Daoist Xiao Only Needs to Make a Slight Move

"Judging from its size, it should come from a Golden Core Sea Fish."

The Hundred Apertures True Monarch paid close attention to the unusual situation not far away. "It looks like the flesh has been corroded away, and even the bones are being rapidly eroded."

"But according to the old nautical charts, there shouldn't be any poisonous creatures in this area."

Rift Void True Monarch suggested, "Why don't we go up to the island and take a look?"

"I have a feeling that seeing something like this right from the start isn't a good omen."

Upon hearing this, Purple Sun True Monarch frowned slightly, sensing that these words were not auspicious.

So he countered tactfully, "We're still far from any unusual phenomena, and the situation here may not even be related to Heaven and Earth Phenomenon, let alone be any omen."

"Why don't we go check out the situation first before making a decision?"

During the conversation, everyone looked at Xiao Chen at the bow of the ship.

As the person with the highest cultivation level present, he didn't need to speak or discuss it; he naturally became the undisputed commander-in-chief of this exploration mission.

"Alright, then let the fleet slow down and move closer."

Xiao Chen readily agreed, "We're already very close to the area affected by the anomaly; we should have been given a warning in advance."

He also sensed that something was amiss.

Firstly, looking around, the gray sky hung low, making the sea surface appear as if it were covered with a layer of leaden gray.

Secondly, they had only just approached the outer edge of the strange phenomenon when even the Sea Fish had vanished without a trace, leaving only a few bones behind.

It certainly doesn't look like a good omen.

Even as they were talking, the spirit ship had already passed the Desolate Island island.

However, thanks to timely intervention, it was brought back to normal.

The group then rose and flew off the spirit ship, landing one after another on the beach to assess the situation.

The fish skeleton, nearly a hundred feet long, was enormous enough for everyone to see at the same time.

"Although the outside is severely corroded, the inside still looks as clean as ever."

Xiao Chen easily broke off a piece of fish bone, noticing that the middle section still had a bright white surface. "There are no signs of weathering, so it must have happened in the last few years."

"Judging from the timing, this thing might actually be related to unusual Heaven and Earth Phenomenon."

The other cultivators also investigated and quickly determined that the Sea Fish must have had Late-stage Golden Core cultivation level when it was alive.

This is no small feat; it's typically a dominant force within a small sea area.

As long as you don't encounter Nascent Soul Cultivator or Fourth-Order great demon, you're basically safe.

The fact that it's now just a pile of broken White Bone is enough to show that this area is not safe.

However, since everyone present was Nascent Soul True Lord, they naturally did not feel any fear because of this.

After a brief assessment of the situation, they returned to the spirit ship and continued sailing into the light drizzle that could be seen in the distance.

As soon as we got back to the ship, a sea breeze blew in from afar.

"Hmm? What's that smell?"

Thunderbolt True Monarch frowned immediately. "Such a strong fishy smell, it's like something has rotted away."

Surging Wave True Monarch sniffed lightly, then added, "There seems to be a faint trace of rust mixed in as well."

"It's not just rottenness, it smells more like the strange odor that accumulates in Warehouse full of old spirit ore."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up. "Could it be that some Ancient Ruins has been opened?"

Upon hearing this conjecture, the surrounding True Lord immediately became interested.

"Hey, you know what, it's actually possible."

Purple Sun True Monarch's tone revealed a hint of anticipation. "I've read in Ancient Books that some ruins undergo a relatively slow process when they are first opened."

"The Spiritual Power that overflows during this period will cause continuous Heaven and Earth Phenomenon in the vicinity."

However, Xiao Chen sensed that something was amiss.

If it were Ancient Ruins being opened, it shouldn't be able to cause the death of a Late-stage Golden Core Sea Fish, right?

Furthermore, how could the opening of the ruins cause all Sea Fish outside the affected area to disappear?

Although he couldn't be sure what the situation was, both of these points seemed somewhat illogical at the moment.

