Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 188 Black Water Mill, Rule-Based Evil Spirit!
In the stillness of the night, the oil lamp in the stone house burned quietly, casting Chen Ye's focused profile onto the wall.

The huge animal hide map on the table had been completely covered with drawings made of different colors of vermilion ink.

During this month, Chen Ye not only organized all the information in the work log, but also recorded the harvesting locations and underwater sights described by the pearl divers when they handed over the spirit pearls each day.

“In the eastern reef area, the production of spirit pearls is stable, but the highest grade is only seventh grade, so they are not very valuable.”

"There are large areas of poisonous algae in the southern shallows. Although they can produce some special seventh-grade spirit pearls, they are useless to me and the risk of collecting them is too high."

"The north... is an open body of water with rapid currents, which is too risky."

Chen Ye's gaze finally fell on the western side of the map.

He drew a large circle there with a red cinnabar pen.

“Deep ditch on the west side…”

According to log entries and scattered descriptions from pearl divers, it was an extremely dangerous area.

The water is so deep that the bottom cannot be seen, and it is shrouded in black fog all year round. The underwater terrain is as complex as a maze.

Several pearl divers under the supervision of different managers had gone there and never returned. Over time, it became a forbidden area in Black Stone Beach, and no one dared to approach it unless absolutely necessary.

"The higher the risk, the greater the reward." Chen Ye tapped his finger lightly on the red cross.

Ordinary pearl divers wouldn't dare go, but he did.

He possessed the formidable physical strength of a Grandmaster of the Gods, the underwater adaptability of a Tanka, and the dark vision of a Nightwalker—all of which gave him the confidence to explore this forbidden land.

Moreover, he also possesses the Eye of Calamity.

"It's time to go down into the water and see for myself," Chen Ye decided.

Relying on information provided by pearl divers is ultimately insufficient; only by seeing things with one's own eyes can one make the most accurate judgment.

He made no sound, carefully put the map away, and then quietly left the stone house.

There is no moon tonight, and a thick fog covers the entire lake, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

This was the best cover for Chen Ye.

Without alerting anyone, he steered a small boat alone into the dark waters.

Instead of heading directly to the deep ditch on the west side, he chose a relatively safe, ordinary body of water marked on the map.

This was his first time diving in the inland waters, and he needed to get used to the environment first.

The small boat skillfully navigated the waters filled with reefs and soon reached its destination.

Chen Ye took a deep breath and made ample preparations.

He used everything he could, including top-grade Yin-dispelling talismans, water-repelling pills, and detoxifying pills, without hesitation.

Anyway, these are all supplies distributed by the Blood Lotus Sect, so why not use them?

With a splash, Chen Ye slid into the water like a fish.

A bone-chilling cold instantly enveloped my entire body!

The lake water inside was several times colder than that at the outer dock, and this coldness seemed to penetrate directly into the bone marrow, freezing one's soul, which was extremely terrifying.

If Chen Ye hadn't possessed the talent to withstand cold and dampness, and hadn't been protected by a superior-grade Yin-dispelling talisman, he probably would have been injured by this attack alone.

Chen Ye dared not be careless and immediately circulated his internal energy to resist the invasion of the cold air.

A powerful flow of qi and blood coursed through his limbs and bones, like a small sun, instantly dispelling the chill.

Chen Ye then began to descend.

The deeper you go, the greater the water pressure and the dimmer the light becomes.

However, none of these were problems for him.

The diving skills provided by the Tanka people's profession made him far more adaptable to water pressure than ordinary people, and his talent as a night owl made the pitch-black lake bottom as bright as day in his eyes.

The world at the bottom of the lake is bizarre and wonderful.

The rocks are strangely shaped, the seaweed is colorful, and there are all kinds of strange creatures that emit a faint glow.

Every now and then, underwater monsters of varying sizes would swim past him, stirring up ripples of current, but they seemed unaware of Chen Ye's presence and swam on in haste.

Chen Ye ignored the demonic beasts; his only target was the spirit clam.

