Chapter 791: The Price of Power

Over the vast, endless ocean, surging waves roared like ancient ferocious beasts, their relentless howls conjuring dragon-like tidal tempests that unleashed maritime disasters.

Fortunately, this area lies within the Mist Sea Region of the Starry Sea, a place far removed from the footsteps of cultivators and mortals.

Otherwise, even third-rank islands and Core Formation cultivators would face the risk of being overwhelmed by such a terrifying calamity.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

As the tsunami roared uncontrollably, a colossal rumble erupted from the seabed, shaking a towering cliffside island violently and triggering its collapse.

Deep in the ocean, the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, its body marked by interwoven dark-gold dragon patterns, defied the combined onslaught of True Lord Pinghai, Fuhai True Lord, and Lingbo True Lord.

After a long escape, her massive body was already riddled with scars.

Roar!!!

Under the domain of the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag, the whale bellowed skyward, its roar infused with boundless rage like thunderclaps erupting across the heavens.

Atop its head, formidable dragon horns coalesced into a massive, sky-splitting blade, radiating an icy gleam as it lunged toward Fuhai True Lord.

The enormous blade sliced through layers of seawater and invisible domains, cleaving the vast ocean into a chasm reminiscent of a deep abyss.

However, the trio did not confront it head-on.

Seeing it unleash a burst of vital essence, they swiftly invoked their Spirit Treasures to tear through the void and counter its advance.

Lu Lingjing seethed with anger and frustration.

Though the three before her were formidable one-on-one adversaries, she feared none of them individually.

Even against two she was confident of victory, but facing three left her feeling utterly powerless and resentful.

She had considered escaping, trying to shake them off and disappear into hiding.

Yet the trio clung to her like taffy—there was simply no escaping them.

It was exactly as Madam had predicted: once that Blue-Armored Man recognized his true strength, he would undoubtedly seek allies and countermeasures against his own prized artifacts.

She continued her ferocious roars, unleashing her innate divine abilities in an attempt to severely wound True Lord Pinghai.

“Be careful.”

Above Lingbo True Lord, an Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument hovered while she donned a wide-sleeved gown woven from Moon Essence Shark Silk; its skirt, adorned with shifting Starry Sea motifs, sent countless chilling ice crystals and frost toward the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, freezing the water in their wake.

True Lord Pinghai and Fuhai True Lord immediately combined their efforts to neutralize the whale’s divine power, maintaining a calm and measured demeanor.

Although the combat prowess of the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale far exceeded expectations,

True Lord Pinghai was well aware that despite the whale’s extraordinary might, having only Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord on his side left him completely confident of victory.

At that moment, no matter how fiercely the whale struggled, it was ultimately under his control—it was merely a matter of time and a few pills.

Moments later, as the whale continued its retreat, True Lord Pinghai’s trident glowed with a mysterious, deep blue light, as if a sea god incarnate merging with the endless ocean, charging at the whale by stirring up tumultuous waves to slow it down.

Fuhai True Lord wielded the Nine-Dragon Sky-Splitting Spear, occasionally delivering direct strikes to the whale, while a phantom of a hundred-yard flood dragon formed above his head, exuding the awe-inspiring might of a Fourth-Rank Demon King.

The only female True Lord among them, Lingbo True Lord, held the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag as she carefully observed the whale’s condition.

Should the whale attempt a counterattack, she would instantly activate the flag, creating a domain with the three to counter and nullify its assault.

At the same time, the Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument above her intermittently emitted beams of divine ice light.

Even though Lu Lingjing, a Fourth-Rank Demon King with True Spirit-level blood, boasted an immensely resilient body immune to many spells, under the divine ice light her surface was pockmarked with shards of ice and biting frost.

After prolonged exertion, her condition worsened as the frost seeped through her tough scales, corroding and freezing her blood and life force.

Beneath her scarred, dark-gold scales, a dragon-like current flowed slowly, shattering the icy onslaught, though some frost still seeped through her wounds, infiltrating her body and crippling her vitality.

If initially Lu Lingjing’s irritation was aimed at True Lord Pinghai, now it was Lingbo True Lord who annoyed her.

