Chapter 469 415: Special Mission 2
There was nothing more to discuss. Gan Xingquan rose from his seat and said to the others before he left, "Think it over carefully. We set out to sea at Chen Hour tomorrow morning. Once we do, you can't quit!"
That night, Zhao Lin tossed and turned in his bed.
In the past, he had always acted alone. If he encountered an opponent he couldn't defeat, he could still run away.
But this time was different. Leading a team, especially with vulnerable members like the Array Masters to protect, was a considerable test.
He had a faint premonition that the enemy they were about to face would be exceptionally strong.
The next morning, the eighteen cultivators heading out to sea gathered in the center of the camp.
At Chen Hour, Gan Xingquan appeared right on time and had the guards distribute a warning talisman to each person.
"These warning talismans are not to be used lightly. You can only activate them if the Earth Dark Sect violates our agreement—for instance, by secretly dispatching Foundation Establishment cultivators or bringing Magical Artifacts like Spiritual Vessels or battle armor onto the field."
He then took out five brownish-yellow talismans and handed them to Zhao Lin. "You need to stay in constant contact with everyone. You might need these."
Zhao Lin took the talismans curiously. On them were written two words: "Divine Seal."
"Divine Seal Talismans!"
Zhao Lin exclaimed softly, a smile appearing on his face.
Back during the mission in Yinfeng Valley, the eccentric Sheng Jinlong had wanted to use this very Magic on him, hoping to turn him into free labor.
The Divine Seal Skill could embed a Divine Sense imprint inside a cultivator's body, allowing one to sense the target's location from a hundred li away.
"You've thought of everything, Senior!"
Zhao Lin expressed his thanks and took out two Divine Seal Talismans.
After getting permission from Chao Duan and Du Zhen, he activated the Magic within the talismans, striking one into each of them.
Moving as a large group was inconvenient and made them vulnerable to ambushes, so Zhao Lin decided to split them into two teams.
Chao Duan and the four Array Masters would be one team, while Du Zhen, Chang Jianqiu, and the others would form the second.
'With the Divine Seal Skill, I can keep track of both teams' movements at all times.'
"Brother Zhao, how about placing a Divine Seal on me as well?"
Xu Zhongyong walked over as he spoke. He had agonized over the decision all night before finally deciding to join Zhao Lin's team. His eyes were a little dark from lack of sleep.
"Alright."
Zhao Lin agreed readily and took out another Divine Seal Talisman, placing its mark on Xu Zhongyong.
'The Divine Seal Skill is a sustained type of Magic. Tracking too many people drains a certain amount of Mana, but three people is a manageable number.'
"The time has come! Let's move out!"
Gan Xingquan said with a wave of his hand. He led the group out of the camp and to the shore, where they boarded a Spiritual Vessel and set sail for Yongdeng Ansha.
After about half an hour, a reef marked with a buoy came into view.
Gan Xingquan ordered the Spiritual Vessel to circle Yongdeng Ansha so that everyone could familiarize themselves with the sea area.
"Everyone, look carefully. You cannot leave this area during the mission. If you're spotted by an Earth Dark Sect vessel, they are permitted to kill you without question."
Everyone nodded in acknowledgement.
During the voyage, Xu Zhongyong asked Wang Jingchen, who was beside him, "Brother Wang, what do you think our chances are this time? Can we take the Pearl Shoal?"
Wang Jingchen, who had also joined the special task force, smiled at the question. "We have three experts at the Peak of Qi Refining, plus Brother Zhao. We've definitely got this."
"But I heard the Earth Dark Sect cultivators are skilled at naval combat."
"Skilled at naval combat, and yet Brother Zhao still killed fourteen of them?"
"Haha, good point..."
As they approached a massive reef, a black, sharp-prowed vessel sailed toward them.
On the black vessel stood over twenty cultivators, most wearing wide-shouldered robes with longsabers hanging at their waists.
Gan Xingquan stood up and activated his Qi Observation Skill, his eyes fixed on the approaching ship. After a moment, his expression gradually darkened.
The others didn't understand why and craned their necks to see, but due to the limits of their own cultivation, they couldn't discern the cultivation realms of the cultivators on the other vessel.
When the two vessels were within a hundred zhang of each other, they used their own Qi Observation Skills to check and were stunned by what they saw.
Besides their leader and the Boatman Cultivator, the Earth Dark Sect's vessel also carried eighteen cultivators dressed in black.
Every single one of these black-robed cultivators was at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, and six of them were at the Peak of Qi Refining!
Seeing this, the group, which had been so confident moments before, felt their resolve waver.
