The next day, it began to dawn.
Green trees cast their shadows on the Azure Wave Island, welcoming a large number of "guests".
Chen Yun, Wu Kejiu, Qin Ming and other forty-plus monks arrived here, quickly lurking on the shore and constantly exchanging information with spiritual power.
"The Azure Wave Beast is a peculiar spiritual creature with the body of a human and the tail of a fish."
Qin Ming was passing on to everyone, "It looks like a human, the female is as beautiful as flowers, the male is as ugly as night demons, generally five or six feet long, is most skilled in controlling water flow, usually live in the water most of the time. It only comes to the shore at dawn to wait for the sunrise and accept the bath of morning light."
Chen Yun listened to the information carefully.
After all, this is related to the success or failure of the mission.
Everyone else listened just as carefully.
Qin Ming continued, "Therefore, we must quickly wipe it out while it's on land. Otherwise, once it gets back into the water, not only are we not skilled in aquatic combat, but its ability to quickly blend into the water makes it very hard to track down again. Has everyone remembered this?"
"Remembered."
"Gongzhu Qin, you can rest assured that we will not let it escape."
Wu Kejiu, Long Nü Sanjiu, Ding Xu, and others replied.
The crowd was chatting.
Suddenly, Chen Yun saw that something seemed to violently break the surface of the water in the distance, sending a wave of white foam speeding towards the shore at lightning speed.
Qin Ming, Wu Kejiu, and the others also noticed the change, and they all exerted their eyesight to look towards the source of the disturbance.
What's seen is a beautiful woman pushing the waves forward.
Her face looked very anxious, and something seemed to be chasing her from behind.
Chen Yun has excellent eyesight and immediately saw that as the beautiful woman rode the waves, the surrounding seawater turned red, indicating that she was severely injured.
He sent out his divine sense to investigate, and found that behind the beautiful woman, there was indeed a spiritual beast as long as ten or so zhang, resembling a cattail fish.
As a cultivator, Chen Yun has always held the belief that human life is paramount.
He immediately had the idea of saving the beautiful woman.
But he was uncertain about the exact strength of that catfish spiritual beast.
Therefore, he activated the View Qi Technique to carefully investigate.
In the next second, he understood the strengths of both the beautiful woman and the catfish spiritual beast.
The radiance on the body of the beautiful woman showed that she was comparable to a late-stage upper-level mage.
The catfish spiritual beast, however, possessed only the initial strength of an upper-level mage.
Chen Yun involuntarily stopped for a moment.
An upper-level mage late-stage being chased by an upper-level mage early-stage spiritual beast?
This surprised him.
He even suspected that the beautiful woman was intentionally "fishing" in this way.
However, what happened next confirmed to him that the beautiful woman was not "fishing."
The catfish spiritual beast opened its bloody mouth and fiercely bit towards the beautiful woman.
Even though the beautiful woman rapidly evaded and dodged, she still couldn't completely avoid the attack. A chunk of flesh was bitten off her arm, and copious amounts of bright red blood spurted out wildly!
The most crucial matter was that due to this bite, the beautiful woman's speed clearly slowed down.
It seems that in just a moment, the catfish spiritual beast will swallow the beautiful woman whole!
Chen Yun knew he couldn't just sit there waiting for death. He appeared a blood-red Gold-slaying Demon Sword in his hand, then with his other hand, he slashed down empty-handed. Crack! A massive bolt of lightning burst from his palm, like a dragon, and crashed onto the catfish spiritual beast behind the beautiful woman.
At the same time, he transformed into a ray of golden light and shot up to the beautiful woman's position. With an outstretched hand, he captured her and rapidly returned.
This round trip was faster than the palms of thunder.
By the time he carried the woman back to Azure Wave Island, the bolt of lightning finally crashed onto the catfish spiritual beast.
Boom!
A massive bang echoed!
The water surface was blasted apart by the immense power.
It rose to a wave that was over ten zhang high.
Along with the call, the catfish spiritual beast cried out in agony.
Wu Kejiu, Qin Ming, Long Nü Sanjiu, and the others were still reacting to what was happening when they saw Chen Yun suddenly burst into action, using his palm thunder technique. Then he transformed into a ray of golden light and brought back a beautiful woman with a human body and fish tail. They all hesitated for a moment.
Chen Yun threw the woman onto the ground and turned to look at the water surface, thinking that if the catfish spiritual beast continued to pursue, he would have to kill it.
Who would have thought that the power of his palm thunder technique was a bit too strong. A single slash had rent a massive gash in the catfish spiritual beast's body.
The catfish spiritual beast, severely injured, dared not continue the pursuit and turned around to flee wildly in the distance.
