Sea God's Deliberation

Sea God Island, Central Temple.

The lofty dome was inlaid with Deep Sea Pearls that radiated a soft blue glow, casting a solemn, austere light over the magnificent hall sculpted from pure white reefs and splendid coral. Ordinarily, this place stood as the symbol of Sea God Island's highest authority, tranquil yet imposing. But at this moment, an unusual heaviness and oppression hung over the hall.

Several figures stood along either side of the great hall. Some possessed an aura as deep and still as an abyss, others as vast as the sea, and others as sharp as halberds. Every one of them was a renowned powerhouse. Though no Soul Rings were visible upon them, the invisible pressure they exuded seemed to solidify the air within the hall. These people were Sea God Island's current Title Douluo elders, along with several highly ranked Peak Soul Douluos.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the center of the hall.

There, a figure knelt on one knee, his body trembling faintly. His face bore an unnatural mix of ashen gray and dark gold, while his once sea-clear eyes had grown dim. The pale golden trident mark between his brows flickered in and out of sight, as though it might collapse at any moment. It was the newly promoted Title Douluo who had fled back gravely wounded from the Eternal Silence Return Ruins—Sea Spear Douluo, Luo Kes.

Luo Kes's voice was hoarse and dry, laden with barely concealed pain and weakness. Yet he still forced himself to recount every detail: the Raging Waves Team's ambush fifteen years ago, Mo Lin's death after being struck by a sinister poison, his fifteen years of pursuit, his encounter with the Poison Beast deep within the Eternal Silence Return Ruins, their fierce battle, and how he had ultimately been wounded by its bizarre poison and forced to retreat.

When they heard that the Poison Beast's venom could actually ignore the defenses of the Boundless Vast Sea domain and directly erode a Title Douluo's life essence and soul—and that even Luo Kes could not expel it in a short time, causing his strength to plummet by more than forty percent—the hall fell into deathly silence.

A needle could have been heard falling.

"What did you say?" An aged yet authoritative voice broke the silence. The speaker was an old man seated at the foremost position on the left side of the hall. His hair and beard were entirely white, but his face was as rosy as an infant's. He wore a simple blue robe and leaned on a cane that seemed to have been polished from Ten-Thousand-Year coral. His aura was unfathomable. He was Sea Dragon Douluo, the most senior and one of the strongest figures beneath Sea God Island's High Priest.

Sea Dragon Douluo's gaze was like lightning as he stared directly at Luo Kes. "Luo Kes, are you certain? Even your domain could not block that poison? And your current state..."

"Reporting to Elder Sea Dragon," Luo Kes said through gritted teeth. He struggled to raise one hand, palm upward. A faint but condensed strand of dark purple energy, obscure and brimming with an ominous corrosive presence, slowly emerged and writhed in his palm as if alive. The instant it appeared, even the Sea God's Light around it seemed to be faintly repelled and dimmed. "This poison... is extraordinarily bizarre. It does not seem to be a simple poisonous attack, but rather a... 'curse' or 'rule erosion' directed at the essence of life and the soul. My domain can weaken it, but cannot completely isolate it. It remains inside my body even now, like a living thing, constantly devouring my vitality and Soul Power foundation. Were it not for Sea God's grace and purifying power barely sustaining me, I fear I..." Before he could finish, he coughed up another mouthful of dark golden blood foam, and his aura weakened further.

Seeing that strand of dark purple energy and sensing its heart-palpitating corrosive nature, every Title Douluo present had a complete change of expression.

Having cultivated to the realm of Title Douluo, their knowledge was naturally vast. They could immediately see how extraordinary this poison was. This was absolutely not a power an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could possess! Even among Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts famed for their venom, many might not possess an Origin Poison so bizarre and difficult to deal with—one capable of directly threatening a Title Douluo's essence!

"This beast... is anything but ordinary." Another Title Douluo spoke in a deep voice. His expression was cold, and his body stood as straight as a spear. He was Sea Horse Douluo, who oversaw Sea God Island's external campaigns and patrols. "When it first appeared fifteen years ago, it was merely a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, yet it could instantly kill Soul Emperors and poison Quasi-Soul Saints to death. In only fifteen years, it has grown powerful enough to confront Luo Kes head-on and even grievously wound him! Its growth rate is simply terrifying! And combined with that sinister poison... if we let it continue, it will surely become a great threat!"

"The key question is, where is it now?" Sea Maiden Douluo, a female Title Douluo, spoke with an ethereal yet grave voice. "Elder Luo Kes said it finally rushed into the energy storm deep within Guixu... Is it dead, or...?"

