

Shen Yu tapped his foot lightly. A faint cyan spiritual energy shielded his body, and with a splash, he dove into the sea and vanished completely. Throughout the entire process, no one but Su Mo had seen him.

The seawater was cold, even frigid, and more importantly, it was poisonous. After falling into the water, Shen Yu was protected by his cyan light and felt no ill effects. He dove deeper, swimming toward the abyss.

The water was dark, but Shen Yu’s eyes were bright, as if he could see the ocean floor clearly. As time passed, he moved faster and faster. He calculated the time and the concentration of toxins in the water; those two children would not be able to hold out for long.

After diving for an unknown amount of time, faint lights began to emerge from the bottom of the sea, which resembled a black hole. Shen Yu moved closer and discovered that the grain-like points of light were, in fact, countless night-luminescent pearls, floating in fixed positions to illuminate the area.

Shen Yu’s expression grew grave. From the traces left behind and the lingering aura in the water, it was clear that someone had been here—and had lived here for quite some time.

A person living in the deep sea?