Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: Imprisoned

Within the Yinque Palace, Lin Feng sat with his eyes tightly shut, his entire body radiating a vast, golden light. His arms moved with rapid fluidity, shifting through various mudras. Under the guidance of the Spirit Control Technique, the spiritual energy within his dantian surged toward its center at a speed visible to his inner vision. A faint golden glow flickered as this chaotic mass of energy grew smaller and smaller, finally settling at a size of two inches, unable to be compressed any further.

Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes, which shone with a piercing brilliance. Some time ago, he had succeeded in turning all the spiritual energy in his dantian into a paste-like state, enabling compression and breaking through the bottleneck of the late Foundation Establishment stage. Now, he had finally completed the compression of his spiritual energy, waiting only to form his Golden Core. Once he reached the Golden Core stage, he would have the confidence to face the chieftain of the Black Shark Stronghold head-on and contend for supremacy.

Above his dantian, the Lotus Petal Flame Heart had also ceased its sublimation after splitting into twenty-four petals. It was clear that both cultivation techniques had hit a bottleneck and could not be advanced further for the time being.

Even so, Lin Feng had gained many insights during this period of cultivation. His control over fire had reached a state of effortless mastery, and his spiritual sense had become increasingly refined; with a single glance, he could discern the cultivation level of Yi Nian.

"It is time to go out and scout the enemy's movements." With a flicker of his figure, he returned to the sea area where he had fought the great battle against Shabake.

"Hmm? Why are there still so many patrol soldiers?" He was taken aback to see a patrol squadron speeding past not far away.

As he moved slowly along the seabed, he felt that things were becoming increasingly suspicious. The density of patrol squads in the Seven-Mile Sea had increased significantly since his last visit. More strangely, these people were coming and going in a hurry, not at all like soldiers on patrol, but rather like travelers rushing toward a destination.

"There is something wrong here." Hidden among the dense seagrass, Lin Feng decisively decided to bring Yi Nian along to investigate the truth.

In less than an hour, Yi Nian gathered some rumors from a group of itinerant cultivators living in a seabed cavern. The two returned quietly to Yinque Palace to discuss the veracity of the news.

"The Black Shark Stronghold has captured two cultivators. I hadn't heard of this a month ago." Yi Nian scratched the golden hair on both sides of his head, looking puzzled.

"Could it have only recently leaked out? Could these two cultivators be them?" Lin Feng frowned, muttering to himself, "Is this a trap or a fact? If it is true, it explains what the Great Crab said—Yuan Qianzi must have leaked the secret of the immortal artifact. If it is a scheme by the Black Shark Stronghold, that is also a possibility, but then there would be no reasonable explanation for the immortal artifact..."

"If you ask me, this is likely fake," Yi Nian said, curling his lip.

"Oh? Why are you so certain?" Lin Feng asked with a faint smile.

Yi Nian preened, shaking his head. "That master-servant duo, Xi Lingbo and Mi Shu, are both exceptionally cunning characters. That brute Shabake must have reported the news, and those two set this trap to lure you out of your hole—out of the Immortal Mansion. You must not fall for it."

Yi Nian’s analysis was quite logical and not far from the truth. Lin Feng nodded in agreement, but another thought lingered in his mind: What if this were true?

If two people were captured, and one of them was Yuan Qianzi, who would the other be? Leng Linglan? His senior sister? Or Che Ba? Where had the others gone? Were they still alive?

He could not ignore this. Even if he knew it was a den of tigers and dragons, he had to face it!

"Are you really going to the Black Shark Stronghold?" Seeing the firm look in Lin Feng's eyes, Yi Nian’s expression changed drastically.

"No, I will first settle the score with Shabake. If I remove Xi Lingbo's left arm and manage to kill Mi Shu as well, then even if they have a grand conspiracy, I will be able to fight them with all my might!" A sudden surge of aura rose in Lin Feng’s eyes.

"Good plan!" Yi Nian sniffed and gave a nervous, fawning laugh.