To be on the safe side, it's best not to get too excited too soon.

The others also began to speak, some agreeing with Purple Sun True Monarch's guess, while others shared the same concerns as Xiao Chen.

As they spoke, the fleet finally arrived beneath a patch of darker-colored clouds.

"No, something's wrong here."

The leading spirit ship came from Thousand Machines Valley, Hundred Apertures True Monarch, who held the Formation Flag, immediately noticed the anomaly. "And this rain is strange too!"

"Slow down the boat, everyone be aware of your surroundings."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Chen also realized something was wrong.

This large Spirit Boat in Thousand Machines Valley was built in preparation for war, and it is powered entirely by Spirit Stone.

While traveling at extremely high speeds, it is completely unaffected by the Spiritual Qi Concentration in the vicinity.

However, after entering this sea area, before even receiving an order from the Hundred Apertures True Monarch, the sailing speed inexplicably decreased by 10%.

There seemed to be an invisible force suppressing the movement of the spirit ship.

In addition, there are the leaden-gray raindrops falling from the sky, whose impact is much greater than that of ordinary rain.

The sound of the impact on the Spiritual Power Barrier outside the ship was even more muffled.

Moreover, unlike ordinary rainwater that slides off, it has a slight sticky feel, as if it has been mixed with some kind of murky oil.

Some of it adhered directly to the barrier, while the rest flowed downstream at a relatively slow pace.

Xiao Chen could even faintly hear extremely slight crackling sounds mixed in with the sound of the rain.

This is definitely not ordinary rain; this must be acid rain!

But the question is, can acid rain fall at sea?

And why is there acid rain here?

A hint of confusion flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He immediately wondered if he was overthinking things or if he was wrong.

But the next moment, they heard the Hundred Apertures True Monarch warn again, "I think I know what's going on with that Sea Fish."

"Since entering the rain, the Spiritual Power consumption of the Defensive Formation has suddenly increased dramatically."

"Because the rain here has a certain corrosive effect, which can erode Spiritual Power!"

Okay, it seems this isn't acid rain, but rather a strange rain that's similar in nature, and even more dangerous—one that can erode Spiritual Power.

Xiao Chen immediately realized that acid rain often indicates the presence of pollution sources.

Could this strange rain also be caused by some kind of special source of pollution?

"Look everyone, there seems to be something gray mixed in with these raindrops!"

Rift Void True Monarch practically leaned against the edge of the Spiritual Power Barrier: "Perhaps it's these things that make it corrosive."

But he was wrong.

Xiao Chen reached his hand out of the barrier, caught a few drops of rainwater, and then examined their composition with his fingertips.

He immediately discerned. "These gray things are just dust caught in the clouds; they don't possess any Spiritual Power."

"The corrosion is caused by the rainwater itself."

"To be more precise, it comes from a special Spiritual Power contained within it."

"There must be a source of pollution in the clouds or in a nearby sea area, which indirectly caused this situation."

Seeing his actions, the surrounding cultivators were all stunned for a moment.

This method of investigating the situation is truly... Skillful People Are Bold.

To be honest, only Xiao Chen would dare to do something like that.

Their past teachings from their masters instilled in them the importance of maintaining Spiritual Power protection in questionable areas.

Avoid direct contact with any unknown foreign objects, liquids, etc. as much as possible.

However, it must be said that this direct method of investigation is indeed the fastest and most effective.

"If there is some kind of pollution source, doesn't that mean it's more likely some kind of rare disaster?"

Upon hearing this, Purple Sun True Monarch frowned slightly, even showing a hint of disappointment. "If that's the case, then there shouldn't be any New Ruin, right?"

Unless there are ruins or Secret Realm here.

Otherwise, regardless of whether the source of the strange phenomenon is a special heavenly materials and earthly treasures or a rare natural disaster, they will find it difficult to gain anything.

"Not necessarily. Let's go take a look at the core area."

