novelraw Chapter 247 : Third-Tier Demon Beast—Thunderstorm Flood Dragon
Chapter 247 : Third-Tier Demon Beast—Thunderstorm Flood Dragon
Chapter 247: Third-Tier Demon Beast—Thunderstorm Flood Dragon!
At this moment, Ji Yuan deeply understood what was meant by "a calamity that came uninvited."
He also realized what it truly meant by "sitting peacefully at home, yet trouble came from the sky."
Sitting inside Room Earth-One, he had thought everything was under control.
Though there were pirates hijacking the ship, the leader was his friend... He had given Ye Zhiqiu an empty storage pouch, and she would naturally transfer some items from other pouches into that one, which would be enough for her to report back.
By then, once Crying Taoist and the other two had secured their loot, Luo Sifu would escort them across the Storm Zone again.
As long as they passed through this zone, it wouldn’t matter even if they weren’t taken directly to Ice-Fire Island.
But now?
Damn it, a bastard just had to jump out halfway!
If you had a master backing you and had the chance to run, just run! If you had left quietly, everyone would’ve been fine. But why the hell did you destroy the ship?
Don’t you know there are dozens—maybe over a hundred—lives on this ship?
What a reckless fool in the cultivation world.
A complete idiot!
Even Ji Yuan, who was usually mild-tempered, now wished he could skin that brat alive. Let alone how the others must have felt.
Just then—
Ye Zhiqiu stared at the halved body of Luo Sifu beside her, cold sweat pouring down her back.
Death had been terrifyingly close. If that sword light had shifted even slightly upward, or if its range had been just a bit wider, she would’ve been done for.
But now... as she regained her senses—
《Black Mist Dispersing Body》.
By the time her figure reformed, she had already reappeared beside Crying Taoist on the fourth floor.
At this moment, Crying Taoist's face was also dark as ink. Clearly, he hadn’t expected such a mishap from a simple hijacking.
"That person is a disciple of Sheathless Sword," Ye Zhiqiu quickly said upon reappearing.
Crying Taoist grunted and looked up at the ceiling of the ship’s cabin.
A thin line had appeared there, from which drizzle-like seawater was beginning to fall, creating a curtain of rain within the cabin.
"Senior, may we have our flying boats back?"
"This big ship is doomed. Without flying boats, we’ll die in this Storm Zone!"
The cultivators on Ji Yuan’s floor had started yelling loudly.
"Yeah, Senior! You can take everything else, but please return our magical boats!"
"Senior, leave room for retreat in all actions; so we may meet again someday!"
"......"
For a moment, many cultivators began chiming in.
Already irritated, Crying Taoist finally sneered and shouted, "I’m here robbing your asses, and you think I’ll leave room for anything?"
"Keep whining, and I’ll kill you now!"
With his threatening tone and aura of Yin energy swirling off his body, the other cultivators didn’t dare say another word.
Demonic Cultivator.
Damn it, he really was a demonic cultivator.
Ji Yuan, already aware of everything, stood up from his meditation cushion. He knew Crying Taoist was waiting.
Although the Whale Patrol Boat had been split in two and its captain Luo Sifu also killed, the vessel was still moving forward by inertia.
He was waiting for the moment it completely broke apart—when seawater would flood in—so he could slip away.
Ji Yuan... was planning the same.
Once the boat was done for, he’d release Real Person Heaven Silkworm to take him away.
Even though that Corpse Servant was unstable, he was still at least at the Pseudo-Core Realm, and sometimes could even display Golden Core strength. Escaping safely shouldn’t be a problem.
And if things really got dangerous—
Ji Yuan still had the Black Dragon Armor and the Sky-Escape Shuttle, two Talisman Treasures, ready to be used.
Plus, inside him was a piece of scale armor gifted by his sect that could withstand attacks from Golden Core cultivators.
Of course, the strongest protective item was still that jade cup gifted by Hua Yaoyue before he departed.
‘Protective means? Ji Yuan has plenty!’
No need to worry about escaping.
So Ji Yuan waited as well... after about three to five breaths, a sharp “crack” echoed throughout the cabin.
Then a second. Then a third...
The water falling from above was no longer a curtain—it was a flood.
Crying Taoist on the fourth-floor corridor growled.
“Go!”
With that, he and Ye Zhiqiu simultaneously turned into black mist and vanished.
