Yun Jin glanced at the map.
The mission system displayed the coordinates of her target.
On the map, the Spirit Pearl Clams' location was perfectly clear. If she tapped the guidance function, a faint arrow that only she could see would even appear, pointing her toward the destination.
That location… seemed to be deep within the ocean.
While she was double-checking the coordinates, a massive tail suddenly descended from the sky and slammed toward her head.
She raised a brow.
Her figure shot upward, and the ordinary wooden boat beneath her instantly shattered into pieces.
From the turbulent sea below, an enormous serpent burst from the water. It bared its razor-sharp fangs and lunged at her with its jaws wide open.
Yun Jin stood still, her expression unreadable.
The serpent felt a jolt of excitement.
Had this woman frozen in fear? Looked like he was about to enjoy a fine meal today. But right before its teeth could close around her head, Yun Jin simply raised a hand and made a light closing motion with her fingers.
The serpent's jaw snapped shut, completely out of its control. Its huge body twisted and writhed violently as fear flickered in its eyes.
Who was this woman? How could someone this terrifying appear in the shallow seas?
Yun Jin said calmly, "Unity stage. Your cultivation's not bad."
She loosened her spiritual pressure, allowing it to speak.
The serpent's tone was filled with panic. "Senior, this humble one failed to recognize your greatness. I've offended you without knowing, please, I beg you to spare my life!"
She hadn't even used her full strength, yet that glimpse of power was already enough to crush him. This was definitely someone he couldn't afford to provoke.
Yun Jin looked down at him without emotion. "If I hadn't dodged in time, I'd already be your meal."
The serpent trembled all over. It couldn't think of any excuse and could only stammer, "Please spare me, Senior! Please, spare me!"
She narrowed her eyes slightly, considering how to deal with him.
Then, her gaze shifted.
The once-calm surface of the sea suddenly split apart as a massive Blackfang Shark leapt out, its gaping jaws biting straight at the serpent.
Caught off guard, the serpent instinctively fought back.
The Blackfang Shark grinned toward Yun Jin. "Senior, this snake offended you, right? Allow me to teach him a lesson."
Yun Jin said nothing.
Seeing she didn't stop him, the Blackfang Shark dove into battle with renewed enthusiasm.
She watched from above, narrowing her eyes. She'd only been in the Boundless Sea for less than a minute, yet two sea beasts had already appeared. And beneath the surface, she could sense countless more lurking auras.
Humans at least bothered to hide their battles behind excuses. They needed reasons to kill. But here, in the Boundless Sea, killing was as common as breathing. These sea beasts lived every second surrounded by blood and death.
The strongest born from such endless slaughter… just how terrifying would they be?
Yun Jin glanced toward the central sea. She would have to go there eventually. The strongest of the Boundless Sea was someone she intended to meet one day.
The serpent, already weaker than the Blackfang Shark and caught off guard, quickly fell into disadvantage. The shark's sharp teeth tore into the serpent's vital point. With a final wail, the serpent went limp and died.
The Blackfang Shark opened its massive mouth and swallowed the serpent whole.
Then, instead of diving back into the water, it respectfully swam over to Yun Jin. "Thank you for not intervening, Senior. Since someone like you wouldn't come to the shallow sea for no reason, may I ask if there's anything I can help with?"
Its tone was humble, its attitude almost reverent.
Yun Jin glanced at him. For all his rough looks, this shark was clever. She almost couldn't find a reason to kill him.
"You're pretty smart," she said with a faint smile.
The Blackfang Shark bowed slightly. "If my little bit of cleverness can serve you, that'd be my greatest honor."
She gave him a calm look. "You sure you want to work for me?"
"Serving Senior is worth any risk," he said without hesitation. "Even if I have to dive into fire or face death, I'd gladly do it."
"Alright." Yun Jin waved her hand, releasing a thin layer of spiritual energy that enveloped him.
Instantly, the other sea beasts hiding beneath the waves scattered in fear.
The Blackfang Shark finally let out a breath of relief. He'd taken some damage during the fight with the serpent.
In this place, injury meant weakness, and weakness meant death. He hadn't dared return underwater, and his eagerness to serve Yun Jin was partly a gamble for survival, hoping her presence would scare off predators.
Of course, there was a risk.
If he ever said or did something that displeased her, she could erase him with a flick of her fingers. But as a low-tier species, his life was always uncertain anyway. If he wanted to get stronger, he had to take risks. And this time, he'd bet correctly.
Yun Jin led him deeper into the sea.
She glanced at him and said, "You've already reached Unity stage, so you should be able to take human form."
He quickly transformed into a man and scratched his head awkwardly. "Please forgive me, Senior. The shallow sea's too dangerous, so I usually stay in my original form. That's how I can fight at full strength. Most sea beasts in these waters do the same."
"Oh?" she asked casually. "So most of the shallow-sea beasts keep their original form? What about the deep sea?"
The shark froze for a second before replying, "The deep sea's full of powerful beings like you, Senior. They've got nothing to fear, so they usually take human form."
"Is that so?" Yun Jin lifted a brow. "How much do you actually know about the deep sea? Tell me."
Her aura was calm and restrained, so he couldn't tell where she came from. Assuming she was some ancient sea beast testing him, his tone became even more respectful.
"In the shallow sea, most are low-tier species. It's hard for us to cultivate, so the only way to grow stronger is by constant killing. Like just now, after devouring that serpent's flesh and blood, my cultivation rose quite a bit," he explained quickly. "Of course, that chance only came thanks to you, Senior. I'll never forget your grace. I'll remember it day and night for the rest of my life."
"Enough flattery," she said dryly. "So the deep sea's home to the middle, high, and super-tier races, right?"
As she spoke, she continued moving forward, guiding the Blackfang Shark toward the darker depths.
The deep sea was known as forbidden territory for humans. Even someone with a water spiritual root would be crushed by the immense pressure of the depths.
But Yun Jin wasn't like other people. Her cultivation was unmatched, and her water spiritual root was shared with Su Lingling, the daughter of the Heavenly Dao.
A spiritual root like that was among the most powerful in existence. It was precisely that root that allowed her to move freely through the deep sea, gliding through the water with ease even without channeling her spiritual energy.