Chapter 105: An Isolated Island in the Sea
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Darkness—complete and utter darkness.
From the waist down, Yu Zhao felt as though she was submerged in some kind of thick, sticky semi-liquid. The air reeked of decay. Frowning, she muttered to herself, Have I been teleported into a pit of rotting corpses or a trash dump? This stench is unbearable.
Suppressing her sense of smell, she glanced at Ji Han Zhou, who was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. Without hesitation, she stuffed a pill into his mouth. Her divine sense expanded into the pitch-black surroundings, probing her environment.
Yu Zhao’s expression grew peculiar. It was well known that Teleportation Pearls transported people to random locations. But this? This was beyond random—it had flung her and Ji Han Zhou right into the stomach of a Sea Beast.
Based on the faint energy fluctuations, she surmised that they were somewhere in the Southern Abyss. The ocean around them teemed with strange and fantastical undersea demonic creatures. Their auras varied in strength but coexisted surprisingly harmoniously.
Yu Zhao initially planned to slash her way out of the Sea Beast’s stomach. However, she soon detected a faint but terrifying aura lurking somewhere in the depths of the ocean. Abandoning her reckless idea, she decided to wait and observe.
The Southern Abyss was notorious for being both a treasure trove and a death trap. Cultivators flocked there every year to hunt Sea Beasts, but many never returned. Even Nascent Soul masters had to tread carefully. The unknown terrors lurking beneath the waves made survival a gamble.
Concerned for her own life, Yu Zhao resolved to remain hidden inside the Sea Beast’s stomach until she found a better opportunity to escape. The creature was enormous—its massive belly grotesquely disproportionate to its narrow tail, resembling a heavily pregnant woman. Due to its size, it fed voraciously, pausing only briefly between meals.
Its feeding method was peculiar. The creature would locate an area densely populated with smaller Sea Beasts, then open its maw to create a whirlpool-like suction. Everything in its vicinity was dragged into its stomach.
Yu Zhao’s predicament worsened as she had to fend off various smaller Sea Beasts that were still alive inside the creature’s gut, all while scrutinizing her surroundings. The only silver lining was that the Sea Beast’s constant movement gave her glimpses of the broader seascape.
Days passed, and finally, a glimmer of hope appeared—a cluster of reefs came into view about ten zhang ahead. Beyond the reefs lay a desolate island.
The mere sight of solid land filled Yu Zhao with an unprecedented longing for the ground beneath her feet. Suppressing her excitement, she readied herself for action. As soon as the Sea Beast swam close enough, she would seize the opportunity to escape with Ji Han Zhou.
But fortune had other plans. Just as the Sea Beast approached the area, it suddenly changed course, swimming away from the reefs. Yu Zhao was stunned.
She clenched her fists in frustration. After days of enduring this nauseating environment, she had finally found a small island. Now the creature was taking her farther away again. Who knew where it would lead them next?
No, she couldn’t afford to miss this chance. Summoning her spiritual energy, she enveloped herself in a defensive barrier. Then, gathering power into her feet, she stomped hard against the stomach lining.
Boom!
The Sea Beast froze mid-swim.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Yu Zhao launched a relentless assault, sending waves of turbulence through the creature’s stomach. Unable to endure the disturbance, the Sea Beast opened its jaws wide and vomited violently.
Out came a torrent of half-digested fish, rotting shellfish, and… a faint blue glow?
The Sea Beast blinked at the glowing orb as it flew away, seemingly unbothered, before swallowing everything else back into its stomach. Satisfied with its now-empty gut, it swam off leisurely.
“Phew…”
Yu Zhao broke through the water’s surface, gasping in horror at the sight of the sea beasts feasting. The grotesque scene almost made her vomit. Shaking her head, she forced herself to forget and dragged Ji Han Zhou onto a nearby beach.
The golden sands glittered under the sunlight, lifting her spirits. After laying Ji Han Zhou flat on a patch of grass, she sat down beside him, letting out a long sigh. Exhausted, she massaged her temples. From the moment she infiltrated the Clear Wind Sect, her nerves hadn’t had a moment to relax. At last, she could rest, if only briefly.
But Yu Zhao wasn’t one to sit still. Feeling her strength return, she stood and began surveying the small island. It was roughly the size of Southern Abyss City, with modest resources—simple flowers, trees, and shrubs. Not a trace of anything imbued with spiritual energy was in sight, explaining why it was so desolate.
“Well, since I’m here…” she muttered. Remembering the Nascent Soul cultivator still hunting her down, she decided staying hidden on this island wasn’t such a bad idea. After checking Ji Han Zhou’s injuries and confirming he was stable, she perched cross-legged on a reef, gazing at the ebb and flow of the waves. The tranquility of the scene carried a rare sense of timeless peace.
Half an incense stick later, Yu Zhao stood up. This method of relaxation wasn’t for her. Just as she was about to wander off, a glimmer caught her eye. Floating on the water’s surface was a silver fish, as long as her arm, glinting under the sun.
The sight reminded her of the delicacies she had sampled on the third floor of the Merfolk Pavilion. While her storage space still held many dishes she’d purchased there, none could compare to the satisfaction of catching something fresh herself. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she couldn’t help but grin.
…
Ji Han Zhou woke to a dazed state, staring blankly at the sky as his mind slowly cleared. Memories of the perilous battle before his unconsciousness came flooding back. He shot upright, shouting, “Sister!”
“Awake?” A clear and crisp voice called out from nearby.
“There’s food in the box in front of you,” Yu Zhao said, not even turning around as she fished calmly from a reef. “Eat if you’re hungry.”
Ji Han Zhou stared at her silhouette, his lips quivering with grievance. Was catching fish really more important than him? Feeling wronged, he opened the food box, picked up a fried meatball, and took a bite. His emotions wavered. It was delicious. Tears welled up in his eyes as he ate. “Sister, did you make this yourself? It’s amazing!”
“No,” Yu Zhao replied flatly, still focused on her fishing rod. “I bought it in Southern Abyss City.”
Suddenly, the meatball didn’t taste as good. Resigned to her preoccupation, Ji Han Zhou gave up trying to talk to her and focused on meditating to recover. Though his injuries had improved significantly, full recovery would take time.
He closed his eyes and began reciting his sect’s cultivation technique. But his thoughts soon drifted back to the day Yu Zhao had descended like a divine warrior into the cave to save him from disaster. That moment, along with their harrowing escape from the Nascent Soul cultivator’s pursuit, replayed endlessly in his mind.
Yu Zhao had saved him not once, but three times. Each debt weighed heavily on his heart.
A life-saving debt should be repaid with a lifetime of gratitude.
But three? How could he possibly repay that?