"Indeed. This Five-Striped Dragonfish King possesses the strength of a fourth-grade beast and is a great tonic for cultivators in the Spirit Soul Realm. A cultivator at the Spirit Soul Realm level, if they can capture and consume a Five-Striped Dragonfish King, will increase their own strength by one rank. This means that you who are currently in the beginner stage can directly advance to the intermediate stage," Elder Yang Yun nodded and said.
"That's amazing! Then Elder Yang Yun, since the Five-Striped Dragonfish King has such an effect, why has no one from the Liu Luo Sect come here? And even within our sect, it seems that besides us, no other disciples have come," Lin Chu asked in confusion.
A complex expression flashed across Elder Yang Yun's face at the mention of this. He then said, "There are gains and losses, and the cycle of heaven. In the beginning, there were indeed many Five-Striped Dragonfish Kings in this Quicksand River. At that time, our Shao Sect and the Liu Luo Sect fought countless times over it."
"But the Five-Striped Dragonfish Kings in this Quicksand River have been constantly decreasing. Later, when even the Five-Striped Dragonfish became fewer and fewer, our Shao Sect and the Liu Luo Sect ceased their battles."
"After that, when the Sect Master broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm, he took action and brought this Quicksand River into the territory of our Shao Sect, hoping that one day this Quicksand River would return to its former glory."
"But more than five hundred years have passed, and the Quicksand River still shows no signs of improvement. As a result, when the Sect Master of the Liu Luo Sect, Liu Tuo Luo, broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm, he did not take action because of this Quicksand River. After all, this Quicksand River is ruined."
"This is also why, apart from us, no one else has come here."
"Since this Quicksand River is ruined, then our coming here will also yield no results?" Shi Wendong asked Elder Yang Yun, hearing this.
Elder Yang Yun smiled and said, "Since this Quicksand River fell into the hands of our Shao Sect, every fifty years when the Quicksand River turns into a river, an elder would come to observe it, and that elder was me."
"After years of observation, apart from a few Five-Striped Dragonfish appearing occasionally, there has been nothing else. If it wasn't for the Quicksand River turning back the last time, I wouldn't have brought you here."
Elder Yang Yun paused for a moment and then continued, "Last time, when I was observing, I had already given up all hope and was merely fulfilling the task arranged by the Sect Master. But just as I was about to leave, a Five-Striped Dragonfish caught my attention."
"Upon further observation, I discovered that the Five-Striped Dragonfish was absorbing a small spirit vein from underground, trying to become a Five-Striped Dragonfish King. Although it ultimately failed, it became even more spiritual."
"Therefore, I am certain that when the Quicksand River reappears this time, that Five-Striped Dragonfish will once again absorb that small spirit vein to attempt to become a Five-Striped Dragonfish King. At that time, when the Five-Striped Dragonfish successfully becomes a king, it will be your chance. However, who can find it will depend on your own fortune."
Lin Chu frowned slightly upon hearing this, "Elder Yang Yun, since that Five-Striped Dragonfish is going to absorb the small spirit vein, why don't we just wait by the small spirit vein?"
Elder Yang Yun shook his head at this, "As the Quicksand River appears, the underground formations will also change. Therefore, where that small spirit vein will appear then is unknown to me. That is why I call this an opportunity."
Lin Chu then realized. It seemed that only when the Quicksand River reappears would they have to rely on luck to find it.
"Alright, there are still a few days before the Quicksand River reappears. You two can go and look around now. Although the underground terrain will change when the Quicksand River appears, it is always good to understand some things."
Seeing Lin Chu and Shi Wendong fall into contemplation, Elder Yang Yun spoke again.
Lin Chu and Shi Wendong nodded immediately. With a thought, the two shot off in opposite directions.
"How is it?"
Half an hour later, Lin Chu and Shi Wendong returned to Elder Yang Yun's side. Seeing this, Elder Yang Yun smiled and asked.
"We have a general understanding," Lin Chu replied with a bow. Shi Wendong also nodded. It was clear that both had found the location of the small spirit vein. However, according to Elder Yang Yun, the terrain would change when the Quicksand River appeared. But they had grasped the general area.
"There are still three days until the Quicksand River reappears. You two should adjust yourselves here. Also, there is one more thing you need to remember: in the Quicksand River, besides the Five-Striped Dragonfish, there is another creature."
"This creature is called a Nine-Segmented Earthworm, and it is the food of the Five-Striped Dragonfish. However, for cultivators, it is a very troublesome matter," Elder Yang Yun said with a nod.
"Nine-Segmented Earthworm? Elder Yang Yun, what rank is this creature?" Lin Chu asked, frowning slightly, somewhat confused.