Also vanishing was Luo Sifu’s storage pouch on his waist.
Once he moved, the other Foundation Establishment cultivators scrambled toward the cracks atop the Whale Patrol Boat, hoping to flee through them.
Ji Yuan, however, didn’t rush. As always, he protected the people around him.
The situation outside was still unclear. Rushing out might not be wise. Better to let the others scout the way first.
Moreover, with seawater flooding in from above, it might be better to escape through the bottom of the ship.
Sure enough, only four or five people had escaped when the sound of spell combat erupted outside. Continuous spells struck the Whale Patrol Boat, and those who hadn’t yet fled began hesitating.
Ji Yuan’s Divine Sense saw it all clearly.
One Early Foundation Establishment cultivator, after escaping, pulled out a supreme-grade magical boat and attempted to flee—only to be targeted by a Mid-Foundation Establishment male cultivator beside him.
As for other demon beasts... there didn’t seem to be any. After a moment, Ji Yuan stopped waiting.
His figure also turned into black mist and slipped out from the bottom of the ship.
As soon as he left, he summoned his Wind Locust Flying Boat, and the upper-grade spiritual robe on him activated a protective light barrier.
The Liushuang Flying Sword hovered in front of him, while he extended his Divine Sense to scan the surroundings.
He didn’t detect Crying Taoist’s aura—likely already gone.
As for the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators... even if Ji Yuan wanted to help, he simply lacked the strength. He could barely protect himself.
“In that case, just run!”
No need to guess the escape direction—the direction the Whale Patrol Boat had been heading was the route to safety.
Having made up his mind, Ji Yuan stopped hiding his power. With one tap of his foot, the Wind Locust Flying Boat transformed into a Sky-Splitter Boat—a supreme-grade spiritual artifact.
Spirit Stones: Engaged.
In an instant, the Sky-Splitter Boat turned into a white bolt of lightning, slicing through the endless sea and vanishing in a blink.
Along the way, Ji Yuan could feel the electrical might flowing through the seawater.
Within the pitch-black ocean, flashes of lightning flickered.
‘Damn, in a place like this, even fish would get electrocuted.’
That thought flashed through Ji Yuan’s mind—until he realized he was wrong. Utterly wrong... because something appeared in his Divine Sense.
A swimming fish—over a zhang long—its whole body flashing with electric light. In shape, it resembled the Sword Yellow Fish he had seen before.
But clearly, this was a Second-Tier Sea Beast.
Ji Yuan’s flying boat zipped past it. Even if it wanted to give chase, it couldn’t catch up.
‘So there are demon beasts in the Storm Zone too—and ones that can endure electric attacks... stronger ones might appear. I must stay cautious.’
As that thought passed through his mind, Ji Yuan suddenly sensed two auras about ten li ahead, moving fast.
If not Crying Taoist and Ye Zhiqiu, who else could it be?
‘This direction should lead to Ice-Fire Island. Are they planning to go ashore after the robbery?’
Ji Yuan was confused, but also noticed the distance between them shrinking.
Crying Taoist was fast, but against a supreme-grade spiritual boat, he was still slightly inferior.
After nearly ten breaths, the gap was less than five li. Crying Taoist naturally noticed the pursuer.
With one sweep of Divine Sense, he saw Ji Yuan’s face.
“How bold!”
Recognizing Ji Yuan as the cultivator from Room Earth-One, Crying Taoist immediately developed thoughts of robbery upon seeing that supreme-grade spiritual boat.
Several strands of black smoke shot out from his body—
But just then, Ji Yuan took a step back, and suddenly... half a person appeared in front of him.
As soon as it appeared, this half-human entity exuded Golden Core aura.
With a casual wave, he flung out a fishnet-shaped magical treasure. The strands of black smoke were instantly ensnared and obliterated by the Heavenly Net.
And Crying Taoist?
Upon seeing that half-human figure, he was shocked. But once he sensed the aura emanating from it, his mind had only one thought:
‘I’m doomed!!!’
Ji Yuan’s flying boat didn’t slow down. He had no intention of fighting here. If there was to be a battle, it would happen outside the Storm Zone—a proper ambush.
So when he caught up to Crying Taoist, he merely passed by, looked at him, and silently mouthed two words—
“Trash.”
Crying Taoist’s panicked expression turned instantly livid.
“Courting death!!!”
