"ROAR..."
"HISS..."
"WHIMPER..."
Amidst the strange roars of the Demonic Beasts in the sea, Celeste Grant walked out of the ship’s cabin and stood on the deck. At her current level of Cultivation, she was impervious to water and fire, so the rain could no longer touch her.
She looked up at the scene outside the Barrier, a little awestruck.
’Even a movie couldn’t capture this.’
’What a magnificent sight.’
Celeste Grant imdiately took out her phone and started recording a video to save for later.
Just as she was recording, a strange sound emanated from a nearby part of The Open Sea. The sound traveled from far to near, seeming unremarkable at first. But the mont it appeared, all the Demonic Beasts in The Open Sea erupted into a frenzied clamor.
Countless Demonic Beasts from the sea poked their heads out of the water, tilting them back and crying out in one direction, as if they were worshiping their king.
This sight certainly caught Celeste Grant’s attention.
At the sa ti, an imnse power radiated from nearby. Just then, a bolt of lightning flashed through the downpour. In that instant, a colossal phantom appeared in the sky. No wonder this phantom could be seen from all over Nulvar—it took up half the sky. How could it not be huge?
As expected of a Divine Beast. Any one of The Four Cardinal Beasts could cause a massive commotion just by appearing.
Celeste Grant looked up slightly and saw a massive, serpentine phantom coiled around a giant tortoise. The apparition was identical to the depictions of The Divine Beast, the Black Tortoise, that Celeste Grant had seen in historical records.
And that aura—she could sense it was the aura of a Divine Beast.
The Black Tortoise: a Water Elent being that loves to live in water, excels at Water Elent Techniques, and commands the Wind and Rain Technique. It is one of the most powerful of The Four Cardinal Beasts.
’Looks like I ca at the perfect ti. I’m going to hit the jackpot with this one.’
"So the Black Tortoise really is here. No wonder there’s such a commotion tonight, with all this wind and rain."
This was because the Black Tortoise was of the Water Elent, able to control wind and rain at will, just as Vermilion could control fire.
The mont the phantom appeared, the Demonic Beasts throughout The Open Sea trembled in terror—an instinctive fear.
Celeste Grant was sure that this commotion would soon attract countless Cultivators. Therefore, she had to form a contract with the Black Tortoise before they arrived.
She quickly pinched her fingers together in calculation.
’Today, this serendipitous opportunity belongs to .’
With this in mind, she flew toward the place where the Black Tortoise had appeared. However, the phantom was only there for a fleeting mont before it vanished, and the Divine Beast’s aura disappeared along with it.
Anywhere else, capturing the Black Tortoise would have been difficult, but this was The Open Sea, and water was everywhere. She had complete mastery over Water Elent Techniques, and water felt like an old friend to her. This only strengthened her feeling that she and the Black Tortoise were fated to et.
In the blink of an eye, her figure plunged into the water, heading for the depths of the ocean. Although the Divine Beast’s aura had vanished, she had already locked onto its trail.
Her body moved through the water with perfect freedom, encountering no resistance at all...
When she reached the deepest part of The Open Sea, she expected to see a colossal Black Tortoise. In reality, there was nothing. But the faint, ethereal trace of the Divine Beast’s aura she had locked onto was definitely here.
In a pitch-black cavern, she pushed aside so seaweed and finally saw a small, palm-sized turtle, shrunk down and playing dead.
It hadn’t even poked its head out in the slightest. If Celeste Grant hadn’t seen the phantom of a snake coiled around its body, connected to it, she might have been fooled.
’This is it, without a doubt. The Divine Beast, the Black Tortoise.’
’The phantom in the sky from before—that was him.’
’It’s just... this doesn’t quite match the mighty and domineering image of the Black Tortoise she had imagined. Her hopes felt a little dashed.’
She raised her hand, gesturing at the Black Tortoise’s size. "This small? You’re the Black Tortoise?"
"Brother Turtle, could it be that you haven’t eaten enough, which is why you’re so small? Oh well, never mind. I won’t hold it against you."
