Chapter 591: Chapter 575: Escape by Shedding the Golden Cicada Shell
The Water Being seemed to be a person-shaped entity formed from Water Element, but the way it exerted its power was entirely different from that of a human’s flesh and True Qi.
It wasn’t like the Water Elementals summoned by the western magicians, which were fragile and apt to surge high; it didn’t need to transform itself into a wave.
Inside, it was as vast as the bottom of the deep sea, with endless water and pressure. No matter how humans struck it, they couldn’t inflict any damage, and they might even get injured by the shock. With a casual sweep of its arm, it would unleash devastating monstrous waves, absolutely indestructible by mere human strength.
When you swung a punch, the Water Being would counter with its own. Where humans’ fists met, it was a competition between flesh and True Qi, but for the Water Being, it was as if hitting the bottom of the deep sea, or striking upon the waves.
Each of its movements essentially functioned as “casting spells,” “Water Magic.” The droplets it flung were lethal; the mist it raised formed a prison that could crush one into pulp or suffocate by sealing the mouth and nose. With just a thought, it could extract the moisture from one’s body, like the underhanded trick Cui Wenjing had experienced, ruining from within.
It didn’t need to cast spells, it naturally was what Xia Longyuan referred to as a “Spellcaster,” with every gesture inherently characteristic of Water Magic.
But since the time Zhao Changhe set out to sea and began to ponder this issue upon encountering Hua Zhenming, and especially after receiving the Xuanwu legacy from San Niang, he had been practicing his punches and breaking waves at the bottom of the sea every day, until he finally achieved Great Success.
When a single punch could shatter the massive waves, then there was no difference whether the waves solidified into a human shape or a turtle shape.
With preparation, all sorts of clever tricks, both internal and external, became ineffective.
His sword turned into a blood-red rainbow that sliced through the air, while his spear shot forth like a golden arrow, piercing through the Rainbow Bridge straight into the Moon Palace.
It was somewhat like… a blood-red semicircle with a line drawn through its center, representing Tai Chi.
Each clash of the opposing forces resulted in the roaring sound of waves, with repeated violent ocean surges; water splashed everywhere, hitting the nearby fish-people, piercing through them, leaving destruction in its wake.
Facing such a living entity, Zhao Changhe’s own familiar techniques were at a disadvantage. He couldn’t utilize the Evil Qi within the Water Being, nor could he induce effects like fear. The struggle was purely about understanding water and controlling strength.
Yet still— evenly matched!
The Water Being wailed in confusion but truly could no longer break through Zhao Changhe’s defenses to disrupt Xia Chichi. In a moment of carelessness, it even got stabbed in the abdomen, with water gushing to heal the wound, just like a human would.
Zhao Changhe chuckled, “You can get injured… The diminishment of energy is your wound. Your replenishment can’t keep up with the consumption; the energy efficiency of the Sea Emperor chip technology is a bit lacking.”
“Roar!” The Dragon Sparrow swept wildly, the Half Moon Slash cutting across the surface of the lake, stirring up endless waves.
Xia Chichi faced no more threats. Braving the water and arrow-storm, she pushed through the chaotic fish-people’s blockade. With her right hand, she deflected the frenzied assault of the fish-people, and with her left, she touched the Azure Dragon Statue, attempting to activate her Azure Dragon Secret Method.
It seemed as though her mind exploded with a “bang,” giving her the illusion that her perspective was stretched to its limits.
It was unclear whether the Dragon Star Constellation above was descending towards the ground, or if she was ascending a heavenly path across the Rainbow Bridge, stepping into the Heavenly Vault, and observing the shifting stars up close.
It seemed as though she could see the stars representing the Dragon Star Constellation connecting and starting to move.
It was as if a dragon was wriggling and swimming before her eyes.
Thus, the Soul Sea Star Map lit up within her own Soul Sea due to the Azure Dragon Cultivation Method was also affected, following its movement. The Soul Sea became even more Mystical, turning into a dragon that roamed the Soul Sea, overlooking the land.
But… nothing more.
For some reason, although there was this transformation, she gained no enlightenment, nor did she receive any increase in power or feedback. It was as if due to her Azure Dragon Secret Method, she passed some sort of “identity authentication,” like it was saying, “Here’s the dragon for you,” but it held no deeper meaning.
What the hell kind of dragon is that? I’m not going to look three inches below Zhao Changhe’s navel.
What was missing?
Xia Chichi was not discouraged. It was very normal for things here to be difficult to decipher. If it were easy, would these fish-people need to resort to such primitive and savage methods of sacrifice? This kind of sacrifice was not meant for the statue; it was for the Sea Emperor. They were hoping that after the Sea Emperor regained its full strength, it would use violence to unlock the secrets of this place.
