Below, along the shore.
Hissing, the sea snake, a spirit snake, continually flicked its tongue, emitting a terrifying sound.
In fact, the hissing sound of the sea snake is not that loud, but it sounds very frightening to Zhang Gan, Lin Chen, and others.
Everyone tensed up, with wide-eyed terror staring at the sea snake.
Neither Zhang Gan nor Lin Chen had ever imagined that their trip to the South Sea Islands to find the true incense would lead them to such great danger.
Since four or five years ago, when Chen Yun taught them the cultivation method of the yin spirit, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen have been earning money by producing soap during the day and practicing diligently at night.
Because Chen Yun had left some sandalwood that could quickly enhance the yin spirit before, within two to three years, the two of them successfully cultivated to the level of a lower mage.
Um, after all, cultivating the yin spirit is a method of rapid achievement, and with the help of the sandalwood, it's normal for the progress to be fast.
However, the sandalwood is always limited, and it was finally exhausted two years ago.
Without the sandalwood, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen's cultivation pace slowed down.
The two had originally intended to continue their cultivation with their own efforts.
However, who could have expected that the world was in turmoil, with troops from Hedong and Hechong approaching Luoyang, Tian Lvezeng inviting Xuanzong to flee to Xingyuan from Fengxiang, but Xuanzong refused. Subsequently, Tian Lvezeng led troops into the palace, forcibly took Xuanzong to Chen>cang, while Wang Zhongren and Li Kexu led troops into Luoyang, causing great suffering to the common people.
Because of this, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen were also forced to flee with their belongings.
During this period, the two walked south, eventually reaching Guangzhou Prefecture in the southern part of Liangnan Dao. They settled here and struggled to survive.
Perhaps because their cultivation in the mortal realm is already quite good, so they quickly made a big name for themselves in Guangzhou Prefecture, thus making friends with many mortal cultivators.
It was precisely because their connections expanded that their horizons broadened as well. They accompanied many cultivators on adventures, gathering some celestial and spiritual roots that could enhance the yin spirit.
Over the past year or so, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen, with the help of these celestial and spiritual roots, have cultivated from early-stage seventh-order cultivators to late-stage seventh-order cultivators.
However, after reaching this realm, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen discovered that the previous celestial and spiritual roots they had found had become insignificant.
Just then, a sixth-order cultivator named Guyue Tian, whom they had befriended, discovered that there were many precious true incenses near the Nanhai Stone Bank.
These true incenses are different from the common ones collected on earth. They contain a large amount of ling qi, which is very likely to help Zhang Gan and Lin Chen break through to the sixth level of cultivators.
So, after discussing it, the two of them decided to follow the sixth-level cultivators Guyue Tian and Fu Ming, and also team up with about 10 seventh-level cultivators, all taking boats to approach the vicinity of the Stone Bank.
And indeed, there are indeed quite a few true incenses here that contain ling qi.
After everyone had collected enough, they were preparing to leave the island by boat.
But who could have thought that a sea snake spirit beast, more than ten zhang long, suddenly burst out from the sea surface, not only smashing their boats to pieces but also chasing after them relentlessly after eating a few people, blocking them at the shore.
"Disaster! We're doomed!"
"The huge sea dragon's body is so massive, we are doomed this time!"
Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and the group of seventh-level cultivators were desperate and howled in sorrow.
The sea snake is anciently referred to as "sea dragon," but this does not mean that the sea snake is a godly dragon.
Zhang Gan was also desperate, but he was very loyal. "Little brother Lin, I will not hesitate to hold back the sea dragon spirit beast. You try to go to Qingcheng Mountain and ask Master Chen to come out and take care of my body!"
His words were entirely meant to persuade Lin Chen to escape from there.
After all, sea snakes have eaten people. Even if you ask Chen Yun to come out and kill them, what good will it do?
Does that mean he can turn the fertilizer back into its original form?
Lin Chen knew this very well. He was also a very loyal person. Although his hands were trembling while holding the talisman, he cut through the situation decisively and said, "Big Brother Zhang, if we must leave, it will be you first. I will hold back the sea dragon. Please make sure to ask Master Chen to come out and take care of my body as you said. Take my corpse back to Zhongshan Mountain after I die so that I can listen to the teachings of our ancestor every day!"
"What a time to be boasting, the two of you still?"
