The Explorer cut through the waves, heading toward the Demon Whale Sea Domain in the west as indicated by Bo Saixi. On the deck, the sea breeze whipped fiercely, yet it could not disperse the invisible aura brought about by the gathering of several of the world's peak powerhouses.
After hearing Bo Saixi's account of the old grudge between the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and the Sea God Poseidon, as well as her request to join forces to eradicate this great oceanic threat, Yu Yuanchen and the others exchanged smiles and agreed without much hesitation.
In Yu Yuanchen's view, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had once obstructed the Sea God's path to divinity; although it failed, how could the Sea God Poseidon truly forget such a grudge? Could he not solve the problem before becoming a god, and still not be able to solve it after? That old fellow was extremely shrewd; keeping this Demonic Whale King alive until now was likely preparing a "super experience pack" for his own successor, while incidentally humiliating his old rival.
Even if the successor were to be defeated for a moment, could he, the Sea God himself, not find an opportunity to "assist from the shadows"? The rules of the God Realm? Heh, those were merely window dressing to fool honest believers. Judging by the various biased actions Poseidon took toward Tang San in the original story, this deity was hardly one to follow the rules.
Yu Yuanchen even suspected that in the battle between Buddha Tang and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King in the original work, the Sea God might have secretly restricted the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's strength. Otherwise, with the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's strength, which was arguably not weaker than the Beast God Di Tian, how could a mere 96th-rank Super Douluo like that little brat possibly be its match?
It was just that Bo Saixi, this earnest girl, had truly believed her own deity's rhetoric, feeling her own strength was insufficient and never daring to easily provoke the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
However, Yu Yuanchen had no intention of pointing this out or refusing.
For one, Bo Saixi was a comrade-in-arms with whom he had fought side-by-side; their friendship was good, and he owed her for the sea chart from before.
For another, the Demon Whale Sea Domain was a necessary path for their journey west, and this stumbling block, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, would have to be removed sooner or later.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, with its nearly million-year cultivation, was a treasure trove. Whether it was its soul ring, soul bones, or that massive, near-god-level body, everything about it made Yu Yuanchen quite tempted.
Publicly or privately, this trip was not a loss.
Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen naturally had no objections. Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi shared the experience of defending against enemies together in Demon Quelling City, fostering a bond of old friendship.
As for Tang Chen, he simply felt that having a fight and meeting this legendary ocean overlord was exactly what he wanted.
Thus, the group hit it off and agreed to join forces.
The Explorer adjusted its course, aiming directly for the Demon Whale Sea Domain, known as a forbidden zone for sailors. With the voyage still requiring several days, time on the sea became leisurely.
On this day, the weather was fine, and the three men gathered at the front of the deck to discuss the tactical details of dealing with the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, while the four women gathered in the lounge area at the stern, tasting tea and snacks while chatting. The topic drifted unconsciously from serious business to lighter domestic matters, eventually focusing on their respective marriages.
As the host and still single, Bo Saixi naturally became the object of "concern," but she merely smiled and cleverly brushed it off, steering the conversation toward the three married ladies.
The experiences of Ye Zhilan and Yang Xueqi were relatively "conventional." Ye Zhilan's marriage was a combination of a family alliance and mutual affection, which came naturally with Yu Yuanchen. Yang Xueqi was a genius of the Breaking Clan, and her union with Tang Chen was also an alliance, though it was more about the mutual attraction of their personalities that eventually brought them together. Both belonged to the natural development of "seeing eye to eye."
But when the topic turned to Avril and Qian Daoliu, the atmosphere suddenly became subtle and interesting. Under the good-natured, teasing gazes of Ye Zhilan and Bo Saixi, Avril's fair cheeks flushed, and she glanced shyly at the sturdy back of Qian Daoliu on the distant deck before softly recounting this rather "legendary" romance.
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you for this red thread of fate, Sister Zhi Lan," Avril said, smiling at Ye Zhilan.
"Me?" Ye Zhilan was surprised.
"If it weren't for the Beast Taming Contract method that you and Miss Gu Yue pioneered, which caused a stir within Martial Soul Hall, a disciple in the hall with an ordinary Angel Martial Soul wouldn't have had a sudden inspiration to try and successfully contract with a friendly angel purified by Daoliu, eventually tying the knot. I don't know how long it would have taken for the window paper between Daoliu and me to be pierced," Avril explained softly.
She slowly revealed the reason. Back then, when Qian Daoliu purified the Fallen Angels, although this batch of special angels returned to the light, their forms were closer to humanoid soul beasts with high intelligence.
Within Martial Soul Hall, a disciple of the Qian Clan with a different surname, whose martial soul was just an ordinary angel, became close with a purified female angel. Inspired by the beast-taming method, the two boldly attempted a contract and succeeded in one go. The effect after the contract was excellent; the compatibility between the two was very high, and their cultivation speed increased significantly. Their relationship grew closer day by day, eventually leading them to the wedding hall.
This caused quite a stir within Martial Soul Hall. Qian Daoliu was happy to see this, feeling comforted that these angels who had suffered so much could start a new life. But this also touched someone—Avril herself.
Unlike other purified Fallen Angels, Avril had actively sought out Qian Daoliu back then to request purification. She was powerful, comparable to a 98th-rank Super Douluo before purification, and had always been unwilling to be enslaved by the Demon King, yet she was unable to resist due to the shackles in her bloodline.
