Philippine Port.
Lu Jun and his group quietly descended into the deep sea. This country was not far from the Mariana Trench, and by departing from here they could bypass the Pacific Empire's blockade line against the Nine Provinces, making the journey much safer.
They rushed to the Philippines without stopping. After resting for only one night, they immediately began their mission.
Underwater, President Xiao, Lu Huan, and Ye Mei each displayed their abilities. They cast Heavens Water Curtain, using their extremely high control over the Water Element to condense a shimmering water membrane over their bodies. The thin layer clung closely to their forms, light and convenient, each shining with different lusters corresponding to their various Soul Seeds and Heavenly Seeds.
These water membranes possessed astonishing defensive power and could withstand an attack from a Monarch-level creature.
When it came to Lu Jun, he realized he did not need to cast any magic at all. With the support of his Calamity Talent — Command the Wind and Summon the Rain, the two divine pearls, and his Transcendent Power — Northern Qi Sea, he was no longer like an ordinary human. Lurking within the depths of the ocean felt as natural as returning home.
He could breathe freely beneath the sea. With a single thought he could command all waters. Even a massive tsunami stirred up by a Supreme Monarch would likely be unable to harm him in the slightest.
Furthermore, Lu Jun's defense was stronger than that of the other five. He possessed a Monarch-level physique, along with the Metal Element Transcendent Power, Taibai Golden Palace.
During the past several days of travel, Lu Jun had already figured out the effects of Taibai Golden Palace. It was somewhat similar to the Northern Qi Sea, but instead it nurtured Indestructible Metal Essence within the golden palace located in the Middle Dantian between his lungs.
This metal essence truly possessed the effect of indestructibility. At the very least, a Monarch-level attack could not damage it in the slightest, while even a full-power strike from an Emperor could only wear away a tiny trace.
Unfortunately, the Indestructible Metal Essence produced by Taibai Golden Palace was extremely scarce. Its nurturing process required absorbing the power of countless metals from heaven and earth and slowly brewing them. At present, only two or three strands had been formed.
Moreover, indestructible metal essence did not mean invincibility. What was indestructible was only the metal essence itself, not the mage.
"Unless Taibai Golden Palace absorbs an enormous quantity of indestructible metal essence and perfectly merges with every inch of the body, only then could it truly be considered immortal."
Lu Jun's mind drifted with this thought, and he was slightly startled. Wasn't this essentially another form of eternal immortality? Though it was only physical, lacking vitality, and excessively sharp.
Thus it required water and life to balance it—water bringing gentleness, life bringing vitality and restoration.
He felt secretly excited. It seemed that his goal of immortality, aside from Life and Death, also required Metal and Water.
"The only pity is that Taibai Golden Palace produces indestructible metal essence far too slowly. Normally it takes an entire year of cultivation to create a single strand. At that rate, who knows how long it would take to gather enough."
Lu Jun silently complained. Fortunately, he possessed the Calamity Talent, Taiyi Golden Radiance as supplementation, allowing him to command all metals in the world and freely transform metallic substances. This could shorten the time countless times, perhaps to only several hundred years.
Therefore, the usual use of indestructible metal essence was not like that.
Instead…
With a thought, a blazing golden sun of sharp brilliance appeared before his chest. Billions of divine rays shot out with a metallic clang, each resembling a three-foot-long divine weapon.
High-Tier Taibai Divine Treasury, River of Ten Thousand Weapons.
Yet very quickly, under Lu Jun's control of the Metal Element, the originally sky-filling storm of blades that could pierce thousands of meters rapidly shrank. It transformed into countless delicate feathers that settled across his body, forming a dazzling and magnificent Taibai Golden Feather Robe.
Beneath the sea, the cold-faced young man wore a radiant white robe that looked as though it were woven from fine platinum feathers. Within the pure white glow, faint golden patterns were traced, giving off an indescribably noble aura. The Indestructible Metal Essence had fused within it, greatly increasing its defensive power.
The correct method was to temporarily fuse strands of indestructible metal essence into magic or divine weapons, enhancing their quality for a short time.
