Gu Xiao, Wu Qin, Cao Zhilan, and Man Gu stared blankly at the massive crystal before them, speechless for a long time.

They had witnessed, with absolute clarity through the crystal, the scene where Shi Yan’s suddenly manifested mysterious giant sword had grievously wounded Moqita in a single strike. Not a single detail was missed; they even saw the explosion of one of Moqita’s arms, complete with fragments of flesh scattering through the air.

This image was deeply etched into the minds of the four, an indelible mark.

Moqita, the Demon Lord from the Fourth Demon Territory, a fiend of formidable power, had been utterly terrifying when he unleashed his cryptic, formidable demon blade, radiating such a sky-high might that even those observing through the crystal mirror could sense the sheer, violent force emanating from the weapon in his hands.

Gu Xiao and Wu Qin questioned themselves, realizing that if they had faced Moqita in that moment, under the terrifying power of the Boundless Demon Blade, their only option would have been to temporarily evade the edge, never daring to meet the assault head-on.

But Shi Yan had done just that!

Not only had he done it, but he had used that mysterious giant sword to severely injure Demon Lord Moqita, severing the arm of a powerhouse at the First Heaven of Spirit Communication!

What did this mean? What kind of situation was this?

The four stood frozen, as if their breathing had ceased, utterly unable to believe what they had seen, unable to accept that the spectacle unfolding in the crystal mirror was actual fact!

What was Shi Yan’s realm? And Moqita’s?

The difference spanned more than one level, yet under the relentless pursuit of that terrifying demon, not only had Shi Yan survived, but he had critically wounded the Demon Lord. This reversal utterly shattered the four’s previous expectations, rendering all their meticulous planning void.

Having witnessed Shi Yan’s terrifying strength, the four felt an indescribable turbulence within them, like an overturned jar of five flavors, a chaotic rush of emotions that words could not capture.

“It seems the hope of using Moqita to eliminate him is impossible now,” Gu Xiao murmured after a long, long silence, his gaze hollow as he stared at the crystal screen. His face gradually twisted into one of extreme displeasure. “The future of the Endless Sea might very well belong solely to Shi Yan. Alas…”

Gu Xiao sighed deeply, an intense bitterness welling up in his heart. He instinctively recalled the younger generation of the Gu family, only to realize that searching his entire memory yielded no one who could even remotely compare to Shi Yan.

Gu Jiange? Gu Linglong?

Gu Xiao shook his head, his lips curled in a bitter smile. He secretly envied Yang Qingdi’s astonishing luck—how could that fellow have such incredible fortune, pulling a descendant from some obscure, forgotten corner only to find he was a celestial prodigy with limitless potential and boundless room for growth?

“Unbelievable, truly unbelievable…”

Wu Qin muttered, her ancient, wrinkled face trembling slightly, as if her old body could not withstand the shock of the day. A wave of despair washed over her; she wondered if she was simply old, no longer suited to the shifting dynamics of the Endless Sea.

“That fellow is truly mad. Not only is his physical body incredibly tough, but his power has reached this intensity. Thank goodness when we sparred at the hot spring bath, he only engaged me physically. If he had drawn that mysterious greatsword then, I think…” Man Gu shuddered, a hint of genuine fear in his voice, “I probably wouldn’t have even possessed the courage to stand before him.”

Cao Zhilan’s delicate features paled, her heart overflowing with bitterness. She felt a sense of loss and dejection she had never experienced before today.

She had always been fiercely confident in her judgment, believing her perception of any situation was invariably accurate. That very confidence led her to decisively sever ties with Shi Yan the moment she discovered his essence could not be reunited, brutally extinguishing the subtle feelings that had begun to stir for him.

As the future successor of the Cao family, she had grown up steeped in the struggle for power, deeply understanding how vital it was for a woman like her to secure a powerful reliance.

She had initially believed her decision correct—it was rational to let go when she realized Shi Yan could no longer guarantee her a superior future.

But Shi Yan’s performance today had utterly shattered her long-held self-assurance, tearing her carefully maintained composure to shreds.

She knew, with chilling certainty, that for the rest of her life, she would struggle to escape the shadow cast by Shi Yan.

“Chi Yan will undoubtedly hunt him relentlessly,” Gu Xiao suddenly hissed, perhaps attempting to comfort himself or force himself to rally. “The stronger he appears, the less the Demon Race will tolerate him. I suspect neither Chi Yan nor Bo Xun wishes to see a figure emerge from the Yang family surpassing Yang Qingdi.”

“Yes, he certainly won't have room to grow further. What a pity that a future titan will be ruthlessly destroyed,” Wu Qin agreed, nodding.

She knew that once Moqita relayed the details of his fight with Shi Yan to Chi Yan, regardless of how busy Chi Yan was, he would spare no cost or effort to track down Shi Yan and annihilate him directly.

If even they could perceive Shi Yan’s potential, the Demon Race absolutely could not stand by; they would surely extinguish this greatest future threat at the earliest possible moment.

...

The isolated island was gone. On the azure sea surface, there was only the surging, violent tide, only towering tornadoes, only astonishing tsunamis.

