Deep-Sea Clash

Jiang Zhen hovered in the dim waters beside the seaweed, his gaze locked firmly onto the jellyfish ahead, which shimmered with a faint azure glow.

Its 9,400-year age had not yet reached the threshold for the qualitative transformation of a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, but it was still powerful.

Especially in the deep-sea environment, Spirit Beasts nourished by these waters were often more difficult to deal with than land Spirit Beasts of the same age.

He quietly extended his Soul Power in all directions. Relying on his affinity with the water element, he sensed every ripple of movement in the surrounding waters.

The seawater around the Azure Glow Jellyfish appeared calm, but it concealed extremely subtle fluctuations of energy. It was as though an invisible barrier enveloped it; even the swaying of the seaweed slowed slightly when it reached the jellyfish.

As expected, it isn't simple. This jellyfish's energy can influence the currents. If I attack recklessly, it might borrow the water's flow to deflect the force. Jiang Zhen thought to himself as the water element began gathering at his fingertips.

He did not rush to use his First Spirit Skill. Instead, he first circulated the Profound Water Clear Mind Art, thickening the Water Condensation Shield on his body by another three layers.

Then, with a thought, the water element around him abruptly grew restless. Dozens of water arrows as thick as fingers condensed in front of him, their tips gleaming with icy silver light.

"Go!" Jiang Zhen shouted in a low voice. Driven by his Soul Power, the water arrows shot toward the Azure Glow Jellyfish's bell like arrows loosed from a bowstring.

Yet just as the water arrows were about to touch the calm waters surrounding the jellyfish, the seemingly gentle seawater suddenly rippled like a soft net, wrapping around the arrows layer by layer.

With several light puffs, the water arrows were twisted apart by the current into fine splashes. They did not even touch the jellyfish's tentacles.

As expected, it can control the currents and deflect force! Jiang Zhen's eyes narrowed. Far from panicking, he became even more certain of the jellyfish's value. A Spirit Skill capable of controlling water currents was extraordinarily compatible with his water-element Martial Soul.

Just then, the Azure Glow Jellyfish seemed to have been startled.

The silver patterns on its bell suddenly lit up. Its tentacles, which had been swaying gently, straightened in an instant. Dozens of slender tentacles glowed with dazzling silver light like silver soft swords, lashing fiercely toward Jiang Zhen.

At the same time, the seawater around it began to spin, forming miniature whirlpools that attempted to trap Jiang Zhen within them.

Jiang Zhen had been prepared for this. He kicked hard with both legs, and with the help of the resonance between his Soul Power Membrane and the seawater, his body shot backward like a swimming fish.

But the tentacles were incredibly fast. They came with sharp breaking sounds—even underwater, they produced something resembling the sound of wind slicing through the air—and caught up with him in the blink of an eye.

"Water Condensation Shield!"

Jiang Zhen swiftly turned around and poured Soul Power into the membrane covering his body. The pale-blue shield instantly bulged outward like a round shield.

"Bang!" The first tentacle slammed heavily into the shield. Jiang Zhen felt a tremendous force strike him, sending his body sliding several dozen meters to the side. The water patterns on the shield fluctuated violently, nearly shattering.

He lowered his head and saw that the spot where the shield had touched the tentacle had taken on a faint silver hue, as if corroded by some kind of energy. Fortunately, the Profound Water Clear Mind Art circulated in time, and the continuous replenishment of Soul Power dispersed the silver light.

"These tentacles are not only powerful—they also carry paralyzing energy!"

Jiang Zhen's heart tightened. He knew he could not keep defending passively.

He drew a deep breath, and his Soul Power surged through his body. His First Spirit Ring lit up above his head, its purple radiance casting a warm glow over the surrounding seawater.

"First Spirit Skill, Moisten All Directions!"

As the Spirit Skill activated, the water element around Jiang Zhen instantly boiled. A gentle yet powerful energy surged through his limbs and bones along with his Soul Power.

He could clearly feel his strength, speed, Soul Power intensity, and even his control over the water element soaring at that moment.

The 200% boost to all attributes made his movements in the deep sea even swifter.

