Chapter 1124: Chapter 1109: Joining Forces for Recruitment
In the sea region below, two martial artists were being besieged by over ten Demon-Winged Flying Frogs, blood dripping from their bodies, in a perilous situation.
The Demon-Winged Flying Frog is a rather rare Demon Beast, only of low-grade Spirit Tier, but its combat power rivals that of mid-grade Spirit Tier Demon Beasts, making it extremely ferocious.
However, the two martial artists being besieged were quite clever, and each wielded a powerful Mid-Grade Spirit Artifact. They also seemed to trust each other, fighting back to back and escaping time and again, relying on their Establishment Fourth Stage and Fifth Stage cultivation, currently struggling very hard.
But looking at some already dried blood marks on their bodies, it seems they’ve been besieged for quite a while, and by their disheveled appearance, they likely can’t hold out much longer.
A thought struck Ye Zhen. He put away the Cloud Winged Tiger King Kitten, as a layer of dreamy Spirit Mist enveloped his face, accompanied by a sound explosion, he charged forward.
With a twist of his fingertips, two Three Formation Profound Fire Drills shot from Ye Zhen’s fingers, blitzing toward the group of Demon-Winged Flying Frogs.
During this time, Ye Zhen’s Divine Soul cultivation had improved to the peak of the Early Stage of Innate Soul Light Sixth Realm due to consuming the Purple Mansion True Marrow Pill, greatly advancing his Divine Soul cultivation, and making it exceedingly easy to condense this Xuan Fire Drill.
He can easily condense a Three Formation Profound Fire Drill and maintain it for over ten breaths, and even manage to condense a Four Formation Profound Fire Drill albeit with effort.
It’s worth noting that previously, Ye Zhen’s Three Formation Profound Fire Drill could injure even semi-Dao-entering strong practitioners, not to mention dealing with over a dozen Demon Beasts only akin to the Early Stage Establishment King.
Boom!
As the two Three Formation Profound Fire Drills exploded, not only did they blow apart two Demon-Winged Flying Frogs, but also injured nearby ones due to the residual force.
This scene made Tao Yi and Gongg Miaomin, who were almost in despair, incredibly joyful, their spirits lifted, shouting in resistance simultaneously, “Please, fellow Daoist, lend a hand to save our lives, generous rewards are assured!”
Ye Zhen found these words a bit speechless; he wasn’t rescuing them for payment, merely acting on impulse.
Along the journey, Ye Zhen has intervened to rescue others several times, of course, this isn’t meddling.
Ye Zhen only steps in when fellow martial artists are besieged by Demon Beasts and their lives hang by a thread.
The intervention is not for any particular reason, just out of a feeling of unwillingness to see fellow martial artists perish within Demon Beasts’ bellies, and these rescues are merely a matter of convenience for Ye Zhen.
Of course, Ye Zhen only rescues those from Demon Beast attacks. If it’s related to martial artists’ feuds or pursuits, Ye Zhen doesn’t involve himself, quickly passing by.
It’s not that Ye Zhen is cold-blooded, but such situations are too numerous, and Ye Zhen cannot manage them all, so he simply rescues those martial artists in distress at sea.
Being speechless, Ye Zhen released two more Three Formation Profound Fire Drills, meanwhile, the remaining twelve Demon-Winged Flying Frogs seemed to recognize Ye Zhen as a formidable foe and diverted the majority to attack Ye Zhen.
“Courting death!”
With a cold rebuke, Ye Zhen’s Divine Sense stirred, and five extremely chilling auras arose from Ye Zhen’s body and shot out abruptly.
In the next instant, five of the eight Demon-Winged Flying Frogs that besieged Ye Zhen fell silently towards the sea surface.
These five Demon-Winged Flying Frogs were pierced by Ye Zhen’s casually condensed Soul Thorn using the Four-colored Innate Soul Light, instantly dispersing their Divine Souls and extinguishing them.
