The commotion caused by the emergence of the Northern Dark Water Palace grew increasingly intense.
An eerie blue pillar of light pierced through the seabed.
Countless undercurrents in the Northern Sea were drawn by that force, forming enormous whirlpools one after another.
At the center of the whirlpools, an ancient water palace flickered in and out of view.
The water palace's gates stood half-open, and the two stone beasts before them were already more than half ruined.
The stone beasts were covered in savage patterns. Even after the erosion of countless years, they still exuded a chilling aura.
Those were traces left behind by the Beast Tribulation.
In that era, order had yet to take shape in the Primordial World, and ferocious beasts ran rampant between heaven and earth.
Now, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans were locked in the Three-Clan Hegemony, and it was already brutal enough.
Yet compared to the Beast Tribulation, it still lacked a measure of chaos and madness.
The fact that the Northern Dark Water Palace had endured from that era until today was itself proof that extraordinary treasures lay within.
What was more, the aura of an Innate Spiritual Treasure had emerged from the depths of the water palace.
The Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Pearl.
The moment this name spread, every clan of the Northern Sea became restless.
This treasure could stabilize water fortune, anchor sea veins, and suppress the turbulence of an entire body of water.
For the Dragon Clan, it could strengthen the foundation of their water palaces.
For the Phoenix Clan, it could suppress conflicts between water and fire, aiding the cultivation of the Frost Phoenix Lineage.
For the Qilin Clan, it could stabilize places where earth veins and water veins converged.
For Abyss, it was even more important.
The Abyssal Womb Membrane was expanding.
The spiritual veins, waters, cities, and Dragon-Suppressing Pass within the inner realm all required a true treasure capable of stabilizing water fortune.
If the Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Pearl could be integrated into Abyss, the Inner Realm of the Abyss would inevitably undergo a transformation.
That was why Lan Shuang personally led the team.
Outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Abyss's forces had already assembled.
Lan Shuang held the Book of Cause and Effect, her expression cool and composed.
Lady Mingzhu accompanied them, responsible for identifying treasures and the restrictions of the water palace.
Han Jue led three hundred elite Realm Guards.
Ao Lie had been coiled around the outer gate, but he ultimately took human form and followed them.
He was familiar with the Dragon Clan's methods. If Dragon Clan experts appeared within the water palace, he could immediately determine their origins.
Ancestor Xuan Jia leaned on his dark black cane and ambled along at the very back.
But everyone knew that he was the true powerhouse anchoring this expedition.
Early Great Luo Golden Immortal.
His defenses were exceptionally strong.
As long as he was present, Abyss's team had the confidence to retreat unscathed.
Lu Chen's decree had already been delivered.
If they could not obtain it, they were to run.
If they encountered a powerful enemy, they were to retreat.
They were not to invoke his name.
Lan Shuang naturally remembered every word clearly.
However, everyone in Abyss had their own interpretation of those three sentences.
Han Jue felt that the Emperor was testing their judgment on the battlefield.
Ao Lie felt that the Mysterious Abyss Emperor did not wish to reveal Abyss's true foundations too early.
Ancestor Xuan Jia felt that their ancestor wanted them to prioritize caution and not let the Innate Spiritual Treasure cloud their Dao hearts.
Lady Mingzhu felt that the Emperor was benevolent and did not wish for them to suffer losses over a treasure.
Lan Shuang, however, felt that by entrusting Abyss's first expedition beyond its borders to them, the Emperor was declaring that Abyss had truly gained the qualifications to stand on its own from this day forward.
Of course, Lu Chen's true thoughts were simple.
Do not die.
Do not cause trouble.
Do not lure the great powers of the three clans to Abyss's doorstep.
Before departing, Lan Shuang bowed toward the depths of Abyss.
"Please rest assured, Emperor."
"On this journey, we will uphold your decree."
Lu Chen felt slightly reassured upon hearing that.
He trusted Lan Shuang fairly well.
At the very least, she was more reliable than Han Jue.
After leaving Dragon-Suppressing Pass, the team headed straight for the Northern Dark Water Palace.
Along the way, many Water Clan cultivators had already appeared in the surrounding waters, watching them closely.
When those Water Clan cultivators saw Abyss's team, their expressions changed slightly.
"Abyss has come too."
"Is that Fate Overseer Lan Shuang?"
"And that Ice-Scaled Tribe prodigy from Dragon-Suppressing Pass, Han Jue."
"Look at that black-clad young man beside him. Is that Third Prince Ao Lie of the Blackwater Dragon Palace?"
"Ao Lie is actually in Abyss's camp?"
"Ancestor Xuan Jia is here too! Abyss brought a Great Luo expert this time!"
The discussions continued to spread.
Many cultivators from lesser clans who had originally planned to fish in troubled waters immediately withdrew a considerable distance upon seeing Ancestor Xuan Jia.
What a joke.
A Great Luo Golden Immortal was holding the line.
This was no longer a contest they could interfere with.
Listening to the discussions around him, the corners of Han Jue's lips rose slightly.
"Looks like after the battle at Dragon-Suppressing Pass, Abyss's reputation really is different."
Ao Lie said flatly, "The greater the reputation, the greater the trouble."
Han Jue glanced at him.
"Are you worried about us?"
Ao Lie snorted coldly.