Even after the Demon Kings fell one after another, these shackles remained like a shadow. She witnessed Qian Daoliu's act of purification and saw it as a hope to escape the sea of misery, so she took the initiative to appear.
Qian Daoliu was amazed by this Fallen Angel who was "in the darkness but longing for the light," and he spent a significant price to help her complete the purification.
Moreover, even after her strength fell to the level of an ordinary Titled Douluo after purification, she did not degenerate into a four-winged angel like normal Fallen Angels, but instead maintained the posture of a six-winged angel, showing the depth of her foundation. Qian Daoliu valued her highly and appointed her as the leader of all purified angels.
In their long time together, Avril developed a deep admiration for the kind, powerful Qian Daoliu who had given her a new life. However, due to the inferiority complex stemming from her past experiences, she buried this emotion deep in her heart, never daring to express it.
It wasn't until she witnessed the union of that Qian Clan disciple and the contracted angel, and heard Qian Daoliu personally express his comfort and support for it, that she finally gathered the courage. With the secret encouragement of Qian Daoliu's father, Qian Chongxiao (this old man loved to watch the excitement and encouraged her quite a bit), she took the initiative to reveal her heart to Qian Daoliu.
"You didn't see what he looked like at the time," Avril covered her mouth and chuckled, with a hint of sweet teasing. "He froze completely, the tips of his ears were bright red, and he was even stuttering. With his personality, awkward and conservative, he even tried to lecture me on some principles at first..."
Ye Zhilan and Yang Xueqi listened with great interest, and even Bo Saixi showed a curious smile. They could all imagine Qian Daoliu, usually majestic and steady, being at a loss when suddenly faced with a direct confession.
"And then? And then?" Yang Xueqi, being impatient, urged.
"Later," Avril's eyes shifted, "naturally, sincerity opens the way. I told him that everything in the past shaped who I am now, but it cannot define my future. What I value is him as a person, not his future identity as an Angel God. Daring to love and hate is a good virtue, and there is no lack of such women in the world. As an angel, am I not as brave as a human woman?"
Avril's honesty and passion finally melted the layer of ice in Qian Daoliu's heart. He had already had a good impression of Avril, but due to his personality and his focus on the god trials, he had never thought in that direction. After this "surprise attack," and with the push from Qian Chongxiao, who wanted to hold a grandson, he accepted the relationship in a half-pushed, half-willing manner.
"So," Avril concluded, looking at Ye Zhilan with a smile, "if it weren't for the contract method you and your sisters promoted setting a precedent and showing me the possibility, I might not have gathered that courage. It is no exaggeration to say you are our matchmaker."
Ye Zhilan did not expect such twists and turns, and quickly waved her hand with a smile: "Sister Avril, you flatter me. This is the fate between you and Brother Qian; I wouldn't dare take the credit. However, this is truly a beautiful story worth celebrating!"
The women all laughed upon hearing this, teasing each other. The stern of the ship was filled with a relaxed and happy atmosphere.
The laughter also attracted the attention of the men on the deck. Qian Daoliu seemed to sense something and looked back, just in time to meet Avril's affectionate and slightly shy gaze. He coughed unnaturally and quickly turned his head back, though the tips of his ears were slightly red.
This subtle interaction did not escape everyone's eyes, drawing a burst of good-natured low laughter. Tang Chen patted Qian Daoliu's shoulder hard, winking, which made Qian Daoliu even more embarrassed. Yu Yuanchen also shook his head and laughed, not expecting that the usually steady and composed Qian Daoliu would be so "innocent" in matters of the heart.
Amidst the chatter and laughter, time passed quickly. The sky outside the ship gradually turned gloomy, and the originally azure seawater turned into a deep ink-blue at some point. The water element in the air became unusually active and violent, faintly carrying a palpitating pressure. The wind and waves also gradually grew, pushing the Explorer to rock slightly.
"We are almost there." Bo Saixi stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the dark sea area in the distance that seemed to swallow even light, her expression returning to solemnity. "Ahead is the Demon Whale Sea Domain. The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King has a very strong perception. Since we have intruded into its territory so blatantly, it must have already noticed."
Yu Yuanchen and the others also came to the deck. He gazed into the distance, feeling an aura coming from the center of that sea area that was as vast as an abyss, yet carried a trace of madness. That aura was full of greed, violence, and a resentment that had accumulated for tens of thousands of years, completely out of place with the vibrant ocean around it.
"It's better that it noticed." Yu Yuanchen's tone was calm, but his eyes were as sharp as knives. "It saves us the trouble of searching for it. Everyone, prepare yourselves; a tough battle is coming."
Tang Chen clenched his fists excitedly, the phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer flashing behind him. Qian Daoliu's face was calm, the aura of the Angel Sacred Sword restrained, yet it appeared even more sacred and majestic. Ye Zhilan, Avril, and Yang Xueqi also focused their minds, ready to provide support.
The Explorer, like a fearless warrior, sailed unhesitatingly into the Demon Whale Sea Domain shrouded in death and terror. Beneath the sea surface, huge shadows seemed to be swimming, and cold eyes locked onto the ship that had broken into the forbidden zone.
The aura of a decisive battle rushed toward them.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan