Cultivation Starting from Full Talent-Chapter 562 - 560 Mo Yu Monarch

"That’s correct."

Ning Daoran smiled faintly. Looking at the Demon Beast Inner Core inside the Storage Bag, he couldn’t help but show a hint of satisfaction.

A total of three hundred and sixty-nine Golden Core Demon Beasts were slain, yielding an equal number of Demon Cores, including over twenty Pure Demon Pills of legend.

These were treasures for condensing a False Core. Each Pure Demon Pill was worth a fortune in the outside world; indeed, a windfall!

"Young Master."

Little Bai knelt nearby, her posture graceful as she smiled and asked, "Where to next?"

"Sailing deeper into the Endless Demon Sea—perhaps there’s still fortune to be found."

"Understood!"

Little Bai smiled gently, saying, "But after the battle at Coral Sea, Young Master’s fearsome reputation has likely spread far and wide, making these Demon Beasts terrified. It will be challenging to find suitable Golden Core Demon Beasts to hunt now."

"No matter—Nascent Soul Stage Demon Beasts can be slain as well, as long as they’re not Late-stage Nascent Souls."

"Understood!"

Little Bai rose and took the helm.

Ning Daoran continued to revel in the joy of his recent haul, reassessing his strength. Too powerful—human wave tactics with Golden Core Stage cultivators were no longer effective against him!

...

At Guiru City, beneath the jade pillar of the Demon Slayer List,

Spectral figures gathered—each an enlightened master, all seasoned Nascent Soul cultivators, beings seen by mortals as Old Immortals.

At this moment, over a dozen elders convened, their expressions universally grave.

"Old Man Yang, what’s going on?"

A green-robed elder frowned. "Who is this Huaguo Mountain Great Monkey? They climbed from tens of thousands in rank to the top hundred within mere days—could it be a Divinity Transformation Cultivator?"

"Divinity Transformation? I doubt it."

Old Man Yang, cloaked in gray, stroked his beard. "Which Divinity Transformation Cultivator would squander their precious Primordial Qi slaughtering demons in the Endless Demon Sea? I don’t know who this person is myself..."

He turned to the crowd, saying, "As you all know, the identities are coded into the Demon Slayer Token when signing contracts with the Demon Slayer List Artifact Spirit—even someone like me, the list’s guardian, cannot discern them."

"Hmph!"

A crimson-robed elder interjected, "Remarkable indeed—climbing from tens of thousands to the top hundred within days. If they’re not a Divinity Transformation expert, are they perhaps a Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator? Or... could it be the Tower Master of the Slaying Immortal Tower trying to claim first place out of sudden interest?"

"No."

Old Man Yang shook his head, "Shen Luoyan’s codename isn’t Huaguo Mountain Great Monkey; it’s ’My Hands So Icy’—something I’ve known for quite some time."

"..."

A brief silence swept over the crowd upon hearing Shen Luoyan’s codename.

"In that case..."

A white-robed Nascent Soul elder suggested, "Could we deduce this Great Monkey’s identity by cross-referencing their token activation time?"

"I don’t find that necessary."

Old Man Yang spoke firmly, "Fellow Daoists, this Huaguo Mountain Great Monkey advances fiercely on the Demon Slayer List, which might be beneficial. After all, the Endless Demon Sea remains our Immortal City’s greatest adversary—their demon-slaying strengthens the Human Clan by weakening the Demon Clan. This is a good thing; why not let it be instead of investigating their identity?"

The crowd of elders fell into silence.

In the end, no resolution was reached, and they dispersed, the matter temporarily set aside.

Nonetheless, the tale of a Nascent Soul cultivator called "Huaguo Mountain Great Monkey" slaughtering demons and surging into the top hundred ranks had spread throughout Guiru City.

Ning Daoran had yet to return, but his codename on the Demon Slayer List had already made him a local sensation!

...

Months passed swiftly.

Ning Daoran continued traversing the depths aboard the Demon Spirit Treasure Boat, slaying only a handful of Foundation Establishment Stage and Golden Core Stage entities in the process. As with most demon hunts, not every expedition bore abundant rewards.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators often returned from voyages with only several Golden Core Demon Beasts, or faced ill fortune, encountering Nascent Soul Demon Beasts they couldn’t defeat, forcing them into hasty retreats.

Demon hunting was taxing—what Ning Daoran achieved by rampaging across the seas was merely an intersection of luck and strength.

His rank on the Demon Slayer List remained fixed at 99.

It was just too arduous—progressing even a single rank after entering the top hundred seemed nearly impossible!

"Young Master, look."

Little Bai pointed ahead, smiling. "That’s the legendary Peach Blossom Island."

"Peach Blossom Island?"

Ning Daoran frowned, releasing his Nascent Soul Divine Sense to investigate the island. It revealed an uninhabited place—ten miles of peach blossoms yet devoid of cultivators or lurking Demon Beasts.

"Peach Blossom Island serves as a transit hub within the Endless Demon Sea."

Little Bai explained, "Many Spirit Boats drift for months or years there. Passing by, they tend to make landfall for brief respites."

"Understood."

Ning Daoran nodded. "No need for us to dock—continue eastward to search for demon traces."

"Understood!"

The Demon Spirit Treasure Boat sailed onward, leaving the island behind.

...

Half a day later.

