An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Chapter 819: A Demon Emperor’s Molted Remains; The Struggle for Profound Rock

Half a day after Luo Chen departed, the previously calm and sunny weather gave way to surging waves. As the seawater churned violently, figures began emerging one after another from beneath the sea.

Each of them possessed compound eyes etched with white patterns, and their pincers were laced with spider silk. A casual onlooker could easily count a dense thousand or so Demon Spider Crabs with scarcely any weaklings among them. The most conspicuous were the five enormous Crab Kings at the head of the group.

The Demon Spider Crabs spread out and directly encircled the not particularly large Heavenjade Island. At their forefront strode a Crab King whose aura was nearly at the peak of the third tier. Wherever it passed, lower-tier crabs retreated, and submerged reefs shattered beneath the force of its movement.

In the end, it halted upon a patch of ground that appeared entirely unremarkable. An aged and hoarse voice came from its mouth. ”Is it here?”

Someone beside it said in a low voice, ”Yes. It’s hidden well, but we’ve already checked beneath it. It’s definitely a cave residence of a human cultivator. From the looks of it, it’s been in use for at least five years.”

”Five years?” The patriarch of the Demon Spider Crab clan murmured and slowly nodded. ”That lines up with the changes in the region these past few years.”

This region had once been dominated by the Ring-Head Turtle clan. But that was when the clan was led by a Demon Emperor. In those days, the so-called seven royal clans of the demonic crabs were nothing more than prey for the Ring-Head Turtles. It was not until a thousand years back, when that Demon Emperor neared the end of its lifespan and secluded itself, that the demonic crab forces gradually rose.

Even so, in order to seize dominance over the Profound Rock Sea Region, the demonic crabs paid a tremendous price, and the seven royal clans were reduced to five. Yet ever since, they had become the overlords of this place and were seldom hunted. Even when human cultivators occasionally ventured to hunt, they merely struck once and left quickly. There had never been any large-scale massacre.

Five years ago, however, everything changed. At first, no one paid attention; the disappearance of one or two crabs was nothing unusual. But gradually, the numbers grew. The Demon Spider Crab clan in particular suffered heavy casualties. After multiple ambushes and traps, it was finally discovered that it was the joint work of a flood dragon and a seagull. And now, it seemed...

”So it’s another one of those despicable humans!”

Its dense fur had turned gray-white and dry with age, and the voice that left its mouth was hoarse. It let out a long sigh. ”But if it was a high-level cultivator, then the deaths of Zhu Qi, Zhu Sha, and Zhu Mo were only to be expected.”

Yet although it spoke those words very matter-of-factly, the sorrow in its eyes remained deep and unmistakable. Zhu Qi had been the junior it valued most. Its cultivation had not been particularly formidable, yet its intellect rivaled the finest talents among the human race. In fact, it had even shown exceptional aptitude in the path of formations. The patriarch had already made plans to pass the position of patriarch to it in a hundred years or so, once Zhu Qi advanced to the late stage of the third tier. They had never anticipated such a calamity would befall them instead.

Hearing the patriarch’s sigh, a late-stage Crab King beside it grunted, ”I’ve already sent out over a hundred of our kin to trace the aura. But that human’s concealment is exceptional; I’ve never seen anything like it. Even with our senses, we haven’t uncovered a single trace.”

A streak of light shot in from the distance and crashed onto the island with a thunderous impact. Another late-stage Crab King revealed itself. ”Patriarch, I’ve reached an agreement with the Hidden Dust Sand. They’ll help us track down the one who killed Zhu Qi and the others.”

Hidden Dust Sand was one of the most common demonic beasts in the boundless Northern Sea. Yet calling it a demonic beast was not entirely precise. Strictly speaking, Hidden Dust Sand existed somewhere between demonic beasts and stone spirits.

In ancient times, creatures such as giant clams, great mussels, oysters, and scallops would take grains of sand into their flesh. Over time, those grains would transform into pearls. Such pearls were treasures coveted in both the mortal and cultivation worlds. Under the workings of the Heavenly Dao and the infusion of spirit energy, pearls could also develop spirituality.

Certain special grains of sand, while forming pearls, would instead consume the life force of their hosts. As they fed, sentience would gradually develop. In the fullness of time, they became a unique existence that stood between demonic beasts and stone spirits. Some referred to them as Pearl Demons, while others called them Sea Demon Spawn. The name most widely recognized, however, was Hidden Dust Sand.

These beings could not reproduce in the conventional sense, but once they gained spirit intelligence and cultivated to higher realms, the most powerful among them developed a sense of collective awareness. They would merge fragments of their own bodies with the special sand in which lay their origin, then sever those fragments and allow them to parasitize giant clams and mussels. The host creatures would nourish them with their life force, enabling natural evolution. This instinctive action gradually gave rise to the Hidden Dust Sand clan.

