Clack-clack~ The little motor rumbled low as the inflatable speedboat gradually distanced itself from Mustang Island, racing across the shimmering sea and leaving a long white wake behind.

The sea breeze brushed Li Cunxu’s face, carrying a faint salty tang of the ocean.

The calm ride was interrupted almost immediately.

A massive red octopus tentacle shot out of the water like a giant serpent, stretching to the height of six floors and slamming down toward the speedboat.

The tentacle wasn’t just long—it was wide, and the impact was like a collapsing building.

“Xiao Ruan, blow!”

Xiao Ruan leapt to the back of the boat and unleashed a powerful gust of wind. The force pushed the speedboat backward, sending it flying and narrowly avoiding being crushed by the tentacle.

The attack wasn’t over.

One by one, serpentine red tentacles emerged from the water, swiping at the speedboat.

Yet none landed a hit.

The tentacles were massive and cumbersome, and with Xiao Ruan’s propulsive boost, the speedboat moved so fast it practically soared.

Even after more than ten minutes of escaping the tentacles’ reach, Li Cunxu didn’t let Xiao Ruan slow down.

He could still sense the giant sea creature pursuing him relentlessly.

Li Cunxu’s black pupils shifted into a sultry Blood Lotus Eye, scanning the sun-reflected waves. He identified the massive creature: the Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus.

Confusion flickered in his eyes.

Wait… why are you chasing me? I haven’t attacked you.

The Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus wasn’t normally aggressive. If left unprovoked, it typically wouldn’t attack humans.

Incidents of it attacking humans were extremely rare—fewer than five recorded cases.

Half an hour later, Li Cunxu was starting to get irritated.

The Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus was still pursuing.

“Xiao Ruan, stop. Let’s fight it.”

Golden VII rank, with home advantage in the ocean—Xiao Ruan should be able to handle it. However, the octopus’s pace was surprisingly quick.

Its speed wasn’t in attacks but in pursuit, aided by its [Ocean Current Channel (Blue)] talent, which turned surrounding water into favorable currents, boosting its movement.

Another massive tentacle swung toward the boat.

Li Cunxu stepped on his floating water sphere and waved his Spatial Ring, retracting the speedboat.

Xiao Ruan struck the tentacle with a few Azure Lotus Sword Blades. The tentacle’s thick, resilient flesh didn’t sever, though blue octopus blood spurted from several wounds.

Li Cunxu’s Burning Lotus Bloodfire followed, igniting the blood like gasoline. The red tentacle instantly became a flaming octopus limb.

The Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus withdrew its burning tentacle underwater, but the flames didn’t die; as long as there was blood, the fire would continue.

In pain, the octopus only attacked more aggressively, sending its remaining eleven tentacles at the boat.

Li Cunxu frowned.

Why the obsession? Do we have a personal grudge?

Xiao Ruan engaged in a fierce battle with the Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus.

Each of Xiao Ruan’s skills knocked back a tentacle, and the octopus repeatedly struck back.

Though it appeared heavily hit, actual damage was minimal.

Its skin was thick, and it healed rapidly.

“Dark Crow, get out here and help.”

Dark Crow’s Cursed Feathers could only scratch the octopus’s skin, but the curses—slow, blindness, deafness, weakness—would gradually seep into the creature with time.

Logically, continued attacks should kill the Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus. It should have fled long ago.

Yet it didn’t.

Until Xiao Ruan finally killed it.

Li Cunxu scratched his head.

Why didn’t it retreat?

The inexplicable assault and relentless fight—it’s all so strange.

He sniffed at his sleeves.

Could those two Blood God Church believers have applied blood from one of its offspring onto me?

Impossible—I never touched them the entire time.

Unable to figure it out, Li Cunxu took the octopus’s spirit core and moved forward.

He didn’t even glance at the corpse. The Twelve Giant-Tentacle Octopus had no value beyond the spirit core.

Skill seeds? The octopus had none.

Up to this point, it had only slapped and grabbed; no other combat techniques.

The species didn’t learn skills—not because they couldn’t, but simply because they refused.

They followed a brute-force philosophy: strength above all.

The meat? Worthless. Even small fish avoided it. The octopus evolved its flesh to be extremely bitter—hundreds of times more than coptis—to deter predators.

Half an hour later, Li Cunxu began to suspect manipulation by the Blood God Church again.

Another sea beast was chasing him.

A fast-swimming, well-meaning dolphin.

Dolphins were herbivorous and known for helping people in distress, earning the nickname “Ocean Lifeguard.”

This kind of pet should have no reason to pursue Li Cunxu—but it did, relentlessly.

“Stop! I beg you!” Li Cunxu shouted.

“Keep going, and you’ll die.”

The dolphin was Golden VI rank but not skilled in combat. Xiao Ruan could suppress it.

The dolphin’s back was covered in scars, bleeding continuously.

Yet Xiao Ruan had no choice. If it didn’t attack, the dolphin could overturn the boat and kill Li Cunxu.

If it did attack, the damage was inevitable.

Its talent was [Blood of Kindness (Purple)].

Whenever it did good deeds, it became fortunate.

Hidden effect: anyone who kills it suffers misfortune.

Ahead, dense fog rolled in. Li Cunxu exhaled in relief.

The blocking mist enveloping Tianhai Island.

Entering it would allow him to lose the dolphin.

The fog covered not just the sea and sky, but the ocean floor as well.

Sea beasts entering the area would also get lost.

The speedboat entered the all-encompassing mist.

Visibility shrank instantly to one meter.

Li Cunxu sat at the back, barely seeing a faint outline of the boat.

Activating his Blood Lotus Eye, visibility extended only two more meters.

Within less than half a minute, the relentless dolphin had lost him.

Feeling the fog’s terrifying visual restriction, Li Cunxu held Xiao Ruan, touched the Spatial Turtle in his pocket, and finally relaxed slightly.

Chapter 204. The Unexplained Pursuit Ch 204. The Unexplained Pursuit

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