Entering the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom wasn't as difficult as one might expect, at least according to Hafa.
By following the suction of the whirlpools and spatial cracks scattered across the seabed, one could enter the Divine Kingdom directly. Those who had disappeared previously likely vanished precisely this way, pulled through unstable dimensional rifts into the collapsed realm beyond.
However, this represented passive entry, with no control over where one might emerge within the vast Divine Kingdom. Perhaps they'd be transported to some dangerous location, resulting in immediate death before they even understood what had happened.
Han Jue and the others' purpose for entering this Divine Kingdom was twofold: to provide the assembled geniuses with invaluable training opportunities, and to search for and rescue those who had disappeared. Ideally, they might even recover treasures left behind by the Lord of the Dry Sea, though such hopes were ambitious at best.
Theoretically, with his ability to shatter space itself, Lord Cangyuan could simply destroy the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom entirely.
After all, the Lord of the Dry Sea had been dead for over a million epochs, and his Divine Kingdom had long fallen into ruin, its foundations crumbling without the Immortal's power to sustain it.
However, doing so would obliterate everything within the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom, a catastrophic loss that would benefit no one.
The Lord of the Dry Sea had once occupied a naturally-formed secret realm within the universe, managing to maintain his Divine Kingdom for countless years even after his death. Lord Cangyuan envied the treasures potentially left behind by such a powerful Immortal, treasures that might include cultivation resources, Force weapons, or even comprehension crystals containing law insights.
This was precisely why Lord Cangyuan had personally opened a stable spatial passage to transport Han Jue and the others directly to the Divine Kingdom's core region, bypassing the dangerous outer layers entirely.
Inside the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom.
Han Jue shook his head and stood up, his legs slightly unsteady beneath him.
The process of traversing a spatial passage and adapting to the environment within the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom proved challenging even for someone of his strength. The dimensional energies had pressed against his body like invisible weights, and the ambient Force within this collapsing realm carried strange distortions that made his senses swim.
Fortunately, Han Jue's physique far exceeded that of his peers at Stellar Level Seven, tempered by the Heaven's End Ice Crystal Fruit and countless hours of body refinement training. Within moments, his equilibrium stabilized and the disorientation faded.
"Is everyone okay?" Bai Zhou asked with concern, his voice carrying genuine worry as he surveyed the assembled group.
After receiving positive answers from all team members, Bai Zhou nodded decisively and began issuing instructions according to their previously discussed plan.
"Qianyu and I will explore the lower sea region," Bai Zhou announced, gesturing toward his female companion. "You three will handle the middle sea."
The environment within the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom defied normal expectations in numerous ways.
First, it was divided into two distinct regions: a core ocean and an outer continent, with the landmass encircling the central waters like a vast ring. A few creatures inhabited the continental region, most possessed relatively minimal strength, with the strongest reaching Universe level. Their power generally fluctuated between Planetary and Universe level, suggesting they were descendants of the Divine Kingdom's original inhabitants who had adapted to this dying realm over countless generations.
The core ocean represented the true heart of the Dry Sea Divine Kingdom.
This aquatic region was divided into three distinct layers: upper, middle, and lower. The sea beasts inhabiting each layer varied dramatically in both species and strength. The deeper one ventured, the more hostile the environment became and the more powerful the creatures grew.
In the lower layer, only Universe-level sea beasts could survive the crushing pressure and dense Force saturation. Even Domain Master-level beasts weren't uncommon in those treacherous depths, their territories fiercely defended against intruders.
The middle layer proved slightly more manageable, with most sea beasts ranging from Stellar to Universe level in strength. Only a very few Domain Master-level creatures made their homes in this intermediate zone, typically near the boundary with the lower depths.
This critical information had been discovered by the first exploration group to enter the Divine Kingdom, knowledge purchased at tremendous cost. Several Stellar-level geniuses had perished gathering these details, and the survivors had barely escaped from the lower layer with their lives intact.
The lower depths were also where any secret treasures left by the Lord of the Dry Sea were most likely hidden, protected by the realm's most dangerous guardians and its increasingly unstable spatial structure.
"Yeah," Mijiti replied listlessly, her voice carrying obvious resentment.