Elder Yang Yun smiled and said, "This Nine-Segmented Earthworm is only a second-grade creature. However, this Nine-Segmented Earthworm can swallow quicksand and turn it into extremely hard rock attacks. Moreover, even if you cut it, the Nine-Segmented Earthworm will not die. Instead, it will split into two and continue to attack, which is why I say it is troublesome for cultivators."
"So troublesome? Then if we encounter one, can we only flee?" Shi Wendong also frowned at this.
A hint of cunning flashed in Elder Yang Yun's eyes. "How to deal with this Nine-Segmented Earthworm is up to you. If there is no difficulty, it is not called an opportunity; it should be called a windfall."
Lin Chu nodded, and his pupils contracted slightly, clearly thinking about how to deal with the Nine-Segmented Earthworm.
Time flew by, and the three days quickly passed.
On this day, as the first ray of sunlight shone down in the morning, Elder Yang Yun, who was meditating on a large rock, suddenly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Everyone pay attention, it's starting!"
As Elder Yang Yun finished speaking, Lin Chu and Shi Wendong instantly rose into the air and flew into the sky. They then stared down below, observing.
Rumble!
As Lin Chu and Shi Wendong observed, the area where they were standing instantly changed color. The originally yellow area began to darken abruptly. Lin Chu knew that this was because the yellow sand was becoming damp.
Soon, the moisture in the yellow sand spread rapidly, and the entire yellow sand area instantly darkened. The moisture condensed quickly, and drops of liquid appeared. With a rumbling sound, a body of water rapidly formed.
Huh?
As the river appeared, the entire yellow sand land instantly transformed into a huge river. And as the river appeared, Lin Chu felt the terrain below change, which was significantly different from the area he had observed before.
"Let's begin. Whoever can find that upgrading Five-Striped Dragonfish will have the opportunity. However, you must wait until the Five-Striped Dragonfish successfully upgrades to a Five-Striped Dragonfish King. Otherwise, its effect will be less than one-tenth."
Watching the river rise rapidly, Elder Yang Yun nodded slightly, then with a thought, he looked at Lin Chu and Shi Wendong and said.
Lin Chu and Shi Wendong exchanged glances, and then with a movement, they shot into the Quicksand River.
Splash!
With two sounds of falling into the water, Lin Chu and Shi Wendong instantly disappeared.
"I wonder if you two little fellows have the fortune," Elder Yang Yun murmured as he watched Lin Chu and Shi Wendong enter the water. He then found a vantage point, sat down cross-legged, and his divine sense spread out.
At this moment, after entering the Quicksand River, Lin Chu felt that his senses were reduced by half compared to normal. With his breakthrough, Lin Chu's senses had increased from over ten meters to hundreds of meters. However, in this Quicksand River, Lin Chu could only sense an area within a hundred meters.
"This Quicksand River is quite extraordinary," Lin Chu circulated the spiritual energy within his body to automatically form a barrier, providing space and preventing erosion from the river water. As he moved rapidly, he also paid close attention to his surroundings.
Time gradually passed. Apart from the gurgling river water, Lin Chu did not sense any spiritual energy fluctuations. Even the terrain he had surveyed earlier was now difficult to distinguish.
Hiss.
After several hours, Lin Chu felt his spiritual energy weakening. With a thought, he surfaced.
Looking at the vast expanse of water all around, Lin Chu leaped with his toes, using the buoyancy of the water to rush towards a protruding rock in the distance.
"I didn't expect Lin Chu to be able to last for more than four hours underwater, which is much better than Shi Wendong." At this moment, Elder Yang Yun, who was observing the two from a vantage point, naturally sensed Lin Chu's appearance. He nodded slightly and continued to watch.
At this moment, after running the Chaos Dragon Breath technique, Lin Chu quickly absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy to recover.
"Hmm? This kid's method of absorption doesn't seem to resemble our Shao Sect's absorption method very much," just as Lin Chu was recovering with all his might, Elder Yang Yun naturally noticed the change in spiritual energy in the world and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Could it be that the Saintess passed it on to him?" Elder Yang Yun pondered for a moment and finally came up with a reason that convinced himself.
An hour later, Lin Chu opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them, clearly having recovered. He then glanced around and leaped back into the Quicksand River.
One day, two days... a month.
Time flew by. Lin Chu, who was constantly searching within the Quicksand River, was starting to get annoyed. Before the Quicksand River appeared, Lin Chu had not expected that he would be so restricted at the bottom of the river. Not only were his senses limited, but his body also felt somewhat oppressed.
