The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 957 - 378: Hei Xuanwu

West Sea, one of the Nine Seas, encircles the Four Seas Divine Pool and serves as one of its guardians.

According to the intelligence Ye Hanjun had mastered in the past, the current ruler of this boundless sea should still be "Hei Xuanwu."

Hei Xuanwu—The Divine God of the Mystic Beasts!

Innate longevity, coupled with powerful water-element spells and indestructible Xuanwu armor, cloaked this ancient deity from the Near Ancient Era’s First Epoch in mystical allure.

"Mystic beasts..."

"I have lived so many years and have yet to see such Fond Spirits; their numbers are truly scarce..."

As they hastened on their journey, Mu Shoucong sighed deeply, his words eliciting a resonance from others.

Ye Hanjun, Ye Liuying, nodded subconsciously.

The bloodlines of Mystic beasts were indeed pitifully scarce, even branded as "Super Rare" within the knowledge of All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds, comparable to Pure Beasts and Boundary Beasts.

"Xuanwu, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, all are famous godly warriors from the Ancient Cosmos era."

"Among them, Xuanwu holds the ’Celestial’ Mark and cultivates the Tao of Longevity, Fairy Spirit Tao, Tao of Faith, and Magic Path, requiring countless marine creatures to pay homage and worship."

"White Tiger also holds the ’Celestial’ Mark, but as a Divine of the land famed as the auspicious and benevolent beast, it does not engage in savage acts upon encountering rulers who do not resort to violence; admired by all directions, celestial beings pay their respects."

"Vermilion Bird holds the ’Heaven’ Mark, cultivates the Flame Dao, Undying Tao, Tao of Freedom...the emperor of birds, unparalleled."

"Azure Dragon holds the ’Demon’ Mark, cultivates the path of Water and Wood, the path of Life... can summon wind and rain, unmatched in magic."

Mu Shoucong displayed a look of reverence and envy, sighing once again:

"Hei Xuanwu, it is said, is a direct descendant of an ancient Xuanwu from the Ancient Cosmos, re-attaining divinity through his forebear’s status."

"He occupies West Sea, spending years in seclusion, ignoring trivial matters."

"Whichever action he takes, it must be a Thunderbolt strike; for 120,000 years, the rulership of West Sea has been unshakable."

"Hmm..."

Ye Liuying spoke earnestly:

"Given Ye Clan’s current situation, such a deity is absolutely not to be provoked."

"This mission must be swift. Once the Chimera cub is rescued, we must quickly retreat from the borders of the West Sea, we cannot afford to linger too long."

Ye Hanjun nodded.

Ye Clan and the lineage of Xuanwu had no direct disputes on the surface.

But whether it is human nature or beastly instinct, rash assumptions could bring great catastrophe.

Moreover, there are several Divine Trace Lineages in West Sea.

A notable one is ’Ying Shui Jellyfish’, renowned for being supreme assassins in water territories, able to silently end the lives of Holy Spirits—extremely dangerous and troublesome.

"How long before we arrive at Jellyfish Island?"

GuaGua, perched on a shoulder, curiously asked.

It was eager to find Lan Qixiong; it had been years since they last met, and GuaGua missed him dearly.

"Half a year to a year."

Ye Liuying confirmed the coordinates, activated a Teleportation Array, and calmly stated:

"This is already the fastest speed we can achieve at no regard to cost."

"We cannot directly arrive at any major city in West Sea. Approaching the area would require several transits before finding that remote island."

"Alright, Liuying, keep it up, keep it up!"

GuaGua adjusted its mindset and refrained from urging further.

Although unaware of the potential dangers at the destination, with Xiao Jianjian by their side, there shouldn’t be any problems!

Holding this belief, Little GuaGua started to enjoy the scenery.

The journey, though rushed, presented a unique panorama of diverse cultures and mythical creatures—an opportunity too precious to miss.

...

Eight months later.

Ye Hanjun, Ye Liuying, Mu Shoucong, two humans and one beast, finally laid eyes on the azure blue sea.

The surface shimmered, casting enchanting gleams like agate crystals.

The endless horizon seemed to lure the souls of living creatures, beckoning them to delve deeper and explore its mysteries.

"This is a master-level water repelling rune, crafted by a Saint, one for each person."

Ye Liuying took from her storage ring a collection of magical artifacts, and carefully affixed a palm-sized rune onto Ye Hanjun’s back.

Then she applied one to herself, the rune touching her garments instantaneously laden her pale skin with a layer of dark blue.

"This is a mother-child conch shell, for communication when necessary."

"This is the Water Dividing Sword, crafted from the remains of a remarkable Beast Soldier, when wielded, can manipulate sea water to a certain extent."

"This is the heart of a blood shark, maybe useful to disperse large groups of marine creatures."

...

Soon, Ye Hanjun was armed to the teeth.

Although some of the artifacts might not be as useful as his own abilities in his view.

However, these were all precautions; after all, the deep sea was not a place for humans to traverse lightly. It was always right to be well-prepared.

"Lord Cong, I’ll leave you be."

"You’re a demon beast evolved from a plant; water elements should naturally nourish you."

"Okay, it’s like taking a sea salt bath."

Mu Shoucong shed his black robe, peeled off his green onion-like layers, exposing his stark white belly to the air.

Simultaneously, roots the thickness of human fingers sprouted from under his feet, arms, and the back of his head, breaking through the skin and growing.

"Quality water elements could nourish me and indirectly enhance my vitality."

"But I’m not a water-element Holy Spirit; the deeper I go, the weaker my perception will be—you should be prepared for that."

"Of course."

Ye Hanjun, fully prepared, was the first to leap into the turquoise waters.

Grabbing his ankles and shoulders, two little ones, one slightly bewildered, held tight, while the other cheerfully let go, shooting ahead of Ye Hanjun like a white lightning bolt, quickly surpassing him to delve deeper into the water.