The dark clouds swallowed the last ray of sunset, the humidity in the air thickened, and the temperature began to plummet.
Shang Yang opened his crimson demonic energy barrier, taking Tang Sui with him as they plunged into the deep sea.
The light gradually became murky and dim.
Ten minutes later, they had descended over three thousand meters into the deep sea.
The swift undertow was like a roaring sea dragon, each current that brushed against the barrier possessed the power comparable to a medium-sized waterspout.
Now, they had descended over four thousand meters.
What Xiao Bai had said, "not a single sea soul beast," proved to be false. The barrier, emitting a faint crimson glow, had become the sole light in this dark, deep water.
Conspicuous, and likely to attract the top predators lurking in the vast ocean.
[Beep—Detected eighty-five thousand three hundred year old sea soul beast, Jade Cuttlefish.]
[Beep—Detected one hundred nine thousand seven hundred year old sea soul beast, Ink Herring.]
[Beep...]
As they descended to over five thousand meters, they reached the bottom.
The sea soul beasts in the deep sea, both in terms of species and cultivation years, increased. Most of those encountered subsequently hovered around ninety thousand to one hundred thousand years.
"Xiao Bai never mentioned this," Tang Sui said, looking at the powerful sea soul beasts that had been scared away by Shang Yang's aura, feeling somewhat bewildered.
Shang Yang was not particularly surprised. "That little shark is only considered one of the more powerful sea soul beast species in the nearshore waters. I noticed as we traveled along; the Sea God Island is located in the nearshore, with depths no greater than two thousand meters."
"The domain of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King is further ahead, and the depth will continue to increase. This is over five thousand meters, and it should be even deeper ahead. It seems our opponent is indeed formidable, occupying a position at the edge of the nearshore."
Tang Sui pondered this.
It appeared that the overall area of the Douluo world, especially its seas, was vaster and deeper than the seas recorded in her memories from her previous life.
As her thoughts drifted, they officially entered the territory belonging to the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
The instant they stepped into the Demon Whale Sea, Shang Yang felt his expanded spiritual power collide with another spiritual power, as deep and powerful as a raging undertow.
If Shang Yang's spiritual power was like molten lava, burning hot and prone to erupting with ferocity and unpredictability, then the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's spiritual power, enveloping the entire Demon Whale Sea, was like an unfathomable deep-sea trench, profound and dark, like surging waves that crushed every hard reef, wave after wave.
The moment their spiritual powers met unexpectedly, both were taken aback.
"Hmm? Uncle Snake? Why have you stopped?"
Tang Sui, whose spiritual power was not unleashed, looked at Shang Yang in confusion. She saw him narrow his crimson eyes, his lips parting slightly as he uttered two words: "They've arrived."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the seawater around them began to tremble.
As if boiling water under a lid, threatening to blow it off.
The entire seabed began to shake violently. The sea soul beasts cautiously passing through this area froze, and the next moment, they unleashed all their strength to flee this dangerous sea!
"Crack, crack."
The immense pressure caused the air within the barrier to solidify. Sharp ice spikes formed around the barrier, constantly growing and expanding, poised to pierce them like hedgehogs.
"Quite interesting."
Shang Yang's lips curved into an arrogant arc. A pressure more immense than the sudden drop in temperature erupted, forcefully breaking through the cold, surging pressure that felt like an undertow. It met the other terrifying pressure head-on, grinding the killing intent condensed into sharp points into dust!
"Boom, boom—!"
In an instant, this large expanse of the sea seemed to be divided into two halves, one cold and suffocating, the other scorching and fierce.
Even the surrounding light was compressed by the indescribable pressure, crimson and black-blue mixed, making the seawater churn like ink.
The moment she was locked onto, Tang Sui's spiritual and demonic energy flowed out, instantly protecting her entire body.
But it was not enough.
Without Shang Yang's demonic energy aiding her, she would have been extinguished by that terrifying, materialized killing intent.
Tang Sui's pupils contracted, and she looked at the dense black shadow, like an approaching storm cloud, growing larger in her vision.
"Boom—!"
The two colossal forces of collision retracted simultaneously.
The enormous body of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, over two hundred meters long, was revealed to Shang Yang and Tang Sui.
Its body, like a deep-sea gem, reflected the surrounding seawater into a pitch-black, icy hue. Jagged, bizarre spikes like black reefs grew on its broad back.
Its single eye, about three meters wide, gazed coldly at the infinitesimally small beings before it.
Yet, a terrifying power, comparable to its own, emanated from that small body.
"Primordial beast, and... a hybrid cub..."
A deep voice seemed to surge from all directions of the seawater.
Along with the strange sonic waves radiating from the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, even with Shang Yang's protection, Tang Sui felt a wave-like sonic surge, a restlessness that made her blood feel like it was jumping on a jade plate.
Her soul was agitated, as if it would explode.
[Calm yourself, and cast your Dao intent to protect yourself.]
The system said in a deep voice.
Tang Sui closed her eyes, mobilizing the meager Dao intent coiled within her soul. She wove it into a thin veil, dressing herself in it and tightly wrapping her soul, thus stopping the external and internal agitation.
"Why have you come to my sea? We shouldn't have met before."
Out of caution towards a rival of equal standing, and sensing no immediate hostility, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King decided to observe for the time being.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was not the only one being cautious.
The moment the Deep Sea Demon Whale King appeared, Shang Yang confirmed its identity as a genuine soul beast species.
He couldn't rely on kinship anymore.
A faint sense of regret flashed by.
Shang Yang looked at the colossal beast before him, his expression calm.
"First meeting, Deep Sea Demon Whale King. My child heard that you have completed your tenth heavenly tribulation but have still not ascended to dragonhood. I have been sent to bring her to meet you."
One sentence caused the temperature to drop below freezing.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's large, scarlet single eye fell upon Tang Sui, who was smaller than its eye. Its voice was laced with surging killing intent. "I have endured nine heavenly tribulations, and only the last one remains before I can complete my dragon ascension. For you to claim I have completed the tenth tribulation is a rather uninspired reason for visiting."
A dangerous red glint flashed in Shang Yang's eyes.
Tang Sui's expression remained unchanged, her demeanor respectful, as if addressing an elder. No trace of caution or panic showed on her face.
"I have lived on land since childhood and am not very familiar with sea affairs. This is something I heard through hearsay. If you say it was nine, then it was nine."
As for whether it was nine or ten tribulations, the answer lay within the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's heart.
After a few seconds, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's deep voice finally sounded, "Why have you come to see me?"
A sharp glint flashed in Tang Sui's dark blue pupils.
"I have come for your deification."
—Author's Note—
See you tomorrow~