Following the direction of the cry, they quickly arrived on the scene.
There, a powerful member of the Shark race was holding his head, roaring angrily toward the sky. On his forehead, there was a massive imprint—one that unmistakably resembled a shovel. Given his earlier outburst, it was obvious to anyone: this imprint was left by being smashed with a shovel. And for it to remain so clearly visible meant the blow had been absolutely brutal.
The Shark race were born of sharks, known for their incredibly tough bodies, with skulls that were exceptionally hard. To be knocked out with one strike—that shovel must have been ferocious.
"Shark Wuya, you got robbed too?"
Haitian Kuang strode forward, his massive frame moving swiftly and effortlessly through the water. When he reached the scene, he instantly recognized the injured Shark cultivator. Clearly, they knew each other.
"Hmph!! What do you mean, 'too'? Don't tell me you got robbed as well," Shark Wuya retorted, coldly scanning Haitian Kuang's body. He didn't spot any signs of injury, let alone a shovel mark.
"Robbed? I was stolen from. Some damn thief snatched my spatial pouch." Haitian Kuang's face twitched as he let out a furious roar.
"You got stolen from and I got mugged. This can't be a coincidence. It has to be the same group," Shark Wuya replied, face dark with anger.
"Did you see who did it? What they looked like? Did you catch their aura?" Haitian Kuang asked quickly.
"No. The bastard called out from behind, then whacked me in the head with a shovel. That shovel was strange. As soon as I was hit, I blacked out instantly. Whoever he is, I swear I'll find him, cut him to pieces, and swallow him whole. All my treasures—they were in that pouch! Damn thieves... my heart aches!!"
He howled in sorrow and rage.
"The Princess is here!"
A voice suddenly rang out.
Arriving on the scene was Princess Ao Qi, the eldest princess of the Hanhai Dragon Palace, flanked by a troop of elite shrimp and crab soldiers. Her face was ice-cold, filled with anger. The Dragon Palace had already received word after Haitian Kuang was robbed—but before they could react, another incident occurred.
To rob guests right outside the Dragon Palace, just after a grand banquet and auction, was a blatant provocation. It was a direct slap to the Dragon Palace's face. If word got out, people would say the Dragon Palace had no deterrent power—that their invited guests could be robbed just steps away from their gates.
If they couldn't handle this, their prestige and authority would be called into question.
Publicly and privately, the Dragon Palace could not let this go.
This time, she had brought a thousand elite troops, brimming with blood-hardened killing intent.
After surveying the scene and hearing the reports, Ao Qi frowned and said frostily:
"Everyone, rest assured. No matter who these bandits are, or how many of them there are—my Dragon Palace will not rest until justice is served. Anyone who provides useful information will be rewarded with 100,000 Eternal Coins. If the bandits are wounded or captured, the reward will be even greater."
"No matter their background or identity, the Dragon Palace will not let them go free."
With her dragon heritage, natural majesty radiated from her. Every gesture and word was filled with the confidence and power of the Dragon Clan.
"General Xie, take the troops and sweep the area. If you find even a single clue—seize or kill them. No mercy for those who challenge the Dragon Palace."
"Yes, Princess!!"
The crab general bowed respectfully and ordered the soldiers to disperse and begin their sweep.
Suddenly—
"Ahhh!!"
Another scream echoed from the distance.
"Let's go!" someone shouted.
The gathered cultivators flashed forward immediately—this had to be the bandit striking again.
"Fellow Daoist Yi, let's go too," said Gongsun Daniu, her eyes bright with curiosity. "To do something like this under the Dragon Palace's nose… I'm very curious. Who are they? Why act so brazenly, so recklessly?"
Yi Tianxing nodded. "Let's go."
But inside, he felt a growing unease. A shadow crept into his heart. Everything about this situation reeked of a familiar pattern—Green Emperor, Sikong Zhaixing, and Liu Qu, that damn grave robber. If they really were behind this and it escalated further, it would be a real disaster.
"Damn bandits! You sneak-attacked your grandpa with a shovel! I swear I'll never forgive you! Brothers of the Sea Horse Clan, search every corner! I'll tear them limb from limb! And that damn dog—it bit me! This grudge won't end here. Ah-choo! Ah-choo—"
They arrived to see a sea creature with a horse-like face—clearly from the Sea Horse Clan—raging furiously. His horse face had been flattened, and his leg had a bloody bite mark. Worse still, as he shouted, he kept sneezing blood—a fountain of it with each sneeze. The sight was shocking.
"A dog? In the sea? What kind of dog?" Ao Qi stepped forward, frowning.
"A black mutt! That thing bit off a chunk of my leg!"
"A black dog?"
Ao Qi narrowed her eyes. "Spread the word. Find that black dog. Any sightings, report immediately."
Yi Tianxing's expression twitched when he heard that.
"That damn Green Emperor… still clever enough to disguise his appearance. If he had shown his real form—green fur and all—it would've exposed everything. But now, with him disguised as a black dog, even if someone suspects, they can't link it to me."
After all, his dog is green, and the one causing havoc is black.
That was distinction enough to deny everything.
He wasn't someone that could be casually accused—he was the Emperor of Great Yi. If he didn't admit it, no one could make it stick.
"Too crazy," Gongsun Daniu chuckled. "They're just completely lawless. Robbing people while being hunted by the Dragon Palace? I'm starting to like these bandits."
To commit robbery on Dragon Clan territory, you needed guts bigger than dragon gall bladders.
Suddenly, countless cultivators activated their invitation scrolls. Portals appeared, and they disappeared one after another.
"We can't stay here. These bandits are insane. I spent a fortune at the auction—if I get robbed, I'll cry blood!"
"Enough fun. I'm out. Who knows how far those lunatics will go? Staying here is way too risky."
After the third robbery, most decided to flee. Better to be safe than sorry. No sightseeing in the deep sea was worth getting mugged.
Of course, a few brave souls stayed behind, driven by curiosity.
"Ahhh!!"
Another scream came from the distance.
"We've found them—the bandits!"
"It's three people and a dog—the Four Great Bandits!"
"General Crab has surrounded them! Battle has begun!"
The sound of violent combat and clashing auras echoed through the water. Flashes of divine light burst in the distance.
Excited, many cultivators surged forward.
They wanted to see who these lunatics were—to dare challenge the Dragon Clan's authority.
"The Dragon Palace is no joke. They found them so fast," Yi Tianxing murmured, eyes flickering. Clearly, their hidden strength and detection abilities weren't ordinary.
"Four Great Bandits! Surrender immediately—or be executed on the spot. Hey! What are you doing? You think pointing your butt at us will help you escape?!"
From the chaos, Haitian Kuang's furious roar could be heard again.