Chapter 205: Participating in the Sea Spirit Festival · Mo Jiao · Fighting Crab

Chapter 205: Participating in the Sea Spirit Festival · Mo Jiao · Fighting Crab

Since ancient times, the Nanlao Sea has been steeped in legends about the Sea Spirit.

The Sea Spirit isn't a specific deity or a particular faith.

The Sea Spirit simply is—a natural existence like the rising and setting of the sun and moon, or the cycle of seasons. It governs all matters within the Nanlao Sea.

Whether seeking safe voyages at sea, praying for spiritual awakening, hoping for good fortune in marriage, or even wishing to stumble upon treasure while walking the streets—any request can be linked to the Sea Spirit, as long as one believes in its existence.

One of the most famous legends claims that every April, guided by the Sea Spirit, swarms of Fighting Crab migrate to the eastern waters to reproduce. By late June, after completing their spawning, the Fighting Crabs return en masse to their habitats.

The resulting "crab tide" passes near Hundred Grasses Island.

At this time, island cultivators seize the opportunity to harvest them. After a bountiful catch, they hold a grand celebration, casting the largest crab—the Crab King—back into the sea as an offering to the Sea Spirit.

The ritual begins precisely at midnight during the zi hour.

Cultivators with personal wishes to seek the Sea Spirit's blessings or hoping for good fortune can also participate earlier by catching a Fighting Crab themselves or purchasing one during the day, then releasing it into the sea at night alongside the Crab King, carrying their hopes to the Sea Spirit.

To help visiting cultivators participate more easily, the Hundred Grasses City dispatched disciples to post announcements across the streets, explaining the tradition. Thus, Xiao Chen quickly learned about the festival's origins.

The notice emphasized in bold red ink: Regardless of origin, any cultivator participating in the Sea Spirit Festival can leave a wish on the Wish Wall for free blessings from the Sea Spirit.

Additionally, various celebratory activities would be held throughout the city in the morning, with a bustling market opening in the eastern district in the afternoon for cultivators to trade freely.

"Free blessings?"

After reading the notice, Xiao Chen decided to check it out.

Since it cost nothing, why not give it a try?

A free blessing was better than none.

Following the notice's instructions, he first arrived at the southern gate of Hundred Grasses City.

Here, a Wish Wall stretching thousands of zhang had been erected, its surface evenly coated with white paint. Every hundred zhang, small tables with brushes, ink, and red paper were placed.

Cultivators simply wrote their wishes on red paper and pasted them on the Wish Wall to receive the Sea Spirit's blessings.

The content had almost no restrictions, and no one monitored it.

Most cultivators wished for progress in their cultivation—smooth advancement or breaking through bottlenecks.

A few mentioned the Baicao Forbidden Realm, hoping for luck to discover high-grade spirit herbs.

However, Xiao Chen noticed someone wishing for the death of Hundred Grasses City's Lord Huo Xinghuai by lightning strike, or cursing others to drown at sea.

Clearly, the anonymity was genuine—otherwise, no one would dare such boldness.

"What should I wish for?"

Xiao Chen pondered. His first thought was to pray for a better hextech reinforcement, but logically, that wasn't the Sea Spirit's domain.

Since that was the case, he'd follow the crowd.

He picked up a brush and wrote on red paper: "May the Sea Spirit grant me good fortune in the upcoming Baicao Forbidden Realm, leading me to discover celestial treasures."

He found an empty spot on the wall and pasted his wish.

Along the wall, he saw many peculiar wishes:

"Sea Spirit Grandfather, please let me join the Dragon Subduing Sea and become a sword immortal!"

"Great Sea Spirit, grant me three wives—one charming and lively, one mature and graceful, one understanding and kind!"

"May the Sea Spirit bless me to become the strongest cultivator in the entire Nanlao Sea, a hundred times mightier than those in Hundred Grasses City!"

The last one was particularly absurd.

After all, the Nanlao Sea had produced many golden core True Sovereigns, and several still existed.

