194: Chapter 194 Taking the Initiative! Luring the Beasts into the Formation!

Chapter 174: Striking First! Luring the Beast into the Formation!

Three days later.

Kuixing City, Tiandu Street, White Water Tower.

Lu Qiu stepped into the pavilion once more, where Third Mother Feng was already waiting in the VIP room.

Seeing him arrive, she hurriedly rose to greet him.

“Elder Lu.”

Lu Qiu waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for formalities, then took a seat in a chair. He picked up some spiritual tea, took a sip, and asked casually:

“Third Mother, how is the recruitment of False Core Cultivators going?”

A trace of a smile appeared on Third Mother Feng's face as she replied respectfully, “In response to Elder Lu, I have reached out to various parties these past few days and have already recruited two. One is a Loose Cultivator at the False Core stage who specializes in water-attribute Spells; the other is ‘Zhou Boyu,’ a Guest Elder of the ‘Hai Family,’ who is also at the False Core Realm and is proficient in Formations. As for the remaining three, I am stepping up my efforts to contact them, and I expect to have the full group assembled in a few days.”

Lu Qiu nodded and praised, “Third Mother truly handles things efficiently.”

He paused, then asked as if in passing, “By the way, where exactly does that Infant Carp Beast appear? Is that sea area remote? Is there a chance other Cultivators might discover it and expose our movements?”

Third Mother Feng suspected nothing and answered truthfully, “Rest assured, Elder Lu, that sea area is extremely remote, and Cultivators rarely frequent it. The specific location is in the waters near Xiaoyuan Island, about three thousand miles from Kuixing Island. Islands are scarce there and the Spiritual Qi is thin; normally, no one goes there. If a prospecting team from our Liulian Hall hadn't happened to pass by, we wouldn't have discovered that beast's tracks.”

Xiaoyuan Island, three thousand miles away.

Lu Qiu secretly noted the location, but his expression remained unchanged as he gave a slight nod:

“That is good. This matter must be kept secret; the news must not be leaked.”

Third Mother Feng responded solemnly, “I understand.”

Lu Qiu gave a few more instructions before standing up to leave.

Walking out of the White Water Tower, he suddenly thought of Han Li.

In the original story, Han Li also participated in this hunt for the Infant Carp Beast.

Of course, that was because he had the External Incarnation of 'the monster,' allowing him to blend in as a False Core Cultivator.

In this life, Han Li did not have the method to refine an External Incarnation.

After arriving at Kuixing Island with him back then, they had gone their separate ways, and they hadn't seen each other for over twenty years.

He wondered how he was doing now?

Given his personality, after they parted, he likely found a place to directly enter closed-door Cultivation.

With the assistance of the little green bottle's Heaven-Defying effects, his cultivation level probably wasn't low.

He also wondered if he had already completed the first revolution of the 'Three-Turn Essence Soul Technique'?

“If Junior Brother Han knew I was already a Core Formation Cultivator, I wonder how he would feel?” A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lu Qiu's mouth, but he then shook his head, casting these stray thoughts from his mind.

Right now, there were more important things to do.

...

Returning to Tianmen Peak, Lu Qiu immediately began packing his gear.

He stored the Bloodline Flood Dragon and the Golden-Backed Demonic Mantis into the gray spatial bead—these two Level Six Yao Beasts were his greatest trump cards for this trip.

He also stored the four Level Four Puppets inside just in case.

Afterward, he went to the main hall and called for Xin Ruyin and Black Fiend.

“Let's go,” he said briefly.

The three of them quietly left Tianmen Peak without alerting anyone.

With Lu Qiu's current powerful Divine Sense, which was comparable to the Early Stage of the Nascent Soul realm, he could ensure that no one on Kuixing Island could discover his tracks.

...

One day later.

The sea area of Xiaoyuan Island.

This was an extremely desolate sea area with an open surface and few islands.

Xiaoyuan Island itself was only a few dozen miles in size. The island was covered in jagged rocks and sparse vegetation, and the Spiritual Qi was so thin it was almost non-existent, giving it zero development value.

Lu Qiu's group of three hovered a thousand feet in the air, looking down at the vast green waves below.

“This is the place,” Lu Qiu said in a low voice.

His powerful Divine Sense, like an invisible radar, instantly spread out, covering a sea area of nearly a hundred miles.

A moment later, his brow twitched slightly.

Behind a hidden reef on the west side of Xiaoyuan Island, there were two faint auras.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Moreover, they were wearing the standard uniforms of Liulian Hall.