With a flicker, Lin Feng appeared once more near the Blue Coral Cave. This time, he could clearly sense Shabake’s aura within the cave, but he did not use his spiritual sense to spy. Instead, he suppressed all his energy, becoming like an invisible statue, waiting silently behind the coral reef at the cave entrance.

Waiting for the rabbit to strike—this simplest and laziest method was often the most unexpected and effective.

After keeping watch for three days, Shabake finally appeared. After the previous battle, he had spent a full month cultivating in his cave, and only today had all his tentacles regenerated, though he was still some distance from his peak state.

Having come out of seclusion, Shabake intended to indulge his appetite. He planned to head to the surface to hunt for a few dolphins, then return to the cave to drink and revel with his concubines.

In high spirits, Shabake marched out of the cave with a majestic air. He did not reveal his true form but was fully armored in red coral battle gear, looking every bit the formidable general.

Just as he nodded to the guards, he felt an inexplicable tremor of dread in his heart. The moment his spiritual sense began to spread, Lin Feng struck!

The Moyan Sword pierced through the water, descending upon Shabake’s head like a thunderbolt!

Four tentacles blocked the sword's momentum as if by premonition, but they were simultaneously severed by the force of the strike. More tentacles surged forward to wrap tightly around the Moyan Sword. At this moment, Shabake had not even had time to fully transform into his true form; the sudden change had come too quickly!

"It's you again!" The half-human, half-demon Shabake’s eyes were filled with resentment and regret. He abandoned the sword and sent his remaining tentacles toward the assailant, who was wreathed in a hazy, flickering fire.

As the powerful, flexible tentacles swept forward, Shabake was about to smile in triumph, but with several muffled thuds, fist shadows wreathed in flames struck him. His thick, column-like tentacles burst open one after another, leaving him crippled.

"What..." Shabake’s face was a mask of terror and disbelief, but a fist strike carrying intense, searing heat cut into his head. "Ah..." The desperation of impending death drove Shabake to total madness; he opened his mouth wide and violently spewed out his poisonous ink!

Boom! The still seawater suddenly expanded several times over and exploded violently. Shabake’s severed limbs and flesh flew through the flames. The guards of the Blue Coral Cave were blown up to the surface. The sea was churned into a frenzy, and blood quickly stained the surrounding waters.

Even in death, Shabake did not understand why his opponent had suddenly become so powerful. His speed and strength were terrifying, and the killing intent hidden within the flames filled him with dread.

At the moment of the explosion, Lin Feng had no time to retreat into the Yinque Palace. He channeled all his power into the Heavenly Heart Flame, forming a wall of fire to withstand the shockwave. For an instant, the devastating force tore through the fire wall like a knife through tofu, hurling Lin Feng onto the ocean surface miles away.

He remained conscious, though his chest was a mangled mess. He had no choice but to return to heal his wounds.

Killing Shabake without obtaining his Golden Core was truly a pity. Not only Lin Feng but the golden-haired turtle Yi Nian also felt it was a waste, sighing incessantly.

When Xi Lingbo received the news and arrived at the Blue Coral Cave, the muscles in his face twitched uncontrollably. His eyes glinted with murderous light, yet he remained silent. After a long while, he commanded in a hateful voice: "Pass the word down: ten days from now, execute those two cultivators!"

His protectors had been killed one after another, yet he still did not know who the enemy was. Xi Lingbo remained calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was furious. As a chieftain, he would not reveal his true intentions. Although most of his subordinates understood that this cultivator was likely an expert carrying an immortal artifact, no one was foolish enough to say it out loud—partly to avoid shaking morale, and partly because if they were lucky, they might fish in troubled waters.

The false news quickly spread throughout the Black Shark Stronghold’s territory. Many demon cultivators discussed it in private: after this struggle, who would be the real winner? Xi Lingbo? Or that mysterious cultivator?

