Inside the Abyssal Merfolk Cavern.
At its deepest chamber, the merfolk leaders were gathered in secret. Three months had passed.
The Lóngzūn still hadn't emerged from seclusion. It was obvious the Ink Sea Dragon Palace could no longer control the situation in the East Sea.
Sure, the Lóngzūn had a history with the Sea Emperor, but who was the Sea Emperor? A being of unimaginable strength. Even if he favored the dragons, he'd never personally meddle in the petty wars among sea beasts.
It wasn't like the merfolk wanted the Lóngzūn dead. They just wanted to swallow a few territories under the Ink Sea Dragon Palace and secure more autonomy for themselves. That wasn't too much to ask. They were still in the middle of discussion when it happened.
All at once, every merfolk in the room froze. Their gazes snapped toward the stone door.
With a thunderous crash, the massive door shattered to pieces. A dark figure stood coldly in the entrance.
It was the Lóngzūn! The ruler of the Ink Sea Dragon Palace had come out of seclusion!
Every merfolk in the cavern went pale. Before they could react, a vast, crushing aura burst out from the Lóngzūn's body.
Their faces changed instantly. That aura…
The aura of the Primordial Force!
He'd actually mastered a complete Primordial Force.
And not just any Primordial Force, but the Primordial Water, which was the most dominant in the entire ocean!
All their earlier ambitions instantly drowned in despair. Every plan, every scheme, every thought of rebellion became meaningless. They'd never escape the Ink Sea Dragon Palace's grasp now.
One by one, the merfolk fell to their knees. They had no other choice.
"Three days from now, I'll head to the Sea of Domestication and personally take that woman's head," the Lóngzūn said coldly. "All Abyssal Merfolk are to join me in battle. And within three days, you'll deliver a hundred thousand sea beasts to the Ink Sea Dragon Palace for deployment."
The merfolk's faces darkened. All of them were to join the war, and on top of that, they had to surrender a hundred thousand beasts?
What was this supposed to mean? Did he really think they were his subordinates?
Technically, their factions were supposed to be equals.
"Lóngzūn, they seem… displeased," said the Ink Sea Dragon Elder softly.
The Lóngzūn let out a low, chilling laugh. He raised a hand, and a terrifying surge of power exploded straight toward the merfolk leader.
"Patriarch!"
The others shouted in horror. But it was too late.
The blast struck her square in the chest. Her face turned ashen as the sound of shattering meridians echoed through the chamber. In just one strike, the Abyssal Merfolk Patriarch's entire body went limp, collapsing to the floor, completely paralyzed.
"Patriarch!"
The others rushed forward, panic and fury filling their eyes.
"Defiance means death," the Lóngzūn said coldly. "Patriarch Irene, think carefully. Do you truly understand what it means to defy the Ink Sea Dragon Palace?"
The merfolk trembled, rage flashing in their eyes. But before any of them could speak, Irene forced herself to rise, trembling with effort.
"The Abyssal Merfolk will obey the Lóngzūn's command," she said hoarsely, bowing low.
The other merfolk looked devastated, but they knew what she was doing. They too knelt one by one, nearly a hundred Abyssal Merfolk bowing together.
"Good," the Lóngzūn said with a faint smile. "We'll meet in three days."
When he left, silence filled the cavern.
Just moments ago, they'd believed this was their best chance to overthrow the Ink Sea Dragon Palace's rule. But of all times, the Lóngzūn had to break through now. Before such absolute power, every scheme became a joke.
After a long, heavy silence, Irene whispered, "We'll wait for another day."
And perhaps for countless years to come, that was all they could say to comfort themselves.
At the Nether Lake.
The Lóngzūn appeared again without warning.
"Three days from now, all Nether Turtles will march to battle. Deliver a hundred thousand sea beasts from the Nether Lake to the Ink Sea Dragon Palace immediately!"
At the Siren Hall, it was the same.
The same order. The same overwhelming presence. Under such absolute dominance, no one dared even think of resistance.
The East Sea might've once had four great powers, but from that moment on, there was only one.
The Ink Sea Dragon Palace.
With his endless lifespan and mastery of the Primordial Water, the Lóngzūn could ensure the palace's glory for another thirty thousand years.
Thirty thousand years.
An eternity long enough to drown every other sea race in despair.
From the Abyssal Merfolk Cavern, the Nether Lake, and the Siren Hall, each race dispatched their most elite warriors to the Ink Sea Dragon Palace.
Three days later, the three major races marched out together.
At the front stood the Lóngzūn, pride gleaming in his eyes. He didn't even need this many troops to kill that woman. He'd brought them to make a statement.
To remind every race in the East Sea that from this day forward, the Ink Sea Dragon Clan stood above all others. He would be the true ruler of the East Sea.
And when he killed that woman, he'd hang her skull before the Ink Sea Dragon Palace gates forever. Anyone who saw it would remember what it cost to provoke him, to provoke the Ink Sea Dragon Palace.
The Lóngzūn made no effort to hide his mobilization.
News of the four great races marching toward the Sea of Domestication spread quickly through the deep.
Sea beasts everywhere hid in terror, whispering among themselves. That woman was as good as dead. What they truly wondered was what would happen after her death.
The East Sea's power structure was about to change for the next tens of thousands of years. With the Lóngzūn mastering the Primordial Water, he was invincible. As long as he lived, the Ink Sea Dragon Palace's glory would never fade.
Not just the sea beasts, but even the three other major races would have no choice but to live under the dragons' rule.
The Lóngzūn had already declared he'd duel that woman personally.
No one believed she stood a chance. Yet they couldn't help but watch.
At the Sea of Domestication.
Three months had passed. The barrier was gone. Four hundred thousand captured sea beasts still floated in the watery formation, and Yun Jin would occasionally release a few as sparring partners.
Through this relentless training, thirty thousand beasts had grown sharper, stronger, and more experienced. Now, they were about to face their final battle.
The thirty thousand sea beasts stood together, surrounded by an overwhelming tide of enemies. Fear filled their hearts, but their spines stayed straight.
For three months, they'd fought army after army.
They'd learned what real battle meant. They were true warriors now. Before, the barrier could protect them. If they lost, they could retreat.
But now, the barrier was gone. This time, there was no way back. If they lost, they'd die.
"Sister, I'm scared…" Karma whispered.
Carrie squeezed her hand. "Don't be. We've already memorized our last words, haven't we? Just make sure you die bravely and don't embarrass Senior."
Karma's fear faded, replaced by quiet resolve. These three months had been the only time in her life she'd felt dignity. Even if she died today, she'd never regret it.
The thirty thousand beasts glared fiercely at the massive army surrounding them.
So what if they died? They were willing!
They knew they probably couldn't win. But it didn't matter. If they had to die, they'd drag an enemy down with them. They'd fight to the last breath.