211: Chapter 210, Level 3

The seaweed forest grew denser, and the light grew dimmer.

The lurking giant monsters also increased in number.

Iron-Armored Demonic Octopus, Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark, Stinging Jellyfish, Blood-Eyed Demonic Eel—

One after another, they swarmed from all directions.

Jiang Hanzhou did not retreat.

He gripped the tiger soul saber and met them head-on.

An Iron-Armored Demonic Octopus lunged from the left, its eight tentacles like eight giant pythons, whipping at him frantically!

He spun around and slashed out!

On the blade, a brilliant golden light suddenly lit up!

Golden Sharpness True Intent, Second Stage.

The moment the light infused the edge, an extremely fine golden edge faintly emerged at the tip of the tiger soul saber.

That edge flashed and vanished.

A single slash fell.

A tentacle of that Iron-Armored Demonic Octopus was severed instantly!

The cut was as smooth as a mirror, more than twice as fast as the previous strike.

With the enhancement of Golden Sharpness True Intent, the blade's armor-piercing ability increased by at least thirty percent.

The demonic octopus shrieked, and its remaining seven tentacles whipped toward him even more frantically!

Instead of retreating, Jiang Hanzhou advanced, his figure moving through the seaweed forest as swiftly as the wind!

One slash, another slash, and one more!

Seven slashes were dealt, and all seven tentacles were severed!

Only the bare body of the demonic octopus remained, rolling frantically on the ground, no longer posing any threat.

He stepped forward and thrust his blade into its head, ending its life.

Monster core, collected.

Just as he tucked away the monster core, a Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark lunged from behind!

The shark was fifty feet long, opening its bloody maw, its rows of fangs gleaming with a cold, sinister light in the gloom!

It bit down hard toward his back!

Jiang Hanzhou did not look back.

He simply had a slight thought.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Heart Blade vibrated gently.

An invisible pressure erupted violently from within his body!

Dragon Might!

That essential suppression originating from the Dragon Clan instantly swept across the entire sea area!

The moment the lunging Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark was swept by this Dragon Might—

Its body suddenly froze!

A trace of unmistakable fear flashed through those eyes that were originally crazed and bloodthirsty!

It was an instinctive fear from the depths of its Bloodline.

Its body trembled, its movements hesitated, and its bloody maw stopped abruptly just three feet away from Jiang Hanzhou's back.

It wanted to flee.

But it was too late.

Jiang Hanzhou turned around and slashed down!

At the blade's edge, the golden radiance lit up once more!

With a single slash, the head of that Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark was severed!

Blood gushed out, staining the surrounding seawater red.

He raised his hand with a beckoning motion, and the shark's monster core flew into his palm.

He put away the monster core and continued forward.

His pace grew faster and faster.

—

Five hundred yards ahead, Zhao Yuanjing's expression began to change.

He sensed it.

He sensed the aura getting closer and closer behind him.

That aura was fierce and domineering, carrying an indescribable pressure, closing the distance between them at an alarming speed.

"How is this possible..." He gritted his teeth. "How can he be so fast? Could those giant beasts not kill him?"

He looked back.

Through the dense seaweed leaves, a dark-gold figure could be faintly seen darting through the forest.

Wherever that figure passed, the giant monsters that lunged frantically fell one after another.

Some had their heads severed by a single slash, some were burned to ashes by crimson-gold flames, and some even froze in place for no apparent reason before they could even get close, leaving them at his mercy.

Zhao Yuanjing's pupils contracted slightly.

He suddenly remembered the scene on Black Stone Island—the image of those hundreds of Blood Puppets kneeling before Jiang Hanzhou.

That Dragon Might.

That suffocating suppression.

He took a deep breath, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

No.

I can't let him catch up.

He bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the water repelling pearl.

The water repelling pearl shook violently, and the pale blue light around it suddenly surged!

An invisible power surged from the pearl, merging into the surrounding seawater.

He closed his eyes and began to manipulate it.

Under the guidance of his will, the seawater flowed slowly, forming fine undercurrents.

Those undercurrents moved silently toward Jiang Hanzhou's direction.

—

Jiang Hanzhou was speeding forward.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the extraordinary perception from his Late Bloomer fate faintly captured something unusual.

The surrounding seawater was flowing abnormally.

Those undercurrents were too regular.

They weren't naturally formed currents, but a controlled power.