“They are the people Liulian Hall sent to guard this place,” Lu Qiu understood.

He gave a look to Xin Ruyin and Black Fiend, and the three of them quietly descended, concealing their auras as they moved toward the reef.

Behind the reef, two Foundation Establishment Cultivators were sitting there bored, chatting idly.

“...Who would have thought that an Infant Carp Beast would be hidden in this godforsaken place,” a square-faced Cultivator remarked with emotion.

Another thin and tall Cultivator chuckled, his eyes full of anticipation: “This time we've really hit the jackpot! An Infant Carp Beast is worth a fortune. Just its body Materials alone are enough to keep us well-fed and worry-free. The headquarters will surely send down a generous reward.”

The square-faced Cultivator nodded: “Isn't that the truth. Steward Feng has already reported to headquarters. I heard headquarters is taking this very seriously and will soon send a Core Formation Elder to personally kill this beast.”

The thin and tall Cultivator lowered his voice and said mysteriously, “I heard that the one coming might be Elder Lu of Kuixing Island? He's a big shot on Kuixing Island!”

The square-faced Cultivator curled his lip: “That depends on how headquarters arranges it. But regardless of who comes, if even a Core Formation Elder is alerted, this Infant Carp Beast must be truly terrifying...”

The two were talking excitedly when suddenly—

A silent, invisible sword light struck from behind them!

The yinming sword!

Fast! Extremely fast!

Concealed to the ultimate degree!

It wasn't until the moment the sword light touched their bodies that the two were suddenly startled!

But it was too late!

*Puff!*

*Puff!*

Two soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The two Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn't even have time to let out a scream before they were pierced through the chest by the yinming sword!

Their eyes widened, filled with unbelievable terror, and then their auras quickly dissipated as their bodies slumped onto the reef.

Lu Qiu's figure emerged from the shadows, his expression indifferent.

He flicked out two clumps of Chixiao True Fire, incinerating the two corpses completely, and then thoroughly erased the remaining bloodstains and auras. The entire process took no more than ten breaths.

Having done all this, he nodded to Xin Ruyin and Black Fiend.

“Begin setting the Formation.”

Xin Ruyin responded and took out the set of Formation Flags and the Formation Plate for the ‘Canglan Flood Dragon Locking Formation’ from her Storage Pouch.

This set of Formation tools was something she had spent several years of painstaking effort to refine.

There were thirty-six Formation Flags in total, all with deep-sea black iron as their bones and flag surfaces woven from thousand-year cold silkworm silk, covered in dense water-attribute runes drawn with the blood of Fifth-level Demonic Beasts.

The Formation Plate was carved from a single piece of thousand-year cold jade, with a Level Six water-attribute Yao Beast core embedded in the center as the Formation's heart.

With a flash of her body, Xin Ruyin dove into the seabed.

She began to place the Formation Flags along the seabed surrounding Xiaoyuan Island.

Each Formation Flag needed to be precisely driven into a leyline node to create resonance with the surrounding seawater's spiritual power.

She closed her eyes slightly and activated her Xuanji Pupil, carefully sensing the flow of every bit of spiritual power in the seawater to ensure the placement of the flags was perfect.

Black Fiend stayed by her side to protect her.

Lu Qiu hovered in mid-air, his powerful Divine Sense fully deployed like the most sophisticated radar, conducting a carpet search of the nearby sea area.

Where was the Infant Carp Beast hiding?

His Divine Sense swept over the seabed inch by inch, not missing a single corner.

Those deep sea trenches, dense underwater forests, jagged coral reefs... every place where a Yao Beast might hide was carefully probed by him.

Half an hour later.

Suddenly, Lu Qiu's Divine Sense twitched!

Dozens of miles away, at the bottom of a deep sea trench, came a faint cry like that of a human infant—

“Wah... wah...”

That sound was extremely subtle; if not for his powerful Divine Sense, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Lu Qiu's Divine Sense instantly locked onto that area!

Deep in the trench, a strange Yao Beast was curled up in a cave on the seabed.

It was about ten feet long, with the streamlined body of a blue carp covered in fine, tough scales that shimmered with a faint blue light in the dark depths.

But its head was shockingly the rounded face of an infant less than a year old!

Fair and tender with delicate features, if not for the sharp fangs occasionally visible in its mouth that ruined the innocence, it would look like a sleeping baby.

Below its body grew four human-like hands as white and tender as lotus roots, which were currently tightly grasping four items, refusing to let go even in sleep.

An Infant Carp Beast!

