Chapter 142: Chapter 140: Death of the Water Demon

Zhou Xuan Yu escaped using the “Blood Escape Technique”.

While investigating in the underground dark river, she found nothing of significance, but instead ran into a water demon returning to its nest, forcing her to use the “Blood Escape Technique” to flee to the surface.

“I delved into the waterway of the dark river at least two hundred miles. Except for some ordinary animals and low-tier demon beasts living in the dark river, I didn’t find any abnormal situation. The water demon should have wandered over here by chance.”

At the Qingping Mountain Oasis, Zhou Xuan Yu, who had escaped back, spoke with a pale face about her exploration experience.

Initially, Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang sent her to investigate the waterway in the dark river, suspecting that the water demon appeared at Haoyang Cave because it was fleeing from a losing battle with other water demons there.

If that were the case, even if they resolved the issue with this water demon, it might not ensure peace at Haoyang Cave in the future.

However, judging from the situation investigated by Zhou Xuan Yu, this suspicion seemed to be cleared.

Therefore, Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan felt relieved after hearing her words.

Zhou Minghan said immediately: “Since there’s only this one water demon, let’s proceed with the original plan and invite Chen Ping’an to come and slay the demon!”

Chen Ping’an still owed the Zhou Family a favor. Inviting him to slay the demon meant the Zhou Family didn’t have to pay any remuneration, and they could get the body of a Tier Three High-Grade Demon Beast for free, which could barely make up for the flood damage at Haoyang Cave.

Immediately, Zhouyang personally went to the Baisha River Oasis to bring Chen Ping’an over.

“Please look, elder, the water demon is hiding in the cave below.”

Outside Haoyang Cave, the two members of the Zhou Family and Chen Ping’an controlled their swords and looked down.

At Baisha River Oasis, Zhouyang had already explained the situation of the water demon, so there was no need to repeat it now.

At this moment, hearing Zhouyang’s words, Chen Ping’an gazed at the lake’s calm surface for a while, then looked at the two and said: “This is the first time for Chen to enter water and slay demons. If you two fellow Taoists follow me, Chen cannot guarantee your safety.”

From his words, it was clear he didn’t agree with Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan observing the fight.

However, Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan were eager for a rare chance to see a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator enter water and slay demons; they couldn’t let go of this eye-opening opportunity.

So, after exchanging a glance, Zhouyang spoke up: “Elder Chen, rest assured, the two of us juniors will protect ourselves; you just focus on demon-slaying!”

Seeing this, Chen Ping’an didn’t say much more, just nodded slightly and said: “Since you two are determined, Chen will say no more. Let’s go down.”

After speaking, the sword light under his feet moved, and he immediately wrapped his body in it and plunged into the desert lake below.

As for Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan, they weren’t as straightforward.

Both first placed protective spiritual artifacts into their hands, then each released a body-protecting technique for defense, and finally cast the “Water Avoidance Spell” before jumping into the lake.

When Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan entered Haoyang Cave under the blue protective shield formed by the “Water Avoidance Spell”, Chen Ping’an was already engaged in battle with the water demon.

Compared to their fire element cultivator abilities, Chen Ping’an, a cultivator specializing in the metal element technique, wasn’t severely suppressed in water, with his strength able to operate at ninety percent of normal status.

When Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan arrived, the water demon had already been cut with several wounds by his flying sword, and one of its claws was even severed.

Seeing Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan, its old enemies, coming over, the water demon immediately lost any desire to continue fighting.

It opened its big mouth and suddenly spewed out a large mass of blue liquid, seemingly some kind of true water.

As soon as these blue liquids came out of its mouth, they transformed into a rain of water arrows shooting toward the three, while the demon itself swung its fish tail, its body quickly turned into a blue water light, escaping towards the dark river entrance.

“Where are you going!”

Chen Ping’an, a dignified Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, naturally wouldn’t allow a Tier Three demon beast to slip away under his nose. Although the water demon’s water escape technique was extraordinary, his flying sword was even faster.

While Zhouyang was fending off the true water arrows, he saw a flash of silver in the water, as the Tier Four flying sword “White Rainbow Sword” transformed into a silver sword rainbow, catching up and instantly tearing a wound about a foot long on the water demon’s back, forcibly interrupting its water escape technique.

Wail!

The water demon revealed its form and emitted a cry like a baby wailing, then turned back to look at the pursuing Chen Ping’an, suddenly making a surprising move.

The water demon’s large body suddenly sank, falling to the bottom and pressing its head against the ground, making a gesture of submission, while the pair of lamp-like luminous crystalline substances before its head completely withdrew their glow, as if to show no hostility.

“Hmm?”

Seeing this scene, Chen Ping’an’s eyes flashed with surprise, his brow furrowing.

Looking at the water demon, it was clear it couldn’t win and wanted to surrender and beg for mercy, although such events were rare, it wasn’t unprecedented.

Demon beasts also possess spiritual wisdom and fear death. The higher their spiritual wisdom, the more pronounced these behaviors become.

High-tier cultivators who tame demon beasts as mounts typically do so by first subduing the beasts with strong power, then bring them back for slow training and taming.

