Chapter 1217: Deep into the Strait

The Dragon's Nest, deep within Ku Feng Gorge, was by no means a friendly place. The terrifying items floating on the water's surface made it abundantly clear how dangerous this area was.

Human bones and shattered ship wreckage floated everywhere. Such places typically held rare and exotic treasures.

However, for Xu Yang and his team, even the most precious treasures held no value now. Their sole wish was to safely cross Ku Feng Gorge and reach Xuanyuan Imperial City as soon as possible. To cultivators of their caliber, such material possessions were merely common trinkets they could obtain at will.

Indeed, at Xu Yang's cultivation level, any material needs could be fulfilled simply by speaking. Prince Wu's team would promptly prepare everything, rendering vast amounts of gold and silver meaningless. After all, top-tier experts who coveted wealth, like Prancisco and his wife, were a rare exception.

After observing the situation, Xu Yang finally sensed something amiss. The wind and waves around the main ship continued to produce deafening roars.

With a flash of inspiration, Xu Yang decisively activated one of his incredibly powerful signature abilities: the Domain of the Sea God.

His aura rapidly diffused outward. The wind and waves that had been relentlessly crashing against the main fleet quickly subsided once Xu Yang's Domain of the Sea God was fully deployed.

Strangely, while the main fleet was enveloped by the Domain of the Sea God, the surrounding waters beyond a hundred meters continued to be violently churned by the surging waves.

"What in the world is happening?" a team member exclaimed. "Why is it that only our area is untouched by these wind and waves? Boss, what incredible power did you use to create such a scene?" The Eight Gates team members, all wearing expressions of shock, couldn't help but question him, only to receive a two-word reply from Xu Yang: "Calm down."

Subsequently, wave after wave of even more violent wind and waves attempted to assail Xu Yang's team, but all their efforts ended in failure.

No matter how powerful these waves were, they could not break through the protective barrier of the Domain of the Sea God. Simply put, the Domain of the Sea God represented the will and command of the God of the Sea.

As the inheritor of the Sea God, Xu Yang, with his Domain, was virtually the true sovereign of the waters. Regardless of the origin or power of these waves, the moment they sensed Xu Yang's strength, they would instantly subside.

After witnessing such powerful and comprehensive abilities, Prince Wu couldn't help but exclaim, "If you weren't with us, I'd probably have perished ten times over on this journey!"

Xu Yang, beside him, shook his head with a wry smile. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound," he replied. "It was merely a small effort. This power simply happened to fall within my area of expertise, naturally leaving no room for it to wreak havoc."

"Hahaha, where did this arrogant boy come from, daring to boast so brazenly in the Dragon's Nest? You clearly haven't witnessed the true might of a raging storm!" Just then, an incredibly arrogant and wild laugh suddenly echoed in everyone's ears. Immediately, about five hundred meters ahead of the fleet, an old man with completely white hair burst forth from the deepest reaches of the Dragon's Nest. The moment he revealed his true form, his eyes gleamed with a sharp, cold light, locking firmly onto Xu Yang.

"Was it you, little brat, who thwarted the attacks of the wind and waves I conjured?" the old man sneered. "Dare you tell me what method you used to completely neutralize my storm?"

Xu Yang merely scoffed in response. "What are you?" he retorted. "Do you dare to bluster in front of me? I'm in a good mood now, so go back to where you came from. Do not make a fool of yourself in my presence. Otherwise, if you provoke me, I will cut you down without hesitation."

Xu Yang's icy words showed absolutely no deference to the white-haired old man of the sea. After all, in Xu Yang's view, anyone who dared to attack their team was undeniably an enemy, not a friend, and there was no reason to indulge them.

Upon hearing Xu Yang's words, the old man was undeniably enraged. After a cold laugh, he ascended into the sky.

Riding atop the surging waves, he charged madly towards Xu Yang's position. However, Xu Yang showed no excessive surprise at his opponent's actions. It seemed he had long anticipated that this old man would not settle down until he was shown a display of power.

Then, without hesitation, Xu Yang clasped his palms together, and a colossal sword light materialized behind him. Having already comprehended the Boundless Sword Dao, Xu Yang no longer needed to exert himself fully to unleash the might of his swordsmanship.

With just a single wisp of sword energy, he could unleash unimaginable, world-shattering power. The instant that colossal sword light slashed down from the sky, all the water waves before him shattered completely.

The white-haired old man, who had been riding atop a water pillar dozens of feet high, was utterly stunned by the sheer power of Xu Yang's sword light. He instinctively darted backward, narrowly evading the fatal force of the strike.

Even so, the old man remained frozen in place, gasping for breath, seemingly unable to recover from his profound shock for a long time.

"A formidable young man, indeed, truly formidable," the old man murmured. "To think I've been lurking in this Dragon's Abyss for so many years, robbing countless passing teams, yet I never expected to encounter a powerhouse like you today! This old man has truly had his eyes opened!"

Xu Yang gave a cold smile. "You yourself admit to having robbed so many teams, so you are undeniably guilty," he stated. "However, today, I genuinely have no interest in slaying you. How about we try to make a deal? If you agree to one condition, I will consider sparing your life.

"Naturally, this is the sole condition for any transaction between us. If you intend to propose any additional terms, I regret to inform you that you are not in a position to do so. You are merely being forced to make this deal with me to preserve your life."

Xu Yang seemed to emphasize this point once more, and the core premise of this 'deal' indeed caused the white-haired old man to fly into a rage. But what could he do?

Xu Yang's power vastly surpassed his own. If Xu Yang wished to kill him, he merely needed to lift a finger, and the white-haired old man would be instantly slain, without any chance of resistance.

The power disparity between them was overwhelmingly vast, impossible to bridge by any other means. Upon realizing his dire predicament, the old man finally let out a helpless sigh. He ceased arguing with Xu Yang and simply nodded with a solemn expression.