Chapter 526: Out to Sea

As a powerful ice-attribute storm quickly gathered around him, Xu Yang soared into the sky. Behind him, the brilliant Phoenix Soul swiftly descended. The moment the Phoenix, King of a Hundred Birds and a true divine beast, appeared as a perfect totem, all ice-attribute elements in the air began to tremble.

“Phoenix Domain!” Xu Yang roared. He flew straight towards Yeto, who stood before him, exerting an irresistible, mountain-like pressure on the opponent.

“It truly is the power of the Phoenix. Just who are these people?” Having spent most of his life in the far north, Yeto had never heard of Xu Yang. But the moment he witnessed the Phoenix totem descend, his desire to win was largely extinguished.

“Damn it!” Seeing the vast amount of pure ice-attribute elements he had gathered prove so vulnerable before the Phoenix's power, Yeto immediately brandished his staff again.

In a flash, a massive ice-blue circular rune materialized. This rune, imbued with an overwhelmingly potent natural power, appeared to be the signature technique of this Tribulation Transcendence realm expert. “Nine Heavens Ice Cloud Talisman, activate!”

The colossal rune began to spin rapidly, causing all moisture in the air from every direction to instantly freeze and surge madly towards Xu Yang. Even with the protective domain of the Phoenix totem, Xu Yang found it challenging to instantly neutralize Yeto's power against the suppressive storm generated by this enormous rune.

At some point, Xu Yang’s Asura Sword had manifested in his hand. He brought down a solid strike towards the massive rune below him. Clang!!

As the sword's might descended, the Phoenix totem behind him spread its wings and soared into the sky, finally unleashing the profound essence of its 'Phoenix Dance of Nine Heavens' domain. At this moment, Xu Yang seemed to have perfectly merged with the Phoenix Soul. Searing Phoenix flames erupted from every part of his body, including the Asura divine weapon in his hand.

The next moment, as he swung his sword light downwards again, a scorching fiery sword beam, seemingly capable of cleaving the sky, burned with maximum intensity. The fire-attribute pressure it emitted surpassed the resistance limit of the ice-attribute rune Yeto had conjured below. Crack!

Cracking sounds echoed continuously. No matter how Yeto gnashed his teeth, he could not prevent the shattering of his power. His proudest Nine Heavens Ice Talisman ultimately stood no chance against Xu Yang, destined to be destroyed. Rumble!

Finally, a muffled crash resounded as the massive ice-blue rune completely shattered. Yeto was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Of course, Xu Yang had no intention of making things difficult for him; he had simply struck a bit harder than necessary due to his eagerness to set sail.

Landing steadily in front of Yeto, Xu Yang put away his Asura Divine Sword directly. “I meant no offense. Please grant us passage. This journey to the Glacier Ruins is of vital importance to us. We are not after any treasures or inheritances from the ruins; we are searching for a very important person.”

Yeto spat, then slowly got to his feet. “You win. Although your methods are no different from outright robbery, as a businessman, I have no choice but to compromise.”

His words revealed Yeto to be a straightforward individual. He led Xu Yang’s team to the coast, where three reasonably sized fishing boats awaited. Each vessel was enhanced with very special ice-attribute runes, making them highly practical for the journey to the Glacier Ruins.

“This sea itself isn’t particularly strange, but due to the climate, the icy aura will grow increasingly stronger. The deeper you venture into the inner sea, the more intense the chilling sensation will be on your bodies, and the greater the pressure on the ship itself. Furthermore, there’s the threat from the Glacier Ancestral Beasts of the deep sea. You must understand, this area is close to the edge of the continent. All Sea Ancestors are highly resistant to contact with humans. If they perceive you as an offense, they will launch their fiercest attacks.”

Xu Yang smiled calmly, then tossed a delicate box to Yeto. Upon opening it, Yeto was almost stunned.

The rare luminous pearl inside was a top-tier treasure Xu Yang had previously found in the Ancient Desolate Earth Treasury. Without exaggeration, its value alone could easily buy dozens of high-end fishing boats, or even more. Yeto revealed a satisfied smile, as if all his previous grievances against Xu Yang had vanished. Instead, he began to see them as ideal partners.

“I wish you a smooth journey, my friends.”

“Seriously? What a sycophant,” Long Kun couldn't help but click his tongue, genuinely surprised by Yeto’s abrupt change in attitude.

“Humans die for wealth, and birds for food. Since you've offered such generous terms, why should I be pretentious? Kado, release our best ship for these distinguished guests.”

After shouting his order, Yeto came to Xu Yang with a smile. “Are you certain you don't need any sailors, esteemed guest? If you wish, I can provide some free of charge.”

Xu Yang smiled and shook his head. “This journey is exceptionally dangerous, and I wouldn't have the energy to look after them. Although they possess some cultivation, their abilities are clearly insufficient for the difficulty of this expedition.”

Xu Yang’s implication was that among Yeto’s group, only Yeto himself was noteworthy; the others were barely worth mentioning. After all, with their mediocre cultivation, it was debatable whether they could even survive in the Three Thousand Dao States, let alone venture out to sea.

After all preparations were complete, Xu Yang's team of four boarded the ship, hoisted the sails, and set off with full speed towards the Glacier Ruins.

As Yeto had said, this place was truly not somewhere just anyone could go. Even if Xu Yang and his team forced their way into the sea with their formidable strength, whether they would actually find the precise location of the Glacier Ruins remained unknown. After all, the great tree had only given them this task, and it couldn't possibly know the exact whereabouts of the ruins.

Days at sea were quite monotonous and boring. Xu Yang consistently remained in a meditative state, consolidating his strength. Long Kun, on the other hand, was quite relaxed, enjoying the sea breeze and gazing at the ocean, becoming the most comfortable member of the team.

Shi Lingyun continued to play her zither, having little else to do, while Ling Yao immersed herself in her swordsmanship. Since her encounter and battle with Yun Qiu, Ling Yao seemed to have made new progress and gained fresh insights in her swordsmanship.

The image of Xiaohua frequently appeared in Xu Yang's mind, making it difficult for him to maintain a highly focused cultivation state with a calm heart. He simply opened his eyes, stood up, and temporarily abandoned his cultivation.

“What's wrong, boss? You seem very agitated lately, which isn't like you! Are you still worried about Sister Xiaohua? Don’t worry, since the Angel race has granted her protection, she'll definitely be fine!”