She felt she'd been forced into this role as a babysitter for lesser talents. Due to Bai Zhou's authority as team leader and his backing from First Universe Bank's upper hierarchy, she dared not openly resist. Instead, she could only endure the assignment silently, her pride wounded by what she perceived as a demotion.
What humiliation, she thought bitterly. Reduced to watching over Stellar-level weaklings instead of proving my worth in real combat.
"Stay close to us for now, and don't wander off on your own. Understood?" After Bai Zhou and Qianyu had already departed for the lower sea, Mijiti turned toward Han Jue with an expression of haughty superiority, her fiery red hair seeming to burn with barely suppressed frustration.
"No problem," Han Jue replied calmly, his tone neutral and accommodating.
Although he suspected Mijiti's strength might not necessarily surpass his own by any significant margin, especially considering his Water Domain and advanced law comprehension, he recognized that she represented First Universe Bank's interests. Creating conflict with her would be unnecessarily foolish, potentially jeopardizing his relationship with the powerful organization.
Better to observe and evaluate, Han Jue thought pragmatically. Let's see how this situation develops before making any judgments.
"Splash!"
Mijiti jumped into the water first, her body entering the dense liquid with practiced ease. Diman nodded respectfully toward Han Jue, then followed his companion into the depths, his massive shield strapped securely across his back.
Han Jue matched their pace, diving smoothly into the upper sea region.
They descended steadily, swimming through the increasingly dense water. The sea beasts encountered along their path were systematically eliminated by Mijiti, who seemed eager to vent her frustration on convenient targets. This young woman with vibrant red hair demonstrated deep understanding of the Origin Law of Fire, her mastery clearly exceeding what one would expect from her age. She wielded a fifth-level Force weapon, a spear wreathed in crimson flames that left trails of boiling water in its wake.
"Boom!"
Flames attached themselves to her spear's tip as Mijiti charged forward. The flame-wreathed weapon pierced straight through a Universe-level sea beast's defenses, the intense heat cooking the creature from the inside out. Within moments, the unfortunate beast had been transformed into something resembling charred barbecue, its flesh blackened and smoking.
"Clang!"
Diman appeared silently behind Mijiti, intercepting an ambush attack from another sea beast attempting to capitalize on her momentary vulnerability. He held a massive earth-colored shield in his hands, using it not for defense but as an improvised hammer. He swung the heavy shield with devastating force, smashing it directly into the attacking beast's skull with a sickening crunch.
The two warriors cooperated with practiced synchronization, quickly eliminating all sea beasts that attacked from the surrounding waters. Their efficiency was impressive, they didn't even provide Han Jue with opportunities to demonstrate his own capabilities, their combined assault overwhelming each threat before he could properly engage.
They repeated this pattern continuously as they descended. Soon enough, the three cultivators arrived at a depth of three hundred and thirty thousand meters below the surface.
This marked the boundary between the upper sea and the middle sea, a critical threshold where the environment shifted dramatically.
"Can you handle this? If not, you should return to the outer continent and wait for us there," Mijiti spoke rudely, her tone making her low expectations abundantly clear.
"I can manage," Han Jue replied calmly, refusing to rise to her obvious provocation.
The water density in the middle sea region was substantially higher than in the upper levels, and the pressure increased exponentially. Even Stellar-level sea beasts experienced significant difficulty surviving in this harsh environment. At minimum, one needed to possess Stellar Level Four strength to maintain basic survival here, while free movement required at least Stellar Level Nine capabilities.
Han Jue currently stood at only Stellar Level Seven, and humans were notoriously weaker than sea beasts of equivalent cultivation levels in aquatic environments. Theoretically, he would need to reach at least Stellar Level Nine to survive comfortably in this middle sea, while only Universe-level cultivators could move freely without constant strain.
Mijiti studied him skeptically for a moment, then nodded curtly and said nothing more, apparently satisfied with his confidence.
They crossed the threshold into the middle sea region.
Han Jue immediately felt the seawater pressing against him with significantly greater force, the pressure intensifying dramatically. Gravity increased by over tenfold compared to the upper sea, and the dense Force-saturated water seemed to resist every movement, making even simple actions require substantially more energy.
However, this environmental challenge did not affect his movements as severely as Mijiti had clearly anticipated.
