The Art of Chaotic Divinity-Chapter 1245: The Twelve Shas of Heavenly Pool

After leaving the reef island on the Realm-Piercing Shuttle, Ling Feng and his group flew straight toward Heavenly Pool Island.

Half a day passed in an instant.

The vast stretch of land ahead drew nearer. A colossal city wall came into view.

Still some distance from the island, Ling Feng recalled the Realm-Piercing Shuttle and took several medicinal pills to restore his elemental force.

Although the speed of the Realm-Piercing Shuttle was astonishing, its consumption of elemental force was equally immense.

"Prepare to land on Heavenly Pool Island. Stay alert," Ling Feng said, his expression growing grave as he scanned the team.

Everyone appeared in good condition, but he expected a fierce battle once they set foot on the island.

As Ling Feng's group approached Heavenly Pool Island, two humanoid creatures sat cross-legged on a reef within the island's waters.

The one on the left had black horns, a green face with fangs, and black wings. It was tearing at a human corpse and devouring the flesh. Blood smeared its mouth as it laughed. "Human flesh tastes best. After eating it, I feel my strength surge."

"Too bad someone like us can only get a human meal once or twice a month," the horned monster said. "It makes my mouth water!"

Beside the horned monster sat a creature far uglier and barely human in shape. Its body was covered in scales. It extended a long tongue and licked the blood from its claws. It grinned and said, "Hei Sha, times have changed. There are fewer than fifty thousand humans in the city now. If we keep eating like we used to, soon there will be no more to eat."

"Sigh, but the one who came to Heavenly Pool Island ten years ago eats like a monster. Even the island master hasn't consumed as many as he has," said Hei Sha in a muffled voice.

The monster called Hei Sha spoke in a low, muffled voice.

"You do not understand. The island master keeps that lord guest not for pleasure but to leave this cursed place. The rules of the Sea of Miracles are growing unstable. One day this world will collapse. When that happens, we will all be finished."

"That guest can resist space-time rifts," the scaled monster continued. "The Sea of Miracles cannot trap him. The island master told me in secret that after ten years of recuperation, that lord guest is nearing his peak again. When he leaves, he will bring us to the outside world, where humans are so abundant we could eat forever!"

"Hahaha! Xuan Sha, no wonder you're the third among us Twelve Shas[1] of Heavenly Pool. Your information is always sharp!"

Hei Sha laughed loudly. "Then I'll eat ten a day. No, a hundred a day!"

"Do not worry. That day is not far off," Xuan Sha said with eyes narrowed and blood-red pupils. "We witnessed that guest's power ourselves. He has eaten so many humans without mutating. His bloodline must be strong enough to suppress demonic corruption. We will escape the Sea of Miracles with him!"

"Heh. No wonder the island master always keeps that lord guest so respectfully. I always wondered why. It turns out there is a way out of this place." Hei Sha licked the blood from its lips and sighed. "Ten days between meals is boring. I want to search nearby for more food."

"Keep guard here," Xuan Sha said, patting its belly. "Humans always try to escape, but where can they run?" Xuan Sha sighed softly. "I hope the day of leaving comes soon so we can feast properly."

Excitement shone in Hei Sha's eyes as it pictured endless fresh meat.

The two fell silent and guarded the reef. They beat their wings and circled the area in the air from time to time.

Suddenly both creatures' expressions changed. "Huh? Something is coming this way."

"Perhaps it is a stray demonic beast. Humans would not be foolish enough to come here willingly!"

Hei Sha's eyes glittered. It flicked out its long tongue and licked each of its claws until they shone. A closer look revealed rows of tiny sharp teeth along its tongue, making the sight all the more dreadful.

Xuan Sha nodded. "If it were only a demonic beast, the meat would fill us, but it lacks the pleasure of human flesh!"

"Wait, this aura doesn't belong to a demonic beast." Hei Sha closed its eyes and inhaled deeply. It then grinned. "It is human flesh, fragrant and fresh. Someone has delivered our meal!"

Xuan Sha's face shifted to seriousness. "Be careful, Hei Sha. These people fly through the sky. They are not ordinary mortals."

Hei Sha's eyes brightened. It frowned and said, "Could these be outsiders? Maybe the island master made some deal with the Venerable of the Desolate Sea to allow the Venerable's group through. I have not tasted a cultivator in ages. Ordinary people are nowhere near as palatable as cultivators!"

"Do not act rashly. Follow the island master's orders."

Xuan Sha narrowed its eyes. When it noticed that the Venerable of the Desolate Sea was not among the newcomers, a gleam of excitement appeared on its face. "Looks like these people are edible!"

"Heh heh heh, quite a crowd. Didn't think a full meal would come this soon!"

Hei Sha gave a chilling, eerie laugh. Its wings flapped, and with eyes like a hunting beast, it lunged toward the approaching group.

...

"There are monsters on a reef about five hundred meters ahead. Be careful!"

Ling Feng narrowed his eyes. His caution stemmed from memories of the bloody slaughter at a previous island. Those monsters had evolved to mask themselves from a cultivator's spiritual consciousness senses, but Ling Feng was still able to watch the surroundings and catch any ambush with his Boundless Vision.

President Fang trembled as if recalling the screams of Zong Lian and the other Human Emperors who had died. The memory chilled him.

Lou Qianzhong and Lin Mu quietly drew their blades. Among the group, these two were the most reliable fighters.

1. There's no direct translation for the term Sha (煞, Shā). But generally it refers to a fiend or demonic being born from murderous or corrupt energy ☜