41: Chapter 41 The Abyss of the Northern Sea

Three thousand miles southeast of the North Sea Market lies the outer warning line of the "Northern Nether Abyss." This place was already far from the hustle and bustle of the market; only eternal cold winds, floating ice, and the bottomless, ink-blue seawater that seemed capable of swallowing everything remained between heaven and earth. The sky was covered year-round by thick, lead-gray clouds through which sunlight could hardly penetrate, making this sea region appear dark and oppressive even during the day.

The Northern Nether Abyss was not a simple trench, but a vast, deep, and extremely complex sea region filled with unknown dangers. In its core area, the water depth exceeded a hundred thousand zhang, and the water pressure was so immense that it could easily crush the protective spiritual light of ordinary Golden Core Cultivators. Even deeper down, it was said to connect to the most yin places of the earth veins, and even lead to rifts of the legendary "Netherworld" or "Guixu," filled with bizarre, icy-cold power, chaotic spatial turbulences, and wandering, terrifying sea beasts that had adapted to the extreme environment. Even the overlords of the Northern Plains, the Ice Soul Palace and the Xuanming Sect, only understood the outer and middle layers of the Northern Nether Abyss; they kept silent about its true core, regarding it as a Forbidden Ground.

After Lin Wan left the North Sea Market, he did not choose a large cloud vessel or join a caravan, as that would make him too big of a target and easily attract the attention of the Ice Soul Palace. In the outer area of the harbor, he spent a considerable amount of Spirit Stones to secretly purchase a secondhand "Black Ice Shuttle" with a sturdy structure and basic concealment and ice-breaking Formations. This shuttle was shaped like a slender icicle, about three zhang long, and forged entirely from a certain dark blue ice-iron. It could submerge several hundred zhang underwater, had decent speed, and could withstand strong water pressure and ice collisions, making it a commonly used small vehicle for exploring the outer reaches of the Northern Nether Abyss.

Driving the Black Ice Shuttle, he followed the guidance of the "Northern Nether Sea Map," avoiding the routine patrol routes of the Ice Soul Palace and several known dangerous areas, quietly sailing into the outer reaches of the abyss.

As soon as he entered, he felt the difference of this place. The seawater became colder and more viscous, as if ten-thousand-year-old profound ice had melted. Even with the isolation of the Black Ice Shuttle's Formations, the bone-chilling cold still seeped in thread by thread. The underwater light was extremely weak, and he could only rely on the shuttle's illumination Formation to light up dozens of zhang ahead. His Divine Sense was also severely suppressed here, only able to extend about a hundred zhang before being blurred and disrupted by the heavy icy-cold power and water pressure.

According to the sea map markings, the location of the "suspected sunken silver ore vein" was situated in the middle layer of the outer abyss, near a deep-sea canyon named "Cold Flood Dragon Gorge," about five thousand zhang deep from the sea surface. The water pressure there was already extremely terrifying, and many powerful deep-sea Yao Beasts occupied the area.

Lin Wan controlled the Black Ice Shuttle, carefully diving deeper. Along the way, he encountered several waves of attacks. There were schools of "Ice-Toothed Needlefish" several zhang long with sharp teeth; "Cold-Poison Octopuses" that could spit paralyzing venom and whose tentacles could crush metal; and even a "Cold Abyss Horned Python" over ten zhang long, covered in greenish-black bone armor with a single horn on its head, whose Aura had reached the third-tier Middle Stage, equivalent to a Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivator. This python seemed to treat the Black Ice Shuttle as prey invading its territory, launching a bold attack.

Lin Wan did not wish to get entangled, so he activated the Black Ice Shuttle's concealment and acceleration Formations while using his Five Elements Returning to Ruins spiritual Qi to simulate the Aura of a more powerful deep-sea Yao Beast, attempting to scare the python away. However, this Cold Abyss Horned Python was extremely ferocious; instead of retreating, it became even more violent, condensing terrifying ice energy on its single horn and slamming fiercely into the Black Ice Shuttle.

