The Hidden Dragon Enters the Sea (Seeking Follow-up Reads! Begging for Follow-up Reads!)

In the far north of the endless land lies a vast ocean, known as the North Dark Sea.

Within this North Dark Sea are numerous islands. Qianqiu Island is merely one of the most unremarkable among them.

Over a decade ago, the renowned Immortal Juhua—a Loose Immortal who had lived for millions of years—arrived here and announced he would be taking on a disciple on this obscure island, effectively bringing the thousand-mile-wide landmass to "life."

High above the North Dark Sea.

Whoosh. With a ripple in the air, a youth in black robes appeared out of thin air.

Beneath his feet lay the boundless North Dark Sea.

"Qianqiu Island." Lei Zhan turned to look into the distance, ten thousand miles away, at the massive island. "The Yellow-Haired Great Bear was right; a large number of cultivators still linger on Qianqiu Island."

Ten thousand miles is not a great distance; a Wanxiang True Person could fly it in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.

In the short moment Lei Zhan appeared in the sky, he had already spotted several groups of cultivators flying toward Qianqiu Island.

After Immortal Juhua took in his only disciple, he had hidden the traces of his Water Mansion, yet many cultivators remained on the island, unwilling to leave in hopes of a slim, ethereal chance.

After all, Immortal Juhua stood at the very pinnacle of the Great Xia World.

News of his public recruitment had spread long ago, stirring the hearts of countless Xiantian and Purple Mansion level cultivators from large tribes, to say nothing of those from small, destitute clans.

For a Loose Immortal to live for millions of years is a miracle in itself. The Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations of a cultivator grow more fearsome with each passing trial. He had lived so long that even ordinary Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals knew his tribulations had reached a terrifying level—one that perhaps even some Celestial Immortals could not withstand.

The longer Immortal Juhua lived, the more everyone in the Great Xia Dynasty understood his terrifying power.

Hmm. I must leave quickly. Lei Zhan glanced at the island once before looking away. Master Juhua had once publicly stated he would only accept one disciple.

Back then, a great number of Xiantian beings had entered, but most perished in those two corridors; only a small fraction had managed to escape with their lives. But since he, Lei Zhan, had only surfaced after six or seven years, he could not be certain that forces with grudges against Immortal Juhua were not watching for such signs.

If they guessed the truth, or even merely suspected it, his position as someone "highly likely" to be Immortal Juhua's disciple would become precarious.

"It is a pity that I have yet to master any techniques for changing my appearance," Lei Zhan muttered, shaking his head. Still, as an unremarkable Purple Mansion cultivator, no one would likely notice him for the time being.

With a thought, a black flying boat the size of a palm appeared in his hand.

"Go." Lei Zhan gave a gentle toss, and the Mortal-grade high-tier flying treasure expanded instantly into a massive black sailing ship.

"Since I have decided to head into the depths, I shall continue north." Lei Zhan identified his direction, then steered the sailing ship, which transformed into a streak of black light and sped toward the heart of the vast ocean.

North Dark Sea, North Sea City.

Deep within the North Dark Sea, at least several million miles from the mainland, lies a massive island. Though called an island, it is effectively a small continent.

This is the core of the fiefdom of the Baili Clan, the Marquis of the North Sea, one of the three thousand six hundred marquises. This is the North Sea Commandery City.

The North Dark Sea was once the domain of Gods and Devils, but over endless ages, as the Xia Emperor consolidated his rule over the entire Great Xia World, he led his armies to imprison, capture, or slaughter the vast majority of them.

Once the North Dark Sea was pacified, the Baili Clan—the Marquis of the North Sea—who had followed the Xia Emperor in his conquests, was enfeoffed here. Yet, the North Dark Sea is so vast that even an ancient clan like the Baili, who possess Celestial Immortals, could hardly claim total control.

They only truly governed the ten million miles surrounding North Sea City.

But even those ten million miles are merely a corner of the North Dark Sea.

Inside a massive palace in North Sea City, giant water-mirror projections hung in the air, overlapping and obscuring the ceiling of the great hall.

Beneath these countless mirrors, a large number of cultivators sat in meditation.

Swish.

The very instant Lei Zhan was teleported into the sky above the North Dark Sea by the Yellow-Haired Great Bear, the faint spatial ripple was captured by one of the countless mirrors in the palace.

"Hmm? A spatial ripple? It's from Qianqiu Island."

"Precise location: ten thousand miles north of Qianqiu Island. A faint spatial ripple has appeared."

"A spatial ripple? Qianqiu Island concerns the million-year Loose Immortal Juhua, a place the Marquis of the North Sea has ordered us to monitor closely. Investigate immediately."

"Understood."

The cultivators below moved quickly, and soon they locked onto the massive black sailing ship.

"After the million-year Loose Immortal Juhua took his disciple, there were no further anomalies, and his cave dwelling vanished."

