30: Chapter 30 Azure Water Mystery

Exploration quietly unfolded on the white square.

Array Master Zhao and Mechanism Master Qian circled the massive Bishui Palace archway, carefully inspecting every rune and crack, attempting to find clues or portals to deeper areas.

Beast Master Sun released several spirit insects adept at scouting, which fluttered over the square's ground and through the air.

Poison Master Zhou used various tools to collect samples of air and sand, analyzing them for toxins or anomalies.

The others dispersed, vigilantly guarding the surroundings, especially the eerily calm deep blue water.

Lin Wan sat cross-legged on a piece of jade at the edge of the square.

On the surface, he was regulating his breath, but in reality, he had pushed his Five Elements Spirit Body's perception to the limit, silently observing everything around him.

The deep blue water gave him an extremely dangerous feeling; it was definitely not a safe place.

His Divine Sense could not penetrate it, indicating powerful Restrictions beneath, or... some kind of living creature.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, how are your injuries?" Feng Yushu walked over, holding a small jade bottle, and asked with concern, "This is the Feng Family's secret 'Mysterious Origin Life-Prolonging Pill,' which has miraculous effects on internal injuries and depletion. You saved us from danger just now; please accept this pill as a small token of my gratitude."

Lin Wan opened his eyes and did not refuse, taking the jade bottle: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Feng."

He indeed needed a better Medicinal Pill.

The Mysterious Origin Life-Prolonging Pill was a Tier 4 Low Grade Medicinal Pill, of considerable value, and it was exactly what he needed for his current injuries.

"You are too polite, Fellow Daoist. Without you, we would have been buried in the turtle's belly," Feng Yushu said sincerely, then looked at the archway and frowned, "Array Master Zhao and Mechanism Master Qian have been checking for a long while. This archway seems to be just a marker, without any portal or teleportation capability. Could it be that the passage into the interior of Bishui Palace is within that water?"

"There is likely great danger within the water," Lin Wan said slowly. "My Divine Sense cannot penetrate underwater, and that water carries an extremely heavy cold Qi; it is unusual."

Feng Yushu nodded: "I felt it too. But the reaction from the bishui token indeed points to the depths of the water. It seems we cannot avoid it. We must find a way to investigate the situation at the bottom of the water."

Just then, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Liu, who had gone to investigate the edge of the water, suddenly let out an exclamation: "There is something here!"

Everyone looked over upon hearing the sound.

They saw Cultivator Liu squatting at the boundary between the square and the water, carefully digging out an object from the soft white sand—it was palm-sized, entirely dark blue, shaped like a scale, and possessed natural water patterns on its surface.

"This is... a scale from some kind of Yao Beast? Such heavy cold Qi!" Cultivator Liu picked up the scale; it felt ice-cold to the touch, and the water patterns on it seemed to be slowly flowing.

"It is a reverse scale of a 'Bishui Mysterious Octopus'!" Poison Master Zhou hurried forward, observing it closely, his expression changing slightly.

"The Bishui Mysterious Octopus is a deep-sea variant, possessing a trace of ancient Mysterious Turtle Bloodline. It favors cold, Yin environments. Adults are Tier 3, and some even reach Tier 4. Its reverse scale is a top-tier Materials for refining water-attributed Magic Treasure and can also be used to set up ice-cold type Formations. But for this scale to have fallen off, it means there is a Bishui Mysterious Octopus active nearby, and it... is likely injured, or currently in some special state."

"Bishui Mysterious Octopus? Could the Bishui Mysterious Turtle outside just now be its companion Yao Beast, or of the same clan?" Feng Yushu's expression was grave.

A Peak Tier 3 Mysterious Turtle had almost wiped them all out; if there was an even more powerful Mysterious Octopus under the water...

