Jian Dan and the group of six had been sailing for three days, taking turns controlling the flying vessel as they followed Chen Shan's directions toward the Redleaf Fish schools. At last, by noon on the fourth day, they found their target: a shoal of Redleaf Fish feeding in the waters ahead.
As their name suggested, Redleaf Fish resembled bright crimson leaves fluttering in the current, each barely larger than a palm. What made them dangerous wasn't their size or defense—they had little of either—but their jagged teeth, capable of gnawing through nearly any sea-dwelling creature. Though only first-rank sea beasts, a single spell could kill dozens. Yet these fish never traveled alone; a shoal typically numbered in the tens of thousands.
At present, the shoal had surrounded a third-rank sea beast: an Electric Eel. As a dominant predator of the shallows, the eel's body crackled with arcs of electricity, sending surging waves rippling across the surface. With one shock, it had stunned a wide swath of Redleaf Fish—but the swarm showed no fear. Undeterred, they pressed closer, surrounding it with suicidal ferocity.
The eel whipped its fins, darting desperately through the waves, trying to shake off the relentless pursuit. The fish, for their part, never faltered. It was a brutal chase unfolding right before their eyes.
Chen Shan's ship hovered over a dozen nautical miles away, not daring to get closer for fear of being caught between the eel and the fish.
Chen Shan took command:
"We'll wait in hiding and strike once both sides are weakened."
Everyone nodded in agreement—who wouldn't want to reap the rewards without the risks?
"However, the commotion will likely draw other cultivators and sea beasts soon. We must act swiftly."
"Once the fight ends, Shan Yunzhu and I will secure the eel. Wei Qing and Wei Zi, you'll use the Thousand Cloud Net to haul in the Redleaf fish—no more than three casts, then retreat immediately. Jiang Lei will guard the rear and alert us to threats, assisting the Wei siblings if necessary. Chen Liang, stay on the ship and be ready to depart the moment we return."
The group signaled their understanding, weapons at the ready.
The battle was nearing its end. The eel's hide was torn and bleeding, its electric arcs weakening as it floated limply on the surface. The Redleaf fish swarmed in for the kill.
"Now!"
"Now!" Chen Shan shouted.
Without hesitation, Jian leapt onto Chen Shan's flying sword and dived toward the Electric Eel. Meanwhile, the Wei siblings unfurled the Thousand-Cloud Net, casting it into the water to scoop the churning fish below.
Jian quickly formed a seal with both hands, aiming not at the eel, but at the frenzied Redleaf Fish clinging to it. A volley of fireballs soared overhead and burst in midair. Each spark landed with pinpoint accuracy—one fish, one flame, turning dozens to ash in a blink.
From his sword, Chen Shan caught the scene and couldn't help but raise a brow. Such precision… That's no ordinary rogue cultivator. Even as a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could cast large-scale spells—but not with this kind of accuracy.
Jian paid no mind to the others. Her focus was singular. She continued to unleash fireball after fireball, each packed with an ultra-thin strand of Wood-Origin Flame—no larger than a hair. It was this sliver of exotic fire that gave her flames such devastating effect.
The swarm thinned out in a wide arc around her, opening a path. Chen Shan guided the sword closer to the eel, Jian still balanced atop it.
Suddenly, just as the Electric Eel flipped belly-up—seemingly dead—it jerked back to life.
A desperate arc of electricity crackled from its body, surging through the sea and scorching dozens of Redleaf Fish in its wake. The bolt struck Chen Shan's sword. He had no time to evade. With a cry, he tumbled—sword and all—into the ocean alongside the dying beast.
Jian felt it the instant it hit: a searing jolt shot through her limbs, numbing her entirely. Her control collapsed. She plummeted headfirst toward the sea.
Chen Shan managed to recover mid-fall. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he regained control in time to steer his sword, skimming across the water's surface in a spray of foam. Redleaf Fish leapt up around him, trying to bite, but he swerved skillfully away.
By then, the Wei siblings had already hauled in two nets' worth of Redleaf Fish. Seeing Chen Shan land safely, they didn't intervene—instead, they cast the third net deeper into the heart of the shoal.
The Electric Eel's deathblow had exhausted its strength. It began to sink beneath the waves. Jian, however, had landed right on its massive head. Twice she slipped, the surface slick with mucus and blood, before she managed to gain her footing.
Shaking off her daze, she slammed her fist into the eel's skull—once, twice, thrice—until the fourth blow cracked it open, revealing a shimmering, lightning-infused beast core.
She swiftly stored it away, but the eel's body had already been devoured down to the patch beneath her feet. And the fish, sensing fresh prey, turned their jagged mouths toward her.