Chapter 860: Crisis in the Forbidden Depths

Faced with an overwhelming wave of terror and killing intent that felt like the sky was collapsing, Lu Changsheng’s expression darkened.

He never imagined Zhenhai Patriarch would summon help so quickly and strike at him.

And not just one—he brought two top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators!

From what he knew, the entire Starry Sea had only a handful of mid-Nascent Soul masters.

Yet here were three!

It showed just how deep Zhenhai Patriarch’s connections and schemes ran, far beyond Lu Changsheng’s expectations.

“You’ve really gone all out for me!”

Lu Changsheng muttered, with no time to think or analyze—he had to act.

Staring at the dark blue chains coiling like raging serpents, he summoned the Nine Calamity Sword and unleashed the Nine-Leaf Sword Technique with all his might.

Luckily, he’d brought the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass on this trip; otherwise, this situation would be deadly.

“Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!!!”

The Nine Calamity Sword in Lu Changsheng’s hand rang with a sharp, resonant hum as peerless sword energy surged like a tide, slashing toward Zhenhai Patriarch to shatter the surrounding space.

“Hmph, trying to escape!”

Zhenhai Patriarch saw through Lu Changsheng’s intent to break their seal and flee Fuhai Sect.

But he wouldn’t give him the chance!

He slapped his abdomen and let out a low growl, exhaling a stream of his essence into the dark chains.

As the essence merged, the chains glowed brilliantly, their energy soaring as mysterious runes intertwined, rushing to entangle Lu Changsheng against the sword energy.

At the same time, he raised his deep-blue turtle shell as a shield, advancing like an unmovable rock.

Though he knew Lu Changsheng practiced both magic and body cultivation with a terrifying physique,

getting close would put him in danger.

Still, he had to pin Lu Changsheng down to stop any escape.

After all, their goal was not just to kill him but to obliterate his Nascent Soul and spirit body!

As Zhenhai Patriarch pressed forward, Turtle Immortal Patriarch in his dark robes and turtle-like form burst through the Lunar Profound Light, charging at Lu Changsheng.

His presence was overwhelming and domineering, his body surging with terrifying demon power.

Under the shockwaves, Fuhai Sect’s grand hall cracked and collapsed.

Even Lu Changsheng felt an unmatched pressure from Turtle Immortal Patriarch.

He realized this one’s power outclassed Zhenhai Patriarch by a level!

Yet the aura from Turtle Immortal Patriarch stirred confusion in Lu Changsheng.

“A shapeshifting demon king!?”

Lu Changsheng sensed the spiritual pressure of a shapeshifting demon king radiating from him.

“This isn’t a cultivator—it’s a shapeshifting demon king?”

Lu Changsheng felt both shocked and thrilled.

Life was full of surprises.

In any other situation, he’d have one choice—run!

After all, he was just a second-level Nascent Soul cultivator.

Even with the Nine Calamity Sword and Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, he could beat or even kill a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator in a burst.

But facing Zhenhai Patriarch, the black-robed elder, and this unknown top-tier Nascent Soul master together was too much.

Now, though, the black-robed elder pulsed with immense demon power.

Confirming he was a shapeshifting demon king!

Lu Changsheng feared demon kings the least.

Two years ago, he won a rare draw for a fifth-tier talisman, the Demon Subjugation Talisman.

It could enslave any demon below fifth-tier.

He valued this talisman highly and wanted a rare-blooded, top-tier fourth-tier mid-level demon king to enslave.

But such demons were hard to find.

They lurked in the deepest parts of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range or the Forbidden Sea—places fraught with danger.

Now, a top-tier demon king appeared right in front of him.

Though Lu Changsheng didn’t know Turtle Immortal Patriarch’s exact beast type, blood grade, or abilities,

his displayed power and the current situation made him worth using the talisman on.

Enslaving him would resolve the crisis instantly!

And with him as an ally, they could take down Zhenhai Patriarch and end the Zhenhai Seven Sects’ threat!

Lu Changsheng’s heart filled with excitement.

