The passage of countless eons had eroded the rough edges of Haidong Linâs personality. He finally understood why the Sea Emperor had looked at him with such a meaningful look when he gave his commands.
Haidong Lin was the strongest of the four sea lords; his sea dao had reached unparalleled heights. Only his dao could somewhat help Mazu. The emperor hadnât gone himself because he needed to protect the World of Sea.
âŠâŠ
Lu Yun patted the manâs shoulder when he saw the forlorn look in Haidong Linâs eyes.
âSince I have come back, I will rebuild the dynasty and revitalize His Imperial Majestyâs glory!â Haidong Lin suddenly roared and sent his voice out as a sound wave, startling everything caught in it.
âHow do you know the Sea Emperorâs dead?â Lu Yun sighed. âThis world has declined and your altar is deserted, but that doesnât mean the emperorâs dead.â
Haidong Lin started and realized that the young man was still looking in the direction of the Abyssal Hell.
âDo we need to go further in?â he asked.
âYes,â Lu Yun nodded. âPerhaps the original emperor brought the Sea Emperor and countless powerhouses of this world to the Abyssal Hell.â
Heâd employed formula dao and analyzed the world through the signs around the altarâthis was the conclusion he reached. The Sea Emperor wasnât dead and he wasnât far from the Imperial Seal.
However, although the emperor wasnât dead, his dynasty had completely collapsed.
âImpossibleâŠâ Haidong Lin gently shook his head. âHis Majestyâs life goal was to protect the World of Sea and drive out the darkness. The gloom still lingers in the world, so he wouldnât have entered the abyss.â
Rumble!
The sea waters around the altar exploded and collected back together as a giant of water.
âWho goes there, how dare you defile the ruins of the Imperial Sea Sect!â The giant slammed a hand down on the two as it spoke.
âThe Imperial Sea Sect?!â Haidong Lin flew into a rage and punched back at the hand before it landed.
Scatter!
The giant of water broke apart from a single hit.
âGet your ass out here!â Haidong Lin reached forward and hauled a frail figure out of the ocean. Although he was fuming, he was very careful with his movement. He didnât harm the main body of the water giantâespecially as it looked to be a fifteen-year-old young man.
The young man was only true void realm; he was the bottom of the food chain in a place like the World of Sea. He hefted an orb in his hands and stared dumbly at Haidong Lin, not knowing what to do.
âHeh, a Water Virtue Orb huh? The kidâs only in the true void realm and has yet to reach World Manifest, but he can already control a Water Virtue Orb and release its full power?â Lu Yunâs eyes gleamed. There was a fetus of a Fire Virtue Orb in the Disordered Hellâalthough it was alive, it hadnât taken form yet. Lu Yun didnât know how much time it needed to become a true living being.
But he was in no hurry. The five Virtue Orbs were treasures of order and thus slightly different from connate treasures. Theyâd formed from the process of living beings mastering the connate five elements. That this young man could call upon the Water Virtue Orbâs complete power and release Nihil-World-Sovereign-level strength was proof of his uniqueness.
âI ask, you answer.â Haidong Lin didnât look at the Water Virtue Orb. To him, an item of that level was no different from a pebble by the side of the road.
The young man quickly bobbed his head as heâd realized he was in over his head.
âWho is she?!â roared Haidong Lin as he pointed at the massive sculpture. The many buildings thatâd been constructed later by the altar had all been destroyed. Only this sculpture remained intact.
âShe is the sect master of the Imperial Sea Sect,â the young man answered carefully.
Haidong Lin narrowed his eyes.
âItâs said that the noble sect master was once the guardian spirit of the World of Sea. She was Princess Mu, the youngest daughter of His Imperial Majesty,â the young man hastily added when he saw Haidong Linâs expression change. âAccording to the Chronicles of the Sea Emperor, after Sea Lord Donglin and His Imperial Majesty went missing, the mighty dynasty collapsed overnight. Creatures of the dark killed the other three sea lords. When the tide of darkness ebbed, Her Highness built the Imperial Sea Sect to fight against the darkâŠâ
âWhat happened afterwards?â Haidong Linâs expression eased. While he didnât know who Princess Mu was, he was willing to let things go since sheâd raised the emperorâs banner and protected the world.
âAfterwards⊠Well, things became like this afterwards.â The young man cast a sad glance at the ruins in front of him. âHer Highness perished and the sect fell apart. We drift about aimlessly in the World of Sea since we have no leader. Without someone to champion the charge against the shadows, we are slowly being overtaken.
âUs lowly beings can only build a sculpture for Princess Mu on the ruins of the Imperial Sea Sect and worship her daily, praying that she can revive through the altar.
âThis is the Chronicles of the Sea Emperor!â Seeing that this mighty personage wasnât very satisfied with his explanation, the young man quickly offered up an ancient book.
Haidong Lin didnât take it. At his cultivation level, all he needed to do was to scan it with his consciousness to finish reading it. The records were what the young man had spoken of.
âSo sheâs Princess MuâŠâ Haidong Lin looked at the sculpture again. Its hazy features werenât a result of erosion, but that the makers hadnât known what she looked like. They didnât even know what her figure should resemble.
âThis Princess Mu might not be dead either,â Lu Yun chuckled. âShe seems to have followed the Sea Emperor into the abyss.â
Haidong Lin raised a brow and suddenly felt extremely irritated by Lu Yunâs smile.
âDonât be mad,â Lu Yun quickly placated his companion. âPerhaps they found a way to repel the darkness.â
Haidong Linâs brows knit together.
âOtherwise, how would the Sea Emperorâsomeone whose ambitions lay in protecting this worldâand Princess Muâsomeone who also safeguards its denizensâsuddenly leave?
âTheyâre in the abyss and theyâre with the original emperor. Thereâs got to be a way to take care of the darkness once and for all!â The look in Lu Yunâs eyes was resolute. âItâs logical that the dark exists, itâs part of order. But its presence here is irrational. If my guess is right, theyâre looking for a way to put it back where it belongs.â