After all the cultivators were divided into groups, each of them was given a map and a jade slip that would enable them to communicate with others using their spiritual senses.
After that, all the team leaders set out with their members.
There was a huge port in the Trident Island.
In that said port, ten giant ships were berthed, all in a line.
Each ship had two floors and were made of solid wood, and all of their figureheads were a mighty lifelike dragon which had five claws.
The members of each team then boarded their assigned ships. Since they already had responsibilities, they went straight to the area they were supposed to be in.
The four leaders, one captain and three lieutenants, of the group which Austin was in were in the premium stage of Master Realm.
The captain was a thin, handsome middle-aged man dressed in black. His nose was so sharp that it looked like an eagle's dangerous beak. His eyes were also big and piercing.
"Go on board!"
The captain bellowed to more than a hundred of his members who was at the port while pointing at one of the ten giant ships.
After everything was set and ready, each ship reeled their anchors in, untied their ropes, hoisted the sails and sailed out towards the unknown.
A flag donning a five-claw dragon waved proud and mighty on each ship's pole. For the unfamiliar, this emblem represented the Heavenly Dragon Holy Kingdom--powerful, intimidating, conquering.
Each ship looked mighty as it sailed through the waters.
And just like a fish, it rode the waves faster and faster.
On the deck, Austin leaned on the ship's rails and gazed out to the wide open sea.
It was already dusk and the sun was slowly sinking on the horizon. The spectacular sunset stretched into the sea and the shadows of the ships were all on its surface. It was a gorgeous sight. As the vastness of the waters started to get hidden by the darkness, the view only became more beautiful. It was poetry.
Most of the cultivators on the ship had never been out on the sea before. Nearly all of them were attracted by the dreamlike seascape. They all looked very excited--they even started talking about it to each other eagerly, though in hushed tones, as if they didn't want to disturb what was in front of them.
Breathing in deeply, Austin looked out into the distance, falling in love with the scenery. Then, he noticed it.
Laird and all the other cultivators in his team were in a tight huddle talking about something. Their voices were low and so Austin could not make out what it was.
They were glancing at him from time to time as if they were planning to do something sneaky behind his back.
His suspicions became more solid as he realized that it was just him who was not in the said huddle. It was intentional that he was left out.
Then it clicked--Laird was inciting the other members to attack him together.
In that small group, however, all the cultivators except for Laird were only at the Imperial Realm.
Because of that, Austin regarded their conspiracy as not worthy of his time nor attention.
If Laird was able to convince the other members of th
strength tremendously! How wonderful!'
he thought. The excitement that was running through his veins was incredibly high that he started salivating!
With that, Austin started conjuring up a plan of attack. He could not let such an opportunity pass!
However, he suddenly realized that he hadn't taken the Magical Beast Elixir yet.
Besides, it was impossible to kill the octopus alone and practice his Beast Energy-extracting Skill. And if they kill the monster together, he wouldn't be the only one interested in its vital energy.
While Austin was lost in his thoughts, the other cultivators were already looking at the their group leader. They were waiting for Laird's decision.
"Leader, will we kill this beast or not?"
a cultivator asked Laird tentatively.
"Kill it!
I will attack it from the front. You surround it and distract it!"
Laird ordered after a short moment of hesitation. He came to his decision after he measured the octopus's strength.
Holding a golden yellow long spear in his hand, he released strong spear intent and focused it on the giant octopus.
The other cultivators dispersed quickly and surrounded the octopus, just like Laird ordered.
Suddenly a whirring rang out.
That octopus moved and its demonic aura increased a lot. As the wind blew, its eight tentacles got longer and longer until they reached several hundred meters. Within seconds, it was ready to fight with the trespassing cultivators.
Austin was behind the octopus when he suddenly heard someone call his name.
"You, Austin, attack it from the front!"
Laird ordered unblinkingly as he stepped back a few meters.
The leader of each small team indeed had all the right to order his members, but it was clear that this was a sabotage.
Austin narrowed his eyes and thought, 'Oh?
In this situation, he wants to make me suffer?'
About a dozen of cultivators who belonged to the same team with Austin and the other teams stared at him, eager to see what would happen. They wouldn't help him because they didn't want to challenge the authority of their leaders.