There were some words that didn't need to be spoken. Actions alone were enough to represent one's position.
Xu Qing sat cross-legged on the treetop. His actions and expression were exactly the same as before, but the hearts of the Cultivators around the basin were as different as the heavens and the earth.
What they once feared, they feared even more.
What they once ignored, they now viewed with extreme importance.
All of this caused the atmosphere in the basin to become even more oppressive. It wasn't until late at night that rumbling sounds could be heard from the foot of the mountain. Two Sea Iguanas with power comparable to the eighth level of Qi Condensation staggered over.
Their appearance attracted the attention of all the Cultivators in the area. However, even as the Sea Iguanas crawled into the basin and finished shedding their skin, no one dared to make a move. They could only watch as the five Sea Ghost cultivators entered the basin to collect the Sea Iguanas.
Only Xu Qing was different.
Xu Qing opened his eyes. The moment the two Sea Iguanas finished shedding their skin, he stood up.
When he stood up, he immediately attracted the attention of all the people in the area.
Ignoring the gazes on him, Xu Qing calmly leaped down from the treetop. His entire body turned into an afterimage as he sped toward the basin.
Even though there were Cultivators from the Sea Ghost Organization in the basin, Xu Qing didn't even spare them a glance. He headed straight for a shelled lizard. Next to the shelled lizard was an Outsider from the Sea Ghost Organization. When he saw Xu Qing approaching, his face darkened.
His eyes flashed, and he suddenly lifted his right hand. Instantly, his fingernails extended like sharp blades, and he swung them at Xu Qing.
"Friend, this Sea Iguana is my Sea …"
Before the Outsider could finish speaking, Xu Qing reached out and grabbed the Outsider's hand. Xu Qing pulled the Outsider toward him, then used the momentum to launch himself into the air. Xu Qing's knee slammed into the Outsider's chest.
Cracking sounds rang out in all directions. The Outsider's chest caved in, and cracks spread all over his body. Finally, with a boom, he shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.
However, what fell apart was not flesh and blood, but wood.
Shockingly, this Outsider was not a real person, but a puppet.
The expressions of the Sea Ghost cultivators in the basin changed. Even as their guard rose, Xu Qing took one of the Sea Iguanas and looked at them coldly.
At that moment, the Sea Ghost cultivators who had been sitting cross-legged not too far away stood up......
Both sides stared at each other for a long time.
In the middle of the Sea Ghost organization, there was a tall and sturdy man with a bare upper body. At this moment, the flesh on his chest suddenly wriggled and a ferocious face appeared.
His face looked like that of a newborn baby. Although it was filled with wrinkles, it was still brimming with life. His eyes were crimson as he stared at Xu Qing.
"My friend, you may have destroyed my toy, but that's nothing. As for the sea lizards here … I, Sea Ghost, want half of them. Isn't that too much?"
Xu Qing looked at the face, but didn't say anything. Taking the lizard slough, he returned to the top of the tree and sat down cross-legged to continue meditating.
His objective was very clear. He had come to Ocean Lizard Island this time for the Ocean Lizard Skin, not to kill. Of course, if there were obstructions in the process of obtaining the Ocean Lizard Skin, it would be a different matter.
In addition, he wasn't overly greedy.
Xu Qing was well aware that this situation was actually more advantageous to him. After all, the sea ghost had intimidated others, causing the other rogue cultivators to not dare to fight for it. This way, he would be able to obtain more.
Although Xu Qing's combat strength was sufficient, these desperadoes who were struggling between life and death would definitely have some trump cards. Therefore, Xu Qing felt that there was no need to kill them.
Since his objective could be achieved, he naturally agreed with the other party.
Just like this, time passed and three days passed.
During these three days, Xu Qing acted once more and directly took half of the Ocean Lizard Skin without any setbacks. However, he still had doubts about the sea ghost's arrival and the reason why the other cultivators hadn't left yet.
On the night of the third day, when a huge boat appeared on the sea in the distance and seemed to be heading for Ocean Lizard Island, Xu Qing's suspicions reached a certain level.
This boat was 1,000 feet long and completely black. It was different in style from the Seven Blood Pupils' boat. It was more like the shape of a maple leaf. The strangest thing was that when one looked at this boat, they couldn't help but feel a chill in their heart. It was as if there was a strange forbidden area hidden in this boat.
The reason for all of this was the boat's paint.
The black color wasn't natural but was smeared with some kind of blood. It was this blood that gave Xu Qing that strange feeling.
"Departure Sect!"
"They're actually here too!"
The location of the basin allowed the people here to have a better view of the sea. At this moment, like Xu Qing, they all noticed the black boat that was rapidly approaching. Immediately, someone exclaimed in a low voice with deep wariness in their words.
The dozen cultivators from the Sea Ghost Organization also had serious expressions. They whispered to each other as if they were facing a great enemy.
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. He was familiar with the Departure Sect.
Back then, the little girl at the scavenger camp had an older brother who was the captain of the Departure Sect's law enforcement team. She was also taken away by her older brother.
At that time, outside the grocery store, he heard the scavengers talking about the Departure Sect. Their words implied that they were a bunch of lunatics.
