Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

"You old rascal, you’re not worried at all that Su Ye will stay and fight you for power!"

Mr. Yun grumbled unhappily and took another gulp of cold tea.

"Hahaha... Mr. Yun, you have sharp eyes. I have to admire that," Zuo Hongtu laughed heartily. "After we repel the Candle Python Cave, how about we jointly vouch for him and recommend him to the True Treasure Pavilion?"

"We’ll build some goodwill. In the future, if he reaches the Nascent Soul realm, he can look after our families."

"Acceptable."

After a long silence, Mr. Yun managed to say a word.

’To be fair, he and Su Ye had no deep-seated hatred for each other... It was just a matter of losing face, which was a bit annoying.’

’But what was a little bit of face, really?’

With the matter settled,

Zuo Hongtu let out a hearty laugh.

As the Alliance Leader of the Flame Alliance, maintaining unity and mediating conflicts was part of his job.

At this moment.

Down below.

At the Luotian Array point in the Storm Sea.

An offensive from the Candle Python Cave had scattered and collapsed.

SPLATTER.

Corpses were strewn across the ground. A mixture of resentful energy and the stench of blood stained the wind and rain a deep crimson!

With the geographical advantage of the Storm Sea, the Flame Alliance was resting while their enemies toiled. The kill ratio here was massively in their favor!

However.

Even so, after months of intense assaults, the Flame Alliance cultivators had also suffered significant losses.

"Sigh..."

Zuo Hongtu sighed.

The defenders on the Storm Sea battlefield were all elites of the Flame Alliance. Such losses pained him greatly.

"These evil cultivators are truly insane!"

"For them, a fight to the death like this isn’t worth the cost."

"What on earth are they trying to do...?"

Zuo Hongtu’s expression was grave.

The abnormalities in the Candle Python Cave’s invasion were obvious.

Invading the Flame Alliance for years without regard for the cost—this behavior was the complete opposite of a pirate’s typical raid.

They even used some unknown means to win over the Dragon-kin aberrations, convincing them to cooperate—the same Dragon-kin who had always detested the human race and were known for their bloodthirsty violence!

Such investment, such planning.

All of it meant that the Candle Python Cave’s invasion of the Day Flame Sea Region had a much deeper purpose.

’But... what could that purpose be?’

"Compared to their purpose..."

"I’m more worried about who exactly is backing the Candle Python Cave?"

"How many more tricks does this hidden mastermind have up their sleeve?"

Mr. Yun’s tone was heavy, his brow furrowed.

The Candle Python Cave’s backer was extremely secretive and had yet to be exposed.

This feeling of passively waiting made the Flame Alliance extremely uncomfortable!

"Mr. Yun, have you heard back from the True Treasure Pavilion?"

"No. To this day, the pavilion... has not given a clear answer," Mr. Yun said, shaking his head.

"Besides, you know that the inner seas haven’t been peaceful these past few years. There are signs that great chaos is about to erupt."

"The renewal negotiations for the Treaty of the End of War broke down acrimoniously."

"The conflicts between the nine sects of the inner seas are intensifying."

"On top of that, the remnants of the Demon Palace..."

Mr. Yun’s brow furrowed.

He seemed reluctant to speak further, shaking his head and changing the subject.

"In any case, at this critical moment, the True Treasure Pavilion doesn’t have the spare capacity to help..."

As he was speaking, suddenly...

The two great cultivators fell silent. Their gazes grew sharp as they stared into the distance!

BOOM!

Chiyou’s aura flared to life!

A heart-pounding fluctuation of Magical Power, thick with an arrogant and brutal intent, rushed straight toward them like a ferocious beast!

"Watch out!"

"He’s here!"

SHING!

Zuo Hongtu’s brows knitted. The longsword at his waist left its scabbard, blazing like a sun rising into the sky!

Golden light flashed as a heat like molten lava surged from the blade, radiating in all directions!

Red Flood Dragon Golden Sun Sword!

Before the Dragon Calamity, this was the legacy treasure of the Golden Sun Sect, one of the three great Golden Core sects of the Day Flame Sea Region.

Its materials were exceptional. Forged ten thousand times from Blazing Fire Refined Iron and brought to life by Red Flood Dragon Heart Blood, it was then nurtured over several generations by the Sword Intent of the Golden Sun Sect’s patriarchs...

Now, it could be called a Quasi-Dao Artifact.

Dao Artifacts were Tier Five treasures, wielded by those in the Nascent Soul realm.

HUMMM.

An eerie green demonic flame rose, and Chiyou stepped out from within it. His voice was spectral. "Gentlemen, the time has come. Please, be on your way."

"Arrogant!" Zuo Hongtu’s and Mr. Yun’s expressions darkened. Chiyou was strong, but to think he could kill two great cultivators all by himself?!

"Arrogant?"