"If your master really had such powerful brothers, how could you have fallen into such a state together with us?"
"Big Brother Zhang, Brother Lin, it's better to think about how to escape than to talk nonsense!"
Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and the others were extremely angry at the two for their "nonsense" and began to shout at them.
They had known Zhang Gan and Lin Chen for several years, during which they heard the two repeatedly boast about having worked at the Chongshan Snowy Cave, in front of Master Zhengyang.
Of course, the two had the best relationship with Chen Yun. During their boasting, they often mentioned Chen Yun, describing his "legendary journey" from a long worker to Master Zhengyang's disciples in the same way as them.
Zhang Gan and Lin Chen told their stories in such a convincing manner that it seemed as if they were true.
However, Guyue Tian and Fu Ming, and the others, didn't believe a single word of it.
Why?
Because in their minds, Master Zhengyang is such a truly divine figure that even his laborers must be quite remarkable. How could they possibly have such shallow cultivation as Zhang Gan and Lin Chen?
So, they not only don't believe that Zhang Gan and Lin Chen had worked under Zhongli Quan's disciples.
Nor did they believe that the two had ever met with Chen, a high disciple of Master Zhengyang and a famous figure in Shu land.
Of course, in ordinary times, even though Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and others might not believe the words of Zhang Gan and Lin Chen, out of politeness, they would still pretend to believe them and then praise them a bit.
But now it's too late. The sea snake spirit beast is about to swallow all of them whole!
Are you two still boasting?
You must be suffering from brain atrophy!
Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and the others were extremely angry. They felt that Zhang Gan and Lin Chen had no sense of occasion and were still boasting about things when their lives were in danger. So they all shouted at them.
Zhang Gan and Lin Chen didn't bother to explain. Instead, they simply cautioned each other to make sure they escape and go to Qingcheng Mountain to ask Master Chen to come out and take care of their respective bodies, bringing them back home.
As the group was rapidly discussing.
Suddenly, the huge body of the sea snake spirit beast in front of them shrank back quite a bit.
Fu Ming's pupils contracted sharply and exclaimed, "It's going to attack us!"
Guyue Tian was so scared that his back was drenched in sweat. He exclaimed in terror, "Fellow cultivators, we'll scatter and run as soon as possible. Perhaps it will be too busy to chase after us, and we can escape one by one!"
Zhang Gan looked determined, and with each hand holding a talisman, he walked to the front of the crowd and shouted loudly, "Brother Lin, run! I will burn this talisman, and it should be able to hold it for a while!"
To sacrifice oneself for righteousness!
No one had expected that at this critical moment, Zhang Gan would actually sacrifice himself for the sake of others!
Even though the initially angry Guyue Tian and Fu Ming couldn't help but shed tears of admiration for Zhang Gan's fearless spirit at this crucial moment!
The sea snake spirit beast was not very intelligent, and it certainly didn't care about Zhang Gan's spirit of self-sacrifice.
Seeing someone stepping forward in front of the crowd, the sea snake spirit beast mistook it for a provocation. Its body, which had just receded, suddenly snapped back like a rubber band, transforming into a black streak that shot forward!
"Brother Zhang!" Lin Chen mourned out in a low voice, not daring to look anymore!
"Run! Take the chance to run!" Guyue Tian knew that the sea snake spirit beast was no match for them, so he didn't even consider saving Zhang Gan. Instead, he shouted loudly to direct everyone to escape.
Indeed, in such a situation, Guyue Tian's choice was absolutely correct.
After all, everyone knows that it's better to lose one person than to lose the entire army.
Everyone looked at Zhang Gan sadly, and then turned around without hesitation, trying to escape in all directions.
Lin Chen was a step slower than Zhang Gan, knowing that charging forward now would only let down Zhang Gan.
He endured the intense grief in his heart and turned to escape at once.
In that moment of turning around, he vowed silently in his heart that no matter what it takes, he will travel mountains and rivers to Qingcheng Mountain and ask Chen Yun to come out and avenge Zhang Gan's deep blood revenge!
Zhang Gan was resolute, roaring and using his magic power to ignite the talismans he was holding in both hands.
Instantly, two fierce flames shot out from them, illuminating the nearby sand dunes.
He knew that these two fierce flame talismans could not kill the sea snake, and at most, they could slow it down.
Once the effect of the talismans ended, he would die here.
