Chapter 203

Chapter 203: The First Forming of the Chaos Seal

The instant this seal took form, an explosive boom roared through Lou Yun’s mind. Countless images surged forward in rapid succession, overwhelming him before he could make sense of any!

Yet at the same time, he distinctly sensed something elusive, imperceptibly rising within this vast, boundless ocean. Like those fleeting images, it charged relentlessly toward him, one wave after another. Lou Yun reflexively shut his eyes.

In truth, everything Lou Yun felt and saw existed only within his own consciousness. The sea surface remained perfectly tranquil; nothing emerged from its depths. Even the act of closing his eyes was merely imagined by his subconscious.

"Splash!"

These intangible forces struck his face. Though his eyes felt shut, Lou Yun could clearly see dozens of fish—each uniquely shaped—darting with incredible speed through the water before him. And pursuing them, an immense, colossal serpent!

"A six-tailed giant snake!"

Lou Yun couldn’t help but exclaim these words. As his voice rang out, the entire vision—the fish, the serpent—vanished. His eyes snapped open. Unconsciously, his hands, which had been clasped together, also separated.

Beside him, Shui Lingluo, startled by his cry, tilted her head to look at him and spoke, "That’s right, Master Lou. I saw the six-tailed giant snake you mentioned. Only… unlike yesterday when you encountered it with its head above water, today it swam deep under the surface, concealing both head and body, advancing steadily this way!"

Lou Yun froze for an instant, then blurted out, "And ahead of it… were there dozens of small fish swimming desperately?"

Shock flickered across Shui Lingluo’s face, but she nodded. "Yes, Master Lou. How did you know? Can you… can you also see beneath the water’s surface?"

Lou Yun had fully regained his senses now, though only deeper confusion remained. The images he’d "seen" flashed again in his mind. He closed his eyes. What was that just now? Could forming that seal have somehow, unconsciously, granted him control over water’s energy? Allowing him to see the underwater scene?

If true, it meant the Chaos Seal was far more than just a tool for forging weapons. It was a system of heavenly and earthly marks designed to command the fundamental energies of the world!

All he’d done was mimic Shui Lingluo, forming a single hand seal. What if he could perform the entire Chaos Seal sequence? What spectacle might unfold? How much of the world’s energy could he command?

This thought ignited profound anticipation within Lou Yun for the Chaos Seal. Resolving to ask Shui Lingluo about the true meaning behind her gestures after this demon beast was dealt with, he vowed that in the future, he must find time to delve deeper into its mysteries. This profound thing, however, could only be silently understood, never verbally imparted. True comprehension relied on serendipity and innate insight!

Shaking his head, Lou Yun temporarily shelved these thoughts. Whether from his vision or Shui Lingluo’s sight, the six-tailed giant snake was undeniably approaching. Its cunning was remarkable—hiding its entire body underwater to approach. Their group needed heightened vigilance.

Lou Yun sent a mental message to Wen Hou, confirming his earlier perception and urging readiness for battle, as the serpent’s emergence point remained unknown.

He gestured for Shui Lingluo to retreat to safer ground, away from the perilous water. Shui Lingluo shook her head. "No need for concern. Actually, the safest place for me is right here, within the water."

Lou Yun couldn’t discern if this was true, but reason suggested she might be right. Blessed with innate water control ability and wielding a water spiritual weapon, the ocean depths might truly amplify her power.

Since she refused to retreat, Lou Yun couldn’t simply withdraw alone either. He stayed by her side in the water, sharpening his senses to their peak, his gaze fixed intently on the ocean’s surface.

Roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn passed. The sea remained unnervingly calm, showing no signs of disturbance. A glance toward Tie Sha’s group showed no movement there either.

Just as Lou Yun began to doubt whether both their visions had been erroneous, Shui Lingluo suddenly spoke, "Oh no! It’s detected us! It wants to flee!"

Lou Yun jolted, shouting instinctively, "Don’t let it escape! If it slips away, who knows how long until it returns!"

The words were out before he realized his mistake. How could he ask Shui Lingluo to stop a demon beast? Her water control ability was extraordinary, but she stood no chance against such a creature!

