A magnificent crystal palace swam beneath the waves, vast enough to rival a small kingdom, its interior adorned with towering crystal spires stacked with jade, coral, and gemstones, presenting an overwhelmingly opulent spectacle.
Thousands of Sea Clan warriors moved within the crystal domain; their appearances were myriad and strange, yet most possessed considerable cultivation levels, their auras settled and frigid.
The entire crystal palace formed a single, integrated island, composed of a dozen great crystal towers. The central main hall soared several hundred meters high, tapering into a sharp cone, atop which the Sea Shark Emperor narrowed his eyes, his expression perfectly placid.
A Sea Clan warrior knelt behind him, reporting in a hushed tone, “Three more squads have vanished recently, and they disappeared alarmingly close to us…”
The Sea Shark Emperor abruptly closed his eyes, pondering for a moment before suddenly raising a hand and pointing.
A stream of water solidified into the shape of an arrow, its tip aimed in one direction. Beside this liquid projectile clustered several hazy gray rings of light. “Our people died where those light halos appeared. Judging by the timeline of those disappearances, the enemy’s trajectory is precisely this way.”
The subordinate’s eyes lit up. “By the direction, they are already extremely close to our location.”
The Sea Shark Emperor nodded, a strange light flickering in his eyes. Waves of turbulent aura emanated from his body. The colossal crystal palace gradually stilled, enveloped in his power, seemingly vanishing from sight. “Let them come.”
…
In the depths of a certain stretch of water, the corpses of five Sea Clan members were interred, their life forces utterly extinguished.
Shi Yan sat with a composed expression.
Beside him, Mei Ji was encased in a shell of congealed ice; at a glance, she resembled a sculpted goddess of ice, crystal-clear and exquisitely beautiful, possessing a unique allure.
“Hiss, hiss, hiss!”
The sound of slow freezing permeated the water, centering on Mei Ji. The seawater gradually solidified, and within ten breaths, she had formed a glacial mass, her divine body nestled deep within the ice.
Waves of extreme cold radiated outward from the glacier, chilling the surrounding water to the bone.
Inside the glacier, Mei Ji’s breath was long and steady, even her eyelashes glittering like frost. A silver-white gown clung to her graceful form, her curves exquisite, appearing strikingly pure and stunning amidst the profound chill.
After a long pause, the glacier began to melt, and she emerged from the rock-hard ice, joy sparkling in her bright eyes.
Her divine power had become ever more refined and robust. Thanks to the presence of the Dark Energy, she approached the Domain Ancestor realm with every passing day. She had now begun attempting to transmute her Primordial Realm into a Domain Realm, truly laying the groundwork for the Domain Ancestor cultivation stage.
After parting ways with the Dragon Lizard Ancestor and Tu Shiqi, she and Shi Yan had rampaged forward, slaying every being they encountered along their path.
Whenever a group was annihilated, Shi Yan absorbed it all using the profound meaning of Devour, sharing the purified energy with her. In addition to the growth of her divine power, soul, and physical body, she experienced a wondrous intimacy that was indescribable—she had tasted the sweetness and was gradually becoming addicted, savoring this arduous journey of pleasure.
Every day, her strength increased, and every moment her heart was filled with sweetness; Shi Yan’s image was deeply imprinted upon her soul’s ocean…
She looked at Shi Yan with deep affection, the light in her beautiful eyes carefully constrained. She now possessed the confidence to contend with Quasi-Domain Ancestor warriors; even if Batum were resurrected, she felt certain she could defeat him!
She did not know Shi Yan’s true current strength, but she knew he must be immensely powerful now, for she understood better than anyone the benefits derived from the Devour profound meaning, and she knew Shi Yan used the energy generated by it to continually temper his divine body.
As if sensing her gaze, Shi Yan opened his eyes and smiled lightly. “How is it?”
“Better than ever,” Mei Ji laughed easily. “And you? How far are you from breaking through to the second heaven of Immortality?”
“A single step away, lacking comprehension of the profound meaning. Recently, during my meditations, I have been trying to feel the subtleties of that concept,” Shi Yan mused. “It cannot be rushed. The accumulation of divine body, soul, and power is greatly beneficial to me as well. At our current speed, we still have over a year before reaching that Domain Gate, and the road ahead might be even harder.”
“I almost don’t want it to end,” Mei Ji walked over, linking her arm through his, drawing her voluptuous body close to him, and smiling. “This stretch of the journey is the finest experience of my life. Even if I died upon it, I would have no regrets.”
Shi Yan said nothing more, simply wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in tightly.
In the profound depths, the two shared a smile and resumed their journey.
“I don’t know why, but lately my heart has felt unsettled. Since entering this sea region, I feel constrained, as if trapped in a cage,” one day, Shi Yan’s expression darkened within the starlight shield, voicing his inner sensation.
They were far from their original location, and Shi Yan had released his soul consciousness to scan the area, finding no sign or aura of any living being nearby.
Logically, they should have had smooth sailing, having passed beyond the danger zone.
But after a period of calm, Shi Yan gradually felt something was wrong. “We haven't encountered a single warrior on our journey lately. This is somewhat illogical.”
Hearing him say this, Mei Ji’s expression grew grave. “It is true that things have been suspiciously smooth these past few days.”
“I have a persistent feeling that something is amiss,” Shi Yan frowned, “but I can’t quite place it or pinpoint the source of the problem. We must be careful.”
“Mmm.”
A few more days passed.
The pair arrived at a beautiful stretch of water where myriad fantastical jellyfish drifted, resembling colorful lamps illuminating the space above them, casting an intoxicating glow.
They moved beneath the jellyfish, the scene above them dreamlike and illusory, causing them to pause briefly in their fascination.
