The glow of the Four Symbols Profound Water Array swirled above Dragon Abyss. Cyan-blue water light shrouded the entire sea area like a thin veil, while the spiritual veins at the array cores continued to converge, not yet fully stabilized.
Ao Xuan stood on the jade platform atop Dragon Abyss Hall. His robes fluttered gently with the surging sea currents, and his brows were furrowed as he stared toward the eastern sea. The water vein tremors emanating from there were so violent they threatened to tear apart the East China Sea's spiritual order, sending irregular ripples through the seawater outside the hall.
"Xie Ao, order Xia Ji to lead the entire Elite Battalion to dive into the eastern abyssal depths and set up defenses," Ao Xuan's voice, heavy with dragon's might, penetrated the hall. "Use the ocean currents to block the enemy and buy as much time as possible!"
"Mo Yuan, immediately reinforce Dragon Abyss's array cores. Merge your ink mist barrier with the seawater to conceal the array's movements—don't let demonic energy seep in. Qing He, accompany Xuan Cang to the southern mine. Order the Bone-Rot Poison Squid to lead its venom-finned aquatic troops in setting up defenses and prepare the Venom Current Grand Array. Use the abyssal undercurrents to spread poison mist, preventing the fiend horde from splitting up and launching a surprise attack.
I shall personally head to the eastern sea. If this Black Armored Giant Whale can be subdued, it will become a great asset to the Profound Water Array."
"Yes!"
Xie Ao's pincers crashed together with a clang. A pale blue glow surged around him as he merged into the seawater outside the hall. Mo Yuan's ink mist billowed, blending with the sea to form a black undercurrent that raced toward the array cores deep in Dragon Abyss. Qing He and Xuan Cang transformed into two cyan-blue streaks of light, gliding several zhang along the currents before plunging into the depths. Fins of spiritual light spread behind them, stirring up tiny ripples as they raced toward the southern mine.
Ao Xuan's figure blurred. Cyan dragon's might soared into the sky as he transformed into his true form—a ten-thousand-zhang-long Azure Dragon. His dragon scales glinted with cold cyan light under the faint underwater reflections. His claws churned the seawater, creating two spiral currents that roared toward the eastern sea.
Along the way, the East China Sea's water vein fluctuations grew increasingly violent, as if thousands of thunderclaps were exploding beneath the waves. The seawater churned violently one moment, then solidified into thick water walls the next.
Ao Xuan could clearly sense countless fiend auras spreading like a tide—mixing the bloodlust of sharks, the treachery of squids, and the venom of jellyfish. The strongest among them was the Black Armored Giant Whale's mountainous ferocity, intertwined with a faint, icy demonic energy—none other than Luo Hu's infernal flames. Wherever it passed, the seawater turned stagnant and stinking.
"The Dragon-Han Catastrophe... we can't avoid it after all," Ao Xuan sighed silently.
Tremendous water energy gathered in his dragon claws, with cyan-blue spiritual light swirling at the tips, stirring countless tiny whirlpools in the surrounding seawater. "This East China Sea is my foundation. Even if infernal flames burn the sky and fiends cover the land, I will never retreat an inch!"
The Azure Dragon raced through the seawater, its colossal body driving surging currents. Aquatic beings of all kinds scattered in its wake.
Before even reaching the eastern sea, the deafening sounds of battle echoed from the seabed. The seawater was dyed dark red, with countless aquatic corpses floating—some severed in half, others mangled by bites, their wounds bubbling with blood. It was a horrific sight.
From above the sea surface, the eastern sea had become an underwater hell. A black mass of fiends covered dozens of li, like a moving dark cloud.
Giant squids waved their dozens-of-zhang-long tentacles, darting nimbly through the water. The suction cups at the ends of their tentacles latched onto the Elite Battalion soldiers' armor, yanking them into the abyss with a single heave. Several tentacles coiled around the soldiers simultaneously, and the dull sound of breaking bones reverberated through the seawater.