Seeing that it was difficult to shake off, a cold light flashed in Lin Wan's eyes, and he no longer held back. Leaving the control seat, he came to the bow of the shuttle. Through the transparent crystal porthole, facing the ferocious python head rushing toward him, he brought his fingers together like a sword and pointed into the air.

"Guixu—Annihilation."

A gray, thread-thin void sword scar penetrated the porthole and the seawater, ignored the thick bone armor, and instantly sank into the center of the Cold Abyss Horned Python's brow.

The python's massive charging body suddenly froze, and the ice energy condensed on its horn dissipated silently. In its cold vertical pupils, the ferocious and violent light quickly dimmed, replaced by an unbelievable blankness and deathly silence. Immediately after, its massive body, as if drained of all vitality, began to sink slowly. Its surface was quickly covered with a layer of grayish ash color, and its flesh and bones seemed to rapidly weather and dissolve under some invisible force, finally turning into a cloud of gray dust that blended into the freezing seawater and vanished.

With a single sword strike, a third-tier Middle Stage Cold Abyss Horned Python was annihilated! He had not even used the actual guixu sword itself, merely unleashing a trace of Sword Intent fused with the power of the Void Realm and Guixu.

This was but a tip of the iceberg of his strength after reaching the Mid-stage Golden Core, initially fusing the Five Elements Returning to Ruins with the Void Realm Origin, and obtaining the imprint of the "Void Dao Seed." Against this kind of Yao Beast with low intelligence that relied entirely on its Physical Body and innate Divine Abilities, his Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent was a perfect counter.

Having dealt with the horned python, Lin Wan withdrew his finger, his face turning slightly pale. At this depth, executing Sword Intent consumed significantly more energy than on land. He delayed no further, controlling the Black Ice Shuttle to accelerate its descent.

After diving another two thousand zhang, the surroundings were in absolute darkness and silence, with only the illumination Formation of the Black Ice Shuttle emitting a faint glow. The water pressure had reached a shocking level; the hull of the Black Ice Shuttle groaned under the strain, and the light of its defensive Formation flickered unsteadily. Lin Wan had no choice but to continuously inject spiritual Qi to reinforce the Formation.

According to the sea map, the entrance to the "Cold Flood Dragon Gorge" should be just ahead. It was a deep and narrow rift located between two massive undersea mountain ranges. Rumor had it that a powerful Ice Flood Dragon Yao Beast once resided here, hence the name.

The Black Ice Shuttle was like a cautious fish, slowly sailing into the rift. The interior of the rift was even narrower, with steep rock walls on both sides covered in glowing moss and strange ice crystals. The markings on the sea map pointed to a naturally formed cave covered in a thick layer of ice on one of the rock walls deep within the rift.

Just as the Black Ice Shuttle approached the entrance of that cave and Lin Wan was preparing to carefully investigate with his Divine Sense, a sudden change occurred!

"Buzz—!"

The entire Cold Flood Dragon Gorge violently shook without warning! The ice crystals and glowing moss on the rock walls on both sides rustled and fell. The seawater surged frantically as if boiling, forming chaotic and powerful undercurrents that buffeted the Black Ice Shuttle from side to side, causing its Formations to fluctuate wildly.

Immediately after, a vast, ancient, cold, yet indescribably majestic and violent terrifying Aura—like a sleeping prehistoric behemoth awakening—burst forth from the depths of the cave, instantly sweeping through the entire canyon!

"Roar—!!!"

A low, deep Dragon roar, seemingly capable of freezing the Soul, echoed from the depths of the cave! The Dragon roar contained endless anger, pain, and... a trace of madness!

"Is this... an Ice Flood Dragon?! No, this Aura... is far beyond the third tier! Is it a fourth-tier, or even higher existence?!" Lin Wan's expression changed dramatically. The sea map did not mark any fourth-tier Yao Beasts here! Was the map wrong, or had this Yao Beast just awakened, or... had it wandered here from even deeper down?

