The three of them pressed on cautiously, yet the closer they drew to the massive shadow, the more unsettling the airflow from its breath became; that crushing pressure, combined with the sound, was enough to strip away any semblance of confidence.

Ye Xiu let out a soft breath, his body surging as he slowly descended, the Heng Chen tightly gripped in his hand. As he approached, the silhouette of the black shadow gradually resolved into clearer definition.

"This is..." Lang Taotian's mouth dropped open as well. Before them, the enormous cyan-green behemoth stood like a colossal wall, blocking the path of the three; he couldn't even discern the creature's full outline.

"Is this the Water God Beast?" Ah Jiao exclaimed, overjoyed. She had expected an attack from a frenzied monstrous beast, but unexpectedly, this creature remained docile and motionless. "Where are its eyes? And where are its limbs?"

Ye Xiu shot Ah Jiao a sidelong glance and scolded, "I already told you, if it's a Xuan Gui, its limbs and head must be tucked inside the shell! Stop messing around. We need to separate quickly and find where to plant that Sea-Calming Divine Needle."

"Right. This thing is so enormous, it would take ages just to circle around it. We should split up and search," Lang Taotian agreed with Ye Xiu's assessment and turned to head forward first.

"Then I'll go over the top," Ah Jiao declared, not wanting to accompany Ye Xiu. She began wagging her tail, intending to navigate above the shell.

"Hey! Did you forget something?" Ye Xiu pouted, a smile playing on his lips.

Seeing his expression, Ah Jiao felt both annoyed and amused. She could only lean down, give him a soft kiss, and then depart.

"How was it? Addictive, right?" Ye Xiu teased Ah Jiao, even trying to lean forward for a few more kisses.

"Hmph, hurry up and find the Sea-Calming Divine Needle!" Ah Jiao turned away, retreating shyly.

Ye Xiu appeared relaxed, but his mind was churning. Splitting up would naturally increase the efficiency of finding the Divine Needle. However, his true task wasn't merely to secure it. If the Sea-Calming Divine Needle that sealed the Water God Beast was, in fact, the Water Clan's Howling Wave Sword, then his objective was far from simple.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Xiu channeled his heightened tension and excitement, surging the inner force from his Jue Jing Meridians throughout his limbs. Instantly, a black halo rippled across the expanse of the sea floor, and he himself shot forward like a sharp arrow piercing the water, speeding along the body of the Water God Beast at an incredible velocity. This beast was truly gargantuan; even with the speed generated by the Jue Jing Meridians, such a long time had passed, and he still could not see the edge of the shell. The scenery atop the carapace was exceptionally monotonous—moss and more moss. Though the colors varied in shade, it was enough to utterly disorient anyone.

"Hoo..." Ye Xiu sighed in frustration. He marveled at the miraculous nature of the Water Clan's vital energy, allowing him to breathe freely at such depths, a phenomenon that utterly defied human physiology.

At that moment, a bright flash crossed Ye Xiu's vision. He shook his head and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Actions driven by the Jue Jing Meridians were indeed too fast; from the moment he spotted the light until he halted his progress, a considerable distance had already slipped by. "That object?"

He slowed his swimming and cautiously approached the spot where the light had appeared. There, embedded diagonally into the Water God Beast's massive shell atop a patch of moss, lay a long, straight sword. "It's a sword!" Ye Xiu exclaimed, quickening his pace and swimming over to circle around the long blade. He reached out to steady the sword and examined it closely. The hilt was small, but the blade was exceptionally long. Though he couldn't gauge its exact length, judging by how it pierced the beast's body, this sword was certainly no lesser than the demon blade he had once wielded. The entire blade was white as if freshly washed, utterly devoid of impurities save for the light it reflected. No carvings, no grooves—immersed and scoured by the deep-sea currents of the Ten Thousand Abyss for untold ages, it had long ceased to resemble a sword and looked more like a needle.

Boom-boom. At this instant, the Water God Beast’s body seemed to shift slightly, releasing a large volume of mixed bubbles, and the sword on its back trembled faintly.