Surging Wave True Monarch still held some hope that this was a sign of an ancient ruin. "Some Ancient Ruins or special spiritual objects may have poisonous fog or toxins on their outer perimeter as a protective measure."

"If not properly controlled, this situation could spread to the surrounding areas."

That's absolutely true.

The reason why Wu Mausoleum initially used the Burial Abyss Asura as a protective measure was actually based on the same idea.

Xiao Chen didn't care about this; he was neither afraid of poison nor Sha Qi.

Filled with curiosity, the group continued deeper into the world aboard the spirit ship.

Despite encountering inexplicable resistance, and for safety reasons, everyone voluntarily reduced the boat's speed.

However, it didn't take long for them to cross thousands of miles again and approach the Core Area of Heaven and Earth Phenomenon mentioned in the intelligence.

As you venture deeper inside, the strange smells permeating the air become even more complex.

It had a slightly burnt smell, a strange, slightly sweet, sandalwood-like aroma, and a putrid smell from deep underwater silt.

Meanwhile, the further in you go, the heavier the rain becomes.

What started as a light drizzle gradually turned into streaks of gray silk.

And now, it has turned into a torrential downpour.

Xiao Chen stood at the bow of the ship, but all he could see was a hazy gray.

Even though the outer Spiritual Power Shield could continuously remove the attached raindrops with inscribed Fire Element Spell, it couldn't withstand the torrential rain that kept falling.

The flames had barely swept past when, in less than a breath, the barrier's surface was once again covered in gray raindrops.

In such a situation, visibility is essentially zero.

Fortunately, this place is deserted and there isn't even an island; it's very empty.

Moreover, cultivators rely more on their Divine Sense when piloting spirit ships, and they won't veer off course even with their eyes closed.

"How about we stop here for a while?"

Xiao Chen estimated the distance and felt they were almost at the Core Sea Region: "This situation isn't right; heading in rashly could be dangerous."

"If anything were to happen, I'm afraid the disciples on the ship would be powerless to resist."

For the eight of them, even though the Ocean of the Compassion Sea is vast, there are practically no places they cannot go.

However, for the spirit ship itself and the Golden Core Disciple accompanying it, the environment here was actually extremely dangerous.

Putting everything else aside, what if we let them disembark now and return home on their own?

It's estimated that they all have a slim chance of escaping this area safely under the corrosive influence of raindrops imbued with special Spiritual Power.

If things go wrong, we might end up like that Golden Core Sea Fish, not even leaving a bone behind.

"Alright, things are still a bit unclear. Let's leave the spirit ship here and go in to take a look."

Upon hearing this, the Hundred Apertures True Monarch immediately agreed.

After speaking, he waved to one of the Thousand Machines Valley Elder nearby and left him the Main Array Flag that he was using to control the Defensive Formation.

The other True Lord naturally wouldn't object either.

They then completed the handover and gave their instructions.

They then cast Defensive Spell on their spirit ships and summoned their personal spirit shields.

After making the necessary preparations, they cautiously stepped off the spirit ship.

"Just stand in the middle of the line."

Xiao Chen looked at the newly promoted Ming Xiao True Monarch: "If you can't keep up, don't try to be brave. Just call out, and everyone will wait for you."

"Also, remember this: if you encounter any unusual changes, never act impulsively."

"I immediately pulled back and hid behind everyone."

"Let me tell you, this is a very important piece of advice from a senior colleague."

"Not only can we do this today, but we should also maintain this good habit when we go on adventures in other places in the future."

Ming Xiao True Monarch was slightly taken aback. What kind of insight was this?

If you're faced with trouble, isn't it a bit too cowardly to think of hiding behind your companions or even strangers?

Although he somewhat disagreed, he still nodded obediently and agreed, "Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Xiao. I will remember it."

Well, judging from his expression, he didn't listen.

Xiao Chen shook his head slightly, but didn't say anything more.

Instead, he directly activated the Four Symbols Suppressing Mountain Shield and flew out first, reaching the very front of the group.

