Brief Respite, Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual

The sea breeze whistled and the blue waves surged as Yun Ce carried Qin Yu and the three divine beasts, his figure moving like a streak of light through the sky above the Southern Sea Region. As they ventured deeper, the seawater below became increasingly deep and azure. Sunlight piercing the surface could only leave fragmented spots of light in the shallow waters, while the depths remained a realm of gloom, with low, muffled roars of demonic beasts faintly echoing from below, carrying a sense of grim danger.

After flying for about two hours, Yun Ce slowly reduced his speed, his divine sense quietly radiating outward to cover the thousands of miles of water below. His mid-stage Void-Piercing Realm consciousness acted like an invisible net, clearly enveloping everything beneath the surface; whether it was low-level demonic beasts lurking in coral reefs or schools of Golden Core Stage beasts swimming in the distance, none could escape his perception.

"Master, have we reached the territory of the Undersea Beast World?" Qin Yu asked softly, his gaze fixed on the dark seawater below. He could clearly feel the aura of demonic beasts in the air growing thicker, several times stronger than it had been at the edge of the sea region, and a sense of vigilance rose in his heart.

Yun Ce nodded slowly, his tone gentle yet solemn: "That is correct. We have entered the territory of the Undersea Beast World in the Southern Sea Region. The factions of demon cultivators here are complex, with Houtian Stage and Xiantian Stage beasts everywhere, and many Golden Core Stage beasts lurking about. A moment of carelessness could expose our tracks and invite trouble."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over a secluded patch of water below—where the current flowed gently, surrounded by dense coral reefs and hidden by shoals, making it difficult to be discovered from the outside; it was an excellent place for a rest.

"We shall rest here for a while," Yun Ce said, then channeled his spatial power to descend slowly with Qin Yu and the three divine beasts toward the sky above that hidden water. "The terrain here is concealed and not easily detected. I will first set up an illusion array to isolate our auras and prevent passing demon cultivators from discovering us."

As his words fell, Yun Ce waved his hand, circulating the Stellar True Essence within his body. Faint spiritual light swirled at his fingertips, and profound runes flew out like butterflies, landing gently upon the surrounding seawater and reefs. The moment the runes touched the ground, they merged into it and vanished, leaving only a visible layer of pale blue light that slowly enveloped the area, completely isolating the surrounding aura while distorting the light to form a natural barrier. This was the illusion array Yun Ce had set up; it could hide their presence and confuse outside vision, making it difficult even for a Void-Piercing Realm demon cultivator passing by to notice anything unusual.

Once the illusion array was set, Yun Ce led Qin Yu and the three divine beasts down into the water. The Stellar True Essence formed an invisible barrier around them, keeping the seawater at bay, allowing them to stand as if on solid ground, completely unaffected by the ocean.

Qin Yu curiously examined his surroundings. He saw coral reefs growing in abundance, colorful and vibrant, with various small fish darting through them, while unknown sea grass swayed in the distance—a scene full of vitality, yet beneath this life lay hidden, unknown dangers.

Yun Ce looked at Qin Yu and the three divine beasts, smiling faintly. He spoke to the three beasts in a gentle tone: "The illusion array can isolate aura and vision, so you need not be restrained. You may return to your original forms to move about, which will also help you better familiarize yourselves with the deep-sea environment." No sooner had he finished speaking than Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and Red Phoenix leaped from Qin Yu's shoulders. Their figures surged in size, instantly reverting to their true forms. The palm-sized beasts transformed in a blink into three massive creatures, occupying most of the space within the illusion array.

Black Feather took the lead, its wings snapping open to a span of over three zhang. Its entire body was covered in sleek, glossy black feathers, each one shimmering with faint ink-colored lightning. The edges of its wings were adorned with silver-gray filaments that trembled in the current, causing the lightning to flicker in and out of sight, far from the dull appearance of ordinary birds. Its eagle beak was as sharp as cold iron, dark gold in color and slightly curved, carrying a sharpness that could tear through the air. Its eyes were as keen as a falcon's, the pitch-black pupils glowing with a cold light, with patterns of lightning and fire hidden deep within; even with its aura restrained, it could not hide the majesty of a divine beast. As its wings spread, the surrounding seawater was stirred by invisible currents, creating fine ripples, and low rumbles of thunder echoed faintly from between its feathers.

