34: Secret Realm
Just as Gao De collected that clump of Black Spiritual Mud and was about to look for his next Opportunity, a sudden change occurred!
At the core of the battlefield, another violent collision between the Poison Flood Dragon and its opponent seemed to have surpassed a certain critical point.
It wasn't an earth-shattering explosion, but a beam of incredibly pure and ancient white light that swept out silently in all directions from the point of impact without warning!
This white light was not blinding; it even carried a sense of warmth. However, wherever it passed, space seemed to be instantly smoothed and reset.
Gao De felt his whole body tighten, as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, and even his thoughts fell into a brief stagnation.
His proud Breath Concealment talent and the Demonic Power he circulated were meaningless before this white light.
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In the next instant, a sense of weightlessness hit him. The surrounding scenery peeled away and blurred like pieces of a shattered mirror.
When he regained his senses and stabilized himself, he found that he was no longer at the edge of the chaotic, energy-turbulent Black Water Stream battlefield.
He was floating in water.
But the water here was deathly still and ice-cold, carrying a condensed aura that had remained unchanged for ages.
Before him was an incredibly grand yet completely dilapidated... underwater city.
Massive stone architectural ruins, covered in dark green algae and unknown barnacles, stood silently at the dim bottom of the water.
The architectural style was ancient and vigorous, unlike any current school. Even though the massive stone pillars were broken, the remaining parts required several people to encircle them. The collapsed palace walls stretched out beyond the horizon.
The streets were wide but empty, with only thick silt covering everything.
There were no fish or shrimp, no swaying aquatic plants, and no signs of life whatsoever.
Only absolute silence weighed heavily on every corner, as if even the water had become viscous, unwilling to flow here.
The entire city was shrouded in a deep, suffocating deathly silence, with only the traces of time's erosion telling of its past glory and current desolation.
"This place is...?" Gao De's heart shook violently. He immediately activated his Breath Concealment talent to its limit, pulling in his aura while warily scanning his surroundings.
He discovered he was not alone.
In the waters not far from him, several other figures had also just recovered from their dizziness, looking around in a daze and with fear.
A Green-Shelled Demonic Crab with half a pincer broken and scorch marks on its shell; a middle-aged Human Race Cultivator in tattered Daoist robes, his face pale, clutching a horsetail whisk with dim spiritual light; and a member of the Yao Race from the Water Race with grey-blue skin and gills behind the ears, appearing to be a member of the relatively rare "Lan Race."
These "unlucky ones" had clearly been swept from the edge of the Black Water Stream battlefield by that strange white light. Their strengths were all around the rank one Peak to rank two Early Stage, and each was injured and shaken.
After a brief, deathly silence and standoff, the middle-aged Human Race Cultivator spoke first, his voice trembling with disbelief, sounding exceptionally clear in this absolutely quiet underwater environment: "This... this architectural scale, these residual dragon patterns... Could it be, could it be that we have been transported to... the ruins of one of the Eight Great Water Mansion Military Cities under the command of the legendary Pre-Qin period Lake Dragon Palace?"
"Lake Dragon Palace? Military city?" The Lan Race member's pupils shrank, and a look of horror appeared on his grey-blue face. "That Dragon Palace Water Mansion that disappeared along with the Ancient Dragon Lord, long since sunk into history and the silt at the bottom of the lake?"
The Green-Shelled Demonic Crab waved its single pincer, making clicking sounds, appearing restless: "Who cares what city it is! How do we get out? What was that white light just now?"
A massive wave of shock also rose in Gao De's heart.
Pre-Qin Lake Dragon Palace!
This was a legend far older than any current Cultivation Sect or Yao Race power!
It was said to be a divine court of the waters truly ruled by True Dragons, with military cities guarding the Dragon Palace, its power aweing the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake and even broader waters.
The reason for its disappearance was a mystery; some said it was a natural disaster, some said it was man-made, and some even said it involved an ancient war between immortals and gods... Regardless, any ruins related to it meant a massive Opportunity, as well as... extreme danger!
His cold vertical pupils swept over the deathly ruins before him; that desolate aura that had been submerged for ages could not be faked. The middle-aged Loose Cultivator's theory was very likely true.
Because of the fierce battle between the Poison Flood Dragon and its opponent, they had accidentally triggered some kind of Seal or teleportation mechanism and were collectively transported into this long-lost ancient Water Mansion Military City!
A blessing? A curse?
Gao De quickly calmed down. Opportunity often coexists with danger.
This dead city seemed peaceful, but how could the ancient secrets that caused the entire Dragon Palace Water Mansion to sink be ordinary? He had to be extremely careful.
He did not join the panicked discussion of his "fellow sufferers." Instead, he quietly retreated a little, hiding in the shadow of a massive broken stone pillar. His Divine Sense carefully explored outward while he observed this ancient underwater city more closely.
His gaze turned toward the depths of the city, in the direction of the central building complex, which was the tallest and still appeared majestic despite its collapse.
Would there be clues to leaving there? Or... Dragon Palace Treasures?
While the middle-aged Loose Cultivator, the Green-Shelled Demonic Crab, and the Lan Race member were uncertain and arguing in low voices about whether to explore or find a way out, the more courageous middle-aged Human Race Cultivator cautiously swam toward the nearest relatively intact archway ruin.
Just as he approached the archway and stepped into that area, another change occurred!
On both sides of the archway and at the entrances of several "streets" leading to the deeper ruins, the originally empty water suddenly twisted, and several figures condensed out of thin air.
These figures were not physical entities but were composed of a light blue Mystic Light that flowed like ripples. Their outlines were roughly human, but their facial features were blurred as if seen through a flowing water curtain.
They wore phantoms of uniform ancient armor also condensed from Mystic Light and held illusory halberds or Water-Parting Spikes. Their movements were perfectly synchronized as they floated back and forth in front of the archway and street entrances, like... patrolling guards!
"What are those?!" The Green-Shelled Demonic Crab jumped back in fright, holding its single pincer in front of it.
The Lan Race member also instantly tensed his body, water ripples undulating around him as he took a defensive stance.
Gao De held his breath and focused his mind in the shadow of the stone pillar, observing carefully.
These Mystic Light shadows did not seem to have any real life aura; they were more like... pre-set Spell creations or residual Formation imprints.
At that moment, the middle-aged Cultivator who had approached the archway seemed to have triggered something.
The two Mystic Light shadow patrol soldiers in front of him suddenly froze, and their blurred heads turned in unison toward his direction.
Although they had no clear eyes, an invisible sense of being watched enveloped the middle-aged Cultivator, causing him to freeze in place, cold sweat pouring down.
Then, a cold, stiff, and emotionless voice sounded, as if coming from an extremely distant place, yet also echoing directly in everyone's hearts. It used an extremely ancient and obscure language, but at the level of Divine Sense, its meaning was clearly conveyed to the minds of every "intruder":
"Unregistered Water Race/Water Scion life fluctuations detected... basic scanning conditions met... identity identification failed... connection to main Dragon Palace network failed... initiating offline emergency protocol..."
"This is the 'Yunmeng Great Marsh, Lake Water Mansion, Seventh Guard Barracks' recruitment office for new soldiers.
"Those who meet the conditions may enter for the trial. Upon passing the trial, corresponding positions will be granted according to the law, along with Cultivation Techniques and Armor and Weaponry."