A two-meter-long river porpoise was gracefully gliding at the riverbed. When it realized it was surrounded by monster fish, a panicked expression instantly appeared on its cute face. Its streamlined body accelerated rapidly, trying to escape.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Hundreds of monster fish swarmed in, baring their fangs, clinging to the river porpoise like a swarm of ants. They quickly devoured it, leaving nothing but a skeleton that slowly sank to the riverbed.
Shen Xuan quietly watched the monster fish finish eating.
The next moment.
Shen Xuan swiftly shuttled over, as if the omnipresent terrifying water pressure and immense resistance had no effect on him.
Fifty meters per second!
Exhilarating!
At this moment, he was like a fish in water, as if he had returned home.
The vast Longze River became Shen Xuan's absolute domain.
His divine thought stirred slightly.
The aura on his body was no longer concealed.
A strong and violent aura erupted from Shen Xuan as the center, spreading in all directions.
The group of monster fish suddenly sensed Shen Xuan's presence. It was as if they had encountered their most terrifying natural enemy on earth, and they shrieked, scattering in all directions.
Still trying to escape?
Shen Xuan smiled slightly.
Two Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles were already in his hands.
Then, he unleashed the [Condensed Water Blade Technique].
With the enhancement of the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles immediately enlarged, each end forming a crescent-shaped cold ice blade, more than ten feet long, exuding a chilling aura.
The next moment, the two Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles transformed into four Cold Ice Divine Dragons, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction.
"Go!"
With Shen Xuan's shout, the four Cold Ice Divine Dragons sped out, almost tangible, continuously devouring the water's Spiritual Qi, bursting forth with immense spiritual force, cleaving through the waves and violently rushing toward the group of monster fish.
"Splash!"
With a series of loud crashes, the four Cold Ice Divine Dragons unleashed by the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles swept forth, their terrifying power instantly tearing the monster fish to shreds, causing the nearby water to tremble.
The fleeing monster fish turned into tiny fragments, scattering across the riverbed.
"What a pity!"
Shen Xuan sighed secretly.
With the enhancement of the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, using the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles to perform the [Condensed Water Blade Technique] unleashed tremendous power, turning the valuable monster fish into mere fragments.
If he could have harvested the monster fish intact, they would have been worth at least a dozen Spirit Stones given their quantity.
Groups of unidentified small fish swam over one after another, greedily devouring the monster fish fragments.
With the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles, enhanced by the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, the power of the [Condensed Water Blade Technique] exceeded his expectations.
In the river, the lethal range had directly doubled, reaching seven or eight feet.
And that's in the water!
If on land, Shen Xuan estimated it could reach a hundred feet.
"I wonder if a Late Stage of Qi Cultivation could withstand my full-force attack!"
A whale's call, and the seas calm. A whale falls, and all things are reborn.
Shen Xuan watched quietly for a moment, ceasing his actions.
Diving into the shallow waters, he glided over the waves, returning to the riverbank, and headed straight home.
In the days that followed, Shen Xuan both crafted [Rejuvenation Talismans] to accumulate wealth and went to the bottom of the Longze River to enhance his [Critical Strike] talent.
Whenever he cast a spell, he could enhance his proficiency in the [Critical Strike] talent.
Shen Xuan was very cautious.
He always left home in the deep night.
Walking along the riverbank, he first employed the [Concealing Breath Technique] and [Invisibility Technique], blending his figure into the darkness.
After circling a few times and ensuring no one was around, he stealthily dived to the bottom of the Longze River.
At the bottom of the Longze River, Shen Xuan practiced for half an hour each time. Once he consumed half his Spiritual Power, he quietly returned to the riverbank.
He again employed the [Concealing Breath Technique] and [Invisibility Technique].
As he neared the market entrance, he revealed himself and registered his return home.
After spending three months, he raised his Critical Strike skill proficiency to Master Level.
[Talent: Mastery of Crits (3/100)]
In the water, the lethal range leaped to ten feet!
Moreover, Shen Xuan could now control the four Cold Ice Divine Dragons formed by the ends of the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles at will.