Schools of serrated sharks darted like silver lightning, accelerating with the currents. Their sharp teeth tore through aquatic scales effortlessly, each charge claiming the lives of several elite soldiers and leaving a trail of blood.
Venomous jellyfish floated in the water, their umbrellas contracting repeatedly to spray purple poison mist. The mist spread rapidly, forming a venomous current. Soldiers touched by it convulsed instantly, their skin rotting as the venom eroded their meridians, dragging them slowly toward the seabed.
At the center of the fiend horde, a Black Armored Giant Whale—its size comparable to a mountain—advanced slowly through the water like a mobile fortress.
Its body was covered in thick black scales, each the size of a millstone, etched with ferocious patterns and shimmering with a metallic luster. Various seabed reefs clung to its scales, enhancing its defense further.
As the giant whale swam, the surrounding seawater churned violently, forming massive whirlpools dozens of zhang in diameter. The suction was so strong that any small underwater shuttle boats from the Elite Battalion that drew near were instantly pulled in, their soldiers crushed to smithereens. Black demonic energy swirled at the center of the whirlpools, contaminating the surrounding seawater.
"Form the formation! Use the ocean currents to stabilize our lines!" Xia Ji held his eight-zhang red-tipped spear, steadying himself in the water. Fin-like spiritual armor spread behind him to maintain balance, his voice booming like a bell through the seawater.
The Elite Battalion soldiers behind him roared in response. Tens of thousands of red-tipped spears shot upward, forming a forest of crimson—like trees rooted to the seabed.
As the spear formation activated, cyan water energy flowed along the spear shafts, stirring a translucent water curtain barrier around them. The current circulated constantly across the barrier's surface, fending off fiend attacks. Meanwhile, boosted by the ocean currents, the spear tips glowed with a layer of water light, growing sharper still.
However, the Black Armored Giant Whale's whale-swallowing water cannon was far more powerful than expected. It suddenly opened its massive maw, and black light surged in its throat. The surrounding seawater rushed 疯狂 into its mouth, forming a spinning current that even pulled in nearby small fiends, incorporating them into the attack.
A black water cannon as thick as a water bucket erupted from the whale's mouth, tearing through the water with a whistling sound and slamming into the spear formation. The cannon was infused not only with tremendous water power but also dense chaotic demonic energy. The moment it touched the water curtain barrier, the barrier trembled violently, cyan spiritual light rippling like waves as countless cracks spread across its surface. Where the demonic energy touched, the seawater turned black and solidified.
"Boom!" A deafening explosion echoed through the abyssal depths. The water curtain barrier shattered, and the black water cannon tore through the spear formation unimpeded.
Several Elite Battalion soldiers had no time to dodge, caught directly in the blast. Their bodies were instantly vaporized into blood mist, spreading through the water. The surrounding soldiers were thrown back by the shockwave, tumbling several zhang away. Dozens of red-tipped spears flew from their hands, leaving a huge gap in the formation.
"Roar!" The fiend horde let out excited roars, seizing the opportunity to surge through the gap like a tide.
Seeing this, Xia Ji roared angrily. He kicked off the seabed, his figure shooting forward like an arrow from a bow. His red-tipped spear glowed with crimson spiritual light, stirring the surrounding seawater into a spear-shaped current that stabbed toward a giant squid. The spear tip pierced through a tentacle, gouging out the squid's eye, while a sharp force penetrated its head directly.
The squid let out a painful screech, its colossal body thrashing wildly in the water, stirring up countless turbulent currents before sinking slowly to the seabed.
But even Xia Ji alone couldn't plug the gap in the defense. The Black Armored Giant Whale seemed to sense the spear formation's weakness and began charging another water cannon. The black light in its throat grew brighter, and the surrounding seawater was drawn into a massive whirlpool, pulling in currents from far away.
This time, the water cannon it fired was as thick as a round table. The black water column streaked through the sea, carrying a destructive aura as it hurtled toward the core of the spear formation. Wherever it passed, the seawater was forced apart to both sides.