Shi Yan slowly surfaced, feeling utterly drained. The strange vortex within his core—formed by the fusion of the Holy Spirit God, Profound Ice Cold Flame, and Earth Core Fire—seemed to be gradually subsiding, perhaps because the colossal energy of the three had been expended by that mysterious greatsword and required a period of dormancy.

His sea of consciousness was stable, his primary soul resting silently above it, also seemingly inert. Even the eye between his brows had closed.

Though the fusion between the primary soul and the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame had stabilized briefly, the complete melding of the two still appeared to require a considerable journey.

After the battle, his strength was nearly exhausted. The backlash from recklessly pushing into the Second Heaven was taking hold, and the fatigue was becoming overwhelming. Upon reaching the surface, he felt an immediate need to recover; otherwise, encountering any other powerful entity would leave him powerless and likely unable to survive.

A Fire Qilin, wreathed in flickering flames, hovered on the sea surface. Upon its back, Tang Yuannan stood solemn, his eyes wide with shock.

As soon as Shi Yan emerged from the water, Tang Yuannan leaped down from the Fire Qilin without hesitation, reached out, and swiftly pulled him from the sea.

Without waiting for Shi Yan to speak, Tang Yuannan softly called to the Fire Qilin, which immediately extinguished the surrounding flames obediently.

As the fire retreated into its body, the Fire Qilin transformed into a beast colored deep crimson. While it still emitted a palpable warmth, the intensity was no longer startling.

Tang Yuannan, holding Shi Yan, quickly mounted the Fire Qilin. He glanced around, used his divine sense to probe discreetly, and then lightly patted the creature.

The Fire Qilin’s four hooves instantly moved, dissolving into a streak of red light, and it shot away toward the distance with speed like lightning and thunder, vanishing from that chaotic expanse of sea in the blink of an eye.

...

Half an hour later.

On a small island within the jurisdiction of the Three Gods Sect, a flash of red light appeared. Sun God Tang Yuannan, riding the Fire Qilin, materialized alongside Shi Yan.

Tang Yuannan wasted no time. He raised a hand and cast a great ball of Solar Sacred Light, which snaked out like tiny fire serpents, burrowing deep into the earth.

In the desolate center of the island, a marvelous ancient formation materialized. The moment it appeared, a powerful barrier shimmered forth, sealing off all external forces to prevent any possible energy from infiltrating.

The Sun God carried Shi Yan down to the center of the ancient formation, then altered his thoughts, activating the array.

A dazzling burst of solar light flashed.

Tang Yuannan, Shi Yan, and the Fire Qilin vanished once more. When they reappeared, they were inside a peculiar underwater palace.

This palace spanned hundreds of acres, yet it was a ruin of broken walls and debris, showing significant age. Though the former grandeur of the structure was still faintly visible, its past glory was long gone.

Ripples of strange energy undulated above the palace, holding the blue seawater back, preventing even a single drop from penetrating.

Despite its dilapidated state, certain barriers and restrictions remained active, keeping the palace pristine beneath the seabed, untouched by water or dust.

Tang Yuannan visibly relaxed upon arriving here. He waved, allowing the Fire Qilin to wander off freely, before setting Shi Yan down and staring at him, lost in thought.

“What happened?” After a long silence, Tang Yuannan broke it, asking with a grave expression.

Shi Yan, completely weak, leaned against a shard of rock, squinting as he examined the strange palace complex. He frowned. “I was hunted by Moqita. I nearly died.”

“I already saw some of the scenes at Gu Family’s Myriad Sword Peak,” Tang Yuannan interrupted, frowning deeply. “I only want to know why Moqita is gone. How could this fiend from the Fourth Demon Territory allow you to live? What did you do to force Moqita to retreat?”

A flicker of wariness crossed Shi Yan’s eyes, and his nerves, which had just begun to relax, tensed once more.

Perhaps due to his internal vigilance, or perhaps because not all his internal power had been depleted, when his thoughts shifted, the energy vortex condensed from the Holy Spirit God, Profound Ice Cold Flame, and Earth Core Fire in his lower abdomen suddenly spun violently!

An energy fluctuation that made Shi Yan tremble erupted from his body.

Sensing the change within, Shi Yan felt a slight reassurance. He instinctively shifted backward towards the shattered rock, remaining secretly alert. If he noticed any hostile move from Tang Yuannan, he vowed to unleash every remaining bit of power he commanded, whatever the cost.

Tang Yuannan paused, his expression shifting. He keenly perceived Shi Yan’s caution and instantly understood.

So cautious…

Tang Yuannan gave a wry smile, voluntarily increasing the distance between himself and Shi Yan, backing up ten meters. He withdrew both hands into his sleeves and slowly sat down under Shi Yan’s intense gaze.

Shi Yan was clearly sharp; he recognized the apparent friendliness in Tang Yuannan’s actions. He nodded calmly, without altering his expression. “Moqita’s right arm was destroyed. He probably realized killing me would be difficult, so he retreated voluntarily.”

“What?!”

Tang Yuannan couldn't help but exclaim in shock.