noffsinger Chapter 556
Chapter 556
However, the calm didn't last long. Just as the spirit boat was about to surface, the seawater ahead suddenly churned violently, countless bubbles rising from the seabed to form a massive whirlpool. A foul, nauseating stench swept over them. Ye Jiuchen's expression changed drastically, and his Dragon Roar Sword was instantly drawn: "Be careful! A powerful enemy is at hand!"
With a deafening roar, a colossal sea beast burst forth from the water. It was a hundred zhang long, its eight thick tentacles covered in suckers, each the size of a millstone, its edges studded with countless sharp spikes. Its head resembled an octopus, but possessed enormous eyes that emitted a ghostly green light. When its gaping maw opened, it revealed three rows of gleaming, cold teeth, seemingly capable of swallowing the entire spirit ship whole. Black mist swirled around the sea beast, turning the seawater an eerie, dark green wherever it went.
"This is the ancient ferocious beast, the Ink Dragon! How dare the sea monsters summon such a terrifying being!" Dongfang Wan'er's face turned pale as she rapidly formed hand seals. The Sea-Suppressing Pearl floated above her head, emitting a soft light. Little White's fur stood on end, and it let out a roar. The beast markings on its body shone with golden light, ready to launch an attack at any moment.
The black dragon brandished its sharp claws, slamming them down on the spirit boat. The immense impact created waves tens of meters high, violently rocking the boat as if it would capsize at any moment. Ye Jiuchen leaped into the air, transforming into a golden streak of light, his Dragon Roar Sword slashing towards the black dragon's claws with sharp sword energy. "Clang!" Sparks flew, but the sword energy only left a shallow mark on the black dragon's claws. The black dragon cried out in pain, letting out a deafening roar that shook the very ears of everyone present.
Seeing this, Dongfang Wan'er rapidly changed her hand seals, gathering the power of the three Sea-Suppressing Pearls together. "Suppress Heaven and Stabilize the Sea!" With a delicate shout, a dazzling light shot towards the black dragon. Wherever the light touched, the seawater evaporated into white mist, and the black dragon's tentacles, struck by the light, immediately emitted puffs of black smoke. The black dragon writhed in agony, the giant waves it created nearly submerging the spirit boat.
Just as everyone was struggling to resist, a group of merfolk suddenly appeared below the spirit boat. They were the merfolk guards who had escorted them earlier! They wielded coral spears, their bodies radiating a ghostly blue light, like spirits of the deep sea. "Don't panic, everyone! We're here to help you!" the leading merfolk guard shouted, leading his companions to charge towards the black dragon.
The merfolk infused their spiritual power into their spears, causing the spear tips to glow with blue runes. This light intertwined with Ye Jiuchen's sword energy, Dongfang Wan'er's spiritual power, and Xiaobai's sound waves, forming a massive net of light that trapped the black dragon within. The black dragon struggled desperately, its tentacles pounding against the net of light, but it could not break free.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Jiuchen channeled all his spiritual power into the Dragon Roar Sword, causing it to shine brightly: "Demon-Slaying Slash!" A massive golden sword aura slashed towards the head of the Ink Dragon. Dongfang Wan'er also unleashed the power of the Sea-Suppressing Pearl to its fullest extent, a pillar of light descending from the sky and striking the Ink Dragon's vitals. Under the combined attack of everyone, the Ink Dragon let out a final mournful cry, its massive body slowly sinking into the sea, the seawater stained dark red with blood.
After the battle, the merfolk bowed to Ye Jiuchen and the others in farewell. The spirit boat continued its journey, heading towards land. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, scattering across the sea, making it shimmer. Ye Jiuchen and the others gazed at the three Sea-Suppressing Pearls in their arms, their eyes resolute. They knew that countless unknown challenges awaited them ahead, but as long as they possessed the Sea-Suppressing Pearls, they had hope of unraveling the mystery of the world's anomalies.
As twilight descended, the sea was stained crimson by the setting sun, and waves lapping against the gunwales of the spirit boat, carrying a salty, fishy smell. The crew had just repelled a wave of sea monsters from the reefs, their weariness still evident. Scattered across the deck were broken scales and fragments of weapons. Ye Jiuchen wiped the blood from the Dragon's Roar Sword, suddenly noticing the sails billowing without wind, the blue canvas emitting a sickening screech.
"careful!"
Before the words were even finished, the spirit boat suddenly trembled violently, and the gilded decorations on the carved pillars crumbled inch by inch. Black blood seeped from the bronze dragon-head sculpture at the bow, the viscous liquid winding down its head and corroding the deck, creating wisps of white smoke. Ye Jiuchen staggered and grabbed the mast, his dark robes being lifted by an invisible force, revealing the jade pendant engraved with an ancient totem at his waist—which was now emitting an eerie purple light.
Dongfang Wan'er's hairpin fell off in the chaos, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall. She stared at the suddenly churning sea, her pupils contracting sharply: the once calm waters were now rippling with spiderweb-like waves, and the moonlight reflected on the surface, creating an eerie, ghostly blue hue. The instant dozens of dark figures burst from the water, a stench of blood swept over them. They were half-human, half-fish monsters, their skin a bluish-gray, their deep-set eye sockets burning with eerie green flames, and rusty chains embedded in their dorsal fins, rattling with a chilling sound with each movement.
"As expected, they are remnants of the Merfolk!" Dongfang Wan'er bit her fingertip and dripped blood onto the Zhenhai Pearl. The pearl immediately shone brightly, casting an eerie red glow on her pale face. Little White perched on her shoulder, its snow-white fur standing on end, and a low, thunderous growl rumbled from its throat.
Ye Jiuchen drew his Dragon Roar Sword, its clang shattering the spray of waves in mid-air. Where the sword tip sliced, the sea monsters' scales shattered like jade. But these monsters seemed oblivious to pain; black blood gushed from their severed limbs, transforming into countless smaller sea worms that swarmed the ship's side upon landing. Dongfang Wan'er manipulated the light shield formed by the Sea-Suppressing Pearl, creating ripples beneath the sea monsters' claws; Xiao Bai soared into the air, its sonic boom sending three sea monsters flying, crashing into the rocks and turning them into a bloody mist.
As the fierce battle raged, a massive whirlpool suddenly split open on the sea's surface. A dark shadow slowly rose, its body, tens of meters tall, bursting from the water, and the sea monsters prostrated themselves in worship. The monster possessed a gigantic maw filled with sharp teeth, like a shark's, and a coral-like bone crown on its head. Its trident was bound with chains and human skeletons; with each swing, lightning erupted from its tip. As its leader let out a piercing shriek, the will-o'-the-wisps in the eyes of all the sea monsters tripled, and their claws gleamed with a metallic coldness.
Ye Jiuchen felt his spiritual energy flow obstructed, and the light of the Dragon Roar Sword dimmed. Cracks began to appear in Dongfang Wan'er's light shield, and blood seeped from Xiaobai's fur. The siren leader's trident pointed directly at the sky, and instantly dark clouds gathered, with large raindrops mixed with blood pelting down. The spirit boat swayed precariously in the storm, and a sickening gnawing sound came from its hull—small sea worms had begun to gnaw at the keel.
In the distance, on the horizon, a colossal altar floated, its countless chains piercing the seabed. At the center of the altar, dark red mist slowly coalesced into a human form… Ye Jiuchen gripped the Dragon Roar Sword tightly; the dragon patterns on its spine suddenly came to life, coiling around his arm and climbing upwards. This sudden naval battle seemed to be merely the prelude to a far greater conspiracy.