The reason he said he would hide behind others is that he actually walked to the front.

Firstly, because Xiao Chen had Hextech in his possession, he was absolutely confident he could protect himself.

Secondly, since everyone who came this time is considered one of our own, we should take care of them to the best of our ability.

However, after everyone personally stepped into the rain...

They immediately felt the corrosive power within the raindrops more acutely, which was rapidly consuming their true essence.

Although the erosion of Spiritual Power by a single drop or two of rain is so small as to be negligible.

However, even after being washed by thousands of raindrops, it can still bring a noticeable sense of depletion.

Ming Xiao True Monarch had the weakest foundation among those present, did some mental calculations and realized that if this situation continued, his true essence would be in dire need of repair in less than half an hour.

Fortunately, he came prepared this time.

Long before he left the Azure Sea Immortal Sect, Iron Fan True Monarch had prepared dozens of Fourth-tier Talisman with different functions for him.

At this moment, he simply affixed a Defensive Talisman to his body to replace the consumption of true essence.

That's definitely a good idea.

At the speed of these raindrops, it's not enough to exhaust the Spiritual Power within the Talisman's duration.

Another advantage of coming out with disciples from major sects is that everyone can form a Conical formation with Xiao Chen as the vanguard without needing to practice.

Although it doesn't have a direct formation effect, it can still better deal with possible emergencies.

They then traveled another few hundred miles.

The stench of decay in the air grew stronger and stronger, almost as if it were about to solidify.

The raindrops were no longer lines, but formed large, thick, lead-gray curtains, eventually creating an exceptionally dense wall of rain.

By the time we got here, it was no longer accurate to say it was raining.

It was just like in the legends where the sky shattered and endless Heavenly River Water poured down from above.

"Hiss~, what is this thing?"

Even Xiao Chen, standing before such a ' Water Wall,' was somewhat shocked: 'Wouldn't we have to mend the sky next?'

"That's not the kind of work a mere Nascent Soul Cultivator like me should be doing."

To be honest, even if one Ascend to Immortality, one might not be able to handle such a heavy responsibility.

Fortunately, the situation here is certainly not that serious.

Xiao Chen glanced back and saw that no one was missing before boldly stepping into the ' Water Wall ' and continuing deeper into the Core Area the strange phenomenon.

As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Only by going to the very center can one more easily ascertain the cause of the anomaly.

"Sinking and floating... the smell is strong... it can't be gotten rid of..."

The moment he entered the Water Wall, Xiao Chen heard extremely faint, intermittent, broken whispers.

It sounded like someone shouting from afar, yet also like the noise created solely by the waves and sea breeze.

Moreover, these sounds are like wisps of smoke, appearing only for a few breaths before disappearing again, making it even more difficult to determine what is happening.

"Fellow Daoists, I think I hear someone shouting in the distance."

The Hundred Apertures True Monarch asked curiously, "Did you hear that? It seems to be saying that Submit to Me and Gain Eternal Life, and that Disrespect the Gods and Be Condemned by Heaven."

"It was intermittent, so I couldn't hear it completely."

Um?

So it was submission?

Xiao Chen was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this; how come he only heard half of it?

"I heard that too."

Thunderbolt True Monarch's words carried a hint of disgust. "It sounds like he's shouting about some Great Myriad World Heavenly Demon, he seems to be a demonic cultivator."

"Could there be some remnants of the demonic path causing trouble here?"

Wait, who are you talking about?

For Xiao Chen, the Myriad World Heavenly Demon was not unfamiliar.

When he faced the Mirror Reflection True Monarch of the Illuminating Void Sect, the opponent's trump card was related to the Myriad World Heavenly Demon.

As a result, he lost control midway and lost his mind, ultimately reaping what he sowed.

This also shows that the Myriad World Heavenly Demon is no good either, as he will devour his own followers without hesitation.

"Something's not right. I think we should head back first."

