Chapter 379 ·The Deep Sea Grand Canyon
Chapter 379: The Deep Sea Grand Canyon
The next day, the Trade Fair for Extraordinary experts officially began.
However, unlike a conventional auction, the trading format was different. Each Extraordinary expert took turns stepping forward, presenting a precious treasure, and proposing the item they wished to exchange for.
During the Trade Fair, some successfully obtained the treasures they sought, while some Extraordinary experts found that no one was interested in the treasures they offered, or that the conditions they proposed were simply too demanding.
As for Zhou Ming, who had arrived uninvited, he presented the Sea Breath Pearl that he had obtained by chance. This treasure could extend an Extraordinary expert's lifespan by five years.
For Extraordinary experts nearing the end of their lives, it was undoubtedly a highly attractive treasure.
Using it as the exchange item, Zhou Ming hoped to obtain the Bloodline Essence of a Lord-rank serpent ferocious beast, intending to continue increasing his own strength.
Unfortunately, once a ferocious beast reached the Lord Rank, the difficulty of successfully hunting it increased dramatically.
The moment they sensed danger, intelligent Lord-rank ferocious beasts would choose to flee, let alone when the target specifically had to be a serpent ferocious beast.
In the end, Zhou Ming's objective came to nothing. Even when others offered different treasures in exchange, he refused them all.
A treasure capable of extending an Extraordinary expert's lifespan was an exceedingly rare existence no matter where it was found.
As the Trade Fair came to an end, Zhou Ming also chose to leave Yellow Sand Island.
However, the numerous Extraordinary experts participating in opening the Blood Sea Secret Realm remained uneasy. Only after receiving confirmation that Zhou Ming had left the Cloud Mist Sea did they lower their guard and begin planning to open the Blood Sea Secret Realm.
Yet, on a reef dozens of kilometers away from Yellow Sand Island, as night gradually fell, Zhou Ming's figure quietly emerged together with the waves.
“I didn't expect using Ink Ribbon as the medium to cast the Snake Shadow Clone would produce such an excellent effect.”
That was right. The “Zhou Ming” who had left the Cloud Mist Sea was not his true body, but the Bloodline Secret Technique·Snake Shadow Clone that Zhou Ming had cast using Ink Ribbon as the medium.
Ink Ribbon possessed Extraordinary-level strength, and its bloodline aura was connected to Zhou Ming's. After transforming into Zhou Ming's clone, it was difficult for others to distinguish it from the real one.
It was precisely by relying on this method that he had deceived Ghost King and the others.
“It's about time to bring Ink Ribbon back.”
After confirming that Ink Ribbon had already left the Cloud Mist Sea, Zhou Ming, worried that something unexpected might happen, began casting the Snake Summoning Spell.
As a twisted and intricate runic formation appeared beneath the reef under his feet, Ink Ribbon, thousands of kilometers away, sensed Zhou Ming's summons through an invisible connection.
Ink Ribbon offered no resistance. Under the effects of the Snake Summoning Spell, it descended once again to Zhou Ming's side.
“You've worked hard.”
Seeing Ink Ribbon take the initiative to move close to him, Zhou Ming comforted it briefly before returning it to his Beast Space.
Afterward, Zhou Ming concealed himself there, suppressing his aura while waiting for Elder White Whale and the others to make their move.
Although he now knew the exact location of the Blood Sea Secret Realm and how to open its entrance, doing so himself would only alert Elder White Whale and the others in advance.
It was better to let the mantis stalk the cicada while the oriole waited behind, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to make his move.
As long as the Blood Sea Secret Realm was opened, he refused to believe those allied factions could continue cooperating peacefully. Once inside the Blood Sea Secret Realm, conflict was inevitable.
Two days later, the Extraordinary experts on Yellow Sand Island departed one after another, and Zhou Ming finally revealed himself once more.
“They're finally making their move?”
Before leaving Yellow Sand Island, Zhou Ming had already placed several ordinary Iron Thread Snakes there through the Snake Summoning Spell.
Using those ordinary Iron Thread Snakes as intermediaries, he was still able to roughly sense the activity on Yellow Sand Island.
