Yefutidaolu

Chapter 361 Good Days

Gao Jian could see that on the sea not far away, a petite figure was being chased by seven or eight more ferocious-looking sea monsters that exuded a bloodthirsty aura!
The figure was moving fast, but it was clearly at its limit, with several deep wounds that exposed bone, and blood leaving a red trail in the seawater.

Just as her head was about to be smashed by a bony claw covered in barbs from behind, she unleashed an astonishing will to survive at the critical moment. She pushed off suddenly, the splash of water beneath her feet obscuring her view behind her and providing enough speed to propel her like an arrow, flying straight towards the massive ship where Gao Jian was!

With a clear objective, it was obviously a last-ditch effort, so why not gamble on whether we could be saved?

Yuan Lu, standing not far behind Gao Jian, remained silent, his gaze utterly unwavering.

He didn't even lift his wide sleeves; his fingertips twitched almost imperceptibly. An invisible, destructive force, enough to instantly wipe out all living beings in that area, was already gathering momentum.

To him, casually crushing a few annoying insects was no different from brushing away a speck of dust, just like the things that had happened before.

At this critical moment!
Choking!

A metallic scraping sound, not crisp but rather heavy and dull, rang out!
Gao Jian moved, and with a backhand, he drew the inconspicuous rusty knife that had been hanging at his waist.

The blade was still covered with thick, dark red rust, like scrap metal just salvaged from a sunken ship at the bottom of the sea. It lacked not only sharpness and cold light, but also even a trace of spiritual energy.

The strips of cloth wrapped around the handle of the knife also looked worn and tattered.

This sword has recently witnessed Gao Jian's tumultuous actions in the North, the bloody storms that led to the downfall of powerful families, and even the killing of three elders of the Fang family... However, despite so many "manifestations" and so many life-or-death battles, it has not gained the slightest bit of sharpness from the blade. It remains lifeless, as if it has been completely abandoned by the years.

This situation simply tells a story—Gao Jian's heart had never been filled with 'spirit' during this period; he had never truly vented or felt truly "at ease"! Those glorious achievements were perhaps insignificant to him.

But all that is history. At this moment, this rusty, blunt longsword, in Takami's hands, is unleashing incredible power!
"Buzz—!" A faint buzzing sound came from the surrounding water, splashing up many water droplets.

With a flick of his wrist, Gao Jian unleashed his sword, and the scenery within a radius of several dozen feet centered on him suddenly distorted and blurred! The seven or eight ferocious sea monsters that had been pursuing him, along with their hideous faces, outstretched claws, and venomous breath, were all instantly drawn into this invisible vortex!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no horrific carnage.

However, it was noticeable that the eyes of everyone, including the little demon, had become vacant.

The demonic energy from the realm of desire, and the desires from the depths of their hearts, surfaced in their minds, causing them to see scenes they 'didn't want to see' or 'desired'.

Yuan Lu's fingers paused slightly, and the shadow under the hood seemed to shift for a moment in Gao Jian's direction.

The spell in his hand quietly dissipated. He didn't say anything, but simply withdrew his hand, as if nothing had happened, or as if he had tacitly approved of Gao Jian's actions.

After Yuan Lu stopped, he stared at Gao Jian, seemingly wanting to analyze Gao Jian's skills, after all... this was the first time Gao Jian had made a move in front of him.

But that’s all.

The hallucination did not continue to spread because Gao Jian acted quickly.

Then came a series of teeth-grinding, tooth-grinding "crack! crack!" sounds, like porcelain being crushed by a heavy object!
Those sea monsters that were ferocious just a moment ago were now as if thrown into an invisible crusher, shattering inch by inch under the pure force of physics! Bones, shells, flesh, embedded metal parts... everything was ground into powder in an instant! They didn't even have time to scream before they were completely annihilated, turning into wisps of dark red blood mist that quickly dissipated in the sea breeze!
Chop it up? No, smash it!
Gao Jian's strike wasn't based on the sharpness of the blade at all! The rusty knife in his hand was now a heavy "iron rod" infused with unparalleled strength!
Who says you can't kill someone without a blade? As long as you're strong enough, you'll be fine.

The simplest and purest violence smashed the pursuers behind him, leaving only the little demon behind.