"Unfortunately, I don’t think so." Chiyou shook his head. Not far away, space flickered and a figure appeared.

Dressed in a black, hooded robe, the figure wore an eagle-headed mask, quite similar in style to Chiyou’s Asura Ghost Mask.

More importantly, this unknown cultivator’s Magical Power fluctuations had actually reached the Late-stage Golden Core!

"Another great cultivator?"

"When did he get here?"

Zuo Hongtu and Mr. Yun were both shocked.

"Heh... So you brought a helper, another great cultivator?"

"But even so, with the Luotian Array point here, what can you... Urk?!"

Suddenly,

Mr. Yun’s words caught in his throat.

Because, in the distance,

another figure had appeared. Late-stage Golden Core.

At the same time, another appeared, and then several more... In the blink of an eye, including Chiyou himself, six figures—all at least at the Late-stage Golden Core realm—were positioned in six different directions!

VMMMM!

Fluctuations of Magical Power flowed out, their auras intertwining with immeasurable power!

Zuo Hongtu and Mr. Yun were locked onto by the auras of the six cultivators, their expressions turning utterly grim!

"Five of them?"

"This is insane. I never knew Late-stage Golden Core cultivators were as common as cabbages... Could it be that Chiyou, the terror of the inner seas, also knows the art of creating soldiers from scattered beans?"

"Heh..."

Mr. Yun gave a dry laugh, his face stiffening as his voice trailed off.

The five Late-stage Golden Core cultivators, all in black hooded robes and masks, remained silent.

"Gentlemen, please be on your way,"

Chiyou said coolly.

WHOOSH! The one-handed Nail Hammer at his waist flew out, transforming into a colossal, blood-stained hammer that resembled a terrifying mace!

Spirit Treasure: Asura Hammer!

At the same time,

he expanded his chest, his muscles and bones booming!

Chiyou’s elderly frame rapidly expanded, transforming him into a giant over two meters tall. He gripped the Asura Hammer, his aura turning savagely inhuman!

His vitality and blood burned like a furnace, sending out waves of scorching heat!

The feeling he gave off

was as if a great demon from a storybook had shed its human skin to reveal its true form!

Chiyou’s Body Refining cultivation was clearly extraordinary—at least Tier Four Mid Stage!

"Kill!"

BOOM!

The Asura Hammer thundered as it crashed down!

The other five Late-stage Golden Core cultivators also held nothing back, attacking with all their might!

Spiritual light flashed in a kaleidoscope of colors. The terrifying fluctuations of Magical Power caused the tens of thousands of cultivators within the Luotian Array point to panic, unable to stop themselves from looking up at the sky!

"What’s happening?"

"The Candle Python Cave?"

No one answered.

The battle in the Gangfeng Layer was beyond their ability to observe.

Even the Core Formation cultivators of the Flame Alliance could only feel the heart-stopping, tremor-inducing fluctuations of Magical Power constantly emanating from the sky!

And then,

dozens of breaths later, a mournful draconic cry resounded through the heavens!

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

Like a nuclear bomb detonating in mid-air, a blazing sun rose. A giant, incredibly hot fireball exploded with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves billowing outward!

The resulting shockwave pierced through the perpetual black clouds of the Storm Sea, letting sunlight pour down. A mushroom cloud spanning thousands of meters spread across the sky!

At the Storm Sea’s Luotian Array point, the Array wavered on the brink of collapse, as if the end was nigh!

WHOOSH!

After a long moment,

"I underestimated him... To think Zuo Hongtu would be so decisive as to self-destruct the Red Flood Dragon Golden Sun Sword!"

The winds and clouds churned, and Chiyou’s figure emerged. His muscles and bones trembled, his body shrinking like a deflating ball as he reverted to his elderly form.

"Cough, cough."

Beneath his Asura Ghost Mask, a dark red stain of blood spread. He was clearly heavily injured.

With Chiyou’s cultivation level, the dispersed power from the self-destruction of a Quasi-Dao Artifact shouldn’t have been enough to injure him so severely...

In his hand, he held Mr. Yun’s head. Scorched black by fierce flames, its eyes were burned into what looked like glass beads, and it was dripping with blood!

Just now,

Chiyou had charged forward, braving the blast of the Quasi-Dao Artifact’s self-destruction to forcefully kill Mr. Yun!

"Zuo Hongtu self-destructed his Spiritual Treasure. He can’t have gotten far. Go after him and kill him."

"Conquer this array point, then attack from multiple locations. Break through the Flame Alliance’s defensive line, kill all their Golden Core cultivators, and end this war in one fell swoop..."

Chiyou ordered.

"Yes, Deputy Envoy Chiyou."

...

My tooth is still killing me, and I’m feeling drained.

I’ve been sick a lot lately, so updates might be a little delayed... Thank you for your understanding.