Hei Chi gritted his teeth and finally took out his one and only weapon. He didn't have any good artifacts, so he'd refined his sharpest tooth into a personal weapon. Now, holding that tooth in his hand, his eyes were filled with determination.
He probably wouldn't survive today. But since it was his own choice, he had no regrets. Even if he had to die, he, Hei Chi, would die gloriously.
He'd already made up his mind. Before dying, he'd shout his name at the top of his lungs. He wanted every sea beast in the deep sea to know that he, Hei Chi, had been here! Even if his first visit to the deep sea was also his last day alive, it didn't matter. He'd still been here, and that was enough.
"There, that woman's trying to break the barrier! Everyone, attack!"
A furious roar rang out.
From all directions, sea beasts began to gather, their gazes locked on Yun Jin, who floated in midair with Tai'a in her hand, preparing to cleave the barrier.
But—
Though they shouted, not a single one charged forward.
You've gotta be kidding! That woman looked terrifyingly strong. They'd only gotten here quickly because they were stationed nearby, not because they were powerful.
Charging in headfirst would be pure suicide.
As long as they made some noise, the Ink Sea Dragon Palace would know they'd done their job. That was enough. The real fighting could wait for the experts to arrive.
Yun Jin looked at the shouting sea beasts who didn't dare move, and she actually laughed. This Boundless Sea sure had an interesting sense of "loyalty."
Fine then, she wouldn't be polite either.
The Tai'a Sword fell from her hand.
The massive barrier that looked indestructible began to dissolve instantly. From where her sword struck, waves of destruction spread outward like ripples in water.
In less than a second, the enormous barrier was gone. Completely gone.
Yun Jin turned toward the stunned sea beasts and said calmly, "I'm going in. You guys gonna fight or not? If you are, feel free to attack together."
The sea beasts all froze, mouths hanging open.
This barrier covered a hundred-mile-wide sea region. When it was built, it took ten Mahayana cultivators ten days and nights to complete.
At first, they thought Yun Jin was overestimating herself by trying to destroy it.
But then—
She swung her sword once, and the barrier…
Vanished? Just like that?
Then what level of power did this woman actually have?!
The sea beasts fell silent and quietly took a step back. Working for the Ink Sea Dragon Palace was one thing, but risking their lives for free? Not a chance. If they weren't getting paid extra, no one was going to lift a finger.
Yun Jin waited a while, but when no one attacked, she couldn't help but grin.
Alright then. She'd gotten a good feel for the Boundless Sea's "work ethic."
"Let's go," she said lightly, landing beside Hei Chi.
He blinked, still in a daze, and instinctively followed her. Watching Yun Jin's calm, unhurried steps, only one thought echoed in his mind— "Just how strong was this woman?"
A barrier ten Mahayana cultivators spent ten days building, and she shattered it in one strike? If ten of them stood before her right now, would they end up the same way as that barrier?
Hei Chi's heart was pounding with excitement. Maybe… he'd actually latched onto a real powerhouse this time!
Far away, in the Sea of Domestication—
The instant the barrier shattered, countless auras stirred.
"The barrier's been destroyed!"
"Enemy attack!"
"Quick, go call for Elder Mo Yu! He's the only one who can handle this!"
Amid the chaos, a tall figure staggered out of a magnificent palace. He was over three meters tall, with two stunning mermaids clinging to his arms.
Burping up the scent of alcohol, he muttered lazily, "Alright, alright, I felt it. Go, gather the guard squad. I'll deal with this so-called intruder myself."
Mo Yu hiccupped again, his breath heavy with liquor.
The two mermaids in his arms turned their faces slightly, not daring to show even a hint of disgust.
Around them, the others looked on with envy.
Those two were from the high-ranking Charm Mermaid race. Regardless of gender, every member of their race was strikingly beautiful and naturally gifted in the art of seduction, capable of magnifying their allure without limit. But the problem was—
They only knew how to use their charm instinctively. Without proper techniques, their seductive power couldn't be used in battle.
A race like that was destined to be enslaved. Within the Ink Sea Dragon Palace, Charm Mermaids were used as rewards for meritorious service.
For Mo Yu to own two of them said everything about his rank and status.
Before long, Yun Jin entered the Sea of Domestication. A loud belch echoed first, then Mo Yu appeared before her, followed by a group of powerful Ink Sea Dragon Palace experts.
Hei Chi clenched his weapon so tightly his body shook uncontrollably.
Oh no.
This was getting way too intense.
These people were definitely the real heavy-hitters of the Ink Sea Dragon Palace.
Even if Yun Jin could break the barrier, could she really handle them?
Today… he might actually die after all. He started silently reciting his last words in his mind. If he had to die, he'd at least die with a proper farewell.
"Woman," Mo Yu said lazily, raising an eyebrow. "Breaking the barrier takes skill. Not bad. I'm guessing this is your way of getting our attention, right? A bit rude, but I admire strength the most. So I'll give you a chance. If you can defeat three of my men in a row, I'll let you join the Ink Sea Dragon Palace. How about it?"
Even drunk, he was still smiling. He didn't see Yun Jin as an enemy at all.
In the underwater world, strength was everything. He'd seen plenty of challengers deliberately cause trouble to stand out and catch the higher-ups' eyes. If Yun Jin was truly strong, he'd happily introduce her to the palace.
Mo Yu's words caught her completely off guard.
Wait, what? If this were in the human world, she'd already be surrounded and under attack by now.
But here? No one attacked her at all. She'd walked in freely, and when she finally met some real resistance, the leader's first reaction was… to recruit her?
She honestly didn't get it anymore.
Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Defeat three people, and I can join your Ink Sea Dragon Palace?"
Mo Yu grinned. "Of course. Our Ink Sea Dragon Palace always welcomes the capable."
He pinched one of the mermaids' cheeks playfully, completely unbothered by her presence.
Yun Jin smiled faintly. "Oh? Then who exactly am I fighting?"
Mo Yu turned his head lazily and pointed. "You three, go keep her entertained."
Three burly warriors stepped out from the crowd.
Yun Jin's smile brightened. "So, do I make the first move, or will they?"
===
The shark species is 黑齿鲨 (Hēi Chǐ Shā). And so I'm using its Chinese term as name