Bai Sha did not choose to start cultivating immediately. She knew that human cultivators would soon pass by this area, leading to a conflict so violent it would reduce the surrounding landscape to rubble. In her first life, she had nearly died just from being caught in the aftershocks.
With a mere thought, the gray stone tablet vanished without a trace.
Items preserved by the simulator could be stored within its formless, internal space, retrieved or stowed away at Bai Sha’s will.
“Splash!”
Bursting through the roaring current, Bai Sha darted out of the undersea cave.
Jagged rocks, soft aquatic plants, drifting bubbles, and schools of fish materialized before her eyes, one after another.
Bai Sha’s long, streamlined body sliced through the seawater with fluid grace. Her two pectoral fins flapped against the water from time to time, and an occasional flick of her crescent-shaped tail fin would grant her a sudden, sharp burst of speed.
Soon, Bai Sha arrived at a pile of boulders on the seafloor. The sardines living in the crevices scattered in a panic at the sight of the approaching Great White Shark, leaving the area instantly clear and quiet, with only the kelp and sea grass swaying along with the current.
Bai Sha settled onto the seabed and pulled out the gray stone tablet, holding it before her eyes and staring at it intently.
As she focused, a body of knowledge naturally surfaced in her mind, guiding her on exactly how to tread the path of cultivation.
As she read, a flash of surprise crossed Bai Sha’s gaze.
‘This Raging Waves Art… it can actually be cultivated all the way to the Demon Core realm?’
The contents of the Raging Waves Art elaborated on the path of cultivation. Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Demon Core—these were the first three realms for a Demon Cultivator. As for the realms beyond that, the scroll’s contents made no mention of them.
Bai Sha hadn’t expected to obtain a Demon Core-level art. The realization lifted her spirits considerably.
Yet, after studying the Qi Condensation cultivation arts for a moment, Bai Sha’s brow furrowed slightly. She found parts of it difficult to grasp.
‘There’s no one here to guide me in cultivation. Relying solely on myself to get started seems a bit troublesome.’
The thought brought a sigh from Bai Sha, but she didn’t lose hope.
In her previous life, when she was still under the White King’s command, she had heard of a special cultivation site that could accelerate one’s cultivation speed. She wondered if it would be of any help to her now.
…
The Coral Abyss.
This was a deep-sea chasm formed by massive accumulations of coral. Corals of every imaginable color grew within the abyss, creating a dazzling, multicolored spectacle.
Upon arriving, a look of delight appeared in Bai Sha’s eyes.
Because here, she sensed a dense concentration of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, unlike anything found in any other location.
It was only after studying the introductory content of the Raging Waves Art that Bai Sha had learned how to perceive Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. This special energy existed in every corner of the world. The so-called act of cultivation was simply the process of absorbing this qi into one’s body and refining it into personal spiritual power.
For a Demon Cultivator, of course, that energy should be called Demonic Power!
‘The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi here is so rich. It truly is a cultivation treasure land. But… why is it so deserted?’
After her initial joy came a wave of suspicion.
The Coral Abyss was vast, its environment beautiful, and its qi incredibly dense. So why was such a place seemingly empty for as far as the eye could see? Did the Demon Cultivators of the Eastern Sea not know to seek out suitable treasure lands for cultivation?
This abnormality sent a vague, ominous feeling creeping through Bai Sha’s heart. After a moment’s thought, she chose to retreat, planning to first find other Demon Beasts that had awakened their intelligence to gather information.
But just as Bai Sha was about to back away, a voice rang out from behind her.
“You’re quite a perceptive Great White Shark, aren’t you? But since you’re already here, do you think you can just leave?”
The sudden voice made Bai Sha’s heart jump in fright. Instinctively, she lashed out with her crescent-shaped tail fin towards the source of the sound. But it struck nothing but water, causing the current to swirl violently.
Bai Sha spun around.
She saw a woman dressed in the garb of a Daoist Nun floating in the seawater. She wore a dark purple Daoist robe and had a bewitching, charming face framed by long eyelashes. A faint, ambiguous smile played on her lips.
Around her body, a transparent dome-shaped barrier fully enclosed her without any blind spots. This was also the reason she could dive so deep underwater without being affected.
“Seal!”
The Daoist Nun let out a delicate shout, and Bai Sha immediately felt her body tighten.
Tough, resilient ropes materialized outside her body, rapidly binding her in place.
A Magical Tool?
That was the only thought that flashed through Bai Sha’s mind before she found herself completely immobilized.
Magical Tools were items crafted by cultivators using special methods. They could be activated with Spiritual Power, Demonic Power, or other forms of energy. They produced astonishing effects, and Bai Sha, who had yet to even set foot on the path of cultivation, was utterly incapable of resisting one.
She began to sink naturally through the water. But before she could sink far, the Daoist Nun swam over and grabbed her.
“Only opened your intelligence without actually starting cultivation? No matter, it’s all the same.”
As if possessing incredible strength, the Daoist Nun gripped Bai Sha and swam towards the depths of the Coral Abyss.
Seeing this, Bai Sha finally understood. So-called cultivation treasure land? It was nothing more than a massive trap!
Relations between human cultivators and Demon Cultivators had never been particularly good. The appearance of human cultivators in the Eastern Sea, the territory of the Demon Clan, could hardly be for anything benevolent.
‘Am I going to have to waste a Simulation count like this?’
A feeling of unwillingness welled up in Bai Sha’s heart.
She looked at the Daoist Nun. Seeing that the woman had only captured her, with no apparent intent to kill her, Bai Sha decided to wait and see. Her simulation counts were limited; she couldn’t afford to waste one unless absolutely necessary.
When they reached the bottom of the Coral Abyss, Bai Sha’s gaze swept the area, and she was inwardly shocked.
Because a considerable number of other human cultivators were present. They all wore identical dark purple Daoist robes, clearly from the same sect.
“Senior Sister Yuan!”
“Another Demon Cultivator tricked into the net… Wait, this one’s only awakened its intelligence, right?”
“It’s fine. Awakened intelligence still counts as a Demon Beast, much better than an ordinary animal.”
“This method of tricking Demon Cultivators into delivering themselves is excellent. If we trick a few more, we won’t have to worry about material shortages for a long time.”
The cultivators chatted amongst themselves, their faces filled with smiles.
Bai Sha’s heart sank. She more or less understood the situation now.
To many human cultivators, various parts of a Demon Cultivator’s body could serve as valuable cultivation materials. These cultivators were clearly in the business of capturing Demon Cultivators for that very purpose, and she herself was one of the prey.
The situation was getting troublesome.
Just as she was thinking this, Bai Sha felt her body loosen. The ropes binding her dissolved. But in the next moment, she was thrown into a massive Cage. The Cage seemed to be forged from steel, with ripples of light flowing across its surface. It was clearly another Magical Tool.
Inside the Cage, besides herself, there were several other unlucky souls.