At the very least, he could detect whenever an Extraordinary expert departed.
Because he had already known their plan, Zhou Ming did not choose to follow them, as he already knew exactly where Elder White Whale and the others were headed.
Afterward, Zhou Ming took out the Sea Breath Pearl and placed it into his mouth before allowing his body to sink directly into the azure seawater.
As a rare treasure comparable to a fifth-tier spirit treasure, the Sea Breath Pearl naturally possessed many remarkable effects besides extending one's lifespan.
For example, it could use its power to disguise one's aura, allowing the user to blend into the mist-shrouded sea before him.
After Zhou Ming entered the sea, the power of the Sea Breath Pearl formed a thin membrane over the surface of his body, preventing the icy seawater from soaking him.
At the same time, this nearly imperceptible pale-blue membrane completely concealed Zhou Ming's aura.
If one relied solely on spiritual perception, it was impossible to distinguish him from the surrounding seawater.
As he continued descending, the scenery before Zhou Ming gradually changed, and the depths of the sea became increasingly shrouded in darkness.
However, with Zhou Ming's eyesight and perception, he could still clearly see the scenery on the seabed.
Compared to other seas, the depths of the Cloud Mist Sea were rather desolate, while the complicated underwater terrain concealed countless dangers.
Sudden undercurrents possessed enough force to shatter reefs, and bizarre seabed creatures lurked in the darkness, waiting for opportunities to launch sneak attacks.
Besides that, Spirit Entities also existed on the seabed of the Cloud Mist Sea, much like the water ghosts of legend.
Moreover, compared to the sea surface, the lingering resentment left behind by the legendary Blood Clan was even more apparent here, making the sinister and ghostly aura especially intense.
Faced with such conditions, Zhou Ming paid them little attention. Instead, with the power of the Sea Breath Pearl protecting him, he continued advancing toward the entrance of the Blood Sea Secret Realm without disturbing anything.
Several hours later, a bottomless Deep Sea Grand Canyon entered Zhou Ming's field of vision.
Several kilometers wide, bottomless, and stretching beyond sight, it resembled an abyss of death waiting for living beings from the outside world to enter.
Within this Deep Sea Grand Canyon, Elder White Whale, Ghost King, and the others had already gathered at its deepest point.
At that moment, more than twenty Extraordinary experts stood together, their terrifying pressure completely overshadowing the immense pressure of the surrounding seawater.
The ferocious beasts and other strange beings inhabiting the Deep Sea Grand Canyon had long since fled this region.
Faced with such an overwhelming disparity in strength, no creature possessing even the slightest survival instinct would risk provoking this group of Extraordinary experts.
“Everyone, proceed according to the plan. As for the resources inside the Blood Sea Secret Realm, we'll each rely on our own abilities.”
At the bottom of the pitch-black Deep Sea Grand Canyon, the light radiating from the Extraordinary experts' innate force fields barely illuminated the surrounding area.
Standing atop a giant whale nearly a hundred meters long, Elder White Whale announced the beginning of the plan in a deep voice.
None of the experts voiced any objections and immediately took up their predetermined positions.
The next moment, more than twenty surges of tremendous power erupted simultaneously, as though a cluster of underwater volcanoes had exploded all at once.
Powers of different attributes converged upon a single cliff face.
The previously ordinary rock wall began to change as the phantom of what looked like a gigantic metal gate appeared before everyone.
After confirming that the Blood Sea Secret Realm was indeed located there, everyone's eyes lit up with excitement as the terrifying power within them erupted once more.
The previously tranquil deep sea was immediately thrown into turmoil as hundreds of millions of tons of seawater surged violently, accompanied by the screeching sounds of twisted metal.
It was as though an enormous steel gate were being battered relentlessly by an overwhelming external force.
After holding on for several minutes, the phantom of the metal gate finally collapsed before everyone's eyes.
As the energy storm dispersed, a silver membrane resembling a dimensional rift appeared, blocking the seawater from pouring inside.
The Extraordinary experts who had originally been working together immediately unleashed their techniques and rushed toward the silver membrane before entering it one after another.
At that moment, Zhou Ming's figure appeared not far away.