"No, the Bishui Mysterious Octopus and the Bishui Mysterious Turtle are not of the same clan; on the contrary, they are natural enemies, often fighting over water mansions and spiritual items. Since this place has a Mysterious Turtle guarding the outer Formation gate, and there are remnants of a Mysterious Octopus reverse scale... I fear this stretch of water is not peaceful," Poison Master Zhou analyzed.

As soon as he finished speaking, that calm deep blue water suddenly rippled without warning!

Immediately after, the ripples expanded rapidly.

In the center, the water surface slowly bulged, as if some gargantuan creature was waking up underwater and slowly surfacing!

"Defensive Formation!" Feng Yushu shouted sharply.

Everyone instantly gathered, Magic Treasure in hand, staring nervously at the water surface.

The water surface bulged higher and higher.

With a splash, a massive, dark blue, smooth, glass-like, hideous head with dozens of thick tentacles broke through the water!

Above the head, two enormous, cold, ruthless dark golden vertical pupils locked onto the people on the square.

Its aura had remarkably reached the Peak of Tier 3, or even... faintly touched the threshold of Tier 4!

It was even more terrifying than the Bishui Mysterious Turtle outside!

It was indeed the Bishui Mysterious Octopus!

Moreover, judging by the several fresh, deep-to-the-bone, massive lacerations on its head, it seemed to have just experienced a brutal battle.

Pale blue, viscous blood was still flowing from the wounds, emitting an astonishing cold Qi.

"Roar—!"

The Bishui Mysterious Octopus let out a low, violent roar filled with pain and madness.

The dark golden vertical pupils swept over the crowd, lingering on Lin Wan for a moment (perhaps because of the residual five elements sword Intent on him, or the aura from having just clashed with the Mysterious Turtle).

Immediately, dozens of dark blue tentacles, ten zhang long and covered in suckers and barbs, lashed out like wild pythons emerging from their den, accompanied by piercing sonic booms and terrifying cold Qi, whipping and coiling toward the people on the square!

"Form up to defend!" Feng Yushu roared.

Having already practiced combined attack Formations, the group instantly formed a circular Formation, their Spiritual Qi interlinked to create a thick, defensive light barrier.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

The tentacles struck the light barrier, emitting muffled, booming sounds.

The barrier fluctuated violently, and an ice-cold, bone-chilling aura traveled through the barrier, causing everyone's Spiritual Qi circulation to become sluggish.

Even more terrifying was that the suckers on those tentacles could absorb and devour the Spiritual Qi of the barrier, causing it to dim rapidly.

"This beast is heavily injured; its strength is not at its Peak! Attack its wounds and eyes with everything you have!" Feng Yushu saw the clue, waved his folding fan again, and streaks of ice cones and water arrows shot toward the wounds on the Octopus's head.

The others also attacked one after another, the light of Spells and Magic Treasure flashing chaotically.

However, although the Bishui Mysterious Octopus was injured, its defense was still terrifying.

Most attacks landed on its smooth skin, leaving only shallow marks.

Only a few attacks hit the wounds, causing it to let out painful roars, making its offensive even more frantic.

One tentacle suddenly coiled around a Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Wang (not of the Feng Family, but a recruited Loose Cultivator) who couldn't dodge in time, and instantly tightened!

The Cultivator's protective spiritual light shattered like bubbles.

Before he could even scream, his bones were crushed, blood sprayed wildly, and it was clear he would not survive.

"Fellow Daoist Wang!" Everyone's eyes were bloodshot, but they were powerless to rescue him.

The Octopus flicked its tentacle, tossing the corpse into its mouth.

The giant mouth chewed, making a hair-raising sound.

In the dark golden vertical pupils, the cruelty and greed grew even stronger.

"This won't work! Its defense is too strong; we can't break through! If this continues, we will be picked off one by one!" Mechanism Master Qian said anxiously.

The several mechanical beasts he had released had already been easily smashed by the tentacles.

"Use Talismans! Use one-time Magic Treasure!" Feng Yushu gritted his teeth.

Too concerned to feel the heartache, he took out several glowing Tier 3 Talismans, preparing to activate them.

