Deep Sea Escape

"Hahaha! Young friend, your life is indeed resilient. Even the Sea of Death, known as a forbidden zone for life, couldn't claim you. This truly fills this seat with unexpected joy."

Though Tathagata was thousands of miles away, his voice had already entered Chen Tong's mind.

Due to absorbing the energy of death, Chen Tong could sense everything around him within a short distance in the Sea of Death. However, it was only a short distance. Hearing this voice now, his doubts were instantly resolved.

"This is bad, why is it that old thief Tathagata?" Chen Tong's body trembled, and his already fast speed increased even further.

"Young friend, don't run. You cannot escape from this seat's palm. Obediently return to Spiritual Mountain with this seat to receive your punishment and cleanse the sins on your body as soon as possible."

Chen Tong paid no mind to Tathagata's words, only focusing on escaping for his life. To be honest, he was truly frustrated. Not only did he have to come to the dreaded Sea of Death, but it wasn't even safe.

First Guanyin, then the Death Underworld Dragon, and now Tathagata. Damn it, was he even allowed to live?

Chen Tong ran further and further, while Tathagata drew closer and closer, to the point that Chen Tong could clearly feel his presence.

"If this continues, being caught is just a matter of time. What should I do?" Just as Chen Tong despaired, a hoarse voice entered his mind.

"Kid, if I help you escape, you save my life. How about it?"

"Huh...?" Chen Tong was stunned. "Death Underworld Dragon, where... where are you?"

"Here."

The Death Underworld Dragon's massive body materialized beside Chen Tong, its single eyeball larger than Chen Tong himself.

"Alright, as long as you can help me get rid of that old thief Tathagata, let alone saving your life, I can save you ten times over," Chen Tong said without hesitation.

"Get on."

Chen Tong, still on his flying shield, immediately leaped up and sat on the Death Underworld Dragon's head.

"Kid, couldn't you have sat on my neck? Why are you riding on my head?" The Death Underworld Dragon sounded displeased.

"Oh, what time is it? Let's hurry and escape!"

"Hmph!"

The Death Underworld Dragon flicked its body and shot out like an arrow of light, covering a vast distance.

"Hmm...?" Sensing Chen Tong's aura suddenly growing distant, Tathagata was taken aback, then relaxed. "So there's an extra meddling demon dragon. Heh heh, in that case...!"

Tathagata clasped his hands together, and a drop of golden liquid seeped from his palm. It then transformed into a giant, shimmering golden stone bowl. Tathagata sat within it and instantly turned into a golden light, streaking across the world like a meteor, flashing past.

Sensing Tathagata's aura rapidly approaching, the Death Underworld Dragon's eyes darkened. "Kid, the guy you've offended is no simple character. A fair fight, I can't beat him."

"Hmph, that's Tathagata. It would be strange if you could beat him."

"Who is Tathagata?"

Chen Tong: "..."

"You don't know who Tathagata is?"

The Death Underworld Dragon pondered. "From the moment I was born, I was sealed. I only broke free from the seal three hundred years ago, but my freedom is limited to the Sea of Death. I know nothing of the outside world."

"Then you're quite pitiful."

As they were conversing, Tathagata's golden form had already approached to within three thousand meters behind them.

Chen Tong's expression was indifferent, then he sighed deeply. "Alas, since you are so pitiful, I won't let you continue to be pitiful. You escape, that old thief wants me."

"How can that be!" the Death Underworld Dragon refused. "If he catches you, who will save my life?"

"Alas, if I'm caught by him, it's not certain death! But if you stay, that old thief might scatter your soul with a single palm strike."

"Hmph!" Hearing Chen Tong's words, the Death Underworld Dragon scoffed. "Although I can't beat him, I'm not as weak as you think."

As he spoke, he forcefully swung his dragon head, directly flinging the unprepared Chen Tong far away.

Chen Tong stared in shock at the massive body and roared, "Death Underworld Dragon, what are you doing? Run! Run!"

Ignoring Chen Tong's shouts, the Death Underworld Dragon slowly turned its enormous body, blocking Tathagata!

"Hmph, I hear you're very strong?" The Death Underworld Dragon sized up Tathagata, as if examining a grain of sand. "But looking at your skinny arms and legs, there's nothing special about you."

"Heh heh..." Tathagata chuckled, then slightly raised his Buddha hand. A Buddha seal, emanating laws, appeared above the Death Underworld Dragon's head, suffused with a faint pressure of Buddha light.

"Considering your cultivation journey hasn't been easy, this seat won't take you. I will suppress you here for three hundred years. Do you have any objections!"

"Three hundred years again!" the Death Underworld Dragon muttered. "But you are not him! And I am not who I was back then, so you don't have that strength yet."

The Death Underworld Dragon spoke, its massive dragon roar echoing as if from the depths of hell, seeming to want to destroy everything.

Regardless of strength, at least in terms of aura, the Death Underworld Dragon had surpassed Tathagata, but...!

As its roar fell and was about to strike Tathagata with destructive force, Tathagata merely curled his little finger. The golden Buddha seal suspended above the Death Underworld Dragon's head immediately descended. The massive dragon body was pinned down by this tiny Buddha seal, unable to move.

Tathagata's golden light flickered, and his figure appeared behind it. "Just stay here and wash away your sins!"

"Buzz...!" The massive dragon roar seemed to tear the sky, but it couldn't even ripple the small Buddha seal.

"Ah... Don't go! Come back here!" The enormous roar echoed all around, but no response came.

Chen Tong, who was fleeing, paused upon hearing the roar. "Death Underworld Dragon, don't worry. As long as I can escape this calamity, I will definitely come back to save you. I hope you don't die too quickly."

"Hahaha, I'm afraid you won't escape this calamity." A golden light flashed, and Tathagata appeared before Chen Tong.

"Alas..." Chen Tong sighed deeply, feeling powerless. "Tathagata!"

"Young friend, have you been well!"

"Hmph, it hasn't been that long. But you! You risked your life to enter the Sea of Death to capture me! Now you've gotten your wish, so take me away!"

Chen Tong didn't want to run anymore, and he already knew he couldn't escape.

"Hahaha! If you had realized this sooner, why would you have ended up in this state."

Tathagata pointed a golden light at Chen Tong, but suddenly paused his movement! "It seems there's a small problem to deal with before I take you away, young friend."

"RUMBLE!!"

Almost as soon as Tathagata's voice fell, a deafening sound echoed from afar, accompanied by waves of energy that swept towards them. However, these waves calmed down when they reached within three feet of Tathagata.

"Hum... hum...!"

"This is bad, why isn't this stupid dragon running away?" Hearing the dragon's roar, Chen Tong naturally knew it was the Death Underworld Dragon.