When Lin Feng received this information, it was already eight days later. "Only two days left! I cannot delay any longer. Regardless of whether it is true or false, I must go and scout the Black Shark Stronghold this time. Protector Mi Shu, you are lucky this time!"

Turning into a streak of green light, Lin Feng flew rapidly toward Black Shark Island on his sword.

In an inner chamber of the Black Shark Stronghold palace, Xi Lingbo paced back and forth, agitatedly shaking a crystal goblet. Only one day remained, and there was still no sign of the cultivator. Had he seen through the scheme?

"Cultivators love to speak of benevolence and morality; he surely won't abandon his companions. Could he have gone back to fetch reinforcements?" Xi Lingbo muttered to himself. "No, it takes at least a month to travel from my stronghold to the nearest land. Either he is lying in wait, or he was severely injured in the battle with Shabake!"

Xi Lingbo gave a faint smile, tipped his head back to drink the wine, and was just about to embrace the beautiful concubine beside him when his expression changed drastically. He flicked his black robes and vanished from the room.

Someone had triggered the restrictions placed in the dungeon! The prey had taken the bait!

At the same time, Lin Feng, having infiltrated the Dinghe Hall of the Black Shark Stronghold, realized something was amiss. A strange ripple had just flashed through this gloomy hall, and the whale-oil lamps on the walls lit up simultaneously. The spacious dungeon was completely empty.

It was a trap! "No, they aren't here!" His face changed, and just as he prepared to flee on his sword, with a loud boom, he crashed into an invisible wall and fell to the floor.

"Haha, you finally came. How is it? How does the Yin-Moon Array taste?" Xi Lingbo’s laughter echoed through the hall, and at this moment, the two protectors, Mi Shu and Le Zhengqing, also arrived in a rush.

"Brother Le, thanks to your plan, haha. Cultivator, are you still not going to reveal your true face?" Xi Lingbo called out loudly.

Le Zhengqing and Mi Shu walked over slowly, the three of them forming a tripod formation, guarding the three directions of the hall.

"Ridiculous! Do you think this tiny cage can trap me?" Lin Feng did not reveal himself but slashed with all his might: "Severing the Azure Clouds!"

Xi Lingbo and Mi Shu were startled. The Yin-Moon Array had been set by Le Zhengqing, and they had no idea of its true power.

A massive beam of sword light erupted within the ten-zhang radius, causing the entire hall to tremble slightly. However, a silver-white crescent-shaped light screen flickered, completely blocking the sword energy. After the sparks dissipated with a sizzling sound, a transparent, hemispherical light barrier revealed its presence, emitting a soft silver glow.

"Even that couldn't break it?" Lin Feng was slightly surprised, but he did not panic. If all else failed, he could retreat into the Yinque Palace. It might even be good to talk to these people for a while.

"My Yin-Moon Array cannot be broken by just anyone. Unless your cultivation is far beyond mine, it is impossible," Le Zhengqing said with a smile.

"Brother Le is truly remarkable!" Xi Lingbo’s face brightened, and he shouted, "Stop your futile struggles! Hand over your magic treasure, and I will spare your life in recognition of your superior skills. Otherwise, we won’t mind retrieving the treasure from your corpse."

"Treasure? I have more than one treasure on me. Go ahead and kill me; then there will be no one left in this world who knows how to use them," Lin Feng said arrogantly.

Xi Lingbo sneered, furious. "You dare use such small tricks in front of me! Once I eat your brain, I will naturally find a way to use the treasures. I will count to three. If you do not confess, don't blame me for being heartless!"

"Ah, Chieftain, there is no need to be so anxious. With the Yin-Moon Array trapping him, he cannot escape. Let us first ask about his background." A light flashed in Le Zhengqing’s eyes as he spoke with a smile.

"The Great Protector is right. Chieftain, we should interrogate him properly." Protector Mi Shu looked solemn, though in reality, the three of them were each harboring their own secret agendas.

