Living as a Mortal: Grinding Experience Starting from the Underworld

Chaotic Star Sea, Cold Year Island, 500 nautical miles due south.

The cold air in the sea caused a thin layer of ice to form on the surface.

Five cultivators stood in mid-air, their hands surging with spiritual energy.

"Finally, we've gathered all the fish together!"

"Senior Brother Zhang, give the order to act quickly! Any later and disaster will befall us!"

The female cultivator, dressed in plain white clothes, cupped her hands in greeting to Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng first looked around. All five of them were at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.

He and his junior sister Mei Xin were independent cultivators from Suihan Island, while the other three were the Li siblings from Suihan Island.

This voyage is to complete the Foundation Establishment Pill task issued by the deputy island master of Suihan Island, and to capture the Spirit Nether Fish needed for his cultivation.

To obtain the opportunity to use the Foundation Establishment Pill from the Deputy Island Master.

The mission requires 1000 Spirit Fish, and the five of them have already worked together to catch them multiple times, with only a few dozen left to catch.

After confirming it was safe, Zhang Feng nodded and activated the array in his hand:

"Fellow Daoists, quickly join me in activating the formation to trap these spirit fish."

"Remember, you must be quick. After three quarters of an hour, leave immediately, regardless of what you have gained."

Since this wasn't the first time anyone had caught a Spirit Fish, they were aware of the risks involved and nodded in agreement.

Below, three spirit ships were arranged in a triangle. Under the control of the cultivator's spiritual power, the fishing net was slowly laid down, drawing out a triangular area.

"The blockade is complete, quick! Set up the net!"

The lower-level cultivators on the spirit ship cooperated by casting fishing nets.

Snap! Thud!

The spirit fish seemed to realize they were surrounded, and they all rushed out of the sea and broke through the thin ice.

"Quickly! Close the net!"

Zhang Feng noticed that the fishing nets were in place and quickly bowed his head to give instructions.

He looked unusually tense, his eyes darting around.

The same applies to the other four cultivators.

"Hurry up and bring these spirit fish ashore! That will give us our cultivation resources for this year."

Upon hearing this, the low-level Qi cultivators on the ship began to work together to pull up the fishing net.

Seeing this, Zhang Feng began to count down the time in his mind.

A quarter of an hour!

The fishing net was pulled in, and the fish darted about inside.

The sea was calm and still.

Half an hour!

As the fishing net was lifted, the fish leaped out of it.

A gentle breeze began to rise over the sea.

45 minutes!

The fishing net was pulled onto the boat, and the fish swam on the deck.

The sea surface was dotted with ink-like shadows.

Seeing that the spirit fish had been successfully caught and brought ashore, Zhang Feng did not let his guard down.

"Gentlemen, do not linger, leave immediately!"

Zhang Feng shouted and landed on a spirit ship, while several cultivators followed and landed on the other two ships.

"Hurry up!"

The spirit ship was said to have been crafted by the deputy island lord, specifically for catching spirit fish, and its speed far exceeded that of ordinary Qi cultivation cultivators.

The Spirit Fish is incredibly fast and carries ice-attribute spiritual energy; it is rumored to be a favorite food of some kind of giant beast.

Therefore, the designed spirit ship abandoned all other functions and only pursued speed.

The spirit ship started moving and quickly left the location where it was capturing the spirit fish.

The dark shadows on the sea surface gradually deepened, like ink splashed into water, quickly spreading and rapidly approaching the three spirit ships.

"A ghost has appeared! Run!"

Zhang Feng's eyes narrowed, and he urged him again.

The three spirit ships were running at full speed.

boom!

The ship suddenly lurched forward, leaving a large gap between itself and the dark shadows.

As he got further and further away from Mo Ying, Zhang Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fellow Daoists, the ghost couldn't catch up, we're safe!"

Zhang Feng transmitted his thoughts to the other four cultivators using his divine sense.

"Hahaha!"

A burst of maniacal laughter echoed through the room.

"It would be best for Fellow Daoist Zhang to stay here!"

Zhang Feng suddenly realized something was wrong. He was traveling alone on the boat. Why wasn't his junior sister with him?

In this urgent situation, Zhang Feng hurriedly mounted his flying sword and escaped from the spirit ship.

Boom!

Several beams of spiritual light struck the spirit ship where Zhang Feng was located.

The spirit ship immediately exploded.

Caught off guard, the low-level Qi Refining cultivators fell into the sea one after another, gradually being caught up by the ghostly figure, and fell into the sea without breathing.

Zhang Feng frowned.

These people wanted to leave him there, trapping him in the shadows, and then monopolize the Foundation Establishment Pill reward.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Zhang Feng immediately understood their intentions, feeling both puzzled and furious.

"What is the meaning of this, fellow Daoists?"

"Fellow Daoists, we made a vow when we set sail. Aren't you afraid that breaking this vow will destabilize your Dao heart, cause your inner demons to backfire, and prevent you from making any progress in your cultivation?"

Zhang Feng questioned him sternly.

