MSBITRS Chapter 51 V1

Strange… why are so many powerful divine senses suddenly sweeping back and forth in this area?

On the eastern shore of the East Sea, at the southeastern edge of the South Zhanbu Continent, a coastal hill stood overlooking the vast waters.

In a small fishing village of dozens of simple stone houses, an old, stern-faced Daoist—Li Changshou in disguise—sat quietly, sipping hot water brought to him by a few elderly women. As he drank, his gaze lingered on the sea.

Moments ago, he had handed out a few talismans to the villagers, receiving their warm gratitude in return. This act was both a genuine kindness and a way to maintain his cover, making his presence along the East Sea seem more natural.

—Many itinerant human cultivators used similar methods to gain karma and merit.

But there was a truth that Li Changshou had understood long ago:

Helping the good yields good results; helping the wicked yields wicked results.

He had no way of ensuring whether those who received his talismans were virtuous or malicious. The safest course of action was to distribute ones he had deliberately drawn incorrectly—harmless “soothing sleep charms” that had no real effect. That way, he avoided getting entangled in karma.

In the distance, the shadow of a dragon flickered across the sea before swiftly vanishing into the clouds.

As expected, it’s the Dragon clan. They seem to be searching for something.

Now was not the time for him to venture out to sea—he had no desire to cross paths with these dragons.

And so, Li Changshou continued his journey, braving the elements, walking along the coastline from north to south. Along the way, he observed mortal life, finding occasional insights in the mundane.

Half a month later, after traveling over a thousand miles south, he finally confirmed that the powerful dragons had left the region they had scoured so thoroughly.

After some consideration, he decided to stick to his original plan—this would be the place where he would undergo his tribulation.

Two more months passed before he was certain that the surrounding area was completely calm.

Choosing a quiet night, Li Changshou cast an illusionary transformation spell, morphing into a medium-sized fish before slipping into the warm ocean waters.

With a Water Evasion technique, he swam toward a few small islands he had previously seen marked on a fisherman’s sea chart.

A tribulation site couldn’t be too far from mortal settlements—if he were ambushed before or after his tribulation, he needed the mortal world as an emergency escape route.

But it also couldn’t be too close—mortal filth and impurities could taint a cultivator’s Dao body and soul. When he ascended, he would absorb the world’s spiritual energy, and it was best to avoid drawing in too much mortal impurity.

—His master’s tribulation had been incomplete, so the process of absorbing spiritual energy had been brief.

But two months ago… what exactly were the dragon clan searching for?

Li Changshou couldn’t help but feel curious.

What kind of person or treasure would warrant such a grand mobilization, prompting them to sweep the entire eastern sea border?

He hadn’t seen the dragons directly at the time, but their auras had been left completely unrestrained—so intense that he could sense them from hundreds, even thousands, of miles away.

No matter. It has nothing to do with me.

His only goal was to survive his tribulation unnoticed, then find a place to cultivate for two to three years, stabilize his Dao foundation, conceal his presence, refine his Turtle Breathing Technique, and then return to the sect to resume his peaceful life as a young disciple of the Du Immortal Sect.

He was already struggling to suppress his cultivation. Any moment now, he might step into the Dao Return Ninth Stage.

Carefully moving through the waters, he approached the small islands one by one, observing them closely. But none seemed satisfactory.

It wasn’t that they lacked hiding spots—on the contrary, they had too many. The more hiding spots there were, the more likely someone else would search them thoroughly.

Not ideal for a secluded tribulation site.

After some thought, he continued south. Two to three months ago, the dragon clan’s experts had been moving from south to north…

Swim faster, search slower. He kept his mind calm, looking for a place that resonated with him.

Then, in the latter half of the night, his eyes lit up—his divine sense had found a suitable island.

It was ring-shaped, essentially a cluster of small mountains rising from the sea. A quick scan revealed its simple structure—easy to survey, unlikely to draw prying eyes.

Taking the form of a fish, he swam closer, growing more satisfied as he observed the island. Using Water Evasion, he cautiously circled it over ten times before finally deciding to investigate further.

