C18 Tipping

However, where was Chen Yuan's figure on the water's surface?

Beyond the endlessly rolling ripples, the pond was a void of darkness, revealing nothing.

"What's happening?" Hearing Mr. Mo's urgent shout, Wudian and the others couldn't hold back their concern and rushed over.

But all they found was Mr. Mo standing alone at the water's edge.

"Where's Chen Yuan? He didn't jump in, did he?" Dumpling's mouth hung open as he blurted out the question.

Just then, the water before Mr. Mo surged, and a dark shape burst forth. On closer inspection, it was indeed Chen Yuan, who had leaped into the pond moments earlier.

In his grasp was a fish, no more than a foot long, glowing faintly as it writhed in his hand.

"Mr. Mo, the pond's only about ten meters deep, with no other entrances. There's no connection to an underground river; it's likely fed by mountain springs. Apart from these luminescent fish, there's nothing else. You can relax. Or why not come down and see for yourselves?" Chen Yuan tossed the fish he held onto the bank as he spoke.

Wudian, beaming with delight, dashed over to retrieve the fish. Meanwhile, Mr. Mo fixed Chen Yuan with a stern gaze and reprimanded, "Yuan, what were you thinking? Never pull a stunt like that again! Don't let your high cultivation level give you a false sense of invincibility. The world out there is vast, incredibly so. It's teeming not just with Body Tempering Stage Strange Beasts but also those at the Qi Condensation and even Celestial Lake Stages. Had there been a beast of such power lurking in this pond, how could I ever face your late parents?"

Floating on the pond's surface, Chen Yuan absorbed Mr. Mo's words in silence.

He understood Mr. Mo's genuine concern and realized that he seemed to have a close connection with his own parents in this body.

Despite his curiosity, Chen Yuan refrained from asking questions, wary of arousing suspicion.

"I understand, Mr. Mo. It won't happen again," Chen Yuan replied with a rueful smile, then plunged back into the water before Mr. Mo could object.

On the pond's edge, Mr. Mo exhaled a weary sigh. Yet, after a contemplative glance at the deep waters, he resolved to dive in for a thorough check, just in case something had been overlooked.

Beneath the surface, Chen Yuan's past life swimming prowess, combined with his formidable cultivation, enabled him to reach the bottom, over ten meters down. The bottom was littered with stones, and among them, glowing fish, ranging from a foot to half a foot in length, swam about. Many seemed unafraid of Chen Yuan, even approaching him curiously, allowing him to effortlessly capture one.

Sensing someone above, Chen Yuan looked up to see Mr. Mo descending. He cleared the way, surfacing first.

Once ashore, Chen Yuan tossed the fish onto the bank and swiftly adjusted his "clothing." The few tattered leaves, now further frayed by the pond's waters, barely concealed him, revealing glimpses of skin. Had it not been for the similarly scant attire of his companions, Chen Yuan would have felt too embarrassed to remain.

Despite his predicament, Chen Yuan's most pressing concern was the embarrassing state of his clothing. Unlike Mr. Mo and the others, he had a sense of modesty, having come from Blue Star, and was eager to address any issues that could be resolved with clothing.

So...

The clueless deer wandering aimlessly inside the cave, unable to find an exit, became Chen Yuan's targets! On Blue Star, these creatures were protected, but here, that was not the case. Drawing his Azure Peak Sword, Chen Yuan charged at the one nearest to him.

The deer, which had been heading towards the pond, seemed curious about the activities of the people there. But upon seeing Chen Yuan approach, it turned tail in fright. It was impressively quick, so much so that even Wudian and the others might not have been able to catch up. But Chen Yuan was faster still.

Wudian and the rest could only watch as Chen Yuan blurred into a shadow. In an instant, the deer that had been bounding away was suddenly paralyzed in place, then collapsed with a thud. A closer look revealed that Chen Yuan had swiftly slit its throat, and dark red blood was now pooling around it.

"Alright, take a look around and see if this environment is suitable for a new gathering place. I've got some personal matters to attend to," Chen Yuan called out. The others, snapped out of their daze by his voice, nodded and set to work. Two tested the nearby rock walls for safety, while two others checked the previously sealed entrance. Duan Zi remained by the pond, waiting for Mr. Mo to emerge.

Soon enough, Mr. Mo appeared, soaked but excited. "This is definitely a mountain spring, very safe. If we can confirm there are no large dangerous Strange Beasts nearby, this would be an ideal location for our new gathering place," he declared. Then, noticing Chen Yuan skinning the deer, Mr. Mo's eyebrows shot up.

He approached, intrigued, but his expression soon soured. "You're too slow with that technique, and you're ruining the hide. Hand me the knife!" Mr. Mo demanded, squatting down and extending his hand. Chen Yuan handed over the Azure Peak Sword with a wry smile, admitting that skinning was not his forte.

Mr. Mo's skill was evident as he worked, the hide coming away almost perfectly clean, a testament to his expertise. Chen Yuan watched, thoroughly impressed and offering lavish praise. Pang Zi chimed in, "That's nothing. You should have seen Mr. Mo take down an Arch Dragon. Now that was impressive!"

"Enough of that. Why aren't you helping with the search?" Mr. Mo chided Pang Zi, who quickly stifled his smile and scurried off to assist.

Yet, those foolish roosters aimlessly meandering within the cave were left unattended. With no way in or out, they simply became living provisions. They were allowed to roam freely, unbothered by anyone.