"White Stripe in the Waves, Zhang Shun!!"
Upon hearing the name, Yi Tianxing turned his gaze toward Zhang Shun.
Zhang Shun was no ordinary man. In Water Margin, he was the naval commander of the Liangshan outlaws. His abilities on water were formidable.
Nicknamed White Stripe in the Waves, Zhang Shun hailed from Jiangzhou. In his early years, he and his brother dominated the Xunyang River. Later, he became a fish broker in Jiangzhou. He joined in rescuing Song Jiang and created havoc in Jiangzhou, becoming one of the Twenty-Nine Heroes of the White Dragon Temple. At the Grand Assembly at Liangshan, he was ranked thirtieth, corresponding to the Heaven-Diminished Star, and served as the navy commander. During the campaign against Fang La, he perished at Yongjin Gate in Hangzhou. For capturing Fang Tianding's soul, he was posthumously titled General of Jinhua.
His ability to train naval forces was beyond doubt.
Having grown up near water, his underwater skills were peerless.
Now, in the Eternal Continent, he too had experienced great fortune. The cultivation method he practiced was a superior water-attribute technique called the Blackwater True Scripture (黑水真经). It included a life diagram known as the Blackwater True Dragon Diagram (黑水真龙图)—an extremely powerful cultivation method. Once mastered, it rendered him no less formidable than a black dragon, capable of stirring the seas and manipulating the weather.
This technique allowed Zhang Shun's aquatic abilities to advance by leaps and bounds. Now, he was astonishingly proficient underwater. Ordinary waters posed no challenge, and even the most treacherous rivers and lakes could not stop him from diving in and emerging unscathed.
"Very well. Then we'll leave it to Daoist Friend Zhang."
Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement.
According to the intel, the Tongtian River was perilous beyond compare. Other than the three Tongtian Bridges, one could only cross it using strength and wit—otherwise, it would become a watery grave.
From the numerous whirlpools alone, one could sense the river's deadly nature.
"Fellow Daoists, Zhang Shun will go first. Tongtian River, here I come!"
Zhang Shun nodded firmly, then leapt straight into the river without hesitation.
The moment he entered, he felt himself sinking—not just mentally but physically, dragged downward.
"So many whirlpools... This river is far more treacherous than it appears. There are countless hidden whirlpools and undercurrents beneath the surface. The twisting, chaotic force created by these currents is tearing at my body!"
Zhang Shun shouted toward the riverbank.
He was providing vital intel to Yi Tianxing and the others about the river's interior.
It felt like undergoing torture, not swimming in water. His underwater skills were rendered nearly useless. If not for his near-instinctual response to water currents, he would've been shredded the moment he entered.
Water's power was truly terrifying.
As the saying goes, water and fire are merciless. Though it appears calm, when enraged, water becomes a force of apocalyptic destruction.
At this moment, the Tongtian River was exactly that.
What seemed like a gentle flow had become an overwhelming force of devastation.
It could shred and consume everything. The water now was pure horror.
Zhang Shun twisted and turned like a dragonfish, trying to swim forward, but he found that even movement was difficult. It was as though invisible suction cups clung to him. A dreadful force tried to drag him into the depths.
He activated the Blackwater True Scripture, pushing himself forward. His body seemed to merge with the water itself.
But only after swimming a few dozen zhang, a massive whirlpool surged, pulling him completely under. He vanished without a trace.
The many cultivators on the riverbank grew solemn.
Zhang Shun—the White Stripe in the Waves—had disappeared without even creating a splash. That alone spoke volumes. His demise was nearly certain. No amount of breath-holding could shield someone from the chaotic distortions in that river.
"The closer to the center, the denser and more violent the whirlpools. Only those with powerful bodies—body cultivators—might withstand it, and even then, only with exceptional swimming skills,"
Zhuge Liang's eyes flashed as he spoke.
Though Zhang Shun had perished, he had provided invaluable intel. His sacrifice was not in vain. War required sacrifice—there was no way around it.
Zhang Shun had made that choice himself.
His life was small; the honor of the human race was far more important.
ROAR!!
Suddenly, a thunderous sound echoed from the earth, accompanied by intense tremors. A deafening roar rang in everyone's ears.
With the roar came an invisible pressure that surged like a tide, crashing down on everyone.
The air grew heavy with oppressive force.
"This is bad. It may be one of the Four Great Ferocious Beasts of the wilderness,"
Zhuge Liang's expression turned grave.
"Hide!"
A crisp shout rang out.
A transparent veil spread through the air, rapidly expanding and enveloping all the human prodigies, concealing them completely.
The one who acted was a young woman with a trace of heroic air in her expression. The veil had come from her hand.
Under the veil, everyone disappeared from sight. This veil didn't just hide appearances; it also completely suppressed all auras. Nothing leaked out.
"May I ask your name, Daoist Friend?"
Yi Tianxing looked at the woman, sensing something familiar. Her bearing reminded him of Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying, though with a colder, sharper edge.
There was a chill and decisiveness in her that left a deep impression.
"My surname is Nie, given name Yinniang (聂隐娘). This is the Mystic Concealment Veil (玄隐纱). It can hide both form and aura. As long as we remain still, no beast will find us."
The young woman introduced herself.
"Nie Yinniang?" Yi Tianxing nodded thoughtfully. He recalled who she was.
She was a famed figure of history—a legendary female assassin who had accomplished feats that few men could match.
"Look—what kind of beast is that?!"
As everyone lay hidden, they scanned the area and spotted a monstrous creature emerging from the wilderness.
Its mere aura made people gasp in terror.
"That's the Taotie—one of the Four Great Ferocious Beasts!"
Zhuge Liang's pupils constricted.
The Taotie (饕餮) was a mythical beast from ancient Chinese legends, also called Paoxiao (狍鸮). The Classic of Mountains and Seas described it as a creature with a sheep's body and human face, eyes under its arms, tiger teeth, and human hands. It represented gluttony and was sometimes referred to as one of the Nine Sons of the Ancestral Dragon—though its origins remained unclear.
What was certain, however, was that it carried True Dragon blood within it.
That alone confirmed its identity as a child of the Ancestral Dragon.
It was also a terrifying beast, known for eating everything—there was nothing it wouldn't devour.
Now, the massive creature before them clearly matched that description: sheep-bodied, human-faced, with eyes under its arms and fearsome teeth. It stood several dozen zhang tall. With each step, the ground trembled. It scanned the area, seemingly searching for something, then walked up to the riverbank.
It opened its gaping maw—larger than its own body—and sucked in the water of the Tongtian River.
The water surged upward like a dragon, rushing into its mouth. No matter how much it drank, its body remained unchanged. It was like a bottomless pit.
"Only in, never out—such is the Taotie."
Many cultivators had that very thought at the same time.
"Fellow Daoists," Yi Tianxing's eyes glinted. "The Taotie is one of the Four Great Ferocious Beasts. Now that it's here, should we hunt it down? Reports say that slaying any of the four will yield a mysterious treasure, one that might turn the tide at a crucial moment. But it's definitely dangerous. To kill or not—let's decide together."
To him, its appearance was an opportunity. Killing it could yield unimaginable gains.
And that treasure might very well reverse their fortunes.
"Kill it. It's right in front of us—there's no reason not to," Xiang Yu said without hesitation, his dual pupils flashing.
"Agreed. Taotie or not, I've killed worse. Just never this one. Let's see if it can take a blow from my golden cauldron hammer," Li Yuanba grinned fiercely.