"If you can control the currents, then I'll disrupt them!" Jiang Zhen formed hand seals and connected with the surrounding water element.

The seawater within dozens of meters around him suddenly grew agitated. The previously calm currents turned violent, and enormous whirlpools appeared out of thin air, pulling the Azure Glow Jellyfish's tentacles into them.

The miniature whirlpools that had attempted to restrain Jiang Zhen instantly collapsed under the impact of the raging currents.

The Azure Glow Jellyfish clearly had not expected the human before it to control such a massive amount of water element. Its bell contracted slightly, and the silver patterns flashed even more rapidly.

It abruptly withdrew its tentacles, then swept them toward Jiang Zhen. Dozens of silver blades of light shot from the tentacles, slicing through the seawater as they came at him with a fierce aura.

"Condense Water Into Shield!" Jiang Zhen flipped his wrist, and the water element in front of him rapidly condensed into a water shield over three meters tall.

"Cling, clang, clang!" The silver blades struck the water shield, producing crisp sounds. Layer upon layer of ripples spread across the shield, but it remained intact.

Taking advantage of the opening, Jiang Zhen drove off with both legs again and shot toward the Azure Glow Jellyfish like an arrow. He intended to attack at close range and avoid the opponent's advantage in remotely controlling the currents.

But just as Jiang Zhen was about to reach the jellyfish, the Azure Glow Jellyfish suddenly spread its bell to its maximum width. The silver patterns covering its body erupted with dazzling light.

A gentle yet incredibly penetrating energy radiated from inside it. The surrounding seawater instantly became viscous, and Jiang Zhen's speed abruptly slowed, as if he had fallen into a swamp.

"Not good!"

Jiang Zhen's heart jolted. He could feel his connection with the surrounding water element weakening considerably under the influence of that energy, while the circulation of his Soul Power also became sluggish.

At that moment, the Azure Glow Jellyfish's tentacles suddenly accelerated. Like venomous snakes, they wrapped around Jiang Zhen's limbs.

"Hiss—" The paralyzing sensation transmitted from the tentacles instantly spread throughout his body, nearly interrupting Jiang Zhen's Soul Power.

He could see the silver patterns on the tentacles flashing continuously. Under the corrosion of that energy, the Water Condensation Shield covering his body had already begun to turn transparent.

I can't let it trap me! Jiang Zhen clenched his teeth, forcefully circulating his Soul Power while simultaneously drawing on the power of the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.

Blue-gold light flared from his right leg. A healing energy flowed through his limbs, instantly suppressing the paralysis within his body.

Immediately afterward, the Flight Spirit Skill of the right leg bone activated. A gentle thrust rose from the soles of his feet, carrying his body sharply upward and forcibly snapping several of the tentacles wrapped around his limbs.

Using the levitation provided by the Flight Spirit Skill—which was less agile underwater than in the air, but still enough to break free—Jiang Zhen quickly widened the distance between them.

He lowered his head and looked at the places where the tentacles had wrapped around him. His skin had already taken on a faint silver hue. Fortunately, the healing energy had taken effect in time; otherwise, he might already have lost the ability to move.

This jellyfish's paralyzing energy is too overbearing. I have to end this quickly!

Jiang Zhen took a deep breath and pushed Moisten All Directions to its limit. At the same time, he circulated the Profound Water Clear Mind Art, gathering all the water element he could command around him in front of his body.

He suddenly thrust both hands forward and shouted in a low voice, "Water Dragon Break!"

In an instant, the water element before him condensed into a water dragon dozens of meters long. Its body was covered in scales formed from compressed Soul Power, and its eyes glowed with pale-blue light.

The water dragon let out a deafening roar and charged fiercely toward the Azure Glow Jellyfish.

The Azure Glow Jellyfish clearly sensed the terrifying power of the water dragon. Its bell contracted violently, and the silver patterns on its body shone with their strongest radiance as it attempted to control the currents and form a defense.

But this time, the water element Jiang Zhen had mobilized was empowered by Moisten All Directions, and his precise control through the Profound Water Clear Mind Art made its power far greater than before.

The water dragon smashed into the current-based defense, shattering it directly before biting down on the Azure Glow Jellyfish's bell.

"Pfft!"