Xiao Chen chuckled inwardly. To surpass them a hundredfold, one would need hextech reinforcement. Even then, cultivation realm would need to match or exceed theirs.

After all, with differing spirit root qualities, even peers had disparities.

As he walked away from the Wish Wall, Xiao Chen noticed a crowd gathered nearby.

Normally, he'd avoid crowds, but today was a festival—he might as well join.

In the center, a ten-zhang (33-meter) three-clawed Mo Jiao with jade-green eyes lay sprawled on the ground, eyes half-closed as if napping.

However, its body was wrapped in bright red ribbons, covering its originally dark scales. A large red flower adorned its forehead, making it resemble a fake dragon.

Though not a true dragon, the Mo Jiao was closely related to dragons. True dragons were extremely rare—especially in the Eastern Territory, where tales outnumbered sightings.

Thus, the rare appearance of a Mo Jiao naturally drew a crowd.

"Fellow cultivators, for just ten spirit stones, you can experience riding a dragon!"

A sharp voice suddenly rang out: "No cultivation realm restrictions, guaranteed safety! Such an opportunity is rare—don't miss it!"

Xiao Chen turned toward the voice.

Under the Mo Jiao stood a tall, thin young man with a high nose bridge, mustache, and sharp eyes scanning the crowd.

Dressed in a bright red robe blending with the ribbons, he enthusiastically promoted: "Fellow cultivators, this is a genuine Third Stage Mo Jiao! Today, only ten spirit stones for a ride—don't miss out!"

Third Stage?

Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes. Looking closer, he noticed two bumps on the Mo Jiao's head—clear signs of impending dragon transformation.

"Truly just ten spirit stones?"

A young man from the crowd stepped forward, his voice trembling with excitement: "Can I really ride it?"

He was only at the late Li Qi Stage, yearning for this experience.

"Of course! Ten spirit stones for a ride. And for another ten, you can take a souvenir photo with a soul-reflecting stone!"

The tall man immediately added: "They say seeing is believing. Why not take a photo to show friends and family later?"

What a business strategy—bundled services!

Xiao Chen glanced at the soul-reflecting stones. These were clearly the cheapest kind, storing only three or four images. Typically priced at three spirit stones, bulk purchases offered discounts.

The young cultivator's face flushed with excitement. He quickly handed over twenty spirit stones: "Senior, please take a photo for me!"

"Of course!"

The tall man happily accepted the stones, guiding the youth onto the Mo Jiao: "Don't be afraid—Xiao Mo is very obedient. Jump boldly!"

"Move forward a bit... further... there!"

He activated the soul-reflecting stone, capturing the moment.

Just before the photo was taken, the Mo Jiao suddenly opened its eyes, startling the crowd.

But it lazily closed them again, ignoring these weak "monkeys."

Born a dragon, what could it do with a money-obsessed master besides sleep?

Like a dam breaking, hesitant cultivators now rushed forward, pulling out spirit stones to pay for photos. The tall man soon found himself overwhelmed.

Each photo took about ten seconds, plus twenty for transactions. Within a quarter-hour, he earned over 900 spirit stones. Even Foundation Building cultivators joined, opting for pricier stones.

At this rate, he'd make 5,000 spirit stones per hour—tens of thousands daily.

Xiao Chen calculated the profits, marveling at the ingenuity.

Don't underestimate this—this was roughly the annual income of the Southern Lake Su Family.

But such a scene could only happen in the Eastern Territory. In the Southern Domain, no golden core ancestral founder would stoop to earn cultivators' spirit stones.

"Senior Sect Brother Changgeng, isn't that Ling Tianyi, the current sword disciple of the Demon Subduing Sword Sect, and his Mo Jiao?"

A female cultivator nearby gasped, covering her mouth: "How could he do such a thing?"

"It's... it's utterly disgraceful."

Her voice was low, meant only for companions.

But Xiao Chen, always alert due to his Wanted Poster status, noticed immediately.

A male cultivator beside her sneered: "Hmph, the Demon Subduing Sword Sect is in decline—just a hollow name now."

"What sword disciple? A joke."

