"The light screen is vast and boundless, and those ruins are incredibly spectacular. It's truly astonishing," Mei Ji frowned, gazing down from the center of the light barrier she had condensed, speaking to Shi Yan beside her, "Do you feel any discomfort now?"

Shi Yan chuckled. "The water pressure is indeed terrifying. You've been in the Sea of Annihilation for years; you must have frequently explored the seabed. Haven't you ever discovered any ruins here?"

"I explained to you earlier that the seabed of the Sea of Annihilation is comparable to a Domain. The water pressure at the deepest points is difficult even for me to bear. I do go into the sea often, roaming the deep waters, and I've seen some strange and peculiar places, but ruins as massive and magnificent as the one below—this is a first." Mei Ji focused her gaze on Ling Mei over there. "That woman and I don't get along. We've competed countless times in the Sea of Annihilation over the years. I don't want you to have any connection with her."

"What kind of connection could I have with her?" Shi Yan laughed wryly.

"It's best if there isn't one. Ling Mei is the chief representative of the Profound Heaven Clan in the Sea of Annihilation. We've been at odds for so long, and I've rarely won against her. This time, I must win at least once!" Mei Ji's tone was resolute, her chest trembling slightly as she spoke, creating captivating waves.

Shi Yan's eyes were burning with heat, a low chuckle playing on his lips as his gaze swept over her high peaks. "Am I a key factor in your struggle against her?"

"Exactly." Mei Ji didn't deny it, admitting it frankly. "Back on Dragon Lizard Star, Tu Shiqi and Ya Yun deliberately befriended you. I assume they knew you possessed Dark Energy, right?"

Shi Yan nodded.

"I knew it. If you hadn't grasped the true essence of Dark Energy and managed to step steadily into the Domain Ancestor realm, why would those two value you so highly? Ling Mei is the same; she hopes to win you over, to make you a guest official of the Profound Heaven Clan, adding another Domain Ancestor to their ranks."

Mei Ji’s expression dimmed, and she sighed softly. "For the Seven Great Races, the competition for power is paramount, and the scramble for existences at the Domain Ancestor level is the fiercest! A single Domain Ancestor can even shift the balance of power between the seven races. Our tribe was willing to ignore Batum's infamous reputation and even sacrifice me to absorb him—isn't that because he is a quasi-Domain Ancestor expert?"

"Then why didn't you sacrifice yourself and voluntarily marry Batum to bolster the strength of the Shadow Phantom Tribe?" Shi Yan’s smile faded as he looked at her calmly. "You are so dedicated to the Yin Phantom Tribe; for the sake of your race's prosperity, you should be willing to give up personal interests, right?"

"You want me to marry Batum?" Mei Ji suddenly fell silent, then spoke after a long pause, her eyes filled with coldness.

"It has nothing to do with me, nor will my preferences influence you. I'm just very curious," Shi Yan replied unhurriedly. "You clearly don't want to, so why agree to that impossible condition? Are you afraid to defy your clan's orders?"

Mei Ji's expression turned bitter, and she shook her head, sighing mournfully, "I can't openly break with my clan, and I truly dare not, dare not lose their protection..."

"Why?" Shi Yan asked.

"I owe my current standing to my clan's cultivation. I still have family within the clan, and I've done many things for them over the years, killed many people whose vengeful spirits constantly seek my life. While I remain within the clan, they have reservations and dare not act rashly. If I left the Yin Phantom Tribe, it would be difficult for me to survive safely," Mei Ji sighed.

"If Batum breaks through to the Domain Ancestor realm soon and demands that your clan honor the agreement, what will you do?" Shi Yan asked again.

"I don't know, I truly don't know, and I dare not think about it too much." Mei Ji's face, captivating as a blossoming flower, was filled with confusion; she didn't have a real answer herself.

Shi Yan didn't press further.

Because they had already descended above the light screen.

The sky-like light screen encased the ruins below, preventing seawater from infiltrating. The screen was covered in mystical Primordial Ancient Texts. Those tadpole-like characters slowly wriggled, as if alive. Blood-red marks covered every area of the screen. Shi Yan stared intently and realized he couldn't even see the end of the light screen.

Layers of five-colored ripples emanated from the light screen, surging toward Shi Yan and causing him to startle.

Those layers of ripples made him feel completely comfortable. Unable to resist, he stepped out of Mei Ji's light barrier. To Mei Ji's horror, he grinned contentedly, feeling as if the pressure of the seawater had vanished into thin air.

He quietly scanned his surroundings.

Everyone else, except him, looked tense and uneasy, bracing themselves as if facing a formidable enemy, carefully keeping far away from the surging ripples.

Seeing that the ripples had no adverse effect on him, and instead, he looked refreshed, everyone relaxed their guard.

A black-armored man from the Profound Heaven Clan standing beside Ling Mei casually extended a hand to catch a passing circle of pale purple ripples.

Then, a sharp, miserable scream suddenly rang out!

Everyone turned in alarm to see that the hand was stripped bare, flesh melted away, leaving only a terrifying white bone. The pale purple ripple surged forward and completely enveloped his body.

He quickly vanished without a trace, turning into a stark white skeleton that drifted toward the light screen.

Thud!

The skeleton shattered upon impact. The bone dust dissolved into the seawater and instantly disappeared.

Ling Mei couldn't help but scream, "Move aside! Everyone, move aside!"

