Demonic Beast Attack on City (Please Vote!)

Listening to the shrill, urgent alarm ringing in his ears.

Chen Daoxuan unconsciously raised his head. "Senior, this is—"

"It is the alarm for Demonic Beasts attacking Guang'an Prefecture!"

The black-robed old man, who had been sitting cross-legged all along, rose to his feet and said gravely.

"Demonic Beasts attacking the city?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Daoxuan's expression abruptly darkened.

Clearly, those words had stirred up some unhappy memories buried deep within him.

Back then, Changping County on Twin Lakes Island had been attacked by Demonic Beasts. Both his parents in this life had perished in the jaws of Demonic Beasts. Had Thirteenth Uncle Chen Xianhe not happened to save him, he would have long since returned to the netherworld.

Thus, upon learning that Guang'an Prefecture had been attacked by Demonic Beasts, Chen Daoxuan's first reaction was not fear, but bone-deep hatred.

Seeing something amiss in Chen Daoxuan's mood, the old man seemed to mistake it for fear and consoled him, "Don't worry. Guang'an Prefecture hasn't been suffering Demonic Beast attacks for just a day or two. You'll get used to it."

Hearing this.

Chen Daoxuan was quite astonished. "Senior, why is that? Isn't Guang'an Prefecture Zhou Family territory? With the Zhou Family's strength, how could they be harassed by Demonic Beasts?"

At this, the old man pointed at the Water Spirit Pearl in Chen Daoxuan's hand. "Have you ever heard of the Merfolk Tribe, young friend?"

Hearing this, Chen Daoxuan recalled a passage concerning the Merfolk Tribe that he had read in the family's ancient records.

"In the Southern Sea dwell Merfolk, who live in the deep ocean. Their voices beguile the mind and spirit; they excel at raising Spirit Shells and commanding sea beasts."

Yet he had always regarded the records in those ancient books as mere legends. He had never expected Merfolk to truly exist in this world.

Chen Daoxuan replied, "I have seen mention of them in ancient records, but what does that have to do with Demonic Beasts harassing Guang'an Prefecture? Could it be related to this Water Spirit Pearl?"

Seeing the black-robed old man pointing at the Water Spirit Pearl in his hand, Chen Daoxuan vaguely formed a guess.

"You guessed correctly."

The black-robed old man nodded. "It is because of this Spirit Pearl. Spirit Shell Island is the Zhou Family's largest Spirit Shell breeding ground in Guang'an Prefecture, but to breed Spirit Shells, they must capture female Mermaids.

"Every year, the Zhou Family's Merfolk-Catching Fleet captures female Mermaids in the nearby waters. It seems the Zhou Family has stirred up some Merfolk tribe's hornet nest again this year."

As he spoke, a faint hint of gloating seeped into the black-robed old man's voice.

Rogue Cultivators had always been rather hostile toward the great cultivation clans. It was not that they simply disliked them, but because those great clans occupied too many cultivation resources, and the conflict between the two sides ran deep.

Had the Qianyuan Sword Sect not chosen to attack Cloud Country back then and diverted this conflict elsewhere, the Myriad Star Sea might have long since descended into chaos.

Chen Daoxuan had no mind for gloating. He immediately remembered that his family's Azure Dragon Cargo Ship was still docked at Guang'an Prefecture Port.

Since these Demonic Beasts had come from the sea, wouldn't his family's Cargo Ship be the first to suffer?

Thinking this, Chen Daoxuan took his leave. "Senior, this junior must go ahead. This junior's ship is still docked at the port! Many thanks, Senior, for coming to this junior's aid earlier."

When Chen Daoxuan mentioned Cargo Ships, the black-robed old man slapped his thigh. "Oh no, this old man's ship is docked there too!"

No wonder he was anxious.

The black-robed old man's ship was of a far higher grade than the Cargo Ship of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island.

It was a Magic Artifact Spirit Ship he had commissioned from the Yang Family, a Foundation Establishment family, at great expense. It had cost him more than eight hundred Spirit Stones. How could he not be anxious?

With that thought, the black-robed old man no longer spared Chen Daoxuan a glance. He immediately packed his stall into his Storage Bag, cast the Wind Riding Technique, and flew toward Guang'an Prefecture's outer city.

He was not the only one. Every cultivator who had come to their senses rose into the air and flew toward Guang'an Prefecture's outer city.