Lu Qiu was overjoyed but kept his composure, continuing to observe.

The Infant Carp Beast seemed to be in a deep sleep, its body emitting a faint blue halo. With every breath, the water Spiritual Qi in the sea flowed steadily into its body.

The four items held by its four human hands emitted their own distinct brilliance in the dark depths.

One was a giant crab claw, fiery red and as large as a millstone!

As the claw opened and closed, firelight faintly flickered within; it was clearly a part taken from some powerful fire-attribute Yao Beast and was itself a valuable material.

A piece of blue coral, several feet high, entirely azure with crystal-clear branches!

That coral emitted soft water-attribute Spiritual Qi so dense it far surpassed ordinary hundred-year spiritual items; it was a treasure of at least a thousand years!

A pearl the size of a chicken egg, perfectly round and flawless, emitting a milky-white, warm brilliance!

The pearl's light was restrained, yet the sound of a dragon's roar faintly echoed from it. It was shockingly an extremely rare ‘Sea-Calming Pearl’!

This item could suppress sea waves and stabilize waters, making it a top-tier material for refining water-attribute Magic Treasures!

A huge clam shell, shimmering silver with sharp edges, shaped like a shield!

The surface of the shell had naturally formed cloud patterns and emitted a faint silver light. Its defensive power was extremely strong; with a little refining, it would be an excellent Magic Treasure!

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Qiu's eyes.

He had long known that the Infant Carp Beast naturally loved collecting deep-sea spiritual Materials and rare artifacts, often grasping four treasures with its four hands, making it a literal mobile treasury. Seeing it with his own eyes now, its reputation was well-deserved!

Each of these four items was worth a fortune!

“In that case, I will graciously accept them.” A smile played on his lips.

At this time, Xin Ruyin and Black Fiend had also finished setting up the Formation and surfaced from the seabed.

Xin Ruyin sent a voice transmission: “Husband Lu, the Canglan Flood Dragon Locking Formation is set. I only need to lure the Infant Carp Beast into the Formation, and I can activate it to trap it.”

Lu Qiu nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

“Next, watch how I lure it into the Formation.”

With a thought, he released a figure from the gray spatial bead—

The Bloodline Flood Dragon!

A dark red giant dragon, a hundred feet long, suddenly appeared above the sea surface!

That massive Demonic Qi and overbearing dragon prestige instantly swept across the sea area for dozens of miles!

“ROAR—!!!”

A world-shaking dragon roar resounded through the heavens!

...

Deep on the seabed, the sleeping Infant Carp Beast snapped its eyes open!

Those eyes were completely mismatched with its infant face—cold, violent, and full of killing intent!

It sensed it!

A powerful Demonic Qi was coming from the sea surface!

That aura carried a pure Flood Dragon Bloodline, overbearing and majestic, as if it were provoking it!

The Infant Carp Beast was enraged!

Although it was also a Level Six Yao Beast, in terms of Bloodline, it was far less noble than a Flood Dragon!

This Flood Dragon had suddenly appeared in its territory and was so brazenly releasing Demonic Qi; it was clearly a show of force!

“Wah—!!!”

A sharp, piercing infant's cry erupted from the seabed!

The sound pierced through the seawater and shot into the clouds, carrying endless rage and killing intent!

The next moment, a blue figure soared into the sky from the seabed!

It was the Infant Carp Beast!

On the sea surface, the Bloodline Flood Dragon was brazenly thrashing about, kicking up massive waves.

Its dark red scales reflected a heart-chilling cold light in the sunlight, and the golden Bloodline on its belly was dazzling.

Suddenly, its body paused as if it sensed something, and it abruptly turned its head toward the sea surface.

A blue figure burst out of the water!

The Infant Carp Beast hovered in mid-air, its four human hands tightly clutching its four treasures, its infant face full of hideous rage!

It stared at the Bloodline Flood Dragon, emitting strange “wah wah” cries, as if questioning, warning, and threatening!

The Bloodline Flood Dragon gave it a disdainful glance, let out a low growl, and then turned and fled!

Its massive body turned into a streak of blood-red light, swimming rapidly toward Xiaoyuan Island!

Wherever it passed, the seawater was plowed into a deep trench, kicking up towering waves!

The Infant Carp Beast “froze” for a moment, then became even more furious!

It chased after it without hesitation!

With its four human hands tightly clutching its treasures and its fin-like wings flapping frantically, its speed was astonishing!

One fleeing and one chasing, the two figures rapidly approached Xiaoyuan Island!