Shi Jue was indeed formidable, maintaining the initiative from the very start of the battle, demonstrating an absolutely overwhelming advantage.
Even at this moment, Shi Jue had not exerted his full strength, nor had he unleashed his maximum power.
But this did not mean Shi Yan was genuinely that weak…
Because Shi Yan was merely employing the power of the Stars, and furthermore, he was utilizing it defensively, not launching a single offensive strike. He was merely testing the sheer tenacity of this divine body.
Now, he had his answer.
This divine body, when fully resisting attacks, could withstand assaults equivalent to at least seventy percent of the power of the Immortal Triple Heaven without shattering or exploding.
That was sufficient!
The moment that blood-red sword smeared with the blood from his abdomen was drawn out from his divine body, and as those monstrous, scarlet eyes snapped open, he had found his objective.
Abandoning pointless entanglement, he would tear through space with the sharpest force, causing the underwater environment to explode, and seize the chance to escape!
The direction was clear and rational, for he knew that even giving his all, he could only contend evenly with Shi Jue. Moreover, in this location, besides Shi Jue, there were at least three other Sea Tribe members who had reached the Immortal Triple Heaven, including the old man hiding within the conch shell, who was at the peak of the Immortal realm.
And then there was the Sea Shark Emperor…
Victory was a mere fantasy; a successful breakout was the best possible choice. He hefted the blood-red sword, within which the violent, sanguinary aura was concentrated to an extreme degree.
Others did not grasp the meaning behind his actions, but Mei Ji immediately understood. Watching Shi Yan, now drenched in blood, her expression became sorrowful. “You really still intend to try?”
“I have a thirty percent chance.” Shi Yan stated.
“Good!”
Mei Ji let out a cold shout. From the peak of her towering, overlapping bosom, a crystal-clear Ice Lotus condensed through the power of her spirit.
That Ice Lotus, carrying a dazzling, piercing cold light, froze the seawater into glaciers along its path, shooting abruptly toward the Sea Shark Emperor. Within the Ice Lotus bud, Mei Ji’s soul imprint faintly shimmered.
The Ice Lotus glittered. As it neared the Sea Shark Emperor, it flickered in and out of existence, as if concealing itself.
“What powerful cold energy!”
“This is… Dark Energy!”
“Mei Ji has finally grasped Dark Energy!”
“The Phantom Shadow Clan will gain another Domain Ancestor!”
The multitude of Sea Tribe members gasped, unable to contain their shouts.
Almost simultaneously, the Sea Shark Emperor’s eyes suddenly brightened! The elder within the conch shell behind him also showed a look of profound emotion; even the shell itself vibrated strangely!
Yet, they were not looking at Mei Ji…
Even though Mei Ji’s Ice Lotus was about to engulf the Crystal Palace, and everyone was focused on her, the Sea Shark Emperor and the old man remained fixedly staring at Shi Yan!
Indeed, they were watching Shi Yan!
At this moment, Shi Yan had withdrawn the blood-red sword from his abdomen, and a viscous, bloody light was slowly congealing on the tip. With a shift in thought, the aura emanating from him underwent a staggering transformation.
A desolate, chilling aura of death suddenly permeated the area. That sword, like the scythe of Death itself, suddenly began to devour all the dense life force surrounding it!
Most bizarrely, those numerous vines instantly withered and shriveled, as if every bit of internal nourishment had been drained away!
This was a terrifying power born from the combination of the Profundity of Death and Devouring!
Dozens of vines had lashed at Shi Yan for quite some time, their surfaces still smeared with blood. But now, they looked like giant pythons whose flesh had been sucked away, leaving only desiccated skins, appearing utterly unnatural.
Shi Jue let out a shrill scream!
The ancient tree violently shook, and countless leaves shot out like stones, all hurtling down toward Shi Yan.
Shi Yan, holding the blood-red sword, a trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his eye, and he curled his lips into a cruel sneer. “Shi Jue, truthfully, if we fought with our full strength, it’s not impossible for me to surpass you.”