Because Demonic Beasts were attacking, the Sky-Forbidden Formation of Guang'an Prefecture immortal city had been withdrawn at the very first opportunity.

At that moment.

Chen Daoxuan saw the most spectacular sight he had witnessed in this life.

Hundreds of thousands of cultivators from Guang'an Prefecture rose into the air in wave after wave, riding the wind toward Guang'an Prefecture Port.

The scene was enough to blot out the sky and cover the sun.

With no time to marvel, Chen Daoxuan followed the crowd toward the port.

By the time Chen Daoxuan found his family's ship, he discovered that Thirteenth Uncle was already standing on the deck of the Azure Dragon.

"Thirteenth Uncle!"

Chen Daoxuan descended and cupped his hands in salute to Chen Xianhe.

"Mm."

Seeing his nephew, Chen Xianhe smiled and nodded. Then, his expression turned solemn as he looked at the vast black mass of Demonic Beasts on the distant sea. Slightly worried, he said, "The Merfolk tribe the Zhou Family provoked this time appears to be no small one."

Chen Daoxuan glanced at the sea but was not overly worried.

Over the past few days, he had learned just how terrifying the strength of the Guang'an Prefecture Zhou Family was.

Although the Demonic Beast horde before them was immense, a closer look revealed that they were all low-level Demonic Beasts without rank.

Not to mention the Guang'an Prefecture Zhou Family—even the Rogue Cultivators of Guang'an Prefecture, if they joined forces, could easily wipe them out.

After all, while there were many Demonic Beasts, there were even more Rogue Cultivators.

Moreover, their average strength far surpassed that of these Demonic Beasts.

Looking at Chen Daoxuan, Chen Xianhe instructed him uneasily, "With such a massive Demonic Beast horde, the Zhou Family cultivators certainly won't be able to stop every last one. If any slip through, remember not to charge too far ahead. Just protect the family's Cargo Ship."

He was not afraid that the stray Demonic Beasts would injure Chen Daoxuan. After all, most of them were low-level Demonic Beasts, and Chen Daoxuan had more than enough strength to deal with them.

He was merely afraid that Chen Daoxuan, young and hot-blooded, would charge into the Demonic Beast horde.

Once his True Qi was exhausted, even unranked Demonic Beasts could pose a mortal threat to a cultivator.

As the black mass of cultivators continued to arrive, the two sides actually faced off along Guang'an Prefecture's narrow coastline.

Looking at the endless sea of cultivators ahead.

Chen uncle and nephew immediately settled into calm ease.

Since their Cargo Ship was moored farther inland, with a large number of Cargo Ships forming a barrier before them, those ships had now become their natural shield.

Though the cultivators standing closer to the front cursed inwardly, they could only swallow broken teeth along with their blood for the sake of protecting their own Cargo Ships.

Of course.

The ones holding the very front line were the Zhou Family cultivators.

After all, Guang'an Prefecture was their territory. Protecting its peace was their bounden duty.

Not to mention that this disaster had been caused by the Zhou Family in the first place.

With his mood relaxed, Chen Xianhe could not help but tease, "It looks like the Yang Family will be grinning from ear to ear this time."

The Yang Family he spoke of was the largest Foundation Establishment family within a hundred thousand li of the surrounding seas. In terms of status, they ranked only below the Guang'an Prefecture Zhou Family.

Seeing Chen Daoxuan's doubtful expression, Chen Xianhe explained, "The Yang Family is the largest Cargo Ship merchant in the nearby seas. Our family's Azure Dragon was purchased from the Yang Family Shipyard.

"With this Demonic Beast attack, I fear quite a few fellow Daoists will have their Cargo Ships damaged. How could the Yang Family not be pleased?"

The moment his words fell.

A piercing shriek tore through the heavens.

"Aoo!!!!"

Hearing that shriek, Chen Daoxuan felt his heart pound violently, followed by an urge to vomit.

Seeing this, Chen Daoxuan hurriedly circulated his Dantian True Qi, only then suppressing the nausea.

Afterward, he glanced at Chen Xianhe and found that Thirteenth Uncle, like himself, had gone pale.

"This is... a High-rank Merfolk!"

Chen Xianhe's face was as dark as water. "What sort of calamity did the Zhou Family provoke this time?"