The little demon that had escaped death seized the opportunity when the pursuers behind it were instantly cleared out. It slid down in mid-air with an extremely awkward yet remarkably precise motion, landing heavily on the hard deck in front of it with a "thud".

It was very skillful and precise, and the kneeling posture was impeccable. It was even done by adjusting the posture in mid-air. Without practice, it is probably impossible to be so compliant.

The little demon landed, ignoring the pain in his knees, and kowtowed deeply, his forehead hitting the deck with a dull thud. His voice trembled with relief and utmost respect.
"Thank you so much, sir, for saving my life! I will never forget it!"

Gao Jian lowered his gaze and looked at the little demon kneeling at his feet.

Upon closer inspection, a clear look of surprise flashed across his eyes.

The little demon in front of me was petite and delicate, wearing a tattered coarse cloth jacket, revealing fair and delicate skin. Her short, jet-black hair was a little messy, but the little face she raised... looked like a human girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old with clear and bright eyes!
Its features were exquisite, and although its eyes held fear and exhaustion, they were exceptionally clear, lacking any of the murky madness or greed of other demons from the East Sea. The perfection of its transformation and the purity of its aura were completely incongruous with the hellish landscape it had previously witnessed.

Of course, it is precisely because of this special situation that Gao Jian chose to take action.

"Transformed into human form...and possesses a clear mind?" Gao Jian's voice carried a questioning tone: "You don't seem like any other demon from the East Sea. What's your name?"

Upon hearing this, the little demon, or rather the young girl, quickly kowtowed again, her voice filled with gratitude: "Replying to Your Excellency, my name is Xiao Bao! You can just call me Xiao Bao!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Gao Jian's brows furrowed instantly!

The voice... was deep and hoarse, clearly that of a grown man! It formed a stark contrast with the delicate and lovely face of the girl before him!
"You..." Gao Jian's gaze unconsciously swept over Xiao Bao's neck, where... there seemed to be a faint outline of an Adam's apple? His tone carried a hint of uncertainty, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Xiao Bao raised his head, and the girl's face showed an expression that was a mixture of flattery and self-righteousness. In a rough male voice, he said frankly, "Sir, of course I am a man! Don't look at me like this now, this... this is all required for the cultivation technique!"

"Required for a cultivation technique? What kind of cultivation technique is so bizarre?" Gao Jian's expression was not good.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a girl named Xiaobao... no, a boy, paused, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary, his tone even carrying a hint of the pride of a "seeker of the Dao": "The technique I cultivate requires self-castration to break through the bottleneck and reach a higher level, so that's why I did it."

"You... don't mind?" Gao Jian asked.

But as soon as he asked the question, he knew he had asked in vain.

Is there even a question? They've already done it.

Sure enough, Xiao Bao immediately said, "I am single-mindedly devoted to the Tao and have no interest in worldly things. What is this little price to pay? No pain, no gain!"

Gao Jian ultimately said nothing. He closed his eyes, waved his hand wearily, and said in a low voice, "Fine...you can come with me for now."

After saying that, he turned around and looked at Ancestor Yuanlu, who was standing by the railing, and said, "Senior, the road ahead is still long. This boy... may be of use. Why don't we find a place nearby to rest and regroup?" "Tired? Do you think the East Sea is absurd?" Yuanlu seemed to want to laugh.

"Yes." Gao Jian nodded.

“Alright, let’s find a place to rest nearby before we go. It’s best if you’re in top condition, otherwise it will affect your comprehension.” Yuan Lu agreed, then asked, “By the way, do you have a method for breathing underwater? Or do you rely on holding your breath?”

"I have a water-repelling pearl, so there's no need to worry about these things." Gao Jian showed off the water-repelling pearl he obtained in Cangzhou, which was a gift from the Baishanjiang Dragon Palace.

“Alright, let’s set off then.” Yuan Lu said, waving his hand, and the giant ship sailed off in another direction.

He didn't care about that little demon at all; he was completely indifferent and ignored her entirely.

Xiao Bao seemed to like this treatment, shrinking to one side and skillfully finding a corner to hide in so as not to get in the way.

He's already been saved, so as to where he goes and what kind of treatment he gets... whatever. He's not after all; that would be too greedy.

However, Gao Jian was not going to let him stay there like that. Instead, he said, "Come with me, come inside."

After speaking, Gao Jian turned around and walked into the giant ship.

