NOVPUBInside this sea dwelling, aside from living quarters, there were many scenes designed purely for enjoyment.
Waterfalls surged towards the sky, scattering into floral shapes as one walked through the air.
There were also swords made of condensed sea water that spun in midair. Upon entering Clear Water Stronghold, one would find countless types and colors of flowers planted all around.
These flowers bloomed defiantly in reverse growth, most of them being water-attributed.
Including daffodils, Azure Peonies, and Murongs—a series of flora capable of growing in the deep sea.
Especially during this cold season, the presence of these flowers added a touch of chilliness.
Xu Zimei entered the Clear Water Stronghold, and the night’s stillness enveloped the stronghold floating in the vast sea.
Tranquil and beautifully eerie, it slowly floated and was moored upon the sea surface.
"If you all haven’t eaten, I have prepared some food. We can enjoy a good drink," the Green Smoke Taoist said with a smile.
He led everyone to a side hall similar to a main hall, where long tables had already been set up on both sides.
The people of the Clear Water Stronghold were incredibly swift, having already placed meat and other foods on the tables.
"Could you tell me about the situation in the Eastern Continent?" the Green Smoke Taoist asked the group with a laugh, as he sat at the head and raised his cup.
"Where do you hail from, senior?" Ye Feiyang asked with a smile.
"We set off from the Western Continent, passed through the South Continent, and have just arrived at this Endless Heaven Sea.
I don’t know much about the Eastern Continent," the Green Smoke Taoist replied.
Xu Zimei was slightly taken aback. To have set off from the Western Continent and arrived here without using any Teleportation Arrays,
that meant circumnavigating around the Endless Heaven Sea by the South Continent—a journey whose length was simply incalculable.
Xu Zimei sometimes admired those with the spirit of exploration who dedicated their lives to the pursuit of such endeavors.
While Ye Feiyang chatted with the other party, Xu Zimei and the Divine Emperor rarely spoke.
The meal ended successfully with both host and guests in high spirits.
The Green Smoke Taoist arranged separate rooms for Xu Zimei and his companions, and although Xu Zimei originally wanted to ask about the Netherworld Blood Sea,
he later thought it best to ask when leaving the following day.
The night shrouded the floating water stronghold on the sea, and a sudden scream cut through the midnight silence.
In the quiet darkness, the scream was especially piercing and startling.
"What’s going on?" Everyone in Clear Water Stronghold woke up, Xu Zimei included, who left his room to find out.
The residents of Clear Water Stronghold moved quickly, encircling the area from where the scream had come from. Xu Zimei could only watch from a distance. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
"Zheng Yang is dead."
"But how? He was fine just before."
"It seems his whole body’s blood was drained, a terrifying death."
"He seems to have died not long ago, could the murderer still be lurking on the ship?"
...
Hearing the discussion amongst the people of the stronghold, even without seeing the corpse, Xu Zimei had some conjectures.
"Blood Clan," he said, looking towards Ye Feiyang.
Ye Feiyang hurriedly shook his head, explaining, "It’s not my doing. I’m different from other Blood Clan members; I don’t need to consume blood to survive."
Xu Zimei knew that for an ordinary Blood Clan member to live healthily, they must consume fresh blood periodically.
This was not only a means to sustain their longevity but also one of their Cultivation methods.
The stronger the blood they consumed, the faster their Cultivation progressed.
But someone like Ye Feiyang, of impure bloodlines, must be different from the rest of the Blood Clan.
"Do you mean there’s someone from the Blood Clan hiding in this water stronghold?" Xu Zimei asked.
"After all, we are near the Netherworld Blood Sea; even though I don’t know the exact location, I presume the Blood Clan should be quite active around this sea area," Ye Feiyang speculated.
"Do you have any way to identify members of the Blood Clan?" Xu Zimei inquired.
"Unless they reveal their true forms, we cannot detect the Blood Clan if they are hiding among the crowd," Ye Feiyang said, shaking his head.
"That’s troublesome; I guess there’s going to be a lot of unrest tonight," Xu Zimei shook his head slightly.
As the two were talking, they saw the Green Smoke Taoist arriving with a group of people.
"Senior," Ye Feiyang quickly greeted.
Green Smoke Taoist looked at Xu Zimei for a long time before he finally spoke gravely, "You should be careful; this sea area is not safe."
"Do you know about the Netherworld Blood Sea, senior?" Xu Zimei asked.
Upon hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Green Smoke Taoist’s expression changed instantly and he responded, "Are you from the Blood Clan?"
"Senior, please do not misunderstand; we are all of the human race, just looking for the Netherworld Blood Sea for some matters," Ye Feiyang hurriedly explained.
"There are members of the Blood Clan on this ship; catching one of them might let you know the location of the Netherworld Blood Sea," Green Smoke Taoist advised.
Watching the back of Green Smoke Taoist as he departed, Xu Zimei was deep in thought.
......
"What should we do now?" Ye Feiyang asked.
"Sleep," Xu Zimei replied.
"We’re not going to pursue the Blood Clan any further?" Ye Feiyang was puzzled and inquired.
"The dead aren’t our people, and others are more anxious than we are," Xu Zimei said, shaking his head.
He was certain that Green Smoke Taoist definitely knew something about the Netherworld Blood Sea.
The only reason he was withholding that information from Xu Zimei was to use his power to search for members of the Blood Clan.
"You guys go to sleep; I’ll still go take a look," Ye Feiyang said, somewhat uneasy.
Xu Zimei didn’t stop him; after greeting the Divine Emperor, he returned to his room to sleep.
Outside was bustling, the incident causing everyone in Clear Water Stronghold to lose any desire to sleep.
Furthermore, Clear Water Stronghold was not a large place to begin with, so the entire stronghold became lively.
Any encounter with an unfamiliar person prompted a questioning of their identity.
In the middle of the night, the outside world was brightly lit, while the door to the room where Xu Zimei was resting was slowly opened.
Xu Zimei turned over in bed and looked towards the door.
In the reflection of the bright moonlight, a person—or rather, a creature resembling a human—was standing at the doorway, his face covered in fresh blood, his body soaking wet, as if he had just crawled out of the sea.
The most notable feature was his teeth; each tooth was several dozen centimeters long.
The teeth protruded from his mouth, and because they were so long, they had pierced through his lips, creating a blood-drenched appearance as they grew out.
The sight was incredibly chilling.
"Is this what they mean by ’finding something without even trying’?" Xu Zimei was slightly taken aback.
But after a moment’s thought, he felt somewhat relieved.
The whole Clear Water Stronghold was in turmoil, yet his own room was exceptionally quiet.
It was evidently the best hiding spot.
There the Blood Clan member stood at the doorway, as he slowly closed the door; in this oppressive room, Xu Zimei could feel the presence emanating from the other party.
This presence was so overbearing that it could immobilize ordinary people, rendering them even unable to speak.
"Can you take me to the Netherworld Blood Sea?" Xu Zimei spoke up, smiling as he asked.