This must be the Sea-Calming Divine Needle they spoke of. Ye Xiu gritted his teeth and reached out, firmly grasping the hilt. Simultaneously, the Heng Chen sword at his waist began to vibrate. Ye Xiu abruptly looked down at Heng Chen and saw that the sword in his hand and the Heng Chen were clearly reflecting each other's light. What did this mean? His suspicion was confirmed: the Sea-Calming Divine Needle was none other than the third sword he sought—the Water Clan's Howling Wave Sword!

"Ha..." Ye Xiu found it laughable. Why did acquiring each sword seem so effortless? At this moment, he almost forgot his mission to seal the Water God Beast. His mind was filled only with the words spoken by the East Sea Monarch: uniting the three swords would allow him to summon the lost army of a million gods and ghosts, which could then counter Wang Long's conspiracy and truly unify the Central Plains. But... he suddenly let go, hesitating. What is wrong with me? Ye Xiu questioned himself repeatedly. Hadn't he come here for the sake of all the Water Clan people, even for the sake of the Three Sword Realm? If the Howling Wave Sword were drawn, the Water God Beast would revive, leading to the annihilation of the entire Water Clan, resulting in widespread catastrophe and ruin.

"No! With my current power, I can definitely slay the Water God Beast!" Ye Xiu grinned, his Jue Jing Meridians surging forth, cloaking his body in dense black energy. The selfishness in his heart urged him to pull out the Howling Wave Sword. Why should he care about the fate of those in the Three Sword Realm? Weren't there more people in the Central Plains worth cherishing?

Ye Xiu began to tremble. The conflict between the two opposing thoughts left him struggling to choose. He reached out once more to grasp the hilt: should he push it deeper or should he pull it out without hesitation? He was truly wavering.

"Ah! So you've already found the Sea-Calming Divine Needle! That’s great," Ah Jiao suddenly drifted into the area, having finished her own search. Seeing that Ye Xiu had located the Divine Needle, she approached him excitedly. "I didn't expect it to be so easy. This way, the Water God Beast can remain in slumber. Have you fixed the needle in place?"

"Y-yes," Ye Xiu stammered in response to Ah Jiao, but his hand was still shaking. His heart told him he absolutely could not draw the Howling Wave Sword.

"Haha, wonderful! We've successfully completed the mission. Our General Ye is truly amazing," Ah Jiao chirped happily, reaching out to take Ye Xiu's hand, intending to go find Lang Taotian with him.

Ye Xiu played along with Ah Jiao’s movement but was unwilling to let go of the tightly gripped Howling Wave Sword. At this crucial juncture, he felt he had no other choice. The instant Ah Jiao pulled him away, he channeled his Jue Jing power into his grip, and a massive commotion of turbulent bubbles erupted throughout the Ten Thousand Abyss. After a deafening roar, the Howling Wave Sword protruded from the Water God Beast's back, its tip gleaming crystal clear before Ye Xiu's eyes. He had successfully drawn the long sword.

"This..." Ah Jiao watched the event unfold, utterly dumbfounded. The entire Ten Thousand Abyss began to shake, and the surging seawater caused everyone nearby to sway unsteadily.

"Ah..." Ye Xiu drew a long breath. At this moment, he was completely encircled by huge bubbles. He held the Howling Wave Sword before his eyes, an indescribable surge of excitement jumping from his palm to his heart. The last sword was finally in hand. Next, he needed to seek the Water Clan's True Emotion, as described by Elder Yufeng.

"Get away! It’s moving!" Lang Taotian rushed over upon hearing the commotion, calling out to the two ahead while steadying his long spear. Facing the scene before him, he was nearly in despair. Indeed, looking across the bottom of the Ten Thousand Abyss, the Water God Beast's breathing had become violent due to the displacement of the Divine Needle. Each inhalation created a powerful downward pull. If this continued until it fully awakened, the entire Cangshan Sea would be finished.

Ah Jiao witnessed all this but dared not reveal the truth to Lang Taotian. She had clearly seen Ye Xiu using his energy to draw the sword. She stared intently at Ye Xiu, her eyes filled with hatred and incomprehension. Why would he do this? Did he wish for the extinction of the entire Water Clan?