The clan spread across the Northern Sea. Though they were hidden like dust in every corner, their numbers were akin to grains of sand—countless. Hence the name Hidden Dust Sand. Due to their vast numbers and their hidden mode of survival and cultivation, they possessed the most extensive intelligence network in the sea. Whenever someone sought information and was willing to pay the required price, they often turned to the Hidden Dust Sand clan and seldom left empty-handed.

Hearing that terms had been settled with the Hidden Dust Sand clan, the patriarch asked in surprise, ”Did you see that old fart Primal Cloak?”

The clansman replied in a muffled tone, ”Well... I’m not sure whether I should say yes or no. I don’t think he’s that strong, but I also don’t think I could tell if he was right behind me. I passed the message through some low-tier Hidden Dust Sand on Skidding Bone Island, and they agreed to help search for the enemy.”

The Hidden Dust Sand’s stronghold in the Profound Rock Sea Region was Skidding Bone Island. The island harbored vast numbers of shellfish, which served as hosts for the Hidden Dust Sand to inhabit and parasitize.

When it heard that Primal Cloak had not appeared, the patriarch shook its head in disappointment. ”Forget it... they’re probably just brushing us off again.”

The clansman grew anxious at those words. ”Are we truly going to let that murderer go? He killed Zhu Qi and the others, and over the years, more than a hundred of our kin have perished at his hands. This is a blood grudge!”

The patriarch replied slowly, in an increasingly serious tone, ”We’ll definitely keep tracking the murderer. Both the Hidden Dust Sand clan and our own side need to stay on it. But what matters most right now... isn’t this.”

His gaze extended into the distance, as though it pierced across thousands of li and settled upon the most remote corner of the Profound Rock Sea Region. ”I’ve gotten word that Demon Emperor Profound Rock reached the end of its lifespan three hundred years ago and went to the Sunken Sea, to the Black Tortoise ancestral land, before death. The Demon Emperor aura on Profound Rock Island... is just a molted shell it left behind.”

The clansman’s expression changed drastically. ”A molted shell?”

The patriarch nodded. ”Yes. That news came from a Nine-Legged Poison Crab King. I don’t know why the Demon Emperor didn’t take the shell with it when it went back to its homeland, but the fact that it has since passed away is beyond doubt.”

What did the death of a Demon Emperor signify? First and foremost, it meant that its cultivation land, a fourth-tier spirit vein, had been vacated! If that place was seized, one or more of the late-stage Demon Kings of the five royal clans might have hope of breaking through to the fourth tier, the Transformation Stage! Moreover, if they could also obtain the molted remains left behind by Demon Emperor Profound Rock, they might even be able to access its inheritance. Turtle and crab demons shared extremely similar cultivation paths—well... in all fairness, the royal crab clans of the Profound Rock Sea Region had originally obtained their cultivation methods from Profound Rock Island. At any rate, this was tremendous news.

”Golden Mud from the Overlord clan took Golden Armor to Profound Rock Island long ago. Four years ago, Golden Pincer came out of seclusion and headed there as well. The Green Emperor clan shut their gates and ignored the murderer because their efforts were focused on reaching Profound Rock Island and seeking the molted remains. The Nine-Legged Poison Crabs were kind enough to inform me, but I see no reason they’d do this as soon as they learned of it. I assume they’d already made their preparations by the time they told me. I don’t know if the Crimson Flames will be tempted... but I sure am. I want to go to Profound Rock Island and fight for it!”

At this point, the patriarch slowly started to move toward the sea. ”This concerns the rise of our clan, and it matters even more than hunting down the killer. I’ll go ahead. You all return, make your preparations, and bring the others over.”

Among the ten elders of the clan, three were late-stage Crab Kings, while the rest were in the middle and early stages of the third tier. They had to leave someone to guard their own territory and someone to pursue the murderer, but they could still dispatch eight Demon King powerhouses.

Such a lineup might not match the formidable battle strength of the Overlord Crab clan, but it would certainly be capable of contending with the Green Emperor clan. Moreover, the struggle for opportunity depended not only on strength but also on fortune.

The other two Demon Kings exchanged glances. After a brief silence, they reached their decision. They would lend their full support to the patriarch.

***

Across the boundless sea, a lone demon-hunting ship drifted steadily over the waves. From time to time, streaks of light shot on and off the vessel at tremendous speed, displaying the formidable strength gathered aboard.

Within a resplendent cabin adorned with intricate cloud and wave patterns, seven Adepts sat together in council, engaged in discussion.

”Strange... wasn’t it always said that the Profound Rock Sea Region was full of Ring-Head Turtles? Why have we found so little on this trip? Could the demonic crabs have wiped them out?”

”No way. As Master said, the Profound Rock Sea Region is actually controlled by a Demon Emperor from the Ring-Head Turtle clan. Even if rumors say that Demon Emperor Profound Rock entered the Sunken Sea... a starved tiger is still a tiger. There’s no way the clan it left behind would be wiped out so easily.”

