Shan Hu, riding the Geng Metal flying sword, moved at an astonishing pace. It took him only one night to cross a thousand miles of coastline and arrive over the boundless, misty South Sea.
The vast ocean teemed with spiritual energy, many times richer than the mainland, but it also concealed infinite dangers. Beneath the waves, ancient arrays and powerful sea beasts were the true rulers.
Shan Hu paused in the air. The sea below was shrouded in mist, the sound of the waves interspersed with low, deep bestial roars. He knew from the ancient tripod inscriptions that Spirit Haven Island was hidden deep within a natural "Myriad Illusions Maze Array," perpetually concealed by thick fog, making it impossible for even the most advanced mortal radar to locate.
"A natural formation, guided by water veins, manifested as mist, sustaining itself eternally." Shan Hu instantly saw through the array's operational principle.
He chose not to break it with brute force—the approach of a common martial artist. The Immortal Emperor's method was to move with the current, achieving maximum result with minimal expenditure.
Shan Hu formed a hand seal with his left hand, condensing a drop of pure, crystal-clear water essence at his fingertip. This drop was peak Qi Condensation-level water-attribute spiritual energy, meticulously refined. He flicked his finger, and the drop silently descended into the ocean below.
"Rise."
The moment the drop touched the surface, guided by Shan Hu's divine sense, it instantly resonated with the core water veins of the Myriad Illusions Maze Array. The Immortal Emperor's True Essence carried an absolute, higher-level control over the Water element law.
"Rumble—!"
The entire sea surface below was instantly churned by an invisible hand. The dense, chaotic mist rapidly coalesced into water spouts over the next few seconds. As the water spouts collapsed, an island spanning roughly a hundred square kilometers, shedding its disguise, abruptly appeared on the horizon.
The sea surrounding the island was a deep, inky blue. The island itself was covered in towering ancient trees and brimming with spiritual energy—it was truly a rare secret realm.
However, the commotion from the array's rupture immediately alerted Spirit Haven Island's guardian.
"Roar—!"
An earth-shattering roar erupted from the deep sea, and the water surface exploded as a giant, fifty-meter-long Flood Dragon-like beast, covered in hard, black scales, burst forth. It had a pair of nascent horns on its head, thick limbs, and eyes like two scarlet lanterns, radiating an aggressive and brutal aura.
This was a Flood Dragon Beast that had already reached the initial Foundation Establishment stage, equivalent to the legendary "Land Immortal" of the mainland martial world. It fed on the island's spiritual energy, guarded it for generations, and possessed an exceedingly savage temperament.
The beast looked at Shan Hu, its huge red-lantern eyes filled with savagery and disdain. In its mind, this insignificant mortal dared to violate its territory—a blatant death wish.
It opened its gaping maw, condensing a black water arrow several meters thick, which shot straight toward Shan Hu with terrifying hydrostatic pressure, capable of penetrating steel plate.
Shan Hu stood calmly on his Geng Metal flying sword. Facing the potentially fatal attack, a hint of disdain touched his lips.
"A mere beast. How dare you strike at this Emperor?"
He did not evade, instead activating the Water Repelling Pearl within him. The pearl instantly created an invisible, three-meter-diameter vacuum barrier around his body. The black water arrow hit the barrier, instantly disintegrating into countless droplets, resulting in a localized downpour.
Shan Hu wasted no time fighting. His peak Qi Condensation True Essence was guided by a sacred sliver of Immortal Emperor Divine Sense and integrated into his temporary Sea Control Art.
Shan Hu stepped forward in the air. The immense pressure he exerted was directed not at the beast's physical body, but at the faint but existing aquatic spiritual consciousness within the Flood Dragon.
"Submit, or perish." Shan Hu's voice, like a divine oracle, directly detonated in the beast's mind.
The Flood Dragon Beast, which had been preparing a more ferocious attack, suddenly froze in mid-air upon hearing the voice.
What it felt was not a martial artist's True Qi, but an absolute suppression originating from the source of life itself, from the deepest part of its bloodline. The owner of that voice was like the Sea Emperor who ruled the oceans and commanded the water veins billions of years ago!
The beast's spiritual consciousness instantly collapsed under the pressure of Shan Hu's divine thought. Its massive body began to tremble, and the scales covering it made a cracking sound.
In front of the Immortal Emperor, its proudly cultivated Foundation Establishment stage power was nothing more than a stumbling toddler. It knew that with a single thought from this being, its consciousness would be utterly annihilated.
Finally, the Flood Dragon Beast's massive head lowered with difficulty, emitting a low roar tinged with grievance and submission.
Shan Hu nodded contentedly, flicking a golden Divine Sense imprint into the center of the beast's forehead. This imprint was not slavery, but a Bloodline Contract.
"From this day forward, you shall be my mount. This Emperor grants you the title—'Xuan Ming' (Dark Profundity)."
The Flood Dragon Beast felt the supreme authority and a trace of pure vitality contained within the imprint, and immediately roared again in excitement, its gigantic body thrashing in the sea, demonstrating joy.
Having subdued the Xuan Ming Flood Dragon Beast, Shan Hu stepped directly onto its head. Xuan Ming's speed was superior to the Geng Metal flying sword; it cleaved through the waves like a released arrow, instantly carrying Shan Hu toward the shores of Spirit Haven Island.
Upon setting foot on Spirit Haven Island, Shan Hu's Divine Sense swept out, immediately locking onto the location of the spiritual herb.
The Thousand-Year Spirit Turtle Herb grew beside a deep pool formed by the confluence of the island's spiritual springs at the center. The herb was pale green, its three leaves patterned like a turtle shell, radiating a potent life essence under the spring's nourishment.
Shan Hu approached the deep pool. The water was crystal clear, and resting quietly beneath the spiritual herb was a crystal the size of a goose egg. The crystal glowed with a faint blue light, perfectly integrating the elements of water and fire—it was the other core ingredient from the ancient tripod inscription: the Deep Sea Dark Crystal!
"The Dark Crystal grows alongside the herb; that saves me some effort." A slight smile touched Shan Hu's lips.
He carefully harvested both the Spirit Turtle Herb and the Deep Sea Dark Crystal with spiritual energy, storing them in his storage ring.
This trip to the South Sea had yielded not only two core ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill but also a powerful Foundation Establishment stage sea beast as a mount.
Mission accomplished. Shan Hu did not linger, leaping back onto the head of the Xuan Ming Flood Dragon Beast.
"Xuan Ming, return journey. Longcheng."
With Shan Hu's command, Xuan Ming let out a low, dragon-like roar. Its colossal body tore through the sea again, carrying the Immortal Emperor rapidly toward the Chinese mainland. The Immortal Emperor's ride had upgraded from a flying sword to the overlord of the ocean.