169: Tides rise and fall

Just as Gao De was quietly approaching the undersea rift valley mentioned by Green Edge, preparing to search for any clues left by the Heavenly Demon Cult, an indescribable palpitation suddenly came from the core of the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye.

It wasn't the violent eruption from before, but a kind of... deep pulsation, like a giant beast turning over in its sleep and then slowly returning to silence.

Immediately following that, the oppressive and suffocating chaotic Dragon Might and billowing Death Qi that permeated the outer area of the Sea Eye began to rapidly weaken and contract, like a receding tide!

The originally violent and disordered undercurrents gradually calmed down. Although the water pressure remained immense, the sense of crisis that felt as if one could be torn apart at any moment was quickly dissipating.

Even the ubiquitous 'Soul-Eroding Death Qi' that corroded the Divine Soul decreased in concentration visibly to the naked eye, becoming thin and inert.

In just a few short hours, the outer perimeter of the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye, which had been like a boiling oil pot, actually restored an almost eerie 'calm.'

The ink-black color of the water remained, and the bottomless sense of pressure was still there, but the 'phenomenon' that had stirred the winds and clouds and incited greed had vanished without a trace, leaving only the silence and darkness inherent to the deep sea itself.

“This... what is going on?” Green Edge and the other demons monitoring the perimeter of the rift valley were stunned to find that several powerful auras, which had been vaguely confronting and prowling in the distance, now seemed to fall into a brief pause and confusion. Subsequently, they began to become restless, and some auras even started to slowly retreat and withdraw.

Gao De stopped in the shadow of a reef, Purple Lightning flickering in his dragon eyes as he exerted his full effort to sense the changes in the surroundings.

He recalled Lin Xiaofan's previous speculation—the Yin Vein High Tide, a periodic pulse.

“Could it be... that this eruption was not a sign of the 'Abyss Suppressing Palace' opening or the appearance of a great treasure, but merely a periodic 'breath' or energy release from that ancient Yin Vein deep within the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye?

Because it was mixed with the aura left behind by the ancient Dragon Clan, it stimulated the Dragon-Blooded Creatures of the Yunmeng Marsh?” Thoughts raced through Gao De's mind.

“If that's truly the case, this cycle is likely extremely long, so much so that even outside forces like the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Nine Dragons Chamber of Commerce, and the Thunder Tiger Demon King failed to grasp the exact pattern and misjudged the situation!”

This deduction made his heart chill, but then a complex range of emotions welled up.

Relief? That he hadn't rashly delved into the core earlier, avoiding the possibility of returning empty-handed or even encountering unknown dangers.

Regret? That the anticipated massive Opportunity seemed to be just a 'mirage.' But more than that, it was a calm and new calculation after seeing through the truth.

“The phenomenon has vanished, and the Sea Eye has returned to 'calm.' For those major forces that mobilized in force and were determined to win, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow. They might suspect they misjudged or guess that the Opportunity has been snatched by someone else. Internal divisions, suspicions, and even friction are inevitable. But for us...” A sharp light flashed in Gao De's eyes, “this might be a better chance!”

He immediately contacted Green Edge, Iron Pincer, and Lin Xiaofan, who was stationed in the rear, via communication talismans.

“The Sea Eye phenomenon has subsided; it's suspected to be a periodic fluctuation, not the opening of a ruin. Order all scouting teams to stop advancing and instead monitor the movements of all factions, especially their retreat routes, status, and whether any conflicts arise between them. Pay attention to gathering all rumors and intelligence.”

“Lin Xiaofan, immediately search all past historical records regarding the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye and data on periodic celestial phenomena and leyline fluctuations. Combine them with the observations from this time to re-evaluate its patterns! At the same time, strengthen the territory's defenses to guard against certain forces that might vent their anger or engage in looting due to disappointment or suspicion.”

The orders were quickly relayed.

Although Green Edge and Iron Pincer were somewhat taken aback, they executed the orders immediately, commanding their subordinates to lurk in the darkness like the most patient venomous snakes, observing the 'guests' who had become restless due to the sudden cancellation of the 'feast.'

Just as Gao De expected, in the calmed outer perimeter of the Sea Eye, the undercurrents had not completely stopped; they had merely shifted from energy turbulence to the turbulence of people's hearts and factions.

The first to show unrest were the small and medium-sized forces and teams of Loose Cultivators.

They had hoped to follow along for a share of the spoils or even pick up some scraps. Now that their hopes were shattered and they were in a dangerous place, panic set in. They began to scramble to retreat, during which friction and fighting inevitably occurred, leaving behind some new corpses and resentment.

Next was the demon army under the Thunder Tiger Demon King. They seemed to have received some order and began an organized retreat, but the atmosphere among the Demon Soldiers was gloomy, clearly very dissatisfied with the wasted effort.

The sinister aura of the Heavenly Demon Cult completely vanished shortly after the phenomenon subsided. They left silently, which made them seem even more eerie, as if they had been prepared or had other designs.

Within a few days, the outer perimeter of the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye, where the winds and clouds had gathered, quickly became deserted. Only some unwilling outlaws still lingered on the edges, along with the ubiquitous deep-sea darkness that seemed to be mocking all the greedy ones.

After completing their monitoring mission, the scouting team from Qianjiao Cliff also quietly withdrew to the assembly point to regroup with Gao De.

“Lord, everyone mobilized in force this time, yet it seems we all came up empty-handed. What should we do next?” Iron Pincer asked, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction but also a trace of relief.

Gao De’s gaze swept over his elite subordinates as he said slowly, “It seems like we came up empty, but that is not actually the case.

First, we verified some of the patterns of the Sea Eye's abnormal movements. This information is worth a fortune and will allow us to avoid acting blindly in the future.

Second, we obtained intelligence about the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Thunder Tiger Demon King, and other forces that was exposed during this incident.

Third, we are ourselves unscathed and have reaped significant rewards; just my Breakthrough to the Late Stage of the third rank this time makes the trip worthwhile. Fourth...”

He paused and looked toward the abyss to the west that had returned to 'calm.' “After this incident, the attention of those major forces on the Yunmeng Great Marsh will likely decrease in the short term—at least they won't be as highly tense or have heavy troops gathered as before.

For us, this might be the best window of Opportunity to deeply explore the secrets of its periphery, map out detailed charts, and even search for those potentially existing, undiscovered treasures or stable Secret Realms!”

“What the Lord means is... we should continue to cultivate the Yunmeng Great Marsh while they are lax?” Green Edge said thoughtfully.

“Exactly.” Gao De nodded. “But not right now. First, withdraw to Qianjiao Cliff to digest what we've gained and increase our strength.

Turtle Three Thousand should be coming out of seclusion soon; our strength will be more complete then. Meanwhile, have Lin Xiaofan put all his effort into studying the periodic patterns. When the heat has completely died down, the various factions' gazes have shifted, and we are better prepared...”

He didn't finish his sentence, but the Purple Lightning flickering in his eyes said everything.

Although the sudden 'excitement' of the Sunken Abyss Sea Eye had subsided, Gao De knew that the secrets hidden beneath that abyss had not disappeared.

A true hunter would not give up on his hunting grounds because of a single change in the weather.

He would wait, he would prepare, and he would quietly turn his own next page when everyone else thought the story had already ended.

The team from Qianjiao Cliff, just as they had come, quietly blended into the darkness of the return journey.

What they took with them were not dazzling treasures, but even more precious experience, intelligence, and a deeper desire and... patience for that ultimate hunting ground.

When the waves rise again next time, the shadow of Qianjiao Cliff will surely be even deeper and more unpredictable.