The world bled into a sickly, jaundiced yellow. For an hour, we'd been swimming at a breakneck pace, the Great Green Fish leading the way, until the clear water abruptly ended. Before us lay an endless expanse of murky sea, choked with so much fine, golden sand that it felt like swimming through a liquid desert.
"This is it, Snake," the Green Fish said, his voice a low rumble. "The Chaotic Waters."
I drew in a slow breath, tasting the water. It was cold, with a strange, metallic tang that prickled at the back of my throat—the unmistakable scent of Yin Sha Qi. A familiar ping echoed in my mind.
+5 Sha Qi Points Acquired.
"This place is saturated with it," I marveled, a low hiss escaping my lips.
"The entire seabed is one massive Yin Sha vein," he explained, his fins twitching nervously. "It's a paradise for cultivators in the Earth Profound Realm, which is why it's also a slaughterhouse. Everyone wants a piece of this paradise, and they're willing to kill for it."
My eyes scanned the horizon, and I felt a thrill crawl up my spine. He was right. This place was a treasure. My gaze locked onto a colossal structure in the distance: a massive water gate, flanked by two lobster demons standing guard like statues. Beasts of every shape and size streamed in and out. I focused on the guards, my internal scanner flaring to life.
Peak Earth Profound Realm.
My jaw tightened. Using peak-level masters as simple gatekeepers? The rumors were true. The depths of the Chaotic Waters were no joke.
"What's the deal with the gate?" I asked, though I had a hunch.
"It's the only official way in," the Green Fish said. "They're spaced out every ten miles or so along the border. You go through, you get a medallion, and you're a paying customer. Free to do as you please."
"And if we just swim around it?" I suggested, gesturing to the endless, unguarded water around us.
"Then you're an intruder," he said, shaking his head grimly. "No medallion means you're fair game for the patrols. They catch you, you die. It's that simple."
"Right. Let's not die today." I flicked my tongue and surged toward the gate, the Green Fish and the Carp Demon trailing close behind.
As we approached, one of the lobster guards raised a massive pincer, blocking our path. "Hold it."
I paused. "Problem?"
"The rules," he grunted, his voice like rocks grinding together. He waggled his pincer expectantly.
Before I could react, the Green Fish darted forward, spitting out a small pile of fifteen low-grade spirit stones. "We know the rules! Our apologies!" he stammered.
The lobster guard scooped up the stones with a sneer. "See that you do." He produced three simple,青-colored stone plaques on strings. "Your identity medallions. Wear them where everyone can see them. Lose one, and the Demon General's Hunters will tear you apart."
The Green Fish took the medallions with a grateful nod, and we passed through the gate.
The moment we crossed the threshold, the world changed. The Yin Sha Qi was thick enough to taste, a palpable energy that buzzed against my scales. The water was even denser with the golden sand, yet my vision remained crystal clear—a perk of our cultivation level.
But the most jarring change was the city that opened up before us. A bizarre, submerged metropolis bustled with activity. Shops carved from massive coral formations and sunken leviathan bones lined a wide thoroughfare. Demon beasts of staggering size, all wearing the same stone medallions, drifted from stall to stall in a strange parody of a marketplace.
"Put this on," the Green Fish urged, handing me a plaque. "Around your neck."
We secured our medallions. "So, what was that back there?" I asked, unable to shake the feeling we'd just been mugged. "Why the tribute?"
"The entrance fee," he explained with a sigh. "Five low-grade spirit stones per head. You pay to get in and get a medallion. When you leave, you give it back. Next time you want in, you pay again."
A cold laugh escaped me. "That's a hell of a racket. They're making a fortune off worthless rocks."
"They're not even special rocks," the Green Fish muttered. "Just polished river stones."
I shook my head, a mix of disgust and admiration churning in my gut. These guys knew how to run a business. We started moving toward the distant shops.
"You mentioned Hunters," I said. "The ones who attack anyone without a medallion?"
"They're the enforcers for the ruler of this place: General Green Frog," he explained in a hushed tone. "He's one of the three great Demon Generals of Blackwater Lake. The General doesn't bother with the outer rings like this—he just collects his profits. But he has legions of loyal, vicious Hunters who patrol the waters. Their only job is to find and execute trespassers."
As if on cue, a thunderous roar echoed from down the street.
"STOP! SHOW ME YOUR MEDALLIONS!"
A squad of sleek, barracuda-like demons shot through the water toward us, their eyes glowing with predatory light.
"Speak of the devil," the Green Fish whispered, his body rigid. "Those are the Hunters."