“Wait, when I first saw him, I felt a sudden stroke of good fortune—could that mean I’ll enslave him as a spirit pet through the Demon Subjugation Talisman?”

As the idea hit, Lu Changsheng paused.

He recalled sensing both danger and a lucky omen when Turtle Immortal Patriarch appeared.

“That good omen—fourth-tier shapeshifting demon king.”

“Maybe my earlier divination hinted at this opportunity to enslave the black-robed elder, not some confusion from Zhenhai Patriarch and the sects?”

“What could his true form be to give me such a strong lucky sign? Does he hold some great destiny?”

In a flash, countless thoughts raced through Lu Changsheng’s mind.

But with the situation dire, he had no time to ponder.

Facing the black-robed elder, who charged like an ancient dragon turtle, Lu Changsheng quickly fired a Sun Profound Light from the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.

Turtle Immortal Patriarch met the Sun Profound Light head-on, his terrifying demon power swirling as a dragon turtle shadow flickered around him, roaring and shielding his hunched form.

The shadow solidified, exuding unbreakable weight that shattered layers of void and clashed directly with the light.

“Boom!!!”

The void twisted and shattered, unleashing indescribable shockwaves that reduced the crumbling Fuhai Sect hall to rubble.

As the hall broke apart, a vast expanse of stars unfolded like a cosmic display.

Star clouds shifted and meteors streaked through the void, hurtling toward Lu Changsheng with deadly intent.

Star King had held back earlier to fully seal Fuhai Sect and prevent escape.

Now, with his domain array active, he joined the assault to end Lu Changsheng quickly.

These meteors were no ordinary threats; each could devastate the earth with the force of a Nascent Soul True Lord’s full strike.

And as the star clouds churned, it felt like an entire starry sky pressed down on Lu Changsheng, suppressing his blood energy and magical power.

“One Qi Transforming Yin and Yang! Golden-Winged Roc!”

Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng ignited his Chaos Body and fourth-tier mid-level physique, unleashing the divine ability One Qi Transforming Yin and Yang.

A Yin-Yang Dao Flower bloomed above his head, forming a perfect copy of himself.

The Yin-Yang Dao Form instantly grasped the Yin-Yang Diagram, countering Star King’s attacks.

At the same time, the Golden-Winged Roc burst from Lu Changsheng’s spirit pet bag, its golden body gleaming as it assessed the threats.

“???”

Though used to Lu Changsheng’s high-stakes fights, the Roc felt a moment of stunned confusion amid the overwhelming pressure.

“This is insane—how do we even fight?”

Not only were the three auras stronger than its own, but the black-robed elder with the dragon turtle shadow exerted a dual suppression of rank and bloodline!

Even with its True Spirit bloodline, facing Turtle Immortal Patriarch’s superior grade and level sapped its fighting spirit.

But in an instant, the Golden-Winged Roc’s eyes burned with fierce battle intent.

“Fight!”

“We’re in it for the big battles!”

The Roc didn’t know the meaning of fear!

If they won, Lu Changsheng might feed it that dragon turtle—boosting its growth and maybe even its bloodline!

“Golden-Winged Roc, is that one a dragon turtle? Can you sense its exact level?”

Lu Changsheng asked, seeking confirmation on Turtle Immortal Patriarch.

After all, if this was a human cultivator using something like True Spirit Nine Transformations, he’d be in trouble.

“Master, it’s definitely a demon—whether a dragon turtle, I’m not sure, but its rank and bloodline far outclass mine!”

The Golden-Winged Roc shone brightly, summoning the Heaven Roc Fighting Dragon Chart to share the burden with the Yin-Yang Dao Form.

It could only tell Turtle Immortal Patriarch was a demon with superior blood and level.

“Good!”

Lu Changsheng relaxed at the confirmation, his gaze fiery as it locked on Turtle Immortal Patriarch.

“I doubt this old turtle is a fourth-tier late-stage demon king!”

