Chapter 4: Encounter with a Demon
The wood father said: "The baby cries, the sea monster rages! The one that emits the sound of a crying baby is the sea salamander beast, and it is said that the appearance of the sea salamander beast often attracts the sea monsters"
"Since you were young, you have never been a child content with the status quo," said Father Mu, falling silent for a moment before he sighed and continued, "Well, you are grown now; it is time for you to go out and see the world. After selling this batch of salmon from Cold Crow Island, we will head to Changping Island."
Senior Brother Min, I finally encountered a Fire Duck Monster; today isn't too bad in terms of luck
Mu Yi gazed intently through the small window of the ship's hold and discovered that, in the far distance, a layer of blazing flames seemed to be rising from the surface of the sea, rapidly approaching this location
He rubbed his somewhat sore and swollen eyes and asked his father, "Could it be that the three immortal masters have already slain that sea monster?"
As he spoke, he signaled to his two companions with his eyes. The three of them each tapped the jade boat beneath their feet, and instantly, the three jade boats transformed into three brilliant beams of white light, slicing through the pitch-black sea surface, racing towards the distant demon fire. Their speed was significantly faster than before, and in the blink of an eye, they became three points of light, traveling to a far-off place
The legendary fire that can ignite seawater! It has truly attracted the sea monsters! Mu Fu's expression grew even more serious
"Yier, be obedient and quickly go to the ship's hold, so as not to distract me!" Father Mu urged urgently
Especially that heavy fish tail, which contains immense strength; a single swing of it could easily possess the force of several hundred pounds. If struck by this tail, one would not only face death but also severe injury.
Mu Yi was immersed in the shock brought by several celestial masters, spending a sleepless night, staring blankly in the direction of the demon fire, even though he could see nothing.
Hmm! Mu Yi nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with longing and desire
Mu Fu glanced at Mu Yi and retorted: "Do you really want to become an immortal master?"
It seemed that faint white lights appeared near the demonic flames, accompanied by several piercing and hoarse cries. The demonic flames flickered intermittently, but before long, they suddenly extinguished.
The sea salamander was struck back into the sea by the iron anchor, emitting a mournful cry
The two nearly fell, quickly sinking their lower bodies, channeling strength throughout their entire beings
It is very difficult! I have heard that to become an immortal master, one must possess immortal roots. "Father Mu said solemnly, "Moreover, with greater power comes greater responsibility. If you become an immortal master, you will likely have to fight sea demons all day long, which is even more dangerous
So many sea salamanders, if they all surge over, would be enough to capsize this small fishing boat
This sea creature resembles a gigantic, stout-headed fish, its body enveloped in hard, blood-red scales. Its mouth is adorned with several tentacles resembling iron rods, and its pectoral and dorsal fins are broad and powerful, akin to two large palm leaves, mingling with the howling force of the wind
"You dare to trespass into the forbidden area of the red tide? Are you not afraid of death!" said the sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy on the left boat, his tone carrying a sense of reproach
Especially the young man in the center, appearing to be in his early twenties, with a dignified appearance and striking handsomeness, his features exuding a spirited charm. Such a talent, even if lacking in other merits, can still earn silent admiration from others
In this dark sea, a sudden beam of light emerged, naturally capturing the attention of the Mu family father and son, and even the sea salamanders seemed to have noticed this phenomenon
At that moment, a young man's voice suddenly echoed from a distance, faintly reaching the ears of the Mu family father and son
Mu Fu immediately stepped forward, standing in front of the ship's hold, using his robust physique to block the entrance.
Mu Yi exerted himself to utilize his eye pulse, gazing towards the distant crimson flames soaring into the sky.
Oh, there are fishing boats over there; they must be mortals from the nearby island
Why? Mu Yi asked, and his father's expression showed a hint of fear.
As soon as the voice of the wooden father fell, a series of cries resembling the wailing of infants echoed from afar, intertwining into a chorus, clearly indicating that there were quite a number of sea salamanders.
Suddenly, a splash erupted from the sea beside the ship, and a sea creature, measuring about ten feet in size, leaped into the air, charging towards the wooden figure on the deck
Those sea salamanders seemed to be even more frightened, and immediately disregarded the Mu family's fishing boat, scattering in a rush
What is that?" Mu Yi was both surprised and curious, his eyes narrowing as he strained to look in the direction from which the sound came.
The wooden father was panting heavily, swinging the iron anchor with astonishing effort. If it were not for his considerable cultivation of hand pulse and years of experience fishing at sea, he would not have been able to lift such a heavy iron anchor with the great strength in his arms.
Mu Fu, eager to take control of the boat, did not answer Mu Yi's question
At this moment, Mu Fu grasped the thick iron chain tied to the large anchor and said to Mu Yi: "Quick, hide in the ship's hold! No matter what happens, do not come out!"
Mu Yi resolutely shook his head and said: "No, I have been cultivating my veins for so long, I can protect myself! I want to fight alongside my father against those sea salamanders!"
At that moment, a red light suddenly flashed in the distance
In a moment, the father and son of the Mu family saw three beams of white light shooting from the distant sea surface, quickly approaching the fishing boat.
With a loud shout, the wooden father swung the iron chain with great force, and surprisingly, the heavy iron anchor weighing over a thousand pounds was lifted, whistling as it rushed towards the sea salamander beast
After achieving a minor success in the cultivation of the foot pulse, they possessed the strength of hundreds or even thousands of pounds beneath their feet. The father and son of the Mu family were like nails driven into the deck of the ship, remaining completely still despite the violent swaying of the vessel.
