Chapter 142: Fighting Apart, As Nimble As Fish in Water

“Huh… Yi Jian, you actually perfected a Sword Art Form to flawless mastery? I haven’t reached that level with any yet. I definitely can’t fly with a sword underwater just yet; I’d probably drown in this watery prison the moment I stepped out.” Blood Colored Poppy looked embarrassed. She had indeed already recognized their dilemma. The solution was simple: the eight needed to separate. Graceful Dream Butterfly had the Taiyi Five Smoke Net shielding her and the terrifying, lethally powerful Pale Flame; she could undoubtedly draw all of the Heishui Xuanshe’s attention. Protecting just herself alone wouldn’t require such strenuous pushing of the Taiyi Five Smoke Net either. The amount of True Qi consumed wouldn’t be so staggeringly high.

The other seven players would then be free to move flexibly, maneuvering through the surging green watery world, watching for the chance to strike.

Especially considering Graceful Dream Butterfly was a powerhouse she’d gone to great lengths to invite, a super expert whose backing included esteemed figures like Yan Yingmu. Several things concerning the future development of the Herbal Hall depended on her connections. If she were to actually lose her life here in this Ancient Tomb, the debt would be impossible to repay.

“Flawless mastery in Sword Art Form? No way! Don’t you have magic treasures like a Water-repelling Pearl? Something that lets you fly a sword underwater?” As soon as Ye Rong spoke, he realized his mistake. Qingcheng had the vast Dujiangyan Waters nearby. Aquatic Demonic Creatures there frequently dropped Water-repelling Pearls, making them almost an essential item – practically one for every player – because the daily quests around Dujiangyan Waters were impossible without one. But near the Kunlun Mountains? Even the passing streams were narrow and shallow, with very few Aquatic Demonic Creatures. Kunlun disciples had no reason to go to watery areas to train. They wouldn’t seek out items like Water-repelling Pearls and wouldn’t intentionally pick Water-type Dao Scrolls to learn, either, to boost their combat ability or adaptability underwater.

“Nope, Yi Jian. Seems you have one. Got any spares? And Fang Geyin? East Sea God of Wealth? You two are overseas-based practitioners; you should both have means to handle water, right?” Blood Colored Poppy’s eyes lit up, locking onto the three.

“No Water-repelling Pearl here. But I have a Crocodile Hide Dive suit. It boosts Sword Flight Speed by fifty underwater. You can borrow it for now, but I’ll need it back. I don’t have spares myself. Fortunately, my chosen Xuan Gui Dian cultivation method lets me swim freely in seas and rivers.” Fang Geyin grumbled before reluctantly pulling out the scaly suit and handing it over, emphasizing repeatedly, “Don’t forget to return it!”

“I only have one for myself. No extra water-repelling treasures to spare,” East Sea God of Wealth shook his head helplessly.

“I do have one spare Water-repelling Pearl,” Ye Rong said, rummaging in his Universe Pouch for quite a while to confirm. “But even with that, we’re still short two.”

In the Tuo River, Water-repelling Pearls weren’t rare. Almost everyone had one; they were practically handed out. Any he got were tossed immediately to Pecking Chicken to distribute to newbies, keeping just one in his Universe Pouch as a backup for emergencies.

Ye Rong tossed his spare pearl to Breeze Clear and Clouds Light. Even with the pearl allowing underwater access, Speed underwater was still halved. Breeze Clear and Clouds Light’s natural Speed was significantly higher. Even at half Sword Flight Speed underwater, he’d still be much faster than the two brothers from Wutai. This significantly boosted his chances of survival and contribution in the turbulent green world.

Yue Zu and Dai Pao spoke together, “No worries. We two have a piece of equipment. Driving it jointly can also ensure our safety underwater.”

Blood Colored Poppy gave them a deep look but didn’t elaborate. She put on the Crocodile Dive Suit Fang Geyin gave her and dashed out from under the protection of the Taiyi Five Smoke Net.

As Players exited one after another, the Taiyi Five Smoke Net shrank drastically, reforming into an intensely thick ball of swirling five-colored smoke. Even amidst the crashing waves, it stabilized instantly. A look of relief finally crossed Graceful Dream Butterfly’s face. Reducing the protected area from the size needed for eight people down to just one was a massive difference. The impact force it endured was entirely different now.

“Take this, you slimy snake!” Free to act, Graceful Dream Butterfly gave a defiant hum. She pressed both hands down. The spot where her maid’s dagger had struck thin air moments before suddenly erupted with dozens of fierce sword qi bursts, exploding right beneath the Heishui Xuanshe.

-200! -200! -200!

The dozens of sword qi bursts collided, detonating violently against the snake’s white underbelly. Gouts of bright red blood welled up, the heavy smell of blood thick in the air.

The minor wounds only incensed the Heishui Xuanshe further. Instead of towering waves, it churned water into coiling, formed wyrms – miniature dragons, each complete with scales and horns.

