Chapter Eight: Beyond the Comic's Plot

The warm breeze was so soporific it made one drowsy.

Suddenly, a tremendous crash split the air.

Su Li jolted awake. Not far away on the lake, a giant octopus surfaced, its entire body covered in black scales. Its tentacles, as thick as arms, sprawled across the water, with two of them wrapped tightly around Shen Luo, dragging him beneath the surface.

Su Li swiftly hurled a mystical blade at the creature, but its scales were too thick—her attack left not a mark. In the next instant, the sixth-rank Armored Octopus vanished beneath the water.

The cascade of events happened in a flash. Su Li snatched up the dagger from the ground, gripped it tightly, took a deep breath, and plunged headlong into the lake. Even with her cat-beast’s eyes, she could only make out the blurry shadow of the giant octopus beneath the surface and hastened to pursue it.

The water in the center of the lake was deep; the further she swam, the darker it became. As she ventured deeper, she was swept by undercurrents and fierce whirlpools, forcing her to summon her mystic power for protection. After a harrowing struggle, the Armored Octopus had disappeared from sight, yet she pressed on, diving even further into the abyss.

She had no idea how long she swam; just as her breath was about to give out, a glimmer of light appeared ahead.

With a gasp, Su Li broke the surface, exhaling heavily. She scrambled to shore, collapsed on the ground, and only when her breath had steadied did she take stock of her surroundings.

She found herself in a vaulted cavern, the ceiling rising to about seven feet. Embedded in the walls were crystals of various sizes, flooding the cave with spiritual energy.

Could this be a spirit crystal mine?

Her heart leaped, but upon inspection, she realized the crystals had all been set there by hand—disappointment washed over her.

Spirit crystals, also known as spirit stones, served both as currency among cultivators and as materials for training. Generally, they were categorized into superior, medium, and inferior grades, with each higher tier a hundred times more valuable than the last, and the energy contained within varying greatly.

Top-grade spirit crystals were rare and seldom used for trade; most cultivators kept them to enhance their cultivation or for alchemy and crafting, where their effects were most potent.

“What a pity,” Su Li sighed softly.

She followed the mine tunnel against the wind for a while, until a glow appeared ahead. As she drew closer, the roar of rushing water reached her ears. Passing through the tunnel, her vision opened up onto a world encircled by mountains and deep, secluded valleys: a landscape of such beauty it seemed a paradise hidden from the world.

She found herself standing at the edge of a cliff, a waterfall over thirty feet tall cascading beside her, crashing into an angry churn below.

She was just pondering how to descend when suddenly something tightened around her waist. Su Li looked down in shock—the octopus’s tentacle had somehow crept up to her.

She raised her dagger to strike, but in the blink of an eye she was hoisted into the air and dragged into the waterfall. She frantically summoned her mystic power, but was battered dizzy by the torrent. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, the grip loosened and she was flung violently aside.

A pained grunt came from beneath her.

When Su Li finally managed to open her eyes, she realized she had landed sprawled atop Shen Luo. As she raised her head, their noses brushed by accident.

Shen Luo’s face flushed scarlet.

Su Li composedly climbed to her feet, thinking, “What’s that compared to the time you kissed me?”

After steadying her breath, she asked, “What’s going on?”

Shen Luo shot a glare at the Armored Octopus, which had shrunk into a ball, shielding its face with its tentacles—only two round, innocent eyes peered out, blinking pitifully.

A surge of anger rose in Su Li’s chest; she flicked her wrist, sending a mystic blade its way.

The blade vanished on impact with the thick scales. The octopus glared back provocatively, as if to say, “Come on, if you have the guts, fight me!”

Unbearable!

“Do you have any fire charms?” Su Li asked.

Shen Luo nodded. The clan chief had given him a spirit ring with more than a dozen mid-grade fire charms, which he handed all to her.

“Watch closely. This dish is called sizzling iron squid,” Su Li quipped, her lips curling as she unleashed a flurry of mystic blades at the beast.

Under the fierce assault, the Armored Octopus finally sustained some minor injuries. With a twist of its massive body, its tentacles suddenly shot up, spreading menacingly toward Su Li.

This was the moment she’d been waiting for!

In a flash, Su Li darted up to the creature, and as surprise flickered in its eyes, she slapped seven or eight fire charms onto its face—the only part not armored with scales.

With a thunderous crash, the octopus toppled, sending dust and pebbles cascading from the rock wall. As it regained its senses, it found a dagger dangling before its right eye, and the girl it had underestimated grinning down at it. Instantly, it cowered.

In the world of spirit beasts, strength ruled.

The next moment, it was stunned further.

“What are you guarding here?” Su Li demanded.

The octopus darted glances left and right, and after confirming the voice echoed in its mind from the girl, its eyes went wide. “You… you’re a beast too?”

The dagger crept closer to its eye.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” the octopus whimpered. “All I know is there’s a temple inside, guarded by an incredibly powerful beast. I don’t know anything else.”

“Then why did you drag us in here?”

The octopus shook its head. “Ever since I became self-aware, I’ve lived in this cave behind the waterfall. Some mysterious mission compels me to wait for someone.”

Su Li looked at Shen Luo. “Is he the one you were waiting for?”

“His blood smells special,” the octopus replied, still puzzled. “As soon as I caught the scent, I was sure. As for you, it was the boy who asked me to bring you in.” Of course, it didn’t dare add that it had only intended to drag in a random little beast—never expecting to invite in a true powerhouse.

Su Li frowned.

This was truly off-script from the comic’s plot.

According to the story, Shen Luo endured countless trials in this secluded valley before finally finding the array’s core and earning his clan’s recognition. The author must have thought the plot unimportant and wrapped it up in a single chapter, never mentioning a temple beneath the water.

Su Li quickly let it go. Perhaps her arrival had set off a chain of butterfly effects—she would have to tread more carefully in the future.

Just then, she remembered something important. “You two haven’t made a contract, have you?”

A spark of hope flashed in the octopus’s eyes.

Su Li promptly punched it on the head.

Don’t even think about it—handling one dumb bird was trouble enough.

Seeing the octopus obligingly let Su Li ride atop its head, Shen Luo wasn’t surprised; it seemed only natural, though he was left all the more confused. He swore he’d never met this girl before, yet their interactions felt so familiarly intimate, as if… she knew him well.

Lost in thought, Shen Luo looked up to see Su Li leap down from the beast and land before him. “This place might be some celestial residence. Let’s go inside and see.”

Shen Luo agreed at once, his gaze deep as he stared at the stone door ahead. Ever since entering this place, a powerful intuition from deep within his soul urged him to step inside the temple without delay.