Chapter 111: Overture to Revenge

"Oh, why have you fled back here again?" Manqing laughed.

Lin Feng had no time to bicker with her. He swallowed two Five-Poison Origin Pills and immediately sat cross-legged to circulate his energy and purge the toxins. A flash of light appeared beside him; Shang Rong frowned slightly, staring at the black mist and flames swirling around Lin Feng, lost in thought.

Less than half an incense stick of time later, Lin Feng exhaled and opened his eyes.

"Who is hunting you?" Shang Rong asked calmly.

"A bunch of small fry from the Whale-Slaying Palace. I’m going back out now to wipe out their nest." Having been forced to retreat into the Yinque Palace twice to save his life, Lin Feng felt his pride was badly bruised, especially with the Man sisters nearby covering their mouths to giggle.

"Wait a moment. If you go out like this and they are still lying in ambush, you might not even get a chance to escape," Shang Rong said with a smile. "It is best to be cautious. Xiaoxue, lend him that 'Form-Dissolving Cloak' of yours."

"I’ll do as Brother Shang Rong says," Manxue replied with a shy smile, walking over while holding a piece of fine, translucent gauze.

"This... how can I?" Lin Feng took the garment, unfolded it, and felt deeply embarrassed.

It was clearly a woman’s outer garment, with long sleeves and flowing lapels, adorned with star-silk and precious threads. He had no idea what special function it might serve.

Manqing ran over, pouted, and huffed, "Sister wouldn't even let me wear it once! If you don't want it, give it to me."

Shang Rong, Manxue, and the others laughed. "The Form-Dissolving Cloak can completely blend your figure into the surrounding environment, though it cannot mask your aura. I believe it will be of great help to you," Shang Rong explained.

"I see." Lin Feng accepted it without further hesitation. He put it on and spun around twice to show off the wide sleeves. After a moment's thought, he cinched the hem and tightened the cuffs so it wouldn't hinder him in a fight.

"Xiaoxue, tell him the incantation," Shang Rong smiled faintly.

Manxue blushed slightly and recited the incantation for the cloak.

When Lin Feng left the Yinque Palace again, he calculated that at least five or six days had passed. The depths of the ocean were exceptionally calm, as if nothing had ever happened. He swam slowly like a transparent fish, his spiritual sense quietly spreading out to search for the traces of the stingrays.

"There!" A hundred yards ahead, his spiritual sense detected three vibrant life forms—undoubtedly the stingrays.

"I have four Sky-Splitting Arrows left, so I’ll give them all to you!" Suppressing his aura, he hid behind a cluster of reefs and fired two arrows in rapid succession. *Thwip-thwip!* The two behemoths died instantly, creating turbulent undercurrents that once again turned the seawater murky.

The remaining stingray was terrified. It shrieked at the top of its lungs and fled toward the north, but it was a step too slow. A pursuing Sky-Splitting Arrow pierced its skull and shattered it into pieces.

"It’s him again! That cultivator!" The stingray leader arrived with his brothers in a swarm. The seabed suddenly became chaotic and noisy as a dense mass of stingrays crowded the area, yet none could find a trace of the attacker.

"Agh! Split into groups of five! Search every inch of the White Sand Island waters, I want him dragged out!" After reporting the previous incident to the Black Shark Stronghold, the stingray leader, Wang Zhen, had not only escaped punishment but was promoted to a mid-level commander for this sector, gaining a hundred demon-cultivator soldiers under his command. He had truly found fortune in misfortune.

As the stingray soldiers dispersed to patrol, Lin Feng had already quietly slipped away dozens of miles, pondering his next move. The debt to the people of Ji Family Village had to be repaid, but killing these minions was meaningless. There were countless demon cultivators in the ocean; kill one, and a hundred or a thousand would come as reinforcements. It was endless. He had to strike at the source—the Black Shark Stronghold—and make them pay in blood.

However, beyond the limited information he had, he didn't even know where the Black Shark Stronghold was. He needed to capture someone alive to ask.

As he traveled slowly northward, after about a hundred miles, he spotted an old acquaintance: the Golden-Haired Turtle, Yi Nan. This fat man was currently lying on a large reef protruding from the water, squinting and bathing in the spring sunshine. The climate of the Li Sea was the mildest among the four seas—no ice in winter, no stifling heat in summer; spring was just right.

A cold smirk crossed Lin Feng's lips. He crept up stealthily and flicked his wrist to reveal the Water Mirror Disc.