However, Shi Yan’s expression abruptly changed. “There are faint soul fluctuations within those jellyfish. They might be ‘eyes’ placed by some powerful expert!”
Mei Ji gasped, realizing the peril. “If that’s the case, our whereabouts are likely exposed. We must leave this place immediately!”
Shi Yan spoke no more, pulling Mei Ji along as they sped toward the Domain Gate. But barely a hundred miles out from that spot, his shield violently shuddered, as if striking an invisible barrier, rebounding them backward.
Both looked on in horror, immediately knowing their suspicions were correct: without realizing it, they had stumbled into a trap laid by another.
Behind them, a massive crystal palace slowly materialized, its jade platforms occupied by Sea Clan warriors with cold expressions.
An elderly Sea Clan elder stood at the apex of the central hall, gazing at them from afar, and spoke with serene indifference. “I have been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Sea Shark Emperor!” Mei Ji turned back and couldn't help but shriek.
“More than a dozen squads of my subordinates were slain by you. By observing the instant of their deaths, I deduced your path and trajectory, and I have been lying in wait here for nearly ten days. You have finally lived up to my expectations and plunged straight in,” the Sea Shark Emperor boomed. “Mei Ji, I have dealings with your kind and would prefer not to provoke the Shadowed Ghost Clan. So, I will be straightforward with my demand.”
“State it,” Mei Ji’s expression grew intensely serious.
“I have had contact with Naptun, and I made him a promise. But out of respect for you, Mei Ji, I can show leniency,” the Sea Shark Emperor said calmly and coldly. “Tell him to hand over the Profound Meaning Talisman Tower and the Primal Origin Talisman, and I will pretend I never saw you. You may continue on your way. — This is the greatest concession I can offer!”
The Sea Shark Emperor had originally agreed with Naptun to notify him immediately if he discovered the whereabouts of Shi Yan and Mei Ji.
However, the Sea Shark Emperor had his own scheme.
If he followed Naptun’s instructions and revealed the movements of Shi Yan and Mei Ji, he was certain both would perish, and the Profound Meaning Talisman Tower and Primal Origin Talisman would never fall to him, only to Naptun.
Naptun had promised that upon obtaining the Talisman Tower, he would first assist the Sea Shark Emperor in refining a Primal Origin Talisman. But the Sea Shark Emperor believed he had better options…
Not offending the Shadowed Ghost Clan while seizing both the Talisman Tower and the Primal Origin Talisman—wouldn't that be even better?
“Who is he?” Shi Yan calmed himself, realizing this was the most difficult hurdle in the deep sea. “I can sense he is a Domain Ancestor powerhouse. His aura… is immensely strong!”
“The Sea Shark Emperor. He is the overlord of these depths, a first-level Domain Ancestor. He has cultivated beneath the sea for ages, rarely leaving it. He is someone even the Seven Clans are reluctant to provoke easily,” Mei Ji whispered the introduction. “He has an acquaintance with Naptun, but judging by this exchange, their relationship isn't deep, otherwise, he wouldn't bother speaking to us and would have attacked immediately.”
“Clan Elder, what about our fallen brothers?” one of the Sea Clan warriors boldly called out.
The Sea Shark Emperor’s face turned cold. “The Profound Meaning Talisman Tower and the Primal Origin Talisman are the price for those younglings’ deaths. If they hand those over, we save ourselves considerable effort.”
He had his own concerns. Although he was a Domain Ancestor, he had no confidence in directly confronting a power like the Shadowed Ghost Clan. He did not want to be used by Naptun as a proxy to eliminate Mei Ji, thereby drawing powerful Shadowed Ghost Clan experts to the seabed. Obtaining the Talisman Tower and Origin Talisman without driving the Shadowed Ghost Clan into a frenzy was, in his view, the safest course of action.
“You have half a quarter of an hour to consider,” the Sea Shark Emperor sat high above, stating blandly. “Mei Ji, you are an intelligent person; you should know how to choose.”
“Whoosh!”
Layers of boundary seals condensed, covering the exterior of the starlight shield, designed to isolate any aura detection and prevent eavesdropping.
“A first-level Domain Ancestor is incredibly powerful. I can try to see if we can force our way out, but I have absolutely no certainty,” Mei Ji said bitterly. “It is only because my strength has grown so rapidly recently that I dare to attempt it; otherwise, I wouldn't even possess the courage to fight him.”
Shi Yan frowned deeply. “A first-level Domain Ancestor, the metamorphosis of a Primordial Realm into a Domain Realm, the insight into Dark Energy—he is indeed an opponent of the utmost strength.”
“Our chances of success are slim. If we fight and lose, I don’t know if the Sea Shark Emperor will remain so reasonable,” Mei Ji noted.
Shi Yan looked up, gazing toward the Sea Shark Emperor from a distance, his voice low. “Recently, through continuous devouring, my physical body, sacrificial altar, and divine power have all undergone transformations at different levels. I feel exceptionally strong, but I also know that engaging a Domain Ancestor in battle would be hubris. However, I still want to try. I want to know precisely what level of power I can achieve when utilizing all my capabilities now!”
“You—you want to fight too?” Mei Ji exclaimed in shock, resolutely stating, “Absolutely not! You are only at the first heaven of Immortality; the gap is too vast. You let me try alone. If it truly doesn't work, we can simply hand over the Profound Meaning Talisman Tower! You are still young; as long as you don't die, you will have chances to reclaim this day’s losses in the future.”
“The Primal Origin Talisman is integrated into my profound meaning; I don't even know how to remove it myself, and the Profound Meaning Talisman Tower has formed a bond with my secondary soul. I absolutely cannot abandon a part of my soul!” Shi Yan shook his head… Uh, this chapter is done for today; I’ll make up for it tomorrow, apologies~~(To be continued) RQ