The terrifying explosion continued echoing across the Mist Sea.
Violent waves surged in every direction while countless arcs of lightning danced above the water's surface, illuminating the endless mist with flashes of blue and gold. The surrounding seawater had been completely overturned, exposing the shattered seabed below before torrents of water crashed back down once more.
Several hundred metres away...
Lin Sheng forcefully stabilised himself in midair.
Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth as he lowered the arm shielding his face. His internal organs still ached from the shockwave, while his already fractured left arm had become even worse.
He paid none of it any attention.
Instead...
His eyes remained fixed upon the centre of the explosion.
The smoke had yet to disperse completely.
Even so, Crystal had already begun analysing the remaining fluctuations.
•[Explosion energy rapidly dissipating.
Unable to confirm target's condition...]•
Lin Sheng frowned.
That wasn't right.
His final Magnetic Thunder Orb had exploded directly against the serpent's largest wound. Combined with the Solar Flames already burning its body and the previous injuries inflicted by the heavenly tribulation, that attack should've been enough to cripple it entirely.
Unless...
His pupils suddenly contracted.
Within the fading smoke, he vaguely saw an enormous silhouette.
Not falling.
Standing.
At almost the exact same moment...
The silhouette moved.
A layer of azure light suddenly enveloped the serpent's body before the remaining shockwaves were forcibly pushed aside.
The surrounding seawater instantly calmed.
Lin Sheng's expression changed.
"What was that..."
The thought had barely formed when another possibility surfaced.
"A Divine Ability?"
Almost instinctively, he rejected the idea.
"No..."
"Impossible."
A Rank Four Yao Beast certainly possessed innate bloodline abilities, but what he had just witnessed felt entirely different.
That strange azure radiance...
It resembled neither a spell nor the bloodline techniques the serpent had displayed earlier.
For a brief moment, Lin Sheng became unusually cautious.
Throughout his years within Azure Origin Sect, he had heard many stories regarding Divine Abilities, yet even Elder Liang rarely discussed them in detail.
After all...
Those things remained too distant from ordinary disciples.
Even Purple Palace cultivators rarely possessed complete Divine Ability inheritances.
Lin Sheng quietly stared toward the gradually clearing battlefield.
His thoughts naturally drifted toward everything he had learned regarding that mysterious power.
Golden Core cultivators...
Were different.
Completely different.
The countless years spent refining Qi, forging one's Foundation and opening the Purple Palace all existed for one ultimate purpose.
To form the Golden Core.
Only after a cultivator condensed their Golden Core could they truly stand amongst the upper echelons of the cultivation world.
Yet...
Possessing a Golden Core alone wasn't enough.
One of the greatest cultivation resources sought by every Golden Core cultivator wasn't Spiritual Qi.
Nor heavenly treasures.
It was...
Knowledge.
Specifically...
The inheritances of Divine Abilities.
Among cultivators, mastering spells already marked someone as a genius.
Ordinary cultivators often spent decades mastering a single Rank Two spell, while talented individuals could comprehend several.
However...
Perfecting a spell merely qualified one to begin walking another path entirely.
The path of Divine Abilities.
Spells represented the manipulation of Spiritual Qi.
Divine Abilities represented the manifestation of Heaven and Earth through one's own comprehension.
They weren't simply stronger techniques.
They occupied an entirely different level.
Yet because of their profound nature, cultivators beneath the Golden Core Realm rarely attempted learning them.
It wasn't because they lacked the qualifications.
It was because they lacked the time.
A single Divine Ability often required decades...
Sometimes centuries...
To truly comprehend.
If a Qi Refining cultivator became obsessed with such things, they would likely exhaust their lifespan before even reaching Foundation Establishment.
Therefore...
Qi Refining cultivators focused solely upon spells.
Only after reaching Foundation Establishment would sects begin allowing promising disciples access to another concept.
Pseudo Forms.
These weren't true Divine Abilities.
Rather...
They were simplified frameworks designed to familiarise cultivators with the principles behind a future Divine Ability.
Foundation Establishment disciples cultivated those frameworks.
Purple Palace cultivators gradually comprehended them.
Only after years of repeated enlightenment could the countless insights finally condense into something tangible.
A...
Divine Ability Seed.
Unlike ordinary spells, the moment a cultivator successfully condensed such a seed, it naturally appeared within the Niwan Palace.
