The journey southward began under skies choked by crimson haze. It was an ill omen—one whispered among traveling cultivators as the "Scarlet Breath," a phenomenon that signaled massive spirit bloodshed or the awakening of sealed beasts. Lin Sheng's party moved in silence, their expressions hardened from the revelations at the Court of Fallen Stars.
The Void Sovereign—an entity even the heavens had once feared—was no longer sealed. And though its awakening was not yet complete, time was a luxury they could not afford.
"South of the Phoenix Ridge lies the Sea of Lost Echoes," Mira said, scanning the faded maps. "Beneath it, legends speak of the Crimson Depths, where an ancient tide dragon rests. If it stirs, the entire southern realm may drown."
Fei'er nodded gravely. "That's where the cult is heading. The Serpent Root Cult isn't just reviving power—they're building a chain of catastrophes. One disaster at a time."
Lin Sheng's system had already flagged the region with a red sigil:
[System Alert: Southern Depth Anomaly – Crimson Tide Surging. Estimated Time to Catastrophic Breakpoint: 17 Days. Threat Level: Sovereign. Objectives: Suppress Awakening. Secure Spirit Anchor. Retrieve Depthshard Codex.]
They departed on spirit cranes, the wind howling with unnatural force as they crossed thunderous cloudbanks. Below, the ocean glistened red—an unholy shimmer that stained even the moonlight.
By the third day, the Sea of Lost Echoes came into view: a vast, haunted expanse of black water, rimmed by jagged reefs and shipwrecks half-swallowed by coral. Whispers echoed across the water. Not wind. Not waves.
"Those are memory fragments," Mira said. "The sea remembers every soul it ever drowned."
They landed on a floating platform—one of the few surviving remnants of the once-great Tidewatch Pavilion. It had been destroyed centuries ago during the first Celestial Tide War.
A ghostly figure appeared at the far end of the platform, garbed in tattered robes of the pavilion. His eyes glowed with sea-foam green.
"You've come to disturb the Depths again?" the specter asked. "The last fools who tried never returned."
"We come to seal what they failed to stop," Yue Lan replied, stepping forward. "And to honor those who died here."
The ghost studied Lin Sheng.
"Your soul carries a scent not of this realm. Earthborn? Ah… so even the distant world of origin sends champions now. Be warned: The Crimson Tide does not forgive."
With a wave of his translucent hand, a path formed across the water—bridges of coral and sunken jade platforms rising like vertebrae of a forgotten leviathan.
They descended into the heart of the Crimson Depths. The deeper they went, the more distorted the world became. Gravity shifted. Space rippled. Time seemed to loop in moments, repeating the sound of dripping water or a heartbeat multiple times.
Fei'er was the first to scream. Shadows burst from the surrounding coral, forming the twisted visage of her dead sister. Jin Rui nearly fell when his old rival, presumed slain during a tournament years ago, appeared in illusionary flesh to duel him.
Only Lin Sheng, protected by the System's stabilizing aura, remained unaffected.
[System Protocol Engaged: Soul Anchor Active. Illusionary Interference Blocked. Aura Shared: 58% Dispersion to Allies.]
He focused, expanding his soul domain like a radiant net. The illusions shattered. The path cleared. And finally, they reached the gates—massive structures carved from leviathan bones, pulsing with crimson light.
Behind the gates slumbered the Crimson Abyssal Dragon.
"It's not just a beast," Yue Lan whispered. "It's a fragment of the Sovereign's will."
Lin Sheng placed his hand on the gate. It responded to his presence, resonating with a hum of recognition.
[System Notification: Depth Anchor Key Recognized. Access Granted.]
The gates parted.
Inside lay a vast oceanic temple, half-flooded with blood-red water. Floating above the inner sanctum was a chained dragon, scales dark as garnet, eyes closed in restless sleep. Pulses of spiritual pressure radiated from its form.
At its base stood five cloaked figures—Serpent Root elders, each marked with the sigils of ancient sea gods. One raised his hand and spoke in a tongue older than the sky.
"Great One, awaken. Your time has come. The tides shall drown the heavens."
Lin Sheng didn't hesitate. He launched himself forward, blade drawn. Flames erupted around him.
Jin Rui engaged the first cultist, his thunder-infused strikes clashing with oceanic qi. Mira and Fei'er formed a dual formation, binding another in mirror illusions and blade strikes.
Yue Lan fired a Heavenpiercing Arrow, striking the awakening dragon's eye and halting its rise.
Lin Sheng clashed with the leader—an elder whose cultivation had already reached half-step Sovereign. Their battle shattered coral, evaporated blood-sea, and tore through the roof of the temple.
In the heat of the clash, the cultist laughed.
"You think you've stopped us? The chain is broken. The court has fallen. Now the tide will wash it all clean."
As he tried to activate the dragon's core, Lin Sheng invoked the Heavenfall Manual's ninth technique: "Celestial Seal of the Blazing Sun."
A golden array formed beneath the dragon. Runes danced through the sea. The beast roared in protest as the flames of the sun merged with the cooling waters of the abyss.
With a final strike, Lin Sheng sealed the core.
[System Update: Crimson Dragon Slumber Reinforced. Depth Anchor Stabilized. Depthshard Codex Retrieved.]
As silence fell, Lin Sheng retrieved the relic from the sanctum. It glowed with knowledge of oceanic arts—techniques lost since the Abyssal Reign Era.
Above, the sea calmed. The sky lightened.
But Lin Sheng did not celebrate.
He turned south, where the horizon burned.
"Next," he said, "we face the Burning Sky Pavilion. The Sovereign's eye watches us now."
Next: Chapter Sixteen – Inferno Beyond the Heavens