This female True Lord never directly confronted her, yet her methods were ceaselessly inventive.

At the start, she had repeatedly broken through their encircling pursuit in an effort to shake them off.

However, Lingbo True Lord’s divine abilities formed an endless ice seal, pinpointing her position through the chill that clung to her.

She had contemplated taking down Lingbo True Lord first,

but with True Lord Pinghai and Fuhai True Lord present, she had no chance to make a move against Lingbo True Lord, leaving her utterly frustrated.

After a prolonged chase and blockade, Lu Lingjing began attempting a new breakout.

She refined the remaining natural treasures within her, brewing a surge of divine might.

“Watch out! This whale is trying to counterattack and escape again!”

However, the Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument above Lingbo True Lord trembled slightly, alerting her that the whale was preparing another desperate move, so she warned out loud.

In that moment, radiant beams of divine ice light burst from the instrument, freezing the seawater around the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

Hearing her call, True Lord Pinghai and Fuhai True Lord immediately widened the gap between themselves and activated the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag to suppress the whale.

The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale roared, its dark-gold patterns swirling to form an invisible sheath of light, its frustration evident.

Time ticked by.

Though the whale grew progressively weaker during their struggle, the trio never let their guard drop.

First, this was hard-won experience from years of hunting demon kings—they wouldn’t relax until the very end.

Second, through the prolonged hunt, they recognized that the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale was no ordinary foe.

After all, without a True Spirit-level beast emerging in the Starry Sea, they might have even doubted the whale’s true lineage.

Thus, under these circumstances, they considered the whale a guaranteed catch!

Even without securing a Kunpeng egg, the whale alone justified the immense time and effort expended.

While the trio relentlessly wore down the whale, a handsome young man in a cyan wide robe and a woman in dark armor quietly appeared near the Sea Eye of Da Mengze.

Using the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, Lu Changsheng observed the battered state of the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale under the assault and found his eyes flashing with cold, murderous intent.

He knew that if he delayed any longer, Lu Lingjing might fall into their grasp.

Although they appeared to aim for capturing the whale alive, the divination indicated that Lu Lingjing was destined to face a life-or-death trial!

“Lingjing, Sea Eye.”

Lu Changsheng transmitted a message to Lu Lingjing through the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, then signaled Yun Wanshang to activate the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra to help power the mirror.

Even with the Sea Eye’s quasi-Fourth-Rank spiritual vein aiding them, it was only just enough to activate the mirror.

However, without formations to pry open the spiritual veins and given the vast distance, directly obliterating a Nascent Soul True Lord was a daunting task.

So, to be safe, he called upon Yun Wanshang—a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Although her magical energy might not fully power the mirror, their combined forces through the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra still contributed significantly.

“Alright.”

Yun Wanshang responded with a slightly dazed expression.

Mainly, she hadn’t expected that the spirit pet Lu Changsheng sought to rescue was also a Fourth-Rank Demon King.

Moreover, the mirror revealed that the dragon whale had stubbornly endured under the assault of three Nascent Soul True Lords for quite some time.

Though their aim to capture it alive might be a factor, its strength was undeniably astonishing.

Furthermore, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror itself sent a chill down her spine.

Not only could it observe remote scenes, but it also bypassed the divine senses of Nascent Soul True Lords—a truly terrifying feat! With Lu Changsheng’s energy barely enough to fully activate it, could this be a top-level or even the legendary Celestial Treasure? Without further thought, Yun Wanshang clasped hands with Lu Changsheng; a bright moon appeared between their brows, merging with his radiant sun as they channeled endless energy into the mirror.

Simultaneously, a delicate, enchanting maiden appeared on the mirror’s surface, one eye gleaming gold and the other silver, reminiscent of a sun and a moon, as she absorbed the Sea Eye’s spiritual energy.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!!!

In an instant, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror transformed into a majestic sun rising from the deep, bursting forth with dazzling, blazing brilliance.

Around it, seawater boiled and evaporated, as if doomed to be incinerated by the Sun Profound Light! “Huh!?”

At the junction of Da Mengze and the Starry Sea, True Lord Pinghai, Fuhai True Lord, and Lingbo True Lord—all engaged in cornering the whale—felt an ominous premonition stirring within.

