“Boom!!”

A sudden bell toll echoed from the Sky Skiff.

He Chongyang was first to arrive at the ship’s bow.

Several figures quickly gathered from all parts of the Sky Skiff. All wore the same uniform—disciples of Lingyue Immortal Isle.

“What happened? Why was the ship bell ringing?”

Some aboard were still confused by the situation.

Then, a voice spoke up.

He Chongyang stretched out his hand. A Flying Sword landed in his grip, and he held it steady beside him. “Fellow Daoist Friends, please do not linger on the deck. Return to your cabins immediately.”

He paused briefly before adding, “A Great Demon approaches!”

“A Great Demon?”

Tension instantly gripped everyone on the Sky Skiff. Those with weaker cultivation swiftly retreated into the cabins.

Some cultivators, however, unafraid, stepped forward to help.

Chen Changsheng stood calmly at the bow. His gaze fixed on the shadow reflected in the Desolate Sea below.

The shadow stretched dozens of zhang long. This was no ordinary Monster.

Chen Changsheng asked, “Can you handle it?”

He Chongyang replied, “Rest assured, Daoist Friend.”

Nodding, Chen Changsheng relaxed his grip on his sword slightly.

Dozens of cultivators now gathered before the Sky Skiff. He Chongyang was Dongxu Realm; the others were mostly Divine Transformation cultivators. A Seventh-Realm Great Demon wouldn’t be too difficult to deal with.

“Woosh…!”

Suddenly, a towering column of water erupted from the Desolate Sea.

The Sky Skiff sailed hundreds of zhang above the sea.

Yet, the water jet surged straight up, blocking the ship’s path.

“Crash…!”

The Sky Skiff shook violently.

Everyone steadied themselves, summoned their Magical Artifacts, and prepared for battle.

‘A Seventh Realm, at least. This is troublesome…’

He Chongyang frowned deeply. He, too, couldn’t fathom why a Great Demon was targeting them.

Chen Changsheng stood on the Sky Skiff, peering down.

Waves suddenly began to churn vigorously on the Desolate Sea below.

Next, the huge dark shadow beneath the surface slowly rose into view.

Coming into view were numerous stone tablets and pillars.

“What are these stone tablets?”

Confusion flickered in everyone’s eyes.

As their gazes swept over the stones, they abruptly spotted a Monster dressed in blue robes standing in front of one tablet. The Monster had his hands clasped behind his back and two horns atop his head.

“What kind of Monster is this?”

Many thought that was it. But then the shadow continued to rise above the waterline. Another head emerged—identical to the first Monster, also bearing two horns.

He Chongyang exclaimed in shock, “Two of them!!”

Witnessing this, Chen Changsheng blinked in surprise. “This is…”

“Baxia?”

Emerging from the Desolate Sea was a colossal beast resembling a dragon-headed turtle (Longgui), its shell carved with intricate inscriptions on stone tablets. Standing in front of one tablet was another Monster—blue robes, twin horns, gentle-faced.

Hearing this, He Chongyang turned to Chen Changsheng. “You recognize these Monsters, Daoist Friend?”

Chen Changsheng snapped out of his thoughts. “I’ve read some records.”

The Classic of Mountains and Seas mentioned Dragon Lord fathered nine sons. Born to the turtle was Bixia, who loved carrying heavy things, often bearing stone tablets or pillars. And upon his back often resided another Monster named Fuxi, son of an Azure Dragon.

The two Monsters before them matched that description closely, save their dragon horns, which were not fully grown yet. Clearly, they possessed Dragon Clan bloodline.

Chen Changsheng warned He Chongyang, “We might be in real trouble now.”

Slowly, Baxia, bearing the stone tablets and Fuxi, ascended, matching the Sky Skiff’s altitude.

The gathered cultivators felt a jolt of fear seeing the enormous creature. An invisible pressure weighed heavily on them.

“We can’t fight this!”

Those present stood no chance against these two Great Demons.

Knowing the severity, He Chongyang pondered briefly, then stepped forward with sword in hand. “Esteemed Demon Kings,” he addressed, “Lingyue Immortal Isle has traversed the Desolate Sea for years. How have we offended you?”

Baxia’s eyes swept over the group, but he remained silent.

Instead, the Monster standing before the tablet took a step forward. “We did not come seeking trouble.”

He Chongyang blinked, puzzled. “Then why…”

Fuxi gave a gracious smile, his gaze shifting to the Green-Robed Gentleman on the Sky Skiff.

Chen Changsheng met his gaze directly.

‘Targeting me?’

The eyes of everyone present turned towards the Green-Robed man.

Fuxi bowed slightly towards Chen Changsheng. “I am Fuxi. Kindly join me upon Baxia’s back for a word, Sir.”

He Chongyang hesitated and looked at Chen Changsheng. “Daoist Friend, this…”

Chen Changsheng raised a hand. “It’s fine.”

He stepped forward and addressed the two Great Demons. “If I come aboard your back, will you allow the Sky Skiff to proceed?”

Fuxi nodded. “Fuxi has come solely to invite the Sir. The others are irrelevant.”

“Good.”

Chen Changsheng nodded, thinking to himself, It really is aimed at me.

He Chongyang spoke up again. “Daoist Friend, perhaps you shouldn’t go.”

Chen Changsheng smiled slightly. “Worry not. Focus on steering the Sky Skiff. Since it’s me they seek, let me resolve this.”

He Chongyang’s expression tightened with reluctance.

Giving He Chongyang’s shoulder a reassuring pat, Chen Changsheng said, “I’m going.”

“Daoist Friend…”

He Chongyang called out, but could only watch helplessly as Chen Changsheng stepped towards the Monster’s back.

The logical choice was to abandon this Daoist Friend. Clearly, their group was no match for the two Great Demons.

But He Chongyang found that choice hard to stomach.

Chen Changsheng leaped lightly onto Baxia’s back.

Fuxi offered another gracious smile and nodded in greeting. He then bowed to the cultivators on the Sky Skiff.

“Our intrusion caused some disturbance. We hope you bear no grudge.”

With that, Fuxi addressed Baxia beneath him. “We depart.”

Baxia descended back into the Desolate Sea, unleashing towering waves.

Standing on the Sky Skiff, He Chongyang watched, sword clutched tightly, his expression grimly serious.

A glance later: the massive turtle had already carried Chen Changsheng away. In the blink of an eye, they vanished from sight.

“Phew…”

A collective sigh of relief escaped the cultivators on the Sky Skiff.

“How terrifying!”

“Elder He, what level Demon Kings were those?”

“One was Seventh Realm. The other…”

He Chongyang paused significantly. “Eighth Realm!”

He’d had no choice. Had the Eighth-Realm Demon attacked, not a single cultivator on the Sky Skiff could have escaped.

“Eighth Realm?!”

Chills ran down everyone’s spines.

Eighth Realm Great Demons dwelled mostly in legends. Yet today, they had encountered one!

A dreadful realization struck them: if things had gone differently back there…

This was likely the closest any had come to death.

People exhaled long breaths, feeling the raw relief of survivors.

Some found their sword hands trembling uncontrollably.

An Eighth-Realm Great Demon!

Staring into the distance, He Chongyang’s expression held a gravity absent from the others. His mind grappled with a single, burning question:

“Just who… is this Daoist Friend surnamed Chen?”