His Water Domain provided natural resistance to aquatic pressure, and his understanding of water's fundamental nature allowed him to move through the dense liquid more efficiently than raw physical strength alone would permit. Additionally, his Heaven's End Ice Crystal Fruit-enhanced physique handled the gravitational stress far better than a normal Stellar Level Seven cultivator possibly could.
The three continued their descent into the middle sea's depths.
According to intelligence gathered by the first explorers who had entered the Divine Kingdom, starting in the middle sea region, one began encountering dilapidated buildings scattered across the seabed. Among these ruins could be found broken Force weapons, damaged psychic weapons, and even the wreckage of ancient spacecraft, remnants of the Divine Kingdom's glory days before its master's death.
While truly valuable finds weren't abundant, discovering even minor treasures was certainly better than finding nothing at all. Some cultivators had reportedly recovered D-grade materials or functioning equipment components worth millions of Universe Coins.
This sea region was vast, extending for thousands of kilometers in all directions.
The three warriors searched methodically, moving from sector to sector while encountering numerous Universe-level sea beasts. After slaying them one by one and collecting their valuable body parts, they finally spotted their first promising structure in the distance.
"There's something over there," Han Jue said helpfully, pointing toward a spherical building partially buried in the seabed sediment.
Mijiti startled at his observation, then quickly recovered and rushed toward the structure with obvious excitement lighting her features.
Diman and Han Jue followed closely behind, arriving at the spherical building within moments.
"This outer shell is made from at least D5-grade pure metal!" Mijiti reached out and knocked on the structure's surface, her knuckles producing a resonant ring. Her face lit up with genuine delight as she examined the seamless construction. She couldn't help but glance at Han Jue with slightly more respect in her eyes.
"Perhaps there are valuable items inside. You... you did well spotting this," Mijiti admitted grudgingly, offering rare praise.
"So how do you plan to open it?" Han Jue responded calmly, his expression unchanging.
The building was completely sealed, a perfect sphere without any visible entrances, windows, or weak points. If Mijiti's assessment was accurate and the structure was constructed from D5-grade pure metal, then even powerful Domain Masters would find breaking through its walls extremely difficult. Such materials could withstand tremendous force and resist most conventional cutting methods.
Mijiti fell silent, her earlier excitement deflating as she stood there awkwardly without any immediate solution.
She genuinely didn't have any effective ideas for opening the impenetrable sphere.
"Store it for now and examine it more carefully later," Diman finally suggested, his practical nature asserting itself. "We can bring it back to headquarters where proper equipment can analyze it safely."
Mijiti glared at Han Jue as though her inability to open the sphere was somehow his fault, making Han Jue shake his head slightly in bewilderment.
This woman seems to have some serious issues with her attitude, he thought privately.
"Master, do you think she might have feelings for Bai Zhou?" Rimuru's voice echoed privately in Han Jue's mind, the AI's tone carrying amused speculation. "And then she felt resentful when she saw that Bai Zhou chose to explore with another woman instead of staying with her?"
"Are you going to suggest next that Diman has a crush on Mijiti?" Han Jue responded mentally, his internal voice carrying obvious skepticism.
"Yes, yes, that's exactly what I think!" Rimuru declared proudly, clearly pleased with his romantic conspiracy theory.
Don't say that, Han Jue thought with resignation. Rimuru's speculation actually sounds disturbingly plausible.
They were all Universe-level powerhouses with considerable cultivation and life experience. Was it really necessary to be so emotionally immature? Such interpersonal drama seemed beneath individuals of their strength and status.
Han Jue had no desire to become entangled with this woman who appeared to be suffering from some combination of wounded pride and romantic frustration. If she grew too impatient and attacked him in her emotional state, he might find himself forced to deal with both her and Diman simultaneously, a situation that would benefit no one and could seriously damage his relationship with First Universe Bank.
For a moment, awkward silence hung between the three cultivators.
Diman carefully placed the sealed sphere into his spatial ring, planning to request assistance opening it after they returned to the surface. With proper equipment and expert analysis, they could determine the sphere's contents without risking damage to whatever treasures might be stored within.
They resumed their exploration of the middle sea, searching for additional structures and valuable materials while remaining alert for the region's more dangerous inhabitants.
The hunt for the Lord of the Dry Sea's legacy had only just begun.
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