Whatever the reason, at this moment, they had hit a steel wall! A fourth-tier Yao Beast was equivalent to the Nascent Soul Stage! Moreover, hearing the pain and madness in this Dragon roar, this Ice Flood Dragon's state seemed highly unstable and extremely aggressive!

"Retreat!" Without hesitation, Lin Wan immediately controlled the Black Ice Shuttle to shoot backward frantically, while pushing the concealment Formation to its limit, trying to blend into the surrounding darkness and chaotic undercurrents.

However, it was already too late.

The thick layer of ice covering the cave entrance exploded with a bang! A massive, terrifying claw covered in sparkling silver-blue scales, with five toes and tips gleaming with a faint blue cold light, tore through the seawater. Carrying an Aura that could freeze and shatter everything, it clawed fiercely toward the retreating Black Ice Shuttle!

Before the claw even arrived, the terrifying pressure and coldness had already caused the Black Ice Shuttle's defensive Formation to emit a wail on the brink of shattering. The surface of the shuttle was instantly covered in a thick layer of ice crystals flashing with runes, and its speed plummeted.

"Void—Substitution!"

At this critical juncture, Lin Wan once again activated the Void Dao Seed. Silver light flashed violently from between his brows, and a stream of pure spatial power enveloped the Black Ice Shuttle, attempting to "teleport" it away from its spot.

However, this spatial substitution encountered immense resistance! Under the influence of the Ice Flood Dragon's terrifying Aura and the Law of ice, the surrounding seawater seemed to freeze into an "ice cage" harder than refined iron, and space also became exceptionally viscous and heavy. The power of the Void Dao Seed actually could not tear through space as easily as before.

"Crack!"

The Black Ice Shuttle was teleported less than ten zhang away when that terrifying claw brushed past its stern! Wherever the wind of the claw passed, the seawater was plowed into five deep vacuum gullies that could not close for a long time. The rock walls on both sides cracked, and countless crushed stones mixed with ice crystals pelted down relentlessly toward the Black Ice Shuttle.

"Bang! Bang bang bang!"

The Black Ice Shuttle shook violently. Its stern was struck by the aftershock of the claw wind, and several deep dents and cracks instantly appeared on the hull. The light of the Formations flickered wildly, and several Formation bases let out overburdened explosions, completely destroyed. Freezing, bone-chilling seawater containing corrosive power instantly flooded in through the cracks!

"Damn it!" Lin Wan cursed inwardly, knowing the Black Ice Shuttle was no longer usable. Making a prompt decision, he slapped the control core with his palm, fully activating it to turn it into a violent propulsive force that shot the Black Ice Shuttle out like a cannonball in the direction opposite to the claw. At the same time, his figure flashed as he ejected from another emergency exit, plunging into the freezing seawater.

Without the protection of the Formations, the terrifying water pressure and icy coldness instantly squeezed from all directions. Lin Wan groaned softly, a layer of protective spiritual light—chaotic gray with a silver sheen—automatically surfacing on his body to barely withstand it. But that bone-chilling cold and immense pressure still made his Qi and blood churn, making movement difficult.

He looked back and saw that under the final thrust, the Black Ice Shuttle crashed into the distant rock wall, exploding violently into a ball of fire and fragments, which attracted the attention of the Ice Flood Dragon's claw. Meanwhile, from the depths of the cave, the massive, ferocious head of the Ice Flood Dragon, covered in silver-blue scales, had fully emerged. A pair of huge Dragon eyes, burning with eerie blue flames yet filled with confusion and pain, locked tightly onto him, the "intruder"!

This was a colossus over thirty zhang long! Its Aura had impressively reached the fourth-tier Middle Stage, equivalent to the Mid-stage Nascent Soul! Moreover, Lin Wan noticed that at the Ice Flood Dragon's neck, there was a massive, bone-deep, terrifying wound wrapped in bizarre black Qi. Silver-blue blood continuously seeped from the wound, emitting a decaying and evil Aura. It was precisely this wound that seemed to bring it immense pain, also affecting its mind and making it even more violent and mad.