"Junior Sect Sister Mu Yayang, you read too many old texts. Now is the era of our Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion—we needn't respect these fallen clans."

"Let's go. I've reserved a cave mansion. After two months of travel, we deserve rest."

He led four people away.

His disdain for the Demon Subduing Sword Sect had reasons.

Decades ago, with demonic cultivators nearly extinct in the Eastern Territory, the sect's founding purpose—to subdue demons—became obsolete.

Their cultivation manuals, designed to counter demonic cultivators, proved ineffective against orthodox sects.

As Xiao Chen knew, the Dragon Subduing Sea's Three Great Sects now ranked the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion first, Divine Soul Sword Pavilion second, and the once-great Demon Subduing Sword Sect third—only out of respect for its past.

Some even doubted its right to stand alongside the other two.

The sect had lost most outposts, struggling financially.

No wonder Ling Tianyi sought every profit-making method, and his seniors turned a blind eye.

"The cultivator from the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion actually came too", someone muttered.

Xiao Chen turned to watch their retreating figures, his gaze lingering on the swords at their waists. Though sheathed, when he focused, he could still sense a sharp, piercing aura emanating from within. These were undoubtedly top-tier spirit swords.

Glancing at Ling Tianyi, he noticed there wasn't even a sword at his waist. He hadn't recognized him as a sword cultivator at first. Given the timing, these people were likely here for the Baicao Forbidden Realm too. Once inside, he'd need to stay cautious.

Not that Xiao Chen feared them—he simply saw no reason to provoke conflict. With the token in hand, he could easily avoid the crowd and quietly strike it rich. Better to keep his distance from the start, avoiding entanglement in pointless fights.

It was still morning—the eastern market hadn't opened yet. Xiao Chen headed west to sightsee instead. This area was also celebrating the Sea Spirit Festival, with colorful decorations lining the streets.

Most cultivators gathered in two places. The first was the Fighting Crab Market, where vendors sold crabs caught over the past fortnight. Many cultivators, especially outsiders, came to buy one for the evening's prayers. Vendors even offered a free proxy-throwing service: after purchasing a Fighting Crab, customers whispered their wishes to it, then left it in a special tank. At the auspicious hour, the vendor would toss it into the sea alongside the Crab King to deliver their prayers.

Some bought crabs to eat too. After all, Fighting Crabs were a specialty of Nanlao Sea—nowhere else served them this fresh. Sizes varied, but oddly, all stalls only had early-stage and late-Stage Lian Qi Fighting Crabs. No mid-core formation ones. Curious, Xiao Chen asked and learned these were reserved for the annual Pearl-Grabbing Tournament next door.

The second crowd clustered around the tournament. A massive water tank dominated the area—three meters high, eighteen meters wide, and seventy-two meters long. Participants bought a Fighting Crab, marked it with their seal, then released it into the tank to compete against others'. Hidden in the tank's shells were pearls of different colors. Whoever's crab claimed a pearl received a corresponding reward.

All sold here were mid-core formation stage Fighting Crabs, seemingly identical. The tournament tested both a cultivator's eye for quality and their luck—judging which crab was strong, and hoping it grabbed a high-value pearl. Neither could be lacking.

Live spirit beasts were expensive. A mid-core formation Fighting Crab sold for fifty spirit stones, cheapened only by their abundance. Land spirit beasts of similar quality would fetch at least a hundred. Though crowds gathered, most couldn't afford to play. Even some Foundation Building cultivators hesitated.

Xiao Chen, however, found it intriguing. Fifty spirit stones wasn't much to him. He wandered to a smaller tank, selecting a suitable crab. Soon, he spotted one with black speckles on its shell, darting lively through the water.

"I'll take this one. Mark a red character on its back."

The grand prize was a red pearl. Xiao Chen chose red to test his luck. Unfortunately, his luck proved... consistent. The marked crab barely lasted fifteen minutes before a pearl-guarding crab tore off one of its pincers, sending it fleeing to a corner. Another attempt fared no better—no even a white pearl.