”Well, whatever the case is, he needs a large number of Ring-Head Turtle shells. We have to find a way to gather them. What do we do next?”

Listening to her senior brothers’ discussion, Gu Xiaolian hesitated and said, ”Why not buy them?”

Hearing her naive suggestion, several senior brothers could not hold back their laughter.

”Little Junior Sister, you really need to go out more. Materials from turtle and tortoise demons that carry the Black Tortoise bloodline are always in demand for crafting defensive enchanted treasures. It’s hard enough to even find a shell or two, let alone purchase them in bulk.”

”That’s right. No one dares to come to the Profound Rock Sea Region for casual hunting. We’re only here because Master heard that the Demon Emperor had returned to the Sunken Sea. Otherwise, even the chance to hunt here wouldn’t have fallen to our Flying Cloud Ravine.”

Gu Xiaolian’s cheeks flushed as she realized her lack of experience had made her the butt of the joke. But her senior brothers were only teasing her kindly, so she didn’t take it to heart.

As everyone continued discussing, the young man in ornate robes at the head suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise. At the same time, Gu Xiaolian’s expression shifted. She hurriedly pulled out a talisman from her storage pouch. The moment it appeared, it burst into flame and turned to ashes. Seeing this, the others froze for a moment.

”What is going on...”

Gu Shaoshang raised a brow. ”My Demon Suppression Talisman’s been broken.”

With the slave talisman destroyed, the master one lost its target and turned to ash.

An Adept said in astonishment, ”Senior Brother, you’re a seventh-stage Adept. For the Demon Suppression Talisman you crafted to be broken in just a day... how strong can that person be?”

The others began to piece things together.

”Could it be the master of the Heavenjade Battle Gull? If we’ve offended someone like that... will he come looking for revenge?”

As Gu Shaoshang listened to the discussion, he frowned slightly and fell into thought. It now appeared that the Heavenjade Battle Gull did indeed have a master. Moreover, that master was clearly a late-stage Adept whose strength did not fall short of his own. The Myriad Soul Banner in that person’s possession was sufficient proof.

”A Myriad Soul Banner... Could he be a remnant of the Primordial Devil Sect?” Gu Shaoshang muttered. The trace of worry on his face gradually faded with this speculation.

Flying Cloud Ravine was a well-known member of the Righteous Blue Sea Alliance. The alliance now stood as the foremost power in the Northern Sea and remained irreconcilably opposed to the remnants of the Primordial Devil Sect. If that person truly dared to come knocking, Gu Shaoshang would not hesitate to give him a harsh lesson. He might even take the man’s head and claim a bounty from the alliance.

He thus waved his hand and said in a deep voice, ”Let’s set this matter aside for now and return to hunting the turtles.”

As soon as he spoke, everyone composed themselves and listened attentively. ”I don’t know why Father needs the shells, but he needs them, and we must provide them. We have to get this done properly. Since we can’t find any in these regions... then we’ll head straight to Profound Rock Island.”

The moment he said this, everyone’s expressions changed.

Gu Xiaolian blurted out, ”Big Brother, you can’t!”

Gu Shaoshang looked at her. Though his expression was gentle, his eyes were cold. ”Little Sister, you can do what you want when it comes to other things, but things involving Father are not up for you to decide.”

Gu Xiaolian hurriedly waved her hands. ”Hey, I’m not the one being reckless this time! That place is the headquarters of the turtles! Who knows how many powerful ones they have there? We only have seven Adepts on this trip. If we go straight to their doorstep, we’ll be lucky to return alive!”

The other Adepts swallowed and looked nervously at the robed young man. Gu Shaoshang stubbornly shook his head. ”We’re going no matter what!”

Seeing their pale faces, his tone softened. ”Of course, I’m not sending you to your deaths. We’ll scout the area first and act according to the situation. If needed, I can pay a price and bring in some friends to join us in venturing onto Profound Rock Island.”

Phewwwww...

A clear sound of relief echoed through the palace. As expected, their eldest senior brother was steady and composed. He never acted blindly or impulsively. Then, as they recalled their earlier display of hesitation, they hurriedly declared they would do their utmost in the upcoming task.

Gu Shaoshang’s expression remained indifferent, yet he sneered inwardly. The second and sixth junior brothers and his little sister had always been members of their force, but that was not the case with the other three. They seemed agreeable enough most of the time, but when it truly mattered, they didn’t stand with the Gu family. As it turned out, turning a cultivation family into a true sect was no easy road. The new members still lacked loyalty.

With the discussion concluded, they no longer wandered fruitlessly through these ordinary sea regions. The crew raised the sails, adjusted their course, and set a direct heading toward Profound Rock Island.

Meanwhile, on a stretch of sea tens of thousands of li away, a streak of light burst out from the deep sea, then vanished to reveal a majestic avian figure. After circling once in the air, it seemed to have found something it was looking for.

The bird spread its wings, flying toward the demon-hunting ship.