Chapter 18: A Change on Three Mountains Island, Taiyi Star Number Divines the Future
Li Mingzhu returned to Jingshui Cave Mansion, but without much to pack, he simply took little Zhu Xiong and departed in a carefree manner.
The journey back was a completely different experience from when he first arrived. Back then, he had to rely on Wudang for a ride to travel with such ease. Now, wielding the Shrinking Ground to Inches Divine Skill effortlessly, it was incomparable to the past.
Although he used the Shrinking Ground to Inches technique, Li Mingzhu didn't hurry down his path, walking leisurely with frequent stops.
Meanwhile, the scene outside Three Mountains Island stood in stark contrast. Unlike the peaceful waters Li Mingzhu had passed through, it was a realm of bloodshed and murderous chaos.
"By command of the Crown Prince, if we cannot find the boy named Li Mingzhu, we will raze the island to the ground!"
An imposing, tall and slender general with a golden mask hovered above Three Mountains Island and declared coldly. Behind him stood three thousand Tiger Shark soldiers, the stench of blood thick in the air.
This captain, naturally, was the leader of the Tiger Shark soldiers. Having recently taken over Li Liang's position as the new Sea Patrol General, he was diligently executing Ao Bing's orders to search every corner for Li Mingzhu.
Originally, Ao Bing had grown weary over the years from his fruitless search for Li Mingzhu. The matter of the treasure vault's plundering had also been covered up by the little Dragon Girl, Ao Yu, and should have been a forgotten issue.
But just not long ago, on a whim, Ao Bing decided to make a personal visit to the treasure vault. This visit led to the unearthing of trouble.
The plundering of the treasure vault, which had been so carefully obscured by Ao Yu, was naturally exposed. And the seven large characters carved into the central stone pillar nearly drove Ao Bing into a fit of rage.
Ao Bing, the dignified Third Prince of the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, had never suffered such humiliation!
In his fury, not only did Ao Bing mobilize all his subordinates to relentlessly hunt down Li Mingzhu, but he even borrowed thirty thousand soldiers from his elder brothers, vowing to kill Li Mingzhu personally.
"Third Brother, no one knows where he might be now. What's the point of mobilizing such a massive force?"
The girl in a pale yellow dress, Ao Yu, sighed in resignation, urging Ao Bing to reconsider as she silently prayed that Li Mingzhu would avoid coming near the East Sea at this moment.
"I don't care where he's fled to. If I can't find him for a day, I'll destroy one island inhabited by East Sea Loose Cultivators each day!" Ao Bing sneered frostily, then turned with a cold gaze and added, "Ao Yu, although I don't yet know what role you played in this, that boy could not have plundered my treasure vault so effortlessly without your help!"
With a furious glare at Ao Yu, Ao Bing turned and left without a second glance. It seemed he was heading personally for Three Mountains Island.
Ao Yu wanted to say something more, but Ao Bing was already gone.
In truth, she wanted to warn him that the East Sea Loose Cultivators were not to be trifled with, and too much slaughter would inevitably provoke calamity.
For his part, Ao Bing was not as reckless as Ao Yu imagined. Of course, there was some fear of the Loose Cultivators' retaliation, but more significantly, there were internal constraints within the Dragon Clan of the East Sea itself. In the end, he settled on targeting only Three Mountains Island.
To the Dragon Clan, Three Mountains Island was of little consequence. Even the East Sea Loose Cultivators saw it as insignificant and unworthy of much concern.
After all, Li Mingzhu's last known public appearance had been on Three Mountains Island, so Ao Bing doggedly believed that Li Mingzhu must have ties to the island.
If Li Mingzhu truly couldn't be found, then razing the island would serve as an outlet for his anger.
"General, we've thoroughly searched every cultivator on the island, and no one claims to know this Li Mingzhu!"
An elderly Taoist in a white robe trembled as he flew into the air, bowing respectfully to the Tiger Shark General.
"Old man, think carefully before you speak. I'd rather not resort to killing yet!" the Tiger Shark General growled with menace, his hand drawing his long blade halfway from its sheath.
"General, we truly don't know this boy! He only came to our island to purchase a Spirit Boat and asked for directions to Xuanlong Palace before leaving, staying no longer than fifteen minutes!"
The frightened old Taoist knelt immediately, explaining in panic. Despite his own decent level of cultivation, he dared not harbor a single thought of resisting the Dragon Palace.
"Bring me the seller of the Spirit Boat. I'll interrogate him personally. As for you, old man—die!"