Lu Jun's self-created spell, Taibai Golden Feather Robe, was based on this principle. Its defensive power could withstand the killing force of a Monarch-level creature.
When Ye Mei noticed that with just a gesture Lu Jun enveloped himself in a breathtaking power, yet without disturbing even the surrounding seawater or leaking the slightest trace of energy, she could not help but grow suspicious. At first glance it looked like some kind of metallic magic equipment, but upon closer inspection it seemed different.
What kind of magic was this?!
Lu Jun could not be bothered to explain. He had no reservations about letting Ye Mei guess. In any case, she was not someone who would gossip.
He turned his attention inward, observing his body. Deep within his chest floated a magnificent golden palace. A black-gold divine sword trembled within it, while thousands of rays of light cascaded down over the blade.
That's right—he had stored the Tai'a Sword within the Taibai Golden Palace, merging it with the Indestructible Metal Essence to strengthen his life-bound weapon. With every strand fused into it, its quality rose another level.
Lu Jun felt delighted. This was good news. The enemies he would face in the future would certainly include Emperors, Supreme Emperors, and even Roof Emperors. The adamantine hardness effect previously could only prevent the weapon from being broken by a Supreme Monarch, which was relatively weak by comparison.
At that moment, President Xiao spoke in a deep voice,
"Is everyone ready?"
The others nodded silently and activated their Water Element magic, propelling the group forward at high speed. Along the way they encountered quite a number of Sea Demons.
However, Lu Jun concealed them using his Psychic Magic, True Dreamscape, which even Supreme Monarchs could not see through.
Soon they approached the largest trench in the world. In the dark and dim deep sea ahead, the vast and boundless seabed suddenly became steep at a certain point, sinking downward to form a massive cliff-like trench.
The trench was long and narrow, stretching north to south for thousands of kilometers, so vast that even the range of Eighth Realm spiritual power could not reach its limits.
Lu Jun and the others stood at the edge of the underwater cliff. Looking down, their gazes followed the long descending slope. Deep below was nothing but endless darkness, bottomless and unfathomable, like a black hole swallowing everything.
The Mariana Trench was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, with strangely shaped canyon rocks lining both sides.
After a moment, Lu Jun summoned the Mermaid Holy Spirit and had her lead the way.
"Ring, ring~"
The mermaid girl wore a starlight fish-tail dress, her graceful figure floating within the seawater. She pointed toward the depths of the trench while making gestures and soft sounds.
"Your ancestral land is at the deepest part of the trench?"
Lu Jun understood and asked in confusion, turning to look at the others.
President Xiao did not doubt it and said decisively,
"Follow her."
The group set out, slowly descending into the ocean floor. The water pressure pressing from all directions grew heavier, and even the seawater itself carried a trace of chilling coldness.
All of them were powerful experts, and their expressions did not change.
Suddenly, when they reached a certain section of the trench, Ye Mei stretched out her hand to climb along the rock wall, but her grip slipped, nearly causing her to lose balance in the water.
Ye Mei said in surprise,
"Huh? Why is the cliff wall here so smooth and delicate?"
Lu Huan and the others looked over, about to examine it.
Unexpectedly, both Lu Jun and President Xiao sensed something at the same time. Their expressions changed drastically as they shouted in low voices,
"Not good, leave immediately!"
Rumble!
In the next instant, the rock walls on both sides trembled violently. Large chunks of rubble and dust peeled away continuously, stirring the trench waters into turbulence as clouds of sediment rose and obscured their vision.
The group quickly swam away and ascended a thousand meters, yet they still could not escape the range of the vibrating rock walls.
Under everyone's shocked gaze, the rock walls covering an area of dozens of kilometers detached and transformed into two massive black landmasses, floating vertically. The black surfaces carried a strange flesh-like texture.
Lu Jun pondered for a moment before suddenly realizing something.
"These are Devil Ray Monarchs. They lie dormant on both sides of the trench entrance."
As soon as he finished speaking, two blood-red eyeballs appeared at the front of each black landmass, rolling around in all directions. Fortunately, because the group was protected by the True Dreamscape, they were not detected.
Even so, everyone broke into cold sweat.
For additional chapters
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