’Small is small, I guess. If I raise him for a while, he’s bound to grow bigger.’
’Look at Vermilion back when she was just a little chick. I raised her, and she still grew up. Now she can even take on a human form. A very proud young lady, at that.’
The Black Tortoise, who was playing dead, couldn’t keep up the act any longer. This female cultivator, who had appeared out of nowhere, was being far too insulting to a turtle.
It stuck its head out, its body radiating a powerful might.
"Who are you?"
Hearing it speak in a human tongue, Celeste Grant’s eyes lit up. She bent down slightly to stare at it. "Little turtle, you can talk."
The Black Tortoise was furious.
"Of course I can! I’m a Divine Beast, is it so strange that I can talk? You, on the other hand, are a very rude female cultivator. You barge into my territory, point at , and call small. Who are you insulting? Am I small? Where am I small? If you don’t know how to talk, watch out, or I won’t go easy on you."
As it spoke, the Black Tortoise let out a roar.
The surrounding Open Sea began to shake, and Celeste Grant staggered, nearly losing her footing. She was a Void Refinent Realm Cultivator, yet this little turtle could affect her with just a single roar. This ant its Cultivation and strength were imnse.
’Don’t be fooled by its size.’
’If we really fought, I might not even be able to beat it.’
Thinking of this, she quickly changed her tune. "No, no, you’re not small. It was a slip of the tongue. I saw your phantom on the sea surface earlier, and it was huge. I ca down here to play with you precisely because I thought you were incredible."
The Black Tortoise was pleased to hear this. It lifted its head high with a smug look. "Hmph... As long as you know, you ignorant Human Clan Female Cultivator. When it cos to combat power, I’ve never been afraid of anyone."
Celeste Grant quickly added, "That’s true. I’ve heard stories about you before. Among The Four Cardinal Beasts, your combat power is the strongest."
Her repeated insistence that he was the strongest was enough to make the little turtle absolutely delighted.
"Well... actually, I’m not *that* amazing. If we’re really talking about it, Sister Phoenix has the strongest attack power among us. I’m still no match for her."
Seeing the Black Tortoise getting carried away, a glint appeared in Celeste Grant’s eyes. She then said, "Brother Turtle, you even know Vermilion? That’s great! I’m very good friends with her."
As soon as she said this, the Black Tortoise beca skeptical.
"Do I look like I believe you?"
Celeste Grant smiled and said, "I’m not lying. Among The Four Cardinal Beasts, The Azure Dragon and the White Tiger, as well as Vermilion, are all at my place. Brother Turtle, you must be so bored down here in the sea. Why don’t I take you outside to see the world? You can co hang out at my house, and you’ll have so companions then."
Now the Black Tortoise was getting a little angry.
He was already convinced she was spouting nonsense.
So, the Black Tortoise didn’t believe her at all.
"Impossible! What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Brother Azure Dragon and Sister Phoenix are incredibly proud. How could they possibly submit to a human? It’s obvious you’re just trying to trick . You cultivators from Humanity are a wicked bunch; I won’t fall for it."
Hearing this, Celeste Grant’s eyes lit up. It seed she wouldn’t have to capture the Black Tortoise by force; she could just sweet-talk him into coming ho with her.
’Kid, you’re still too naive.’
Celeste Grant waved her hand dismissively and squatted down in front of the Black Tortoise. "How could I possibly lie to you? Look at this."
As she spoke, Celeste Grant took out one of Vermilion’s tail feathers from her Storage Ring.
Vermilion had given it to her for self-defense when she was molting.
Celeste Grant waved the feather in her hand. "See this? Ruby gave it to ."
A Barrier surrounded her, keeping the water at bay.
The Black Tortoise stretched out its neck, and the snake on its back also stretched out its neck, both staring at the dark red Vermilion feather in her hand.
"This aura... it really is one of Vermilion’s tail feathers."
As far as it knew, Vermilion was far too proud to give away one of her tail feathers so easily, unless it was to soone she trusted deeply. ’So, this female cultivator really does know Sister Phoenix?’
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