However, Chen Ping’an came this time to repay a favor and help the Zhou family slay demons, without any intention of acquiring pets.

Furthermore, given the situation in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, even if he subdued this Water Demon, there would be no place to use it.

“What do you think of this matter?” He turned his gaze and asked the Zhou Family duo.

Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan, upon hearing this, exchanged discreet communications as their expressions flickered.

A moment later, Zhouyang respectfully answered, “If Elder Chen intends to subdue this Water Demon, we naturally have no objections. However, we kindly ask that after subduing it, Elder Chen takes it away from this place.”

Chen Ping’an understood their meaning immediately upon hearing this response.

Clearly, the two from the Zhou Family were not keen on having him subdue the Water Demon.

This Water Demon is so massive; even if he subdued it, how could he transport it out of Haoyang Cave?

He did not possess the Spirit Beast Ring like the one Cyan Yang Daoist had to contain spirit beasts!

Moreover, even if he could take the Water Demon away, given its status as a Tier Three High-Grade Demon Beast, it could only dwell in a water region with a Tier Three Spiritual Vein. Would he then have to cultivate a Tier Three Spiritual Vein underwater just to raise it?

Therefore, if he truly intended to subdue the Water Demon, the best course of action would be to occupy the Zhou Family’s Haoyang Cave for rearing the demon.

However, doing so would mean that the Zhou Family would not only lose a Tier Three Spirit Mountain but also have a “thorn” planted in their core region.

Involving the fundamental interests of the clan, the Zhou Family duo obviously were not prepared to compromise, even for a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator.

Besides, the reason he was here was to repay a favor. If he subdued the Water Demon and instead occupied the Zhou Family’s Spirit Mountain, would it be repaying a favor, or would the Zhou Family be offering him another favor?

Having figured all this out, Chen Ping’an had no further hesitation.

He activated his thoughts, and with a flash of sword light, the originally stopped “White Rainbow Sword” instantly enlarged into a giant sword about ten feet long, fiercely slashing down at the Water Demon to decapitate its head with one strike.

Poor Water Demon, who had dispelled all its defenses to show submission, ultimately could not escape this sudden strike.

After slicing off the Water Demon’s head, Chen Ping’an immediately reached out to retrieve his Flying Sword. Then, he looked indifferently at the two from the Zhou Family, saying, “The Water Demon has been executed. My favor to the Zhou Family is thus settled. Farewell.”

With that said, he moved his body and directly departed from there.

Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan watched him leave without any attempt to hold him back.

All had achieved mastery in cultivation; they understood that favors were favors, and interests were interests.

Though Chen Ping’an repaid the favor this time, he also missed the chance to acquire a Tier Three High-Grade Demon Beast as a spirit beast, which was undoubtedly frustrating for him.

Trying to retain him now would neither hold the person nor alleviate the awkwardness for both parties.

“This situation is quite a mess!”

Zhou Minghan shook his head helplessly, feeling uneasy about the circumstances.

The Water Demon was dead, which was a relief, but the incident stirred before its death marked trouble for the Zhou Family, proving restless even in death.

After shaking his head, he then looked at Zhouyang and said, “Forget it, let’s deal with the carcass first. As for how to drain the river water here, we’ll think of a way later!”

Due to the large carcass of the Water Demon, Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan could only bind it with ropes and drag it to the lakeshore outside for dismantling.

As a Tier Three High-Grade Demon Beast, its scales could be used to refine Tier Three High-Grade Defense Spiritual Artifacts, its skin made into Talisman Paper and Defensive Inner Armor, its blood into Spiritual Ink, and its bones suitable for refining Array Plates and Array Banners for Water Arrays.

However, the most significant part of its body was still the luminous crystalline structures like “light bulbs,” which might, upon proper refinement, release magic that shields cultivators’ Divine Sense akin to that of the Water Demon.

“Hmm, what’s this?”

Suddenly, Zhouyang, while dismantling the Water Demon, made a soft exclamation as if discovering something unusual.

With a flick of his Flying Sword, he extracted a blood-dripping sac from the Water Demon’s belly, then swirled the sword tip to make a small cut, revealing bluish water within, exuding rich Water Spiritual Qi.

“Oh, this item still remains?”

Staring at the blue water within the sac, Zhouyang’s eyes were filled with surprise.

This blue water, akin to some form of “True Water,” had left a deep impression on him. He originally thought it would dissipate alongside the Water Demon’s demise but was surprised to find remnants still present.

“Given that this item remains, it indicates that the Water Demon did not condense it from its own magic but instead swallowed some Heaven and Earth Spiritual Water from somewhere unknown.”

“Generally, such Heaven-generated Spiritual Objects are essential items for high-tier cultivators to train certain Divine Techniques and are of immeasurable value!”

“Unfortunately, in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, Water Element Cultivators are rare, and our understanding of various Heaven and Earth Spiritual Waters is also limited. Despite its preciousness, this item might be very difficult to exchange!”

Zhou Minghan took the sac from Zhouyang, inspected it, then shook his head regretfully and sighed before handing it back to Zhouyang.