Chapter 227: Sea Cave Paradise

Xu Yang's brow furrowed slightly; he had clearly perceived a deeper aspect of the problem.

"So, according to you, people from the Ghost Shadow Asura lineage were also sealed in the Slaughter Battlefield? Could it be that the inexplicable smell of blood on the sea surface is related to this Dragon Treasure?"

At this point, the Sea Spirit General no longer wished to conceal anything, especially since he already knew Xu Yang was the wielder of the Dao Heart Whisk, the fated one chosen to unlock the Dragon Treasure.

"Precisely. This bloody stench has persisted for ten thousand years, because the Slaughter Battlefield of that era was located deep beneath the Eastern Sea!"

"What!"

Although they had already harbored some suspicion, hearing this fact confirmed still startled Xu Yang and the Empress.

"Very well. Since I cannot stop you, it proves that the Slaughter Battlefield is destined to resurface. The entire Eastern Sea will likely face another catastrophe!"

Xu Yang gave him a deep look. "Are you saying that if this bloody stench spreads, it will affect all the demonic beasts in the Eastern Sea?"

"Indeed. The underwater battlefield is sealed, which is why the potent blood essence hasn't merged with the ocean. Once the Dragon Treasure reappears, if the battlefield collapses even slightly, the blood poison belonging to the Ghost Shadow Asura lineage, sealed within the battlefield, will erupt. At that point, the entire Eastern Sea will likely transform into a true grave!"

Xu Yang's expression grew a little more serious. "I promise you, even if we unlock the Dragon Treasure, I will ensure this doesn't happen, and the sea beasts will not be affected."

The Sea Spirit General chose to believe Xu Yang, not merely because of his immense strength, but because he had earned the recognition of the Eternal Divine Sword, a supreme divine artifact.

Based solely on this, as a member of the demonic beast clan residing in the sea, the Sea Spirit General felt compelled to place his trust in Xu Yang.

In a trance, Empress Xue Qinghan withdrew her mental energy coverage, allowing the surrounding view to return to the magnificent scene of surging ocean waves.

The Sea Spirit General also kept his word. A brilliant golden light, like his shattered trident, rapidly condensed between his brows and shot directly into the seabed without warning.

It was known that no other light, not even from someone as powerful as Xu Yang, could penetrate such a deep ocean. Yet, the golden light emitted by the Sea Spirit General turned this impossibility into reality!

The golden pillar of light remained solid and unwavering, extending straight to the deepest part of the seabed. It seemed the Sea Spirit General was using his inherent essence to activate a sealing array hidden beneath the ocean floor.

Sure enough, in no time, violent rumbling sounds continuously emanated, as immense energy erupted from the deep seabed, churning the entire Eastern Sea's depths into towering waves. The luxurious top-tier cruise ship, once grand, now resembled a tiny skiff amidst the vast ocean. Without Xu Yang's Dao power protecting it, it would have long been torn to shreds by the colossal waves.

Soon, the center of the ocean began to rapidly sink, forming a bowl-shaped vortex. Xu Yang's protective Dao light intensified further, perfectly shielding the Empress beside him from the surrounding wind and waves.

The golden, ring-shaped array light in the center continuously surged upward, finally appearing before everyone.

"Everyone, please proceed! This array will transport you to the deep ocean, connecting you with the true Dragon Slaughter Battlefield. However, I must warn you, that place is extremely perilous, fraught with many unimaginable hidden dangers. If you wish to give up, now is still the time."

The Sea Spirit General was indeed looking out for Xu Yang and the others, as such a place was truly not for just anyone. Even though Xu Yang was immensely powerful, many dangers there were unlike anything he had ever encountered, and potential threats were equally fatal.

However, Xu Yang merely responded with a confident curve of his lips. With a single palm strike, the ship instantly disintegrated, and Tuoba Hong and the others were pulled into the center of the disc like dumplings dropping into water, descending along with Xu Yang and the Empress.

"Oh my heavens... we've finally left the surface. I was about to throw up from these monstrous waves!"

The remaining four members of the Seven were all pale, with grave expressions. Even with Xu Yang's protective power, the pressure from the surrounding waves on the ship's hull was immense. With their limited capabilities, resisting the waves was already incredibly difficult, let alone defeating the Sea Spirit General in such an environment.

It was no exaggeration to say that without Xu Yang and the Empress, these few individuals would have perished countless times over.

Of course, Tuoba Hong remained calm. Even Xu Yang couldn't conclusively determine the full extent of that young man's inherent capabilities at this moment.

Strangely enough, after submerging into the sea, the teleportation array summoned by the Sea Spirit General could autonomously block the surrounding water waves, forming a hemispherical protective barrier. It radiated the Sea Spirit General's unique innate energy, completely isolating them from the surrounding pressure.

Otherwise, if they had relied solely on the individual strength of the entire team to descend, those four members of the Seven would surely have been incapacitated.

It was unclear how long they had been descending; time itself seemed to gradually lose its meaning within the array.

Xu Yang and the others gradually calmed their emotions, all sitting cross-legged to meditate and cultivate. When they opened their eyes again, they no longer saw the surging ocean waves. Instead, it was as if they had descended into an incredibly mysterious underground palace.

Above their heads were magnificent waves, yet the ocean appeared completely separated from the entire palace, a truly mystical sight.

At first glance, the underground palace was remarkably vast, but the dense smell of blood had also reached its peak, as if the surrounding air was saturated with unseen gore.

Xue Qinghan instinctively furrowed her brow. Seeing this, Xu Yang waved his hand gently at her. Immediately, the nauseating bloody stench diminished by more than half, and a faint floral fragrance even permeated the air.

The Empress looked at Xu Yang in astonishment, unaware that this was a divine ability inherent to Xu Yang's Dao-approaching body. It allowed him to alter the surrounding environment to a certain extent and also resist the oppressive aura from opponents in battle, making it highly practical.

The Empress had already fully adapted to and calmly accepted the surprises and shocks Xu Yang repeatedly brought her. At least in her heart, Xu Yang was now an intimate battle companion with whom she could share life and death, entirely worthy of her trust.

"What is this place? I can't even see a single Dao gate? It looks like a gladiator arena!"

The Nascent Soul realm expert among the four, who carried a bow and arrows, spoke as he conjured a lamp-shaped magical artifact in his palm, illuminating the somewhat dim area of the underground palace.

All around them were circular shattered walls, etched with ancient markings thousands of years old, and even stained with mottled blood. Yet, no matter how they looked, there seemed to be no doorway leading anywhere else.

"Your Excellency, look..."