That location wasn't chosen by chance.
The Niwan Palace...
Would eventually become the resting place of the Golden Core itself.
Once a cultivator finally stepped into the Golden Core Realm, those Divine Ability Seeds would then be refined into the newly formed Golden Core, strengthening it while simultaneously serving as the foundation for advancing each minor realm.
Because of that...
The quality of one's Golden Core directly determined future potential.
Some Golden Cores could only accommodate a handful of Divine Ability Seeds.
Others...
Could nurture many more.
It was precisely why the sects valued more than Spiritual Roots alone.
Every disciple entering a major immortal sect underwent not only Spiritual Root examinations, but also Heart Nature tests and Comprehension tests.
Outstanding comprehension meant a greater chance of condensing Divine Ability Seeds.
Outstanding Heart Nature reduced the likelihood of one's Dao Heart collapsing during decades of comprehension.
Spiritual Roots merely determined how quickly one cultivated.
Comprehension...
Determined how far one could ultimately walk.
Of course...
There were always monsters that defied common sense.
Some extraordinary geniuses managed to condense their first Divine Ability Seed while still at Peak Foundation Establishment.
Others succeeded shortly after entering Purple Palace.
Such individuals appeared perhaps once every several centuries.
Whenever they did...
Every major sect regarded them as future Golden Core Seeds.
Not because they possessed superior cultivation.
But because they possessed superior potential.
Lin Sheng slowly exhaled.
Another thought naturally surfaced.
Divine Abilities...
Were monopolised.
The overwhelming majority of inheritances remained firmly within the hands of immortal sects and ancient clans.
Ordinary rogue cultivators rarely possessed the qualifications to even glimpse them.
Unless...
One encountered an extraordinary opportunity.
An ancient secret realm.
A forgotten inheritance.
Or perhaps...
The cave dwelling of a deceased expert.
Without such fortune, even a rogue cultivator who somehow reached the Golden Core Realm would eventually find themselves trapped, unable to advance because they simply possessed no Divine Ability inheritances to refine into their Golden Core.
That monopoly...
Was one of the greatest foundations supporting every immortal sect.
Lin Sheng's thoughts gradually returned to the battlefield.
His gaze sharpened.
"...Which means."
"...whatever that serpent just used..."
"It shouldn't be a Divine Ability."
The violent currents gradually settled.
Towering waves that had moments ago blotted out the horizon slowly receded, while the countless arcs of lightning lingering throughout the Mist Sea disappeared one after another. The thick smoke produced by the Magnetic Thunder Orb dispersed beneath the sea breeze, revealing the battlefield that had been concealed until now.
Lin Sheng remained suspended in mid-air.
His breathing was still somewhat uneven, while blood continued dripping from the sleeve covering his broken arm. Even so, he ignored his injuries completely as his gaze remained fixed upon the centre of the battlefield.
Several breaths later...
The enormous silhouette finally became visible.
The serpent floated motionlessly upon the sea.
Its colossal body stretched across the water like a fallen mountain, no longer releasing even the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Qi. The once majestic azure scales had become charred black in numerous places, while the largest wound near its neck had almost been torn completely open.
Lin Sheng did not immediately approach.
Instead, Crystal completed several rounds of analysis.
•[Life signs undetected.
Residual Spiritual Qi dispersing.
Probability target deceased: 99.94%]•
Only then did Lin Sheng slowly descend.
As he landed upon the serpent's enormous corpse, he quietly examined the remains of the battlefield.
The final attack...
Had nearly destroyed everything.
Yet one detail immediately caught his attention.
The corpse remained remarkably intact.
Compared to the devastating power unleashed by the final Magnetic Thunder Orb, the damage inflicted upon the serpent's flesh appeared surprisingly limited.
Lin Sheng soon understood why.
Before the explosion reached its peak...
The serpent had exhausted almost every remaining drop of Spiritual Qi activating its bloodline ability.
Whether it intended to strengthen its body or shield itself from the explosion no longer mattered.
That desperate act had inadvertently saved the corpse.
Its body had absorbed the overwhelming majority of the explosion before the remaining force scattered elsewhere.
Unfortunately for the serpent...
That final expenditure of Spiritual Qi came at the worst possible moment.
Its already weakened spirit had completely lost the strength necessary to suppress the Solar Flames.
Without resistance...
