Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

Su Ye always considered the worst-case scenario.

After all, never mind the Far South Continent.

Since the war began, he had killed nearly a handful of Tier Four experts.

He had forged deep-seated enmities.

The Cyan Profound and Spirit Realm Sea Regions were adjacent to the Day Flame Sea Region. There was no guarantee that the fires of war wouldn’t spread to the seas under his control after he withdrew.

Furthermore, even if the war didn’t cross into his territory, the heretical cultivator pirates occupying the Day Flame Sea Region posed a grave threat to the Nanyaoguang Corporation’s trade.

This directly affected Su Ye’s bottom line.

’Of course, if the situation becomes untenable, my only option is to pull out...’

’But the situation might not be that dire. There might still be a turning point... In any case, first I’ll return to Cloud Sea Immortal City, report my findings, and see where the True Treasure Pavilion stands.’

’On top of that, I need to get my hands on the Nine Spirits Soul-Strengthening Incense and the Blood Essence Elixir from the Flame Alliance’s treasury. I’ll feel better once they’re in my possession, and I can use them to increase my strength.’

Intelligence would allow him to assess the situation and make a decision.

Spiritual Objects would enhance his combat power and help him weather the risks.

’The war is at risk of expanding and escalating.’

’After I get back, I need to take a two-pronged approach and bolster my ability to handle these risks...’

Su Ye settled on his course of action.

...

’Speaking of increasing my combat power...’ Su Ye’s eyes shifted, and he clapped his hands.

"Jiaojiao."

"Master, I’m here! I’m here!"

"Master, feed me~"

Jiaojiao, brimming with energy, drew close to Su Ye, carrying a light, pleasant fragrance.

Her ruby-like eyes glittered, full of desire, as she nuzzled Su Ye’s hand with her round, chubby cheeks.

She was like an adorable little pet.

"Go on, eat up..."

"It’s all for you."

Su Ye stroked Jiaojiao’s head.

He then took out two Golden Cores and fed them to Jiaojiao. They had belonged to the eagle-faced elder and the snake-faced man—the two Golden Core cultivators Su Ye had slain in the battle!

Of course, the snake-faced man’s Golden Core was somewhat crumbled, looking almost like oatmeal.

The Gang Wind had torn his body to shreds, damaging the Golden Core in the process. Having lost its perfectly round form, the principles of law within the Golden Core had begun to dissipate.

However, not much time had passed, so the dissipation was not yet severe.

After consuming it, Jiaojiao still enjoyed a hearty meal.

[Source Energy: 465/465]

These two Golden Cores caused the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Source Energy to skyrocket by nearly 200 points.

With its Source Energy full, the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s spirit ship rank naturally advanced to Mid-Tier Four!

Checking the status panel,

Su Ye muttered to himself, "Late-Tier Four requires six hundred Source Energy. To get there, it seems I’m just one late-stage Golden Core cultivator short?"

He was close!

Su Ye raised an eyebrow, a strange look crossing his face.

He suddenly realized that the escalating war might not be entirely a bad thing for him.

’In peacetime, you don’t get this many Golden Core cultivators just lining up for the slaughter...’

Having dealt with the Golden Cores, he casually opened a Storage Ring.

Well, just one.

The snake-faced man didn’t have a Storage Ring. The fellow had modified his physical body and possessed a special internal organ for storage.

Notably, this organ was quite well-hidden; Su Ye, at least, hadn’t noticed it at first.

As a result, he hadn’t held back.

When the Gang Wind passed through, the organ’s cavity and everything inside it were completely shredded.

A few of the items were still usable, amounting to perhaps a few tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. It was better than nothing.

So now, only the eagle-faced elder’s Storage Ring was left for him to loot.

’I hope this won’t be a disappointment...’

Su Ye rubbed his hands together, as if to bring himself some good luck.

"Fuck, he’s broke!"

He cursed aloud.

After breaking the seal on the Storage Ring and sweeping his Divine Sense inside, he found it was practically empty. The Storage Ring of any random Crystallization Realm cultivator would be more loaded than this!

This was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator?

The man was as poor as a recently released convict!

"How could he be so poor? This is just bizarre..." Su Ye muttered.

"Whatever."

’Back in Cloud Sea Immortal City, I’ll use the incense and the elixir first. I need to push my soul and physical body to Tier Four Perfection as soon as possible.’

’The war in this sea region is threatening to expand and escalate. At a time like this, I have to increase my strength as quickly as possible to avoid ending up as cannon fodder.’

Su Ye steeled his resolve.