The Dragon Rock Lion nearby was not to be outdone, its body swelling to over two zhang in height. With broad shoulders and a massive frame, it was covered in pitch-black mane that felt like steel needles. The roots of the mane shimmered with a dark brown luster, while the tips carried a faint earthy-yellow halo, feeling as hard as mysterious iron to the touch, standing stiff and upright even underwater. Its four limbs were thick as pillars, its paws broad, and its claws sharp as blades, digging deep into the seabed sand and stone, leaving slight indentations. Its head was massive, its lion nose broad, and its amber eyes were wide open, conveying an aura that was both simple-minded and domineering. The mane around its neck stood slightly on end, and it occasionally let out a low roar that caused the surrounding water to tremble, fully displaying the heavy, formidable nature of an earth-attribute divine beast.

The last to return to its original form was Red Phoenix. Though its figure was not as massive as Black Feather or the Dragon Rock Lion, it still stood over a zhang tall. When its wings spread, it looked like a raging fire, its entire body covered in feathers as red as sunset clouds. Each feather shimmered with a warm luster, as if wrapped in flames, remaining dazzling even in the gloomy deep sea. Its tail feathers were long and magnificent, reaching a full zhang in length, adorned with dozens of golden-red plumes that shimmered with faint golden light at the tips. As it moved, it looked like flowing tassels of fire, beautiful beyond compare. Its beak was small and sharp, pale red in color, and its eyes were clear amber, exuding a gentle yet noble aura. It was surrounded by faint fire-attribute spiritual energy, providing a hint of warmth even in the seawater, forming a stark contrast to the cold sharpness of Black Feather and the domineering presence of the Dragon Rock Lion.

After returning to their true forms, the three divine beasts, despite their massive size, deliberately restrained their divine beast auras and cultivation, careful not to trigger the illusion array Yun Ce had set. They curiously examined the surrounding coral reefs and darting fish. Black Feather spread its wings, circling slowly within the array, its wings brushing the water and kicking up fine spray as it communicated via spiritual sense: "Big Brother, Master, returning to our true forms is so comfortable! The water here is cold, but it's much freer than being shrunk down to such tiny sizes!" The Dragon Rock Lion and Red Phoenix nodded in agreement.

Yun Ce watched the man and the three beasts, smiling faintly, his tone gentle: "Very well. While we rest during this time, I will impart a secret technique to you, known as the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual."

"The Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual?" A flash of curiosity crossed Qin Yu's eyes, and he quickly said, "This disciple is willing to listen to Master's teachings!"

The three divine beasts also set aside their playfulness and looked at Yun Ce earnestly.

Yun Ce nodded, his tone becoming solemn: "This Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual is a top-tier concealment technique. Its core function is to hide one's cultivation and the true essence aura within the body. Whether one is a cultivator of immortality, a demon cultivator, or a beast cultivator, all can practice it. Furthermore, once mastered, unless the opponent's cultivation far exceeds your own, they will be unable to see through your true realm and aura."

He paused, then continued: "Xiao Yu, you are a cultivator of immortality, practicing the Nebula True Qi. This Undersea Beast World is the domain of demon cultivators; a cultivator of immortality is inherently out of place here. If demon cultivators discover our true identities and cultivation, it will inevitably lead to trouble, or even cause them to attack us in groups. Therefore, when practicing this Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual, you must specifically alter your true essence aura, disguising your Nebula True Qi as the demonic power of a demon cultivator. Only then can you better hide your identity. The characteristics of various practitioners' power are all within this manual; you must study it carefully."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu felt a jolt in his heart and nodded heavily: "This disciple understands! Thank you for the reminder, Master. This disciple will certainly practice diligently and never expose our identities!" He finally understood why his master chose this moment to teach them this technique; it was to ensure they could safely establish a foothold in the Undersea Beast World.

Yun Ce turned his gaze to Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and Red Phoenix, his tone gentle: "As for you three, although you are demon cultivators by nature, you are not native beasts of this sea region, and it is inevitable that you will encounter demon cultivators from other factions. Moreover, you are all divine beasts with innate talents. If other high-level demon cultivators discover your true potential, you will inevitably be coveted, or even forcibly subdued."