As Nascent Soul True Lords with razor-sharp senses, they instantly detected danger.

Especially Fuhai True Lord! At that moment, an internal alarm blared and a shiver of dread ran through him, as though some terrible presence was watching.

“Danger!!!”

He unleashed a surge of Nascent Soul energy as the phantom of a flood dragon roared and then merged into his body.

In an instant, his flood dragon armor transformed into a formidable, fierce suit enveloping him entirely as his aura soared.

Then, abruptly, the seawater ahead began to boil away as a beam of divine light—like a concentrated great sun—ripped through the void and raced toward him, radiating boundless brilliance and heat.

Even though he had entered an absolute defensive state, the assault chilled him to the bone, posing an unprecedented threat as if intent on tearing through the void to force him into a frantic escape.

Yet the Sun God Light was overwhelmingly domineering, a raging torrent that could engulf all stone and soil, collapsing the void with its burning fury to reduce him to ashes.

Fuhai True Lord felt an immense weight as his flood dragon armor crumbled rapidly under the searing light.

“Who are you, sir!?”

He roared skyward, deploying his Life-Saving Secret Technique to erect layers of magical shields. Deep within, he sensed the Sun God Light emanating from Da Mengze, though he had no clue who was behind it.

Not only him, but True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord also watched in horror as the Sun Profound Light pierced through.

They could clearly tell that it originated from Da Mengze; even more, they envisioned a great sun stretching across the endless ocean.

Without hesitation, they decisively abandoned their suppression of the whale, activating the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag to help Fuhai True Lord share the pressure and counter the light.

At that moment, with Lu Changsheng and Yun Wanshang jointly powering the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror—and aided by the Sea Eye’s spiritual vein—the might of the Sun Profound Light even surpassed that which had once obliterated the Void Kun, shattering the domains formed by the black flag and incinerating Fuhai True Lord.

In just one breath, Fuhai True Lord’s flood dragon armor dulled, marred by countless charred cracks.

Had it not been for the help of others and the reduced potency over distance, that blow from the mirror would have directly obliterated him.

Roar!!!

Lu Lingjing, upon witnessing the Sun Profound Light, realized that Master had finally acted.

Long-held frustration, resentment, and fury surged like a breaking dam, propelling her wounded body as she charged at Lingbo True Lord.

Though severely injured, she could never hope to kill Lingbo True Lord.

Yet in her overwhelming rage, she had to vent the fury burning inside!

Besides, with Master present, once he ensnared her, she would end up fleeing in panic just as she had before—thoughts that reinvigorated Lu Lingjing and lessened her pain.

Seeing the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale hurl itself at her, Lingbo True Lord’s jade-like face shone with an icy, fathomless glow, as ice-blue patterns formed between her brows, crystallizing into hexagonal ice flowers.

Soon after, swirling ice-blue silk enveloped her, coalescing into a frosty mist that completely shrouded her.

Fight or retreat?

With a grave expression, Lingbo True Lord looked toward True Lord Pinghai, realizing the dire situation.

Yet, as a Nascent Soul True Lord, she did not immediately falter.

After all, the enemy possessed the power to annihilate her with a mere snap—there was no time for subtlety.

Moreover, it was clear that this display was backed by some top-tier treasure, unleashing an astonishing divine might.

“Save Fuhai first!” True Lord Pinghai decisively ordered.

He had summoned Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord due to their deep bond.

The latest chapter was just posted on Liujiu Books!

However, using the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag, the two only managed to alleviate a portion of Fuhai True Lord’s burden, buying a brief respite.

Seizing the moment, Fuhai True Lord unleashed a secret technique, his body seemingly disintegrating into splashing droplets before reforming tens of zhang away.

But the Sun Profound Light, relentless in its assault, lashed out at him once more.

Utilizing the Substitute Doom Technique, the pale and grievously wounded Fuhai True Lord watched in horror as the light beamed upon him again.

Realizing that the divine light had latched onto his aura, he knew that unless he completely evaded its range, escape would be nearly impossible.

Desperate to flee, he found that the oppressive nature of the Sun Profound Light, coupled with an intangible suppressive force, turned his grievously injured body into a horrific mess in the blink of an eye.