"Six years have passed. Aside from the few beings who survived the trial, the rest died, and there have been no spatial ripples since. The owner of this suddenly appearing sailing ship is highly likely to have some connection to Immortal Juhua..."

Soon, this seemingly insignificant piece of information was compiled into an intelligence report, filed under the Qianqiu Island dossier, and dispatched.

This was a surveillance hub for the Baili Clan, responsible for monitoring the entire North Sea Commandery. Of course, if needed, this information could be sold to others once authorized.

Naturally, had it not been for the Marquis's direct order to keep a close watch, such a trivial spatial ripple would have been ignored by the Baili Clan's monitors after six or seven years of silence.

At the same time.

Within North Sea City, inside a mountain peak eight hundred miles high, a similar array of giant water mirrors blanketed the sky.

"The Baili Clan just sent word: a spatial ripple occurred ten thousand miles north of Qianqiu Island."

"Quick! Pass this information down!"

"Seven different houses requested this intel, and three of them paid a high price for it..."

"Understood! Send it out immediately!"

Half a month later.

A black sailing ship flew through the clouds. Looking down from high above, the vast North Dark Sea merged with the sky in a single hue.

Were it not for the powerful souls of cultivators and the occasional island appearing on the surface, one would be highly likely to lose their way in this expansive sea.

Yet, even so, the North Dark Sea was constantly attracting new living beings, and even cultivators, at every moment.

The entire Great Xia World was incredibly vast. The era of Gods and Devils alone had left behind countless ruins. Now that the era of Gods and Devils had just drawn to a close, the four great oceans—which had been home to the most Gods and Devils since time immemorial—attracted endless waves of cultivators. The North Dark Sea was naturally one of them.

Whoosh, whoosh.

On the deck of the black sailing ship, a handsome youth in black robes sat cross-legged, surrounded by wisps of azure seawater. This handsome youth in black was Lei Zhan, who had left the Water Mansion over half a month ago.

The seawater surged and churned, white foam rolling, as a profound and mysterious "Dao" completely enveloped the entire ship.

After a long while.

Lei Zhan dispersed the azure seawater circling his body and slowly opened his eyes.

"No wonder all those cultivators insist on venturing out to temper themselves," Lei Zhan remarked with a sigh. "Although I had the guidance of my master, Immortal Juhua, while cultivating in the Water Mansion, and the assistance of the Star Hall, not to mention the Black Bead subtly enhancing my comprehension... it was, in the end, like building a cart behind closed doors."

"I have been out for barely half a month, merely flying over this North Dark Sea, yet my insight into the Dao of the Azure Sea has improved significantly. If this continues, it won't be long before I fully comprehend the Dao of the Azure Sea."

Lei Zhan had always possessed immense talent for the Dao of the Azure Sea; it was the first Dao he had ever grasped, and to this day, it remained the one he had delved into the deepest among all the "Daos" he had mastered.

"However, drifting aimlessly on this sea forever won't do."

Lei Zhan stood up, looked down at the vast ocean below, and made a decision.

"If I continue in my current direction, I will pass by the North Sea Commandery City. By stopping and starting along the way, I have only traveled over six hundred thousand li so far."

"If I pass another island, I will stay for a few days to gather some food and drink."

Today's Flop Diary Two

Begging for follow-up reads! Begging for follow-up reads! Begging for follow-up reads!

The Xia Emperor enfeoffed three thousand six hundred commanderies and also mentioned the four seas. The four seas are so vast, it's impossible to leave them completely unmanaged. The original work mentioned little, so I am processing and extending it. New plotlines are brain-draining, so I write slowly.

This chapter serves as a transitional bridge; it is a bit "watery," but indispensable.

Another point: so many people died in Immortal Juhua's trial. Although Xiantian lifeforms and Purple Mansion cultivators aren't worth much, those who dared to come were all heaven's pride. Even if they weren't all geniuses, would their clans behind them stay silent?

Not to mention the major clans, like the Shenrong Clan and the like. Even if they didn't have Celestial Immortals to defeat Juhua, arranging for their disciples to intervene should be quite easy!

However, as long as Juhua lives, those clans won't bully the small with the big. After all, if they resort to bullying the small with the big, the game can't be played. Falling at the hands of one's peers can be dismissed as being too bold—if jade is not polished, it cannot become a vessel—so I won't cause you trouble.

But if they play the "bullying the small with the big" game, the artifact spirit of the Thousand Ox Sword in the original work also mentioned that in his later years, Juhua spent a vast amount of materials to refine a great seal, and he loved using it to smash people. The kind of hard smashing with a brick.

A brick shows no mercy!

Alright, none of the above is the main point!

I will draw a line to summarize for you brothers: Begging for follow-up reads! Begging for follow-up reads! Begging for follow-up reads!