"Spirit Clam Sensing!"

Chen Ye silently recited the command, and in an instant, everything within a radius of twenty meters appeared in his mind in a peculiar way.

Most of the area was deathly still, but a few points emitted faint fluctuations.

"found it."

Chen Ye was overjoyed and swam toward one of the strongest fluctuation points.

After finding the location, Chen Ye pulled out a delicate short shovel from his waist. This was a special tool only available in inland waters, much sharper and sturdier than the spirit shovels on the dock.

The short shovel swung, sending mud flying.

Soon, a clam the size of a washbasin, with strange patterns covering its shell, appeared before them.

Chen Ye did not pry it open immediately, but carefully observed his surroundings.

After confirming there was no danger, he used the other end of the short shovel to pry open the clam's crevice.

click!
The clam shell opened with a snap.

A soft halo of light instantly illuminated the dark lakebed.

Inside the clam meat, a crystal-clear spirit pearl, radiating a seven-colored halo, lay quietly.

It's a seventh-grade spirit pearl!
A hint of joy flashed in Chen Ye's eyes.

Although it wasn't the fifth rank he needed, it was already an excellent start!

Chen Ye quickly took out the spirit pearl, put it in his pocket, and then swam towards the surface of the water without stopping.

Do not stay in the water for too long on your first dive; safety first.

The return journey went smoothly. Once back on the small boat, Chen Ye let out a long sigh of relief. He was soaking wet, but his spirits were exceptionally high.

He opened his palm, and the seventh-grade spirit pearl lay quietly in his hand, radiating a captivating glow.

This stuff doesn't need to be handed over, because it wasn't harvested by pearl divers and wasn't recorded by the iron rings on their bodies, so they can keep it themselves.

Such spirit orbs are hard currency, whether traded privately or handed over to the Hall of Merit in exchange for contribution points.

Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction and carefully put the spirit pearl away.

With this successful experience, Chen Ye was even more confident about his next trip to the deep ditch on the west side.

However, he still doesn't plan to go now.

After all, I have plenty of time now and there's no need to rush.

It is best to make a decision only after you have made sufficient preparations.

After returning to the stone house, Chen Ye stared blankly at the seventh-grade spirit pearl in his hand.

Actually, he had considered using a low-grade spirit pearl to travel through time during this period, but he eventually gave up on the idea.

The quality of the spirit pearl directly determines the upper limit of the world one can travel to, as well as one's initial identity and starting point.

For example, this time, by using a sixth-grade spirit pearl to travel through time, I directly obtained a powerful profession like the Myriad Tribulations Blade Lord and successfully acquired the cultivation techniques. My strength has undergone a qualitative leap. Therefore, it would be better to continue using high-grade spirit pearls, at least sixth-grade ones, otherwise they would be of no use to my current strength growth.

For the next ten days, Chen Ye did not go into the water himself.

He resumed his previous routine, supervising the pearl divers' work every day, taking stock of tasks, and then spending most of his time studying maps and work logs.

After receiving the meat soup reward, the pearl divers on the island were even more motivated.

They were no longer as lifeless as before, and their eyes had a new spark of life in them.

In their view, although Manager Lin was cold-hearted, he was a man of his word; if you did a good job, he would really reward you.

This simple principle of distribution according to work is the greatest fairness for those of them struggling at the bottom.

The atmosphere on the island was subtly changing without anyone noticing.

Although it was still oppressive, it was no longer the suffocating despair.

It was time to distribute supplies again.

The pearl divers lined up to receive top-grade yin-repelling talismans and pills from Chen Ye; the whole process was quiet and orderly.

"Manager Lin, shall we try going to the west today?" Man Shan asked Chen Ye instead of leaving immediately after receiving the supplies.

Chen Ye glanced at him.

"West?"

“Yes, it’s over there in the deep ditch,” Manshan said. “Recently, there have been fewer and fewer clams in the eastern reef area. The brothers spent the whole day diving yesterday, but the harvest wasn’t very good. I was thinking we might as well try our luck in the west.”