Though the Demon Subjugation Talisman could enslave demons below fifth-tier, its success depended on the user’s cultivation, power, and divine sense.

At his level, Lu Changsheng could handle up to a fourth-tier mid-level demon king.

Attempting a fourth-tier late-stage one risked failure.

Turtle Immortal Patriarch was formidable, but Lu Changsheng figured late-stage was unlikely.

The Starry Sea lacked late-Nascent Soul cultivators, so how could Zhenhai Patriarch summon one?

Plus, while powerful, Turtle Immortal Patriarch hadn’t pushed him to total despair, suggesting he wasn’t that advanced—likely due to his bloodline.

Since the Roc said his rank and blood outmatched its own,

a token-like ancient talisman appeared in Lu Changsheng’s hand.

Infusing it with power, the token radiated brilliant light, its runes and beast patterns weaving into a special symbol that flew toward Turtle Immortal Patriarch.

“What is this?”

Turtle Immortal Patriarch eyed the incoming symbol warily, his dragon turtle shadow roaring with overwhelming might to crush it.

But upon contact, the symbol dispersed into countless tiny runes, piercing through layers of defenses and flooding into his body.

Turtle Immortal Patriarch felt these runes carry an inexplicable rule and force, spreading wildly through him.

They resonated with his blood, demon soul, and demon core like intricate chains.

“What is this!?”

Turtle Immortal Patriarch panicked, surging his demon power and bloodline energy to refine and expel the runes.

Yet they clung like a persistent plague, etching into his blood, marrow, organs, and even creeping toward his demon core and soul.

“Boy, what have you done to me!?”

Turtle Immortal Patriarch’s face twisted in rage, his voice booming like thunder.

A shapeshifting demon king’s demon core was like a cultivator’s Nascent Soul—if damaged, his power would be halved.

And his demon soul was critical—if affected, the consequences were dire!

This invasion was already reaching his core and soul—he couldn’t stay calm.

“Boom!”

In that moment, Turtle Immortal Patriarch unleashed his full demon power, abandoning his human form.

His head tilted forward, growing grotesque as hard bones pierced his skin into blue horns.

His eyes sank, nose flattened, mouth tore wide with tendrils emerging, and a deep blue, grooved turtle shell rose on his back.

As he partially transformed, his demon power surged even higher, vast and boundless, lunging at Lu Changsheng.

Even Lu Changsheng felt a chill at this fearsome energy—it surpassed anything he’d seen, like the Green Dragon King!

This level of strength was terrifying, outmatching all Nascent Soul cultivators he’d encountered.

The more he saw, the more Lu Changsheng rejoiced—this black-robed elder’s bloodline must be exceptional, explaining the lucky omen!

“Boom!”

Lu Changsheng poured his power into the Demon Subjugation Talisman, feeling control over the runes binding Turtle Immortal Patriarch, halting his attack.

“What trick have you played on me!”

Turtle Immortal Patriarch was incredulous, a wave of unprecedented fear washing over him.

As a pure-blooded True Spirit descendant, even weakened in the Starry Sea, his bloodline topped many—yet these runes bound him completely!

“This is bad!”

Zhenhai Patriarch, as Turtle Immortal Patriarch’s bloodline avatar, shared his fate.

Sensing his true form’s dire state, he knew if it fell under control, he’d suffer too.

He burned his essence and energy, his power climbing as he summoned the Lu Family’s Spiritual Soldiers.

A thousand soldiers roared forth, forming arrays, while the brought fourth-tier demon king charged in, no longer holding back.

“Star King, my friend, strike with all you’ve got!”

Zhenhai Patriarch’s aged face under his hat twisted in fury as he shouted to Star King.

But Star King, seeing Turtle Immortal Patriarch’s plight, felt alarm bells ringing—a danger he’d never sensed before.

If earlier omens were minor to moderate threats, now they screamed major disaster.

Without hesitation, Star King decided to retreat—this trip was about the Eastern Emperor’s heir and opportunities, not dying for Zhenhai Patriarch.

If he stayed, he might lose everything.