"Time to go. Even if those sea beasts cannot enter without the Black Tortoise Token, I still need to get into the Weak Water first. Better to be safe."
With this thought, Su Min took a deep breath and plunged into the ocean. She did not hesitate, shooting straight toward the ocean floor. A hundred meters, a thousand meters, ten thousand meters deep.
The world around her sank into absolute darkness. Fortunately, her spiritual sense still functioned, so she was not completely blind. But once she passed ten thousand meters, she lost track of the exact depth. Her earlier attack had clearly intimidated many of the sea beasts. Killing an early stage Nascent Soul demon and dozens of Golden Core demons in one strike was enough to make them think twice. Thunder attacks were brutally effective against aquatic creatures. Another factor was Su Min's speed. In the blink of an eye, she had already descended to depths beyond ten thousand meters. Whether it was twelve thousand, twenty thousand, or even a hundred thousand meters, no one could say.
But just as she approached the Source of Weak Water, several massive, tendril like roots lashed out at her. The violent currents alone allowed Su Min to sense the attack before it landed. With a flicker of movement, she dodged effortlessly. Then, a colossal figure, hundreds of meters tall, appeared before her. Su Min could not help but suck in a sharp breath.
"A dragon?!"
In that instant, she recognized it. Horns like a deer, head like a camel, eyes like a rabbit, neck like a snake, belly like a clam, scales like a fish, claws like an eagle, paws like a tiger, ears like an ox. This was not her first time seeing a dragon, but it was the first time she had faced one with such overwhelming pressure.
This dragon was at least at the Divine Transformation stage, possibly even half a step into the Dao Comprehension stage. And this was the ocean, its natural domain. Dragons in this world were not the docile, auspicious symbols of folklore. They were one of the most powerful races in existence. And here, in the depths of the sea, this was not Su Min's battlefield.
Though the Eastern Azure Wood ensured she would not be at a disadvantage, she was still no match for a dragon of this level. However, the dragon showed no killing intent. It simply glanced at her with its enormous eyes, then vanished without a trace.
"Huh? Was that out of respect for the Azure Dragon?"
Su Min scratched her head in confusion. Well, that worked out nicely. A few more kilometers downward, and she would reach her destination. As for the Eastern Azure Wood in her body, there was no hiding it. Even if someone killed her, they could not take it from her. So most people would not bother trying to steal it. But in front of true powerhouses, concealing it was impossible. The aura it emitted was far too distinct.
As Su Min descended further, she suddenly found herself in a strange space. The mountain like water pressure vanished, replaced by a vast, hollow cavern. Not a single drop of seawater remained inside. It was like a dry underground chamber. But what caught her attention was the crowd of people standing within. The term people needed quotation marks because, while they had humanoid forms, their features were anything but. Horns, tentacles, scales, fins. For a moment, Su Min felt like she had stumbled into a gathering of eldritch abominations. Her own plain, human appearance stood out glaringly.
"A human?!"
The moment Su Min appeared, gasps of shock erupted from the crowd. These were all deep sea beasts, creatures that had zero contact with surface dwelling humans. For a human to suddenly appear, withstanding the crushing depths to reach this place, was unthinkable.
"Seal."
The moment her feet touched the ground, Su Min's lips twitched. She quickly formed hand seals and shut off her sense of smell. Otherwise, the overpowering stench of seafood would have made her gag. Thankfully, the relationship between deep sea beasts and humans was not as hostile as one might expect. The unlucky fish demon she had obliterated earlier had lived in shallow waters, not the abyssal depths. These demons, on the other hand, dwelled tens of thousands of meters below. And given Su Min's cultivation level, none of them dared attack recklessly. Instead, they stared at her with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
"So the Weak Water's gathering point is a cave. It will not open for a few more days. Since they are not attacking me outright..."
Glancing at the massive gate behind her, Su Min could sense the unique energy within. This was undoubtedly the Source of Weak Water. If not for the Azure Dragon's water tribe guiding her, she would never have found this place. But since there were still a few days to wait...
Su Min's lips curled into a smile as she surveyed the crowd of demons. The moment they saw her expression, every single one shuddered. There was something deeply unsettling about that grin.
"Well then, everyone! I happen to have a few fifth rank pills that can help refine beast bloodlines. Would anyone be interested?"
For humans, constitution and comprehension were paramount. But for demons, bloodline was everything. To break through their racial limits, they needed to absorb and fuse with the essence blood of higher tier creatures. The Weak Water's secret realm contained vast amounts of such blood, left behind by ancient, supreme demons. It regenerated periodically, offering them their only chance at evolution.