Each time he surfaced to recover, Lin Chu felt that the water level of the Quicksand River had risen significantly. Based on preliminary estimates, it was already over ten meters deep.
And after a full month had passed, he had encountered nothing.
"Hoo. I wonder how Shi Wendong is doing now." Lin Chu shook his head, forcing himself to suppress the annoyance in his mind, took a deep breath, and dived back down.
A quarter of an hour later, Elder Yang Yun suddenly opened his eyes.
"It seems Shi Wendong's luck is quite good. He encountered a Five-Striped Dragonfish in the first month. On the other hand, Lin Chu is almost unbearable to watch. Huh? He even ran into a Nine-Segmented Earthworm?"
At this moment, a look of helplessness flashed in Lin Chu's eyes. A few minutes ago, he had sensed a spiritual energy fluctuation ahead and rushed over. Upon seeing it, he found himself in trouble.
Before his eyes, a wriggling creature more than two meters long suddenly stopped. Although the creature had no eyes, Lin Chu knew he had been discovered.
While Lin Chu remained still, the Nine-Segmented Earthworm that discovered him made the first move.
With a rapid stream of bubbles rising, the quicksand at the riverbed was instantly pulled into the Nine-Segmented Earthworm's body as if it were being guided. Then Lin Chu saw the Nine-Segmented Earthworm's long body bend, as if it were gathering strength.
Whoosh!
With a sound of breaking through the air, the yellow sand swallowed by the Nine-Segmented Earthworm was instantly expelled. As it was ejected by the Nine-Segmented Earthworm, this yellow sand instantly condensed into a circular sandball, which rapidly shot towards Lin Chu.
Although Lin Chu had learned from Elder Yang Yun that the sand and stones ejected by the Nine-Segmented Earthworm were incredibly hard, he still wanted to try. Since the Nine-Segmented Earthworm had launched an attack, Lin Chu naturally would not flee. Therefore, with a thought, Lin Chu thrust out his left fist rapidly.
Bang!
A powerful gust of air instantly erupted, creating a water column on the surface of the Quicksand River.
"So hard!" With a single punch, Lin Chu immediately felt the hardness. His punch, even rock, would be pulverized. Yet, this yellow sand, after being swallowed by the Nine-Segmented Earthworm, remained completely undamaged.
Hiss.
Although Lin Chu's punch did not shatter the sandball ejected by the Nine-Segmented Earthworm, it did manage to stop it. Seeing this, the Nine-Segmented Earthworm exhaled again, and in an instant, three more identical spheres were spat out.
"It really is troublesome," Lin Chu said with a helpless shake of his head.
The purpose of this trip was to find that upgrading Five-Striped Dragonfish. Fighting with the Nine-Segmented Earthworm here was undoubtedly a waste of time. Moreover, having experienced the disgusting nature of the Nine-Segmented Earthworm, Lin Chu naturally did not intend to linger.
Although Elder Yang Yun had said that the Nine-Segmented Earthworm would continue to attack any creature that entered its range, Lin Chu had his own confidence. It would not be too difficult to shake off this Nine-Segmented Earthworm.
Therefore, seeing the Nine-Segmented Earthworm spit out three more sandballs, Lin Chu's mind moved, and he used the Lingxu Step, rapidly fleeing into the distance.
Seeing Lin Chu flee, the Nine-Segmented Earthworm immediately arched its body and then sprang forward, rapidly pursuing Lin Chu.
"If it were on land, I would have shaken it off long ago. I didn't expect this Nine-Segmented Earthworm, with its advantage, to not fall behind by much." A quarter of an hour later, Lin Chu, moving at high speed in the Quicksand River, couldn't help but frown.
He had originally thought that using the Lingxu Step would allow him to easily shake off the Nine-Segmented Earthworm, but it seemed he had underestimated it. His speed was somewhat limited underwater, and it was almost the same as the Nine-Segmented Earthworm's speed.
Seeing the Nine-Segmented Earthworm getting closer and closer, Lin Chu's frown deepened. He had no choice but to push his movement technique to its limit, urging it with all his might.
"If it were on land, Lin Chu's speed would be enough to shake off this Nine-Segmented Earthworm. However, underwater, he is likely to suffer," Elder Yang Yun, who was observing from the vantage point, naturally saw Lin Chu's current predicament. He shook his head slightly and sat down cross-legged again, continuing to watch.
Half an hour passed, and Lin Chu's frown deepened. Because in the past half an hour of rapid movement, he had encountered two more Nine-Segmented Earthworms. As a result, Lin Chu was moving rapidly ahead, with three Nine-Segmented Earthworms stubbornly chasing behind him.