Wet viviparity

Chapter 754 Waves, Schemes Lost
The water churned, and a talisman, flowing with murky mud and exuding a cold, damp aura, was retrieved.

Jiao Ying's voice remained clear and melodious, yet it seemed to carry a hint of indifference as he addressed the old barbarian: "Is this turbid talisman something you lost?"

What was lost was a golden talisman.

This talisman is filthy and lacks any spiritual energy; it is of inferior quality and is certainly not mine. I urge the spirits of this precious land to search again, and search carefully once more.

The old barbarian had a loud and rough voice, but he had a bad feeling. The dragon shadow in the middle of the lake seemed to have changed its attitude. Could it be that it had seen through his hidden scheme? Thinking of this, he almost wanted to immediately withdraw the talisman.

However, relying on his own strength, he endured it.

Jiao Ying retrieved another seal from the lake. This seal was even more malevolent and of inferior quality, resembling a lifeless object.

Even in this predicament, the old barbarian still held a sliver of hope, saying, "This old man has skin of copper and bones of iron, and is full of yang energy. What use do I have for this gloomy thing? What I dropped is a golden talisman! A talisman that shines with golden light!"

The next moment, seeing that Jiao Ying did not make a move, the old barbarian dared not gamble any longer. Just as he was about to make a move, he heard Jiao Ying shout sharply.

"Greed and anger are rampant, and scheming and self-serving thoughts prevail."

No matter how hard you refine your physical body, it's nothing more than stubborn iron. Your mind is so clouded; how can you talk about becoming a saint and transcending worldly concerns?
This talisman has disturbed the sacred lake; you are hereby punished for damaging this item.

"Go quickly, lest you pollute this pure water!"

The last "go" sounded like a grand, resonant bell.

The old barbarian was terrified. He felt a tremendous force suddenly appear out of nowhere and strike his proud, indestructible body. The next moment, he appeared at sea with Black Owl.

"not good!"

Seeing that he had been excluded from the Mirage Realm and landed on the distant sea, with a salty wind and rain hitting him, the old barbarian realized that he had miscalculated.

In his shock and rage, the old barbarian opened six acupoints: Baihui on the top of his head, Dazhui on the back of his neck, Tanzhong, three inches below his navel, Yongquan on the sole of his foot, and Laogong in the palm of his hand. His body shot straight into the depths of the thunderous cloud, followed by a loud bang, and the wind and rain stopped.

Still not satisfied, they threw it into the seabed, raising massive amounts of sand and creating towering waves hundreds of feet high.

When he reappeared, he was amidst the surging waves, his arms thrusting forward with fierce force, his ten fingers like chisels, tearing apart the waves to the left and right.

Black Owl pretended to be anxious and jumping up and down at sea, shouting at the impotent and furious old barbarian: "If the Yin Yang Golden Talisman is lost, I will not be able to escape responsibility. Old barbarian, why are you taking your anger out on this stormy sea? Go and chase after it for me."

With a loud "boom," a gust of wind struck Black Owl Tiger's face, causing Black Owl Tiger to sway three times.

His heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself that this old barbarian might be about to kill him in his anger. Just as the strong wind hit his face, the old barbarian's figure blocked the sunlight directly in front of him.

"Child, you don't know that only the master of the building can enter this Mirage Realm. We can no longer go back."

Old Manzi was also terrified. He never expected that he, who had been playing with eagles for many years, would be pecked in the eye by an eagle this time. He was filled with regret and hatred. He said, "But don't worry, this matter is inextricably linked to that pebble-shaped treasure pavilion."

After I take you to Diqiu and settle you in, I will go to that sacred place of the hermits on the sea frontier—Dragon Bay in the East Sea—to find Master Tang, with whom I have some connections.

This person is a lord of a building in the Mirage Realm, who is known for valuing his reputation highly and is said to be quite popular within the realm. He must know who the lord of that pebble building is.

With that, he grabbed Black Owl and rushed towards the hill east of the East Sea without giving him a chance to explain.

Within the realm of the Mirage Spirit, at that small lake where the dragon hides.

The two eagles, Jin and Qing, remained stationary. The Qing eagle turned its head and carefully preened its feathers with its curved beak. This seemingly nonchalant action was actually a way to conceal its unusual behavior.

The moment that pushed the old barbarian out of the Spirit Realm just now, it was a close call that the Dragon's Lair didn't collapse.

