Fereir stood deep beneath the ocean, where myriad profound secrets, glowing barriers, icebergs, and spikes rained down upon him. Thousands of spheres of lightning crackled around him, making the seabed feel as if it were about to collapse into ruin.
Billions of water arrows, coalescing into a river that seemed ancient and ceaseless, utterly submerged Fereir.
Fereir was stunned by the onslaught, his eyes wide with bewilderment, unable to fathom what had driven the Sea Shark Emperor to such madness.
All this time, the Sea Shark Emperor had been known as someone acutely aware of circumstances, rarely offending members of the Seven Clans and always restraining his subordinates from provoking conflict.
The Sea of Ruin boasted three Domain Ancestors: the Sea Shark Emperor, Fereir, and Ricardo. Among them, the Sea Shark Emperor was the most low-profile, almost never appearing on the surface and holding no entanglements with the Seven Clans.
In the minds of many, being low-key often equated to weakness. Because the Sea Shark Emperor frequently restrained his people, the powerhouses of the Sea of Ruin subtly perceived him as slightly inferior to Fereir and Ricardo.
Over time, even Fereir had developed the distinct feeling: the Sea Shark Emperor dared not confront him directly!
This was precisely why, upon arriving, Fereir had immediately adopted an aggressive, haughty stance, intending to seize control of the situation.
He believed he understood the Sea Shark Emperor—believed the Emperor would not dare offend the Shadow Race and would approve his proposal. Therefore, without seeking the Emperor's consent, Fereir had taken action against Shi Yan on his own initiative.
He could never have anticipated why the usually reserved and yielding Sea Shark Emperor was acting so wildly today!
"Sea Shark Emperor! Do you truly believe you have the ability to swallow the Profound Mystery Talisman Tower?" Fereir cynically assumed the Tower was the Emperor's true objective, sneering, "Let alone you, even I know better than to try and seize the Profound Mystery Talisman Tower right under the noses of the Seven Clans. Don't even dream about it!"
The Sea Shark Emperor floated coldly above the sea domain, behind him resembling a vast, cerulean curtain of water. Countless streams of water shot out like arrows, inexhaustible and eternal, all streaming toward the area surrounding Fereir.
Innumerable lightning spheres detonated. Fereir endured wave after wave of the Sea Shark Emperor's assault while simultaneously having to divert his focus to fend off the fierce attacks from the Emperor's subordinates, a hint of disarray creeping onto his face.
"Still not leaving?" the Sea Shark Emperor commanded.
In a corner of the battle, Shi Yan and Mei Ji watched, astonishment and confusion etched on their faces as the situation shifted so abruptly and bizarrely. A massive question mark formed in both their minds.
"What in the world is happening?"
They could not fathom why the Sea Shark Emperor was defending them. Just a quarter of an hour ago, the Emperor had been sternly demanding they hand over the Profound Mystery Talisman Tower and the Primordial Origin Talisman. In the blink of an eye, his attitude had flipped, and he was attacking Fereir, leaving Shi Yan and Mei Ji utterly dumbfounded. They began to suspect the Emperor might harbor some hidden, nefarious motive.
"Why?" Mei Ji asked, perplexed. "As far as I know, you have no particular relationship with the elders of our Shadow Race, do you?"
"The Shadow Race?" The Sea Shark Emperor’s gaze was laced with mockery. "This has absolutely nothing to do with your Shadow Race!"
"Then?"
The Sea Shark Emperor looked at Shi Yan, his expression complex. "Because of him..."
"I’ve never met you before; this must be our first encounter, right?" Shi Yan thought hard, certain that he had indeed never seen the Sea Shark Emperor before. This was their initial meeting.
"It is indeed your first time seeing me, but your Master... did he never mention me to you?" A trace of hidden melancholy flickered in the Sea Shark Emperor’s eyes. He gave a self-deprecating chuckle, "Well, given his temperament and breadth of vision, perhaps he never took me seriously back then. Still, he surely couldn't have anticipated that I, too, would reach the Domain Ancestor realm today."
"My Master?" Shi Yan's spirit jolted.
"Your eyes, the profound mysteries you cultivate, the scent about you—all indicate you are his disciple." The Sea Shark Emperor huffed.
"Are you referring to Bloodthirsty?" Shi Yan was shocked.
"Who else could it be?" The Sea Shark Emperor managed a wry smile, seeming unwilling to elaborate. "You all should leave. I will stop Fereir for you, lend you a hand. Consider it repayment for what I owe him..."
"Bloodthirsty again!"
Shi Yan’s mind reeled. He muttered inwardly, frowning deeply, but offered no response to the Sea Shark Emperor.
At this point, Mei Ji also processed the situation. Realizing the Sea Shark Emperor’s change of heart wasn't for the Shadow Race but because of Shi Yan’s master, she offered a wry smile and said, "Why don't we join forces and kill Fereir? Otherwise, once we leave, how will you face the wrath and questioning of the Five Clans?"
Shi Yan also looked toward the Sea Shark Emperor.
While they spoke, the vast water curtain within the Emperor's Water Domain behind him transformed into tens of thousands of water barriers. Combined with the assaults from his subordinate sea clansmen, these were systematically draining and sealing Fereir, leaving him no opportunity to consider anything else.
"I am a Domain Ancestor, after all. It won't be easy for the Five Clans to move against me," the Sea Shark Emperor stated with proud assurance. "However, if you remain, you pose no fatal threat to Fereir, because you cannot possibly contend with a Domain Ancestor. Thus, instead of being blocked by the clansmen of the Five Clans later, you should depart quickly."
