Translator: CinderTL
[You have discovered a treasure from the World of the Dead—the Crimson Gloves!]
[A Crimson Sequence Extraordinary Artifact, capable of unleashing three Fifth-Tier Crimson Sequence skills.]
[Corrosion Technique: When worn, the gloves allow the user to channel Spirituality to unleash corrosive power.]
[Crimson Plague: Infects anyone touched with a virulent disease.]
[Wailing Impact: Strikes the target's mental consciousness with a psychic shockwave.]
[Flaw: Each use exposes the wearer to a degree of Crimson Contamination, requiring a special ritual to purge the negative effects.]
The water churned as the ornate chariot slowly sank into the seabed.
Chen Feng seized the opportunity to examine the panel information regarding the two Extraordinary Artifacts.
"Crimson Gloves..."
After a quick glance, his attention shifted to the second item: a delicate silver scimitar.
[Storm Sequence Artifact]
[Function: Capable of unleashing powerful Wind Blades, with destructive force comparable to a Fifth-Tier Sequence strike.]
[Flaw: The user must undergo a Storm Baptism once a month.]
Having read the details, Chen Feng's interest waned considerably.
While the artifacts were undoubtedly high-tier, their practical value to him was now minimal.
After a moment's thought, he formulated a plan and stored them in his Black Dream Space.
Withdrawing his gaze from the panel, he turned his attention to the underwater landscape.
Sunlight filtered through the water overhead, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the seabed.
The Merfolk Clan's territory drew closer, with schools of vibrantly colored fish and shrimp darting through the surrounding waters.
Crimson coral reefs flanked the rocky passages, resembling clusters of blooming flowers, a breathtaking spectacle of natural beauty.
The magnificent palace was constructed from both white jade and intricately carved red stone.
Intricate floral patterns adorned the walls, shifting with every perspective like a sea of blossoms in perpetual bloom.
Though Chen Feng had visited this place before, he couldn't help but marvel once more at the Merfolk Clan's relentless pursuit of beauty.
Hum!
The palanquin finally entered the palace and glided to a gentle halt.
"Master, please," Delia said respectfully, stepping aside as a Mermaid Warrior led the way.
Grateful and reverent gazes followed Chen Feng as he nodded slightly and entered the palace.
Behind him, a wave stirred as Gata swam nearby, carrying the miniaturized Holy Shield Colossus on its back.
Unfazed, Chen Feng proceeded inside and settled upon the white jade throne.
Clear springwater from the seabed was brought forth, along with delicately arranged platters of vibrant fruits.
"Please wait a moment, Master," Delia said with a warm smile, immediately dispatching servants to retrieve the Blue Heart Stone from the Treasure Vault.
Chen Feng used his Perception to scan the depths of the palace.
Previously, his Perception level had been too low to penetrate the special rock walls, which dampened his senses and prevented him from seeing the full extent of the area.
But now, as the Treasure Vault door opened momentarily, he glimpsed inside.
He saw heaps of pearls, jade, and gemstones, alongside sharp spears and swords.
Unfortunately, none of it stirred his Steel Bone Talent.
There were also piles of gold coins, silverware, and three Extraordinary Artifacts radiating Spirituality.
System notifications flashed, revealing items only slightly better than his Crimson Gloves—their benefits for him now were negligible.
Finally, he watched the Mermaid gather all the Blue Heart Stones and slowly approach.
Chen Feng withdrew his Perception. While waiting, he asked Elder Delia about something that had been puzzling him.
"Elder Delia, have you ever heard of the Nether Sea?"
This had been one of the Admiral of the Infernal Prison's abilities, allowing him to communicate with the Nether Sea and summon skeletal entities and grotesque creatures resembling the Black Tide.
The Serpent Spirit Secret Realm also had similar references, making him curious if this implied a connection between the two Secret Realms.
"The Nether Sea?" Delia's expression tightened, turning serious. "Has Master Feng Chen encountered some trouble?"
"No, I was merely curious."
"I see," Delia said, visibly relieved. After a moment's contemplation, she began to explain. "Master Feng Chen, do you recall our earlier discussion about the Evil Gods?"
"Of course," Chen Feng nodded. It was here that he had first learned about this world's history.
Before the Nine True Gods emerged, the Ancient Taiduo Civilization had left its mark on this land. But then, a Crimson Contamination arose from the depths, destroying the civilization. Simultaneously, an Evil God descended like a Black Tide, ravaging everything in its path. The chaos that followed was, in essence, the aftermath of the Black Tide.
Order was only gradually restored when the Nine True Gods united to repel the Evil God, banishing the most heavily contaminated Eastern Continent and sealing the world off from all external connections.
"The Nether Sea is rumored to be the source of that ancient Crimson Contamination," Delia revealed, her voice grave. "Some even say it is hell itself, referring to it as the Abyss."
"It exists as a separate dimension from our own, a World of the Dead. Legend has it that all living beings enter it upon death."
Chen Feng frowned slightly, surprised by what he was hearing.
Hell? A World of the Dead? Could the Nether Sea actually be connected to the Abyss? And that final statement—that all life entered it after death?
Chen Feng couldn't help but think of the Black Tide Creatures. They were all horribly mutated, twisted beyond recognition, and capable of resurrecting through the power of the Black Mist.
"Does the Nether Sea have an entrance?" he asked, suspecting a connection to the Black Tide.
"Long ago, the Nine True Gods joined forces to forcibly seal off our world, driving back the Evil God," Delia explained. "The pathways between the Nether Sea and the Star Realm were severed as a result. Only high-ranking Crimson Sequencers retained the ability to briefly communicate with the Nether Sea."