"Thank you... thank you for saving my life, sir."
The woman took in a sharp breath while gently thanking him.
Chen Yun was about to respond with a few words.
Wu Kejiu, Qin Ming, and Long Nü Sanjiu and the others burst into laughter at once and surrounded him.
"It comes without any effort!"
"Mr. Chen, you captured the Azure Wave Beast in an instant, saving us a lot of trouble."
A group of people were happily exuberant.
Especially Qin Ming, his face was full of ecstasy, "Master, being able to capture the Azure Wave Beast this time is too much thanks to you."
Azure Wave Beast?
Chen Yun suddenly stopped and looked down, only to find that the beautiful woman's lower body was not human feet, but a fish tail.
He had been so anxious to save the person that he hadn't noticed this.
Since the Azure Wave Beast can speak human language, it naturally understands what everyone is saying.
She was originally thanking Chen Yun, but at this moment, her face turned pale, and she was constantly trembling all over. Her two eyes were full of fear.
Chen Yun frowned and pointed to the beautiful woman, looking at Qin Ming, "Are you saying she is the Azure Wave Beast?"
Qin Ming thought that Chen Yun was trying to confirm the woman's identity, so he looked at her carefully and nodded, "With a human body and a fish tail, wrapped in mermaid silk... yes, it is indeed the Azure Wave Beast!"
Wu Kejiu coldly said, "We will kill it to obtain the Azure Sea Pearl and quickly make our way to the next place."
Others also showed a matter-of-fact expression on their faces, as if they had no intention of treating the woman as a human.
The woman, who had been trembling slightly, broke down in fear and tears upon hearing Wu Kejiu's intent to kill her. She pleaded desperately, "Please, Your Honors, spare my life. I have a husband and three or four children waiting at home. If I were to die today, according to the nature of our mermaid tribe, my husband would surely commit suicide in love. What will become of my three or four children then?"
Her tears were extremely strange, turning into pearls as soon as they fell.
The person looked extremely similar to a human and was now speaking in human language, pleading for mercy. Chen Yun really couldn't treat her as a spiritual beast, so he furrowed his brow and looked at Qin Ming, Wu Kejiu, and the others, discussing, "Gentlemen, she is indeed the Azure Wave Beast, but I see her appearance is very much like that of a human. I truly cannot bring myself to be this cruel. How about we let her go?"
Wu Kejiu hesitated, "This..."
Long Nü Sanjiu, Gao Cheng, and others also exchanged worried glances.
The mermaid, who had been desperate before, now rekindled the hope of survival. She quickly said, "As long as the Honors spare my life, I will do everything in my power to repay your kindness."
Qin Ming did not bother to pay attention to the mermaid but directly responded to Chen Yun, "Teacher, since you don't want to harm her life, I will comply."
He had indicated before entering the Cave of the Moon and Sun that he would follow Chen Yun's lead, so he naturally carried out his words.
Having said that, Qin Ming directly waved at the woman, "You can leave. I won't take your life."
Wu Kejiu hurriedly said, "Gongzhu Qin, are you really just going to let her go like that? You're not going to get the Azure Sea Pearl?"
Qin Ming laughed casually, "I sought the Azure Sea Pearl to avoid water, but there are many ways to avoid water besides the Azure Sea Pearl. Since our teacher is kind-hearted and doesn't want to harm her life, let her go. The Azure Sea Pearl, we don't need it after all."
Chen Yun hummed and said, "I remember that our Daoist sect has a method to avoid water. Today's failure to obtain the Azure Sea Pearl is of no consequence. Once we leave the Cave of the Moon and Sun, I will consult with my senior brothers or revered master about it, and I will definitely get you an avoidance of water art."
Qin Ming was overjoyed, "Thank you, teacher."
The mermaids had been at their wit's end, but they didn't expect to escape death.
Now hearing the conversation between Qin Ming and the others, she quickly spoke up, "Honorable spirits, if you only want to avoid water, the mermaid silk on my body will suffice."
She looked at Chen Yun as she said, "To express my gratitude to this gentleman for saving my life, I am willing to gift the mermaid silk I am wearing to you all."
Chen Yun was taken aback, "The mermaid silk you are wearing can actually avoid water?"
Wu Kejiu and Qin Ming and the others were also surprised.
The mermaid nodded vigorously, introducing herself proactively, "Our mermaid tribe's men are brave and battle-ready, and our women are skilled at weaving mermaid silk. The silk is woven from the spiritual qi within our bodies, hence it has the ability to avoid water."
Chen Yun heard this and suddenly understood. He seemed to understand why the mermaid looked like an upper-level mage, yet was being chased by a spiritual beast of the initial level.
