Deep Sea Hunter, but Deep Sea Titan

Cause and effect. Form and meaning. Dream and reality.

"If you sisters get together, you might actually be able to cure those evil spirits from beyond the borders."

The powers of these beast agents seemed increasingly mysterious to Luo Ting.

Even disregarding the Hai Si's world-destroying timeline, the current tough stance of the Yan Kingdom is enough to prove that the magnitude of these powers has an upper limit.

At first glance, the power of my [Shan Hai Hui Juan] skin seems simple, just shaping mountains and rivers, but once you use it, you realize it's pure numerical value, with massive power that can send bricks flying.

However, it is enough that these powers can work against evil.

In a way, it seems that Hai Si can also adapt to the evil through evolution. In the Hai Si doomsday storyline, the inner guard's domain was ultimately broken by the evil.

Perhaps after resolving the issue of the Sea Seed, Loting will be more organized in dealing with the problem of the demons, and will not need to adopt a more defensive stance to alleviate the urgency of the demon problem.

"It can be treated to some extent, but if you're looking for a cure, that's probably not very likely."

"Oh, right, let's settle the rent we agreed on with you."

"Looks like I'll be living here for a long time to come."

Now that the project to work on the heart of the behemoth had begun, Nian decided to go all out and finish it completely.

"I really envy Third Sister for still being able to live a carefree life. I certainly can't afford to be carefree now."

After saying this, a hint of loneliness and regret flashed across his face, followed by a look that suggested he was about to suffer a huge financial loss, as he pulled out a box of jade artifacts.

"These were mined and crafted by humans themselves."

"Even if I disappear, they will still be there."

The death of the Year Beast Agent means the erasure of its existence and the traces of its existence. This means that all the films shot and all the metalwork forged in that year will disappear.

She won't even leave a trace of her existence.

Besides Ling, Xi also had to reluctantly leave this perfect studio that met almost all of her needs.

"In any case, the scroll of mountains and seas remains open to you, Miss Nian, Miss Xi."

"Also, try to persuade your sister to stop being so stubborn. She needs to rest when she needs to."

Being too incapable of living for oneself is also a tragic extreme.

Chapter 210: Settling the Accounts

Wan Qincheng, the Vice Minister of Works, had never seen such rapid progress in his life. The twelve towers and five cities had been built to the point where the army could move in.

This place is different from Yumen Pass. Yumen Pass was defended against nothing more than some unfriendly neighbors and unorganized bandits.

The Great Wilderness City represents the limit of civilized production and life, while the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is the garrison of the Yan Kingdom's elite border defense troops. Therefore, in addition to serving as residences for the Sui family, the Twelve Towers and Five Cities are mainly guarded by the military.

Luo Ting knew that Ji and Wang would eventually appear here, so he sought out the Vice Minister of Works who had previously made a deal with Ji to confirm their whereabouts. Ji's ability was to materialize demons into less harmful beasts, turning perceived danger into real danger. Luo Ting believed that, given his insufficient understanding of demons, it was very necessary to obtain the help of the Seventh Elder Ji.

"Mr. Wan's career has been progressing smoothly. Building these twelve towers and five cities is another great achievement. Sooner or later, he will become a rising star who can make waves in the court."

Luo Ting's only impression of this Vice Minister of Works was that he was born into poverty but rose through the ranks extremely quickly; apart from that, there was really nothing else to remember.

"The tribute was coordinated by the Ministry of Rites. It was taken from the people and used for the people. Our Ministry of Works only did some desk work."

"Besides, I was born into a poor family. I only obtained an official position to make a living and for the sake of the people. Whether or not I have the power to influence others is a trivial matter."

"Now that we talk about it, it should be your job to command the wind and rain."

Wan Qincheng suddenly realized that accepting the other party's invitation to have tea and chat with Luo Ting here was a mistake. The other party could speak freely, but he could not.

And to this day, he still doesn't understand how the other person drank the tea; the tea was brought to "probably his mouth" and then mysteriously disappeared.

Add to that the teacup, which was commensurate with the size of the ten-meter-tall giant, and the scene became an extremely bizarre one.

"My colleagues from the Ministry of War are about to arrive. I must take my leave now, Your Excellency Gonggong."

"Has Ji arrived in Great Wilderness City yet?"

Seeing that Wan Qincheng was about to get up and leave, and that he seemed to have something important to do, Luo Ting revealed the real reason why he had asked Wan Qincheng to come for tea.

"This is no ordinary person. Why are you inquiring about his whereabouts?"

Aside from Wang, the person Si Suitai was keeping a close eye on most was the seventh son of the Sui family, who on the surface seemed to be completely devoted to business. Gonggong's initiative to ask to see this person was enough to give Wan Qincheng a cold sweat.