Xiao Chen stopped and suggested, "This situation clearly doesn't look good. It feels like we need to fast forward to calling for backup."

"Why don't we go out and make some preparations, and then come back?"

To reiterate, if he were alone, he would have already rushed in at full speed by now.

However, since they were accompanied by several other cultivators, they needed to be cautious, especially since they didn't possess the Night's Edge.

"Daoist Xiao, since you're already here, why not at least go in and take a look?"

Zhang Shouquan had been relatively silent the whole way, spoke up and said, "We've come all this way, and now we're almost there."

"Even if we need to contact reinforcements, it won't make a difference if we wait a little longer."

"Go in and check the general situation; we can contact you again later."

For some special reasons.

Apart from Xiao Chen, none of the other Nascent Soul Cultivator spoke a single word to Zhang Shouquan along the way.

Everyone was very warm and friendly to Xiao Chen.

But Zhang Shouquan clearly sensed a small circle, and he was the one who was excluded and ignored from the outside.

Under such circumstances, he naturally wouldn't care about the lives or deaths of others.

Instead, they thought they should go in first to check the situation and see if there was any chance to gain some extra benefits.

"The environment here is chaotic and not suitable for transmitting messages."

Surging Wave True Monarch also spoke up, saying, "Moreover, we have all brought Talisman and elixirs, so even if there are some dangers, protecting ourselves should not be a problem."

As Sword Cultivator, he has always been quite bold.

Even though they had already guessed there might be risks, they still didn't want to back down.

"Fellow Surging Wave Daoist is right. Since we are looking out for each other, we are more than capable of protecting ourselves."

The Hundred Apertures True Monarch even flattered him, saying, "Furthermore, with Daoist Xiao here, I believe that even if we encounter remnants of the demonic path, it will be the other side that suffers the greatest misfortune."

"There's no need to call for help from so far away."

"Daoist Xiao only needs to make a slight move to deal with those clowns."

"We just need to follow you in and broaden our horizons."

"To put it another way, if we understand the cause of the strange phenomenon first, we can explain in advance what spiritual materials we might need when we go out to contact our senior brothers later."

Having lived for hundreds of years, the Hundred Apertures True Monarch no longer cared much about his own reputation.

Although he addressed Xiao Chen as "fellow Daoist," the implication in his words was that he practically regarded Xiao Chen as a senior.

A slight move would be acceptable.

Even though Xiao Chen had mastered the Azure Wave Piercing Bone Needle- Penetrating Needle technique to a high level, he still didn't dare say that he could easily defeat cultivators of the same level.

We have to take this seriously.

"Oh, you flatter me, you flatter me so much."

Xiao Chen waved his hand modestly, "Well, I feel that Hundred Apertures thoroughly."

"Let's find out the cause of this strange phenomenon first, and then decide what to do next."

After the discussion, he continued to lead the way.

About fifteen minutes later, the thick "Water Wall" came to an abrupt end.

It turns out this place is actually a structure similar to a waterfall.

Once we entered the central area, there wasn't even a light drizzle.

Although there were still thick, dark clouds overhead, the air below was even slightly dry.

With the rain no longer obscuring his vision, Xiao Chen regained a wide field of vision and immediately saw many broken Array Foundation floating on the sea.

In the very center there is an oval-shaped island with a diameter of about one hundred miles.

The island was littered with many broken iron pillars, which were so numerous that they almost covered the entire surface.

Moreover, through some of the more severely damaged areas, it can be seen that there are actually iron pillars underneath the iron pillars, indicating that it is not just a single layer.

So much so that for a time...

Xiao Chen didn't even know if this should be considered an island or a bunch of iron pillars arranged in the shape of an island.

"Hey, how come there's Sea Race Formation Base here?"

When Rift Void True Monarch emerged from the ' Water Wall,' his eyes widened in astonishment. "These Array Foundation seem to be covered entirely with Formation Pattern from the Sea Race!"