Waiting

"Liu Yan, what did you say? The Flowing Cloud Sea is sealed off?"

Inside one of the Flowing Cloud Vortices, Lord Banyan Fire and Lord Ripple Crystal, who had been exploring intently, both turned to look at Qing Huan, their expressions full of bewilderment.

"That's right. I only just got the news myself. I'd guess those Universe Masters with better sources heard about it sooner."

Qing Huan looked grave as well.

He'd just received word from several friends. A while ago, two Universe Masters had tried to leave the Flowing Cloud Sea, only to discover that vast amounts of Eternal Freeze Cold Qi had gathered around its outermost edge, enclosing the entire sea in a natural Storm Barrier.

How terrifying was Eternal Freeze Cold Qi? Universe Masters without Peak Supreme Treasures to protect them wouldn't dare touch it.

And now, an enormous amount of Eternal Freeze Cold Qi had formed a Storm Barrier?

Realizing something was wrong, the two Universe Masters had quickly spread the news.

At first, though, the news hadn't caused much of a stir. Some teams of Universe Masters with Peak Palace Treasures or Peak Supreme Treasure Armor had even been pleased.

After all, unusual phenomena in the Three Great Forbidden Lands were often signs that an exceptionally precious Supreme Treasure was about to appear.

As for the Eternal Freeze Cold Qi, although it was indeed frightening, those teams with Peak Palace Treasures or Peak Supreme Treasure Armor weren't too concerned about it by itself.

That changed when one Universe Master tried to pilot a Peak Palace Treasure through the barrier. The moment he charged into the Storm Barrier, he was forced back by the endless Eternal Freeze Cold Qi.

The Universe Master refused to give up and tried several more times. Eventually, he realized that the Storm Barrier seemed to have formed some kind of special force field. A Universe Master piloting a Peak Palace Treasure could enter without being injured, and the treasure itself remained completely unharmed, but they still couldn't leave the Flowing Cloud Sea.

That finally sent shock waves through the Universe Ocean.

"What on earth is going on? Has anything like this ever happened in the Flowing Cloud Sea before?" Lord Banyan Fire pressed.

"Of course not." Qing Huan shook his head. "No one knows what's happening. But one thing's certain: at least for Universe Masters, leaving the Flowing Cloud Sea on their own is now extremely difficult. Universe Supremes might be able to break through the natural barrier, though."

The Flowing Cloud Sea was, after all, merely a dangerous region within the Inner Domain of Universe Boat. It was questionable whether the natural barrier could even stop a Sixth Order Universe Master, and there was almost no chance it could hold back the Universe Supremes.

"..."

Lord Banyan Fire and Lord Ripple Crystal exchanged glances. They felt as though they'd drawn the worst possible luck. They'd come to the Flowing Cloud Sea to try their luck, only to run into something like this.

Universe Supremes could break through? They didn't know any Universe Supremes. Were they going to be trapped here forever? What would happen to their race?

All they could do was pray that the natural barrier would disappear after the Supreme Treasure emerged.

Unlike the bewildered Lord Banyan Fire and Lord Ripple Crystal, Qing Huan remained calm. He had a Universe Supreme backing him.

His teacher would arrive at the Flowing Cloud Sea in at most sixty or seventy years. Then he could simply have his teacher take him away.

In fact, Qing Huan was even a little pleased. Not because of the Supreme Treasure, but because...

The Universe Masters can't get out? Then the Universe Supremes will have to step in, right? I wonder who the God Eye Race will send. Hopefully not one of those with a Supreme True Treasure Palace... Qing Huan secretly rejoiced.

The Universe Masters the God Eye Race had sent were no ordinary figures. The God Eye Race wouldn't abandon them, especially with an unprecedented event unfolding in the Flowing Cloud Sea. How could the Supreme Treasure about to appear be anything ordinary? As long as the treasure was valuable enough, it wouldn't be hard to lure more of the God Eye Race's True Masters here.

After all, the other peak races weren't pushovers. If the God Eye Race sent only one True Master, it wouldn't be easy to claim the treasure. Unless First True Master showed up, they wouldn't be able to scare off the others.

In any case, the Supreme Treasure hadn't appeared yet. For now, the Flowing Cloud Sea had become a place no one could enter from outside, and no one inside could leave.

Except for a few Universe Masters who had stayed near the edge of the Flowing Cloud Sea to avoid getting involved, the other sixty or seventy were still exploring the Flowing Cloud Vortices.

As time passed, the Flowing Cloud Vortices continued to break apart. Before long, more than sixty years had gone by. Of the twelve Flowing Cloud Vortices, only three remained, still raging.

Nearly seventy Universe Masters from various races had already gathered nearby, waiting for the Peak Supreme Treasure within the Flowing Cloud Vortices to appear.

"Lord Banyan Fire, watch out!"

Lord Ripple Crystal's voice rang out. Lord Banyan Fire hurriedly retreated as a strange stream of cold air swept past the spot where he had been sitting.

"Thanks, Lian Jing... Spending so long in the Flowing Cloud Sea really is torture." Lord Banyan Fire thanked her, then couldn't help complaining, his voice full of exhaustion.

He wasn't the only one. Lord Ripple Crystal looked just as tired.

