The Six-Eyed Demonic Bone Fish and the Deep Sea Giant Eel struggled desperately, their massive bodies rolling violently as they tried to break free from their restraints and leap into the sky.
But it was all in vain.
An invisible force coiled around them, dragging them into the painting bit by bit.
Han Zhu, her face drained of color, screamed and leaped away from the Six-Eyed Demonic Bone Fish, trying to escape.
She had come with high ambitions but suffered a crushing defeat. All she wanted now was to flee back to the sea and never set foot on land again.
The man surnamed Ji was too insidious, too cunning. She couldn't outplay him.
However, she had no future.
Chi Qingying naturally wouldn't let her leave.
With a flick of her whip, the Underworld Undying Vine, like a serpent striking from its lair, immediately ensnared Han Zhu.
Then, Chi Qingying gave a fierce tug, and a terrifying shockwave propagated outwards.
The pitiable Han Zhu was instantly torn in two. Her vital energy was drained, and she fell to the ground like a withered leaf, turning to dust in an instant.
The Six-Eyed Demonic Bone Fish and the Deep Sea Giant Eel also met their doom, sucked into the painting.
Witnessing this, the remaining sea monsters and traitors lost all will to fight. Like stray dogs, they scattered in panic.
But they had no retreat, no escape whatsoever. Ultimately, they were all annihilated, their entire army wiped out.
In this battle, Chi Qingying, relying on Ji Mo's formation diagram, easily turned the tide of the war and achieved ultimate victory.
Even after the battle ended, many people still hadn't processed it, finding it utterly unbelievable.
The sea clan's army was vast, even deploying two undead creatures. Yet, such a powerful force had come and never returned. It was truly unexpected.
The righteous individuals were overjoyed.
They had thought they were doomed today, but the tide of battle had turned, and they emerged as the victors.
Justice had ultimately triumphed over evil, and they would reap immense rewards. The power dynamics in Lan Yu City would be reshuffled, and they would share in the great spoils of victory.
Of course, the biggest winner was naturally the Chi family. From this day forward, the west coastline would be under the Chi family's control.
"Oh my, we all wronged Mr. Ji. I never imagined he had already planned everything, waiting for the sea clan to fall into his trap before annihilating them. How cool!"
Xia Wan'er's bright eyes rekindled with deep admiration, regretting her previous doubts.
How could she have questioned Mr. Ji? It was truly wrong.
She decided that from now on, no matter what, she would unconditionally trust Ji Mo.
Cui Niang sighed, "After this battle, the sea clan has lost a large number of elites. Without three to five thousand years of recuperation, they likely won't recover. For at least the next three thousand years, we won't have to worry about sea clan invasions, ushering in thousands of years of peaceful days."
"More than thousands of years. The sea clan likely won't dare to come ashore easily again. Unless they find a way to counter Mr. Ji's formation diagram, they can only meekly cower in the sea and dare not make any rash moves."
Madam Chi let out a relieved laugh, feeling immensely exhilarated.
Chi Qingying floated down from mid-air, holding the Gou Mang Divine Hide as if it were a treasure.
She beamed, the corners of her mouth curving into a very cute arc, her small front teeth sparkling white.
Madam Chi took the Gou Mang Divine Hide, wanting to examine it further and broaden her horizons.
Suddenly, her face showed shock.
She saw that the world within the painting had changed significantly.
Much of the mist had dissipated, revealing more scenery. The Six-Eyed Demonic Bone Fish and the Deep Sea Giant Eel also appeared within the painted world.
But they were no longer the same. Their malevolent aura had vanished, their appearance was no longer ferocious, and they looked much more pleasant, clearly having been assimilated.
These signs indicated that the world within the painting could absorb external entities for its own use and grow continuously.
Furthermore, as the space expanded, its power would also increase.
"Heavens, this is a growth-type magical artifact. Perhaps in not too long, it will advance to become a divine artifact!"
Madam Chi's hands trembled uncontrollably, her voice even quivering.
Even with her extensive knowledge and strong composure, she couldn't suppress her excitement at this moment.
Immortal Spiritual Artifacts had seven grades: Mortal, Low, Medium, High, Exquisite, Supreme, and Ultimate.
According to Madam Chi's assessment, this formation diagram had already reached the Ultimate grade. Now, with this enhancement, it had reached its peak, beginning to show the nascent form of a quasi-divine artifact.
If they could find a way to let it continue evolving, and the world within the painting kept expanding, becoming a true divine artifact would be within reach.
"What, it can advance to become a divine artifact?!"
Chi Qingying and the others were stunned.
They never imagined that Ji Mo could create something of this caliber.
Growth-type represented infinite possibilities. Perhaps a divine artifact wasn't even its ultimate limit. The thought made them increasingly excited.
The hearts of the young ladies pounded, their breathing nearly ceasing.
"Mr. Ji's grand gesture is truly beyond words! My Chi family cannot repay such kindness. It's just a pity that he's unwilling to become our Chi family's son-in-law."
Madam Chi sighed deeply and then shot Chi Qingying several reproachful glances.
The implication was clear: she blamed her own daughter for being useless.
Wind Flower Snow Moon Tower.
Yan Zhi was completely stunned.
She had witnessed the battle firsthand and still hadn't fully comprehended it.
With just one formation diagram, the entire battle had been so easily turned around. Ji Mo's methods truly left her in awe.
She believed that all of this was Ji Mo's plan, that he had deliberately set up elaborate traps, luring the sea clan ashore step by step, and then capturing them all in one go.
Brilliant, truly brilliant!
What made Yan Zhi even more impressed was that Ji Mo had not revealed himself from beginning to end, giving all the glory and honor to Chi Qingying, hiding his achievements and fame.
With such magnanimity and such a high realm, who else could compare?
There was no longer any hesitation.
The Saintess of the Moon Sect would undoubtedly be Young Master Ji.
The tens of thousands of women in the Wind Flower Snow Moon Sect needed Young Master Ji to guide them.
Impatient, she hurried to meet the Grand Elder of the Moon Sect.
The atmosphere of great victory quickly made Lan Yu City lively.
Those who had fled earlier all rushed back, and creatures from other regions also swarmed in, all hoping to seize an opportunity for profit.
Outside the city.
Where Chi Qingying had battled Ximen Cang a few days prior, entire mountain ranges had been blown apart, revealing the ancient Lan Yu ore veins deep underground.
It had become a gold rush, with countless beings flocking there to excavate Lan Yu and various ancient treasures mixed within.
Some found rare immortal iron, others unearthed rare sacred medicines, and one fellow, incredibly lucky, casually picked up a broken divine bone from the mud.
"You scoundrels, if you don't want to die, hand over all the good things you've dug up."
A one-eyed burly man, wielding a nine-ringed broadsword, bullied the weak, robbing the low-strength rogue cultivators in the mining area.
This brute had previously tried to kill Ji Mo for a bounty but had been so terrified that he didn't dare to act and had seized the opportunity to escape outside the city.
He was afraid of Ji Mo's revenge and had been hiding in the deep mountains these past few days. Now, he couldn't resist engaging in this risk-free business.
The one-eyed brute stopped a dark-skinned youth with a buzz cut, forcing him into a secluded corner to be robbed.
"My name is Sai Gao."
The youth remained very calm, introducing himself with an air of nonchalance.
"I don't care what your name is. Hand over your valuables obediently, or I'll make you regret it."
The one-eyed brute chuckled, seeing that the other's attire was not ordinary, suggesting he was wealthy.
"My name is Sai Gao, and I love to pick pockets," the youth said with a bright smile.