He stopped his pace, closed his eyes, and sensed carefully.

Three breaths later, he opened his eyes.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Zhao Yuanjing.

He was manipulating the seawater, trying to interfere with him.

On the surface, those undercurrents seemed like ordinary currents, but they contained the unique aura of the water repelling pearl—a power that was soft, dense, yet hidden with killing intent.

If entangled by those undercurrents, his movements would surely be hindered.

Meanwhile, the giant monsters lurking around would take the opportunity to pounce.

Killing two birds with one stone.

Murder by a borrowed knife.

A faint smile slowly curled on Jiang Hanzhou's lips.

"The methods of these noble clan disciples are truly..."

He didn't finish.

He just closed his eyes.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Heart Blade vibrated gently.

On the dark-gold blade, those dragon-like winding patterns suddenly lit up!

In the next instant—

An invisible blade light shot out from between his eyebrows!

That blade light was formless and intangible, without any sharpness or aura; with just a flash, it crossed hundreds of yards and slashed directly into Zhao Yuanjing's Sea of Consciousness!

Heart Blade, Soul Slash.

—

Zhao Yuanjing was closing his eyes, manipulating the water repelling pearl.

Suddenly—

BOOM!!!

An indescribable sharp pain exploded from deep within his Sea of Consciousness!

That pain was not physical, but a tearing from the depths of his Divine Soul!

It was as if countless invisible blades were frantically cutting, churning, and tearing within his Sea of Consciousness!

His face instantly contorted!

His body shuddered violently!

He opened his eyes, which were bloodshot, and let out a shrill scream!

His control over the water repelling pearl was instantly severed!

Those undercurrents surging toward Jiang Hanzhou lost control and collapsed violently!

He clutched his head and rolled frantically in the seaweed forest, snapping countless seaweed leaves!

Five hundred yards away, Jiang Hanzhou opened his eyes.

He sensed it.

He sensed Zhao Yuanjing's instantly collapsed Divine Soul.

The first strike after the Heart Blade reached Minor Achievement had an unexpectedly good effect.

Although it was only a momentary strike, and although it only caused Zhao Yuanjing to lose focus briefly, for the current situation—

It was enough.

He raised his right hand and gave a gentle wave forward.

Tidal True Intent, Second Stage.

An invisible pulling force surged from his palm, merging into the surrounding seawater.

Under the guidance of his will, the seawater flowed slowly, forming a gentle undercurrent.

The undercurrent surged toward the left, precisely wrapping around a Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark that had just been intimidated by the Dragon Might and was hesitating whether to pounce.

The shark was carried by the undercurrent, drifting forward despite itself.

The direction it drifted was exactly where Zhao Yuanjing was located.

—

Zhao Yuanjing had just recovered from the intense pain in his Divine Soul and was struggling to stand up.

Suddenly, he sensed a terrifying aura approaching.

He looked up abruptly.

A fifty-foot-long Sea-Cleaving Mad Shark was opening its bloody maw and lunging at him fiercely!

"No—!!!"

He had no time to dodge and could only desperately circulate his True Qi, pushing his hands forward!

A pale blue palm print surged from his palm, striking the shark's head hard!

"BOOM—!"

The shark's head was knocked aside by the palm, but its massive body still crashed into him!

He was sent flying a hundred feet, snapping countless seaweed leaves before slamming heavily onto the ground!

A mouthful of blood sprayed out!

The shark stabilized itself and lunged at him again!

He gritted his teeth and rolled awkwardly to dodge, desperately trying to activate the water repelling pearl while rolling to stabilize himself—

But the power of the water repelling pearl was now in total disarray due to the damage to his Divine Soul, making it impossible to use properly.

He could only flee miserably, shouting hoarsely as he ran:

"Jiang Hanzhou—!!! I will never rest until you are dead—!!!"

—

Five hundred yards away, Jiang Hanzhou withdraws his gaze.

He paid no more attention to Zhao Yuanjing.

He simply turned around and darted toward the depths of the seaweed forest.

Behind him, Zhao Yuanjing's roars grew further and weaker.

Ahead, that dark seaweed forest gradually reached its end.

Through the sparse seaweed leaves, a more open seabed plain could be faintly seen.

In the center of the plain, a massive, dilapidated palace stood silently.

Dragon Palace Ruins.

The end of the Dragon Gate Trial.

He took a deep breath and quickened his pace.