Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
It would naturally be best if Ling Han could obtain the jade box. Even if he couldn’t, he still wanted to explore the seabed where the column of light had shot out from.
After learning of the Star Sea’s history, Ling Han had already developed a strong interest in its seabed. With his outstanding fortune, perhaps he would be able to find some inheritance or inter-realm treasure.
The two elites had said that the phenomenon caused by the column of light represented the reappearance of a Sun Moon Tier abode.
They weren’t interested, yet Ling Han was!
‘I’ll look for the jade box first, and then explore the abode.’
30 meters, 300 meters, several hundred meters… Ling Han continued to sink toward the seabed. As he descended further and further, the surrounding environment also became increasingly dim. However, unlike other seas, the depths of the Star Sea were only dim, with the light still present no matter how deep he descended.
This was because of the tremendous gravity fields here. They were so powerful that even the refraction of light was forced to undergo some kind of extraordinary change. Light was pulled toward the bottom of the sea, and was unable to refract back to the surface 1 .
Meanwhile, Ling Han was also experiencing crus.h.i.+ng pressure.
‘The water pressure is so terrifying!’
There was some kind of indescribable regulation here. If one were to scoop up some seawater, they would find that there was absolutely nothing special about it. Upon entering the sea, however, one would discover that every single drop of water weighed as much as a mountain.
With power at the Mountain River Tier, one could easily endure the weight and pressure of a few mountains. However, every drop of water in the Star Sea was like a mountain, making it an insanely terrifying prospect.
Most importantly, the water pressure would increase the further one descended. At great depths, one wouldn’t feel like they were being crushed by mountains anymore. Rather, they would feel as though they were being crushed by a heavenly body!
If cultivators fell into the sea, they would have to activate an Origin Power barrier to protect themselves. Otherwise, they would be crushed into pulp in no time at all.
It was no wonder that people couldn’t stay in submerged the sea for too long. After all, they would be facing certain death once they expended all of their Origin Power. Ling Han had initially planned to descend to the bottom and spend a few years walking back to sh.o.r.e. After experiencing the water pressure, however, he realized just how naive his plan had been.
Of course, Ling Han was no ordinary person.
First of all, he had a tremendously powerful physique. At the very least, he was still able to withstand the crus.h.i.+ng pressure at this moment. It was just that his bones were already cracking and groaning under the immense stress. Secondly, he still had the Black Tower. So, even if expended all of his Origin Power, he would still be able to enter the Black Tower to recover.
After reaching a depth of 3000 meters, the surroundings finally became pitch-black.
3300 meters, 3600 meters, 3900 meters… Ling Han continued to venture deeper and deeper.
If others learned of this, their jaws would definitely drop slack open in shock. People did indeed come to this sea to search for lost treasures that lay on the seabed. However, they would normally only explore the shallower regions of the sea.
The limit was set at roughly 3000 meters. Past this depth, the region of the sea would be labeled as the deep sea.
The deep sea was incredibly dangerous, and just the water pressure alone would be able to crush most Mountain River Tier cultivators. Moreover, there were even devastating Demonic Beasts at such depths, and it was nothing special to come across one at the Sun Moon Tier. One could lose their life at any moment.
How much of their power could cultivators exert in such a harsh environment?
4800 meters, 5100 meters, 5400 meters…
When Ling Han reached a depth of 6000 meters, the surroundings suddenly became brighter. This luminance was given off by the fish in the sea. To Ling Han’s surprise, their scales were actually able to emit light. When they swam in schools, they would be able to illuminate the entire s.p.a.ce around them.
‘What a dazzling sight.’
7500 meters, 8400 meters…
After reaching this depth, Ling Han’s G.o.dly bones were finally unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure, and he had to channel his Origin Power to push back against the pressure. However, his Origin Power was being drained at a rapid rate. He retrieved a True Origin Stone and absorbed its energy as he continued to resist the pressure.
9000 meters!
Ling Han finally reached the seabed. The seabed wasn’t flat, instead looking like a hilly range that was full of rises and falls. Like the fish from before, there were numerous stones that emitted light and illuminated the sea.
This was a beautiful world, and if it weren’t for the crus.h.i.+ng pressure, Ling Han would really have loved to bring Shui Yanyu out to enjoy the stunning scenery together.
It was a pity that Shui Yanyu didn’t have a st.u.r.dy physique like him. Moreover, she was only at the peak stage of the low extreme, meaning that she wouldn’t be able to withstand the devastating pressure of the sea anyway. If she came out, she would instantly be crushed into pulp.
In the distance, there was a radiant glow that could be seen clearly even from very far away.
That was the Sun Moon Tier abode.
Ling Han barely hesitated before swimming toward the column of light.
As for the jade box, he could only leave that to luck.
After all, the two elites at the Heavenly Body Tier had come down before him. With their powerful abilities, they had definitely examined this area several times already. If the jade box had landed here, they would have already found it. Thus, he could only leave this to fate. Perhaps the heavens would favor him and make the jade box appear before his feet?
He walked forward with great difficulty. His speed had fallen drastically after he arrived on the seabed, and if others saw him, his rigid and clumsy movements would surely elicit their laughter.
He advanced slowly. If he were on the surface of the sea, he would have been able to cover this distance in a mere 10 minutes. Now, however, he had to spend almost half a day. Finally, an expanse of ruins appeared before him, one of its corners radiating with a dazzling light.
‘This is probably a mountain gate.’
He could clearly tell that this place used to be a mountain. However, half of the mountain peak had already been sliced off. Meanwhile, most of the mountain had also sunken into the seabed. As a result, only a small portion of the mountain remained sitting in the water.
A stone pillar that measured at least 30 meters in thickness and 300 meters in height stood at the waist of the mountain. This stone pillar was the source of the dazzling column of light.
There was a cave entrance next to the stone pillar, and there was also some dim light radiating from within it. However, the light from the cave entrance appeared extremely insignificant when contrasted against the brilliant and piercing light from the stone pillar.
Ling Han swam over and tried to enter the cave to explore it. However, a strong current suddenly surged over as a gigantic shark appeared before him. Rings of golden-veined patterns decorated the shark’s colossal body.
This was a Golden-patterned Shark, a Demonic Beast at the consummate level of the Mountain River Tier!
Surprisingly, a contemptuous smile tugged at the Golden-patterned Shark’s lips as it discovered Ling Han. After reaching the Mountain River Tier, Demonic Beasts would have naturally developed intelligence already. In the shark’s eyes, Ling Han was so weak that he was almost insignificant.
However, the shark still swished its tail and shot toward Ling Han like an arrow, opening its mouth to bite as it did so.
There was a loud snapping sound as it snapped its mouth shut. However, a confused look instantly appeared on its face. For some reason, it hadn’t been able to bite into anything.
The miniscule human had disappeared!
The shark scanned its surroundings, yet it eventually gave up on its search. Instead, it swam toward the cave entrance.
It had also been drawn here by the dazzling column of light. However, the clash between the two Heavenly Body Tier elites just then had caused it to almost wet itself, so it hadn’t dared venture over. Only after the two auras had disappeared for a long time did it dare swim back to this place.
There were several other beings that had the same mindset as the shark. Glancing around, one could see that a turtle, crab, seahorse, and octopus had also appeared in the surroundings.
These Demonic Beasts were all of similar strength. Thus, they didn’t engage in battle, instead conversing using their divine sense after facing off for a short while. They then entered the cave one by one.
“Huh?” the Demonic Beasts all exclaimed in astonishment when they arrived inside the cave. They discovered that the cave wasn’t filled with water, but was a dry s.p.a.ce instead!