Although the numbers on both sides were equal, the enemy had twice as many cultivators at the Peak of Qi Refining. Moreover, their own side included four non-combatant Array Masters.
A bitter taste filled Xu Zhongyong's mouth. He was consumed by regret, thinking, 'This is bad. I never should have changed my mind. No, I never should have come at all!'
The one leading the Earth Dark Sect was the same old man, Zhuxia. From a great distance, he pointed at Zhao Lin and shouted, "Everyone, take a good look! That's Zhao Lin!"
"That's him? The one worth twenty thousand merit points?"
"Not convinced? Both Qingchi and Shan Nei died at his hands."
"Didn't they say he was only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer? How did he reach the Seventh Layer?"
"I'd like to test him myself. Let's see just how strong a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Martial Cultivator can be!"
Several Earth Dark Sect cultivators discussed amongst themselves.
"Don't underestimate him," Zhuxia warned in a low voice. "You've all seen the Fish Eye Talisman recording Qingchi released before he died. This man killed both Qingchi and Shan Nei while fighting one against two. Two years have passed since then; he's likely even stronger now."
"Tall, powerful, and handsome too. This Zhao Lin certainly has a fine appearance."
A seductive voice commented.
The owner of the voice was a stunning woman with skin as white as snow and a mane of shiny, black, shoulder-length hair. Her tight-fitting robe accentuated her graceful and alluring figure.
"Chunying, you haven't taken a liking to him, have you?"
The speaker was a short, middle-aged cultivator whose gaze toward Zhao Lin was filled with a cold chill.
The beautiful woman pursed her lips. "Ji Zhang, you're just jealous."
Ji Zhang snorted. "I won't waste my time on a dead man. Besides, does anyone you take a liking to ever meet a good end?"
The beautiful woman giggled. "Senior Brother Ji Zhang, how could you slander me like that..."
Beside the two stood an elderly man in his fifties who remained silent the entire time.
Zhao Lin felt the hostile gazes from the opposite boat but paid them no mind. 'It's obvious the Earth Dark Sect has put a bounty on my head,' he thought. 'That was to be expected.'
What caught his attention was that although most of the Earth Dark Sect cultivators carried longsabers, a group of two men and one woman stood out from the rest.
The two men also carried long-bladed swords, but theirs were longer and wider than the standard longsabers.
According to the notes in the Library Pavilion, this type of blade was called a 'nodachi.' It was far sharper and more powerful than a longsaber and required immense Spiritual Power to wield, making it a weapon primarily used by Foundation Establishment cultivators.
For these two cultivators at the Peak of Qi Refining to be using nodachi, they must be extraordinarily skilled.
The woman carried no visible Magical Artifacts. A 'leather cord' was wrapped around her wrist, but it was impossible to tell if it was an ornament or some kind of Magical Artifact.
The three of them stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the bow, completely unconcerned about blocking their leader, Zhuxia, from view.
'Isn't the Earth Dark Sect supposed to have a strict hierarchy? For them to act like this, they must have some powerful backing, right?'
Suspicion grew in Zhao Lin's mind, and he secretly memorized the appearances of these three individuals.
He tried to eavesdrop on their conversation by sending out ultrasonic waves, but unexpectedly hit an invisible barrier, unable to capture any sound.
When the two vessels met, Zhuxia said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "Brother Gan, it seems your esteemed sect is taking this mission very seriously. Sending so many elite cultivators, I'm sure you expect to return with a bountiful harvest."
Gan Xingquan laughed heartily and waved his hand. "Brother Zhuxia, you flatter us. How could we possibly compare to you? Sending out six cultivators at the Peak of Qi Refining at once—it's utterly terrifying."
He then deliberately shook his head and sighed heavily. "One can only hope the tragedy from two years ago doesn't repeat itself."
The corner of Zhuxia's mouth twitched, and his eyes turned cold. "Then we shall hope for the good fortune you speak of, Brother Gan." After speaking, he shot a vicious glare at Zhao Lin.
...
An hour later, the two parties reconvened.
"The mission begins now. You cannot leave the waters until Si Hour, three days from now. At that time, you will return here to assemble..."
"Everything that needed to be said has been said. Take care of yourselves. Those on the special task force will obey all of Zhao Lin's commands. Anyone who defies orders or causes infighting over Spirit Pearls will be dealt with according to sect law."
After giving these serious instructions, Gan Xingquan raised his arm. "The time is now. Into the water!"
Not far away, on the Earth Dark Sect's vessel, Zhuxia's voice was grim. "No matter who kills Zhao Lin, the twenty thousand merit points will be paid out in full."
"Three days from now, I don't want to see him come out of there alive!"