C410

Tang Cen transformed into a streak of intense fire and sped through the water with incredible velocity.

Even beneath the waves, Yu Yuan could sense the oncoming rush of the heat wave.

When the Solar Flame Mantra was activated, the seawater around Tang Cen appeared to boil from the intense heat.

In no time, Tang Cen came to an abrupt halt in front of the cosmic energy barrier.

A crimson halo enveloped him, causing him to shine with a brilliant light even under the sea.

His radiance, similar in function to Liu Ying's cosmic energy barrier, also served to keep the seawater at bay.

"Yu Yuan!"

Tang Cen's voice reached out through telepathy.

"Tang, what brings you here?" Liu Ying asked with a light chuckle, her voice gentle. "Beneath the sea, cultivators from the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep can still observe the cosmos. The Embers Sea is not the private domain of the Sunlit Order. Here, you must abide by the local rules."

Her words served as a caution to Tang Cen against causing trouble on the ocean floor.

The Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep had established clear rules: exploration in the Embers Sea was permitted, but fighting and taking lives were strictly forbidden.

"The undersea realm of the Embers Sea has its boundaries," Tang Cen said, his gaze fixed on Yu Yuan rather than Liu Ying. "I hope you won't wander aimlessly. If you stray beyond the designated area and I take notice, no one will intervene if I kill someone without a sect's protection."

He had come to a realization.

If an attack using spiritual sense and fire essence proved ineffective, he would have to try a different approach.

No matter how formidable or enigmatic Yu Yuan was, he was still just a cultivator of the Golden Sanctum.

How could a Golden Sanctum cultivator withstand someone of the Subtlety Realm, especially one armed with a powerful treasure?

Previously, the spiritual sense had gained no advantage, suggesting that Yu Yuan might have a Soul Rune within him, a gift from a powerful entity that shielded him from the soulstone and fire essence's burn.

The Binders of Shadows could craft such a Soul Rune, integrating it into the Mindscape to withstand a single assault from a remnant soul.

But it could only protect him once.

Tang Cen was convinced that in a true fight, Yu Yuan wouldn't be able to withstand him.

After uttering those words, Tang Cen transformed into a blaze of fire and swiftly flew off.

"It seems this fellow has taken a dislike to you."

Liu Ying gently furrowed her brow and explained, "What he said is accurate. The seabed of the Embers Sea does have its boundaries. The Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep only concern themselves with conflicts within those limits. If you venture beyond those safe zones in search of wonders, the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep won't care about your fate."

"I'm aware," Yu Yuan replied, unconcerned.

He was already well-versed in the rules of the Embers Sea; Liu Ying's clarification was unnecessary.

In his past life, he had piloted the Sky Chariot capable of submerging into the ocean depths to probe its secrets on several occasions.

The seabed of the Embers Sea was shallow, littered with innumerable Starshards. Many valuable Starshards were claimed by the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep the moment they fell to the ocean floor, leaving no opportunity for others to touch them.

The sea was expansive, and some starshards from beyond had fallen in regions far removed from the Embers Sea.

Most of these starshards were of little worth. After the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep had investigated them, they simply let the pieces settle on the seabed.

Trial-takers venturing into the Embers Sea were generally not permitted to stray too far. Those who disregarded the rules and sought to explore beyond the designated maritime boundaries were essentially signing their own death warrants.

Their lives and deaths were of no concern to the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

In truth, Yu Yuan knew even more about the Embers Sea's secrets.

Back when he was the Sect Master of the Order of Healing, he had learned from a confidant within the Devil Palace about three hidden and enigmatic locations within the Embers Sea, unknown to all.

These sites, monitored by the cultivators from the upper echelons of the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, were invisible to both the devil soul and the demonic gaze.

The three enigmatic locations could not be detected visually or by spiritual sense. Should any mishaps occur there, they would go unnoticed by all.

According to his source, the Devil Palace had exploited these three enigmatic locations to surreptitiously eliminate the trial-takers from the three major upper sects of Euwrea.

After the incident, none of the three upper sects could hold anyone accountable.

This was a secret not even Liu Ying was privy to.

Suddenly, a shimmering cold light emerged.

Beneath the sea, Lin Zhuyun, clad in green, exuded a chill as piercing as frost.

"Crack crack!"