When he was still about ten miles away—

Wait. The ocean currents feel… off.

Li Changshou spotted a small whirlpool beneath the surface. Using his divine sense to probe inch by inch, he quickly discovered a concealed underwater cave.

The cave was narrow and sloped upward, leading to a small inland pool within the island.

Not bad. A great spot—and it even has a natural escape route!

The more he examined it, the more pleased he became.

This is it. This is the place.

———

“You want to drag this prince back? Dream on!”

Deep within the underwater cave, Ao Yi, the second prince of the dragon clan, pressed himself against the cold, hard rock wall, cautiously scanning the area three miles beyond the island’s perimeter.

Silently, he activated his dragon clan’s secret technique—Hidden Dragon Art.

He knew he couldn’t extend his divine sense too far, or he’d risk exposure…

But that also meant he couldn’t confirm whether his clan members were still searching the area.

No matter. I have patience.

Even after hiding for three whole months, he could endure.

For the sake of his dragon’s ambitions.
For the bloodline that flowed in his veins.
For his responsibility as the dragon prince!

If he could just reach the shore and escape the Dragon Palace’s influence, the situation would shift in his favor.

But things had taken an unexpected turn. It wasn’t the island’s immortals searching for him—

That damn Wu Yun Immortal had directly notified the Dragon Palace, prompting them to send a large force to hunt him down from north to south!

That day, if he hadn’t reacted quickly and moved in secrecy underwater, he would have collided with them head-on!

Luck had been on his side—while hiding in the seabed, he had followed the terrain and stumbled upon this hidden cave in the ring-shaped island.

And it had worked! He had managed to evade his pursuers.

“Hmph! A perfect hiding spot like this—only a prince like me could’ve found it!”

Ao Yi smirked in satisfaction.

But suddenly, a sense of danger crept up on him.

It wasn’t something he could see or sense directly—this was an innate bloodline instinct warning him of imminent peril.

Had he been discovered?!

His heart tensed. Flattening himself against the rock wall, he pushed the Hidden Dragon Art to its limits.

At this moment, he deeply resented his ancestors for their arrogance. Why hadn’t they developed a more advanced transformation or concealment technique?!

Then—

A human Daoist suddenly appeared at the cave’s entrance.

He squeezed through the gap, heading directly toward Ao Yi’s hiding place.

Ao Yi immediately relaxed. His brows furrowed. His eyes sharpened.

A decision was made.

This old Daoist was dead.

The man’s aura wasn’t strong, and he hadn’t noticed Ao Yi, who remained perfectly hidden.

But if he took even a few more steps forward—

He was doomed.

Ten feet…
Eight feet…
Five feet…

Now!

Ao Yi’s eyes narrowed. The moment the Daoist came within three feet, he struck.

A blinding blue light erupted—

From the narrow crevice, a massive azure dragon’s head lunged forth, maw wide open, ready to swallow the unsuspecting Li Changshou whole!

Innate Dragon Ability: Devour Heaven and Earth!

Li Changshou froze in place for a brief moment—

But his reaction was incredibly swift—almost instinctive—as he dodged to the side while his left hand quickly flipped over to grip the two porcelain bottles.

In the blink of an eye, the dragon’s head shimmered with dazzling blue light in the seawater, and its jaws snapped shut around Li Changshou’s left arm, biting it off in a single gulp!

Li Changshou let out a muffled grunt, retreating rapidly as his right hand swiftly formed a hand seal.

Ao Yi’s fierce attack had been narrowly evaded, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of surprise at the cold-faced Daoist’s astonishing reflexes.

The azure dragon immediately dove in pursuit, but to his shock, his opponent had already cast a water-escape technique, slipping out of the underwater cavern in an instant…

He can’t be allowed to escape!

Panic surged in Ao Yi’s heart as he flicked his tail and sped forward—but suddenly, his vision blurred.

What… did I just swallow?

Still surging forward, he quickly turned his senses inward and saw something strange in his stomach—a small, white paper-like arm, two porcelain bottles nearly dissolved by divine power, and two clusters of medicine rapidly dispersing…