At this critical moment, a cyan figure shot out from the currents like lightning—it was Ao Xuan. A cold glint flashed in his dragon eyes. His massive dragon claws gathered tremendous water energy, stirring a spiral shockwave that slammed into the Black Armored Giant Whale's head.
At the same time, he let out a dragon roar infused with primordial dragon's might. The roar spread farther through the seawater, like a tangible tide surging in all directions.
The surrounding fiend horde suffered instantly. Smaller serrated sharks and venomous jellyfish had their eardrums burst by the roar, their bodies exploding into blood mist. Giant squids' tentacles went limp, floating aimlessly with the currents. Even some stronger fiends were left dizzy and unbalanced, their attacks grinding to a halt.
The Black Armored Giant Whale's movements also paused slightly. Its head was struck by the dragon claw with a dull boom, like two mountains colliding beneath the sea. The surrounding seawater was shaken into a circular water wall that spread outward.
Yet Ao Xuan's strike failed to inflict any substantial damage. His dragon claw left only a shallow white mark on the whale's black armor before bouncing off. The recoil numbed his dragon claw slightly, sending ripples through the seawater.
"What impenetrable armor!" Ao Xuan was shocked. The Black Armored Giant Whale's defense was several times stronger than he'd anticipated—even his primordial dragon claws, boosted by ocean currents, couldn't break through.
"Black Armored Giant Whale," Ao Xuan's voice, filled with unyielding dragon's might, echoed directly into the whale's consciousness through the seawater. "If you submit, I shall spare your life and let you guard the array core in the eastern sea. If you insist on resisting, your soul shall be annihilated today!"
A hint of struggle flickered in the Black Armored Giant Whale's eyes, its scarlet ferocity dimming slightly. It had once been a powerful chaotic fiend with clear intelligence, but it had been corrupted by Luo Hu's infernal flames not long ago, driving it into madness.
Ao Xuan's dragon's might contained primordial positive energy, which naturally suppressed demonic energy. For a moment, the whale's corrupted consciousness cleared, and the surrounding seawater calmed slightly.
But the demonic energy in its body was like a leech, quickly regaining control. The scarlet in the whale's eyes deepened. It suddenly opened its massive maw and shot a black whale-swallowing water cannon at Ao Xuan, infused with a massive amount of chaotic demonic energy. It formed a black undercurrent in the seawater, more powerful than before—turning the water black wherever it passed.
"Hmph!" Ao Xuan snorted coldly. The Azure Dragon Reverse Scale Sword materialized beside him. A cyan-gold sword light sliced through the water like lightning in the dark, splitting the black water cannon in two instantly.
The shattered water cannon exploded in the sea, sending up huge splashes. The seawater was contaminated by demonic energy, bubbling with black foam. Any aquatic beings touching the foam instantly melted into pus, spreading through the water.
The sword light's momentum didn't fade, continuing toward the Black Armored Giant Whale's head. But when it struck the armor, it let out a loud "clang!" Sparks flickered briefly before being extinguished by the seawater.
The cyan-gold sword light bounced off, arcing through the water. Only a faint scratch was left on the Black Armored Giant Whale's body, quickly covered by seabed sediment and disappearing without a trace.
"This armor is truly indestructible!" Ao Xuan was shocked again. His Azure Dragon Reverse Scale Sword was a primordial spiritual treasure, infused with the dragon clan's origin power. He nurtured it in his spine on a daily basis—ordinary fiends' defenses couldn't withstand a single strike.
Yet the Black Armored Giant Whale's scales had resisted a primordial spiritual treasure's attack, a testament to its incredible defense. Even the razor-sharp Reverse Scale Sword couldn't harm it in the slightest.
The surrounding fiend horde recovered and launched another assault on the Elite Battalion's spear formation. Without the suppression of Ao Xuan's dragon roar, the fiends grew even more violent, their attacks accelerating with the ocean currents.