When he joined the Seven Blood Pupils and read the information in the Arresting Department, Xu Qing learned more about the Departure Sect.
The Departure Sect was one of the four biggest human factions in the South Phoenix Continent. It was on par with the Purple Earth Sect, the Seven Blood Pupils, and the Truth Sect. Its doctrine was to follow the former ancient rulers and leave this apocalyptic world.
Their doctrine constantly proclaimed that the sacred land created by the ancient rulers was full of beauty. There was no famine, no cold, no killing, and the spirit energy was pure.
One day in the future, the sacred land would open its doors to the apocalyptic world and take in all those who believed in it.
This was the belief of the Departure Sect. At the same time, all those who didn't agree with this belief were heretics in the eyes of the Departure Sect. They would be punished and deprived of their right to life.
And this kind of extreme doctrine naturally brought a group of crazy people.
"I wonder how she is now."
Xu Qing whispered in his heart. He remembered the candy that the little girl had given him. But soon, he returned from his memories and stared at the Departure Sect's boat that was getting closer and closer.
"What will happen to this Ocean Lizard Island?"
As Xu Qing's doubts deepened, Old Man Banquanlu, who was behind the rocks in the basin, sighed when he saw the arrival of the Departure Sect.
"It's over. This time, the Sea Ghosts and the Departure Sect should be coming one after another for the same purpose as me."
Old Man Banquanlu slapped his forehead. Just as he was feeling very vexed, the snake next to him growled a few times. The old man looked at the snake and pondered for a moment.
"What you said makes some sense."
With that, the old man suddenly stood up and went straight to the crown of the tree where Xu Qing was. The snake followed behind him with an excited expression. However, very few people could recognize this excitement.
His movement immediately attracted the attention of the cultivators around the basin.
The Sea Ghosts also looked over, but the Departure Sect was about to arrive, so they weren't in the mood to stop him.
Soon, while Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and stared at the old man's neck, the old man brought the snake 100 feet away from him.
"Kid, let's discuss this. Don't use poison. Disperse the poison here. I have something to tell you."
Xu Qing looked at the old man and roughly guessed his purpose, so he waved his hand as if to disperse the poison.
When the old man saw Xu Qing's action, he let out a sigh of relief and stepped within 100 feet of him.
After taking a few steps, he carefully stopped 30 feet away from Xu Qing and spoke in a low voice.
"Kid, are you wondering why the Sea Ghosts and the Departure Sect are here?
"I won't beat around the bush and will tell you the answer.
According to the season, there is a high probability of Foundation Establishment sea lizards shedding their skin.
"The skin of a Foundation Establishment sea lizard is worth 2,000 spirit stones at the early stage, 5,000 at the middle stage, and at least 10,000 at the late stage.
"This old man is alone, so I came to find you to form an alliance. Let us become each other's most indestructible allies.
"You and I will work together to snatch the resources. We will split it 50-50 and trust each other with our backs!"
The old man's words were very passionate and he quickly looked at Xu Qing. However, his expression soon changed and he quickly took out pills and swallowed them. He pointed at Xu Qing and began to curse.
"Stinking brat, didn't you say you wouldn't use poison?!"
Xu Qing pondered the information in the old man's words and casually explained, "I didn't use poison. I just spread it here before."
"F * ck, then why did you wave your hand just now?!" The old man was even angrier.
"You told me to disperse the poison." Xu Qing frowned.
"… Then did you disperse it?" The old man glared at him.
"My poison can't be dispersed."
Xu Qing was a little impatient. The old man was someone who had entered his bamboo slip. If it weren't for the fact that the forces here were chaotic and inconvenient to attack, he would have killed him here.
The old man was speechless. He looked at Xu Qing and sighed after a while.
"I feel like I can't communicate with you!
You mean you can't disperse the poison, but you made a fake move to comfort me? "
Xu Qing looked at the old man coldly and didn't speak.
The veins on the old man's forehead bulged. When the big snake saw this, it quickly growled a few times.
The old man gritted his teeth and swallowed another handful of pills. He looked at Xu Qing angrily.
"Do you agree to form an alliance?"
"Okay," Xu Qing said without hesitation.
Seeing that Xu Qing agreed so quickly, the old man sighed and was about to speak. But at this moment, the boat of the Departure Sect in the distance had already reached the shore.
Figures walked out of the boat. About seven or eight people stepped into the forest.
Under the moonlight, these people's faces couldn't be seen clearly. Only their black robes could be seen, and even their heads were covered. A murderous and bloody aura rose. Each of them was extremely fast. After stepping into the forest, they went straight to the mountains where the basin was located.
"The Departure Sect is full of lunatics. There have always been rumors at sea that they secretly control some islands and seem to be conducting some strange research. But the location is hidden, and so few outsiders have been able to reach it." Old man Banquanlu's face was ugly as he spoke gloomily.
Xu Qing heard this and narrowed his eyes and looked over.
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I've posted nearly 340,000 words. According to the daily update volume, it should be about 440,000 to 50,000 words before it goes on the shelves.
I don't know if other writers have posted so many words before going on the shelves. Maybe there are, but I'm not sure.
But beautiful boys and girls, I've tried my best ~ ~