The Zi Zhenzhu had been sailing the ocean for several days.
At this speed, it could reach Sea God Island in seven days, but the group wasn't heading there—it was just a reference for distance.
The Zi Zhenzhu deliberately avoided the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, a creature that ate when it woke, slept when full, and lived a cozy family life. At over 300,000 years old, it had reached a cultivation of 990,000 years.
Ning Rongrong and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King were acquaintances, having met once.
But that was the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King!
A terrifying soul beast second only to the silly silkworm in the Star Dou Great Forest.
It was half a step from godhood.
Yet that half step was one the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King never crossed until its death.
In the later Legend of the Dragon King, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's wife, the Demon Empress, reached level 100 and became a true god without a divine position—only to fall!
She was taken down as a boss by a certain rebellious Ancient Moon Na and Tang San's son, Tang Wulin.
"Speaking of which, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale clan is quite pitiful."
A neat family of three, all gone.
It was said that the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and Demon Empress's daughter initially had a crush on Ancient Moon Na?
Hiss—
Had she stumbled onto something incredible?
As expected of the Continent of Love—neither race nor gender could lock it down.
While Ning Rongrong's thoughts wandered, the Zi Zhenzhu had reached the approximate area of the Deep Sea Viper.
As a peak-level existence, Ning Rongrong could go without food for one or two months, perhaps what they call "living on the northwest wind."
The sailing Zi Zhenzhu slowly came to a stop.
Zi Zhenzhu pressed a few buttons on the control panel, activating the soul tool functioning as a lookout tower.
Within seconds, a detailed image appeared on the display.
"A Deep Sea Viper with dark patterns—definitely it," Zi Zhenzhu said excitedly, amazed at finding a suitable soul beast so quickly.
Based on its age, it was likely between 50,000 and 60,000 years old.
Though Ning Rongrong had learned about many deep-sea soul beasts from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's records, the sect's need for sea soul beast soul rings was minimal, so their knowledge was basic.
Compared to sea Soul Masters living on the ocean's edge, they were less informed.
Hearing Zi Zhenzhu's murmurs, Ning Rongrong began to ponder.
"Having taken various spirit medicines and whale glue, Zi Zhenzhu should have no problem absorbing a soul beast under 60,000 years."
What, some master said the seventh soul ring shouldn't exceed 50,000 years?
Look at the Shrek Seven Monsters—how many of their seventh soul rings followed the "under 50,000 years" rule?
Take Tang San's fifth soul ring, for example.
The soul ring obtained from the Blue Silver Emperor (King)'s sacrifice, now consumed by Tokisaki Kurumi.
Yu Xiaogang's words? Listen and forget.
If you took them seriously, your Martial Soul would be ruined.
Ning Rongrong always suspected Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul was wrecked by recklessly absorbing soul rings.
Otherwise, with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's resources, they'd have noticed what his Martial Soul lacked.
Especially after forming the Golden Iron Triangle and performing the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Golden Holy Dragon.
It should've been clear.
"It's not Luo Sanpao that's weak—it's Yu Xiaogang."
The so-called "Ten Core Competencies" and "useless Soul Master" referred to him.
Off-topic again.
Ning Rongrong shook her head, refocusing, and looked at the screen.
"Deep Sea Vipers, these soul beasts living deep underwater, are hard to capture, right?" Ning Rongrong was curious about Zi Zhenzhu and the Zi Zhenzhu's methods.
"Without this deep-sea-capable Zi Zhenzhu, catching soul beasts over 10,000 years old would indeed be troublesome," Zi Zhenzhu nodded.
In the past, she'd have to wait for a 10,000-year soul beast to surface, sometimes for months. No one could survive thousands of meters underwater, right?
Even a Title Douluo would struggle.
Absorbing a soul ring while resisting deep-sea pressure was tough.
Sea Soul Masters were human, not sea soul beasts, and couldn't stay in the deep sea indefinitely.
Usually, they'd roam the soul beasts' territory, waiting for them to notice and surface.
Times had changed. Soul tools could now reach the deep-sea lairs of 10,000-year soul beasts. No need to waste time and effort, braving sea winds, waiting for soul beasts to "deliver themselves." Now, it was all about taking the initiative.