Undeterred, Xiao Chen picked a red-pincer crab next. This one lasted slightly longer before losing too. Left with a black-striped crab, he finally had success. After a grueling battle, it drove off the guardian crab and claimed a shell.

Unfortunately, the shell was empty. The pearl had been claimed that morning by the first customers.

"Ugh!" Two hundred spirit stones down the drain. Xiao Chen frowned and left. He'd hoped catching the Rainbow Fish King meant his luck had turned after Golden Core formation. Turns out, even as a Golden Core Zhenren, his luck remained as wretched as ever. No more gambling on chance for him.

Glancing at the sky, he noted it was barely noon. He headed north—the city's core district. Home to countless Pill Forging Masters, the city lord's mansion, and a grand plaza with towering statues. At its center stood a raised platform from the recent pill forging competition.

Today, the plaza teemed with cultivators. Some Pill Forging Masters even demonstrated their craft onstage, flaunting their skills. They weren't worried about secrets being stolen—anyone who could learn pill forging by watching would be a treasure for Hundred Grasses City.

As Xiao Chen arrived, a new Pill Forging Master took the stage. A female cultivator tugged her companion's sleeve, exclaiming, "Ah Juan, look! That's Senior Sect Brother Lu!"

Her shout sparked recognition. "It's really Lu Zicong! Didn't expect him to come!"

"Perfect! I joined late and never saw Senior Sect Brother Lu forge pills before."

"Senior Sect Brother Lu in person! I'll learn so much!"

"Didn't he become Grand Elder's final disciple? After three years of secluded cultivation, he emerged last winter. Who knows his current cultivation stage now?"

"Obviously mastered Fourth Stage pill formulas. He's practically a Fourth Stage Pill Forging Master already."

Listening, Xiao Chen studied the young man onstage. Though youthful, his spirit flame control hinted at Golden Core Late Stage cultivation.

Though Xiao Chen considered himself half a legitimate Pill Forging Master—his hex-induced basics were rock-solid—he quickly saw Lu Zicong's skill. Every move was flawless, save for the Third Stage spirit herbs, which Xiao Chen himself barely understood.

As expected of a Pill Forging Master from Hundred Grasses City, famed across the Eastern Territory. Lu Zicong opened with the Eight Dragon Siphon—simultaneously processing eight spirit herbs, liquefying them, then injecting the essence into the main ingredient. He demonstrated several pill formation secret techniques, completing a batch of perfect Supplement Yuan Pills within two hours.

The crowd erupted in applause. "Wow! Senior Sect Brother Changgeng, Senior Sect Brother Lu is amazing!"

Xiao Chen recognized the voice immediately. Turning, he saw the four disciples from the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion again.

Senior Sect Brother Changgeng scoffed, "Average."

"From what I know, only Cui Yunxian, Lord Huo's direct disciple, is truly exceptional in this generation. The rest are mediocrities."

His words drew glares, but seeing the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion's signature robes, most held their tongues. One bold cultivator challenged, "Who do you think you are, belittling Senior Sect Brother Lu?"

The crowd turned. Changgeng sneered, "What are you? A Foundation Building nobody daring to address me?"

His Golden Core Perfect Completion aura surged. "Count yourself lucky this is Hundred Grasses City. In the Dragon Subduing Sea, I'd kill you and no one would dare protest."

Though his words were harsh, the crowd's pressure faded under his aura and the Pavilion's emblem. Sword cultivators were notorious for quick tempers—provoking them could mean death.

Lu Zicong, however, narrowed his eyes and calmly countered the oppressive aura. Bowing, he said, "Ah, Senior Sect Brother Changgeng, the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion's current chief disciple. An honor to meet you."

"And this must be Junior Sect Sister Mu Yayang."

"My father often praises Elder Mu's swordsmanship. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree—Junior Sect Sister is clearly a valiant warrior too."

"Forgive the young one's rudeness. Senior Sect Brother, why dwell on his words?"

He turned to the disciple, "You! Back to your post now!"

The disciple fled, while the crowd murmured appreciation for Lu Zicong's tact.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end