Just then, Lin Wan, who had been sitting cross-legged regulating his breath, slowly stood up.

His face was still pale, and his aura was unstable, but his eyes had returned to a calm, deep state, with sword light faintly flowing within them.

"Fellow Daoist Feng, everyone, buy me ten breaths of time. I will break its defense." Lin Wan spoke calmly; his voice was not loud, but it clearly entered everyone's ears.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, your injuries..." Feng Yushu looked at Lin Wan, his eyes filled with both anticipation and worry.

Lin Wan had been nearly exhausted just a moment ago; could he still attack now?

"It is fine. Ten breaths." Lin Wan said no more and slowly raised the five elements sword in his hand.

The sword body was dim, but as he injected his Spiritual Qi, the five subtle sword patterns on the blade began to light up slowly again, though the light was weak, far inferior to before.

"Good! Buy ten breaths for Fellow Daoist Lin!" Feng Yushu gritted his teeth and shouted to the group, "Spare no cost, entangle it!"

After saying this, he was the first to activate those Tier 3 Talismans in his hand, which transformed into several thick streaks of lightning and fire snakes, booming toward the Octopus's head to attract its attention.

The others also took out their trump card one-time attack methods or performed secret techniques, attacking and harassing frantically regardless of Spiritual Qi consumption.

The Bishui Mysterious Octopus was caught off guard by this sudden outburst.

It waved its tentacles, blocking most of the attacks.

The cruelty in its dark golden vertical pupils intensified, staring fixedly at Feng Yushu and the others, temporarily ignoring the weakly-auras Lin Wan.

Ten breaths passed in a flash.

Lin Wan took a deep breath, squeezing out the last trace of Dan Yuan he had just recovered, along with the medicinal power dissolved from the Mysterious Origin Life-Prolonging Pill, and the last trace of the Origin from the water-fire jade marrow, injecting them all madly into the five elements sword.

On the sword body, five-colored radiance flowed again, but it was no longer the chaotic dark gold from before; instead, it presented a strange color of ash, as if it were about to be extinguished.

That was a sign that he was forcibly squeezing his Origin, nearing the exhaustion of his strength.

He slowly raised the five elements sword, the tip pointing from afar at the deepest, still-bleeding lacerations on the Bishui Mysterious Octopus's head.

His gaze pierced through the frantically waving tentacles and locked onto the weak, yet unusually active, fluctuation deep within the wound that belonged to the Octopus's life core.

During the battle with the Bishui Mysterious Turtle just now, he had grasped a glimmer of the "Five Elements Returning to Ruins" Sword Intent—a sword strike that fused Five Elements Annihilation and rotation returning to the source.

Now, facing this Bishui Mysterious Octopus with defense even superior to the Mysterious Turtle, conventional methods were useless.

Only by unleashing that sword strike of Annihilation and Returning to Ruins again, and attacking its vital point, its weakness, could he succeed.

"Five... Elements... Annihilation... Returning to Ruins..."

Lin Wan murmured in his heart.

His aura instantly became ethereal and empty, as if he had merged with the chaotic Five Elements Spiritual Qi around him, or as if he were about to dissipate completely.

The ash-like color on the five elements sword in his hand suddenly restrained itself, transforming into a gray, hair-thin sword mark that seemed not to exist in the present world, yet radiated the Dao rhyme of the end of all things, of everything returning to ruins... a Void sword mark.

This strike was more condensed, purer, and more... dangerous than the one he had slashed at the Mysterious Turtle earlier.

Because it had almost drained all the power Lin Wan could currently mobilize, including the embryonic form of his weak five elements sword Intent, his final understanding of the water-fire spiritual items, and even a wisp of his Origin vitality that he had forcibly squeezed out.

The price might be that his injuries, which had just stabilized and even slightly improved, would deteriorate again, his Foundation would be completely shaken, and he might even... face the danger of falling on the spot.

But he had no choice.