As the descendant of Real Person Great Love, the fact that he hadn’t reached Core Formation was already disgraceful. Now, even the legacy left by his ancestor had been lost. Worse yet, he was being chased like a stray dog, living in fear.
Trash?
Damn right he was trash!
Crying Taoist could already imagine the disdain and mockery from Great Love Real Person’s old friends when they spoke of him... Just the thought made his whole body tremble with rage.
Now, someone had the audacity to say it to his face.
This—how could he possibly endure it?
"Ah!!!"
Crying Taoist let out a furious roar and gave chase—chased and chased... but the more he chased, the farther that figure ahead drew away.
Damn it, he simply couldn’t catch up!
In the end, Crying Taoist could only watch as Ji Yuan’s silhouette vanished into the sea ahead. He stared blankly, then gradually slowed down until he came to a stop.
Since he stopped, Ye Zhiqiu had no choice but to stop as well.
Just moments ago he had been boiling with rage, but now Crying Taoist suddenly sneered coldly. “Heh, rushing ahead like that... he really thinks that just because he has a Golden Core Early-Stage Broken Sky Guardian, he can take down that Third-Tier Thunderstorm Flood Dragon?”
“We’ll just wait here. Once they’re done fighting, we’ll swoop in like the oriole.”
Ye Zhiqiu nodded in agreement.
But inwardly, she felt uneasy... She didn’t know how Qiu Qianhai had acquired that supreme-grade spiritual boat, nor how he got that Golden Core stage guardian.
But what she did know was that Qiu Qianhai had intended to go to Ice-Fire Island.
But that wasn’t the direction to Ice-Fire Island.
The reason she and Crying Taoist came this way was because Crying Taoist wanted to steal a Thunderstorm Flood Dragon Egg. He’d been plotting for years and prepared all sorts of tricks.
Hijacking the ship was merely a side objective.
His true goal on this trip was that dragon egg.
But Qiu Qianhai... a flash of realization struck Ye Zhiqiu’s mind.
‘Don’t tell me... he was following the direction the ship was pointing? But once the ship entered the Storm Zone, it stopped and had already been turned around by the ocean currents...’
Ji Yuan, of course, had no idea what was going through their minds. He merely believed he was about to exit the Storm Zone.
But just then—suddenly, he felt an immensely vast aura emerge in the sea ahead, overwhelmingly powerful and so intense that it pressed down upon him.
What was even more terrifying—was that the aura was charging straight toward him.
It was unimaginably fast.
From the moment he sensed the aura, to when that terrifying flood dragon, covered in electric light, appeared before him—less than a breath had passed.
“Damn it!”
He cursed and immediately threw out Real Person Heaven Silkworm.
At the same time, he turned the boat around and fled without hesitation.
As soon as Real Person Heaven Silkworm moved, he unfurled the Heavenly Net in his hand.
The Heavenly Net thrived in water. In an instant, it transformed into a massive, sky-covering net, seemingly trying to ensnare the flood dragon—refine the flood dragon with a giant net.
“Roar—”
The Thunderstorm Flood Dragon suddenly opened its mouth—unlike the Ice Flood Dragon which exhaled icy breath.
This one spat out a thick thunderstorm breath, akin to dragon’s breath.
At that moment, Ji Yuan felt the entire sea around him boil—countless electric arcs flashed and surged around him, blasting across the ocean. He even felt the sting of being electrocuted.
But fortunately, his body was immensely strong—he endured for just a moment—
And realized... huh? It actually felt kind of nice?
He instantly understood—this lightning might actually have a tempering effect on the body?
Ordinary people couldn’t use it for tempering because their bodies couldn’t endure it—the lightning would kill them instantly.
But since he could endure it, he could experience the wonder of lightning tempering the body.
Still, now was clearly not the time to contemplate this. A sweep of Divine Sense revealed that Real Person Heaven Silkworm, who had just thrown the net—
Was completely unable to withstand even a single strike.
He was blasted into the ocean depths by the dragon’s breath, the Heavenly Net shredded in an instant.
“Roar—”
The Thunderstorm Flood Dragon roared in rage and dove straight toward the seafloor, tail whipping fiercely.
"Go!"
Ji Yuan sent the command to Real Person Heaven Silkworm underwater.
The next moment, a streak of snowy-white Escape Light shot up, chasing after Ji Yuan.