Yi Nan was exposing his oily belly, holding a water-palm fan he’d found somewhere, with a wine gourd tied to his waist, humming a disjointed little tune in total contentment. Suddenly, he felt a chill against his neck, and his heart leaped into his throat.

"Don't move. My sword doesn't have eyes."

"It's you..." Yi Nan was terrified, lying frozen on the reef. He recognized the voice—it belonged to the mysterious cultivator who had appeared a few days ago.

His heart drummed wildly. Suddenly, the scenery before his eyes blurred, his head spun, and when he regained his senses, he was in a different place. Pavilions, gardens, lingering celestial mist, golden buildings, and majestic halls—it was the Yinque Palace.

"Who is he? Why did you bring someone in?" Manqing was the first to come over to watch the excitement, floating down to look at Yi Nan from above.

"Where is this?" Sweat poured down Yi Nan's head. This place was far more opulent than the Black Shark Stronghold, as beautiful as a fairyland, with spiritual energy so thick he couldn't help but take a few extra breaths, even while feeling his heart pound in fear.

"The Yinque Palace. Fatty, if you want to live, tell me everything you know. Who destroyed the Ji Family Village on Little Tu Island?" Lin Feng’s eyes were cold, and the Moyan Sword in his hand stood slightly upright.

Yi Nan took a deep breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said with a fawning smile, "Easy, easy! That business with the Ji Family Village had nothing to do with me. It was the Stronghold Master’s personal order, carried out by Protector Mao Cong and his men. Because they couldn't catch the person who killed Pi Qing, and the fishermen refused to confess, that’s why..."

"Enough!" A sudden shout made both Yi Nan and Manqing jump.

"Where is Mao Cong? What are the defenses of the Black Shark Stronghold like? What level of cultivation have the Stronghold Master and the Protectors reached? Tell me everything!"

"Yes, yes!" Yi Nan nodded repeatedly. Manqing rolled her eyes at Lin Feng and muttered, "Why are you yelling? You scared the life out of me."

Yi Nan collected his thoughts and slowly laid out the entire power structure of the Black Shark Stronghold. As he listened, Lin Feng was shocked.

In the Black Shark Stronghold, the Stronghold Master, Xi Lingbo, had reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm. There were three other major Protectors—Mao Cong, Bashake, and Mishu—all of whom were Golden Core experts. Each managed tens of thousands of demon cultivators, commanding ten high-level commanders and a hundred mid-level commanders. In addition, there was a massive number of rogue demon cultivators, a category to which Yi Nan belonged. The 800,000-mile water territory centered on Black Shark Island was divided under their jurisdiction, and Little Tu Island and White Sand Island fell directly under Protector Mao Cong’s domain.

"With so many people, how do you manage it all? How do you communicate?" Lin Feng stared intensely at Yi Nan.

"It's simple. Every demon cultivator in the deep sea has a 'Tide-Message Token.' It serves as both a means of communication and a symbol of status. Look..." Yi Nan flipped his hand to reveal an oval token. It was smooth and white, with the characters "Sea-Roaming Token" engraved on the front and a black shark printed on the back, with the words "Black Shark Stronghold" below.

These Tide-Message Tokens were ranked. The top tier was the azure "Sea-Ruling Token" held by the likes of the Shark King and the Whale King, while the lowest tier was the black "Sea-Patrol Token" held by the millions of cannon-fodder demon cultivators. The white "Sea-Roaming Token" Yi Nan held belonged to common rogue cultivators, ranking just above the "Sea-Patrol Token."

"What? Are there difficulties?" Shang Rong appeared at his side, having silently listened to the Golden-Haired Turtle’s account.

"No, I am just considering how to avenge the people of the Ji Family Village. The Black Shark Stronghold is vast and powerful; I must have a foolproof plan," Lin Feng said calmly, glancing at Shang Rong.

"If you need help, you can come to me. I can wipe out those few small Golden Core demons with the flick of a finger," Shang Rong said with a smile before walking away.

Yi Nan was horrified. He had clearly seen a flash of lightning in Shang Rong’s eyes; the pressure from that soul-level power made cold sweat break out on his back, leaving him even more terrified than when he faced his own Stronghold Master.

Lin Feng’s expression relaxed slightly. Watching Shang Rong walk toward the garden, a smile bloomed on his lips. He already had an idea.

"Fatty, you lead the way. We’re going to Mao Cong’s place first," Lin Feng said to Yi Nan with a smile.

"Ah? Please, spare me! If the Stronghold Master finds out, I won't have a place to be buried!" Yi Nan shrieked.

"It won't matter if he finds out, because he must—die!" Lin Feng grabbed him by the collar, his gaze seemingly piercing through to his soul, making Yi Nan tremble and unable to meet his eyes.