If he did not slay this Octopus, everyone would die.

Moreover, he faintly felt that the wounds on this Bishui Mysterious Octopus seemed to have been... caused by some sharp, overbearing power that carried the aura of tearing the Void.

On the edge of those wounds, there remained a trace of a extremely subtle, yet made the void five elements token in his embrace tremble slightly... spatial fluctuation!

Could it be that the one who injured this Octopus was another holder of a "void five elements token"? Or was it some kind of Restriction or existence related to the void five elements token within this Bishui Palace ruin?

Thoughts flashed, and the Sword Intent had reached its Peak.

"Slash."

A soft drink, like a sigh.

That gray, void sword mark shot out quietly from the tip of the five elements sword.

There was no sound, no light, and it did not even cause the slightest fluctuation in Spiritual Qi, as if it were just an illusion.

It was not fast, but it strangely passed through the gaps of the tentacles waving across the sky, ignoring the slippery and tough skin defense on the Octopus's body.

Like a fish returning to the sea, it accurately and precisely submerged into the deepest laceration on the Octopus's head, following the wound to pierce directly into where its life core resided!

The Bishui Mysterious Octopus's frantically waving tentacles suddenly froze.

The cruel and violent expression in its dark golden vertical pupils solidified instantly, only to be replaced by an unbelievable terror and confusion.

It could not feel pain, nor could it feel the existence of that sword mark, but it could clearly feel that its own massive vitality, its powerful Divine Soul core, was rapidly... annihilating and returning to ruins in a way it could not understand or prevent.

"Pop..."

A sound, slight to the extreme, like a bubble bursting, echoed within the Octopus's body.

The next moment, the Bishui Mysterious Octopus's massive body twitched violently.

The light in its dark golden vertical pupils dimmed rapidly, and dozens of tentacles hung down powerlessly, slapping against the water surface and splashing up large amounts of water.

The terrifying wound on its head suddenly expanded, and a strange, gray energy carrying the aura of deathly silence erupted from within the wound.

Wherever it passed, flesh, bone, and even the pure water-attributed Yao power within its body collapsed, disintegrated, and dissipated like a sand tower, turning into the most primitive, chaotic Spiritual Qi particles, returning to the heavens and earth.

In less than three breaths, this Bishui Mysterious Octopus, with its monstrous ferocity and strength comparable to a Golden Core Great Perfection, completely lost all signs of life.

Its massive body, like a deflated skin bag, collapsed limply onto the water's surface and began to sink slowly.

Only at the wound did that heart-palpitating aura of Five Elements Returning to Ruins remain.

It was dead.

One sword strike, Five Elements Returning to Ruins, had slain a Tier 3 Peak Bishui Mysterious Octopus!

The entire scene fell into dead silence.

Everyone stared blankly at the slowly sinking corpse of the Bishui Mysterious Octopus, then looked towards the edge of the plaza at that figure in green robes, who was leaning on a sword for support, swaying, with a face pale as paper and an aura so weak it was almost imperceptible, as if he might vanish with the wind at any moment.

Their eyes were filled with incomparable shock, awe, and... a trace of fear.

What kind of sword technique was this? What kind of Divine Ability was this? How could it so bizarrely and domineeringly slay a Tier 3 Peak Yao Beast with terrifying defense and tenacious vitality?

Just who exactly was this Fellow Daoist Lin?!

Feng Yushu was the first to react.

Suppressing the monstrous waves in his heart, he hurriedly stepped forward, wanting to support Lin Wan: "Fellow Daoist Lin! How are you?"

"It is nothing... cough..." Lin Wan waved his hand, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood with the color of ash, his aura becoming even more withered.

He managed to stand steady and said to Feng Yushu, "Quickly... take the Yao Beast core, the reverse scale, and... the trace of special aura remaining at its wound... collect it... it is useful..."

After saying this, he could no longer hold on; his vision went black, and he collapsed limply.

