Confrontation!

As waves surged one after another.

With a roar,

A Water Monster covered in dark teal fur, with a pair of scarlet eyes exposed on its head, quietly crawled onto the shore.

Wherever it crawled, it left behind a trail of soaked waterweed scraps.

The Water Monster's fierce eyes held undisguised terror.

It was as if some terrifying creature beneath the river it had once depended on for survival was pursuing it.

Forcing him to flee ashore in blind panic.

Even though coming ashore meant facing the threat of human martial artists.

Perhaps, in the Water Monster's heart, whatever lay beneath the water terrified it even more.

Just as the Water Monster was about to flee inland,

A shrieking gust of wind came howling from afar, stirring the dark teal fur draped across the Water Monster's body.

It was a long blade, its surface shimmering with patterns like golden scales beneath the sunlight.

A faint layer of true aura covered the blade.

The blade became a sharp streak of light, instantly piercing through the Water Monster's heart. The aura coating it shredded its life force in an instant.

[Killed Lesser Water Monster (Blood Circulation), plundered 170 years of lifespan.]

[Lifespan: 18/3550.]

The figures of Luo Chen and his group gradually emerged.

He pulled Golden Scale from the Demonic Beast's heart, walked to the shore, and lightly swirled it in the water, washing away the blood on the blade.

"Which one is this lately?"

Luo Chen's gaze fell upon the river as he spoke calmly.

Behind him, Wang Yue and the others, who were handling the Demonic Beast's corpse, turned around and said,

"Boss, this is the ninth Demonic Beast."

Luo Chen stood at the shore with his hands behind his back, staring down at the river with deeply furrowed brows.

Upon hearing Wang Yue's report, his brows only drew tighter.

He had been at the White Dragon River for half a month already.

The area under his charge had only seen minor Demonic Beasts appearing.

Yet he always felt that Demonic Beasts were secretly watching from the depths of the river.

But he did not dare rashly enter the water and could only contend with them from the shore.

The feeling was far too stifling.

Wang Yue came to the shore to wash the bloodstains from his hands,

While the other four Demon Suppression Envoys stood guard around them.

It was worth mentioning that, because the Qingyuan City Demon Suppression Bureau was truly short-handed, the only subordinates under him, a Demon Suppression Captain, were still these five Demon Suppression Envoys.

However, Luo Chen was quite formidable and capable enough of handling many matters.

Although the strength of the blood and qi he currently displayed was still at Blood Moving Peak.

No one in the entire Demon Suppression Bureau likely believed that anymore.

His record spoke for itself.

No one could afford to underestimate Luo Chen.

Luo Chen was considering whether he should raise the strength he displayed to the early Mysterious Aperture Realm.

It rather felt like covering one's ears while stealing a bell.

But after thinking it over, he did not deliberately bother with it.

You think I'm hiding Mysterious Aperture Realm strength.

In truth, I'm already in the Divine Intent Realm.

His gaze fell upon the panel. Over this past month or so of cultivation, he had basically invested one year of lifespan each time he cultivated.

[Realm: Divine Intent (Initial Manifestation of Divine Sense 45%)]

Neither too much nor too little. In his eyes, the improvement was merely average.

But to Li Changsheng, who had been beside him, it was as though he had seen a ghost.

Because Luo Chen cultivated right under his nose.

Li Changsheng could be certain that Luo Chen possessed no special inheritance and had not consumed any heavenly treasures capable of nourishing the soul.

Without either of those conditions,

Luo Chen's progress was simply too terrifying. Even though Li Changsheng had lived for more than five thousand years, he had never seen such a freak.

If he had not secretly examined Luo Chen's soul and found no sign that he had been possessed by some old monster,

He would have stayed far away from this kid.

One could well imagine just how deeply Luo Chen's performance had shocked Li Changsheng.

Yet Luo Chen was completely unaware of it.

Because he knew that Zhuge Xing, that genius of the Latent Dragon Ranking, had already reached the peak of Divine Intent at twenty-nine.

His own rate of progress ought to be perfectly reasonable too.

He had completely overlooked the vast gap between the inheritances and resources available to the two of them.

"Kid, something underwater has its eyes on you."

Li Changsheng's voice rang beside Luo Chen's ear.

Standing at the shore, Luo Chen said to Wang Yue,

"You all move farther from the shore."

"Boss?" Wang Yue did not understand, but when he saw the gravity in Luo Chen's eyes, he immediately shut his mouth and led The Rest away from the shore.

"Is it coming?"

Luo Chen gripped the hilt of Golden Scale Blade, calmly watching the surface of the water.

One breath... ten breaths...

He waited for a full quarter of an hour.

The river surface remained as calm as a mirror.

Luo Chen's gaze sharpened, and his eyes shifted downstream. Within his senses, a demonic aura was rapidly fleeing into the distance.

"It's scared off. Tsk, tsk!"

Li Changsheng's voice sounded, carrying the frustration of iron that would not become steel.

Because according to his senses, that fleeing figure should have once belonged to the Water Tribe of the Dragon Palace.

Seeing this Water Tribe that had lost its nerve before a battle even began,

Li Changsheng immediately felt his face burning. After all, only a few months ago, he had still been the Dragon Palace's chief steward.

Golden Scale slid back into its sheath as Luo Chen turned and left.

"Boss, what happened?"

Wang Yue and the others gathered around him, their faces full of worry.

"It's nothing. A Lesser Demon ran off."

Luo Chen looked relaxed, unwilling to place psychological pressure on them.

On the way back to the Demon Suppression Bureau camp,

He was already considering whether he should cultivate a martial arts technique suited for underwater combat.

After all, other martial artists would need years upon years to master a martial skill.

But he only needed to spend a little lifespan.

After returning to the Demon Suppression Bureau camp,

Wang Yue took the spoils from the Demonic Beasts to register their merits.

Luo Chen, meanwhile, wandered around the camp.

Although Demonic Beasts had often come ashore from the White Dragon River lately, remnants of the Dragon Palace were rarely seen.

Luo Chen had also asked Li Changsheng about it and received an answer.

"Your Demon Suppression Bureau regards the Water Tribe as a great enemy, but why would those Water Tribe members not fear you as well?"

Especially after losing the Dragon King's protection.

Whenever those Water Tribe members saw the Demon Suppression Bureau, they were already three parts weaker in momentum.

Luo Chen could not help but be speechless upon hearing that answer.

But upon careful thought, it did make a great deal of sense.

This had also resulted in the present standoff between the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Water Tribe.

Neither side had erupted into a large-scale conflict, but small frictions never ceased.

As he passed a camp,

Luo Chen's steps paused slightly, because someone behind him was calling his name.

He looked back, thinking that what was meant to come had come after all.

Before the gate of the camp behind him, a figure in green robes leaned against the doorframe, offering him a friendly smile.

"Luo Chen, I think we should properly get acquainted!"

Zhuge Xing studied the Youth before him with interested eyes.

Young—far too young.

According to the intelligence in his hands, the other party had now opened at least two hundred apertures.

Such talent.

If he was equally overwhelming in the Divine Intent Realm, then his talent would not be inferior to that person's!

"Greetings, Chief Director."

The other party greeted him with a smile. As a subordinate, Luo Chen could only cup his fists and bow.

"Hehe, there's no need for that. Changyue mentioned you before. We could be considered old friends in spirit."

Zhuge Xing made an inviting gesture.

Luo Chen paused slightly before entering the tent.

Meanwhile, he frantically transmitted his voice to Li Changsheng.

"Senior, are you there?"

"This is an emergency!"

"Stop making such a racket. This old man is watching. That kid looks fairly easy to talk to."

"..."

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