His tone carried a hint of request, but also a hint of eagerness.

Wealth and wealth are found in danger.

They all knew the west was dangerous, but they also knew there was more profit to be made there.

If we can collect high-grade spirit pearls from there and exceed the mission requirements, wouldn't the rewards at the end of the month be even more generous?

Driven by survival and self-interest, people can develop courage.

Chen Ye looked at Manshan, his mind racing.

He had originally planned to wait a while longer, until he was more fully prepared, before exploring the deep ditch on the west side. Unexpectedly, these people brought it up themselves.

Yeah.

It's always safer to let them explore the area than to do it yourself.

Although these pearl divers were bound by a curse, they were all seasoned outlaws with extensive combat experience. If a few of them joined forces, they certainly had the capability to venture into the deep ravine to the west.

“Okay.” Chen Ye nodded. “But be careful. If anything seems wrong, retreat immediately. After all, life is more important than the Spirit Pearl.”

His last words were spoken somewhat casually, as if he were simply giving a perfunctory explanation.

But when the pearl divers in Manshan and the surrounding area heard this, it gave them a jolt.

Is life more important than a spiritual pearl?

They had never heard these words from any Blood Lotus Sect disciple before.

For a moment, the way everyone looked at Chen Ye became even more complicated.

"Thank you for your concern, Steward. We understand!" Man Shan clasped his hands in a deep fist salute again, then turned and led several of the most skilled pearl divers, sailing the boat toward the western waters.

Time passed slowly, and soon it was noon.

The waters to the west remained calm and still.

Chen Ye sat at the entrance of the stone house, flipping through a basic array diagram he had exchanged from the Merit Hall, while keeping an eye on the movement of the lake.

Suddenly, he frowned and abruptly looked up towards the west.

An indescribable feeling of unease emanated from that direction.

problem occurs!
Chen Ye's heart sank, and he immediately got up and rushed towards the shore.

Chen Ye moved with incredible speed, reaching the shore in just a few breaths. He leaped onto a speedboat, and with his true essence propelling it, the small boat sped off like an arrow towards the western waters.

The waves on the lake grew larger and larger, and an unsettling atmosphere of anxiety filled the air.

When he arrived near the water, the sight before him made his pupils shrink sharply.

The once calm lake suddenly began to churn violently, producing strings of huge bubbles as if it were being boiled!
Several small boats belonging to the pearl divers were rocking violently on the outskirts. The pearl divers on board were all pale-faced, staring at the water in terror, as if they were shouting something.

And in the midst of them, a massive vortex is slowly forming, pulling everything around it into it.

"Help!" A desperate cry for help rang out.

Chen Ye looked closely and saw a pearl diver desperately swimming towards one of the small boats, his face filled with despair and fear.

He was less than 30 feet away from the small boat, and his companions on the boat were anxiously reaching out to him.

They were about to be saved.

But just then, from the center of the whirlpool, a giant arm made entirely of water suddenly stretched out, grabbed the pearl diver's ankle, and pulled him down sharply!
"No!"

The pearl diver only had time to let out a desperate scream before being dragged into the bottomless whirlpool.

The lake surface churned again, bubbling with blood-red bubbles.

Only two or three breaths had passed.

With a splash, a skeleton, completely devoured and reduced to bare white bones, was thrown out of the whirlpool and crashed heavily onto the water, splashing up a ring of blood.

This scene caused everyone present to gasp, a chill running from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

"Quick! Run!"

"It's the black water mill! The black water mill has appeared!"

The pearl divers on the boat finally realized what was happening and frantically rowed their boats, trying to escape this land of death.

Chen Ye's expression also became extremely solemn.

He didn't approach rashly, but stopped at a safe distance, his eyes fixed on the still expanding vortex.

He had seen the term "black water mill" in his work log.

This is a term used among pearl divers in inland waters to refer to an invisible and intangible, yet terrifying, evil spirit.