"Haha, how could weak cultivators like us suffer from inner demon backlash?"

"Even if it did, so what? Even the most severe backlash wouldn't compare to the damage from a Foundation Establishment Pill!"

The Li brothers laughed heartily, seemingly unconcerned about the oath made by their inner demons.

Zhang Feng scanned the area with his divine sense; the Li brothers were on one boat, while Li Xiaomei and his junior sister were on the other.

Ignore their answers.

It's impossible for him to exclude others and keep it all for himself.

Zhang Feng urged his flying sword to give chase, various attack talismans appearing around him, which, under the control of spiritual power, slammed into the Li brothers' spirit ship.

He wanted to destroy a spirit ship.

When only one spirit ship remains, the conspiracy and cooperation among these people, which they had reached at some unknown time, will naturally dissipate.

By then, the ghostly figure would still be chasing after them. If they wanted to survive, the cultivators who had lost their spirit ships would naturally stand on the same side as them.

Moreover, he chose the same funeral boat that the Li brothers had ridden.

Junior Sister Mei Xin is on the last remaining spirit boat; both sides will have people outside the boat at that time.

I'm not afraid they won't stop to pick me up!

"Oh no! Defend! He's trying to destroy our ship!"

Bang!

The Li brothers reacted quickly.

Unfortunately, the spirit ships prioritized speed and lacked any defensive capabilities.

The Li brothers' ship shattered, and the low-level cultivators fell into the sea, while two figures escaped on swords.

Zhang Feng wielded his flying sword, and the talismans beside him reappeared, assuming an attack stance.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, wait! We know we were wrong. We were blinded by greed and that's why we acted!"

"Yes, yes, Fellow Daoist Zhang, we know we were wrong. Please, Fellow Daoist Zhang, stop immediately."

"With a ghostly figure behind us, we'd better escape first!"

Seeing the destroyed spirit ship being swallowed by the ghostly shadows, the Li brothers hurriedly used their flying swords to transmit their voices.

Zhang Feng was aware of the ghost's terrifying power, but just now, it was clearly a three-person attack on his spirit ship, which did not seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated plan.

However, Zhang Feng glanced at the ghostly figure that was about to catch up behind him and suppressed his doubts.

Survival was the priority; they could settle scores later. Zhang Feng put away the talisman and focused all his energy on controlling the flying sword.

Seeing Zhang Feng stop, the Li brothers breathed a sigh of relief and sent a telepathic message to their younger sister on the only remaining spirit ship.

"Little sister, quickly stop the funeral boat and welcome your brother!"

"Junior Sister Mei, quickly stop the spirit boat."

Zhang Feng also sent a telepathic message to Mei Xin.

"Hahaha! My two elder brothers, there are only two Foundation Establishment Pills left. My sister Mei Xin and I have already formed an alliance."

"Yes, Senior Brother Zhang, your cultivation is formidable. My junior sister had no choice but to resort to this tactic to obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill. Please don't take offense!"

The two voice transmissions were made without any attempt at concealment, and Zhang Feng and the three Li brothers heard them clearly.

"What? Li Ning, we're your own brothers! How dare you do this?"

The Li brothers couldn't believe it was their sister's voice transmission and were furious.

"Haha, not blood relatives, but cousins."

Li Ning laughed wildly.

Zhang Feng was equally terrified and indignant. He and Mei Xin had become disciples of a Foundation Establishment cultivator on Suihan Island and had been cultivating together for nearly twenty years.

At this moment, because of the Foundation Establishment Pill, Mei Xin abandoned twenty years of brotherhood and was willing to endure the backlash of breaking her oath in order to kill him!

But he did not ask any further questions.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Feng summoned a talisman, and the Li brothers also unleashed their spells.

The three of them simultaneously attacked the last remaining spirit ship.

Want to survive alone and receive the Foundation Establishment Pill?

Let's die together then!

Zhang Feng finally used his divine sense to take out a backpack from his storage bag and hold it tightly in his arms, while simultaneously sheathing the flying sword beneath his feet.

A burst of spiritual energy erupted.

With a splash, Zhang Feng fell into the sea.

The ghostly figures spread rapidly, catching up with the people wielding the flying swords.

Ugh!

A cry that sounded like it came from hell.

The sky instantly darkened, and the sea breeze suddenly became icy cold.

Whoosh!

A large crack appeared in the sea.

……

On Suihan Island, two richly dressed monks looked at the compasses in their hands.

The three golden lights gradually faded away.

"Heh, with the spirit ship crafted by your senior brother, your lives aren't entirely in our hands."

"Haha, a few lowly rogue cultivators dare to covet Master's Foundation Establishment Pills!"

"No resources or background, yet you dream of Foundation Establishment? Go try it in the Ghost Mist!"

"Haha, Senior Brother is brilliant. With just a little trick, these rogue cultivators couldn't wait to help us complete the task assigned by Master."

"Junior brother, you flatter me. It's just a pity about this last catch of spirit fish."