Clumps of deep-sea algae gathered like a dense cloud, so thick that sight could not penetrate, nor could the soul's consciousness extend.

This place was the final stronghold established by the Sea Shark Emperor, Shen Ren, in his earlier years. This base was the most concealed, situated at the very edge of the Shattered Sea, surrounded by perilous and terrifying dangers. Few dared to venture here, making it, in the Sea Shark Emperor Shen Ren's estimation, the safest location.

As their footsteps approached, the Sea Shark Emperor Shen Ren’s breathing grew rapid, a mounting tension unsettling him.

Along the way, all ten-plus areas they had explicitly warned their kin to avoid had been subjected to slaughter; not a single survivor was found. Each scene hammered into their minds like a heavy mallet, causing them agonizing heartache, leaving their spirits bleeding.

—They pinned their hopes on this last refuge.

If this final location had also been brutally massacred, the blow to the two of them would be incalculable, perhaps enough to utterly crush them, leaving them incapable of recovery.

Moving slowly through the seaweed, Shi Yan also gradually grew tense, quietly releasing his divine sense to probe.

"Life fluctuations!" Shi Yan's eyes lit up suddenly, his spirit instantly galvanized. He gave a low shout, "Many life forms gathered here!"

Cultivating the Profound Mystery of Life, his detection of life fields was far more acute than even the Sea Shark Emperor's. Hearing his words, the dimness in the eyes of the Sea Shark Emperor and Shen Ren was slightly dispelled. Their expressions trembled slightly, secretly excited. "Go!" the Sea Shark Emperor roared, his body darting like a sharp sword beneath the water toward the center of the dense algae.

Before long, a strange underwater area suddenly unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

This place, at the heart of the algae, was cultivated with many mushroom-like plants that glowed like brilliant lamps, emitting bright flashes. Above their heads, thick clusters of algae still gathered, like heavy clouds forming a ceiling, obscuring the outside view and soul perception.

Inside, there were the lamp-like plants, much vibrant red coral, and scattered crystals, making the area shimmer with crystalline light. Many members of the Sea Tribe were crowded together in this space, their expressions utterly miserable. Many had lost limbs; some stared blankly, gazing with despair at the dark expanse above them...

A heavy, depressed, mournful atmosphere took root, making one’s chest feel tight. The Sea Tribe members sat there with a listless resignation, as if they could no longer see any hope. Many had even stopped cultivating, simply waiting for death.

Among them were Datu and Hu Jiao, who had once fought Shi Yan. They were surrounded by Sea Tribe members showing considerable combat strength, and they were issuing stern instructions with focused looks, their expressions intense, as if ready to fight to the death.

Shi Yan, the Sea Shark Emperor, Shen Ren, and Meiji passed silently through the algae, slipping into the area undetected.

Looking at the dejected masses of the Sea Tribe, the Sea Shark Emperor’s face grew somber. He seemed to instantly recognize the horrific suffering they had endured.

Shen Ren sighed softly.

His sigh was like a thunderclap, startling several nearby Sea Tribe members. The pores on their bodies instantly flared, and they leaped up defensively, shouting reflexively, "They’ve caught up to us!"

It was instinct!

Prior to this, they must have been under relentless pursuit, constantly expecting the pursuers to arrive at any moment, leading to this involuntary cry upon detecting an anomaly.

Then, one man sharply turned, brandishing his blade, ready to fight to the death.

All the Sea Tribe members present, young children barely ten years old and the elders alike, raised the weapons near them with hateful faces, killing intent radiating from their bodies.

"Lord Shen Ren! Lord Shen Ren!"

"Clan Elder!"

"The Clan Elder has returned!"

"It's the Clan Elder!"

Suddenly, the entire area erupted. Every member of the Sea Tribe instantly filled with tears, as if seeing new hope in their despair. They all wept openly. The quiet sobs of the women triggered a chain reaction, rapidly spreading throughout the entire community.

Regardless of age, even the hardiest warriors became incredibly fragile in that moment, like helpless children finally seeing the responsible adults, finally able to vent the grievances they held inside.

Watching the Sea Tribe members dissolve into tears, Shi Yan and Meiji also grew somber. They understood that without the Sea Shark Emperor’s stalwart support back then, they themselves would have long since fallen victim to Fereir’s deadly hands; it was precisely because of the Sea Shark Emperor’s aid that these Sea Tribe members had suffered such disaster.

The iron-blooded warriors Hu Jiao and Datu suddenly knelt, heavily prostrating themselves before the Sea Shark Emperor. Hu Jiao spoke first: "We did not fail the Clan Elder's trust. We have preserved the Crystal Palace within the clan, though due to the extreme danger, we temporarily relocated it elsewhere."

"Clan Elder! Avenge us!" Datu’s eyes were bloodshot, his teeth grinding until blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. His voice was laced with deeply etched, venomous hatred: "Fereir and the Soul Tribe members massacred our strongholds one by one! More than half of our tribe has perished! Please, Clan Elder, judge this matter!"

"Please, Clan Elder, judge us!" All the Sea Tribe members cried out in sorrow, screaming out the immense grief in their hearts.

"I will, I will, I absolutely will..."

Tears welled in the Sea Shark Emperor's eyes, and he whispered repeatedly, his voice a steadfast vow branded deep within his soul, destined never to fade.