"Is it an old wound? Or has it been corroded by some evil power?" Lin Wan's thoughts spun rapidly, but he had no time to think carefully at this moment. Facing an injured and mad fourth-tier Middle Stage Ice Flood Dragon, his only chance of survival was to flee! Or, exploit its wound and madness...

"Roar—!"

The Ice Flood Dragon roared in pain once more. With a swing of its massive head, a highly condensed "Xuanming Breath"—dark blue, almost black, and seemingly capable of freezing time and space—swept over overwhelmingly toward Lin Wan's position like the Heavenly River hanging upside down! Wherever the breath passed, the seawater instantly froze, forming a massive, continuously extending pillar of ice, and even space let out overburdened freezing sounds.

This strike covered too wide an area and was too fast to be evaded!

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins, Void Realm as Screen—Sword Domain, Open!"

A fierce look flashed in Lin Wan's eyes, and holding nothing back, he frantically activated the chaotic gray core essence within his body. The Void Dao Seed between his brows shone with brilliant silver light, and the Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent erupted with a bang! A strange "Domain," grayish and filled with countless tiny silver cracks, instantly expanded with him as the center, covering a radius of fifty zhang!

This time, the "Five Elements Returning to Ruins Sword Domain" was more solid and larger in scope than before. Furthermore, because he was in the deep sea, which was filled with rich water-attribute and ice-cold power, the Laws of water and ice within the Domain were forcibly invoked and amplified. The true meanings of "Guixu" and "Void Realm" also faintly resonated with the environment here, increasing its power even further.

"Rumble—!!"

The Xuanming Breath slammed fiercely into the Sword Domain.

There was no explosion, only silent annihilation and confrontation.

The moment the terrifying, dark-blue-almost-black cold current broke into the Sword Domain, its speed plummeted. The ultimate Law of ice contained within was continuously decomposed, assimilated, and weakened by the rotating power of the Five Elements and Void Realm within the Sword Domain. Especially the true meaning of "Guixu," it seemed to have a certain restraining effect on this ice power that carried death and freezing, constantly returning it to ruins and annihilating it.

However, the angry strike of a fourth-tier Middle Stage Yao Beast was simply too terrifying. Even though it had been weakened by more than half by the Sword Domain, the remaining power was still like a raging sea and wild waves, frantically battering the boundaries of the Sword Domain.

"Crack, crack..."

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The Sword Domain vibrated violently. Countless fine cracks appeared on the greyish light barrier, and silver spatial fissures flickered, as if it would collapse at any moment. Lin Wan's face turned instantly pale as paper, blood spilling from his mouth and nose. The Golden Core energy within his body poured out frantically like a breached river to maintain the Sword Domain. His Divine Soul suffered a tearing pain; it was the backlash of forcibly resisting Law power far beyond his own Realm.

"Hold on... Must hold on..."

Lin Wan gritted his teeth, his gaze locked tightly onto the massive, black-qi-entwined wound on the Ice Flood Dragon's neck. He needed an opportunity—an opportunity to attack the wound and perhaps even trigger a backlash from the evil power within its body!

"Roar!!!" Seeing its breath blocked (though only partially), the Ice Flood Dragon became even more enraged. Its massive body surged completely out of the cave, charging at Lin Wan with the force of an overturning mountain and a collapsing sea! It seemed determined to use its incomparably powerful Physical Body to crush this ant that dared to provoke its majesty.

Now! At the moment the Ice Flood Dragon's massive body charged and was about to make contact with the Sword Domain, silver-grey light erupted in Lin Wan's eyes. He poured all his remaining Golden Core energy, along with a pure burst of spatial Origin from the Void Dao Seed, into the Sword Domain, forcibly compressing and condensing it into a single point—the tip of his joined fingers!

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins, Void Extinction—Sword Intent, Condense!"

The power of the Sword Domain, compressed to the extreme and mixed with the Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent and Void Realm power, transformed at his fingertips into a point of grey so extreme it seemed capable of devouring all things—a point of Chaos light.