Even the present Sea Emperor had not been able to unravel this mystery, which meant the secret had not yet been taken by the Sea Emperor… This was the reason Xia Longyuan wanted her to come here.
Xia Chichi recalled how Zhao Changhe had opened the Shuilian Cave behind the Beimang mountain back then… This could be an inheritance of sorts. Thus, Bing Po deftly turned and suddenly sliced open the palm of her left hand.
Blood smeared on the Azure Dragon Statue, and the statue faintly emanated a golden glow.
There was a reaction.
Xia Chichi looked up to the sky again, introspecting her Soul Sea, comparing the subtle changes.
The dragon shape within the Soul Sea was only related to herself; it was whatever her cultivation was, meeting all her understanding and imagination of the Seven Dragon Constellations and matching all recorded manifestations. However, the dragon in the sky represented the phenomena of this place, revealing what was missing through its feedback.
Comparing was indeed the right approach… Xia Chichi had found an extremely subtle difference.
There was a particularly bright spot at the heart area of her dragon, corresponding to the “Heart Constellation” among the Seven Dragon Constellations, the brightest star, the heart of the Azure Dragon, which was also the bright hall of a person’s cultivation.
But the dragon in the sky had all its stars equally bright. At first glance, it seemed normal but in reality, it was abnormal.
Its Heart Constellation was missing… Could it be that restoring it would trigger the real phenomena of this place to emerge?
Xia Chichi carefully caressed the statue, which, weathered by countless years, was pitted and abstract in many places and didn’t seem to have a specific spot to embed something. Xia Chichi pondered for a moment, reached into her bosom, and touched the Azure Dragon Seal that she and Zhao Changhe had once obtained together.
If there was one thing on her that could be called the heart of the Azure Dragon, then corresponding to that on the Azure Dragon Statue, it would likely be this seal. The statue appeared pitted and uneven, but in reality, one need not focus on these imperfections, only to restore the position of the Heart Constellation. It was an abstract scroll that outsiders couldn’t understand; even if they did, no one else possessed the Azure Dragon Seal.
But Xia Chichi was ninety percent certain that this was the key!
She looked up and saw that Zhao Changhe was fiercely engaged in battle with the water men, feeling somewhat hesitant in her heart.
Zhao Changhe had said that solving this statue could give them the initiative… That possibility couldn’t be ruled out. But what specific effect it would produce was unpredictable.
What was predictable, however, was that if it wasn’t solved, nothing would happen. But if it was, the Sea Emperor would certainly not be able to refrain from taking action; Xia Longyuan, Hai Pinglan, and the others were waiting for just that moment. When it came, the sudden changes would definitely move beyond her control, for this was a true God Demon battlefield, one that couldn’t be settled simply by possessing a special item.
Yet if she didn’t solve it and just walked away, would that be useful?
Why should we be pawns, serving as bait for them…
Alone, there was no choice but to comply helplessly. But now that her husband had come, it was no longer a solitary struggle. With Zhao Changhe now so powerful, perhaps he might truly brainstorm a plan to turn the tables…
Xia Chichi’s eyes rolled, and she murmured to herself, “My blood smeared on the statue, and it lit up; did you see it?”
The hearts of the onlookers were a string of ellipses; what are you doing?
“The statue has been activated, missing just one key. From now on, there’s no need for me; anyone can open it… as long as they have the key.” Xia Chichi slowly retreated, leaving the Lake Heart area, then suddenly took out the Azure Dragon Seal and tossed it upwards: “The key is here, please help yourselves to it!”
As if they had telepathy, just as she tossed the Azure Dragon Seal, Zhao Changhe fiercely repelled the water men with a slash of his sword, and using the reaction force, he quickly retreated back to Xia Chichi’s side.
The couple naturally joined hands, and fled with rapid flight.
Without even a glance or a word exchanged between them, they understood each other’s intentions; by the time both of them had left Island Heart Lake, the Azure Dragon Seal hadn’t even reached its highest point…
The next moment after they left, a dragon chant came from nowhere, and the water man who had been contending with Zhao Changhe suddenly transformed into a water dragon, surging directly towards the Azure Dragon Seal.
A golden phantom fist appeared out of thin air and maliciously slammed into the water dragon.
The phenomena everyone wished to see hadn’t even begun, yet the drama abruptly unfolded. The main characters, who should have been deeply entangled, escaped hand in hand beyond the island.
“Boom!” The island began to tremble as an unknown battle erupted within. Huaguang penetrated the heavens; thick clouds concealed the starlight, the world turned pitch black, lightning flashed, and thunder roared.