The sea stretched boundless and empty, devoid of clouds, only littered with shards of fractured stars, scattered meteorite fragments, and fearsome, sweeping gales.
A skull-shaped island, navigating cautiously past the debris and meteorites along its route, finally settled above the surface of the sea.
“It’s far too dangerous above the Sea of Ruin; we should descend directly onto the water and travel beneath the waves—it will be much safer,” Mejī suggested.
The little skeleton immediately complied.
Thus, the skull island slowly descended, coming to rest upon the surface of the Sea of Ruin, drifting onward like a colossal vessel.
The trio, aboard the skull island, finally entered the Sea of Ruin.
Shí Yán glanced at the little skeleton, whose eyes remained vigilant, then looked at Mejī, who had suddenly relaxed, and asked, “In which direction are we, within the Sea of Ruin?”
“Just a corner, still incredibly far from the deep ocean. Hmm, at our current speed, it will take another half a month to reach the island where the Bone Clan resides. However, we can stop temporarily at our Phantom Clan's outpost; it’s only a ten-day journey from our territory,” Mejī explained.
Shí Yán nodded and turned to the little skeleton, “What do you say?”
“What can he say?” Mejī raised an eyebrow, speaking naturally, “He is a member of the Bone Clan; naturally, he must return to his kin. The Bone Clan members will surely do everything in their power to awaken his parents.”
The Bone Clan has a sparse population, which is why, among the Seven Great Clans, the Bone Clan is the most unified, with virtually no internal strife occurring.
Every member of the Bone Clan endures an extremely long and difficult birth. They exhaust tremendous effort in combat against others, leaving them no energy for internal war. In fact, within the Bone Clan, the unity of its members is highly prioritized, and any internal fighting is strictly forbidden.
Hardly anyone ever witnesses two Bone Clan members fighting amongst themselves.
“Returning to the Bone Clan is the best choice for him; we should respect his decision,” Mejī stated earnestly.
Shí Yán looked at the little skeleton, carefully weighing his words, “I have a way to awaken your parents, but the things required are too troublesome, and the process will be very lengthy. Hmm, you can return to the Bone Clan first. If I find the solution, I can come find you and assist you.”
The little skeleton gazed at him deeply, smacked his lips slightly, and nodded, gratitude flickering in his eyes.
“You should come with us. Since the Phantom Clan is heading in the same general direction anyway, once we reach the Phantom Clan’s settlement, I’ll give you precise directions to the Bone Clan’s island,” Mejī offered.
The little skeleton nodded again.
So the three continued their journey, seated upon the skull island, sailing across the Sea of Ruin toward the Phantom Clan’s outpost.
As they traveled, islands were scattered densely, like countless cold stars in the night sky.
Along the way, numerous massive warships roamed the ocean, filled with warriors of many strange and bizarre races, who talked loudly on their decks. Although Mejī had reapplied her mask, many still recognized her. Sometimes, even from a distance, they looked on in astonishment and began greeting her from afar.
A colossal ship forged from Cold Iron carried more than a dozen heavily built, ferociously intense members of an alien race, their upper bodies bare. Their muscles were cast like metal, gleaming with an icy sheen.
These beings possessed natural beast markings, curved horns sprouting from their heads, and arms and thighs almost double the thickness of normal humans, giving them an aura of explosive power.
One of the alien warriors spotted Mejī, his face instantly alight with rapturous joy. Without a word, he flew over, landing on the skull island with a thunderous impact like an iron mountain.
He was a martial artist at the Third Heaven of the Undying Realm, cultivating the power of Metal Sharpness, his divine body akin to forged steel. He was clearly familiar with Mejī, bursting into laughter as soon as he landed. “Mejī! Haven't seen you in ages. I heard you went to Dragon Lizard Star; did you manage to persuade those aquatic tribes?”
His gaze flickered toward the little skeleton from the Bone Clan, showing slight surprise. “A child from the Bone Clan? Why are you returning with a Bone Clan member? I never heard you had any dealings with anyone from the Bone Clan?”
He glanced briefly at Shí Yán too, the look fleeting and dismissive; he clearly treated Shí Yán as an insignificant figure.
“Yebòlè, what brings you to the Sea of Ruin?” Mejī replied with a soft laugh.
“Heh heh, I heard someone spotted the Primordial Ruins again somewhere on the seabed. The elders in my clan sent me to check it out. Mejī, you’ve been stationed in the Sea of Ruin for the Phantom Clan for years—do you know who’s most familiar with the depths of the ocean?” the hulking alien asked with a grin.
“The seabed?” Mejī frowned. “The true seabed is beyond the depth we can reach. I’m stationed in the Sea of Ruin not to investigate that matter.” Mejī shook her head.
Yebòlè didn't press the issue, laughing heartily. “They say Xīngé is dead, and now Tàtè is shouting everywhere that Xīngé was killed by the Profound Heaven Clan. He’s currently plotting to move against them, so the Sea of Ruin is probably going to be chaotic again soon. Be careful. I also heard you got involved in that business on Dragon Lizard Star.”
“Tàtè?” Mejī scoffed. “What kind of character is he? With his level of cultivation, what impact can he have on the situation in the Sea of Ruin? If he dares to stir trouble, he clearly doesn't value his life.”