"Oh? Protector Mi Shu, then you shall do the questioning!" Murderous intent flickered in Xi Lingbo’s eyes before vanishing. He flicked his sleeves, folded his arms, and stared coldly at the hazy silhouette within the array.

Mi Shu bowed, twisted his long whiskers, blinked a few times, and raised his voice: "The Chieftain is magnanimous. As long as you are willing to offer up the treasures and explain your origins, you might even earn yourself a position as a protector. Think about it: tens of thousands of miles of sea territory would be under your jurisdiction—second only to one, above ten thousand, enjoying endless wealth and glory. Why bother to be an enemy of our Black Shark Stronghold in the shadows? Even if you manage to escape, can you escape the Li Sea? The Palace Master has subordinates as numerous as shrimp and crabs; killing you would be like crushing a clam! Those who know the times are heroes—surrender quickly."

Xi Lingbo nodded, quite satisfied with Mi Shu’s psychological tactics.

"Haha, that sounds wonderful. I do happen to have the immortal artifact you want, but unfortunately, none of you are qualified to possess it. By the way, Great Black Shark, do you think if your father, the Shark King, knew you had an immortal artifact within your grasp, would he still sit quietly in his palace and give birth to a younger brother for you?" Lin Feng mocked with a laugh.

"Impudent!" Xi Lingbo was enraged, his expression shifting rapidly. What Lin Feng said was not without reason. The underwater world was inherently cold and ruthless; an immortal artifact was enough to make anyone go mad. Family ties meant nothing. The Shark King was known for his cruelty; he was a bloodthirsty, whale-killing shark!

In a world where strength was supreme, possessing a treasure would only invite death. Xi Lingbo knew this clearly.

"Friend, are you Lin Feng of the Hundred Flowers Sect?" the silver-haired, moon-robed Le Zhengqing suddenly asked.

"And if I am? Who are you? The new protector for the Great Black Shark?" Lin Feng countered.

A streak of silver light flickered between Le Zhengqing’s brows. "Indeed, I am Le Zhengqing. I cannot agree with what you said just now. As the saying goes, only those who possess destiny can hold treasures. The Chieftain used this plan to lure you into the trap, which is precisely gathering destiny to himself. I believe that even if the Shark King knew, he would not forcibly seize what is in the Chieftain’s pocket, but would instead reward him even more heavily. You are worrying too much."

Xi Lingbo’s tense face relaxed slightly, though his eyes remained fixed on the prisoner like electric bolts.

"If you insist on continuing this way, we will have to take it ourselves..." Le Zhengqing said unhurriedly.

"That is perfect. It is exactly what I desire." Lin Feng had already taken the Prison-Fire Wind Chasing Fan into his hand, ready to fight them to the death.

"Brother Le, no need to waste words with him. Let me kill him myself!" Xi Lingbo was becoming impatient. He raised his hands, revealing a pair of black gauntlets that emitted a cold, metallic luster. The gauntlets were connected to his arms and merged with his skin, with a layer of black fish scales hidden beneath his cuffs.

"Chieftain, wait. My Yin-Moon Array only allows entry, not exit. To be safe, let us test his strength first," Le Zhengqing transmitted his voice.

Xi Lingbo glanced at him and nodded slightly. He shouted, "Protector Mi Shu, go in and kill him immediately!"

Mi Shu, who had been enjoying the show, was caught off guard. This was not a good job—if things went wrong, he could lose his life!

He dared not disobey the Chieftain’s order. Having cultivated for many years, Mi Shu was an old fox. His body flickered, and he revealed his true form: a sea snake ten zhang long, covered in colorful, ring-like patterns! A crest of bright red sprouted on the snake’s head, and its pale pupils glinted with cold light as it slowly and cautiously slithered into the array.

Xi Lingbo opened his eyes wide, showing a hint of anticipation. Le Zhengqing smiled faintly, his eyes as cold as ice.

Inside the empty array, Lin Feng had been prepared for a long time, ready to strike.