At the same time, his left hand gripped the air, making a pulling motion toward the massive wound on the Ice Flood Dragon's neck—not to attack, but to use the power of the Void Dao Seed to attempt to "contact" and "trigger" the strange, decaying, evil black Qi within the wound! He had a hunch that this black Qi was related to the Ice Flood Dragon's painful madness; perhaps... it could be utilized!

"Hum—!" The silver light of the Void Dao Seed and the black Qi at the wound produced a strange fluctuation—as if they were from the same source yet mutually repulsive. The Ice Flood Dragon's charging motion suddenly experienced an imperceptible stagnation. The chaotic color of pain in its eyes seemed to intensify, and the black Qi at the neck wound showed faint signs of boiling and spreading.

"Now! Go!" Lin Wan shouted sharply. The point of Chaos light at his right fingertips, as if teleporting, ignored the short distance and precisely struck the very center of the Ice Flood Dragon's neck wound, the point where the black Qi was thickest!

"Ssss..." A faint sound, like water droplets falling into boiling oil.

Immediately following— "Roar————!!!" The Ice Flood Dragon let out an unprecedented, terrifying, and indescribably miserable wail! That wail was filled with extreme pain, fear, and... a hint of relief?

The moment the point of Chaos light entered the wound, it did not explode. Instead, like the most vicious virus, it crazily eroded, assimilated, and detonated the strange black Qi within the wound! The black Qi, seemingly stimulated, erupted violently, transforming into countless tiny, twisted bolts of black lightning. Centered on the wound, they spread and ravaged the interior of the Ice Flood Dragon's massive body! Wherever they passed, the silver-blue scales rapidly lost their luster, the flesh withered, and the bones emitted sounds of decay.

Meanwhile, Lin Wan's Sword Intent, which had condensed the power of the Return-to-Ruins and the Void Realm, also followed the path eroded by the black Qi and drilled fiercely into the Ice Flood Dragon's body, frantically destroying its vitality and forcibly dragging its massive life force and Yao power into the process of "Returning to Ruins"!

Attacked from both inside and out, with old wounds and new injuries, combined with the backlash of that strange black Qi, this Mid-stage Golden Core Ice Flood Dragon was instantly dealt a heavy blow! Its massive body rolled and convulsed crazily in the seawater, turning the entire Cold Flood Dragon Gorge upside down, causing rock walls to collapse and undercurrents to surge. The wails grew weaker and weaker, and its life Aura, like a flood from a breached dam, rapidly faded.

After delivering that strike, Lin Wan was also nearly exhausted. Forcing himself to hold onto a breath of Golden Core energy, he fled frantically in the opposite direction of the Ice Flood Dragon's rolling. He dared not linger, fearing the Ice Flood Dragon's final desperate struggle or that it might attract even more terrifying existences.

He fled for hundreds of miles until the terrifying commotion behind him gradually subsided. Only then did Lin Wan find a hidden crevice in the seafloor reef, set up a Restriction, sat down, and gasped for breath, coughing up a few mouthfuls of clotted blood mixed with ice shards.

The battle just now, while seemingly brief, was in fact extremely dangerous. Facing a Mid-stage Golden Core Yao Beast, if not for the opponent having old wounds and a chaotic mind, if not for his mastery of the restraining Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent and the Void Dao Seed, and if not for the final risk of triggering the black Qi in its wound... if any link had gone wrong, the one turned into ice sculpture dust at this moment would be him.

However, the harvest was equally astonishing. Not only did it verify his combat capability in the extreme environment of the deep sea, but his application of the Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent and Void Realm power had also become more proficient. More importantly, the Ice Flood Dragon must contain precious Yao Beast Materials, especially its Yao Dan, Essence Blood, and the bones and scales not completely eroded by the black Qi, all of which were top-grade Materials for refining ice and water-attribute Magic Treasures and Medicinal Pills, worth a fortune. Moreover, within the cave guarded by the Ice Flood Dragon, there might be a "Ten-Thousand-Year Sunken Silver" Ore vein, or other treasures.

