Merlin, caught off guard, was struck by Fengyun Wuyi's divine sense, causing severe damage to his soul. He collapsed unconscious, and as soon as Fengyun Wuyi broke free, he shot upward with incredible speed. As he ascended, the rocks around him exploded, and in less than half the time it took at the beginning, he carved out a path.
The demons behind him, furious, howled in pursuit, their shouts echoing through the air. However, their speed was nowhere near that of Fengyun Wuyi, who had mastered the sword arts. They watched helplessly as the distance between them grew. Then, just ahead, Fengyun Wuyi, who had been shattering the rocks, suddenly stopped.
The demons, unsure of why he had halted, were elated nonetheless. They didn't hesitate, charging forward, their long spears aimed at Fengyun Wuyi, accompanied by a thunderous roar as they hurtled through the air.
At that moment, Fengyun Wuyi turned to face them, a sinister smile creeping across his face. Without warning, he looked back and swung his fist with great force, sending a shockwave that struck the rock above him. The rocks shattered and flew outward, and in front of him, a massive hole opened up. A rush of cold, dark seawater poured down from the opening.
"Move! He's opened a breach into the Sea of the Underworld!" one of the demons cried out in terror. The last thing they saw was the smirking human retreating into the cold, endless darkness. That image would haunt them forever.
Below, at the bottom of the water prison, a rhythmic chant echoed as the breach quickly sealed itself, leaving no trace of the destruction behind.
The Sea of the Underworld stretched deep into the earth, the depths beyond comprehension. The pressure at the bottom was immense, comparable to the full force of a master with millions of years of cultivation. In this realm, not a single beam of light could penetrate the oppressive darkness that surrounded him. Fengyun Wuyi, gathering all his strength, released the sword essence hidden within his body, desperately trying to counter the overwhelming pressure of the sea. The water was icy cold, tinged with a metallic quality.
Fortunately, the Sea of the Underworld's rejection force had diminished considerably, allowing Fengyun Wuyi's sword essence to exert about 80% of its power. This was just enough to withstand the crushing water pressure. Instinctively, Fengyun Wuyi's divine sense burst from his body, sweeping through the surroundings. What he found nearly caused him to faint. In every direction within a thousand miles, massive creatures loomed, their presence radiating with power. The weakest among them was at least as powerful as a human master who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years. The more ferocious ones, however, were beyond anything Fengyun Wuyi had ever sensed. His divine sense barely had time to react before being devoured by an unknown force, and the feedback was nothing but an empty void.
In the depths of the sea, the pressure was overwhelming, and Fengyun Wuyi's chest felt as if it were being crushed. Desperate, he activated the turtle breath technique he had learned before ascending, and his awareness grew faint. In the final moments before losing consciousness, he sensed a massive shadow pass over him. After that, he knew nothing.
He had no idea how much time passed—perhaps thousands or tens of thousands of years. In his dazed state, he continued to subconsciously refine the embryonic "Star Absorption" technique in his mind.
Dazed and confused, Fengyun Wuyi awoke to find himself lying on a soft surface. The air was humid and carried a faint, fishy smell.
"What is this place? Wasn't I in the deep sea?" Fengyun Wuyi shakily rose to his feet, feeling something sticky on his body, as if a resilient substance had adhered to him. The darkness around him was absolute—so dark that even a martial artist's keen vision couldn't penetrate it. Yet, here he was, unable to see anything at all.
The ground beneath him wobbled as he struggled to move, uncertain of where he was. In the darkness, Fengyun Wuyi stumbled forward, his steps directionless.
After an unknown period of time, the oppressive darkness seemed unyielding. At last, Fengyun Wuyi found himself facing a wall—a fleshy, pulsing wall.
"Heavens... could this be the inside of some deep-sea monster?" Fengyun Wuyi thought, a chill running down his spine. But the surface he touched was cold, leaving him uncertain whether the creature was dead or simply cold-blooded by nature.
His suspicion seemed to be correct. Fengyun Wuyi gritted his teeth and used his fingers like a sword to start digging into the fleshy wall. Pieces of meat fell away as he carved through it, but the wall remained eerily still, making Fengyun Wuyi question whether his assumptions were wrong.
Even with his inner strength supporting him, cutting through the tough flesh took considerable time. After carving a hole through the fleshy wall, Fengyun Wuyi continued onward, digging as he moved. He walked for what felt like hundreds of miles, until there was no more path to follow. In front of him stood a membranous barrier, completely unmoving, no matter how hard he pushed or struck. Worse still, it seemed to push back with a hidden strength.
Unable to proceed, Fengyun Wuyi sat down to rest and think. Accidentally, he chewed on a piece of meat he had dug out. To his surprise, it was tender and delicious, almost like it was meant to be eaten. As he swallowed, a strange energy surged into his body, enhancing his internal true essence.
This unexpected discovery filled him with joy. No longer in a hurry, he settled into a meditative state, focusing on refining his internal energy and perfecting the "Star Absorption" technique. This mental work was even more taxing than the previous complex cultivation techniques he had mastered, draining his focus. As a result, his hunger grew. Without thinking, he devoured more of the surrounding flesh, strengthening his true essence further. Even the sword essence he had sealed away began to show signs of breaking through to the Sword Emperor realm.
Suddenly, a strange sound pierced the air, followed by a sizzling noise as if water was splashing onto hot metal. A gust of wind blew from his left side. Instinctively, Fengyun Wuyi looked over and saw that the strange membrane had begun to dissolve, revealing a large hole. Beyond it, light flickered, and a noxious green liquid poured in, hissing as it touched the ground and producing wisps of green smoke.
"This liquid is toxic!" Fengyun Wuyi thought in alarm, leaping into the air just as the liquid surged beneath him, narrowly avoiding it. Cold sweat dripped down his back.