"A soul beast under 60,000 years? The Zi Zhenzhu can handle it," Zi Zhenzhu licked her lips, issuing commands via the communicator to the sailors at the cannon stations.
With a rumbling sound, the Zi Zhenzhu accelerated, aligning its side toward the Deep Sea Viper.
A terrifying laser cannon fired, piercing the dim seabed.
"Boom!"
Struck by the level 7 soul tool, the Deep Sea Viper let out a pained cry.
It opened its maw, unleashing a counterattack of light waves.
A dark purple, poison-infused soul power blast grazed the Zi Zhenzhu's side.
The Zi Zhenzhu, moving swiftly, positioned itself above the Deep Sea Viper.
Seeing this, the viper swung its tail, slamming toward the ship.
"Activate defense."
Zi Zhenzhu pressed the defense button, channeling soul power.
"Bang!"
From the screen, the Deep Sea Viper was repelled several meters by the shield.
A glowing barrier around the Zi Zhenzhu protected the ship and its crew.
The battle continued.
After dozens of minutes, the thick-skinned Deep Sea Viper began to tire, showing signs of fleeing. But the Zi Zhenzhu was waiting for this moment.
A blast from the level 7 soul tool struck the viper's head.
"Boom!"
Bubbles surged around the Deep Sea Viper. Its eyes rolled back, and it fainted.
The Zi Zhenzhu slowly approached, observing the unconscious viper.
The level 7 fixed soul tool began charging.
After a dozen seconds, a soul cannon fired, illuminating the dark deep sea and tearing through the water.
The viper's body shattered into pieces.
A black soul ring slowly emerged.
Zi Zhenzhu immediately sat cross-legged, guiding the soul ring with her soul power.
The soul ring's fluctuations passed through the Zi Zhenzhu's hull, entering the cockpit and circling Zi Zhenzhu. As she meditated, the massive black soul ring gradually shrank.
It settled into the seventh soul ring slot.
Thanks to her excellent physical condition, Zi Zhenzhu absorbed the soul ring in just twenty minutes.
Knowing blood would attract other soul beasts, Zi Zhenzhu ordered the sailors to speed away from the area to avoid trouble from blood-scenting soul beasts.
Zi Zhenzhu's seventh soul ring skill was—Sea Viper True Body.
The Deep Sea Viper matched her Martial Soul, significantly enhancing all aspects of her Martial Soul True Body.
"An illusion?" Ning Rongrong's delicate brows furrowed. "Could it be deep-sea claustrophobia?"
She vaguely felt eyes watching her, but upon extending her senses, she detected no powerful soul beasts nearby—only small fish and shrimp, the deep sea's native residents.
"What's wrong, Rongrong?" Dugu Yan noticed the odd expression on Ning Rongrong's face.
"Nothing, maybe I'm just not used to the deep sea. Let's leave this area quickly."
Since she found no specific anomalies, she decided to focus on helping Wang Quan Fugui find his soul beast.
After sailing in shallow waters for a while, the Zi Zhenzhu began to dive. Below was the swordfish's territory.
Unlike Deep Sea Vipers, swordfish were typically pack soul beasts. They needed to find a lone one to take down.
"That's…"
Through the observation soul tool, Zi Zhenzhu spotted an exceptionally unique Striped Swordfish.
Ordinary Striped Swordfish had black stripes and smaller bodies.
But the one on the screen had water-blue spots, surrounded by a faint static aura, and was about five meters long.
Compared to the seven- or eight-meter Striped Swordfish, this one was quite small.
"A mutated Striped Swordfish?" Zi Zhenzhu's face showed surprise.
No matter how you looked at it, it was a Striped Swordfish, and it seemed to be hunting.
Based on its speed and strength, it was at least a 70,000-year soul beast.
Most importantly, it was alone, far from the Striped Swordfish pack.
"That's a Shiny Striped Swordfish."
"Shiny… Striped Swordfish?" All eyes turned to Ning Rongrong. Wang Quan Fugui asked in confusion, "What's a Shiny Striped Swordfish?"
"It's like a Shiny Poké… ahem, got carried away."
"In simple terms, it's a mutated soul beast, similar to a mutated Martial Soul."