Even while fleeing for his life, Real Person Heaven Silkworm didn’t forget to bring Ji Yuan’s Heavenly Net with him. And behind him, the Thunderstorm Flood Dragon pursued relentlessly.
One fled, one chased.
Ji Yuan watched for a moment and realized—his Sky-Splitter Boat was still the fastest!
It made sense that it was faster than Real Person Heaven Silkworm—that one only had half a body left, like a Broken Sky Real Person.
But why was this Third-Tier Thunderstorm Flood Dragon so slow?
It seemed... weakened.
Ji Yuan caught a trace of weariness in its eyes.
But so what?
No matter how weak, a Thunderstorm Flood Dragon wasn’t something he could mess with. Once matured, its strength reached Late Golden Core Stage!
For a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator to provoke it—it would be suicide.
Ji Yuan thought, as long as he successfully shook it off and survived—that was enough.
So he slightly slowed down, picked up Real Person Heaven Silkworm, then affixed another Divine-Walk Talisman to the Sky-Splitter Boat. As a result, this already blisteringly fast boat... became even faster.
In an instant, it left the Thunderstorm Flood Dragon several li behind.
“……”
“Sect Leader, why do I feel like that Thunderstorm Flood Dragon... is coming our way?”
Ye Zhiqiu asked with a trace of fear.
“No shit, of course I know!”
Crying Taoist’s eyes now showed a flicker of panic. “Didn’t expect that brat wasn’t a fool after all... Run! We’re running too. Forget about the dragon egg!”
He made the decisive call and turned to flee.
Didn’t even wait for Ye Zhiqiu.
He was fast—Ji Yuan was faster. Barely two or three breaths after Crying Taoist fled, Ji Yuan had already caught up.
When running for your life with companions, you don’t need to be the fastest—just faster than your companion.
Crying Taoist looked at the figure who had just been behind him and was now ahead again—finally couldn’t help but ask via voice transmission: “Since you were targeting the Thunderstorm Flood Dragon, why flee so quickly upon contact? Couldn’t you at least test the waters?”
“Heh. Screw your damn Thunderstorm Flood Dragon.”
Ji Yuan scoffed, and as the dragon’s form loomed from the endless sea behind, he added another 100 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones as power to the boat and went full throttle.
He had considered bringing Ye Zhiqiu with him.
But unfortunately, her Divine Soul was bound to Crying Taoist. If he tried to rescue her, she’d be killed by a single thought before she even stepped onto the boat.
It was better to leave her beside Crying Taoist—at least she had a sliver of hope.
The previous route was no longer viable. In this Storm Zone, the chaotic auras made it hard to judge direction. Gritting his teeth, Ji Yuan simply picked a random direction and charged through.
If it worked, great. If not... he’d just brave the Storm Zone again.
After this ordeal, Ji Yuan also realized—
As long as he moved along the seabed, the Storm Zone’s danger was greatly reduced. He could definitely make it through.
…
Half a day later.
A lone figure emerged from the now-calm sea, gliding across the surface in a flying boat before finally landing on a volcanic island.
Once he stepped foot on Ice-Fire Island, Ji Yuan put away the Sky-Splitter Boat, leaned back, and collapsed heavily onto the beach.
It wasn’t that he had drained too much magical power.
Nor that he was physically exhausted.
He was just—mentally exhausted.
Falling into the water was one thing. Fleeing through a pitch-black sea, only to encounter a Third-Tier demon beast Thunderstorm Flood Dragon at the end... If he hadn’t had a few life-saving tricks—
He might really have died today.
But thankfully, through all the hardships, he had finally set foot on Ice-Fire Island.
Ji Yuan lay on that shoreline for three to four hours. Only when his mind was fully recovered did he rise, ready to explore what this Ice-Fire Island... really held.
But just as he stood—
He noticed, about a li to the northwest, two figures broke through the water's surface...
Crying Taoist had barely stabilized himself, body charred black from the lightning, when he coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood.
Ji Yuan saw them—and naturally, they saw him.
They locked eyes.
Ji Yuan slowly said:
“Seems we’re truly fated... In that case, Fellow Daoist, it’s time you returned what you owe me.”
Ji Yuan held no grudges.
He just remembered that back in the Ghost-Seeking Pit, Crying Taoist had owed him a jin of Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust Wood and never paid up.
Now, it was time to collect.