The recent battle had given him a much clearer understanding of his own combat prowess.

’In a one-on-one fight against an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator, I can take them down in a relatively short amount of time...’

Of course, that only applied to ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivators.

Someone like a True Disciple from the Star Casting Hall was another matter entirely.

’Unless I were to use the Netherworld Skill... my chances of killing her would be slim. There’s no telling what other trump cards her sect might have given her...’

Su Ye shook his head.

From what he knew of disciples from major sects, they carried at least one or two Nascent Soul-level life-saving treasures.

Killing such an opponent would be exceedingly difficult, and the risk was far too great.

Besides, killing a True Disciple of the Star Casting Hall would do him more harm than good.

According to the ancestral traditions of the Star Casting Hall, there were only nine True Disciples in each generation—a number that had never changed.

If he killed one, the Star Casting Hall would surely lose its mind!

Then...

Would a Nascent Soul True Monarch personally come to hunt him down?

"Hrm..."

At the thought of that consequence, Su Ye’s eyelid twitched. He suppressed his killing intent.

Many people only had a vague, secondhand idea of how strong a Nascent Soul True Monarch was, but Su Ye was different. Like a Nascent Soul cultivator, he had mastered a complete Law!

With the aid of his Netherworld Skill, he had been able to kill a Golden Core cultivator back when he was only in the Crystallization Realm!

’And a cultivator using a Nascent Soul Realm cultivation base to cast True Techniques with their complete grasp of a Law... That kind of power is absolutely not something I can withstand at my current level.’

Su Ye was under no illusions about his own strength.

If he killed a True Disciple from the Star Casting Hall, got tagged with some kind of tracking curse like a Traceability Mark, and then had a Nascent Soul True Monarch come after him, Su Ye would likely meet a bitter end!

"Consider the danger, consider retreat, and consider change."

...

「A month or so later.」

「Cloud Sea Immortal City.」

Dark clouds blotted out the sky, almost completely obscuring the sun and casting the entire city in shadow.

Although it was daytime, it felt like twilight, and an indescribable sense of oppression weighed on everyone’s heart.

A grim and fearful anxiety filled the air.

A somber mood had fallen over this vital stronghold of the Flame Alliance.

The Luotian Defense Line had been breached by the ships of the Candle Python Cave, the front had collapsed, the Flame Alliance’s territory was shrinking rapidly, and two Golden Core cultivators had gone missing...

With the passage of time, this negative news had inevitably spread, causing widespread panic.

The Flame Alliance’s attempts to suppress the news were futile. After the collapse of the Luotian Defense Line, millions of cultivators had fled from the occupied territories.

These cultivators had flooded into Cloud Sea Immortal City, their anxious and fearful expressions brutally tearing away the facade of peace the Flame Alliance had struggled to maintain.

Left with no choice, the Flame Alliance had to admit that the war was going poorly.

Furthermore, they declared martial law in Cloud Sea Immortal City.

Prices within the city subsequently skyrocketed, and all of Cloud Sea Immortal City was enveloped in fear.

None of this, however, had anything to do with Su Ye.

...

「Yiyue Palace.」

「Martial Arts Arena.」

"Hooo..."

Having held his breath for a long time, Su Ye exhaled a stream of pure air.

The force of his breath was focused, not dispersing, and it swept like a gale across the Martial Arts Arena, scattering the ground’s covering of golden, withered leaves!

"Incredible!"

Su Ye relaxed his stance. His muscles and bones trembled lightly, letting out a series of crisp CRACKLES and POPS.

Upon returning to the city, he had immediately acquired the Nine Spirits Soul-Strengthening Incense and the Blood Essence Elixir and had begun refining them.

Now, he had finished refining the medicinal power of the Blood Essence Elixir!

CRACK.

He clenched and unclenched his fist, feeling the dense vitality and the terrifying power, like that of a primeval beast, contained within. Su Ye felt utterly invigorated!

"What an elixir!"

"The effects are even better than I imagined!"

He was not far from reaching Tier Four Perfection!

Pleased with his progress, Su Ye was about to light the Nine Spirits Soul-Strengthening Incense to nourish his soul.

But just then, Luo Qing’e’s figure appeared, stepping into the Martial Arts Arena.

"Husband."

"Shenxiao and True Monarch Liaoyuan have summoned you for a meeting."

"They said..."

"There’s news?"

"But they didn’t say what it was."

Luo Qing’e said, puzzled.

"I understand."

Su Ye nodded, a thought occurring to him.

’What else could it be? It has to be news from the True Treasure Pavilion!’