Feng Yushu hurriedly caught him, discovering that Lin Wan had completely lost consciousness.

His breathing was weak, and the condition inside his body was extremely dire, like an oil lamp that could be extinguished at any moment.

"Quick! The best Medicinal Pill! Protect Fellow Daoist Lin's heart meridian!" Feng Yushu said urgently.

He personally fed several precious Medicinal Pills into Lin Wan's mouth and used his own gentle water-element spiritual power to carefully guide the medicinal efficacy for Lin Wan, protecting his heart meridian and Divine Soul.

Others also hurriedly stepped forward to help.

The way they looked at Lin Wan was now as if they were looking at a Divine Being.

After this battle, Lin Wan's status in this team was unshakable, even faintly surpassing Feng Yushu, the organizer.

Array Master Zhao and the mechanical specialist Qian took a few people to carefully deal with the corpse of the Bishui Mysterious Octopus.

The Yao Beast core, the reverse scale, and some valuable Materials naturally had to be taken.

As for the "special aura" at the wound that Lin Wan had specifically instructed them about, Array Master Zhao used a special vessel to collect a trace of gray, barely perceptible energy that carried strange spatial fluctuations, sealing it away carefully.

An hour later, with the help of the Medicinal Pill and the spiritual power guided by everyone, Lin Wan slowly woke up.

Although still weak, his injuries had finally stabilized and were not deteriorating further.

However, the loss to his Foundation seemed even more severe; his gray-white hair had gained a few more strands.

His Lifespan had likely been depleted even more.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, how are you feeling?" Feng Yushu asked with concern, handing the collected Yao Beast core of the Bishui Mysterious Octopus, the reverse scale, and the jade bottle containing the gray aura to Lin Wan.

"The things you wanted are all here.

The Yao Beast core and the reverse scale should rightfully belong to you.

This wisp of aura is very strange; it seems to contain a trace of... spatial power?"

Lin Wan took the jade bottle and probed it with his Divine Sense.

Feeling the faint gray aura within—which caused the void five elements token in his embrace to resonate clearly—he was shaken.

As expected! This aura was of the same Origin as the void five elements token!

Although it was extremely thin, it was undoubtedly so!

The one who injured this Bishui Mysterious Octopus was either the holder of another void five elements token, or... deep within these Bishui Palace ruins, there existed something related to the void five elements token, and its dissipated power had wounded the Bishui Mysterious Octopus.

"This item is indeed useful to me, so I will shamelessly accept it.

As for the Yao Beast core and the reverse scale, Fellow Daoist Feng, you and the others should divide them; I dare not monopolize them."

Lin Wan pushed the Yao Beast core and reverse scale back.

What he needed were clues about the void five elements token; these Materials were of little use to him now, so it was better to use them to win people over.

"How can this be? The Bishui Mysterious Octopus was slain by you alone..." Feng Yushu declined.

"If not for everyone's containment, I would have had no opportunity to attack.

Moreover, the exploration has only just begun, and I will still need to rely on everyone later.

Accept it." Lin Wan insisted.

Seeing that Lin Wan's attitude was firm, Feng Yushu no longer declined.

He put away the Yao Beast core and the reverse scale, preparing to distribute them later, and his evaluation of Lin Wan rose even higher in his heart.

With formidable strength, yet not greedy for credit, and knowing how to make trade-offs, this person was definitely not someone who would remain in a small pond.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, the Bishui Mysterious Octopus has been eliminated, but there may be other dangers beneath the water.

How should we proceed next?" Feng Yushu asked, his posture implicitly treating Lin Wan as the backbone of the group.

Lin Wan adjusted his breathing for a moment and looked at the deep blue water.

The corpse of the Bishui Mysterious Octopus had sunk to the bottom, and the water surface had returned to calm, but that strange cold air and the property of blocking Divine Sense still existed.

"The bishui token's sensing points toward the depths of the water.