"Brother Datu, what exactly happened?" Shi Yan approached and asked quietly.

Datu glanced at him, his expression cold, and offered no reply.

In his heart, Shi Yan bore crucial responsibility for everything the Sea Tribe had endured; without Shi Yan, the Sea Tribe would never have faced this ordeal.

Seeing the hint of hatred in Datu’s expression, Shi Yan touched his nose and sighed inwardly, not pressing the inquiry further—he understood the Sea Tribe’s resentment toward him.

"Datu, do not be disrespectful. This was a choice between the Clan Elder and me; we owe a debt that must be repaid, and it has no direct link to Shi Yan," Shen Ren chastised, then focused and commanded, "Tell us exactly what happened!"

Datu paused for a moment, then began to meticulously recount the events of the recent period...

Initially, when Mandis suddenly launched her attack, it caused Fereir, Ricardo, and Naputon to flee the Shattered Sea. During that period, although they were targeted underwater, they could still survive reasonably well, merely ceding some of their previously held interests.

After Mandis departed the Shattered Sea, Fereir and Ricardo did not return. However, because they had aligned themselves within the Five Clans, their subordinates gradually became arrogant and tyrannical, beginning to wreak havoc underwater, forcing Datu and Hu Jiao to continue shrinking their operational areas.

During that time, they did not suffer major catastrophe.

It wasn't until recently, when Mandis, Xiluo, and the Sea Shark Emperor were invited by Shi Yan to enter the Desolate Domain, that the members of the Five Clans returned to the Shattered Sea searching for the Door to the Desolate Domain. Among them were the true powerhouses of the Five Clans, and Fereir, Ricardo, and Naputon also reappeared here.

The strength they had amassed was now formidable enough that they no longer feared Mandis seeking revenge.

If they didn't even fear Mandis, they naturally sought to settle scores with the Sea Shark Emperor. Thus, under the instruction of Naputon and Fereir, some experts from the Soul Tribe and Ancient Demon Tribe ventured deep underwater, hunting down Datu and Hu Jiao to force the Sea Shark Emperor to show himself, intending to kill him in one fell swoop.

Datu and Hu Jiao knew the Sea Shark Emperor had gone to the Desolate Domain and knew they couldn't contact him, so they could only evade the immediate threat. They fled continuously, yet kin members were still being ambushed and killed until they retreated into this hidden location, where they finally found a sliver of safety.

Even here, however, they lived in daily fear, terrified that Naputon and Fereir's forces might finally track them down and wipe them out entirely.

This was why, upon sensing outsiders arriving, the Sea Tribe members instinctively shrieked—they believed the enemy had finally found them.

"Naputon!" the Sea Shark Emperor ground out through clenched teeth.

"Fereir!" Meiji sneered. "I need to settle accounts with him too! He slaughtered many of my subordinates; Yu Lian and the others died by Fereir’s hand! Did he really think joining the Ancient Demon Tribe would allow him to truly withstand our fury? Hmph!"

"Naputon and Fereir have personally returned to the Shattered Sea for the Domain Gate. It seems they might have made some progress..."

Shi Yan’s mind raced, a glint flashing in his eyes as he gradually grasped something.

"You mean?" Meiji reacted quickly as well.

"The Domain Gate to the Desolate Domain—besides us from the Desolate Domain, only the Devouring Race knows about it. The Devouring Race suffered a setback in the Desolate Domain this time, and I obtained the Profound Mystery Talisman Tower again. They certainly won't let this rest. The precise location of the Domain Gate might very well be leaked by the Devouring Race," Shi Yan hypothesized.

"Exactly. Otherwise, the experts from the Five Clans would not have gathered again in the Shattered Sea," Meiji agreed.

Shi Yan pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over Datu, Hu Jiao, and the others. After a long silence, he said, "Senior Sea Shark Emperor, the immediate priority should be sending them into the Endless Sea to ensure their safety. As for the vengeance against Naputon and Fereir, I guarantee you, I will absolutely not stand idly by!"

"You!" Datu scoffed. "You are only at the Immortal Realm; how can you manage? How can you possibly control it?"

"Silence!" Shen Ren commanded, then added persuasively, "Clan Elder, let's send the children away first, and then we can settle scores with them slowly. What do you say?"

The Sea Shark Emperor was not foolish; he knew what the wisest course of action was. He nodded. "We will do as Shi Yan suggests. We will move them to a safe place first. The Shattered Sea is bound to become chaotic soon; a great war may erupt at any moment."

Once consensus was reached, escorted by the Sea Shark Emperor, Shi Yan, and Meiji, the Sea Tribe members, along with that cluster of algae, were shifted by the Sea Shark Emperor's Domain Ancestor Power and began moving toward the direction of the Desolate Domain Gate.

Huge, pitch-black banners, engraved with patterns of ferocious ghosts and malevolent spirits, fluttered ahead of the seaweed.

Hu Jiao looked from a distance, and his face suddenly turned icy. He spoke deliberately, word by word: "It’s their people!"

"It's the Soul Tribe and Ancient Demon Tribe forces that surrounded and hunted us!" Datu snarled like a grievously wounded beast, his face contorted with unforgettable hatred.

"Slaughter them!" Shi Yan commanded softly.

...RQ