Without her reminder, everyone except Shi Yan retreated as if they had seen a ghost, their faces ashen, looking at the ripples with extreme terror. Only Shi Yan stood at the forefront, his body submerged by the ripples, without showing any sign of distress.

Faroloni, Tellega, Ling Mei, Yebol, and Mei Ji all froze, looking at him as if he were some demon or strange creature. Mei Ji stunned for a few seconds before immediately asking, "Shi Yan, why are you unharmed?"

Shi Yan had clearly witnessed the cruel and bloody event that befell the Profound Heaven Clan member. He naturally understood their confusion, but he offered no explanation. He grinned strangely and plunged toward the light screen below.

Surprisingly, a corner of the light screen seemed to split open, allowing Shi Yan to pass through easily.

Ripples flowed across the light screen, spreading outwards in layers and circles. Ling Mei, Mei Ji, and the others watched with apprehension, involuntarily retreating. They attempted to use the profound mysteries of their power to crack through and block the terrifying attacks from the screen's ripples.

"Mei Ji, you are more familiar with him. Do you know what method he used to avoid that danger?" Yebol shouted loudly.

Mei Ji frowned tightly. "I just asked, but he didn't answer me, so I know nothing, just like you all."

"What is different about him compared to us?" Faroloni of the Dark Demon Tribe pressed.

"It is rumored that this fellow fused with a fragment of a primordial life form's soul—that's the information I obtained," Yebol revealed willingly.

"He has already grasped the true essence of Dark Energy." After a moment of hesitation, Ling Mei also shared what she knew. At this point, everyone desperately wanted to explore the ruins below and were racking their brains for a way to neutralize the ripples, so Ling Mei didn't keep the information secret, just hoping to find a solution quickly.

Fused with a primordial life form's soul fragment? Possessing Dark Energy?

Faroloni looked shocked. "He is only at the first level of the Immortal Realm!"

"Shocked, aren't you?" Mei Ji pursed her lips and chuckled lightly. "Indeed, I was extremely shocked when I first learned this, but there's something even more astounding: that guy possessed Dark Energy when he was still in the Primeval God Realm. Have you ever heard of anyone comprehending Dark Energy at the Primeval God Realm?"

At these words, even Ling Mei's eyes trembled. She finally understood why the message from the Tu Shiqi and Ya Yun couple had been so peculiar.

The message from the Tu Shiqi and Ya Yun couple had urged her to spare no effort in winning over Shi Yan; even if she couldn't make him a guest official of the Profound Heaven Clan, she absolutely had to maintain a good relationship and never offend him, offering convenience wherever possible.

Ling Mei had been quite surprised and confused upon receiving the message, thinking Tu Shiqi and his wife were overreacting. Seeing things today, she immediately realized how far-sighted Tu Shiqi and his wife truly were.

Mei Ji and the others were temporarily trapped.

Beneath the light screen, Shi Yan descended slowly, like a new world falling from the clouds of the heavens.

In this world, the ground was covered entirely in shattered, exploded ancient architecture. Even though these structures were pulverized, they remained as tall and imposing as mountains. The buildings were tower-shaped, built from an unknown type of stone. As far as the eye could see, the entire world was composed of exploding ancient ruins.

Traces of strange energy roamed within his body, soon merging into his Sea of Consciousness.

That energy was released from the ripples. The reason he was unharmed was that the energy was Dark Energy, and his Divine Body had been tempered by Dark Energy, allowing him to withstand it. Dark Energy was negative energy, distinct from conventional energy; he remained safe because his physical body was unaffected.

He looked up, watching Ling Mei, Mei Ji, and the others struggling helplessly, and he let out a low chuckle.

Concentrating, he released his secondary soul, silently sensing the auras, feeling the fluctuations that called to his secondary soul. Soon, he found his direction. Ignoring the astonishment of Ling Mei and the others above, his expression suddenly shifted, and he flew toward a specific area. His speed was slow at first, then grew progressively faster.

Deep in the sea.

Audrey was enveloped by clusters of souls, as if clad in a massive black robe, moving ghost-like toward the ruins.

"Why the sudden need to go deep into the sea?" Ming Hong's form, a wisp of ghostly shadow, floated above her shoulder. He channeled his power, causing the dense, fierce vengeful spirits to shroud Audrey, preventing her from bearing the impact of the water pressure.

"There is a voice constantly calling to me from below," Audrey said strangely.

"A voice?" Ming Hong was horrified.

"It might be related to the primordial life forms," Audrey didn't conceal anything. "You also know that I merged with the origin of the Divine Marsh Continent, meaning I merged with a part of the Desolation."

Hearing this, Ming Hong suddenly grew excited. "There might be mysterious artifacts from the Primordial Era down there!"

"I think so too," Audrey smiled calmly.

After an unknown amount of time, Audrey also arrived at the location of the light screen. She saw the layers of surging ripples and her eyes shone with an unusual light as she extended her spiritual consciousness to sense them.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

As soon as her spiritual consciousness touched the ripples, it began to melt away.

"A very powerful defensive force!" Ming Hong cried out in alarm.

"Eh!"

Suddenly, a delicate shout came from afar, and a figure sped over, instantly stopping in front of Audrey.

"It's you?"

"It's you?"

Audrey and Mei Ji exclaimed simultaneously.