"Sacrifice?"
Standing amidst the thick woods, Su Min narrowed her eyes as she observed the commotion below.
"Great Sea God, Great Sea God…"
The shrill voices rang out, led by the priestess. A group of villagers were frantically praying towards the sea, their actions mirroring the slow disappearance of a massive whirlpool on the ocean's surface.
"Demonic energy?"
At that moment, a wave crashed against the shore. Several silvery orbs, exuding a heavy demonic aura, were washed onto the beach. The villagers eagerly picked them up and tossed them into their mouths. One by one, they began to twitch uncontrollably, their bodies mutating. Scales sprouted from their skin, and their ribcages cracked open, revealing gruesome wounds.
"Mermen? That creature seems to be transforming the villagers. And these villagers…"
Su Min's brows furrowed tightly as she watched the monsters, now capable of lifting boulders with ease after their transformation. Clearly, the monster was no weakling, with the power to convert humans into these half-human, half-fish horrors.
"Ahhh!!!"
Suddenly, several agonized screams pierced the air. The half-human, half-fish creatures clutched their eyes in pain and screamed. What terrified them was the sunlight that had yet to fully retreat.
"Trouble. If that monster is in the sea, my powers won't be effective. Originally, I needed the fishermen's help. But now… They'd be lucky not to turn against me."
Watching the scene, Su Min felt a headache coming on. If this were a river, she wouldn't care. During the dry season, she could force her way in. But this was the vast ocean. Even cultivators at the Qi Refining stage would hesitate, and for someone at her level, diving in would be suicidal. Her Nanming Lihuo wouldn't function in the sea, and breathing underwater was a problem she couldn't solve since she didn't know the Water Escape technique. Even Sun Wukong needed to use the Water Escape technique with one hand while fighting in the water. She had no chance.
"Do I need to find someone to help?"
At that moment, Su Min scratched her head, watching the villagers moan in agony as they were covered with blankets and taken into a nearby house. It seemed that after their transformation, the creatures could no longer withstand the sunlight. Su Min did not act hastily but instead allowed her eyes to scan rapidly. After not finding a suitable target, she reluctantly decided to leave quietly.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
She had no understanding of the situation here and decided to seek information from the local Fuding Merchant Guild in the county town. With no one specifically tasked with gathering information, Su Min figured it would be best to speak with them. So, quickly, she left, taking advantage of the fading sunlight, and soon arrived in the county town. However, it was still not fully dark, and the city was already locked down, with many soldiers patrolling.
Such martial law, however, posed no problem for Su Min. As a Qi Refining cultivator, she could easily locate a gap in the defenses and slip into the city undetected. What surprised her was how eerily quiet the entire town was. Every household was "closed," and despite the bustling nature of cities, it felt like a ghost town.
"Fuding Merchant Guild?"
With the last rays of sunlight, Su Min locked onto her target and quickly disappeared into the dark night.
Later...
"Hey, who's the leader here? Take me to see him."
Facing a confused servant, Su Min didn't waste time with pleasantries. She simply walked right past him, speaking politely, but her actions were swift. Soon enough, a fully armored middle-aged man emerged, wielding a weapon. When he saw a young woman, he paused, but when he spotted the golden token, his expression changed, clearly recognizing its significance.
This token represented the prince's decree. He was one of the few who knew the deeper workings of this merchant association, and quickly deduced Su Min's identity. A look of joy appeared on his face, and without hesitation, he rushed over with a servile expression.
"Long time no see! Quickly, come in. Fool, hurry and prepare the wine!"
He kicked a servant nearby and enthusiastically invited Su Min inside.
"What's going on? Why is the city so heavily guarded, and why is it dark so early?"
"Alas…"
With a bitter expression, the man led Su Min into a room, waving for a woman—who seemed to be either his concubine or wife—to bring over some simple refreshments.
"Over a year ago, many fishermen died at sea. The governor reported the matter to the court, asking for the Demon Slayer Division to deal with the monster."
"I know. The survivors barely made it back, barely escaping with their lives."
Su Min nodded. She was aware of the events. The Demon Slayer Division had some effect, but clearly, it wasn't enough. The monster was a Qi Refining cultivator, and it operated on its home turf—the sea. Even the best Body Refining cultivators couldn't do much against it.
"Yes, but after that day, something changed in the beast. It seems that after consuming the blood and flesh of those from the Demon Slayer Division, it gained new powers. Now it can mass-produce half-human, half-fish monstrosities. These creatures are incredibly strong, and even Body Refining cultivators can be killed by them if they're not careful."
"This is quite normal. Body Refining cultivators may be stronger than ordinary people, but they're not invincible. Only a few, like me, are exceptional."
Su Min wasn't surprised. When she was at the Body Refining stage, her strength was formidable, thanks to her powerful divine sense. It was the combination of being a transmigrator and having spent years refining pills.
"Every night, these creatures go on raids, capturing villagers. Several villages have been wiped out. Now, anyone with connections has gathered here. They're highly sensitive to light, which is why the entire city has its lights off."
"Is that so?"
Su Min squinted, thinking for a moment before replying slowly, "If we knew where their lair was, would the governor dare to send people to wipe them out?"
"What? You know?"
"I saw something unusual on my way here, but my identity prevents me from acting directly."
"No need. The governor is one of us. I'll introduce you to him tomorrow. He was once too righteous and opposed the emperor, so he was sent to this desolate seaside town as the so-called governor."
"Alright."