The golden flames finally reached its Sea of Consciousness.
They burned.
They devoured.
Until nothing remained.
Its body survived.
Its spirit...
Did not.
Looking at the enormous corpse beneath his feet, Lin Sheng slowly exhaled.
"So that was the final blow."
He had originally believed the Magnetic Thunder Orb would've ended the battle.
Instead...
It merely created the opportunity for the Solar Flames to completely destroy the serpent's soul.
Crystal quietly confirmed his deduction.
•[Cause of death confirmed.
Primary factor: Complete destruction of target's spiritual consciousness by Solar Flames following depletion of Spiritual Qi reserves]•
Lin Sheng nodded.
With his doubts resolved, he immediately waved his hand.
The enormous serpent vanished into his spatial ring.
A Rank Four Yao Beast possessed value far beyond its demon core alone. Its scales, bones, blood, tendons and even internal organs could all be refined into priceless treasures.
Naturally...
He wasn't about to waste any of it.
His gaze soon shifted toward the crimson seawater surrounding the battlefield.
The serpent's blood continued dispersing throughout the ocean.
Without hesitation, Lin Sheng retrieved several jade containers before rapidly collecting every drop he could.
Rank Four beast blood.
Even diluted by seawater...
Remained an extraordinary cultivation resource.
After ensuring nothing valuable had been left behind, Lin Sheng plunged directly into the depths beneath the battlefield.
The surrounding seabed remained in complete chaos.
The previous battle had shattered countless ancient rock formations, exposing areas that had likely remained hidden for centuries. Following the lingering aura left behind by the serpent, Lin Sheng soon arrived before an enormous underwater cavern concealed beneath layers of broken bedrock.
"This should be its nest."
He slowly entered.
The moment he crossed the entrance, Crystal immediately began scanning every corner of the cavern.
•[Commencing resource detection...]•
Treasure after treasure quickly appeared within Lin Sheng's perception.
The first to catch his attention were several pieces of Sea Jade.
Some were no larger than a thumb.
Others approached the size of a human palm.
Near the centre of the cavern floated the fist-sized Rank Three Sea Jade the serpent had been using to recover from its injuries.
Gentle blue radiance continued flowing from within the jade despite its previous owner having died.
A smile finally appeared upon Lin Sheng's face.
Sea Jade naturally nourished the soul.
For cultivators walking the path of mental cultivation, it remained one of the finest treasures available.
"This will greatly assist my meditation."
Without hesitation, he stored every piece.
His search continued.
Throughout the cavern grew numerous underwater spiritual herbs rarely seen by ordinary cultivators. Most had absorbed the surrounding water essence for hundreds of years, allowing their medicinal effects to far exceed those growing upon land.
Crystal rapidly identified each one.
Several ordinary Rank One herbs.
Multiple Rank Two aquatic spirit plants.
Then...
Another familiar notification appeared.
•[Target identified.
Supplementary ingredient required for Heaven Mending Pill confirmed]•
Lin Sheng's eyes brightened.
The herb gently swayed beneath the currents, its translucent leaves emitting faint blue light that perfectly blended with the surrounding water.
He carefully harvested it before storing it separately.
Another ingredient...
Obtained.
The Heaven Mending Pill was gradually becoming less of a distant goal and more of an achievable reality.
His search eventually led him deeper beneath the cavern.
There...
The underground Spirit Vein finally revealed itself.
Pure Spiritual Qi continuously emerged from cracks within the bedrock before naturally condensing over countless years into piles of Spirit Stones scattered throughout the surrounding cave.
Although the serpent had occasionally consumed them during cultivation, the Spirit Vein continued producing more year after year.
The accumulated quantity had become astonishing.
Without wasting a single moment, Lin Sheng collected every last Spirit Stone before carefully inspecting the Spirit Vein itself.
Unfortunately...
Removing the vein remained impossible with his current cultivation.
He wasn't disappointed.
The resources gathered today had already exceeded his expectations.
After confirming the cavern contained nothing else of value, Lin Sheng slowly ascended back toward the surface.
The sea breeze gently brushed against his robes as he stood quietly above the calm waters.
The battle was over.
The serpent was dead.
The Heaven Mending Pill had moved one step closer.
Now...
It was finally time to begin searching for the forgotten past.
Older maps.
Ancient records.
Anything capable of revealing the location of the five hidden islands.