Mei Ji fell silent abruptly.
Shi Yan pondered for a few seconds, then gritted his teeth. "We shall meet again!"
With that, without waiting for further words from Mei Ji, he seized her arm, and they transformed into a streak of starlight, shooting towards the direction of the Desolate Domain Gate.
"Worthy of being his disciple," the Sea Shark Emperor nodded, refocusing his energy. "We will work together to trap Fereir for three days. After three days, you all scatter and separate. Live in the hidden recesses beneath the Sea of Ruin henceforth; do not show your faces on the surface."
"Clan Elder!"
"Clan Elder!"
"Why?"
The sea clansmen, positioned in various parts of the crystal palace, exhibited expressions of intense dread.
"Fereir is closely connected to the Ancient Demon Race. By letting them leave this time, Naptun of the Soul Race will not let the matter rest. The members of the remaining three clans of the Five Races will also demand accountability from me. My life won't be easy hereafter. I can only find a way to temporarily leave the Sea of Ruin and reappear when my realm is sufficiently powerful."
The Sea Shark Emperor sighed faintly. "You are merely my subordinates; the clansmen of the Five Races won't pursue you relentlessly. As long as you hide beneath the waves, they won't have the energy to focus on you. When the day comes that I no longer fear the targeting of the Five Races, I will return to the seabed to find you and will once again inhabit the crystal palace."
"Why? Clan Elder, why help them?" Hu Jiao appeared, his face contorted with sorrow and incomprehension.
"I owe someone a life. My breakthrough to the Domain Ancestor realm was also thanks to that person." The Sea Shark Emperor gave a tranquil smile. "Originally, I planned to search for that Primordial Relic for him beneath the sea, but who knew his disciple would obtain everything? This must be fate. I am meant to clean up the mess for his disciple."
His expression darkened, and he commanded, "The matter is settled! Three days from now, every single one of you will depart. From this day forward, live under assumed names, severing all ties with me, the Sea Shark Emperor. I only ask that you stay alive!"
"Clan Elder!"
"Clan Elder!"
"Clan Elder... That is final! There is no need to say more!" The Sea Shark Emperor declared with finality.
Within the Water Domain behind him, billions of water curtains formed an immense, boundless barrier, sealing Fereir’s Lightning Domain. The assaults of the sea clansmen were completely unaffected by the water curtain and continued to bombard Fereir ceaselessly, leaving him overwhelmed.
Time flew, and three days passed in a blink.
After three days of relentless bombardment, the sea clansmen were exhausted, their spirits worn down to a critical state.
The Sea Shark Emperor had a deep understanding of the capabilities of his subordinates' realms. Knowing they could hold out for three days, once that time passed, he called out loudly, "Hu Jiao, Nandu, take the crystal palace. The rest of you, disperse and hide in the secret strongholds across the Sea of Ruin. Those unaware of the situation, you are responsible for informing them!"
"Clan Elder!"
"Clan Elder!"
"No more discussion! My mind is made up! Withdraw immediately!"
The numerous sea clansmen, bearing expressions of profound sorrow, followed the Sea Shark Emperor's orders and departed one by one. Hu Jiao and Nandu steered the crystal palace, secretly resolving to preserve it whole, awaiting the Sea Shark Emperor's return to reclaim it.
Before long, this stretch of the sea was empty save for the Sea Shark Emperor and the ancient sea elder residing within his conch shell.
"Shen Ren, I hope you will leave with them too." The Sea Shark Emperor had ceased his attacks on Fereir, but Fereir remained heavily constrained by the water barriers, currently blasting at them with lightning energy, attempting to break free. "Others may not know, but you should be aware that in a true battle beneath the waves between Fereir and Ricardo, neither would be my match, as I live here. My power is the way of Water; this sea is my natural fortress."
The sea elder in the conch shell chuckled softly. "Of course I know that. If you had wanted to fight, if you had wanted to conquer, Fereir and Ricardo would have long since fallen before you. I also know that if I leave, Fereir alone is no match for you. But what if another Naptun appears? What if Ricardo joins him?"
The Sea Shark Emperor's expression was calm. "You have not reached the Domain Ancestor realm. Even if you stay, you cannot aid me."
"I am staying to remind you when it is time to leave. I know that even if Naptun and Ricardo arrive, you can retreat safely if you choose to disengage. I am only afraid you will act foolishly," Shen Ren insisted.
"Having been by my side all these years, you should know that I am not the man I once was. Back then, I was explosive as thunder, bloodthirsty and unrestrained, knowing nothing of retreat. But over the years, enduring constant forbearance, I have long corrected that stubborn temper. I know that life is more important than pride, so when it is time to withdraw, I will," the Sea Shark Emperor chuckled wryly.
"Then I will stay to watch you retreat," Shen Ren maintained his stance.
The Sea Shark Emperor looked surprised, then fell silent for a moment before nodding reluctantly. His gaze grew dim. "He must have perished. When he left back then, he said if we ever met his successor, it would mean he had returned to the void. I truly hadn't expected even a figure like him would ultimately reach his end."
"Even you and I have reached our current realms; he certainly had his own destiny. When we first met him beneath the waves, we were merely at the Origin God realm. Alas, we were truly useless; we searched with him in the depths for so long without finding that ruin, only for his disciple to gain everything in the end," Shen Ren sighed.
"It is the will of heaven," the Sea Shark Emperor conceded with acceptance.
...(To be continued)RQ