If he didn't currently possess two Ancestral Mirage energies, and if this old barbarian weren't an outsider who allowed him to mobilize a large amount of spiritual power, he probably would have had to use the third Ancestral Mirage energy in reserve to drive him away.

However, if he did that, he, who controlled the mirage of the three ancestral spirits, would inevitably be exposed to the eyes of the three powerful beings in the spiritual realm, and the situation would certainly be extremely passive.

Fortunately, this adventure was worthwhile. Treasures of the Yin Yang Golden Talisman's level are rare. Even though it can't be seen in the light of day, Ji Ming can still use it for other purposes.

A golden eagle landed on the lakeshore, its wings flapping. "Great Immortal, you wouldn't be searching for treasure in this lake either, would you?"

"I'm nervous," Qingying said.

"Why not."

As he spoke, the Golden Eagle opened its mouth and spat out its magical treasure, the Hunyuan Box, which fell into the lake.

The dragon-like figure in the center of the lake remained motionless for a long time before slowly saying, "I have already retrieved the treasure three times. If you wish to test the efficacy of this lake, you will surely encounter it one day."

After he finished speaking, the entire lake and water scenery vanished, and a faint sense of repulsion arose.

At this moment, Ji Ming was a little nervous. If the Pleiades Star Lord really intended to continue playing in the small lake, he wouldn't be able to send this great god away. Fortunately, the Golden Eagle did not make any rash moves, did not resist the repulsion, and left the spiritual realm.

"The benefits have been provided; let us now look to the future."

As the golden eagle spoke, it spread its wings and transformed into sunlight that scattered across the shimmering waves of the sea.

"Let's see what the future holds."

The azure eagle exploded on the spot, its azure feathers scattering and turning into wisps of azure energy.

One of the three-inch-long, fetus-like, curled-up spirits was swept back to Baoguang Prefecture by the gale and fell into the physical body in the valley of Hunshui Mountain.

East of the East China Sea, at the end of the waterway.

Vast and unfathomable, it contains a mysterious realm.

No human trace is found, only the vast emptiness remains.

Old Manzi and Black Owl traveled through the dark, inky clouds that hung low for thousands of miles, flying all the way without stopping, before finally arriving here.

Black Owl was fine, but it was Old Manzi who suffered. He had to reveal his true form along the way, carrying Black Owl at breakneck speed. What should have been a leisurely journey of more than half a month was shortened to just two or three days.

The two descended from the dark clouds and entered the dense miasma of the sea.

A colossal creature lurked in the mist, its back like an island, its breath like the wind, stirring up the undercurrents. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the creatures were in groups, their backs like arched peaks emerging from the water, swaying and colliding with each other, their sounds like thunder.

As they approached the shore of the Blackwater Hill, the old barbarian, not wanting to cause any trouble, bypassed the giant fish floating on the sea. Not far away, a winding shoreline appeared, with rows of rock pillars standing tall.

Those rock pillars have been battered by wind and waves for thousands of years, their edges and corners worn away, their surfaces covered with honeycomb-like holes. Whenever the north wind blows through the gaps, it emits a wailing shriek. As soon as Black Owl sets foot here, he feels a chill run down his spine.

"Scared."

The old barbarian laughed.

"What's there to be afraid of? This place has been uninhabited since ancient times, which is perfect for a demon like me."

If I cannot shed my demonic form in this life, even if I am summoned back to Golden Essence Mountain, I will still be looked down upon. It would be better to live out my days in this vast, untouched land, where no one ever sets foot.

"That's difficult. With your demonic nature, once you start cultivating, your lifespan of several hundred years is foreseeable. I'm afraid I, this old barbarian, will die before you."

"Hehe, if you can't find the golden talisman, you might indeed die before me." Black Owl's feet were covered with a thick layer of grayish-white salt crust, as thick as snow. As he spoke, he stepped on it, and it cracked and sank, revealing black mud underneath, which smelled fishy and pungent.

Seeing that the old barbarian had not left, he said with a slightly sarcastic tone, "What, trying to shut me up? We're in the same boat. It won't do me any good to complain about you. Besides, I'm in Diqiu, so I can't complain about you."

"I'm afraid you'll tell on me."

The old barbarian shook his head and tossed down a booklet.

"Although your father may be in the Spirit Palace preparing ancient books to introduce this place to you, how could someone as pampered as him, who has never traveled overseas, know as much as I do? This booklet contains information about the mountains and rivers of the hill. Cultivate here diligently, and if all else fails, refine your Yuan Dan and enter the human realm. It can be considered a roundabout way to save the country."

(End of this chapter)