However, he was currently heavily injured, his Golden Core energy nearly exhausted, and he urgently needed to recover. Furthermore, the commotion caused by the Ice Flood Dragon's death was significant and might attract other deep-sea Yao Beasts or investigations from Northern Plain forces. This place was not suitable for staying long, but he could not give up either.

After regulating his breath for about an hour and taking several Medicinal Pills, he barely recovered thirty percent of his Golden Core energy before Lin Wan quietly returned to the Cold Flood Dragon Gorge.

The Cold Flood Dragon Gorge was now in ruins. The rock walls on both sides had collapsed extensively, blocking parts of the passage. The Ice Flood Dragon's massive corpse floated quietly in the seawater in the center of the gorge, having already lost all vitality. Its body surface was covered with a layer of grey, dead silence, and the wound on its neck had expanded by a circle, revealing the withered, charred flesh and bones inside, emitting faint black Qi and remnants of the Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent.

Lin Wan approached cautiously, confirming the Ice Flood Dragon was thoroughly dead, before beginning to process the corpse. He used his guixu sword (the blade was still broken, but the sharpness remained) to pry open the Ice Flood Dragon's relatively intact skull and took out a fist-sized Yao Dan. It was deep silver-blue throughout, and inside, it seemed as if an ice storm was rotating, yet it was entwined with a few wisps of fine black Qi. The Yao Dan was ice-cold and heavy in his hand, containing massive, pure ice and water Yao power, but that black Qi, like a maggot on a tarsal bone, was constantly eroding the Yao Dan's spirituality, greatly reducing its value.

"What on earth is this black Qi? It can actually erode the Yao Dan of a fourth-stage Ice Flood Dragon?" Lin Wan frowned and tried to use the power of the Void Dao Seed to contact and purify it, but found the effect minimal. This black Qi seemed to be an extremely strange, high-level negative energy related to death, decay, and curses, not solvable by ordinary means.

He temporarily sealed and put away the Yao Dan. He then took some relatively intact Essence Blood, bones, and a few of the hardest reverse scales near the neck wound that had not been completely eroded by the black Qi. As for most of the flesh and bones, they had been eroded by the black Qi and Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent, greatly reducing their value, and they might harbor hidden dangers, so he did not collect them.

After processing the corpse, he cast his gaze toward the cave that had been smashed open by the Ice Flood Dragon. The interior of the cave was deep and still retained the Aura of the Ice Flood Dragon and a faint treasure glow.

He entered the cave cautiously. The interior was more spacious than imagined, seeming to go deep into the mountain belly. On the cave walls were embedded some shimmering ice-attribute Ores, such as "Cold Jade" and "Ice Marrow". And in the deepest part of the cave, Lin Wan's gaze suddenly froze.

There, it was not the expected sunken silver ore vein, but an… altar? It was dilapidated, built with some kind of black giant stones, and covered in ancient runes.

The altar was about three zhang square, with a sunken pool in the center. The pool was not empty; instead, it contained a solidified pool of strange silver-grey liquid—metal liquid? No, it was a strange substance between solid and liquid, emitting an Aura that was pure, heavy, and yet carried a hint of spatial fluctuation.

And on the edge of the altar, scattered about were several pieces of silver-grey metal of varying sizes, deeper in color and denser in texture.

"This is... Ten-Thousand-Year Sunken Silver?! And, it's 'Star Sunken Silver'... that has been tempered through some kind of ancient altar ritual and seems to have integrated star power and spatial characteristics?!" Lin Wan's pupils shrank, and his heart pounded.

He stepped forward quickly and sensed carefully. That's right! The core material of this silver-grey substance in the pool, as well as those metal blocks, was indeed Ten-Thousand-Year Sunken Silver! But its quality seemed higher than ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Sunken Silver; the ice and water-attribute spiritual power contained within was purer and more massive. More rarely, it seemed to have integrated a trace of star power and a faint spatial characteristic, making its texture tougher and more miraculous, having miraculous effects for refining spatial-type Magic Treasures or those that need to withstand powerful energy impacts!