A massive toothed shark took advantage of the broken formation, accelerating with the abyssal undercurrents and charging into the ranks. It bit off several elite soldiers in one bite, leaving a red trail in the water that stained the crimson spear forest dark red.
Enraged, Xia Ji swung his red-tipped spear like a whirlwind, stirring crimson currents that sliced down several nearby fiends.
But the number of fiends was endless, surging forward like a tide. Their attacks grew more ferocious with the current's momentum. The Elite Battalion soldiers gradually exhausted their strength, their movements slowing in the water. The gap in the spear formation widened.
Many soldiers were seriously injured, their armor shattered, struggling desperately in the water—trapped in a hopeless situation.
Seeing this, Ao Xuan knew he couldn't afford to stalemate with the Black Armored Giant Whale any longer.
The cyan-gold spiritual light around him flared, stirring a massive cyan whirlpool in the surrounding seawater. A wisp of merit golden light glowed on the Azure Dragon Reverse Scale Sword.
This was the residual Pangu merit he'd obtained at the beginning of heaven and earth—infused with supreme positive energy, specially restraining demonic energy and chaotic ferocity. The golden light remained bright in the seawater, unaffected by the currents.
"Today, I'll show you what it means to be a dragon!" Ao Xuan roared angrily. The Azure Dragon Reverse Scale Sword flew up again, spinning violently in the water as it absorbed the whirlpool's power, shooting directly toward the Black Armored Giant Whale's armor.
The cyan sword light, wrapped in golden light, streaked through the sea like a shooting star—carrying both destructive and purifying auras. It left a long trail of light in the water before slamming into the Black Armored Giant Whale's underbelly.
"Pu!" Another loud explosion echoed through the abyssal depths. This time, the sword light finally pierced the armor.
The cyan-gold sword light burst like a meteor, penetrating the Black Armored Giant Whale's scales and plunging into its body. The whale let out a painful roar, its colossal body convulsing violently in the water. The seawater churned wildly, and countless whirlpools formed again, pulling in surrounding fiends and tearing them to shreds.
Blood and black demonic energy intertwined in the water, creating a bizarre scene.
Seizing the opportunity, Ao Xuan injected a wisp of merit golden light into the Black Armored Giant Whale's body. The golden light spread like wildfire, beginning to purify the chaotic demonic energy within.
The Black Armored Giant Whale thrashed endlessly in the water, roaring in agony. The demonic energy in its body clashed violently with the merit golden light. Black demonic energy gushed from its seven orifices, forming black undercurrents in the seawater. When it touched the sea surface, it let out a "sizzling" sound as it corroded the water.
Sensing the Black Armored Giant Whale's pain, the surrounding fiend horde grew even more berserk. They launched a frantic attack on Ao Xuan, trying to stop him from purifying the whale.
A giant squid's tentacles coiled toward him, attempting to bind him. Several venomous jellyfish sprayed purple poison mist simultaneously, which spread rapidly to form a purple venomous domain surrounding Ao Xuan.
Seeing this, Ao Xuan flicked his dragon tail. The massive tail, infused with tremendous power, stirred a huge wave that severed the giant squid's tentacles.
The squid let out a painful screech, tumbling downward into the depths. At the same time, a cyan-blue water energy barrier formed around Ao Xuan, shielding him from the purple poison mist.
The mist sizzled against the barrier, but it remained unshaken—without a single crack.
"Live... or die?" Ao Xuan's voice rang out again, filled with unassailable authority, echoing into the Black Armored Giant Whale's consciousness.
The scarlet in the whale's eyes gradually faded, replaced by clarity. As the demonic energy in its body was continuously purified, its intelligence returned, and it understood the Azure Dragon's intentions.
It knew that continued resistance would only result in complete purification by the merit golden light—annihilation of its soul. Submission would spare its life and free it from the demonic energy's control.
The Black Armored Giant Whale slowly lowered its head, letting out a deep growl that echoed through the seawater—carrying the meaning of surrender. Its colossal body stopped thrashing, floating calmly in the water.