"Kill it!" Ye Xiu sheathed the Howling Wave Sword and stated coldly. He ignored Ah Jiao's suspicion and swam toward the position nearest the Water God Beast alone. By this time, the beast's limbs were slowly emerging from its shell, stirring up vast currents of dark water.

"Brother Ye, no! How could you be its match?" Lang Taotian tried to rush forward to stop Ye Xiu, but he also knew that escape was impossible now; only fighting remained. The potential demise of the entire Water Clan was at stake.

"Ten Thousand Swords Over the City!" Ye Xiu drew Heng Chen, overcoming immense water resistance, and unleashed the Ten Thousand Swords Art. Although this sword light was brilliant and powerful, when it struck the Water God Beast's body, it dissolved into a small cluster of bubbles and scattered. "This..."

Lang Taotian hastily pulled Ah Jiao aside and reared his long spear, unleashing a move called "Long Waves Emptying the Sky." Several sharp water pillars shot toward the beast’s single emerging foot. Upon impact, they dispersed like rising dust, utterly devoid of offensive power.

"It's useless, useless! Why are you..." Ah Jiao swam next to Ye Xiu, wanting to rail at him, but she knew that if she revealed the truth, Ye Xiu would become the sinner of the entire Water Clan. Moreover, she couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Ye Xiu. She realized that at some point, she had fallen in love with this resolute, solitary man.

Ye Xiu perceived Ah Jiao’s anxiety. At this moment, he needed little explanation. He gently pulled Ah Jiao into his arms and pressed his lips against her icy mouth: "You and the First Prince should leave here. I will atone for the sin I have committed."

"You can't do it. Run away with us," Lang Taotian said, having lost all his courage facing the ancient divine beast. All his martial arts skills were rendered useless against such a primordial creature; they could only sigh in futility.

"Go!" Ye Xiu roared. By now, his Jue Jing Meridians had fully awakened, and a black mist billowed from his chest, enveloping him entirely. "I will definitely kill this thing, you two rest assured."

"Let's go up first, Ah Jiao. We'll only slow Brother Ye down here," Lang Taotian felt the unfathomable power emanating from Ye Xiu. He grabbed Ah Jiao and sped toward the upper water layers. Ah Jiao was now utterly speechless, able only to stare blankly as Ye Xiu's figure receded into the distance.

A massive roar then echoed through the entire Ten Thousand Abyss, and the seabed shifted as the Water God Beast awakened. Its massive arms and legs were now fully extended across the ocean floor, and its colossal head slowly emerged from the shell. Ye Xiu stood rooted on the sandy bottom, looking up at the monster before him. Its head was as large as the entire Water Clan Palace, its soft body covered in sharp, pointed protrusions. Its bulging eyes shone like millions of lamps, bearing down directly on him.

"Aoo..." It finally opened its cavernous mouth and sucked in torrents of water. The surrounding ocean seemed to be pulled toward that spot like water rushing into a black hole. Ye Xiu jammed the Howling Wave Sword into the ground just to barely withstand the suction. Facing a creature hundreds of thousands of times larger than himself, even he lost his certainty.

Rumble, rumble. The Water Palace began to shake violently with the Water God Beast's first breath. At the sea entrance, the Palace Master and all the ministers knelt down, praying only for heavenly protection.

"This is fate. It seems no one can stop the revival of the Water God Beast," the Palace Master said calmly. The destiny of a race must be borne by that race itself; no one could help them.

Puff! Two massive plumes of water shot out of the sea surface. Lang Taotian, holding Ah Jiao, flew straight up and landed on the riverbank: "Child has failed Father, Your Majesty. The Sea-Calming Divine Needle has completely detached from the Water God Beast's shell. We failed."

"I know everything," the Palace Master patted Lang Taotian's shoulder and pulled Ah Jiao into his embrace. "Look at the entire surface of the Cangshan Sea. The water level suddenly dropped moments ago. This is fate; no one can escape it."

