Chapter 117: The Wrath of the Shark King

The golden core was consumed the moment it touched his lips, immediately swallowed by the twenty-four-petaled Heart-Flame Lotus. As the white flames slowly melted and absorbed the core, the petals began to change color. They shifted from white to yellow, then to red. In the end, only seven of the lotus flames turned red, while the others remained yellow—a truly bizarre phenomenon.

"What is happening? The 'Tuotian Technique' mentions nothing of this. After the Heart-Flame realm comes the Flame-Fusion realm; could these changes be caused by something else? The Manjushaka! That’s it! It must be the essence of the Manjushaka I absorbed that triggered the colored lotus flames. It seems a single golden core is far from enough." Opening his eyes, Lin Feng calculated the time; more than two days had passed.

"Not good!" With a turn, he returned to his room at the relay station and strode out.

"Proprietor, has my friend been here?"

The innkeeper, who was napping on a stone chair, widened his eyes and asked, "Where, where did you come from?"

"Hmm?" Lin Feng immediately understood the implication of his words and smiled. "Proprietor, you haven't answered my question."

"Oh, apologies. It seems he hasn't. No, he hasn't." The innkeeper looked at him with suspicion and lay back down. He was puzzled: how could the guard squad, during their routine search the previous day, insist that there was no one in the room?

"Haha, sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s go now." Just then, Le Zhengqing’s figure flashed before the door. The two quickly settled the bill and flew rapidly toward the northwest. The Red Shark Stronghold lay beyond those three hundred thousand miles of water.

In the heart of the six-million-mile Li Sea, beneath the turbulent ocean, stood a magnificent complex of buildings that far surpassed the palaces of any mainland dynasty. Star-like water-repelling pearls and night-luminescent pearls shone like stars in a brilliant galaxy, illuminating the thousand-mile-wide Whale-Slaying Palace and its crystal halls. There were no patrol squads here; the glorious palace complex stood in silent, oppressive, and murderous stillness.

"Since the founding of my Whale-Slaying Palace by our ancestors, we have endured for ten thousand years, never falling. Yet now, someone has slaughtered my son under my very nose, killing three of my guardians! And you! You still haven't identified the killer! What use are you to me? Use! Use! Use..." The entire crystal palace trembled under his raging voice. In the great hall, the gathered demon cultivators stood with heads bowed, trembling like cicadas in winter, many of them shivering uncontrollably.

Above the ninth tier of the Whale-Slaying Palace’s royal path stood a massive, luxurious throne. It was thirty feet high and eighteen feet wide. Nine golden dragons were coiled around the backrest, their whiskers and manes standing upright, claws bared. The waist of the high back was carved with intricate whale and shark motifs, while waves, scrolls, and auspicious clouds covered the rest of the throne. Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine pearls, jades, emeralds, and tourmalines were inlaid across it, an display of the utmost luxury and nobility.

Sitting upon this throne like a king was the Shark-King, Xi Bing. His rage had manifested into rolling black clouds that obscured his face, making his true features indistinguishable. The ruler of the Li Sea wore golden silk armor and a crystal-inlaid gold crown; the invisible pressure he exuded made those present break out in cold sweat.

After a long while, the Shark-King suppressed his anger, his voice chillingly cold as he spoke again: "Has the background of Le Zhengqing from the Xuanji Pavilion been verified?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been confirmed. Le Zhengqing is indeed a guest elder of the Xuanji Pavilion. I have already ordered the four great generals—Fu Xu, Gui Ying, Ning Haiqin, and Weizhu—to guard the maritime borders strictly and increase patrols, striving to..." The purple-robed elder at the head of the officials stepped forward, reporting respectfully.

"What good is guarding the borders! I want the Master of the Xuanji Pavilion to personally bind this thief and deliver him here, to be sliced into a thousand pieces to comfort my son’s spirit! Minister of War, you handle this!" the Shark-King said in a deep voice.

