Invincible Divine Doctor of the Beautiful Lady

Xiao Yu gave a nod to the young man in yellow, Chu Huafeng, who immediately understood and stood up, raising his voice, "Traveling is boring, and idling is a waste. Why don't we have a little spar? It would be a good opportunity for some cultivation, wouldn't it?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept toward Tangyu, clearly intending to lure Tangyu into taking part and perhaps teach him a lesson.

Under the guise of sparring, the real intent was to make Tangyu look foolish.

Seeing Tangyu unresponsive, Chu Huafeng approached and looked at Tangyu with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, it's destiny that brings us together. It isn't easy for us to gather like this. We're companions for the journey ahead. Let me introduce myself, I am Chu Huafeng. How should I address you?"

"Tangyu," Tangyu casually replied, well aware of the little tricks the other was playing.

Chu Huafeng continued, "So it's Fellow Daoist Tangyu, a pleasure to meet you. You see, it's dull being idle, and I have the itch to test my skills. I'm hoping Fellow Daoist Tangyu might indulge me with a friendly duel? It's good to exchange strengths."

Initially, Chu Huafeng's friendly invitation seemed so proper that it was hard to refuse. But Tangyu, not wanting to bully these people, simply shook his head, "No need for sparring, I'm afraid I am not blessed to learn your skills. My capabilities are average, you guys have your fun. I'll just watch."

Tangyu's gentle words left Chu Huafeng with no point to counterattack, so he could only say again, "Fellow Daoist Tangyu, you shouldn't say that. At most, I would only be slightly higher in realm than you. But our sparring isn't about realms, it's purely an exchange on cultivation, without thinking of who's higher or lower. Come, let's at least compare swordsmanship, can we? I'm just so bored."

Tangyu still shook his head, "No need, I'm not skilled in swordsmanship either. Just ignore me."

Hearing Tangyu's words, a look of disdain deepened on Xiao Yu's face, "What a coward, to refuse a friendly sparring with such disrespect."

Facing Xiao Yu's mockery, Tangyu simply ignored it; engaging with such people was meaningless. Different realms lead to different perspectives. Tangyu stood on a high vantage, seeing people like Xiao Yu as if viewing from a mountain peak.

Xian Yun said, "Alright, since Tangyu doesn't want to, you shouldn't force him. If you want to spar, do it among yourselves. Why harass Tangyu? After all, he is our guest."

Chu Huafeng said, "Xian Yun, I never meant to harass him, just wanted a friendly duel. Since Fellow Daoist Tangyu is unwilling, let's forget it." With that, Chu Huafeng shrugged helplessly at Xiao Yu and sat back down.

"Hmph, cowardly like a rat. No real strength, naturally too afraid to come out and make a fool of himself. Never mind, we'll find another chance to teach him a proper lesson." Xiao Yu snorted disdainfully.

Xian Yun shook her head, saying, "Tangyu, don't mind them, that's just their nature. Truthfully, they aren't bad at heart."

Tangyu smiled indifferently, "It's alright, I don't mind. If I did, I wouldn't have joined you. Worries and happiness are self-imposed. Deliberately thinking certain things only shackles you. For us cultivators, the most important is cultivating the heart. A far-reaching mindset leads to broader paths. The heart is like this boundless South Sea; if you want it calm, it stays calm. If you want waves, there'll be waves. If you wish it frightening, then it will be truly terrifying."

"My heart remains serene, so all accolades and criticisms become inconsequential."

Tangyu's words brought Xian Yun to silence, contemplating them deeply, feeling a profound artistic conception that moved her. She seemed to grasp something ethereal yet felt it was beyond comprehension.

Whoosh—

Suddenly, an explosive sound erupted from the sea, sending several feet high waves crashing down, causing the calm sea to become turbulent. Giant waves, like massive serpents, struck the Spirit Boat, making it lightly rock.

This sudden turn of events instantly heightened the tension among Xiao Yu and his companions, each drawing their swords, vigilantly watching the surrounding waters.

"There's a demon causing trouble; we need to be cautious," Xiao Yu said with a serious expression, displaying some leadership in the face of danger.

Xian Yun gripped her sword tightly at Tangyu's side, advising him, "Stay close to me and be careful. Judging by the array, the attacking demon might not be weak."

Whoosh—

Beneath the water, dark currents surged, revealing the rapid movement of enormous shadows surrounding the Spirit Boat.

The others couldn't discern the situation clearly, but Tangyu saw everything in a glance. A Golden Core Realm Yao Race leading hundreds of little demons was brewing trouble below, intending to attack. Although it was just a First Layer of Golden Core Realm Yao, they were crafty, skilled at leveraging every advantage in battle. And they had the geographical advantage at sea, aided by little demons, posing a significant threat. If Xiao Yu and the five lacked battle experience, they might well face defeat.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—

Suddenly, the eerie sound of breaking air came as little demons leaped from the water, directly charging towards Tangyu and the others.

