Chapter 128: A Gathering of Frauds

From Zhou Qing’s perspective, the creature that had abducted Lin Yunxi was not particularly powerful, so it couldn't possibly control a large stretch of water. Zhou Qing had already scoured this entire area; the only place left for that creature to hide was here.

Concealed among the water plants, Zhou Qing meditated while keeping a watchful eye on the fountain of water rising from the lake’s center, erupting from deep beneath the earth.

He had no idea how much time had passed when a large, black eel, about a foot long, emerged from beneath the water column. The thick eel was quite conspicuous in the clear lake; as it neared the surface, it shot directly out of the jet, wriggled forward for a few strokes, then settled calmly in the water.

Upon spotting this eel suddenly appearing from below the bottomless hole, Zhou Qing refrained from acting rashly, for it was not the golden carp that had previously taken Lin Yunxi.

Moreover, to try and catch an eel underwater—a slippery creature adept at burrowing into mud—was not something Zhou Qing felt confident about. So, after observing the thick black eel, he chose not to act, remaining hidden behind the water plants.

After emerging from the water jet, the eel swam its way into a small tributary, apparently heading toward the large river connected to the stream.

Once the eel had departed, Zhou Qing gathered his focus and slipped out from the water plants. With a flicker, he drifted back to the water column at the center of the lake.

Circling the fountain erupting from the bottomless pit, he willed himself into the water column once more.

As before, after diving down twenty fathoms, the immense force of the water jet barred him from descending further. Unable to go any deeper, he let himself be carried back into the lake by the current.

Judging by the eel that had just emerged from beneath the jet, there must be something extraordinary beneath the bottomless hole. Yet Zhou Qing was unable to descend further.

He paused briefly by the water column, then drifted to the edge of the lake where water plants grew thick and hid himself again, waiting for the eel to return. He wanted to see just how the eel managed to enter the hole.

From his earlier observation, the eel had not yet achieved sentience, so it couldn't possibly withstand the force of the water column as long as Zhou Qing could. This suggested that descending into the hole wasn't simply a matter of brute strength.

Waiting behind the water plants for nearly a day, Zhou Qing finally saw the black eel return to the lake.

Energized, Zhou Qing watched as the eel swam to the water column, flicked its tail around the jet, and then, quite suddenly, the fountain ceased.

With the water column gone, the black eel moved swiftly and slipped directly into the bottomless pit at the lake’s center.

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Seeing the eel enter the hole, Zhou Qing hurriedly emerged from the water plants, but instead of immediately following, he circled the water hole once more.

He had initially believed the water column at the lake’s center was caused by an underground river beneath the bottomless pit, but now it seemed that the fountain was not naturally formed—it was artificial.

Whether it was controlled by an array or some other method, Zhou Qing could not say, but the eel’s tail movements earlier must have concealed the mechanism to halt the water jet.

Standing above the now-calm pit, Zhou Qing pondered, then slipped into the bottomless hole, diving straight down.

Without the forceful water column impeding him, Zhou Qing descended smoothly.

He managed to dive about forty fathoms deep when suddenly, a powerful surge erupted beneath him, and the water column reappeared within the pit.

Previously, he couldn’t go beyond twenty fathoms due to the pressure of the jet; now, at forty fathoms, it was impossible to descend any further.

As the fountain surged again, Zhou Qing sighed in regret—had he not hesitated above the hole, he might have reached the bottom.

Helpless, he let the immense force of the water jet propel him back toward the lake’s surface.

This time, he was blasted out of the water, flung six or seven fathoms above the lake. As he fell, he landed firmly atop the surface.

Had it been solid ground instead of water, a fall from such height would have left Zhou Qing dead or crippled.

Having missed a promising chance to enter the hole, Zhou Qing hid once more amid the water plants, waiting for another opportunity.

He had expected to wait several days, but after three or four hours, he saw a giant crayfish, about three feet long, swimming toward the lake.

Zhou Qing had seen this crayfish before while circling the area; at the time, he sensed only the faintest hint of demonic energy from it, so he paid it little mind.

The crayfish swam to the center, extended its claws into the water column and pinched at it twice. Instantly, the fountain vanished again, and the giant crayfish slipped directly into the hole.

After the crayfish had entered, Zhou Qing was about to emerge from the water plants, but he suddenly noticed a pair of large crabs scuttling rapidly from the river toward the lake.

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The newcomers were a pair of green crabs, each about the size of a small wooden tub. Zhou Qing had seen them before while searching for the sentient creature in the water.

Like the giant crayfish, the pair of crabs bore only a trace of demonic energy, not enough to consider them sentient; so Zhou Qing had merely glanced at them, not thinking much.

The two crabs scuttled quickly to the mouth of the water column, their green bodies shimmering as they slipped straight into the bottomless hole.

After the pair of green crabs had entered, Zhou Qing noticed more creatures swimming from the river toward the lake.

Moments later, he saw an old turtle stretching its limbs, slowly swimming toward the lake’s center. As it reached the water hole, the vanished fountain erupted once more.

The old turtle swam to the jet, extended its claws, and traced a few patterns in the column. Immediately, the fountain vanished again.

As soon as the water column disappeared, the old turtle was about to dive into the hole. Zhou Qing, concealed behind the water plants, seized the moment—he emerged swiftly, waved his right hand, and summoned Phantom Peerless, which transformed into a long whip and lashed toward the turtle.

Zhou Qing had seen this old turtle before in the area; like the crabs and crayfish, its demonic aura was faint, so he hadn’t paid it much mind.

But now, all these creatures bearing traces of demonic energy were gathering to dive beneath the bottomless pit, clearly indicating something unusual was happening.

The old turtle, about to enter the hole, noticed Zhou Qing and quickly withdrew its head, tail, and limbs into its shell. The whip, formed by Phantom Peerless, struck only the shell.

The blow sent the turtle tumbling to the lake’s edge; it quickly extended its body from the shell and stretched its limbs, trying to escape into the tributary.

Catching an eel underwater would have been quite difficult, but a turtle? That was a different matter. Although it moved quickly, a turtle is, after all, a turtle; no matter how fast, it couldn’t get far.

With a thought, Zhou Qing pursued along the tributary, and within less than a hundred fathoms, caught up with the fleeing turtle.

He ensnared the turtle with Phantom Peerless and, with a pull, brought it effortlessly before him.

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