Translator: CinderTL
The White Mist spread, extending across the horizon.
Though it appeared calm and peaceful, everyone present was well aware of the terror it concealed.
"Master, perhaps we should wait for the Merfolk Clan to guide us," Lei Long suggested, his voice tinged with apprehension toward the White Mist.
The last time they had entered this place, they had nearly encountered disaster. It was only when the Merfolk Clan noticed the commotion and used some method to guide them that they managed to avoid the storm.
"No need for such trouble," Chen Feng shook his head, signaling to continue sailing forward.
The crew's hearts trembled, but then they remembered his immense strength and said nothing more.
"The White Mist..." Tulin stood up, his eyes filled with curiosity as he gazed at the surroundings.
He had only heard about this place from other sailors but had never seen it himself.
Suppressing the excitement of having just begun his awakening training, he focused his gaze ahead.
Amid the sound of crashing waves, the two-masted sailing ship pressed forward.
The White Mist brushed past them, and the world transformed into a hazy, dim expanse.
Boom!! Thunder roared, and silver streaks of lightning flashed across the sky.
Fierce winds blew, causing the sails to billow incessantly, and the crew's clothes flapped wildly.
The surrounding sea seemed as if a beast had awakened, raging violently. Water columns shot into the sky like dragons, bringing with them a mist that soaked the air and splashed onto the crew's faces.
"Is this Merman Bay?" Tulin's eyes widened, feeling the terrifying nature of this phenomenon.
The massive two-masted ship felt like a tiny leaf, on the verge of shattering or capsizing at any moment.
Even the sailors who had experienced this before turned pale, trembling with fear.
"Fifteen degrees to port!!" Lei Long suddenly shouted, instructing the helmsman to change course and avoid the reefs below.
The crew snapped back to attention, and Lei Long, his hair damp from the mist, prepared to continue directing the ship.
But then, he suddenly remembered his promotion ritual.
After reaching the peak of the third tier of Spirituality, one needed to undergo a baptism in the storm.
Instinctively, he turned to look at the black-haired young man standing at the bow of the ship, facing the storm alone.
Lei Long's expression froze, as if he had understood the other's intention.
The others were clueless, only staring in horror as the towering walls of waves and water columns rose around them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The violent waves crashed incessantly, and the two-masted ship was on the verge of being swallowed by the sea.
At the critical moment, the sky darkened further, and a massive shadow appeared in the air.
Instinctively looking up, they saw the Silver-Gray Colossus swooping down, its body enormous, reaching over ten meters in size.
Boom!!! With a single punch, golden light shot into the sky.
Primordial brute force collided with the towering walls of waves, shattering them instantly. The water columns were flattened in an instant.
Countless droplets of water fell like rain, soaking the crew's clothes and hair. The entire White Mist region fell into absolute silence.
By the time the crew widened their eyes and regained their senses, the storm had subsided, and the Colossus hovered in the air.
The world seemed to pause for a moment, but they were still within the White Mist.
"Master!" Lei Long suddenly gritted his teeth and spoke, making a decision.
He now understood the reason behind the other's insistence on charging into the White Mist storm. As a subordinate of a sixth-tier Saint, his mere third-tier strength was insignificant and inadequate to handle various situations.
Just like Bernard, who had ultimately required the Master's personal intervention to resolve the issue.
He had once vowed to loyally follow, and he refused to be reduced to mere errands.
"Go ahead."
As if in response, Chen Feng spoke.
Lei Long was momentarily stunned, and then he saw the waves beneath the sea churn and surge. Two large eyes glowing with a blue-green light appeared above the surface of the water.
A dozen tentacles stirred up a torrent of water, and everyone recognized the great octopus that had once saved them from the clutches of the Blood Sea Vice Admiral.
Instantly, all hesitation vanished.
Lei Long leaped into the air, riding the force of the gale, and landed on one of Gata's tentacles.
Only then did Tulin and the others snap out of their daze. They watched as the fleet set sail once more, with the Silver-Gray Colossus throwing another punch ahead.
Boom!!! The water vapor exploded, and the White Mist dissipated.
A roaring tornado of wind swept through, and after a few seconds,
a small island came into view, surrounded on both sides, resembling a crescent moon.
Lush greenery grew across it, with black reefs scattered along the edges.
Large stretches of gray sand formed and gathered, and the color of the sea shifted from deep to shallow, turning a blue-green hue.
"We made it?"
Several crew members opened their mouths, their expressions a mix of relief and awe.
Tulin, too, once again felt the immense power of the Master he followed.
Soon, after a series of orders, the fleet anchored near one of the islands, and the three Mermaids from the cabin came up to the deck, calling out to their kin.