"It's precisely this ability that made them outlaws, hunted by the Churches and kingdoms. Their actions have become increasingly erratic, as if their minds had been corrupted by Crimson Contamination from the Nether Sea."
Delia shared everything she knew, which largely aligned with Chen Feng's existing knowledge. However, one detail stood out as particularly startling.
"Riftsea Canyon?"
"That's right," Delia replied, sighing softly, her face taking on a wistful expression as she recalled the past. "Riftsea Canyon was once a battlefield. The rifts there are remnants of the Divine War."
"It contains a Sea Eye that erupted with Crimson Contamination, becoming a gateway to the Nether Sea. The gods sealed it away, and Church Saints periodically visit to monitor the seal's integrity and reinforce it."
"Furthermore, the ocean tides are rumored to be a lingering effect of that ancient battle. Every three years, they surge dramatically, briefly isolating the North and South Bays. By my reckoning, the next peak is approaching soon."
Chen Feng listened intently, lost in thought.
But soon, another question surfaced in his mind.
Riftsea Canyon, after all, was the territory of the Merman Tribe.
If it was the site of an ancient battle, the environment must be harsh, posing challenges to survival.
Then why...?
"The Mermen Clan once followed the Ocean Angel, just as we did, serving the Sea God together," Delia answered truthfully when Chen Feng asked.
"But later, as the Sea God vanished and the Ocean Angels gradually departed, we lost their protection."
"Finally, the Nine True Gods accepted us and ordered the Merman Tribe to relocate to Riftsea Canyon to guard the seal and prevent the tides from interfering."
Delia sighed softly. Once, the Merfolk and Mermen had been close allies, both races under the Sea God's protection, fighting side by side in battle.
But somewhere along the way, animosity had grown between them, to the point where one side now had to submit and be enslaved by the other.
"The Sea God..." Chen Feng frowned, Delia's account stirring suspicions within him.
Rumor had it that the Sea God had once clashed with the Storm God in a Divine War nearby. Chen Feng himself had witnessed a colossal severed arm at the bottom of the undersea cliff. The so-called Blue Heart Stones were said to be fragments that had broken off from the arm's armor.
Now, realizing that the Sea God was conspicuously absent from the ranks of the Nine True Gods, countless speculations surged through his mind.
"Has the Sea God truly vanished?" he asked, seeking confirmation.
"There's no record of his fate in our clan's history," Delia replied.
"The Sea God's last recorded appearance was during a Divine War with the Storm God."
Delia shook her head with a wry smile, sharing Chen Feng's suspicions. The history surrounding that event seemed deliberately obscured, making it impossible to verify.
As for the Sea God's death? Such a powerful being, equal in status to the Nine True Gods and wielding dominion over the world's oceans, could not possibly have perished, even in a Divine War.
Sensing her thoughts, Chen Feng fell silent for a moment, refraining from further questions.
The gentle sound of splashing water drifted from behind. The two Mermaid Warriors who had previously departed returned, carrying a silver chest half a meter in size.
When opened, the chest overflowed with nearly a hundred Blue Heart Stones. Their soft glow illuminated the seabed.
Through his Perception, Chen Feng knew this represented the entire accumulated wealth of the Merfolk Clan.
Nodding in satisfaction, he turned to Delia. She smiled faintly and excused herself tactfully, leaving him alone in the grand reception hall.
Amid the rhythmic lapping of waves, Gata swam near the palace with the Holy Shield Colossus, instructing it to help search for more luminous gems.
Buzz!
In an instant, Chen Feng withdrew his Perception and reactivated Steel Bones.
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
Notifications flooded his vision, accompanied by a series of cracking sounds.
After about ten seconds, all the Blue Heart Stones within the silver chest had completely disintegrated, reduced to fine dust at the bottom.
Meanwhile:
[Steel Bone LV6: 3/100]
Chen Feng's gaze sharpened, fixed on the progress bar.
Steel Bones had finally leveled up, yet a pang of unease settled within him.
Nearly a hundred Blue Heart Stones had been consumed, with the majority absorbed after the upgrade.
Yet only three progress points had been gained?
The thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly turned his Perception inward, sensing the changes in his Steel Bone Talent.
It took only a few breaths.
All his confusion vanished. He now understood why Steel Bones had become so difficult to advance after this breakthrough.
"Comparable to Rainbow Iron," Chen Feng muttered, narrowing his eyes as a faint crimson-gold hue coalesced in his palm.
With the latest Steel Bones upgrade, the hardness of his bones had skyrocketed, resulting in subtle shifts in their color.
Driven by his will, the Steel Bones surged forth, rapidly transforming into a small blade.
He raised his hand and lightly slashed the back of his other hand. The skin parted, revealing a fresh, crimson wound.
"Just as I suspected," Chen Feng muttered, confirming his hypothesis.
His physical body now surpassed even that of ordinary Stellar Titanium in strength. If he could easily breach his own defenses, only truly flawless Rainbow Iron could have achieved the same.
His enhanced physique swiftly healed the wound, conserving the stored essence in his Heart of Life.
Focusing again on the Steel Bones' effect, the volume of his extended bone mass doubled once more, and its speed increased exponentially.
Concentrating his will, he focused it into a single point.
Boom!
A sonic boom shattered the air as a thin, crimson-gold thread shot over a hundred meters.
Like a javelin thrust forward, the tremendous force created violent shockwaves, churning the surrounding water into a spiraling vortex resembling a tidal dragon. Gasps of surprise and awe erupted from nearby Merfolk.
But before the Mermaids could react, the crimson-gold light vanished, retracting into Chen Feng's body.
"The power isn't bad," he mused. "But it's a pity... How much high-grade metal will I need to absorb for the next upgrade?"
(End of the Chapter)
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