Legend of Swordsman

It was with great difficulty that he reached the water’s surface, only for that aura to suddenly disappear again.

Feeling somewhat unwilling to give up, he immediately jumped back into the water.

Only then did he realize that the space below the surface was much larger, more like an underground lake, with the wellhead above merely serving as a cover.

Whoosh!

Jian Wushuang took a deep breath and then dove directly into the water.

Although it was pitch black underwater, he could still observe everything around him with his Thought power.

The water was very clear, and as he continued to dive deeper, he could feel the surrounding silence, with not even the sound of flowing water.

Yet, such clear water didn’t seem like stagnant water.

Moreover, after he reached the bottom, he no longer sensed that aura.

”Could it be that the aura is a living creature?”

That was very likely.

It might be some kind of mountain spirit or earth essence.

Being close to the sea, there were indeed many spiritual creatures in the ocean.

However, theoretically, being so near the mundane world, these spiritual creatures rarely came ashore.

Just as he was puzzled, the aura suddenly appeared again.

Before Jian Wushuang could feel happy, he sensed a tremor in the water, and a massive stone detached from the rock wall, hurtling toward his position.

”Sure enough, it’s a living creature!”

Jian Wushuang kicked off with his foot, swiftly moving away to dodge the falling boulder.

The water became turbid in an instant, but Jian Wushuang didn’t rely on his eyes; instead, he locked onto the opponent using his Thought power.

A scene immediately appeared in his mind.

It was a gigantic jellyfish. Every time it contracted its body, the aura would fluctuate between strong and weak.

This was why he could sometimes sense it and sometimes not.

The problem wasn’t with the jellyfish itself but with something residing on it.

Jian Wushuang acted swiftly, capturing the position of the creature and darting toward it.

He didn’t use any weapons; instead, he grabbed the jellyfish’s twitching tentacles with both hands, pulling it toward himself.

Only at such close range did he finally see the object on the creature.

”No wonder, it actually swallowed this thing!”

Jian Wushuang crushed the jellyfish’s massive head with a flick of his hand, retrieving a piece of coral from it.

Above it lingered a dense spiritual energy.

A treasure.

This was a spiritual entity from the seabed.

In fact, the jellyfish’s true form was this piece of coral.

Now, having lost its host, the coral became an inanimate object, but the spiritual energy above could aid Jian Wushuang.

With this coral, he could ascend to the rank of Immortal alongside Xiang Yang and others, reaching the Golden Core stage.

”I didn’t expect to be so lucky this time. It seems the Tang Dynasty is indeed my blessed land!”

Having found the source of the aura, there was no need for him to stay underwater, so he prepared to leave.

However, just as he emerged to the surface, he heard a clamor of footsteps.

Clearly, it came from above.

In no time, a glow from torches illuminated the area.

Someone had arrived at the small courtyard with torches in hand.

Jian Wushuang, with a thought, dove back into the water.

”There are cultivators?”

Moreover, they were heading directly here.

If he could sense the aura on the linen-clad woman, other cultivators likely could too.

Of course, the opponent had to be of a much higher realm than him.

At the very least, they were Golden Core stage cultivators.

Just as his Thought power stirred, he detected a powerful aura above, undoubtedly from a Golden Core stage cultivator.

Fortunately, his reaction was swift. He wrapped his entire body in Thought power, suppressing his aura to the minimum while in the water.

Along with that piece of coral, he carefully protected it.

At this moment, within the small courtyard, a group of mysterious figures dressed in black soft armor were searching every corner of the yard recklessly.

Among them, an old man stood at the center of the courtyard, using his mental power to probe the surroundings. His triangular eyes and sharp, hooked nose gave him a naturally imposing presence.

”Expand the search area. Check within a three-mile radius. Bring everyone here to me and interrogate them thoroughly!”

”Yes!”

The group in black soft armor were all innate experts, moving with incredible speed.

In just one hour, they had gathered all the people from the fishing village, with the houses consumed by flames.

In the distance, the pier remained eerily silent, with no one daring to glance over.

”Left Protector, we’ve searched everywhere and still found nothing!” a black-clad man reported anxiously.

The old man with triangular eyes remained calm, extending his skeletal claw-like hand to play with a pair of iron balls, saying sinisterly, ”We arrived too late!”

He then turned around and left without hesitation.

The black-armored men followed suit, leaving the villagers weak and silent on the ground. This group came and left swiftly, with no one knowing where they came from. However, Jian Wushuang, lurking at the bottom of the well, heard the words ”Left Protector.”

Someone referred to as Protector was certainly not from an ordinary organization; they were likely from a sect or a cult.

Jian Wushuang became extremely cautious, waiting until dawn before climbing out of the

well.

As he emerged, it began to rain heavily outside.

The burnt-out houses were extinguished, reduced to charred remains.

Jian Wushuang walked through the mud, with rainwater mixed with blood beneath his feet.

The stench of blood was overwhelming.

When he reached the entrance of the fishing village, he saw the slain villagers.

They died silently, but each had a bowl-sized hole in their chests.

”Their hearts are gone?”

Jian Wushuang glanced at the gruesome scene and could only sigh helplessly.

He hadn’t expected to encounter such a thing right after arriving in the Tang Dynasty.

The cultivators who came yesterday not only sought the coral but also took the hearts of

everyone in the village.

This was undoubtedly the work of a demonic cult.

”Time to go!”

Jian Wushuang had only one thought now, which was to leave quickly.

If those people hadn’t gone far and decided to return, it would be troublesome.

At present, his strength was not enough to contend with those people.

Returning to the inn, he took off his soaked clothes and changed into dry ones. Just as he did,

there was a knock on the door.

”Come in!” Jian Wushuang said calmly.

The door opened, and Jiang Shang entered, politely saying, ”I’m sorry to disturb you so early,

Senior!”

”It’s fine; I just got up too,” Jian Wushuang replied casually and continued, ”By the way, pack

up. We’re taking the water route to Tai’an City today!”

”Okay!” Jiang Shang’s face lit up with excitement.

She hadn’t planned to stay in such a small place for long.

So much so that she forgot why she came to find Jian Wushuang in the first place.

As she informed everyone to pack their luggage, Xiang Yang approached mysteriously and

whispered, ”Did you feel an evil aura last night?”

”You sensed it too?” Jian Wushuang asked, surprised.

After entering the Tang Dynasty, he had Jiang Shang and Xiang Yang conceal their auras.

This Turtle Breathing Technique was easy to create, not particularly difficult. Fortunately, he was cautious; otherwise, the demonic cultivators would have discovered Jiang Shang and Xiang Yang yesterday.