It seems that the real combatants among the mermaid tribe are the males, while the females, although possessing "qi" comparable to that of a late-stage upper-level mage, cannot actually fight and only know how to weave mermaid silk using "qi".
Chen Yun showed concern with a kind heart, "If you don't have the mermaid silk, can you still safely ride the waves back home?"
The mermaid said, "As the honors of the various masters have said, our bodies are equipped with Azure Sea Pearl that contains the spiritual power. Therefore, whether we wear mermaid silk or not, it doesn't affect our ability to avoid water."
She was so desperate to survive that she immediately added a sentence after speaking, "If the Honors can spare my life, after I return to the mermaid palace, I will have my tribe send a large amount of mermaid silk woven clothing. That way, you all will have the ability to avoid water."
Hearing this, the crowd's eyes lit up.
The group will then proceed to search for the mixed origin blood qi grass under the water, and also go to Silver Dragon Island to retrieve the Silver Dragon Thorn.
Both tasks require combat within the water.
If there really are mermaid silk, it can avoid the inconvenience of not being able to avoid water, and can play to their stronger abilities.
But there is still a question in everyone's mind, who can say for sure that the mermaid will send back the mermaid silk when she leaves here?
Another concern is that if the mermaid harbors malice, upon returning to her tribe, she might call for backup. In that case, it's not just a matter of not receiving the mermaid silk; it could lead to a large-scale siege and extermination by many mermaids.
Wu Kejiu and Qin Ming, along with Long Nü Sanjiu and others, looked at each other, seemingly considering the credibility of the mermaid's words to a certain extent.
Chen Yun, however, made a decisive decision: "Just leave the mermaid silk you are wearing. You don't need to send more mermaid silk over. Hurry up and leave here. We have other things to attend to."
As the mermaid removed the mermaid silk, she hurriedly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please wait here. I'll be back shortly."
After saying that, she struggled to jump up and swim away in the water.
Wu Kejiu looked at Chen Yun, "Mr. Chen, do you think we should wait here?"
Qin Ming and Long Nü Sanjiu and the others also looked towards Chen Yun's face.
At present, the team leader by name is Wu Kejiu, but in reality, it is Chen Yun who holds the reins.
This is evident from his request for everyone to spare the mermaid's life earlier, as no one voiced an objection.
Although Chen Yun is kind-hearted and spared the mermaid's life, he is not without guile. He knows that if the mermaid truly has malicious intentions, she might summon her tribe to besiege and exterminate their forty or so companions.
He made a decisive decision, "Since Qin Master has obtained an avoidance of water item, we do not need to be greedy. Let's quickly leave here and head for the location of the mixed origin blood qi grass."
"Alright."
"As Mr. Chen says."
"Well, we have spared the mermaid's life, but who knows if she will hold a grudge against us for what we just said?"
"Let's leave this place first."
Wu Kejiu, Qin Ming, Long Nü Sanjiu, and the others all had no objections.
To be honest, everyone did not expect the first task among the last three to be completed so smoothly, with little delay.
Chen Yun was also thinking the same way, since Qin Ming had already obtained the avoidance of water item, there was no point in staying here.
Although the mermaid might keep her promise, using the lives of forty or so people as a bet is too risky.
He thinks it is better not to take such risks and to be more cautious.
The group did not wait for the mermaid to return and quickly left the Blue Wave Island.
About half an hour after they left, a large group of male mermaids surged towards the water's surface in succession.
These mermaids stepped on the crests of the waves, with a number of about one hundred.
Each one possessed at least the strength of a late-stage upper-level mage.
These mermaids were all fierce-looking, with faces as ugly as demons.
The leader, who was about one zhang (a unit of length in China) tall and held a steel spear, possessed a strength equivalent to that of a late-stage high-level mage.
Upon arriving here, the leader looked around with a puzzled expression and said to his companions, "Where has the savior whose life the princess saved disappeared to?"
Another mermaid with a spear and slightly shorter stature, about eight zhang tall, said, "Maybe it's because the honored guests have urgent matters to attend to and have left."
The leader of the mermaid tribe furrowed his brow and said, "The mermaid tribe has always valued repaying favors with favors and taking revenge for enmities. The honored masters have saved our princess but left without saying goodbye, and I feel truly uneasy."
Another mermaid, who was about seven zhang tall, said, "General, why not have people search the nearby waters for the tracks of the honored guests? If we find them, it won't be too late to go and thank them."
The leader of the mermaid tribe nodded and said, "There's no other choice. Have your men search the surrounding waters, looking for the appearance of the honored guests. If they are found, return to the mermaid palace to report at once. I want to thank them properly."
(The end of this chapter)
