The cheers had yet to fade when disaster struck.
Beneath the sea, an aura far more terrifying than the last erupted without warning.
Its sheer power sent every cultivator's scalp prickling, as though an ancient savage beast had fixed its gaze upon them.
Even Chen Ming, who had survived countless brushes with death, felt his heart skip a beat.
Then the sea exploded.
Boom!
A massive column of water shot dozens of zhang into the sky, and the sea churned as though boiling.
An enormous flood dragon, twice the size of the Black-Scaled Flood Dragon they had just slain, burst from the depths. The towering waves it raised tossed the four Spirit Boats into the air like toys.
The flood dragon was forty or fifty zhang long, its body several times thicker than a water vat. Dark-golden scales covered its entire length, each as large as a millstone, reflecting a cold, heavy metallic sheen in the dim light.
The single horn on its head was no longer black but gleamed with a purple-gold luster. Tiny arcs of lightning could even be seen flickering faintly around its tip. Its eyes held none of the muddled look common to demonic beasts; instead, they gleamed with an almost human savagery and intelligence.
Late Nascent Soul!
Those words struck everyone's heart like a thousand-jin hammer.
Every face turned deathly pale. The joy and excitement of slaying a Middle Nascent Soul Stage Black-Scaled Flood Dragon vanished like smoke, replaced by a chill that sank into their very bones.
"How could there be another one?"
Han Lie cried out, unmistakable fear and trembling entering his voice for the first time. Even the hand gripping his crimson saber shook slightly. His earlier arrogance was gone.
Jiang Yue's expression turned equally grim, his lips paling. He swept a