Gurgle! Gurgle! Before long, bubbles appeared on the surface of the sea.
In the deeper waters behind them, a fountain of spray erupted, and then more than a dozen figures emerged from the sea.
Upon closer inspection, it was a black sea turtle over ten meters in size.
On its shell were mostly young male Mermaids armed with spears, looking somewhat different from before. Their previously bare upper bodies were now adorned with exquisite armor, resembling warriors.
In addition, two yellowish-brown seahorses appeared, pulling a red carriage made of coral. The Merfolk Elder Delia, whom they had met before, also reappeared.
"Master, it has been a long time."
Her voice carried a hint of weariness. Delia had golden scales and was still wearing that exquisite yellow-patterned gown, with ribbons fluttering gently at her sides.
Their eyes met, and Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.
Delia's vitality had clearly improved. The wrinkles on her face had mostly faded, her complexion was rosy, and the previous signs of weakness were gone.
He sensed her true strength—a peak fifth-tier aura.
At the same time, he also detected a hidden sense of wariness in her.
It was clear that she had already sensed the sixth-tier strength of the Holy Shield Colossus.
"Hmm."
Chen Feng nodded lightly in acknowledgment.
Soon, the three Mermaids, overwhelmed with gratitude, thanked him profusely before hurrying over to Delia's side.
Meanwhile, a male Mermaid clad in armor approached, carrying a coral box. Inside, Chen Feng saw thirty Blue Heart Stones packed tightly.
"Thank you, Master, for escorting them back."
"May we invite you to rest and visit our Merfolk Clan?"
Delia extended the invitation, her gaze briefly flickering toward the massive shadow soaring across the sky.
Chen Feng's heart stirred. He had been planning to explore the underwater storm and have the Holy Shield Colossus attempt to delve deeper.
With a nod, he accepted the invitation and gave instructions to Tulin and the others, telling them to wait for him here.
Once everything was arranged, he stepped onto the back of the enormous sea turtle and descended into the depths of the sea. Splash.
Darkness enveloped them, and the sunlight from the surface could not penetrate far.
Colorful fish darted through the water, and lush green seaweed was everywhere.
A vast expanse of red coral clusters emerged in the depths of the ocean, thriving on the sandy seabed, covering a wide area like an underwater forest.
In the center stood a cluster of exquisite palaces, their walls adorned with pearls and gemstones, radiating a delicate glow that dispelled much of the darkness and illuminated the ocean floor.
Even though he had been here once before, Chen Feng couldn't help but marvel at the scenery.
This was a completely different world from the surface, a magical realm belonging to the ocean.
The coral box containing the Blue Heart Stones had been left on the ship at the surface, but the stones themselves had already been absorbed by him before he entered the water.
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
Relevant prompts continued to appear on the panel, and by the end, the progress of his Steel Bone Talent had completely transformed.
[Steel Bones LV5: 3/100]
Thirty Blue Heart Stones had been consumed, and the excess continued to nourish him after the upgrade.
As he had expected, the effect was minimal. Chen Feng knew he needed more Blue Heart Stones to continue nurturing the rapid growth of his Steel Bones.
He wasn't disappointed because he was well aware of how strong his Steel Bones were at this moment.
"They are slightly stronger than Stellar Titanium in hardness, comparable to a sixth-grade Cyborg."
"The volume of the Steel Bones has doubled, and their speed has surged. Additionally, there's a special bonus."
The changes from the talent upgrade came to him naturally, and Chen Feng carefully felt the newfound strength.
Especially the special bonus, which allowed him to gain a powerful impact like a spear thrust during the rapid growth of the Steel Bones, comparable to a cannon firing.
He wanted to try it out, but after glancing at the giant sea turtle carrying him, he shook his head and suppressed the thought, following the group to the coral palace of the Merfolk Clan.
The palace was breathtaking, with fist-sized pearls scattered everywhere, embedded in the walls like lanterns.
The massive stone gate was engraved with silver patterns, resembling some kind of special design.
"Sister Lina!"
"You're finally back!!"
Excited voices rang out as several mermaids appeared nearby.
Some hurried over to welcome the three rescued mermaids, while others hid behind the pillars of the corridors or shyly nestled within the coral clusters, too timid to show themselves.
"Please excuse our behavior," Delia said as she rose from the carriage. Chen Feng saw a very familiar face.
Black wavy hair, white shells covering her chest, and blue-green scales on her lower body, with a delicate and soft appearance.
Fanny.
The first mermaid he had rescued when he arrived at the Dead Crow Secret Realm.