So the moment Su Min spoke, the entire cavern erupted in excitement.
"Fifth rank pills, Blood Refinement Pills, specially designed for demonic beasts. Consuming one can purify your bloodline!"
The cavern exploded into chaos. If one in several thousand human cultivators had the talent for alchemy, among demons that number was zero. Their innate flaws made alchemy impossible for them. So the pills Su Min presented were the first of their kind these demons had ever seen. But just because they had never seen them before did not mean they could not recognize their value. The moment the pill appeared, their bloodlines trembled in response.
These were pills Su Min had refined back at the Great Thunder Temple, originally intended for spirit beasts. But those beasts already had exceptionally pure bloodlines, making fifth rank pills useless to them. So Su Min had kept them for herself, and now they were perfect for reaping profits. After all, the ocean's resources were no less abundant than the land's. And with Su Min's speak human to humans, speak ghost to ghosts mentality, this was child's play.
The moment she produced the pills, drool practically dripped from the demons' mouths. If not for their fear of Su Min's strength, they might have rushed to snatch them outright.
"Ah ah ah, see the flames surrounding this pill? The moment you try to grab it, it will self destruct. If you want it, bring me something equally valuable in exchange."
The ground shook violently as a massive figure bulldozed through the crowd, sending smaller demons flying. The social dynamics of demons were brutally simple. No courtesy, no etiquette. Just the law of the jungle.
Soon, the figure loomed before Su Min. A giant tortoise, its shell covered in thick moss, its aura firmly at the Divine Transformation stage.
"The Longevity Spirit Turtle?!"
Whispers spread through the crowd, but before the tortoise could speak, two more figures arrived, their auras just as formidable.
"These guys are divine beasts."
Su Min observed the three beings now standing before her. A colossal tortoise, a four limbed koi fish, and a serpentine dragon on the verge of full ascension.
"The turtle clan, the scale clan, and the dragon clan. These three always hog all the benefits."
Some demons grumbled under their breath. Just like on land, the ocean's demons had their own hierarchies. These three were akin to the little Golden Crow, descendants of ancient powerhouses, with countless lesser demons serving under them. Su Min understood their structure well.
"Human, you have quite the nerve. And you carry the Azure Dragon's aura. The one who once served under the Golden Crow Emperor, I presume? He must have told you about this place."
The dragon serpent spoke first. The Weak Water's gathering point was not fixed, but whenever it formed, this special space appeared. Humans could never detect it, but for sea beasts it was impossible to miss.
"Correct. Now, I only have one pill on me. How do you three plan to divide it? What treasures will you offer? Or do you intend to take it by force?"
The moment Su Min finished speaking, the three Divine Transformation demons exchanged glances. They did not immediately resort to violence. Su Min's origins were unclear, but since she carried the Azure Dragon's token, her identity was legitimate enough. More importantly, the calm confidence in her eyes and the faint sense of danger she exuded made one thing clear. Even if she was only at the Nascent Soul stage, she undoubtedly had trump cards. And with only one pill up for grabs, fighting over it was not worth the risk.
"Though I do not know what you seek inside, the Weak Water will inevitably reject your human body. I have this Divine Water Pearl, extracted from a Divine Transformation clam demon. It should help you adapt."
The dragon serpent produced a shimmering blue orb, and instantly, every demon in the vicinity gulped. This was an incredibly rare treasure even among demons.
"You!"
The other two visibly stiffened. This was too generous. How could he offer something so precious?
"Deal."
Su Min did not hesitate. This pearl would be invaluable to her.
The exchange was swift. One pill for one pearl. The dragon serpent inspected the pill, confirmed its authenticity, then bolted without another word. He was on the verge of full dragon ascension, and this pill was far more useful than anything he might find inside the Weak Water.
"Do not worry, I have got more where that came from."
Seeing the longing expressions of the remaining demons, Su Min cheerfully produced additional pills. Her goal was simple, buy time. As a human here, she was far from safe. By making a high profile display, she kept all attention on herself. Then, the moment the gate opened, she would bolt inside before anyone realized.
And sure enough, when the gate finally swung open three days later, Su Min dove straight in, leaving the demons stunned. They had been so busy bargaining with her that none had anticipated her sudden escape. Demons were far simpler minded than humans. But now that the gate was open, they had no time to dwell on it. Their bloodline legacies awaited inside.