This was definitely an unexpected joy! The "Ten-Thousand-Year Sunken Silver" needed to repair the guixu sword was not only found, but its quality far exceeded expectations! Moreover, the value of this entire pool of "Star Sunken Silver" tempered by the altar was probably enough to drive a Nascent Soul True Monarch crazy!

"This altar... it seems it was not formed naturally. Was it a tempering ground established here by some ancient Sect or great power that cultivated the Dao of Ice, Water, and Stars? Perhaps this Ice Flood Dragon accidentally discovered this place and used the pure ice-cold power and this pool of Star Sunken Silver to heal and Cultivate, but for some reason, it was eroded by that strange black Qi and eventually stayed here, becoming crazy..." Lin Wan guessed in his heart, his gaze sweeping over the ancient, broken runes on the altar. These runes gave him a faint sense of familiarity; they seemed to have the same effect as some ancient Formation patterns of the Five Elements Sect, but were more inclined toward stars and ice-cold.

"Forget it, let's collect it first." Lin Wan suppressed the excitement in his heart, took out special jade bottles and jade boxes capable of containing liquid metal, and carefully collected all the silver-grey "Star Sunken Silver" liquid in the pool, as well as the scattered metal blocks. It filled three large jade bottles and five jade boxes, barely enough to contain it all; the amount was substantial.

After collecting everything, he carefully inspected the altar and the cave again, but found nothing else. Only on one side of the altar base did he find a line of ancient inscriptions that had been almost worn away, vaguely discernible: "Northern Nether... Star Sacrifice... to suppress... Abyss Evil..."

Northern Nether Star Sacrifice? Suppress Abyss Evil? Does it refer to suppressing Abyss evil objects? Could it be that this altar and the Star Sunken Silver were used to suppress something? Was the black Qi on that Ice Flood Dragon the so-called "Abyss Evil"? Lin Wan's doubts deepened, but with too little information, he could not delve deeper.

He made a rubbing of the inscription, collected a few pieces of good quality "Cold Jade" and "Ice Marrow" as extras, and then quickly left the cave.

This place was not suitable for staying long. Having obtained the "Star Sunken Silver" far exceeding expectations, the first-stage Materials for repairing the guixu sword were now complete, and the main goal of his trip had been achieved. Next, he would find a safe and secluded place to go into seclusion, repair the guixu sword, and then... head to the Guixu Sea!

However, just as he left the Cold Flood Dragon Gorge and floated up about a thousand zhang toward the sea surface, the originally dim seawater above his head was suddenly illuminated by several intense rays of light!

At the same time, several tyrannical Divine Senses, like searchlights, crossed and swept over this sea area, instantly locking onto Lin Wan, who was floating up!

"Who is below? Stop immediately and accept inspection!"

"Ice Soul Palace is apprehending a wanted criminal; those who move without authorization will be killed without mercy!"

The cold, overbearing voice came through the seawater, carrying undisguised killing intent. Lin Wan's heart sank as he looked up. He saw the sea surface above already blockaded by several medium-sized warships, all snow-white and flying flags with ice crystal snowflakes! On the ships, there were many figures with tyrannical Auras, at least three with Golden Core-level Auras, and one of them had even reached the Late Stage Golden Core! It was indeed the forces of the Ice Soul Palace!

How did they get here so fast?! Was it brought on by the commotion of the Ice Flood Dragon's death earlier? Or... had they been patrolling and searching in this sea area all along? Regardless of which, his current state was definitely not a match for this Ice Soul Palace team. Especially that Late Stage Golden Core Cultivator, who brought him no small amount of pressure.

"Trouble has arrived..." Lin Wan's gaze was cold, the remaining thirty percent of his Golden Core energy within his body circulated slowly, and the Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent remained hidden, not yet released. To fight, or to flee?