"Therefore, you must also practice this Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual to hide your realms and divine beast auras, disguising your demonic power as the aura of ordinary sea beasts. This will not only avoid unnecessary trouble but also allow you to catch others off guard when danger arises."

The three divine beasts nodded one after another. Black Feather spread its massive wings, flapping them gently to create subtle currents, and communicated via spiritual sense: "Master, rest assured, we will practice diligently and hide our true auras and pressure well. We will not cause you any trouble!" The Dragon Rock Lion let out a low roar, "Yes, Master!" A flash of determination crossed its amber eyes as it pressed its thick limbs down, digging deeper into the sand. Red Phoenix chirped softly, its tail feathers swaying as it responded, "Understood, Master!" Its golden-red plumes shimmered in the water, all signifying their agreement. Even while maintaining their true forms, they kept their auras perfectly restrained, showing no signs of their extraordinary nature as divine beasts.

"Very good." Yun Ce nodded with satisfaction. With a thought, four strands of pale golden spiritual light flowed into the minds of Qin Yu and the three divine beasts, containing the complete content of the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual.

Qin Yu closed his eyes, his mind immersed in the manual, carefully comprehending the method of practicing the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual. This technique was incredibly profound, its core lying in guiding one's own true essence (demonic power) to be internalized while simultaneously simulating other auras. The method of circulation seemed simple, yet it contained the great principles of the Dao; with diligent practice, one could control it with ease.

Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and Red Phoenix also closed their eyes, their massive forms in no way hindering their practice.

The group practiced for three days.

Black Feather slightly folded its wings, the lightning-attribute demonic power around its body quietly internalized as it circulated according to the methods of the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual. The Dragon Rock Lion lay prone on the seabed, its earth-attribute demonic power slowly sinking into its dantian, restraining the heavy pressure around its body. Red Phoenix perched on a reef, its fire-attribute demonic power flowing through its body like a stream, shedding the dazzling luster from its form. Relying on their divine beast talents, they were already adept at controlling demonic power, and practicing this manual was twice as effective with half the effort. Before long, they had mastered the basic circulation methods; even with their massive bodies, their auras were perfectly hidden, making them appear no different from ordinary sea beasts.

Yun Ce stood to the side, watching them with a calm gaze while circulating his divine sense to vigilantly scan for any movement, preventing any demon cultivators from stumbling into the illusion array. He knew that the Undersea Beast World was fraught with danger; even while resting within the illusion array, he could not afford the slightest slack.

Before long, Qin Yu was the first to open his eyes, a flash of joy in them. He immediately circulated the method of the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual, guiding the Nebula True Qi within his body to quietly transform. In an instant, his aura as a cultivator of immortality was quietly restrained, replaced by a faint, ordinary demonic aura of a sea beast. He appeared to be a mid-stage Golden Core demon cultivator, with no trace of his true identity as a Golden Core cultivator of immortality.

"Master, this disciple has mastered the basics!" Qin Yu said happily, his tone full of excitement. He could clearly feel that his aura had completely changed; even if he stood before a demon cultivator, they might not be able to see through his identity. This transformation of identity felt quite novel to him.

Just then, Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and Red Phoenix also opened their eyes. They maintained their massive true forms; Black Feather's wings were slightly spread, the lightning completely restrained, its feathers becoming as dull as an ordinary sea eagle. The Dragon Rock Lion's mane no longer stood on end, the earth-attribute pressure around its body quietly dissipating, making it look like an ordinary deep-sea stone lion. Red Phoenix also retracted the dazzling luster of its tail feathers, its crimson plumage becoming warm and no longer so eye-catching, resembling an ordinary Vermilion Feather Sea Sparrow. The divine beast auras of all three had been perfectly hidden, transforming them completely into three ordinary sea beasts, staying obediently by Yun Ce and Qin Yu's side without the slightest sense of incongruity.

Yun Ce looked at them and nodded with satisfaction, his tone gentle: "Not bad, you have all comprehended it quickly. You must practice this Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual diligently and ensure you can control it at will. No matter what situation you encounter, you must never expose your true identities or realms."

"Yes, Master!" "Yes, Master!" Qin Yu and the three divine beasts responded in unison.

Yun Ce nodded, his gaze looking toward the dark seawater outside the illusion array, his tone turning solemn: "Good. Prepare yourselves, we are going deeper into the sea."