"Given the ruthlessness and survival ability that creature displayed, it would never easily seek its own death." Sea Dragon Douluo slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the others. "It chose to charge into that deathtrap either because it has another means of escape or because it understands the depths of Guixu. But regardless, it is not dead, and it has already become a serious threat to Sea God Island. That is a fact."

He paused, then lightly struck the floor with his cane. "Sea God ascended to the God Realm only a little over twenty years ago. Sea God Island bears the responsibility of guarding the seas and overseeing the lower realm. How can we allow such a vicious, cunning Poison Beast—one clearly targeting Sea God Island—to run rampant? Furthermore, its venom can wound Title Douluos. If others with ill intentions learn of it and exploit it, or if this Poison Beast continues to grow, it may bring about a great catastrophe in the future. It might even... disturb the upper realm!"

That final sentence made every Title Douluo's heart tighten. Sea God Tang San had ascended only a little over twenty years ago, and the God Realm's attention toward the lower realm had not yet completely faded. If a ferocious beast beyond the control of even Title Douluos, one capable of upsetting the balance, appeared under Sea God Island's jurisdiction, it could indeed draw unnecessary attention—or even censure.

"The High Priest is in seclusion, attempting to communicate with the God Realm and comprehend the deeper inheritance left behind by Sea God." Sea Dragon Douluo continued, "We shall decide this matter ourselves. I propose—"

His voice turned stern, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. "Issue the Deep Sea Evil-Slaying Order. Inform every land and sea faction allied with Sea God Island of this matter, share intelligence on the Poison Beast, and increase the bounty! At the same time, Sea Horse and Sea Maiden will lead the operation. Mobilize three additional Peak Soul Douluos and have them carry the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud replica and the Sea-Cleansing Spirit Pearl to form a hunting squad, then investigate the Eternal Silence Return Ruins again! The objectives of this mission are: first, at all costs, determine whether the Poison Beast is dead and locate it; second, if it is still alive, surround and kill it before it recovers or escapes into more distant waters; third, gather samples and remnants of its poison and bring them back for detailed study. We must find a way to counter or defend against this poison!**"

The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud replica was one of Sea God Island's treasured artifacts and possessed exceptionally powerful defensive and isolating abilities. It might be able to resist that bizarre poison. The Sea-Cleansing Spirit Pearl, meanwhile, was a rare sacred item of healing and purification, capable of neutralizing all poisons and stabilizing one's essence. Sending two Title Douluos and three Peak Soul Douluos equipped with such treasures showed that Sea God Island had elevated the importance of this matter to the highest level.

"I second the motion!" Sea Horse Douluo immediately declared, battle intent rising in his eyes.

"I second it." Sea Maiden Douluo nodded slightly as well.

The remaining Title Douluos and Soul Douluos also nodded one after another, without objection.

"Elder Luo Kes." Sea Dragon Douluo looked at Luo Kes, who remained kneeling and desperately suppressing the poison, his tone softening somewhat. "Your injuries are severe. Remain on the island. Sea Star Elder, another Title Douluo skilled in healing, will personally treat you, and we will also draw upon the power of the Sea God Pool to attempt to remove this poison. May you recover soon."

"Thank... you, Elders." Luo Kes's voice was weak, but a trace of resentment and hatred flashed through his eyes. He knew that he could not participate in the pursuit again anytime soon. That Poison Beast... this grudge would be repaid!

With the resolution made, action began at once.

Sea God Island, this colossal force dominating the ocean, began operating at full capacity because of a "mere" Poison Beast with several tens of thousands of years of cultivation. Orders were transmitted one after another, while reports detailing Jingtian's characteristics—drawn from Luo Kes's and previous survivors' descriptions—and its terrifying venom traveled through special channels to every faction across Douluo Continent and the powerful forces of the Deep Sea.

After several decades, the Deep Sea Evil-Slaying Order had appeared once more. Its target was an unknown Deep Sea Poison Beast, suspected to be octopus-like, with bizarre venom that ignored defenses, cultivation estimated at fifty to eighty thousand years, extreme danger, and rapid growth.

A net of heaven and earth, tighter, stronger, and more far-reaching than any before it, slowly spread beneath the will of humanity's top powers, enveloping the boundless Deep Sea.

Meanwhile, in a corner of absolute darkness and deathly silence deep within Guixu, the dying Jingtian knew nothing of it.

Amid endless cold and pain, he merely struggled to survive with his final shred of obsession, like a guttering candle in the wind.

The storm had already escalated.

And his struggle against the entire world had only just entered... its cruelest stage.