The Tiger Shark General's voice was cold and ruthless. His blade fully unsheathed, and with a flash, blood erupted, and a severed head tumbled to the ground.
"General, I swear I have no connection to that boy!" A young Loose Cultivator with a Primordial Spirit realm cultivation was dragged up by the Tiger Shark soldiers, kowtowing frantically in despair.
"Silence! I ask, you answer. Say one more word, and you'll join that old man in death!"
.....
Elsewhere, Li Mingzhu leisurely meandered along, collecting Spirit Veins, rare Spiritual Objects from the sea, and Spiritual Medicine with little Zhu Xiong in tow.
A streak of pale yellow tore across the sky, arriving before Li Mingzhu within moments.
Seeing the girl before him, Li Mingzhu stood in astonishment. It was her?
"Fairy, why is it you?"
Li Mingzhu asked, having assumed it might be some blind Demon Beast, but to his surprise, it was the same companion in theft from the treasure vault.
"And you still have the leisure to wander about? The Third Prince of the East Sea is hunting you across the entire ocean!" Ao Yu exclaimed, vexed. She had worried for him, yet here he was, casually gathering Spirit Veins and Spiritual Objects.
Had it not been for a small clam spirit sensing his presence, she would not have been able to locate him here.
"What does it matter? It's just a little dragon. What's there to be afraid of?" Li Mingzhu replied indifferently. Though surprised that Ao Bing was still pursuing the matter, he truly did not take the insignificant Ao Bing to heart.
In three years, not only had his Daoist Skills and Divine Abilities grown, but so too had his mindset and magnanimity. A mere little dragon—it was nothing.
"A little dragon?"
The girl's eyes widened, gazing at Li Mingzhu as if he were a fool, her expression clearly conveying that she thought he must be joking.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not joking, nor have I lost my mind. Do you have business with me? If not, I'll continue gathering Spirit Veins!"
Li Mingzhu replied calmly, as if fully aware of what Ao Yu was thinking.
But to Ao Yu, his words stung. She had rushed here with great effort, her heart full of anxiety for his safety, and yet he showed such indifference.
And saying her Third Brother was just a little dragon?
"Forget it, I won't bother with you anymore. If you're so capable, then go to Three Mountains Island!" The girl blurted out in frustration, mentioning Three Mountains Island on a whim.
But the moment she said it, regret filled her heart. Her original intent had been to urge Li Mingzhu to stay as far from Three Mountains Island as possible.
"Three Mountains Island? What happened at Three Mountains Island?" Li Mingzhu instinctively sensed that something was wrong and quickly pressed her for answers.
"Aren't you so great? Figure it out yourself, then!" Upon hearing his question, Ao Yu, inexplicably frustrated again, retorted harshly.
"Fine! I'll figure it out myself!" Li Mingzhu snorted coldly. With a wave of his sleeve, thirty-six Jade Scrolls emerged.
"Taiyi Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Star Number, rise!"
Li Mingzhu chanted softly, pointing toward the Jade Scrolls. Instantly, they began to spin rapidly, arranging themselves according to the trajectory of the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Stars.
Li Mingzhu's three years of studying arrays on Golden Turtle Island had not been in vain. While he was no Array Grandmaster like Yun Xiao, he was certainly worthy of the title Array Master.
The array he now deployed was none other than the Taiyin Star Number Formation, specifically designed to divine the future. Of course, this was a simplified version—the true formation was far grander and more complex. But it was sufficient for the moment.
"Three Mountains Island."
Li Mingzhu softly uttered the three words, and the Taiyin Star Number Formation began to whirl rapidly. Moments later, a scene materialized above the array.
"So you refuse to tell the truth? Die!"
The image showed the Tiger Shark General beheading the Loose Cultivator who had sold the Spirit Boat. The scene shifted again, this time revealing Ao Bing arriving and beginning a massacre.
"Blame Li Mingzhu. As long as he doesn't show himself, I, the Crown Prince, will kill a hundred people every day until this island is reduced to nothing!"
Ao Bing mercilessly swung his blade. As the Third Prince of the East Sea, he acted with impunity. Who would dare challenge him?
"Ao Bing! Very well! Very well! Very well!"
Li Mingzhu laughed coldly in the face of seething rage. Without even glancing at the girl in yellow, he activated the Shrinking Ground to Inches technique at full force, heading directly for Three Mountains Island!
Li Mingzhu had never wanted anyone dead more than at this moment. His killing intent soared to the heavens!