"Help someone to the end, and see them through to the end."

“Minister Wan, you don’t want the twelve towers and five cities you’ve worked so hard to build to be handed over to someone else for a free ride, do you?”

The current behemoth's heart is closer to the behemoth's true nature than the one in the original story. If Ji manages to use it in reverse, what will happen is unknown.

In Loting's eyes, this creation was the key to fighting against evil spirits in place of the increasingly weakened Year Beast, so he did not want any more variables to interfere with its operation.

Upon hearing Luo Ting's warning, Wan Qincheng's expression became subtle. After hesitating for a moment, he still told Luo Ting where Ji might be.

The intelligence pointed to a guild hall in the Great Wilderness City. There, Laurentina learned the whereabouts of the silk merchant. He had indeed just stopped there, but had left not long ago, probably heading towards the Shennong Shrine.

Sure enough, beneath the green tiles in front of the shrine stood a figure dressed in brocade robes and adorned with jade.

He showed some surprise at the approaching shadow, but quickly regained his composure.

"Seeing is believing. Your brothers and sisters all say we look alike."

“Nian, Xi and Ling both say you are very smart and can calculate things clearly, even to the point that you are too uncomfortable because you calculate things too clearly.”

The first to speak was Loting, a vengeful old shadow who had returned from the abyss.

"If we're just talking about accounting, I can certainly do a few calculations with an abacus. But to really compare myself to Lord Gonggong would be incredibly presumptuous."

"I wonder what brings you here in person?"

This jade dragon with emerald hair, dressed in brocade robes, is the collaborator that Luo Ting is looking for.

The bronze colossus in front of him was only ten meters tall, but Ji felt as if he could see a mountain tall enough to blot out the sun and a long river long enough to reflect nebulae. The oppressive force of the colossus made it hard for him to breathe.

He knew that this ancient giant had accepted Yan's tribute and was building a fortress called the Twelve Towers and Five Cities here, but he never expected that the other party would come to him so quickly.

He hadn't done anything yet; he was simply visiting his sister whom he hadn't seen in sixty years.

"Since you are willing to call me an old man, then I will give you a piece of advice from an old man."

"Don't play along with your second brother's nonsense. There are other ways to fulfill his wish."

Loting succinctly stated his suggestion: after seeing Nian's creation, he was convinced that there was a less costly way to liberate the Nian family from the shadow of the Nian beast, besides Wang's plan.

"You mean to say that Second Brother did something against the will of Heaven?"

"But when have you ever cared about the heavens?"

In Ji's view, Luo Ting was the one who disregarded the laws governing the workings of things, treating mountains and rivers as building blocks and all living beings as actors.

"It has nothing to do with these things."

"If your second brother keeps his distance from me and my things, I can turn a blind eye."

"Moreover, the northern border is in dire need of help. After the Water Worship Ceremony, Yan's first wish for me was to build twelve towers and five cities to ward off evil spirits. We really can't allow him to act up again."

Luo Ting never cared about things like "going against the heavens." For him, the only things he needed to be wary of were those he didn't fully understand or those he couldn't afford to offend at the moment.

"That creation of the year couldn't save our lives. Or is it that you, sir, intend to cast out the Scroll of Mountains and Seas when we have no way to turn back, and enslave our entire family?"

Luo Ting was not angry because of Ji's confrontation. He was indeed overly sensitive because the court was pressing too hard and he was too clear about the gains and losses.

"When two parties go into business together, they share the profits, but one party bears all the risks. This is not a profitable deal, or at least not a fair one."

"Like you, I care a lot about the profits and losses in the accounts. Now, the people in the court are not discussing how to save your family's lives, but how to find the safest situation for them."

"If I hadn't used my immense strength to force you, I probably would have ended up like you."

Instead of immediately stating that he had no such intention, Luo Ting first expressed that he understood Ji's indignation at this unequal "transaction" and his concern for the safety of his family.

"If something can be resolved by making friends, then don't try to figure out who's in charge or who's in charge."

“I’ve said it before, I care about the profits and losses on the books just like you, and I’m determined to keep the scales balanced.”

Lotin said, "Why would I go out of my way to enslave you? It's not like I can't find allies normally."

This child seems to have been stressed by Yan's manipulation.

"Wait, what do you mean, sir?"

Ji was clearly unaware of the detailed reasons for the continuation of the alliance, and he did not know that Yan held Gonggong in such awe because even with the combined strength of the entire nation, they could not contend with him. At this moment, he realized the possible truth: Gonggong > Yan > the awakened Sui Beast.

If this is true, then the other party has absolutely no reason to take advantage of someone in distress, because they could easily do the disadvantageous things he mentioned at any time.

Ji subconsciously drew out the shimmering silver array line, wanting to confirm whether his guess was correct. In the old man's memory, Gonggong was not powerful enough to surpass Yan, who was conferred a divine title.