Given Ye Zhen’s current cultivation of the Four-colored Innate Soul Light, even a casual Soul Thorn boasts power likely exceeding that of some Ninth Stage Establishment King’s Divine Soul attacks.
The Demon-Winged Flying Frogs seem to possess some Spirit Nature; seeing Ye Zhen’s terrorizing might, the remaining seven shrieked, scattering as if seeing a ghost.
Ye Zhen did not pursue them, allowing them to flee, and with a glance at the terrified yet relieved Gongg Miaomin and Tao Yi, he turned to leave.
As mentioned before, Ye Zhen’s rescue was a mere convenience, and like previous encounters, he avoids further engagement after rendering assistance, promptly departing.
“Fellow Daoist, please stay, senior please halt, please show mercy, save us.” As Ye Zhen turned to depart, Tao Yi and Gongg Miaomin dropped into a bow facing the sky, crying pitifully.
Ye Zhen initially intended to leave directly, but hearing their plea for further aid piqued his curiosity; they’ve been rescued already, out of danger, what more is needed?
After pondering briefly, Ye Zhen decided to turn back.
Mainly because Ye Zhen had a question about directions.
Previously heading straight for Black Dragon Domain Sea Territory, a simple sea map sufficed to determine the direction, but now nearing home, gathering a vague sense of direction becomes necessary.
Otherwise, excessive haste might lead one beyond the Black Dragon Domain, entering the next sea territory, wasting time, considering all nine Dead Sea territories in this Outer Domain are interconnected.
“Haven’t you two found safety already? What more needs doing?” Ye Zhen turned back, asking from afar with a furrowed brow.
“We express our utmost gratitude to senior for the life-saving grace; however, my brother and I encountered severe calamities at sea, even our Sea-Crossing Shuttle was destroyed by Demon Beasts. Helplessly traveling by air, we encountered wave after wave of Demon Beasts, narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Demon-Winged Flying Frogs.
We brothers ask no more, only to follow behind senior, borrowing senior’s Spirit Light for shelter in hopes of finding an island where we can purchase another Sea-Crossing Shuttle.”
Saying this, Tao Yi and Gongg Miaomin each lifted their hands, offering a storage ring, “We understand senior initiates rescue not for trivial gains!
But this is merely a token from us brothers, hope senior accepts graciously!”
“Heh, quite skillful with words, aren’t you!”
Not to mention anything else, the words of these two brothers are quite agreeable.
Since they are pleasing to the ear, Ye Zhen doesn’t mind doing a little favor.
With a casual gesture, two storage rings appeared before Ye Zhen, and the moment his divine sense penetrated them, Ye Zhen had a feeling—what a cheapskate.
Inside each storage ring, there were two hundred thousand mid-grade spirit crystals, along with a bunch of spiritual medicines and heavenly materials and earthly treasures collected from the seabed, roughly worth thirty thousand mid-grade spirit crystals each, equivalent to less than three thousand high-grade spirit crystals.
It’s just enough for the kitten to eat for three meals.
However, upon second thought, it’s not that these two were stingy, it’s mainly because Ye Zhen’s wealth is quite significant, and he doesn’t see it as valuable.
It’s like a millionaire giving a gift—of course, a billionaire wouldn’t fancy it.
“Speak up, where do you want to go, let’s see if it’s on my way?” Ye Zhen casually accepted this storage ring.
Though Ye Zhen didn’t value the contents of the storage ring, he accepted it as a gesture for these two’s sincerity, pretending it was for the kitten’s meals. If Ye Zhen didn’t accept it, these two would be in an awkward position.
Seeing Ye Zhen accept it, Tao Yi and Gongg Miaomin were delighted and respectfully replied, “Senior, we are planning to go to Changfeng Island, but if senior is not going there, we wouldn’t dare alter senior’s plans. We only ask to follow senior, and once we reach an island with martial artists gathered, we will leave immediately. We beg senior for this favor.”