It has no fixed form; it could be a stream of water, a cloud of mist, or even just an area.

Once it entangles you, your fate will be the same as that pearl diver's; your flesh and blood will be devoured instantly, leaving only a skeleton.

It is similar to the aura of white disaster at the outer docks, but a hundred times more dangerous!
"Manager Lin!"

A ship noticed Chen Ye, and the pearl divers on board, as if seeing a savior, rowed frantically toward him.

"Brother Manshan was caught in that thing while trying to save us!" a pearl diver cried out.

Chen Ye's heart sank.

Manshan is the strongest among the pearl divers, and also his most capable tool at present.

They actually perished here?

Chen Ye's gaze returned to the vortex, his eyes turning icy cold.

Just then, in his Eye of Destiny, the boiling waters presented a completely different scene.

Countless thick, arm-like lines of calamity, emanating ominous black energy, intertwined and twisted wildly in this area, forming a massive energy field radiating destructive power.

Any living being that enters this energy field will have its life force instantly shattered and its vitality completely stripped away.

"So that's how it is... It's not a physical entity, but a pure rule-based erasure...."

Chen Ye instantly understood the true nature of this black water mill.

This thing cannot be countered using conventional physical methods.

Unless... the core tribulations that constitute it can be severed.

But with his current strength, trying to sever such a massive and chaotic collection of tribulation lines is nothing short of a pipe dream.

"withdraw!"

Chen Ye acted decisively, letting out a low growl at the still panicked pearl divers.

Now is not the time to play the hero.

Before figuring out the patterns of this thing, any attempt to get close is suicidal.

Upon hearing Chen Ye's order, the pearl divers felt as if they had been granted a pardon and rowed their boats even more frantically, fleeing the waters without looking back.

Chen Ye steered the boat behind them, his gaze never leaving the gradually calming whirlpool.

At this moment, the lake surface slowly returned to calm, as if the terrifying scene had never happened.

Chen Ye kept this position firmly in mind.

The losses this time were enormous.

Not only did they lose Manshan's strongest fighter, but they also lost an ordinary pearl diver.

More importantly, this incident cast a huge shadow over all pearl divers.

It's likely that no one will dare to approach the western waters for a long time to come.

"This is troublesome." Chen Ye rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

Back on Black Stone Beach Island, the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

The few surviving pearl divers sat on the ground, utterly dejected, their faces filled with the fear and sorrow of surviving a catastrophe.

Manshan's death was a huge blow to them.

In their hearts, Man Shan was not only the strongest leader, but also their backbone. Now that their backbone is gone, they feel like the sky has fallen.

The other pearl divers standing around also looked sorrowful, and the entire island was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

Chen Ye stood at the entrance of the stone house, coldly watching this scene.

"The mission is canceled for today. Everyone go home and rest."

Upon hearing this, the pearl divers all looked up at him with complicated expressions.

They had expected that the forest steward would be furious because the mission was affected, and might even take his anger out on them.

Unexpectedly, he brushed it off so lightly.

Chen Ye ignored these people, turned around and went back to the stone house, then sat down at the table with a somber expression.

Only after a long while did he unfold the animal hide map and use a vermilion pen to draw a heavy "X" on the location of the deep ditch on the west side.

A note was written next to it.

"It has no fixed form, and its appearance is preceded by boiling water. It is extremely powerful and can devour the flesh and blood of a cultivator at the Sea Condensation Realm in an instant..."

The loss of two pearl divers, especially Man Shan, a combatant at the Sea Condensation Realm level, greatly reduced Chen Ye's pearl-digging efficiency.

More importantly, the lead through the deep ditch on the west side has been temporarily cut off.

"We must hire more people," Chen Ye thought to himself.

With only these thirty pearl divers remaining, it would be a miracle if they could even maintain the quota, let alone exceed the target.

He picked up a blank jade slip, recorded the incident and the extent of the casualties, and then added his request for additional manpower.

Having done all this, he got up and left Black Stone Beach, heading back to the management center.

(End of this chapter)