When Chen Yi stepped out from the gates of the temple, the earth-shaking battle unfolding in the distant sky was also nearing its end.
The Grand Elder stood outside the hall with his hands clasped behind his back. Sensing Chen Yi's arrival, he turned around.
Their gazes met.
In that instant, the Grand Elder caught a fleeting trace of lingering ecstasy in Chen Yi's eyes—barely concealed.
Even someone as calm and composed as Chen Yi had difficulty maintaining composure…
Which meant only one thing—
The hidden treasury beneath Sea God Island contained treasures beyond imagination.
A faint smile appeared on the Grand Elder's face.
Almost simultaneously, a roar filled with endless resentment echoed from the distant sky.
"You beast… I, a god… will not accept this!"
Before the roar could fade, it was completely drowned out by an even more ferocious bellow—
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
At the very moment the Sea God's phantom was about to completely dissipate, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King suddenly swung its massive tail, striking the already fading figure.
BOOM—!
With a final, earth-shattering explosion, the Sea God's phantom shattered into countless blue particles, which quickly scattered into the sea breeze and vanished.
The last trace of divine will… was gone.
The Sea God's final manifestation in the mortal world had been completely erased.
…
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
The victorious Deep Sea Demonic Whale King did not leave immediately.
Instead, it raised its massive head and let out a deafening roar toward the heavens.
This roar seemed to release thousands of years of suppressed hatred and humiliation.
The surging waves shook both sea and sky.
Even the sounds of battle on distant Sea God Island were momentarily drowned out.
At that same moment—
Chen Yi and the Grand Elder both narrowed their eyes, their expressions turning serious.
Because they clearly sensed it—
At the instant the roar erupted, the aura surrounding the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King—already at the peak of mortal power—underwent a subtle transformation.
A pure, sacred essence began to emerge from its core…
Spreading outward.
The Grand Elder frowned slightly, disbelief in his voice.
"Is it… about to become a god?"
Chen Yi slowly shook his head, his gaze deep.
"No."
"It's not becoming a god… it cannot become a god."
His voice was low and steady.
"The ascension of soul beasts to godhood is forbidden."
This was an iron law set by the Divine Realm Committee—an absolute rule engraved into the very order of the God Realm.
No matter how extraordinary the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's talent…
No matter how profound its foundation…
No matter how close it came to divinity…
As long as it remained a soul beast—
This rule was an insurmountable barrier.
"If it takes one step further, what awaits it won't be divine ascension… but divine punishment and complete annihilation."
A trace of regret flickered in Chen Yi's tone.
"It has the potential to become a god… but it was born too late."
…
After more than ten breaths, the Demon Whale King's ecstatic roar gradually subsided.
Its enormous head slowly turned.
Its cold, single eye locked onto the allied forces still conducting their final sweep on Sea God Island.
During its battle with the Sea God's phantom, it had already noticed the humans attempting to take advantage of the chaos.
At the time, it had prioritized destroying the Sea God's remnants.
But now—
With its greatest enemy gone—
Its attention naturally shifted.
It had no fondness for humans.
And it had no desire to clash with a large group of powerful beings—especially after expending significant energy in battle.
The soldiers on the island also sensed the gaze from the sea.
One by one, they stopped what they were doing and looked toward the massive creature with solemn expressions.
Even the Title Douluo halted their pursuit, focusing their attention on the ocean, ready for combat.
At that moment—
Golden light flashed across the sky.
Chen Yi, Grand Elder Yuan Hua, and Qian Renxue appeared above Sea God Island, facing the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King from afar.
The whale's single eye shifted slightly, observing the three.
That young human wielding the strange divine Mace…
His power felt even more terrifying than Sea God Trident.
And the woman with divine consciousness—
Stronger than any High Priest in the island's history.
If a battle broke out now…
Having just finished a major fight, it might not gain the upper hand—
It might even lose.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King quickly made its decision.
Its massive body began to sink slowly, preparing to retreat into the deep sea.
"Please wait, King of the Deep Sea Demon Whales!"
A calm, clear voice rang out.
The massive creature paused.
It rose halfway out of the water, its enormous eye fixing on Chen Yi with curiosity and scrutiny.
"Human… what do you want?"
Its voice rumbled like thunder.
Indifferent. Detached.
If not for Chen Yi's unusual presence, it wouldn't have cared at all.
Chen Yi glanced briefly at the Grand Elder and Qian Renxue, signaling them to stay back.
Then he flew forward alone, stopping several hundred meters from the whale's head.
With a bright smile, he said:
"Thanks to your assistance, Senior, we were able to break through Sea God Island and destroy Poseidon's remaining will. You've been a tremendous help."
"Since you're already here, why not come ashore for a chat? I've prepared a small feast to express my gratitude."
The whale stared at him for a moment.
Then—
"Not interested."
It replied bluntly, beginning to sink again.
It had no interest in human customs.
Most of its life was spent hunting, sleeping, and cultivating in the deep sea.
Exploration? Socializing?
Pointless.
Chen Yi didn't seem surprised.
Still smiling, he spoke calmly:
"This concerns… your path to godhood."
Then he turned and flew toward a nearby coral reef.
…
"...The path to godhood?"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King froze.
A strange light flickered in its eye.
After defeating the Sea God's remnants, its state had reached an unprecedented peak.
Its essence, energy, and spirit were perfectly aligned.
It was certain—
It was only one step away from the divine realm.
At least 98% confident.
But now…
This human claimed to know something about its path?
Was its "final step" just an illusion?
Or was there a hidden truth it didn't understand?
Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance…
Was worth hearing.
Suddenly—
A dense dark light burst from its body.
Its massive form rapidly shrank and condensed.
In the next moment—
The light vanished.
Standing in its place was a giant humanoid figure over three meters tall—
Bald, one-eyed, wearing crude beast-skin shorts.
The transformed Demon Whale King cracked his neck and glanced toward Chen Yi.
With a stomp, the sea surface caved inward beneath his power.
Then—
Like a cannonball, he shot toward the coral reef.
…
From afar, Qian Renxue and the Grand Elder exchanged astonished looks.
They had never expected Chen Yi to actually invite such a terrifying overlord onto the island.
"This kid… is unbelievably bold," the Grand Elder muttered.
"He's always like this," Qian Renxue said with a faint smile, a trace of pride in her eyes.
"He plans everything before acting."
"Let's watch."
…
By the time the Demon Whale King arrived, Chen Yi had already prepared the "feast."
"Please, Senior."
He gestured politely.
The Demon Whale King sat down heavily, causing the coral reef to tremble slightly.
Without ceremony, he grabbed a fragrant pastry and tossed it into his mouth.
After chewing twice, his eye lit up slightly.
He grabbed several more pieces in quick succession.
While eating, he glanced at Chen Yi and spoke in a low voice:
"Human. Speak plainly. We sea creatures don't like beating around the bush."
Chen Yi smiled faintly.
Instead of answering directly, he asked:
"After your great victory, your mind is clear, your essence, energy, and spirit are at their peak."
"I sensed your aura—it's profound and mysterious, showing signs of elevation."
"You're only one step away from the divine realm… am I correct?"
The Demon Whale King showed a hint of pride.
But immediately after, his gaze sharpened with suspicion.
"Even if that's true… what does it have to do with you?"
"Or are you plotting something?"
Chen Yi remained calm, brushing off the suspicion with a smile.
Then he asked:
"Before the Sea God's remnants disappeared, he mentioned that you were about to transform into a dragon."
"May I ask… is your path to godhood—"
"To turn from a fish… into a true dragon?"
…
PS: Support me and read advanced chapters at patreon.com/AbsoluteCode