In the Longze River, with a mere thought, the four Cold Ice Divine Dragons could materialize.
Moreover, these four Cold Ice Divine Dragons appeared to possess a sense of intelligence, clinging to the ends of the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles, emitting a soul-stirring low dragon roar.
The temperature within a hundred feet of water around plummeted.
Shen Xuan could control them freely.
Withdrawing the Spiritual Power of the [Condensed Water Blade Technique].
The four Cold Ice Divine Dragons then retracted back into the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles, ready to strike at any moment.
The attack speed was extremely fast.
From casting the spell to the appearance of the Cold Ice Divine Dragons, transforming into afterimages, and sprinting over fifteen feet only took half a second.
It was effectively instant cast.
With such terrifying attack power and speed, Shen Xuan was certain that ordinary Late Stage Qi Cultivators, if they didn't summon an upper-grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact, wouldn't be able to withstand it.
At the very least, Shen Xuan reckoned that he could barely withstand an attack from the Water-Splitting Mount Emei Needles using a middle-grade defensive spiritual artifact, the Water Cloud Shield, supplemented by the [Water Control] talent, at a distance of ten feet.
That day, Shen Xuan, as usual, stepped out of the Talisman Making Room.
From the inner residence came the low whispers of two women.
The other was Zhao Chunsheng's wife, Jiang Xueqi.
Since Zhao Chunsheng had enlisted for corvée labor, Jiang Xueqi often came to the Shen Family seeking companionship with Ding Yuyao.
When Shen Xuan entered, he noticed a trace of panic on Ding Yuyao's face.
"What happened?"
"Husband, Sister Jiang said several cultivator corpses were found outside the Cyan Dragon Bay Market!"
Ding Yuyao looked at Jiang Xueqi.
"Master Shen, four cultivator corpses were found yesterday in the woods ten miles outside the Cyan Dragon Bay Market, all naked and disfigured. It seems likely that a Tribulation Cultivator has set their sights on Cyan Dragon Bay."
Upon hearing this, Shen Xuan's brows furrowed.
The security of the Cyan Dragon Bay Market had always been quite good.
It's rare for group robbery cases to occur.
The outskirts of the market's shantytown still housed thousands of impoverished, destitute loose cultivators.
The woods ten miles away are actually at the edge of the shantytown area.
"No need to fear, my wife."
"As long as you don't leave the market, you will be safe."
"For the time being, avoid going out," Shen Xuan advised.
"Alright, I will do as my husband says," Ding Yuyao nodded.
However, a few days later, several more cultivator corpses were found in the shantytown's edge area.
Similarly, they were mangled, their belongings stripped clean.
Jiang Xueqi wore a face full of worry.
She was concerned about her husband Zhao Chunsheng, who had enlisted for reclamation work.
"Such blatant actions by the Tribulation Cultivators suggest something is amiss with the Ding Family!"
Shen Xuan hurriedly advised, "Jiang Daoyou, please mind your words to avoid bringing trouble upon yourself!"
Jiang Xueqi was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Master Shen, I have an impertinent request."
"I wish to move here to keep company with Yuyao."
Upon hearing this, Shen Xuan was taken aback.
"Why so, Jiang Daoyou?"
"I've been having ominous feelings lately. Moving here with Master Shen, we can support each other, better than facing it alone."
Shen Xuan was speechless.
He had talents like [Concealing Breath], [Invisibility], and [Water Control] to help him escape at any moment.
Jiang Xueqi was overtly a Middle Stage Qi Cultivation Demon Hunter with considerable prowess.
If anything happened to the market, her level of power really wouldn't suffice.
"What? Master Shen, your team doesn't even welcome a Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer Demon Hunter like me?"
"It's not that!" Shen Xuan pondered for a moment.
Considering Zhao Chunsheng, he had no choice but to agree.
"Here are some premium [Breath Concealment Talismans], [Invisibility Talismans], [Water Control Talismans], and [Rejuvenation Talismans]. Jiang Daoyou, please keep them safe."
Shen Xuan generously took out a dozen premium talismans.
"If anything happens, we'll fight our way out together!"