Yuan Lu was still standing outside, his eyes unmoving, like a statue.

Xiao Bao glanced at Yuan Lu, then at Gao Jian's back, and quickly followed behind Gao Jian into the cabin of the giant ship.

The moment he entered the door, he froze as if he had been frozen in place!

Luxury! Unbelievable luxury!

A huge soft couch was placed by the window, covered with a dazzlingly white animal hide.

The table was carved from a single piece of jade, as clear as ice and imbued with the essence of mist and clouds. Several shimmering and vibrant ornaments were casually placed on it, each one making him tremble with fear, as if touching one would cost him his life.

The incense burner in the corner emitted wisps of light blue smoke, a scent that was refreshing and invigorating; the aroma must have been incredibly precious.

Xiao Bao felt a wave of dizziness and didn't know where to put his hands and feet. Almost instinctively, he stood on tiptoe like a startled quail.

Gao Jian seemed oblivious to his embarrassment, walking straight to the soft couch covered with snow-white animal hide and casually sitting down. The soft hide sank slightly, making his figure appear even more upright.

His gaze calmly fell on the little demon at the doorway, who looked helpless and almost curled up in a ball.

"Come here." Gao Jian's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable penetrating power.

Xiao Bao shuddered and quickly moved to a spot seven or eight steps away from the soft couch, not daring to approach any closer. He knelt down again with a thud, his forehead pressed against the cool, smooth floor: "M-Master..."

"I ask, you answer," Gao Jian said concisely, without any unnecessary words.

"Yes! Yes! Please ask, sir! I will answer everything I know!" Xiao Bao nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice.

The cabin was silent, save for the wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner. Gao Jian's gaze, almost tangible, fell upon the back of Xiao Bao's lowered head.

“You,” Gao Jian spoke slowly, his voice devoid of emotion, “why did you choose to take human form?”

Xiao Bao's body visibly stiffened, but quickly, the girl forced a shy yet somewhat ingratiating smile onto her face, and replied in a rough, hoarse male voice, "Reporting to you, sir! The technique is like this! The technique I cultivate requires... requires me to transform into human form in order to truly understand the essence of the technique and achieve twice the result with half the effort! I dare not deceive you, sir!"

He spoke quickly, but dared not meet the gaze of the expert's eyes, staring only at the faint light on the floor.

Gao Jian listened without any expression on his face. He didn't press for details about the technique, nor did he question its authenticity; he simply said, "Then get lost."

As he spoke, he casually waved his hand, as if shooing away an annoying fly, signaling him to leave the giant ship immediately.

"Ah?!" Xiao Bao's smile froze instantly, the color draining completely from his face, leaving only a deathly pallor! Overwhelming fear engulfed him! Leave this ship?
There are definitely pursuers behind us; going out means certain death!
"My lord! My lord, please see the truth!" Xiao Bao practically crawled forward two steps, his forehead slamming heavily against the cold floor with a dull thud. His voice was filled with sobs and extreme fear. "Every word I've said is true! Not a single word is false! I swear to heaven! If I have lied, may I be struck by lightning and my soul be annihilated!"

He banged on the ground so quickly and urgently that his forehead soon became red and swollen, with blood seeping out and staining the spotless floor.

Gao Jian remained expressionless until Xiao Bao was dizzy from the bumps and his movements slowed down. Only then did he speak again: "Whether it's a lie or not, you know in your heart."

Xiao Bao's kowtowing stopped abruptly. His body froze, trembling slightly. The cabin was deathly silent, with only his heavy breathing breaking the silence.

The air around them seemed to freeze. After a long while, Xiao Bao's forehead pressed against the floor, sweat mixed with blood trickling down his face. Finally, he said, "My lord's eyes are so sharp... I... I dare not hide it any longer..."

He slowly raised his head. The girl's face was covered in sweat, blood, and dishevelment, but her eyes no longer held the previous ingratiation and pretense; only an indescribable longing remained.

"Actually... I just wanted to go ashore, so I made these preparations in advance."

"Go ashore?" Gao Jian's eyes flickered slightly. "Why?"

Xiao Bao's eyes became somewhat vacant at this moment. He licked his chapped lips, his voice very soft, as if describing a distant legend:

"Because, I've heard that life on land is very... very sweet and easy."

(End of this chapter)