As he spoke these words, a surging life fluctuation that made souls tremble violently erupted from Shi Yan’s body!
In that instant, a marvel manifested around Shi Yan: while the surroundings were deathly still and desolate, and the blood-red sword emanated the deep flavor of the Nether Lord’s death, capable of dragging all living things into a hell of despair, his own body paradoxically radiated a terrifyingly vigorous life fluctuation—two extreme Profound Intents manifested together upon him!
His body, covered in wounds, began to repair itself at a visibly accelerated rate under everyone’s gaze!
Tendons and flesh writhed, wounds rapidly healed, and drops of blood clinging to the injuries seemed to re-enter his body as if possessing life. The broken bone spurs on his shoulders, elbows, and knees protruded anew, flashing with the cold glint of savage edges, intensely grasping and consuming.
“Thump! Thump!”
Within his Soul Altar, the Profundity Layer, the sphere representing the Profundity of Life, its Primordial Source Talisman within it, beat like a second heart, strongly pulsing and releasing circles of immense life magnetic energy, fueling the unbelievable speed of his physical recovery.
In just a few dozen seconds, all his injuries vanished. His bare upper body was taut with explosive power. The blood-red sword, with its multitude of eyes opening, unleashed an endless, desperate ferocity, like overlapping oceans of blood surging into the Sea of Consciousness of every soul!
Everyone who looked at Shi Yan saw their vision turn blood-red, as if confronted by ghosts of despair, rage, resentment, and fear rushing toward them.
“Sssshhh!”
The blood-red sword slashed, preparing to tear space itself, intending to carve a river through the seabed to make his escape.
The Sea Tribe members were all shocked and fearful at Shi Yan’s sudden burst of power.
“Yes, it’s this scent!”
The Sea Shark Emperor squinted, his eyes narrowed to slits flashing with startling divine light. He paid no heed to Mei Ji, casually reaching out. The Ice Lotus Mei Ji had formed was instantly enveloped by seawater, and the frozen region instantly reverted to its original state.
“This is my sea domain, my territory. Here, I cultivate the Profundity of Water. In this place, never mind that you haven't truly broken through to Domain Ancestor—even if you became one, what can you do against me beneath the sea?” the Sea Shark Emperor said calmly, his gaze still fixed on Shi Yan, an inexplicable and strange look in his eyes.
“Crack! Crack! Crack!”
A blood-red radiance bloomed at the tip of the blood-red sword, carrying the sharp edge of space, attempting to rip apart the seabed.
That piercing aura made the surrounding powerful figures of the deep sea recoil in alarm, instinctively evading. Shi Jue, who stood before the sword, had his ancient tree branches instantly severed, and he cried out in pain.
“Do not leave.” The Sea Shark Emperor moved before Shi Yan, meeting his bloodshot gaze levelly. He shook his head. “Do not continue. To rashly use spatial power here, the water pressure alone is enough to severely injure you!”
“Severe injury is better than dying here.” Shi Yan grinned, “If I don’t go mad today, I will surely be buried here. I have no choice. Even if it means stirring the seabed of the Shattered Sea into chaos and causing space to collapse, I must break out!”
“Break out?” Suddenly, a chilling voice drifted from a distance. Then, with a flash of lightning, Fei Lei’er materialized abruptly beside the Sea Shark Emperor. “Under the noses of myself and the Sea Shark Emperor, how do you plan to break out?”
He turned to smile at the Sea Shark Emperor. “I promised the Ancient Demon Clan members that I would take this brat’s life. As for the division of the Profundity Talisman Tower and the Primordial Source Talisman, we can discuss that after this boy is dead, yes?”
The Sea Shark Emperor’s eyes held an indistinct light, and he frowned slightly, not answering immediately.
Fei Lei’er grinned and turned to Mei Ji. “You must know by now that your Phantom Shadow Clan’s main island in the Shattered Sea has been slaughtered by me. Everyone on the island is dead. You and this boy have killed too many people you shouldn’t have; even the Phantom Shadow Clan might not be able to protect you.”