Therefore, when Zhang Gan activated the talisman and sent two fierce flames toward the sea snake, he closed his eyes and waited quietly for death to come.
However, just as Zhang Gan was about to close his eyes.
He seemed to see a blazing golden light abruptly burst forth from above the sky.
"As the sunset is about to end, and we are about to enter the evening, where did such a strong golden light come from?"
Zhang Gan thought he was hallucinating.
Even, for a moment, he thought he had been eaten by the sea snake spirit beast.
The so-called golden light was just a fantasy in the last moment of death.
So Zhang Gan didn't open his eyes.
Lin Chen, Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and all the others who had just turned around to scatter like birds and beasts couldn't possibly have closed their eyes, as they were in a life-and-death situation.
Therefore, these people saw things much clearer than Zhang Gan.
These people only felt as if there were tens of thousands of gold lights falling from the sky!
What's happening?
What happened?
Lin Chen hurriedly looked up.
Fu Ming also glanced toward the sky.
Guyue Tian and the other dozen or so cultivators had almost all the same reaction.
Everyone was puzzled and wanted to know where the fierce golden light was coming from.
It's okay not to look up.
As soon as they looked up, everyone was shocked to discover that a brightly shining red-lined spear suddenly appeared in the sky.
The red-lined spear, with its brilliant golden light, was incredibly wondrous. The spear, about six or seven feet long, emitted a bright and scorching golden light as radiant as the midday sun in June!
It was plummeting from the sky!
Perhaps the speed at which the red-lined spear fell was simply too fast.
Friction with the air caused the spear to burst into fierce flames.
This looked like a meteorite falling with a long trail of fire!
Its descent was too fast.
It was so fast that the crowd caught only a fleeting glimpse of the strange red-lined spear in the sky before it plunged through the massive body of the sea snake spirit beast.
Most importantly, although the spear had such a magnificent descent and pierced the sea beast, there was not a single sound!
The sea snake spirit beast had no time to make even a single scream before the red-lined spear firmly embedded it in the sand, preventing it from moving!
"Ah?"
"..."
"What just happened?"
Lin Chen, Guyue Tian, Fu Ming, and the other dozen or so people were all stupefied!
Zhang Gan, who had closed his eyes to wait for death, felt the powerful wind coming towards him. He had already prepared himself for death as the sea snake approached.
Who would have thought that the next moment, a burst of heat suddenly spread out.
Soon, the crowd exclaimed in alarm.
Hmm?
Why wasn't I killed?
Zhang Gan couldn't believe his eyes when he opened them and saw the sea snake spirit beast lying dead on the sand!
He was also completely bewildered, with no idea what had just happened.
Just as everyone's minds were fried.
Suddenly, a auspicious light filled the sky.
Then, a young man's cheerful laugh echoed, "Brother Zhang, Brother Lin, it's been a long time. How have you been lately?"
Hearing this, Zhang Gan, Lin Chen, and other people quickly looked up.
They saw a cloud floating in the sky, emitting infinite auspicious light, slowly descending towards them.
Above the auspicious cloud, there stood three men.
One of the three men was completely wrapped up, and it was difficult to see his face.
The second man was a middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance.
Only the young Taoist in the center stood out and drew everyone's attention!
This young Taoist was tall and majestic, with a heroic appearance. His blue robes were blown by the wind, giving people a sense of celestial demeanor.
Now that he came down from the heavens on a cloud, it was as if an immortal had descended from the heavens!
Who is this Taoist?
Fu Ming and other people were still wondering in their minds.
However, Zhang Gan and Lin Chen exclaimed with joy.
"Brother Chen!"
"Brother Chen!"
Hearing this, Fu Ming and other people were suddenly stunned.
Is this Taoist with the celestial demeanor none other than Chen Pu, the high-ranking cultivator whom Zhang Gan and Lin Chen had boastfully claimed as a relative and whose reputation had shaken the Shu region?
These two were not exaggerating?
Do they really know Mr. Chen?
Fu Ming and Guyue Tian and the others were completely stunned in place.
They really couldn't believe that Zhang Gan and Lin Chen actually had such a big background, as big as they had boasted, knew the disciples of Zhengnan Mountain Ningyang Cave transmission and Zhengyang Zen Master and even knew Chen Pu, the renowned Taoist master!
(The end of this chapter)