However, the surface of the sea at night is only illuminated by a bit of moonlight; further away, it is completely shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see clearly
Mu Yi understood that although he had been cultivating the two meridians for several years, he was still a child. In terms of strength, he truly could not compete with the massive sea salamander beast. Thus, he reluctantly slipped into the hold of the ship
At this moment, more cries of infants arose, seemingly echoing the wounded sea salamander.
The speaker not only has a strong voice but is also evidently approaching very quickly. The first sentence was barely audible, but the second sentence was already quite clear.
Especially the eerie, blazing demon fire that can even burn on the surface of the sea is truly terrifying, capable of turning the wooden fishing boats of the Mu family to ashes. Even though Mu's father possesses great strength, it is of no avail.
Before the Mu family could explain, the handsome young man in the center interrupted his companions with a wave of his hand and smiled as he asked Mu Father: "Do not worry, fishermen. We are the玄士 of the Pinghai Sect, specifically here to slay demons and eliminate evil. Besides the fire-breathing sea demon, have you encountered any other sea demons?"
The humble servant respectfully said: "In response to the three esteemed immortal masters, we have only seen that group of demonic flames and have made no other discoveries"
At dawn, the fishing boats had already departed from the red tide area. Just then, a gust of southwest wind arose. After raising the sails, Mufu leaned against the side of the boat to rest, gently polishing a pair of nearly transparent jade bracelets.
Mu Yi did not expect to witness the existence of immortal masters with his own eyes; even more surprising was that one of the three major sects of the Thousand Islands, the Pinghai Sect, actually had quite a number of immortal masters.
"Father, if I join the Pinghai Sect, will I have the opportunity to become an immortal master?" Mu Yi suddenly asked
In an instant, he felt an infinite longing for the Pinghai Sect
With a dull thud, the scales of the sea lizard beast, although incredibly hard, are after all flesh and blood, and are immediately shattered over a large area by the iron anchor, causing a significant amount of crimson blood to spurt out.
The handsome young man appeared slightly disappointed upon hearing this, but he soon smiled faintly and said, "This place is not suitable for staying long; you should leave quickly"
He also held a heavy wooden club in his hand, appearing ready for battle at any moment
Do not be afraid, I am here!" Mu Fu comforted, yet he too felt uneasy. He had no clear understanding of how terrifying the legendary sea monster truly was, but the fact that those sea salamanders fled at the mere mention of it demonstrated the monster's fearsome nature, undoubtedly surpassing that of the ferocious beasts of the sea
On the three jade boats, there was a young man on each, all dressed in garments as white as snow. Their extraordinary and ethereal demeanor would undoubtedly stand out even amidst the crowd of Cold Crow Island, easily discernible at a glance
The fishing boat was trapped among the sea salamander creatures, unable to advance or retreat
Under the silver glow of the full moon, the imposing figure of his father, holding an iron chain and an anchor, appeared before Mu Yi, providing him with a sense of support in this perilous environment
This kind of mystic, possessing remarkable magical abilities, can summon winds and rain. To ordinary people, they undoubtedly resemble the ethereal figures of legends, all referred to as celestial masters.
Just as Mu Fu was about to reprimand Mu Yi, the boat suddenly shook violently
Among the residents of the islands at sea, there has long been a legend that there exists a group of hidden practitioners of profound arts, who can cultivate the mysterious energies of heaven and earth, store them within their bodies, and utilize them, possessing great supernatural powers
The wood father hurriedly took the helm again to control the sails, seeking to escape this dangerous sea area as quickly as possible
Is this sorcery? Mu Yi was dumbfounded; this jade boat had neither oars nor sails, yet its speed was astonishing.
I am not afraid! Mu Yi's tone was resolute
Fortunately, although the sea salamander is large in size and possesses immense strength, it lacks intelligence. It merely jumps and leaps on the surface of the sea without directly attacking fishing boats
Both Mu and his son fell silent, their expressions darkening.
The status of the immortal masters is exceedingly high, and their actions are quite secretive, almost completely isolated from ordinary people. Even those from wealthy and noble families find it difficult to seek an audience with them. The father and son of the Mu family come from a remote island and naturally had no opportunity to encounter such beings as the mysterious masters before. Unexpectedly, today they meet not one, but three immortal masters!
Father, what should I do? Although Mu Yi was surprised, he felt more fear.
Mu Yi had already emerged from the hold of the ship. By the light of the moon, he saw three beams of white light, which were three small boats as white as jade, each only about one zhang in size, yet they moved with astonishing speed, several times faster than a fishing boat sailing at full speed in the wind
A flash of purple light flickered in Mu Yi's eyes; apart from a vast expanse of darkness in the distance, nothing else could be seen.
Xuan Shi is a self-designation of those who practice Xuan.
Mu Fu furrowed his brow and urged, "The sea salamander is originally an extremely ferocious type of sea creature, known for attacking small fishing boats. Even without the presence of sea monsters, these sea salamanders are quite terrifying. Yi Er, quickly hide in the cabin!"
It turns out to be the immortal master of the Pinghai Sect! Mu Yi felt a surge of emotion, and amidst his excitement, his eyes were filled with envy.
Only the voice of one of the youths faintly reached over: "Senior Brother Min truly embodies the demeanor of a gentleman, even when dealing with ordinary people, he is so courteous and polite..."
Many years later, the image of his father has been eroded by time, gradually becoming vague from the concrete. However, the silhouette under the moonlight is something that Mu Yi will never forget throughout his life. Whenever he encounters setbacks and difficulties, or even faces a near-dead end, the thought of his father's back will evoke a warm feeling in his heart.
These jade bracelets are heirlooms left by Mu Yi's mother and are the most precious and valuable possessions of the Mu family. Mu's father always kept them close to him, and when he missed his wife, he would habitually take them out to play with them