The Bishui Mysterious Octopus being here might be to guard the entrance, or... its lair is somewhere underwater," Lin Wan pondered.

"The aura remaining at the wound of the Bishui Mysterious Octopus just now is somewhat strange and may be related to the core of the ruins.

We need to go underwater to investigate.

But this water is bizarre; we need to be prepared."

"My Feng Family brought several sets of 'Water-Repelling Beads,' which can form a water-repelling light shield that lasts for an hour.

But the cold air in this water is extremely heavy, and it has the effect of blocking Divine Sense; the water-repelling light shield may not be able to completely block it," Feng Yushu said.

"It is fine.

I am slightly proficient in the water element and can guide everyone and resist part of the cold air.

But the situation underwater is unclear; someone needs to scout the path ahead," Lin Wan said.

His Five Elements Spirit Body had a keen sensitivity to the water element, and with the guidance of the bishui token, he was indeed the best candidate.

"I will go!" Black Shark volunteered.

He had been implanted with a Restriction by Lin Wan, and his life and death were in the other's hands, so he naturally had to perform.

Moreover, he had made a living at sea for many years, had excellent swimming skills, possessed Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, was thick-skinned, and was suitable for scouting.

"I will go too," said the Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Liu.

He had just received a Magical Artifact gifted by Lin Wan and felt grateful.

"Good, Fellow Daoist Liu, Black Shark, come with me to enter the water first to scout the path.

Fellow Daoist Feng, you lead the others to stay behind to respond and be ready to support at any time.

Fellow Daoist Zhao, you set up a reception and early warning Formation on the water surface," Lin Wan arranged.

Everyone had no objections and quickly prepared.

Lin Wan took a few Medicinal Pills, barely restoring a trace of spiritual power, put the Water-Repelling Bead in his mouth (which could form a close-fitting water-repelling shield), held the five elements sword, and was the first to step into the deep blue water.

An ice-cold, bone-chilling coldness instantly penetrated the water-repelling shield, making Lin Wan shiver.

The temperature of this water was unimaginably low, and it contained a strange, yin-cold power capable of freezing spiritual power.

The light of the water-repelling shield dimmed by thirty percent the moment he entered the water.

Cultivator Liu and Black Shark followed closely behind.

A layer of black light appeared on Black Shark's body, as if he had cultivated some kind of Body Refining technique, and he had a strong resistance to the cold air.

Cultivator Liu sacrificed a small fiery-red shield, which emitted warmth to dispel the cold.

The three descended slowly.

It was dark underwater, with only the faint light emitted by the water-repelling shield illuminating the surrounding few zhang.

The water was clear, but no fish, shrimp, or water plants could be seen; it was terrifyingly dead silent.

Divine Sense was suppressed to the limit here, and Lin Wan could only barely sense movements within ten zhang.

After descending about one hundred zhang, the surrounding pressure increased greatly, and the cold air became even more intense.

The water-repelling light shield had shrunk to a size that could only accommodate one person, and its light was flickering, clearly unable to hold on for much longer.

"Senior Lin, there is light over there!" Black Shark suddenly transmitted his voice, pointing to the lower left.

Lin Wan focused his eyes and looked.

Sure enough, in the darkness deeper below, there was faintly a weak, azure halo, slowly flickering.

The bishui token's sensing also pointed there.

"Approach carefully," Lin Wan transmitted.

The three adjusted their direction and dived towards the blue light.

After descending another few dozen zhang, the blue light became clearer and clearer.

It seemed to be an arched light gate embedded in the steep underwater mountain wall, about three zhang high and one zhang wide!

The light gate was azure, with water waves flowing on its surface, emitting a dense, pure, yet ancient-feeling water-element spiritual power.

Inside the light gate, it was hazy and could not be seen clearly.

And on the seabed sand not far in front of the light gate, some huge, metallic-lustered... wreckage was scattered?

It seemed to be fragments of some giant Puppet or architectural components.