Luo Ting also noticed Ji's thoughts. Since the child wanted to see, he decided to show off a few skills.

Chapter 212: Holy Light Cleanses Evil Spirits

"Oh, you silly child, if you stay here and ruin the crops, your sister will be angry."

So, Luo Ting unfurled the Mountain and Sea Scroll and pulled himself and Ji into it at the same time. The moment they entered the Mountain and Sea Scroll, Ji felt a distinct sense of physical and mental comfort.

The same world depicted in the painting, yet it reaches a height that Xi's paintings cannot attain.

"What are you trying to confirm? How powerful am I, or how tolerant can I be of a child's willfulness?"

Lotin's ability to achieve results justifies his patience; when facing evil, his ability to weave the "illusion" into the "reality" is quite effective.

"It's nothing more than asking you to allow me to inspect the goods."

As soon as Ji finished speaking, the bronze giant stomped on the ground, and the crimson shock spread out in three rings. Ji then drew out his jade needles and shuttles to block it—he relied on weaving the destructive energy into threads to neutralize Luo Ting's attack.

After he broke down the impact of the first ring into a ball of yarn, he already felt quite strained. The pressure on his consciousness from driving its own power had caused him to break out in a cold sweat.

Just as he was focusing all his energy on trying to separate the second and third waves of impact, he was already exhausted, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

The final, third impact sent a terrible burning pain throughout his body, his internal organs seemed to shift, and his mind was in a state of shock that blurred his vision, from which he could not calm down for a long time.

When Ji's vision cleared, he found that the bronze statue had disappeared, leaving only a bottle of strange scarlet potion in its place, and a new mountain had appeared.

"Child, is there anything else you want to see or try? Tell me now."

Ji awkwardly prostrated himself before the towering bronze giant, his limbs already out of his control. Just as he was wondering why the other party was releasing so much pressure to make him unable to move, he discovered that the ground a few steps away had been burned away by crimson flames of blue and red.

The mountains are shifting and arranging according to Lodin's will, and the rivers are meandering according to his will.

Ji felt there was no need to investigate further.

"enough."

"So what kind of business are you looking to do?"

With great difficulty, Ji propped himself up, staggered to his feet, and tremblingly picked up the bottle of life-saving potion and drank it down. The excruciating pain in his body was relieved in an instant. He thought that such a miraculous medicine would surely interest his younger brother, who was skilled in medicine.

Ji felt the ground around him begin to detach from its solid form, and the ground beneath his feet transformed into a rising platform, lifting him up to his giant god.

"Stop fooling around with your second brother. In exchange, I will support Nian's research so that the behemoth heart she creates can serve as a container to protect your safety."

“Your sister’s spirit has been overwhelmed by the corruption of suppressing evil spirits over the years. I will provide a place here for her to recuperate.”

"As long as you are willing to help me fight against the evil forces, I can also make those in the court who killed your sister pay the price."

Even Luo Ting thought that Shu had bound herself to this land for too long and pushed herself too hard. She needed a moment to catch her breath, and that was why Ji returned to Dahuang City at this time. He wanted to relieve his sister, who was suffering from overwork.

"Moreover, the evil spirits stirring beneath Great Wilderness City are about to reach a critical point."

"As a deposit, take these potions to your sister first. They will help relieve mental fatigue. I previously invited her to recuperate in the Scroll of Mountains and Seas for free—even Ya, who was on the verge of death, was saved here. But your sister was afraid of causing trouble, so she refused."

The effects of the magic potion on these crippled beings had already been proven on Yu Xi before. Although the magic potion alone could not completely repair Shu's consciousness, it should not cause it to vanish like in the original story. Moreover, he had also prepared some witchcraft potions.

“My power is enough to destroy many tangible things, but if the enemy is an elusive and intangible foe, even I will feel powerless. That is why I need to seek allies to fight against evil.”

"If you think the price is fair, then accept the deposit."

"I will take care of things with the imperial court for you. I will also make the samples of giant beasts and the knowledge in the Mountain and Sea Scroll available to you. If you wish, you can even participate in the annual plan together."

Loting was even willing to provide a complete set of after-sales services, making it an irresistible deal for Loting.

Especially after Ji learned that the Scroll of Mountains and Seas was enough to save Ya from his impending death.

This gave him more confidence in Nian's plan; at least he knew that Nian's creations were based on the Mountain and Sea Scroll, something capable of sustaining and healing giant beasts.

"Then, second brother, what will you do to him?"

After witnessing firsthand the wonders of the Mountain and Sea Scroll, Ji understood Wang's desire to use it and guessed that the scroll's owner would be furious.

"I promised your elder brother I wouldn't kill him."