Their eyes met, and she looked away, clearly remembering the guilt of not fulfilling her promise back then.
"Back then, I was invited by the Mermen Clan and took some of our people away from our homeland."
"But unexpectedly, the clan leader and others mysteriously disappeared, and there were humans luring and hunting our Merfolk Clan."
With a sigh, Delia spoke with a tone of regret, "Unfortunately, I had a conflict with the Mermen Clan and was severely injured."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have let them wander outside, frightened for so many days."
Chen Feng remained silent, stepping down from the sea turtle's back and controlling his center of gravity to sink, firmly planting his feet on the ground.
"What's the difference between the Mermen Clan and your clan?"
He noticed that Delia seemed to want to show goodwill towards him and took the opportunity to ask the question that had been on his mind.
"Most have fish heads and human bodies, divided into dozens of clans, distributed to the north of Merman Bay, near Riftsea Canyon."
"Especially the Sharkfolk Clan, which is the most powerful, has seen the birth of a new Saint."
Delia pondered for a moment, observing the Mermaids coming and going around the palace, and revealed some secrets.
Chen Feng then learned that the reason she had been invited to the Mermen was because a Saint had been born in the Sharkfolk Clan, and she had gone to witness the ceremony.
Lost in thought, he seemed to recall seeing life forms resembling Mermen in the murals of the Secret Realm in Cloud Dream Forest on Earth.
Thinking of this, he asked the question that concerned him the most.
"Your Merfolk Clan has an unbroken lineage. Have you ever heard of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization?"
"Ancient Taiduo?" Delia's gaze sharpened, her face filled with surprise.
Seeing Chen Feng turn his head with a serious look, she thought for a moment before speaking.
"In our clan's history, there was once a period of turmoil, and some ancient texts were lost or destroyed."
"However, there are indeed some records about the Ancient Taiduo Civilization."
"Oh?"
"It was a civilization that once ruled the world, an extremely powerful human nation, far surpassing the Holy Star Empire of the Southern Continent."
Delia recalled with a look of remembrance: "Their alchemy was highly advanced, capable of even defeating deities."
"But unfortunately, later the world underwent drastic changes, and some kind of pollution emerged from the Earth's core, leading to the destruction of that civilization."
"Pollution?" Chen Feng frowned.
"The records mention that it was the work of a powerful evil deity, corrupting and degrading many creatures."
"What happened next?" Chen Feng felt that what she was describing must be the Black Tide.
"After that, it was the Age of Chaos, the darkest of times."
Delia said with a grave expression: "The pollution continued, turning the Eastern Continent into a living hell, and even the Bountiful Continent and the Southern Continent were in peril."
"Until finally, nine righteous deities were born one after another, spreading the Sequence Method, and together they repelled the evil deity, exiling and sealing the Eastern Continent, thus creating the world we have today."
As she spoke, Chen Feng's mind sketched out the history of this world.
It was quite similar to what Lei Long had said before, but relatively more detailed.
"Since you have the means to command Saint-level creatures, these things should not be unfamiliar to you, right?"
Delia suddenly asked, and Chen Feng glanced at her.
Without explaining, he silently digested the corresponding history.
The Ancient Taiduo Civilization was more powerful than he had imagined, not only ruling over Earth in the past but also dominating this other world for a long time.
Then, at Delia's gesture, he followed her into the palace and sat down in a place illuminated by pearls.
One by one, the Mermaids reappeared, some offering sea spring water, others carrying some kind of exotic fruits.
"How much do you know about the Star Realm?"
Chen Feng asked again, and although Delia was puzzled, she dared not ask more.
She first responded actively, then ordered someone to fetch the ancient texts from the clan's territory for Chen Feng to peruse.
The complex script belonged solely to the Merfolk Clan, and she had intended to translate and explain, but she saw that Chen Feng seemed to understand their language, asking no unnecessary questions throughout.
Not minding her astonished gaze, Chen Feng used the power of dreams to receive feedback on the meaning.
The related records were quite similar to those in the Holy City of the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm, believing the Star Realm to be vast, with their own world being one of them.
There were once many methods to connect to the Star Realm, but later, as the nine true gods fell into slumber, the corresponding passages gradually disappeared or were even sealed.
"So that's how it is."
Chen Feng nodded slightly, his mind gradually forming some inferences and affirmations.
Putting down the ancient text, he finally turned his gaze to Delia and the other Mermaids waiting in the palace.
"Take me to the Undersea Storm Cliff."
Although he felt the chances were slim, he still wanted to take the Holy Shield Colossus and make a deep attempt.
To see if there truly was a vein of Blue Heart Stone.
(End of the Chapter)
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