"But..." Ah Jiao's mood was intensely complicated—worry, anxiety, suspicion, and affection surged through her. She was powerless.

"Right, where is General Ye?" The Palace Master finally noticed one person missing and quickly leaned forward, trying to look for Ye Xiu's whereabouts.

Lang Taotian hung his head dejectedly. "Brother Ye resolved to slay the Water God Beast alone. But the beast is too massive; any attack or sword technique merely dissolves into nothingness when it reaches him. I fear Brother Ye is likely beyond saving."

"Let us pray for General Ye together," the Palace Master sighed. Fighting the Water God Beast single-handedly sounded like an impossible fantasy. No matter how high one's martial skill, it was a creature of an entirely different realm; how could one possibly contend with it?

"Since you have revealed yourself, then I shall strike," Ye Xiu said coldly, raising Heng Chen toward the Water God Beast. He channeled his Jue Jing power throughout his body; that black counter-current which pierced the secrets of the heavens was enough to draw the Water God Beast's attention. This time, even if it meant suffering a qi deviation, he would fight with all his might. "No matter how huge you are, you are nothing more than an old turtle. Slicing off your head should suffice, right?"

With his Jue Jing Meridians fully open, Ye Xiu rushed toward the Water God Beast's head, wielding Heng Chen. He summoned the eighth level of the Ten Thousand Swords Art, the most potent move, Ten Thousand Swords in Eight Directions. Sword light flashed like lightning, and the blade itself grew immensely large. The sword cleaved down with a resounding clang, yet the Water God Beast showed no reaction whatsoever.

"Impossible!" Ye Xiu gasped for breath, leaning on his exhaustion. He had clearly channeled all his inner strength. Could it be that the Jue Jing Meridians were useless against it too?

"Aoo..." The Water God Beast roared again. Its limbs were now fully extended. That single attack had clearly caused it some sensation. It slowly twisted its head, aligning its gaze with Ye Xiu. In its eyes, Ye Xiu was merely a grain of sand.

Hoo... As the Water God Beast moved, a powerful current of water washed toward Ye Xiu, momentarily destabilizing him. In desperation, Ye Xiu executed his signature move, Ghost Step Myriad Slashes. Driven by the Jue Jing Meridians, millions of Ye Xiu figures attacked the beast's head simultaneously. In an instant, the entire Ten Thousand Abyss blazed with light, countless sword edges stirring the seawater into spectacular, crystalline water columns.

The Water God Beast could not evade such swordplay; being too immense, all it could manage was a slight turn of its head. However, this assault visibly annoyed it, and it let out occasional moans to express its anger.

"It's not over yet!" The real Ye Xiu closed the distance to the Water God Beast. The eruption of his Jue Jing power caused his entire body to flicker with black lightning, accompanied by a hissing sound. If the eighth level of the Ten Thousand Swords Art couldn't cause you pain, then perhaps the ninth level, Ten Thousand Sword Splendor, would work. Ye Xiu had long mastered the essence of the ninth level. At this moment, he raised his sword, controlling thousands of his clones to merge with his main body. Countless points of light appeared across the sea floor, growing larger and more numerous until they all converged upon the treasured Heng Chen sword. The accumulated light was now vast enough to engulf the Water God Beast.

"Big Brother, look down into the water quickly!" On the shore, Ah Jiao also sensed something strange and called everyone's attention to the water of the Ten Thousand Abyss. A strong beam of light was now projecting upward from below, illuminating everything and causing great astonishment.

"Did Brother Ye do that? Or the Water God Beast?" Lang Taotian sucked in a sharp breath. He had never seen such intense light. Besides, how could light shoot out from the ocean depths?

Hoo... Ye Xiu controlled his breathing. This power was immense; using the Ten Thousand Swords Art under the influence of the Jue Jing Meridians, any slight loss of control could lead to qi deviation. He held the sword aloft, positioned to his left. At this moment, all his clones rapidly merged with his main body. Each fusion caused a wave of dark energy to spread around his silhouette, and the splashing water before him enveloped him entirely. The light from the Heng Chen sword transformed from one beam to two, then to eight, finally unfolding into an uncountable line of sword marks before the Water God Beast.