As the boat re-entered deep-sea regions, the water grew immeasurably deep, with nothing visible even through Divine Sense.

Cross-legged in meditation, Ning Daoran had been studying the Array Path when his outward Nascent Soul Divine Sense suddenly picked up an immensely powerful aura.

"Hmm?"

He frowned and slowly rose.

"What’s wrong?"

Little Bai, startled, asked.

"Something approaches us."

Ning Daoran clapped his palm sharply, intoning, "Arise!"

Immediately, the ship’s protection array surged forth, enveloping the entire Demon Spirit Treasure Boat.

"Boom~~~"

In the distant sea, towering waves rose to tens of meters, layering into a terrifying series of tsunamis, crashing toward the boat.

"Steady the treasure boat!"

Ning Daoran stomped his foot sharply, unleashing robust Nascent Soul Power to shield the vessel against the raging tides.

"Boom Boom Boom~~~"

The waves pounded relentlessly against the array and Ning Daoran’s force, ringing out deafeningly. Such a spectacle could leave even the most seasoned sailors in disbelief.

After dozens of strikes, the Demon Spirit Treasure Boat swayed precariously amidst the tempest.

Then the sea calmed, but the waters beneath turned pitch black. A massive, serpentine shadow twisted within the depths, finally surfacing with a splash to take humanoid form above the ocean.

Clad in ink-black garments, the figure exuded malevolence—a fierce-looking middle-aged man.

"Fellow Daoist."

The man smiled faintly. "Was it you who wiped out almost the entire Coral Sea demon branch?"

Ning Daoran stood at the boat’s prow, meeting the man’s gaze head-on.

"If yes, so what? If not, so what?"

Ning Daoran replied coldly. "Are you seeking justice for the Coral Sea demons?"

"It seems you admit you were responsible for the Coral Sea massacre, correct?"

The man’s tone grew furious, his teeth gritted.

"So what if I was?"

Ning Daoran’s gaze hardened. "Do you wish to exact revenge on their behalf?"

"That’s precisely my intent!"

The man flicked his sleeve, stirring chaotic waves around him as Mid-stage Nascent Soul demonic power pulsated outward, oppressing the surroundings. "I am Mo Yu Monarch, here to challenge you on behalf of the Coral Sea demons!"

His sharp eyes gleamed, accompanied by a sneer, "I’ve been tracking you for months and am rather delighted to finally encounter you today!"

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows.

Nearby, Little Bai rapidly flipped through a thick catalog, stopping abruptly at one entry, transmitting telepathically, "Young Master, this figure is the infamous Mo Yu Monarch. His true form is an Ink Jiao Dragon, possessing profound cultivation and having cultivated Gui Water Essence Qi. He holds records of slaying Mid-stage Nascent Soul Human Clan cultivators, making him a forbidden existence within the Endless Demon Sea. Rarely does any Human Clan cultivator dare face him."

She gritted her teeth, adding, "An Early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator facing this Demon King is almost guaranteed to perish on the spot; those at Mid-stage may struggle for prolonged periods but risk death from mana depletion and physical injuries—this demon is tricky for even Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

The Returning Ruins Immortal City’s Demon Catalog notes how Purple Flame Demon Lord, a Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, once encountered Mo Yu Monarch at sea. Though Purple Flame Demon Lord sacrificed two Magical Treasures to grievously wound Mo Yu Monarch, he ultimately failed to kill it, allowing it to escape—an incident that still rankles him deeply."

"Hmm."

Ning Daoran nodded. "This is deep-sea territory—fighting Mo Yu Monarch here would be unwise. Even if I deploy the Ten Directions Forbidden Array, unstable conditions here mean neither the Array Plate nor Flags can be anchored effectively. Killing him would only leave his Nascent Soul to escape and sow future trouble!

Little Bai, order the crew—make full speed for Peach Blossom Island! I’ll hold him off briefly, then lure him into shallow water for battle. We’ll set the array there and kill him properly!"

"Understood! As you command!"

Little Bai darted away, instructing the Paperfolk crew to turn the vessel for full-speed retreat.

Simultaneously, Little Blackie dove into the water, thrashing its tail furiously to propel the Demon Spirit Treasure Boat toward Peach Blossom Island!

...

"What’s this—running away already?"

Mo Yu Monarch sneered mockingly, "For a cultivator who wiped out hundreds of Golden Core demons from Coral Sea, it’s quite disappointing to see you flee upon encountering me."

"Disappointing?"

Ning Daoran ascended lightly, surrounding himself with Gang Qi as his Big Green Dragon emanated power. He smirked, "You’re a Mid-stage Nascent Soul Demon Beast—I’m merely an Early-stage Nascent Soul Human Clan cultivator. Must I stick around to be smashed to pieces for you to feel satisfied? While my cultivation path hasn’t made me a sage, I’m no fool. Want me dead? It’s not going to be so easy."

"Hmph..."

Mo Yu Monarch ridiculed, "How naïve—this is the Endless Demon Sea. Do you truly believe your whims can guarantee survival?"

With that, Mo Yu Monarch swept his hand forcefully, standing tall as his mana surged violently, forming colossal waves that surged forward like mountains. Even before the tides approached, the oppressive, crackling Spiritual Pressure of a Mid-stage Nascent Soul demon enveloped the skies and earth!