“Go!”

Without hesitation or a defiant roar, he chose to let his Nascent Soul depart from his body.

Using the trait of his Nascent Soul to bypass magical restrictions, he broke free of the light’s grip, traversed the void, and retrieved his Storage Ring along with all his Spirit Treasures.

Witnessing this, True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord dared not delay any longer and immediately abandoned their hunt.

But Lu Lingjing would never allow them to escape so easily.

Battered and bruised, her skeletal frame emanated a dark-gold dragon current; her glowing dragon horns formed an invisible field that blocked Lingbo True Lord from traversing the void.

At the Sea Eye of Da Mengze.

“Still a bit short,”

Lu Changsheng, seeing Fuhai True Lord flee with his Nascent Soul, felt a pang of regret.

Had it not been for True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord blocking the Sun Profound Light, Fuhai True Lord would have surely perished.

He might not even have had time to let his Nascent Soul depart!

He expressed no further regret.

A bone talisman in his palm blazed like a rising sun, exuding mighty energy as he swallowed his Spirit Milk and Pills to restore his magical power.

Next to him, Yun Wanshang, a Nascent Soul True Lord, appeared utterly dumbfounded.

Had she and Lu Changsheng just slain a Nascent Soul True Lord?

At first, she thought Lu Changsheng only intended to use his Spirit Treasure’s might to repel the trio.

She never imagined that the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror would directly obliterate one of them.

And all from such an immense distance.

Even though Fuhai True Lord managed to escape via his Nascent Soul, in her eyes it was utterly unbelievable.

In earlier times, even when True Lord Xuanjian and True Lord Juejian set ambushes, True Lord Tiansha had managed to escape through his Nascent Soul.

Completely killing a Nascent Soul True Lord was simply too difficult!

“With a treasure like this at his disposal, couldn’t Lu Changsheng simply lie in wait outside any enemy force, observe the situation, and then unleash a divine light to directly obliterate their leadership?”

Yun Wanshang deeply grasped the terrifying power of the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.

It could spy on distant foes and launch attacks from ultra-long range.

Combined with Lu Changsheng’s divination, she could hardly fathom the horrors he might unleash at will.

“Caiyun!”

Noticing Yun Wanshang’s dazed expression, Lu Changsheng furrowed his brows and called out.

How could someone with over two hundred years of cultivation have such an ordinary mindset? Little did he know that Yun Wanshang, with her long years of practice, truly understood the weight of the title ‘Nascent Soul True Lord’ and what it entailed in power and status.

With the backing of his system, Lu Changsheng held little reverence for high-ranking cultivators.

But local cultivators like Yun Wanshang were entirely different from him.

Just as in earlier times when his wives—Lu Miaoge, Lu Miaoyun, and others—were struck by his astounding feats,

Yun Wanshang, as a Nascent Soul cultivator with an extraordinary mindset, swiftly calmed herself, swallowed her Spirit Milk and Pills to restore her power, and then nodded at Lu Changsheng.

“Buzz!”

Before Lu Changsheng, the pre-prepared Misty Dust Banner burst forth in five-colored radiance, wrapping both him and Yun Wanshang like a billowing cloud.

Earlier, due to the vast distance, he had dared not deploy the banner.

But now, with the gap closed and aided by burning High-Grade Spirit Stones to channel magical energy, it posed no problem.

“Whoosh!”

It wasn’t a teleportation.

Instead, it transformed into a vibrant band of colored light bridging the Great Void and the Deep Sea, surging toward the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

Boom, boom, boom—

The massive Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale churned with a dragon-like current, its invisible field restraining Lingbo True Lord and preventing her from escaping across the void.

Seeing that Lingbo True Lord had not withdrawn, True Lord Pinghai stood firmly in the oceanic void, helping to subdue the whale.

Yet the whale, unwilling to relent even if it meant splattering blood and shattering bones, refused to back down.

Such reckless defiance only deepened the unease of True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord, as they sensed that reinforcements were on the way! Lingbo True Lord’s magical energy roared wildly, summoning a dense, chilling mist that expanded the whale’s field and triggered a Fourth-Rank Talisman.