Shui Lingluo, however, faithfully obeyed. Lou Yun’s voice barely faded before she surged forward in a sudden lunge, plunging straight into the sea.

Lou Yun was aghast. He thrust both hands out, sending two streams of thick spiritual energy to snatch her back. But the moment this energy touched the water, it instantly dissipated into nothingness. Shui Lingluo’s feet kicked once, then she vanished completely beneath the waves!

This strange phenomenon stunned Lou Yun for a heartbeat before understanding washed over him. Shui Lingluo’s claim that the water was her safest place held truth. His spiritual energy had been blocked—or perhaps absorbed outright—by the ocean. This sea, virtually boundless, held power beyond imagination. Forget his own paltry reserves; the combined energy of thousands of magical weapons masters couldn’t rival its might.

Regardless, letting Shui Lingluo face the six-tailed giant snake alone was unthinkable!

Lou Yun urgently sounded the alarm. Wen Hou and Tie Sha, hearing the commotion, rushed over immediately.

Lou Yun spared no time for explanations, just pointed frantically at the water. "She jumped in to confront the six-tailed giant snake! I’m going down to help her!"

He turned to leap after her, but a terrified screech erupted from Xiao Huo perched on his shoulder. The little creature’s claws dug desperately into his clothes, piercing his flesh slightly. Water was clearly an innate terror for it.

Xiao Huo’s anchored weight physically halted Lou Yun’s jump. At that moment, Tie Sha, without a word, plunged straight into the sea. Wen Hou shouted a quick, "We‘ll go!" before diving after him.

Seeing Xiao Huo’s genuine fright, Lou Yun couldn’t blame it. Frustrated, he scratched his head. "Xiao Huo… Xiao Huo… I need a way to keep you safe!"

"I’ve got it!" Lou Yun suddenly clapped his head sharply. "I’ll put you inside the Chaos Golden Cauldron!"

Chang Xiang had said the Chaos Golden Cauldron differed from other cauldrons—it could hold living things. Lou Yun had once successfully stored Qin Wufeng inside it, and he’d emerged unharmed.

Lou Yun quickly summoned the Chaos Golden Cauldron and gestured toward it. Xiao Huo tilted its head, gave it a considering look, then leapt straight in. A soft chirp followed—apparently satisfied with its new lodging.

Lou Yun finally had a proper place to keep Xiao Huo, freeing him from its constant need to ride his shoulder.

He recalled the Chaos Golden Cauldron into his body, took a deep breath, and prepared to dive into the sea to aid Wen Hou and Shui Lingluo.

Suddenly, the water surface erupted. Waves churned violently as if boiling, huge bubbles gurgling and bursting forth. The chaos grew fiercer; a tumultuous struggle was clearly raging below.

Lou Yun hesitated. Should he dive immediately to see the conflict? Or remain ashore in case the serpent charged out of the sea?

His indecision didn’t last long. As massive waves battered the shore, the sea before him began inexplicably parting down the middle!

The fissure stretched rapidly left and right, the gap widening until it revealed the sandy seabed, stripped bare of its watery cover.

Lou Yun’s brow furrowed deeply in confusion. How? Was Shui Lingluo manipulating the ocean itself?

Whatever the cause, Lou Yun could no longer hold back. He sprinted straight into the path unveiled by the parting sea.

His speed easily outpaced the sea’s separation. He charged deeper into the water while the waves continued to peel back relentlessly behind him.

Once submerged, the water’s resistance slowed his advance significantly. The seabed wasn’t a gentle slope; it dropped steeply into unseen depths tens of meters below. Though he’d traveled only thirty or forty meters from shore, the bottomless abyss yawned beneath him. Unable to swim, he hastily projected spiritual energy, forming a temporary protective bubble around his body.

Now, roughly twenty meters ahead, he saw countless bubbles violently churning. His senses simultaneously detected the distinct energy signature of the six-tailed giant snake!

They’ve engaged it! Lou Yun surmised. He spurred himself onward, pushing painfully against the water’s drag towards the center of the boiling turmoil.

The twenty-meter distance vanished in an instant. Lou Yun plunged into the cloud of swirling bubbles.

The scene laid bare before his eyes rendered him utterly breathless with disbelief.