"That must not be! It must not!" Behind the Minister of War, a middle-aged man in white armor hurriedly interjected. "Your Majesty, if you do this, will you not offend the Xuanji Pavilion? If they join forces with Yu Baili, our Li Sea will be in mortal danger! The Xuanji Pavilion is mysterious and profound, and they have deep ties with the Sea-Suppressing Palace. We must not offend them!"

"Scoundrel! It is only right that I demand a person from him! As the master of a sea, why would I fear them joining forces! Qu Wuming, if you dare to spout such nonsense again, I shall have you executed on the spot!" The Shark-King, Xi Bing, was furious. Surprisingly, he did not rise from his seat, but the arrogance and coldness in his words were no different from usual.

The Minister of War turned slightly and gave a secret look to Qu Wuming, who bowed and said nothing more.

"Your Majesty, shall the grand ceremony proceed as scheduled?" another aide asked timidly.

"How could the auspicious date already set be changed so easily! Fool! Prepare everything as quickly as possible. If there are any more accidents during this time, bring me your heads! Hmph!" The Shark-King’s figure gradually dissipated along with his fading voice, leaving only a cloud of black mist upon the throne.

"We obey the King's decree," the officials replied in unison.

"Lord Minister, do we really intend to demand someone from the Xuanji Pavilion?" Qu Wuming glanced at his colleague and transmitted his voice.

"You are truly dense. How could you say such things in front of the King? The Xuanji Pavilion is powerful; the King is merely venting his frustration. Demand someone from the Xuanji Pavilion? Do you have a death wish?" The Minister of War rolled his eyes and walked out of the hall side-by-side with Qu Wuming.

"So that’s how it is. Thank you for your guidance, my lord..." Qu Wuming wiped his forehead.

...

In the sea area two million miles away.

"Brother Lin Feng, your speed is quite impressive. If I didn't use my sect’s secret techniques, I could hardly keep up with you." Le Zhengqing traveled through the seabed alongside Lin Feng. The two had lost count of how many times they had shaken off intercepting demon soldiers.

"Brother Le, you are mocking me, aren't you? I can't even match your speed with my sword flight; how is that fast?" Lin Feng stood on his Moyan Sword, while Le Zhengqing flew through the sea empty-handed, his silver hair flowing, looking incredibly cool and elegant.

"Haha, when you reach my stage, you will surely surpass me. Look, that is the Red Shark Stronghold ahead!" Le Zhengqing pointed. "You set an ambush here; I will lure Xi Fengjin out, and we brothers will kill them together!"

Without waiting for Lin Feng to argue, Le Zhengqing darted toward the brightly lit palace. Every time his figure flashed, he leapt hundreds of feet forward.

Hidden beneath his "Form-Concealing Cloak," Lin Feng soon heard the sky-shaking shouts of battle from within the Red Shark Stronghold. He looked up and was shocked: behind Le Zhengqing, a massive tide of demon cultivators surged forward like a black wave, among them several masters whose cultivation levels he could not discern!

The leader, holding a golden-wheeled fire-tipped spear, clad in crimson armor and wearing a seven-colored eagle-feather crown, was tall and imposing—it was none other than the lord of the Red Shark Stronghold, Xi Fengjin!

The golden-wheeled fire-tipped spear cut through the water, its crimson spear-glow, dozens of feet long, darting back and forth as it chased the slippery Le Zhengqing. Behind Xi Fengjin, four others followed closely, maintaining a ten-foot distance. The five formed a crescent formation, watching over each other as they hunted the mysterious cultivator.

"They are coming..." Hidden among a large patch of seaweed, Lin Feng locked onto one of the experts. Judging by their trajectory, this person would pass right over his head. Take one out, count one!

"Red-Headed Shark, you actually dared to chase me out! Die!" Le Zhengqing’s aura suddenly changed. He turned, raised his hand, and shot a ray of silver light straight at Xi Fengjin’s face!