Keeping watch in the Flowing Cloud Sea for nearly a century had been mentally exhausting. Even Universe Masters could grow weary.

By comparison, the factions with Peak Palace Treasures had it much easier. Their Universe Masters could rest and recuperate inside their Supreme Treasure Palaces, ignoring the dangers outside.

Fortunately, Lord Banyan Fire and Lord Ripple Crystal could take turns resting. The Universe Masters who had come alone were having a much harder time.

"Hang in there a little longer. If my guess is right, the Supreme Treasure should appear soon." Qing Huan, sitting beside them, had heard their conversation and opened his eyes to comfort them.

"Let's hope so." Lord Banyan Fire gave a bitter smile.

Lord Ripple Crystal looked rather dispirited too.

With so many Universe Masters gathered near the Flowing Cloud Sea, and all these strange events taking place, they never could have anticipated this before setting out.

Before they left, the two had thought that with their combined Fourth Order strength, plus Qing Huan, a Fifth Order powerhouse, they would be safe in the Flowing Cloud Sea, if not completely without fear.

Now, with so many powerful figures gathered in the Flowing Cloud Sea, they no longer felt confident.

As for obtaining the Supreme Treasure that was about to appear, they'd already given up hope. Getting out safely would count as a success.

They were even somewhat relieved they'd invited Qing Huan along. With just the two of them, even a safe retreat would have been difficult.

"Fortunately, no Universe Supremes have come yet... I suppose the Supremes don't care about a Peak Supreme Treasure," Lord Ripple Crystal said, trying to look on the bright side.

Lord Banyan Fire nodded in agreement, but Qing Huan, meditating beside them, didn't think so.

A True God without a race might not care about a Peak Supreme Treasure, but True Gods with races were different. Besides, there was an eighty percent chance that the treasure about to appear was more than just a Peak Supreme Treasure.

The only reason no True Gods had come yet was that there were too many Universe Masters from different factions present, with a great many True Gods behind them.

So the True Gods had tacitly stayed in the background, letting the Universe Masters take the lead to keep the conflict from escalating too soon.

Even so, there were probably some True Gods hidden near the Flowing Cloud Sea. Given their mobility, it wouldn't take long for them to reach the area from nearby. They could certainly step in at a crucial moment.

Qing Huan didn't care about the whispered conversation between Lord Banyan Fire and Lord Ripple Crystal. He was recalling the Universe Masters from different races he'd encountered over the past century.

First Reincarnation Era: the God Eye Race, of course, and the Skeleton Race... That makes sense. The other races probably wouldn't dare challenge the God Eye Race. Second Reincarnation Era: the Dream-Eater Race, humans, the Bug Race, the Tree Race... The only ones from the Primal Universe are the Monster Race?

These were the Universe Masters from peak races that Qing Huan had seen. The seven peak races from different Reincarnation Eras had sent a total of twenty-five Universe Masters. The remaining fifty or so had come from powerful races.

Of course, powerful races from the First and Second Reincarnation Eras also had True Gods backing them. In fact, more than twenty True Gods were connected to the many Universe Masters present.

The easiest way to provoke a conflict with the God Eye Race is the Skeleton Race. I'll start by stirring up a fight between them.

In the First Reincarnation Era, there were only two peak races: the God Eye Race and the Skeleton Race.

The Skeleton Race was an old power in the First Reincarnation Era, older than the God Eye Race and established much earlier. But later, First True Master proved too extraordinary, and the God Eye Race overtook them.

After the God Eye Race rose to prominence, it forcefully occupied vast territories in the Primal Universe and expanded. This kept the other races suppressed, and not even a third peak race could emerge. Only the Skeleton Race, far older than the God Eye Race, could still be called a peak race, and even its days were hard.

But while the Skeleton Race was suppressed, it wasn't afraid of the God Eye Race in battles between Universe Masters. Even in battles between True Gods, the God Eye Race had to rely on the Combined Strike Technique to defeat five Skeleton Race True Gods fighting together, and still couldn't threaten their lives.

After more than two Reincarnation Eras of conflict, the Skeleton Race and the God Eye Race had long been bitter enemies. Provoking a clash between them would be easy. The key was to spark a battle between their True Gods, which would take some skill.

Aside from the Skeleton Race, there's the Dream-Eater Race from the Second Reincarnation Era. Golden Brilliance Demon God is arrogant to a fault, and the Dream-Eater Race's powerhouses are much the same... Perhaps I should keep the Dream-Eater Race as a backup option. Several Dream-Eater Race Universe Masters flashed through Qing Huan's mind.

The Dream-Eater Race had only one True God, Golden Brilliance Demon God. But he was powerful and had a Supreme True Treasure Palace. With his strength alone, he had made the Dream-Eater Race one of the peak races of the Second Reincarnation Era, which was why the race was always so arrogant.

The other peak races of the Second Reincarnation Era might not act too rashly, but the Dream-Eater Race just might.

My teacher will be back soon too. I'll have him come straight to the Flowing Cloud Sea and spring the trap. Having made up his mind, Qing Huan let an insidious smile flicker across his face before settling down again to wait for the Supreme Treasure to appear.

Time continued to pass. About half a year later, the entire Flowing Cloud Sea began to tremble faintly.