The fragments were covered in intense battle marks, including claw marks, scorch marks, and even... smooth fractures as if cut by a sharp blade.

At the fractures, weak spatial fluctuations similar to those at the Bishui Mysterious Octopus's wound remained.

"These are battle marks! Very fresh!

Besides the Bishui Mysterious Octopus, others, or... other things, have fought here!" Cultivator Liu exclaimed.

Lin Wan swam close to the fragments and observed them carefully.

The material of the fragments was neither metal nor jade and was extremely tough, yet it had still been destroyed so thoroughly.

The other party in the battle must have had terrifying strength.

The void five elements token in his embrace trembled even more violently here, almost wanting to break out of his body.

And the bishui token produced a strong resonance with the azure light gate.

It seemed that this light gate was the entrance to the true interior of the Bishui Palace.

The battle marks and the resonance of the void five elements token indicated that there might be greater secrets behind the door, or perhaps... unknown dangers.

"Senior Lin, should we go in?" Black Shark asked, looking at the deep light gate, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes.

Lin Wan stared at the light gate, then looked at the trembling bishui token and void five elements token in his hands, pondered for a moment, and said to Cultivator Liu: "Fellow Daoist Liu, you go back to notify Fellow Daoist Feng and have him bring people down to meet here.

Black Shark and I will go in first to take a look."

"Senior Lin, the situation inside is unclear, and your injuries have not yet healed; it would be better to wait for everyone to be together..." Cultivator Liu said worriedly.

"It is fine; I have the bishui token and can remain safe for a while.

You go and return quickly." Lin Wan waved his hand.

He had to go in first to confirm some things, especially the sensing of the void five elements token.

Cultivator Liu said no more and turned to dive upwards.

Lin Wan nodded to Black Shark; the two held their Magic Treasures, operated their spiritual power to the limit, and stepped into the azure light gate.

Light and shadow flowed, and space changed.

It was as if passing through a layer of viscous water film; the pressure around his body lightened, and the view before his eyes suddenly opened up.

It was not the underwater palace he had imagined, but a piece of... broken land floating in the endless Void Realm!

The land was not large, only a few li in circumference, and was entirely composed of a deep blue crystal, emitting a soft light that illuminated the surroundings.

On the land, pavilions, towers, palaces, and corridors were vaguely visible, but most were dilapidated, covered in cracks and traces of collapse.

Countless huge crystal fragments floated around the land, drifting slowly.

Further away was the deep, dark Void Realm dotted with countless stars.

This place seemed to be a small space fragment independent of the main world!

It was a part of the Bishui Palace that had been shattered during the catastrophe back then and drifted here.

And what shook Lin Wan's Divine Soul the most was that in the center of this broken land, in front of the relatively well-preserved, hundred-zhang-tall deep blue palace, stood an imposing ten-zhang-tall huge stone tablet, presenting a chaotic color throughout, with an ancient shape, and made of the exact same material as the token in Lin Wan's hand!

On the stone tablet, carved in ancient Five Elements Cloud Seal script, was a huge "Suppress" character, emitting an aura that suppressed the heavens and evolved the Five Elements!

And on the base of the stone tablet was inserted a broken sword, gray-white throughout, with an ancient shape, the blade covered in cracks, yet still emitting an aura that caused the void five elements token in Lin Wan's embrace to tremble and resonate crazily!

At the hilt of the broken sword, a partial mark, identical to the patterns on the void five elements token, was vaguely visible.

Could the third fragment of the void five elements token... actually be this broken sword inserted into the stone tablet?!

Or rather, was the core of the fragment inside this broken sword?!

At the same time, a terrifying Sword Intent that was vast, ancient, desolate, yet carried an unyielding Battle Intent, faintly radiated from the broken sword, shrouding the entire broken land.

The moment Lin Wan stepped into this place, the broken sword seemed to sense something, and the blade vibrated slightly.

"Hum——!"

A low sword hum, as if traversing endless years, sounded faintly in this silent, broken space.