Mei Ji’s eyes were filled with hatred. “Fei Lei’er, as long as I, Mei Ji, draw breath, I will one day personally cleave your Soul Altar apart!”
“Is that so?” Fei Lei’er shrugged. “No choice then. Since you have perceived Dark Energy, to prevent any future trouble, I must kill you too, letting the Phantom Shadow Clan have one less Domain Ancestor.”
He smiled and looked toward the Sea Shark Emperor beside him. “The consequences of killing Mei Ji, I will bear entirely. I know you are different from me; you are not cultivating alone. You have your reservations, and naturally, you are constrained in your actions. So, leave everything to me. I will withstand the wrath of the Phantom Shadow Clan, how about it?”
Fei Lei’er’s arrival stabilized the situation, causing both shock and anger among the Sea Tribe members.
As fellow cultivators of the Domain Ancestor realm, he and the Sea Shark Emperor had clashed in the depths before; they were old rivals, though they had never fought a fight to the death over the years, both having reservations.
Today, their goals aligned in a sense. In Fei Lei’er’s view, the Sea Shark Emperor certainly would not interfere strongly.
“I cannot swallow the Profundity Talisman Tower and the Primordial Source Talisman entirely, and you cannot hold them all either. We still need to wait until everyone arrives before negotiating.” Fei Lei’er said with a laugh, ignoring everyone else. “Alright, you’ve already spent enough time and energy; leave the rest to me.”
Saying this, he walked toward Shi Yan leisurely. “Brat, you have bad luck. The trouble you stirred up in the Shattered Sea, no one can save you now. Just accept your fate.”
The moment Shi Yan saw Fei Lei’er appear, his face drastically changed, sinking into near despair.
With the Sea Shark Emperor present, he already had only a thirty percent chance of escaping. Adding Fei Lei’er, he didn't even have a one percent chance. Seeing Fei Lei’er about to strike down both him and Mei Ji, he knew that regardless of the possibility, he had to try—try to tear apart the space here.
Even in utter despair, he had to cling to a sliver of possibility and fight to the death!
“Crack! Crack! Crack!”
Terrifying blood light permeated outward, causing the seawater to divide. A spatial rift, like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, seemed on the verge of opening.
“This won’t do.” The Sea Shark Emperor shook his head slightly, plunging like a torrent between Fei Lei’er and Shi Yan. He pointed at the rift, and an azure ocean world materialized out of thin air, completely sealing the tear.
“Sea Shark Emperor, I told you not to bother! Why waste your energy? Hmph! You!”
Fei Lei’er suddenly shrieked.
A bloody patch suddenly erupted from his chest, and streaks of water arrows, strangely shimmering with light, shot forth again. His chest immediately ripped open, flesh tearing. Countless lightning orbs rolled out from his sleeves, colliding with the water arrows, causing this area of the sea to instantly plunge into a state of utter ruin, erupting with terrifying energy fluctuations.
Shi Yan and Mei Ji were both stunned.
The Sea Tribe members were now pale-faced, staring dumbly at the Sea Shark Emperor.
Only the old man hidden in the conch shell maintained a composed expression. As he moved, he appeared behind Fei Lei’er, and his eyes suddenly spewed forth surging molten fire, attacking Fei Lei’er’s waist.
“Join forces and bombard Fei Lei’er!” The Sea Shark Emperor suddenly roared.
Although the Sea Tribe members were shocked and bewildered, they reacted reflexively to the roar, unleashing a barrage of various magical techniques and Profound Intents, smashing toward Fei Lei’er.
“Sea Shark Emperor! What in the blazes are you doing?! Do you want to monopolize the Profundity Talisman Tower and the Primordial Source Talisman? Can you stomach it?!” Fei Lei’er raged like thunder.
“Shi Yan, Mei Ji! You two leave immediately, do not delay even for a second! Change direction and flee at once!” the Sea Shark Emperor commanded coldly… Ask for monthly tickets!! (To be continued) RQ