But Graceful Dream Butterfly’s assault at least monopolized the Heishui Xuanshe’s wrath, allowing Ye Rong and the others to slip away safely, unmolested. Had the snake focused on them as they fled the Taiyi Five Smoke Net’s protection, someone might have perished instantly in its retaliatory attack.

As soon as Ye Rong submerged, he felt no hindrance at all. His Speed was almost identical to normal sword flight. The Green Dragon Ornate Feather Robe’s power “Dragon Roams the Vast Sea,” granting a thirty percent Sword Flight Speed boost in water, coupled with the ten percent boost on standard Qingcheng robes, both took effect. In terms of underwater Sword Flight Speed, he surpassed even the notoriously fast Breeze Clear and Clouds Light.

“Whoa! Such a colossal serpent! Where’s the best spot to strike?” Ye Rong switched to the Sinking Water Sword. Its Sword Light merged with the surrounding water, becoming invisible, formless, just like a pure stream passing through. Only when near the Heishui Xuanshe did he grasp the sheer terror of its size. He doubted his Flying Sword thrusting entirely through its body would even qualify as major damage—it was simply too enormous. Six grown men couldn’t have encircled its girth. The snake’s body was incredibly thick.

Ye Rong drew back slightly and unleashed a Chongxu Sword Qi burst. With a “pfft,” it hit the Heishui Xuanshe, leaving only a small, bloody hole—for such a giant snake, like a mere scratch, irrelevant.

Underwater, Blood Colored Poppy fought fiercely. Even facing this behemoth, a Level 60 Elite Monster, she dared fly combined with her sword, crashing straight into it for a brutal exchange. Constant drifts of stardust showered around her, likely the Flying Sword’s added spell, allowing her underwater Sword Flight Speed to nearly match Ye Rong’s, becoming the second fastest among them all. The stellar ribbon crashed savagely against the Heishui Xuanshe’s belly, twisted fiercely, and tore off a chunk of flesh. Dark scarlet blood shot out like a fountain, its stench overwhelming. The Heishui Xuanshe lowered its head, jaws snapping, trying to gulp Blood Colored Poppy whole. Luckily, she reacted quickly enough. Retreating instantly, the serpent merely clipped the tail end of her stellar Sword Light. Still, when Blood Colored Poppy pulled back, her face was pale, shaken. Eaten alive by a monster? Definitely among the most humiliating, wretched ways to die.

Blood Colored Poppy reformed her Sword Light. Starlight gathered before she joined the fray once more.

The Heishui Xuanshe appeared utterly enraged by these pesky flies’ incessant attacks. Roaring skyward, it entered a berserk rage. The already tumultuous green water world transformed entirely into a scene mirroring a tsunami or hurricane. A thick layer of water, tens of meters deep, weighing thousands or tens of thousands of tons, was drawn in, swirling around it to form a protective wall-barrier. Simultaneously, the snake’s huge maw opened wide. It spat a rapid-fire sequence of glowing water orb thunder – Guishui Divine Thunder. Each orb contained terrifying power, crackling with devastating arcs of lightning. The majority shot towards the Taiyi Five Smoke Net, while others were equally distributed towards Ye Rong and his companions.

“Guishui Divine Thunder!” Ye Rong’s expression changed immediately. He pulled out the Leigong Hammer, shaking it instantly. Binghuo Divine Thunder and Wutu Divine Thunder blasted forth, colliding precisely with the two glowing orbs heading his way. A ferocious explosion erupted, their forces canceling each other out. Yet, submerged, the Guishui Divine Thunder’s power surged significantly. The shockwaves blasted through the water layers. Though Ye Rong activated his Mystic Purple Qi Shield in time, he was still slammed back dozens of meters underwater, appearing rather disheveled.

“Spread out! Use all your tricks, grind this Heishui Xuanshe down!” Blood Colored Poppy yelled in the Team Channel. No one knew how she deflected the Guishui Divine Thunder, but she was fully back in the fight now. Her starlight ribbon slammed brutally against the watery wall barrier. Unfortunately, apart from blasting waves and ripples, it couldn’t reach the Heishui Xuanshe’s main body. Her results were less effective than before.

The sole good news: firing so many Guishui Divine Thunder blasts apparently took a toll even on the snake. It showed no sign of launching consecutive barrages, giving everyone a quick breather. Had four or five waves of Guishui Divine Thunder rained down, only the Long-Legged Lady might have escaped returning to the Resurrection Point.

The eight of them fanned out, encircling the Heishui Xuanshe. Graceful Dream Butterfly absorbed the majority of its attacks while the other seven provided cover, attacked, watched each other’s backs, and kept an orderly rhythm – advance and retreat smoothly. These were all top-tier players; they didn’t need drills for battle formation or coordination before a fight. In actual combat, camaraderie built swiftly; tacit understanding soared.

Even Graceful Dream Butterfly grew cautious, no longer relying entirely on the Taiyi Five Smoke Net’s defense to duke it out face-on. Against a Level 60 Elite Monster, one misstep meant all eight could be wiped out here together. A total party kill was a highly possible outcome.