“Tàtè is only at the Second Heaven of the Undying Realm; he really can’t stir up much trouble. But what if his master comes too?” Yebòlè warned sharply.
Mejī’s expression changed. “Why would that old monster come to the Sea of Ruin?”
“Perhaps it’s also related to those Primordial Ruins deep beneath the seabed here. Who knows? In any case, he is currently in the Sea of Ruin. Hmm, with the Phantom Clan’s intelligence network, you should be able to confirm this the moment you return.” At this point, Yebòlè suddenly lowered his voice. “I heard that on Dragon Lizard Star, you obtained a boy who possesses a splintered soul of a Primordial Being. Have you managed to refine him yet? Tell me honestly, have you glimpsed the threshold of breaking through to the Domain Ancestor realm?”
Mejī’s eyes suddenly darkened, and she stared coldly at Yebòlè. “Has everything that happened on Dragon Lizard Star become common knowledge now?”
“Don’t ask me. Tàtè is spreading the news everywhere. I got the information from the Soul Clan, so I don't know if it’s true or not,” Yebòlè shrugged. “Recently, these are the only major events happening nearby; it’s hard not to know about them. Oh, there’s one more thing. Someone from the Devouring Clan asked me to find two people—Názhàlǐ’ào and Bāsītūōsī. They confirmed the two are dead and asked me to inquire about the circumstances. If you have any information, you can inform me, and I will certainly offer you a satisfactory price.”
“Got it,” Mejī said coldly, waving her hand. “We don’t have time to waste chatting with you.”
Yebòlè laughed heartily, nodded at Mejī and the little skeleton, then flew back to his warship and soon vanished.
“Who was he?” Shí Yán watched the warship slowly disappear. “He cultivates the profound meaning of Gold Sharpness, has the cultivation of the Third Heaven of the Undying Realm, and his divine body is incredibly formidable—I fear he’s not much weaker than Xīngé.”
“Yebòlè is a branch of the Ancient Demon Clan; he is responsible for gathering intelligence across the Void Sea Domain for them, which is why we’re acquainted. I didn’t expect that the business on Dragon Lizard Star would become common knowledge thanks to Tàtè. That old monster… is actually in the Sea of Ruin too,” Mejī sighed lightly.
“Tàtè’s master—who is he?” Shí Yán asked.
He could tell that Mejī was deeply uneasy upon hearing that the old monster was in the Sea of Ruin. Even with Mejī’s peak Undying Realm cultivation, only a powerhouse in the Domain Ancestor realm could unsettle her like this.
Indeed, Mejī replied, “He is the owner of the Soul Refining Cauldron, one of the Domain Ancestors of the Soul Clan. Wherever this monster goes, life withers. His appearance this time will surely lead to great upheaval. His Soul Refining Cauldron, it’s said, is still not fully repaired, which is why everywhere he goes causes bloodshed and slaughter; he needs countless souls to restore the Cauldron to its true power as a Primordial Divine Artifact.”
“That Cauldron isn’t repaired?” Shí Yán asked, deeply shocked.
“Of course it isn’t repaired; it requires immense souls. Otherwise, do you think Xīngé could borrow it?” Mejī scoffed. “Xīngé must have beaten his chest, guaranteeing he could collect the dragon lizards’ souls—only then did the old monster agree.”
Shí Yán marveled inwardly.
The skull island continued its voyage.
Ten days later, the skull island docked near the shore of a huge island. The island was covered in blooming flowers and lush greenery, with vast stretches of forest.
Exquisite palaces, constructed from jade, adorned the island, shining with a clear luster that immediately caught the eye.
Faint mist coiled around the island, making it appear as if the island were shrouded in a hazy veil, resembling a true immortal realm. Mejī looked at the island and displayed a satisfied smile. She removed the mask covering her face, revealing her captivating features once more. Gazing at the familiar island, at the countless barriers and restrictions she knew so well, she pointed a direction to the little skeleton and said, “Head that way; in about five days, you should reach the Bone Clan’s outpost island. It’s also a skull island, easy to recognize.”
The little skeleton looked reluctant, gazing deeply at Shí Yán.
Shí Yán paused, then said, “Awakening your parents will take me time to prepare; this time… it will be very long; we cannot rush it. I promise you, once I am fully prepared, I will come to find you.”
The little skeleton nodded, said nothing more, and urged the skull island to move away slowly, gradually receding into the distance.
Mejī watched the departing skull island, musing for a moment, then stated, “I don’t know what method you have to wake his parents, but I can tell you this: even if he returns to the Bone Clan, with the Bone Clan’s power here in the Sea of Ruin, they stand no chance of awakening his parents. Two Domain Ancestor-level powerhouses—their life force completely exhausted—the power required to replenish it is beyond your imagination. I advise you to abandon this obsession. Furthermore, you have no familial tie to him; you don't need to do anything for him.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Shí Yán replied with annoyance.
Mejī snorted and did not press the persuasion further. “Come with me.”
A snow lotus bloomed in her palm; as the lotus unfurled, the island’s layers of pale mist gradually dispersed. Some invisible barrier or restriction was instantly unsealed.
Shí Yán followed her onto the island covered in flowers, his eyes shining brightly, carefully observing everything around him.
…To be continued.