The Path of Immortality: Starts With Creating Water Bear Gu

Chapter 280: The Zhu Clan and Shui Clan

Long Xuan had no idea that not long after the Shenlong Ship left, another fleet sailed into the area.

This fleet had six ships, all in terrible condition, with hulls marked by the scars of heavy bombardment, and their flags half-burned by flames.

Although only half of the flags remained, a dragon was faintly visible. However, it was now a broken dragon, signifying the Black Dragon Pirates.

These pirates were cunning, spreading out their six ships in a long line instead of keeping them together. Each ship was spaced a considerable distance apart.

This formation meant that if the lead ship encountered trouble, the others could retreat in time, avoiding a total loss.

As it turned out, this strategy saved most of their lives.

Suddenly, a large mass of liquid climbed onto the deck of the lead ship and lunged at the pirates basking in the sun.

“What the hell is that?!”

One of the men reacted quickly, drawing his knife and slicing the strange substance in two.

But instead of being destroyed, the creature simply split into two independent entities, each still able to move on its own.

The divided Immortal Worms crawled toward each of the man’s nostrils, slipping in swiftly. He cried out in agony, rolling on the deck in pain.

This scene played out all over the ship.

Suddenly, these liquid-like creatures burst from the water, catching everyone off guard. Who would have thought that ordinary water could hide such a terrifying life form?

Taken by surprise, the pirates on board quickly succumbed, and chaos ensued as screams filled the air.

Large numbers of Immortal Worms leaped from the water, burrowing into the mouths, ears, and noses of the pirates with no opening left unchecked.

In moments, the deck was littered with bodies, the place in utter disarray.

The ships following at a distance quickly came to a halt. Seeing the horrifying scene on the lead ship, everyone turned pale with terror, not daring to approach that patch of water.

“What on earth is that thing? It’s like water, yet it’s not, and it’s so terrifying!” said a man with a scarred face in shock.

This man, known as Scar, was one of the three Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivators who had recently fallen in rank. He was the leader of this particular mission.

“Captain, what should we do? The Black Shrimp Ship has been attacked—shouldn’t we go to the rescue?”

One of the men anxiously approached Scar for guidance.

Scar slapped him on the back of the head and scolded, “Rescue? Are you insane? If we go, we’ll just be food for those things!”

“Everyone on that ship is dead! There’s nothing we can do to save them, you fool! Turn the ship around, fast! If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”

Following Scar’s command, the remaining five ships quickly turned around and fled the area.

Meanwhile, the lead ship was now deathly silent. Not a single sound could be heard, and when one looked closer, not a single living person remained—even the deck was free of any bloodstains.

...

To the Shenlong Ship, this encounter with the Immortal Worms was just a minor episode. They faced various dangers on the seas but managed to escape each time unscathed.

The Endless Sea was perilous, but not quite as deadly as the Death Sea.

“These two factions possess the most advanced shipbuilding techniques and are the dominant naval powers of the Western Region. Among the various sea powers here, none rival these two clans.”

"The Black Dragon Pirates only flaunt their strength in their own territory. Looking across the entire Western Region, they wouldn’t even be worthy of carrying shoes for these naval titans."

"When two top powers clash, conflict is inevitable. The Zhu and Shui clans are mortal enemies and will always fight upon meeting."

"Both sides have lost many important figures to each other, deepening their hatred beyond reconciliation."

"The presence of these two sea lords here isn’t a good sign for us, as we’ll face two extremely formidable competitors."

"We have no chance of competing for treasure with them. Our journey to the Sky Island will be far more challenging than expected."

Long Xuan looked at her and smiled, "You should have confidence in yourself. Wu Yaoyao's prophecy for you was that you’d find the Youth Preserving Fruit within the Sky Island ruins, granting you eternal youth."

"Our trip to Sky Island is destined for good fortune; you can relax."

Leng Yan’s expression remained impassive as she replied, "Perhaps, but we still need to be careful. We can’t rely solely on the uncertain promise of a divination."

"We should stop watching this spectacle. These two are evenly matched, and as long as neither side is foolish, they won’t fight to the point of mutual destruction here."

"This clash is likely just a probing attack, unlikely to cause serious harm to either side."

"If you’re hoping for a heavy loss on both sides, that's definitely not happening."

"Some Gu cultivators from other factions are already trying to mediate on the ships. This skirmish should end soon. Let’s leave as well to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Nodding, Long Xuan heeded her advice, turning the ship around and swiftly departing from the area.

---

Another ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

Standing on the deck, Long Xuan could see a giant island in the distance, with countless ships docked along its shore. The vessels varied in size, with five-story treasure ships lined up along the coast, making the Shenlong appear the smallest in comparison.

The island was teeming with Gu cultivators—too many to count—all at the Marrow Cleansing stage, representing various powers from around the world. Clashes had already broken out in certain parts of the island, leading to scattered skirmishes.

"So, this is Sky Island?" Long Xuan asked instinctively.

Leng Yan approached and explained, "Sky Island surfaces once every five hundred years and will sink back beneath the sea in a month."

"This isn't Sky Island; we’re early. Sky Island hasn’t yet appeared."

"Given the vastness of the sea, it’s impossible to perfectly time its emergence, so ships that arrive early must dock at the nearest available island."

"This barren island is the closest location to Sky Island's emergence point, so nearly all ships arriving early will stop here temporarily."

"And this isn’t even all of them. As time passes, more ships will arrive here, including those two eight-story treasure ships."

"Soon, the number of Gu cultivators here will far exceed your expectations. These cultivators come from every corner of the world, so don’t underestimate their numbers."

"Every time Sky Island emerges, over a hundred thousand Gu cultivators gather here, not counting those who already perished at sea."

Hearing this, Long Xuan felt his scalp tingle. So many people, and such fierce competition?