"Kill!" Xiao Yu shouted loudly, and the five of them charged out at the same time. All five used swords, with swordsmanship originating from the same roots. Although they were all at the First Layer of the Golden Core Realm, their swordsmanship was not impressive. At least, Tangyu didn't think much of it. Even inferior to Shi Jian during the Mystic Law Realm period. Thus, it was destined that the strength of these five was quite ordinary.

The five of them, however, coordinated perfectly, attacking simultaneously, with a faint hint of forming a sword array. Although it wasn't a real sword array, its power was quite decent.

These small demons were not strong to begin with, so they naturally couldn't withstand the swords of the five, each demon being slain one by one.

"Hmph, a bunch of small demons at the Mystic Law Realm dare to stir up trouble, truly reckless. Retreat quickly, and you might spare your lives." Xiao Yu coldly snorted, showing a hint of disdain on his face.

Seeing Xiao Yu's expression, Tangyu couldn't help but find it amusing. This guy indeed had a bit too much confidence. Such complacency could be very dangerous.

Boom——

Suddenly, a giant tentacle broke through the water like a flood dragon and charged directly at Xiao Yu. As one tentacle emerged, many others followed, with dozens of tentacles, each tens of meters long, attacking from all directions, covering the sky. They enveloped the entire Spirit Boat, forming an enclosed cage, intending to swallow and slay everyone on the Spirit Boat.

Each tentacle was as terrifying as a flood dragon.

"Not good, there's danger, it's a Golden Core Realm Great Demon, be careful." Xiao Yu's face changed drastically, urgently shouting out.

Everyone was even more tense, and faced with such a terrifying Great Demon, they naturally sensed danger. The five gathered tightly, while Tangyu was in the middle, protected by the five, which made him quite safe.

Fortunately, the five knew a set of Sword Fusion Technique, and their coordination was quite seamless, allowing their defenses to be watertight, not easily breached by the Yao Race's attack.

But the Yao Race's attack power was frightening, and the tentacles repeatedly assaulted them, lifting the Spirit Boat out of the water with its tentacles. If an outsider witnessed this scene from afar, it would appear as an enormous creature, menacingly reaching out dozens of large tentacles, abducting a large ship into the air. The scene was utterly astonishing.

Xiao Yu finally recognized the origin of the demon in front of him: "It's an adult giant squid Great Demon, the most tenacious of Great Demons. This time, we're really in trouble. Everyone hold on tight. With our Sword Fusion Technique, we won't be easily defeated."

"What rotten luck, entering the South Sea and encountering such a tenacious Great Demon so quickly. It seems the dangers within the South Sea far exceed our expectations." Even Chu Huafeng cursed.

At this moment, everyone's mood was terribly low, caught in danger and unable to find a suitable solution.

And the attacks from the squid Great Demon grew more ferocious, making Xiao Yu's group of five feel ever more strained.

"Xiao Yu, what do we do? I can barely hold on; if this continues, we'll all die here." One of the girls said in a panic.

Xian Yun bit her lip lightly: "Yaoyao, don't say such defeatist things. We are all at the Golden Core Realm; we won't die here so easily. Hold on, I don't believe we can't make it through."

Yaoyao was on the verge of tears: "I can't hold on much longer. This time we are truly doomed; this Yao Race is too terrifying. Oh, I regret coming to the South Sea for fun. This place is far more dangerous than we imagined."

Xian Yun comforted: "No, this time it's just bad luck. We're only on the outskirts of the South Sea, so it shouldn't be too dangerous in general. This is just an unfortunate coincidence. Please hold on; we must hold on."

The faces of the three male companions beside Xiao Yu were also dark and grim, extremely grave. Such a perilous situation was a first for them. This trip to the South Sea was a bold venture to begin with. Originally meant to experience the scenery on the outskirts, they didn't expect to encounter such a terrifying Great Demon even there.

What to do?

If this continues, it will certainly only lead to death. Once the Sword Fusion Technique breaks, then real danger looms.

"Heh heh, six youngsters, sweet human flesh, and Golden Core. My favorite. Just submit to your fate, obediently become my delicacy. Don't resist; it's useless. A mere few youngsters think they can defy me, how laughable." A piercing voice emanated from a gargantuan head, extremely grotesque, with a huge mouth opening like a black hole.

This was the true form of the squid king, an enormous squid.

Frightened by the squid king's voice, Xiao Yu and his group's faces turned pale, their expressions dreadful and somewhat dazed. With their willpower faltering, the power of their Sword Fusion Technique suddenly dropped, on the verge of collapse.

Bang——

The Sword Fusion Technique broke. This sound was like a thunderous shock that weighed heavily on the hearts of the five.