The seawater swiftly froze into ice around her still form.

She appeared as a goddess encased in crystal, gazing through the clear, bright ice at Yu Yuan. After a few seconds of silence, her lips, as frosty as her gaze, barely moved, "Our engagement has yet to be dissolved. I would appreciate it if you could spare my dignity in front of others. If you truly cannot restrain yourself, I hope you'll speak with my father upon your return to Asvetaesi and annul our engagement, granting me my freedom."

"Wishful thinking," Yu Yuan bellowed with laughter within the cosmic energy barrier. "I suggest you abandon hope. I simply cannot stand you."

"Yu Yuan! You're crossing the line!" Lin Zhuyun's voice was a cold rebuke.

"Hehe! Who's crossing the line? I think you're the one who's gone too far!" Liu Ying quipped, her eyebrows arching playfully within the cosmic energy barrier. "Are you upset because I've been dragging him into this? Lin Zhuyun, as his betrothed, you drew Tang Cen's gaze the moment you stepped into Winter's Bite. The entire seven lower sects are aware of Tang Cen's affection for you."

"You've maintained a proper distance from Tang Cen, but you haven't outright rejected his advances at Winter's Bite, have you?"

"You're well aware of who Tang Cen is! You know that his favor has brought you many conveniences within Winter's Bite! Hasn't the Chief Elder bestowed upon you numerous precious pills and spiritual medicines?"

"You're quite clear that without Tang Cen's admiration, you wouldn't receive such lavish gifts from Winter's Bite!"

"On one hand, you relish the advantages that come with Tang Cen's attentions, yet on the other, you're concerned about the engagement and fear being talked about behind your back."

"What do you call that?"

"It seems like... playing the harlot while trying to erect a monument to chastity!"

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

Liu Ying's counterattack was unexpectedly sharp and venomous, overturning Yu Yuan's prior perceptions of her in an instant.

His nominal fiancée, who was not particularly articulate, seemed to have been caught in a lie and was so infuriated that the ice encasing her body shattered into pieces.

Lin Zhuyun shivered uncontrollably under the weight of Liu Ying's words. She pointed at Liu Ying, attempting to retort, but despite her efforts, she couldn't muster a single word.

"Am I speaking the truth? Someone knows the answer to that!" Liu Ying declared triumphantly, and once again, she took Yu Yuan by the hand. With Lin Zhuyun watching, they floated away enveloped in a shield of cosmic energy.

"Do you mind that I insulted her?" Liu Ying asked, releasing her grip and sheepishly sticking out her tongue once they were at a distance.

"I never took her seriously to begin with. I saw through her little schemes back in Asvetaesi," Yu Yuan replied, shaking his head, showing no concern. "Don't worry about her. I'll hold onto our marriage contract for now, just to annoy her and her father."

"She's not worthy of you," Liu Ying assessed. "Su Yan from Abyssal Dawn is far superior. That woman acts all high and mighty, but she's full of cunning plans. She uses Tang Cen to gain access to all sorts of resources at Winter's Bite, all the while pretending she's oblivious to the actions Winter's Bite and the Lin family have taken against you and the Yu family."

Liu Ying scoffed with disdain. "A little digging, and I discovered all the shady dealings of Winter's Bite."

"What Winter's Bite has done is trivial," Yu Yuan said with a chuckle. "The Lin family won't be able to penetrate the core of the nascent Shadowlight Empire. Maybe by the time I return to Asvetaesi, they'll have fallen from grace."

"I had a hunch when you arrived on the Silver Rainbow Shuttle, and Ms. Xu held you in such high regard. Your ties with the Ruby Hand in the Forgotten Ruins are no small matter; I've been aware of that," Liu Ying admitted knowingly. "But most importantly, that girl Yu Zhu has become the ruler of the Forgotten Ruins."

At that, her face lit up with envy, "A newly ascended Dark Deity!"

"Enough envy, Liu Ying. You too have the potential to achieve the status of a primordial spirit," Yu Yuan said with a laugh, exiting the cosmic energy barrier. In his Primal Body, he began to acclimate to the buoyancy of the sea, earnestly learning for the first time how to survive in its depths.

Relying solely on his cultivation and physical strength, he drifted through the sea, finding novelty at every turn. This sense of discovery filled him with intrigue and amusement.

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