The moment the silver light pierced through the seawater, the four guardians of the Red Shark Stronghold leapt over Lin Feng’s hiding place! *Clang!* Ten thousand sword lights erupted, slicing through the water and striking one of the demon cultivators in the back.

Following that strike, *boom, boom, boom!* Three consecutive strikes of the Purgatory Wind-Chasing Fan unleashed white, yellow, and red flames, instantly swallowing the guardian. He was blasted hundreds of feet away, wrapped in a giant fireball, still burning intensely.

"It doesn't fear water! What is this fire?" A thought flashed through his mind, but there was no time to ponder. He swung the fan, unleashing another fierce attack at the remaining three!

*Boom! Boom!*... Deep in the ocean, the water reacted like dry wood doused in oil meeting a wildfire. Red flames rose in clusters, and one demon cultivator after another dodged in panic, falling into utter chaos.

Xi Fengjin, a bloody scratch on his forehead, had eyes burning red. His golden-wheeled fire-tipped spear danced into a screen of light, ignoring the lives of his own soldiers. A massive spear-shadow swept across a hundred feet, slashing fiercely at Le Zhengqing.

"Unconquered in a Hundred Battles! Ten Thousand Piercing Hearts!" With a great roar, Le Zhengqing performed a complex hand seal. The water was instantly repelled, and a vacuum corridor opened straight before him. Then, ten thousand silver lights shot out simultaneously. The momentum was unmatched; they flashed and vanished, piercing through the golden spear-shadow and into Xi Fengjin's body!

Using his body as the origin, the space within a three-foot radius was riddled with countless pinprick-sized holes, as if light were passing through paper! In a single move, Xi Fengjin’s body was left riddled with holes, with only his golden core in his dantian remaining intact.

*Boom!* The lord of the Red Shark Stronghold, the youngest son of the Shark-King, was blasted into bloody mist within two rounds, leaving no bones behind.

On the other side, Lin Feng was swinging his fan with vigor. Among the thousands of demon cultivators, none could get close to him. A top-tier spiritual weapon paired with these strange flames truly unleashed one hundred percent of its power.

"Got him! Brother, don't get tangled up, let's go!" Le Zhengqing shouted, his figure flashing to Lin Feng’s side.

"Let's go!" The two instantly leapt several miles away, vanishing into the vast ocean.

Whale-Slaying Palace, Raging Waves Hall.

"Fengjin, my son!" The ruler of the Li Sea roared, his eyes shooting out murderous intent. From the moment Xi Fengjin died, the Shark-King had been restless in his palace. The tragic news delivered by the court official now confirmed the reason for his unease.

"Xuanji Pavilion! I, Xi Bing, am sworn to destroy you!" The Shark-King waved his jade robe, and with several *boom* sounds, the court officials and palace maids groveling on the floor of the Raging Waves Hall exploded into puddles of flesh and blood.

"Eldest, Second, return to the Whale-Slaying Palace to see me at once!" The azure Sea-Ruling Token hovered before him as the Shark-King collapsed weakly onto his throne.

He had no confidence in standing against the Xuanji Pavilion. For so many years, he had kept the ancestral teachings of the Whale-Slaying Palace in mind, never daring to make more than one enemy. His struggle with Yu Baili had nearly exhausted half of the Li Sea's resources. That was not all; he also had to constantly guard against the fierce beasts of the Desolate Sea in the eastern maritime borders. The three ferocious kings—the Kun-Toad, the Viper Emperor, and the Ji-Meng—visited every few years, and it took every ounce of his strength to drive them away each time.

It was exhausting! The throne of an emperor was not so easy to sit upon. For the first time in thousands of years, the Shark-King felt truly drained. Two sons had died miserably; how had he offended the Xuanji Pavilion? Was it her? Or was the God-Whale King plotting in the shadows? After his rage, the ruler of the Li Sea buried his imposing body deep in the throne and closed his eyes to contemplate.

(PS: The weather is getting cooler, everyone please take care and stay warm.)