“Changfeng Island?”
Upon hearing these words, Ye Zhen’s brows moved, merely because Ye Zhen’s target was also Changfeng Island.
Changfeng Island is the only island with martial artists gathered within the Black Dragon Domain sea territory, but similarly, this Changfeng Island, like the Black Dragon Domain, is quite impoverished.
However, Changfeng Island is the inevitable route to enter the Black Dragon Domain from the Black Dragon Sea Territory. Finding Changfeng Island basically determines the direction of the Black Dragon Domain.
In the simple map given by the Great Saint of Jinghai to Ye Zhen, this point was also marked, though the exact location wasn’t specified.
The fact that these two were heading to Changfeng Island made Ye Zhen quite puzzled.
Because in the markings, it’s noted that on this Changfeng Island, even kings of the early stages of the Establishment Realm are rarely seen. Anyone capable has basically left for other sea territories to cultivate. What are these fourth and fifth stage martial artists of the Establishment Realm going there for?
“Changfeng Island? What are you two going to do in that impoverished place?” Ye Zhen asked.
Perhaps because Ye Zhen saved their lives, their answers were quite honest, “Senior, this Changfeng Island is indeed an impoverished place, and even the Black Dragon Domain behind it is a place no one wants to tread. After all, the danger of traveling there and the rewards are completely disproportionate.
However, a few days ago, someone posted a recruitment task across various islands in different places, recruiting martial artists of the middle to late stages of the Establishment Realm to serve for at least a year.
The hiring fee starts at five thousand high-grade spirit crystals per month for a Cultivation of the fourth stage of the Establishment Realm, and increases by one thousand high-grade spirit crystals for each higher stage, along with the distribution of various pills.
However, the gathering point is on Changfeng Island, but the recruitment task mentions that just for reaching Changfeng Island, one can receive a fee of five thousand high-grade spirit crystals for traveling expenses. We were actually heading there for recruitment but encountered an unexpected incident.”
Five thousand high-grade spirit crystals per month, amounting to at least sixty thousand high-grade spirit crystals per year, close to seven million mid-grade spirit crystals, although Ye Zhen doesn’t consider it substantial, it’s enough to hire an average king of the Establishment Realm.
“Hiring you, and needing to gather on Changfeng Island? Do you know what they want you to do?” Ye Zhen’s expression had become somewhat serious.
This accidental discovery made Ye Zhen aware of something amiss.
Changfeng Island is impoverished, Black Dragon Domain is even more impoverished, local martial artists would try everything to leave, so why would a recruiter hire so many kings of the Establishment Realm?
And specifically require them to gather at Changfeng Island?
Suddenly, Ye Zhen sensed a scent of conspiracy.
“Could it be aimed at me?”
This could not help but make Ye Zhen think, as both the timing and venue are too coincidental.
Additionally, the recruitment is limited to kings of the mid to late stages of the Establishment Realm. One must understand, even if it were to campaign against the Black Dragon Domain, considering the previous combat power of the Black Dragon Domain, just a few kings of the second and third stages of the Establishment Realm would suffice with a spiritual artifact in hand to sweep through the Black Dragon Domain.
At this thought, Ye Zhen immediately formed an idea.
“Sixty thousand high-grade spirit crystals a year, plus travel expenses and pills, this is truly enticing remuneration, eh?” Ye Zhen suddenly put on a surprised look.
“Exactly, exactly, otherwise we wouldn’t have rushed here over half a million miles in half a month,” Tao Yi said.
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhen feigned interest and asked, “Do you know if there’s any limit to the number of people they’re recruiting? I also want to earn some extra money.”
“It’s said they recruit only thirty to forty people, but it’s first come first served. If senior goes with us, you should be able to get recruited!” Tao Yi said.
“Great, then let’s go together for recruitment.”
Instantly, Tao Yi and Gongg Miaomin were delighted and nodded repeatedly.