"I am worried that without a thorn like you at Dragon-Suppressing Pass, it will become so quiet that it is boring."
Han Jue laughed.
"Don't worry. I'm hard to kill."
Ancestor Xuan Jia spoke lazily from behind them.
"Bickering before battle easily damages one's momentum."
Han Jue immediately fell silent.
Ao Lie said nothing more either.
Neither of them wanted to listen to Ancestor Xuan Jia's lecturing.
The Northern Dark Water Palace drew closer and closer.
By the time Abyss's team arrived at the outskirts of the water palace, three groups of powerful cultivators had already gathered there.
The Dragon Clan had arrived first.
At their head stood a middle-aged man clad in azure-black dragon armor. Two horns grew from his head, and his eyes were cold and sinister.
When Ao Lie saw him, his brows furrowed slightly.
"The Blackwater Dragon Palace's Second Elder, Ao Yin."
"Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Peak, only half a step away from Great Luo."
"He is my father king's confidant."
Lan Shuang nodded and committed the name to memory.
On the other side stood the Frost Phoenix Lineage of the Phoenix Clan.
At their head was a woman in icy blue feathered robes, her features cool and detached. Behind her, the phantom of a Frost Phoenix faintly appeared.
Lady Mingzhu said softly, "Feng Li of the Frost Phoenix Lineage."
"She is one of the rare talents among the Phoenix Clan's branches who cultivates both water and fire, a Late Supreme Unity Golden Immortal."
The final group was from the Qilin Clan.
A tall young man stood before the water palace's stone gates, water-blue Qilin patterns flowing around his body.
Ancestor Xuan Jia said slowly, "A descendant of the Water Qilin, Lin Yue."
"Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Peak."
"All three clans have sent experts from their branches. It seems they do not wish to make too much of a stir either."
Lan Shuang understood what Ancestor Xuan Jia meant.
The main branches of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans were gathering strength for the Great Tribulation.
Although the Northern Dark Water Palace was important, it was not yet enough to make the great powers of their main branches personally enter the fray.
These branch experts were therefore the most suitable people to contend for the treasure.
When Ao Yin saw Abyss's team, his face immediately darkened.
His gaze first landed on Lan Shuang, then shifted toward Ao Lie.
"Ao Lie, you still dare show yourself before this elder?"
Ao Lie remained calm.
"Why would I not dare?"
Ao Yin sneered.
"You carry Dragon Clan blood, yet you stand in Abyss's camp."
"You have utterly disgraced the Blackwater Dragon Palace."
A trace of coldness flashed through Ao Lie's eyes.
"I trespassed into Abyss and was punished with guarding Dragon-Suppressing Pass."
"My punishment has not ended, so naturally I must follow the rules."
Ao Yin's voice suddenly turned cold.
"The Dragon Clan's rules are greater than Abyss's rules."
Ao Lie looked at him.
"Then you can go to Dragon-Suppressing Pass and ask the Emperor."
Ao Yin's expression stiffened.
News of the battle at Dragon-Suppressing Pass had already spread within the Blackwater Dragon Palace.
He knew very well that even the Blackwater Dragon King had suffered a loss in Abyss.
Go question the Mysterious Abyss Emperor?
He was not tired of living yet.
Han Jue chuckled softly from the side.
Ao Yin immediately turned to look at him.
"What are you laughing at?"
Han Jue leveled his long spear.
"I'm laughing because you do not dare go to Dragon-Suppressing Pass and only dare scold Ao Lie here."
Killing intent flashed through Ao Yin's eyes.
"Young one of the Ice-Scaled Tribe, are you seeking death?"
Han Jue's fighting spirit surged instantly.
Lan Shuang raised a hand to stop him.
"The Emperor's decree says to retreat when facing powerful enemies. Do not fight over pride."
Han Jue took a deep breath and suppressed his fighting spirit.
Ao Yin sneered at the sight.
"So Abyss is nothing more than this."
Lan Shuang's expression remained calm.
"At least Abyss does not force its subordinate lesser clans to offer up children to forge armor."
Ao Yin's face darkened completely.
Ancestor Xuan Jia lifted his eyelids and slowly looked at him.
Ao Yin said nothing further.
Ancestor Xuan Jia was a Great Luo Golden Immortal.
If that old turtle truly made a move, Ao Yin might not leave alive.
Just as the tension among the three sides grew increasingly heavy, the Northern Dark Water Palace suddenly shook violently.
The ruined stone gates slowly opened.
An ancient, decayed, savage aura surged out from the depths of the water palace.
Everyone's gaze turned toward the entrance of the water palace at the same time.
Ao Yin said coldly, "The water palace has opened."
Feng Li said softly, "Everyone, the Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Pearl goes to whoever is capable."
Lin Yue stepped forward.
"Whoever gets it first, owns it."
Han Jue said in a low voice, "Fate Overseer Lan Shuang?"
Lan Shuang looked at the dark entrance to the water palace and slowly spoke.
"Enter the palace."
"Remember the Emperor's decree."
"Avoid battle if you can."
"Treasure is important, but people are more important."
Everyone from Abyss answered in unison.
The next moment, the four factions entered the Northern Dark Water Palace at the same time.
Deep within the dark water palace.
A pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened.
"The Black Tortoise's aura..."
"That old thing is still alive?"