Awakening the body of ten thousand swords through a single person—Ye Xiu felt the true might of the Heng Chen sword for the first time. The reason Heng Chen possessed such heft wasn't just structural; it was due to qi. Within one Heng Chen sword resided the murderous intent of ten thousand swords. With this qi, it was the king among blades.

"Ten Thousand Sword Splendor!" Ye Xiu chanted silently, channeling the inner essence of the Jue Jing Meridians into the Heng Chen blade. The surrounding seawater instantly transformed into a rushing current, converging upon him. Ye Xiu resisted the four directional forces, forcefully driving the blade downward. Like a gust of wind flashing through clouds, a powerful vortex entangled everything around it, shooting directly toward the Water God Beast's head.

Rumble, rumble. Within the Ten Thousand Abyss, intense light flashed incessantly, and this immense power shook the entire Cangshan Sea. The buildings in the Water Palace royal city faced imminent collapse.

"Did Brother Ye succeed?" Lang Taotian felt that powerful sword energy. Besides Ye Xiu, who else could wield such a blade force?

Ah Jiao ignored the tearing ground and rushed to the water's edge, leaning over to watch the scene below. In the water, there was only light and deep blackness, oscillating between white and black before their eyes. Finally, a colossal black shadow began to slowly grow larger as it ascended from below.

"What is that?" The Palace Master and all the ministers were stunned by what they saw. That shadow! No, it was clearly the Water God Beast.

"Watch out! Everyone retreat!" Lang Taotian hastily shielded the Palace Master, backing away while shouting for Ah Jiao, "Ah Jiao, come back! That's the Water God Beast!"

"What!" Ah Jiao spread her arms and used her foot strength to spring backward. All those intense attacks had somehow failed to eliminate the Water God Beast.

"How is this possible!" Ye Xiu could barely hold on, allowing his body to drift slightly in the seawater. That strike of Ten Thousand Sword Splendor had clearly hit the Water God Beast's head. Dense blue ichor filled the water; it should have suffered a fatal injury, but why could it still move? He gasped, watching the beast. Its head was still oozing blue fluid, but its mouth seemed to be slowly opening. What was it about to do? Was it going to swim toward the shore?

"Aoo... Hooo..." Ignoring its injuries, the Water God Beast suddenly opened its massive mouth—a mouth so vast it seemed capable of swallowing the entire world.

"Damn it, is it going to devour the sea?" Ye Xiu's heart seized, remembering what Lang Taotian had said: the Water God Beast craves water, capable of swallowing one-tenth of the Cangshan Sea's volume in a single gulp. Realizing the grave importance of this, Ye Xiu moved faster than thought, immediately slashing his sword forward, confronting the Water God Beast's maw. Countless streams of black sword energy formed into water pillars, striking the beast's head. Blue pus already coated the entire area, nearly obscuring Ye Xiu's vision.

"Wuuu..." The Water God Beast’s mouth was now completely agape; it was indeed preparing to swallow the ocean.

"Ah!" In that instant, Ye Xiu felt his entire body slip beyond his control. A massive gravitational pull tugged the surrounding seawater violently towards the beast’s gaping mouth, and he was no exception, dragged directly inward, as if plummeting into a black hole.

"Father, look at the sea!" Lang Taotian broke out in a cold sweat, pointing his finger. The entire sea surface was rapidly sinking, exposing countless reefs before their eyes.

"Is this the power of the Water God Beast?" The Palace Master was terrified, dropping to his knees on the shore. The Cangshan Sea, which had endured for millennia, was about to be destroyed by this beast’s maw.

"Look! There’s an island in the center!" A fresh wave of gasps erupted from the ministers. At that moment, a small island suddenly materialized in the middle of the sea—higher in the center and shallow at the edges, its surface draped in moss.

"That’s the back of the Water God Beast! It's emerging." Ajiao recognized the shape; it was the shell of a Black Tortoise, and the Water God Beast was now fully visible to them.