The Hunters radiated power. The weakest among them was a peak Earth Profound master, and their leader was something more. The casual bustle of the street evaporated. Every demon, large and small, fumbled to display their stone medallions. We did the same, holding our cheap plaques out for inspection.
The lead Hunter gave us a predatory, once-over glance before his squad moved on, their inspection complete. The collective sigh of relief from the crowd was almost comical.
"See?" the Green Fish gasped, the color returning to his scales. "Without these, we'd be chum."
"Point taken," I conceded, my gaze drifting past him to the sprawling street of shops. "This street… does it have a name?"
"No idea," he admitted. "I've only been here once before."
"No problem." I spotted a pair of massive, yellow-skinned loaches slithering past, their bodies intimately entwined. Looked like a couple. I moved to intercept them. "Excuse me. Got a minute?"
One of them turned, his beady eyes narrowing. "How'd you know we're both guys? And who are you?"
"Just a traveler looking for information," I said with a disarming flick of my tongue. "What's this street called, and who runs it?"
"They call it the Ten-Mile Market," the loach grumbled. "The boss is a big Catfish."
"And where might I find this Catfish?"
"See that gaudy monstrosity in the center of the market?" he said, gesturing with his head toward the largest, most ornate building on the street. "He lives there. Now, if you'll excuse us."
The loach couple swam off. The Green Fish immediately sidled up to me. "Snake… you're not thinking of taking over this street, are you?"
"I am," I said, a grin spreading across my face. "We start here, and then we expand. Remind me, Green Fish—the rules here allow for hostile takeovers, correct? As long as the General gets his cut."
"Yes, he doesn't care who runs the territory, as long as the spirit stones flow on time," he confirmed, his voice trembling. "But Snake, you have to be careful! Anyone who's carved out a piece of this hellhole for themselves is a killer. This is a bad idea."
"Relax," I chuckled. "I know what I'm doing."
My system's map had already confirmed it: there wasn't a single creature within a five-hundred-mile radius that could pose a real threat to me. A boss of a single street? He was small fry.
I led them toward the heart of the market. The Catfish's lair was an absurdly large structure, at least thirty feet high, with two shrimp soldiers standing guard. They were barely Demon Yuan Realm. Pathetic.
"Hey! The boss's place is off-limits!" one of them yelled.
Without a word, my jaw unhinged slightly. A pressurized jet of water shot out, punching clean through the shrimp's head. He exploded in a cloud of gore. The other guard shrieked in terror.
"Go tell your boss," I commanded, my voice cold as the abyss. "Tell him to come out and die."
The terrified shrimp scrambled inside, screaming, "Boss! We're being attacked! Someone's here to wreck the place!"
Moments later, a monstrously obese Catfish stormed out, flanked by a dozen mean-looking thugs.
"Who has a death wish today?!" he bellowed, his jowls quivering with rage. His eyes landed on the three of us.
"It was them, boss!" the surviving shrimp guard screeched, pointing a trembling claw at me. "That black snake killed my brother!"
The Catfish sized us up, a look of contempt on his face. "You're all just early-stage Earth Profound? This is who's causing trouble?"
"What's wrong with early-stage?" I asked calmly. "It's more than enough to handle you."
He let out a guttural laugh. "The world's gone crazy! Every piece of trash with a shred of power thinks he's a king." He flexed, and a crushing aura exploded from his body. The water itself seemed to thicken around us.
"Late stage!" the Green Fish and the Carp yelped in unison, their scales practically rattling with fear.
The Catfish's cronies followed his lead, unleashing their own power. Five were mid-stage, and another eight were early-stage. The combined pressure was immense.
"Snake, this is bad!" the Green Fish hissed, his eyes wide with panic. "Forget the Catfish—his goons alone can tear us to pieces!"
The Catfish smirked, savoring our companions' terror. He turned to his crew. "Alright, who wants to take out the trash?"
A hulking crab demon cracked his knuckles—or the joints of his massive pincers, anyway. "I'll take 'em, boss. It's been too long since I crushed something."
"Good. Make it slow," the Catfish purred. "I want to see them torn to shreds."
The crab swaggered forward, a sadistic grin on its face. "Listen up, you little worms. Your Crab Grandpa here is a mid-stage master. I'm a whole level above you. But I'm a nice guy, so I'll even let you have the first shot."
A slow smile crept onto my face. "Are you sure about that?"
"Just do it!" he roared. "If I even flinch, I'm no warrior!"
"Alright," I said, the humor draining from my voice, replaced by ice. "You asked for it."
I opened my mouth. A lotus flower, woven from pure, white-hot flame, bloomed in the dark water. Defying the crushing pressure of the deep, it shot forward, straight for the heart of the arrogant crab.