Chapter 1011: Powerful External Help Arrives

"Hahaha, my efforts weren't in vain after all! I've truly stumbled upon a crucial secret. The reason the inner region of the Endless Sea boasts such a vast number of top-tier marine creatures is due to these peculiar underwater reefs, which provide them with an endless supply of spiritual energy.

It seems these underwater reefs are likely the true reason why Demon Dragon Island has become one of the continent's most prized treasure locations!

Based on his observations, Xu Yang could almost definitively state that this single massive reef alone could provide spiritual energy for thousands of merfolk for decades.

Given Xu Yang's nature, discovering such a precious treasure meant he couldn't leave without taking a piece back for thorough study; otherwise, his trip would feel wasted.

Of course, Xu Yang also understood that this underwater reef was the merfolk's very livelihood. Forcibly removing it would undoubtedly provoke a collective assault from the entire merfolk clan. The challenge, then, was how to take this reef away without arousing any suspicion.

As Xu Yang floated near the reef, concealing his presence and pondering his dilemma, a new 'dawn' arrived. This 'dawn' came in the form of the Tiger-Winged Great White Shark clan, a species known for its intense conflicts with the merfolk.

He chuckled, "What divine timing! I never would have imagined the merfolk clan would be attacked by the Tiger-Winged Great White Sharks at this very moment. This chaos is my perfect opportunity to act on the reef."

Xu Yang wasn't in a hurry to make a move. He knew perfectly well that any sudden, strong spiritual energy fluctuations around the reef would immediately cause the thousands of merfolk and their beasts to retreat and regroup.

At that point, it would undoubtedly be far more difficult for Xu Yang to accomplish his goal. The best approach was to 'fish in troubled waters': wait until the conflict between the two factions reached its peak, then use his abilities to directly spatial transfer the reef. This was the optimal strategy.

With this in mind, Xu Yang immediately messaged the command cabin of the Black Pearl via the Canghai Wuji, instructing Vortex Goro to prepare the Eye of the Void. Its purpose was to interface with the main divine artifact's aura and establish a dedicated transfer channel.

This way, Xu Yang would be able to seize an opportunity to directly teleport this massive underwater reef from a depth of 800 meters straight into the Black Pearl's mobile city.

Upon receiving the order, Vortex Goro wasted no time. He immediately began work, completing the Eye of the Void's docking channel in just half an hour.

Meanwhile, over three hundred top-tier Tiger-Winged Great White Shark powerhouses had arrived. From Xu Yang's observations, each shark possessed combat capabilities roughly equivalent to a mid-level Blue Rank, and they were fiercely besieging the merfolk clan.

The merfolk, in turn, resisted with all their tribal might, but unfortunately, their species was naturally outmatched by great white sharks. It took almost two or three merfolk to barely withstand the attack of a single Tiger-Winged Great White Shark of comparable strength.

Consequently, the battle was exceptionally brutal. The merfolk suffered significant losses, and their outer perimeter had already been completely encircled by the Tiger-Winged Great White Sharks.

The opposing leader, a great white shark, appeared to be of considerable standing, likely a prince-level figure within its clan. It sneered as it telepathically communicated with the surrounding merfolk strongmen.

Normally, a significant portion of these oceanic overlord creatures lack the ability to speak, so their communication methods are highly unique. As a human, Xu Yang couldn't understand them at all.

However, it's worth noting that the Canghai Wuji in his possession perfectly solved this issue. It could convert the sound waves of special races, transmitted around the main divine artifact, into intelligible human thoughts.

This explains why the pearl was considered a main divine artifact and a prized heirloom of the Eternal Demon Tree, one of the three most powerful overlords of the Endless Sea. Such a function was hardly surprising.

"Merfolk, hand over your largest spirit stone at once! Otherwise, we won't hesitate to completely devour your entire clan today."

The merfolk's elder chieftain, now possessing peak Blue Rank strength, responded with an icy gaze.

"You wish! Even if our merfolk fight to the last breath against you today, we will never surrender our lifeblood spirit stone so easily! Losing the protection of the spirit stone means our merfolk lose our very ability to grow, condemning us to be devoured by other marine races sooner or later. As fellow creatures of the sea, you naturally understand what a spirit stone signifies for a species! You come to destroy our livelihood and expect us to grovel? Dream on!"

The great white shark, possessing noble lineage, sneered.

"This realm of the Endless Sea has always been about survival of the fittest. You are not strong enough, and you are destined to become prey! It's merely a matter of when, and whose maw you ultimately fall into. It's better that our Tiger-Winged Great White Shark clan benefits now; we will remember your 'kindness' fondly."

"Hahaha, enough of your drivel! If you dare attack us today, then don't blame the merfolk for fighting to the bitter end!"

At that moment, the elder merfolk chieftain dispatched his most trusted team to gather around the main spirit stone, the very massive one where Xu Yang was concealed.

"Listen carefully, little shark! If you dare launch a full-scale assault on our clan today, this reef will bear witness to our mutual annihilation!"

While it would be untrue to say the Tiger-Winged Great White Sharks weren't rattled, their leader, however, allowed a faint smile to play across its features.

"Are you trying to intimidate us? If you truly have the resolve to sacrifice thousands of your merfolk alongside our mere handful of great white sharks—less than a tenth of your numbers—then by all means, proceed. If you deem it worth the cost. In any case, the next boon from Demon Dragon Island is imminent. All the territory that belongs to your merfolk clan will soon fall to our Tiger-Winged Great White Shark lineage, which would undoubtedly be an immense gain. Trading the lives of a few of our sharks for a more glorious future for our entire clan—that's a bargain we're certainly willing to make."

As the sole human observer on the scene, Xu Yang absorbed every word of their exchange.

The mention of a 'boon from Demon Dragon Island' by the Tiger-Winged Great White Shark royal, in particular, made Xu Yang's eyes gleam once more.

From what he'd gathered, these massive underwater reefs, imbued with potent spiritual energy, must all be gifts from Demon Dragon Island.

"If that's truly the case, then the ultimate secret explaining all of this likely resides on Demon Dragon Island. And the demon dragon residing on the island will undoubtedly be revered as a god-like entity by all marine creatures within the Endless Sea's inner region. Should anyone attempt to land on the island from the outside, they would surely face an unimaginable, devastating siege."