Awooo

The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale was grievously injured and, even under True Lord Pinghai’s suppression, could not completely subdue Lingbo True Lord despite its desperate efforts.

But just then, both True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord sensed something as a billowing cloud streaked through the void.

Before the afterglow faded, two brilliant, awe-inspiring swords of light sliced through the endless sea toward them.

At the same time, as dark mist rolled in, a demonic ape with a black face and fangs and a Peng bird as radiant as a golden sun appeared, lunging at them.

Moreover, a thunderous roar, reminiscent of war machines, filled the air, exuding a terrifying aura akin to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Beholding this, True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord were visibly horrified.

There were two Nascent Soul cultivators, a Fourth-Rank Demon Ape, a quasi-Fourth-Rank being, and an unknown Fourth-Rank presence.

Couple that with the grievously injured Fourth-Rank Dragon Whale before them—what were they even fighting for!?

Even though the two had known each other for years and shared a deep bond, True Lord Pinghai chose to abandon Lingbo True Lord and vanish into the Great Void.

He even employed the Life-Consuming Secret Technique, fearing he might be intercepted.

After all, he hadn’t forgotten that the Sun God Light had forced Fuhai True Lord to resort to his Nascent Soul exit moments earlier.

Had it not been so urgent, he might have asked, ‘With power like this, why not sit down and negotiate instead of directly attacking?’

There’s a saying that enemies should be reconciled rather than clashed—they’d even be willing to compensate for the Fourth-Rank Dragon Whale incident.

But with the opponent shattering Fuhai True Lord’s body even before meeting, negotiation was simply off the table.

“Go!”

Seeing the situation, True Lord Pinghai promptly employed the Life-Consuming Secret Technique to escape; his face turned ashen. Not daring to delay, he decisively chose to abandon his physical form and let his Nascent Soul depart.

Fearing even a slight delay, Lingbo True Lord didn’t bother to retrieve her life’s Spirit Treasure, the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag, or the ice-blue silk.

Any hesitation might have doomed her Nascent Soul to be trapped.

“Roar!!!”

The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, seizing the moment to devour Lingbo True Lord’s Nascent Soul, found itself thwarted as her spirit, immune to magical restrictions and domains, vanished into the Great Void at several times its speed.

She was deeply unwilling to accept this, desperate to devour Lingbo True Lord’s physical form in a burst of fury.

“Wait!”

Not far away, Qian Zhuyan spotted the scene and shouted urgently as his puppet power formed a gust of strong wind to block the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

But Lu Lingjing, as a Shapeshifting Demon King, like most demon kings, preferred inertia—especially in anger—and wouldn’t heed Qian Zhuyan’s words.

But when Lu Changsheng heard Qian Zhuyan speak, he recalled the immense value of such a Nascent Soul Body—it could be used not only to forge puppets but also sold to Nascent Soul cultivators with shattered bodies for seizing and reincarnating. Lifting his palm slightly, a mighty Yin-Yang Hand appeared, enveloping Lingbo True Lord’s body.

“Lingjing, this body will be useful to me.”

Aware of Lu Lingjing’s distress, Lu Changsheng spoke to her in a gentle tone.

At his words, though deeply reluctant, Lu Lingjing eventually relented and, in a dejected tone, called out, “Master.”

Recalling decades of carefree living in Da Mengze and the trials she faced after parting with him—especially the relentless half-year pursuit—Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale was overwhelmed with grievance, shedding tears in distress.

Yet, upon seeing Master before her, appearing so diminutive, Lu Lingjing’s colossal form was suddenly bathed in white light, transforming into the semblance of a little girl.

Earlier, when Lu Changsheng had seen Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, battered and with bones laid bare, his heart ached, though he thought the injuries were manageable.

After all, demon beasts often sustain wounds during cultivation or combat.

But now, seeing Lu Lingjing in human form—with her small face marred by scars, a dull dragon horn on her forehead, and her black-and-gold armor in tatters, exposing gruesome wounds—Lu Changsheng’s heart ached even more, wracked with torment.

The Nine Treasures Dao Bone on her chest surged, burning its own essence to unleash streams of holy, resplendent healing light that bathed her wounds and mended them.