"I... I'll consider it..."

"Hum!" The Moyan Sword pointed at the tip of his nose, humming softly.

"I was joking! Let's go!" Yi Nan immediately put on a flowery smile.

In the deep, dark ocean, the Red-Haired Turtle sighed continuously. *Why did I have to get mixed up in this mess? Now, if things go wrong, my life is finished.* Lin Feng stepped on the Moyan Sword, wearing the Form-Dissolving Cloak, and followed him. The two swam slowly toward Protector Mao Cong’s cave dwelling.

Weaving through coral and seaweed had a unique charm. From time to time, schools of fish and shrimp swam by, along with giant oysters and vibrant seabed reefs. Shells, snails, shrimp, and crabs grew larger the deeper they went, and the sea beasts they encountered became increasingly bizarre and terrifying. Several times, sea snakes over a dozen yards long slithered past, and Lin Feng nearly gave in to the urge to kill.

With Yi Nan, a local, leading the way, the demon cultivators they occasionally met only offered a greeting before quickly moving on. Mao Cong’s residence was called the Stone Gorge Trench. According to Yi Nan, it was an extremely deep trench that few demon cultivators had ever entered besides Mao Cong himself; Yi Nan had only heard of it. But the fewer people there were, the easier it would be for Lin Feng to strike.

...

In the East Star Cave of the Stone Gorge Trench, Mao Cong, clad in black robes, was discussing major affairs with his trusted aides.

"Has that cultivator still not appeared?" Mao Cong, hiding himself in the shadows with only his blood-red eyes visible, scrutinized the expressions of his two aides.

"No, my lord. I think he will not show himself. It has been a month, and there is still no sign of him," one of them said.

"Hmph! How do you know he won't show himself? Strengthen the patrols in the White Sand Island waters! Not a single moment of slack is permitted! If anything else happens, consider your lives forfeit!" Mao Cong hissed menacingly.

"Yes, your subordinate will strictly enforce the order," the man hurriedly shrank his neck and replied loudly.

"Hmm... and one more thing. Send men to other waters to inquire about the latest news, especially regarding any cultivators in the sea. If there is any intelligence, report it with all speed!" Mao Cong stood up from his chair, took two steps, and lowered his voice to add: "Remember, do this in secret. Do not let other cave dwellings know, especially the Stronghold Master!"

The two subordinates nodded repeatedly. The three discussed for a while longer before the aides departed.

"Hmph, to kill three people at once, he must be relying on the advantage of a magical treasure. If my guess is correct, this person must have come from that Immortal Mansion. An immortal artifact... Ah, if I, Mao Cong, had an immortal artifact in my hand, why would I be forced to serve under a wet-behind-the-ears boy!" Mao Cong buried himself in his large chair, his eyes sharpening.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he turned to look at the entrance.

"A distinguished guest arrives, why hide and skulk? Could there be something in my East Star Cave that catches your eye?" Mao Cong didn't move, but he was secretly gathering his strength, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

"Haha, how funny. Do you think you're invincible just because you have an immortal artifact?" Lin Feng’s voice came from the front, though he remained invisible.

"It’s you! The cultivator!" Mao Cong could no longer sit still and sprang to his feet.

"Didn't expect this, Protector Mao? Do you want your immortal artifact, or your life?" The voice asked, unhurriedly.

Mao Cong was stunned. He suddenly realized the situation and swept his palm upward; countless piercing spikes shot toward the entrance with a sharp whistle. At the same time, his body blurred, revealing his true form—a giant, hedgehog-like sea urchin that could fill an entire room! Ten thousand poisonous spikes, sharp as swords, stood defiantly!

Like most demon cultivators, Mao Cong had extreme confidence in his formidable physical body. With tens of thousands of poison needles firing at once, even the Stronghold Master would not dare to take this attack head-on. *Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft!* A rainstorm of arrows swept upward and forward, piercing the very ceiling of the cave.

Silence! After the strike, the East Star Cave was terrifyingly quiet. Mao Cong turned around, flicked his black robe, and stood in the cave, about to let out a wild laugh. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and a sharp pain pierced his heart. With his blood-red eyes wide, he looked down in shock at the gaping hole in his chest, muttering, "Is this... the power of an immortal artifact? Haha, to die at the hands of an immortal artifact... it was worth it..."

"Sorry, this is not the power of an immortal artifact." Lin Feng, who had walked in from the entrance, slashed open his abdomen with his sword and flicked out a small, golden orb.

A Golden Core!