BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!
Countless soul-engineered beams erupted from the colossal flying carrier—blazing fire-rain flooding the sky ahead.
This stretch of sea had become a living hell.
Kong Deming locked onto the Titan Gryphon's position.
"Target locked—fire!"
Before he could strike personally—
The tribulation clouds erupted. Bucket-thick lightning bolts crashed down upon them.
The dense formation of soul engineer legions, Grade-9 soul engineers, and Kong Deming himself had been judged by heaven as one entity undergoing tribulation. The lightning's might was apocalyptic!
"…"
Kong Deming, facing this for the first time, froze in bewilderment. Sensing the devastation, he fell silent. This felt like enduring a barrage of Grade-9 fixed-load artillery shells. With no choice, he raised defenses.
And this was merely the beginning.
BOOM… BOOM…
Lightning descended relentlessly, wreathed in annihilation. Kong Deming's barriers shattered within moments—forcing all Grade-9 soul engineers to mobilize.
Fortunately, these elites were soul engineers, not pure soul masters. Their strength lay in devices, not cultivation—making the tribulation slightly more manageable. Had heavenly judgment scaled to combat prowess…
Every bolt would now carry divine-level devastation!
Even so, they were fully occupied. Eliminating Chen Junting's group fell to the soul engineer legions.
This gap became Chen Junting's opening.
Three Grade-9 fixed-load artillery shells targeted a single point—firing in succession!
Three trails of fire. Three deafening roars.
The spatial seal tore open.
"Now!"
At that instant, the flying carrier's full barrage locked onto them. An attack capable of threatening a Limit Douluo erupted—
BOOOOM—!
A colossal golden beam pierced the atmosphere, shredded space—aimed to erase Chen Junting's group entirely.
Behind it, brilliant fire-rain meteors erupted from the carrier, studding the white void like stars.
Golden barriers flared behind them.
Crack… crack… crack…
Shattering. Detonation.
When smoke cleared—
There was nothing there.
—
The sea surface stretched endlessly, connecting with the sky to form one expanse.
Waves rippled under the wind, shimmering with gentle folds.
A dark speck drifted on the water.
A closer inspection revealed the Titan Gryphon—unconscious.
On its back, figures stirred awake—rank by rank, except for one: Du Busi.
During the escape, Gu Tianchen had recklessly manipulated space while Xuan Lao stabilized the rift with his "Heaven-Mending" technique. Du Busi bore the tearing force generated by the explosion.
Thus, he suffered most—but gained the most.
This spatial ordeal was a breakthrough catalyst. With his foundation already solid, one secluded cultivation would likely elevate him to Limit Douluo.
"Letting it drift won't do. Old Gu."
Chen Junting glanced at the gryphon, troubled. Unconscious like this… He met Gu Tianchen's eyes—understanding passed silently.
Elder Song activated her Martial Soul True Body—transforming into a vast Azure Shadow Divine Eagle. Without hesitation, she became their new mount.
The Titan Gryphon vanished into Gu Tianchen's spatial gate. (Unseen: Chen Junting had nested a Undead Demiplane entrance within Gu Tianchen's void, sheltering the beast.)
Just as all believed safety lay ahead—
The sea stilled.
A woman's voice echoed, freezing their blood:
"What fate."
The Whale Empress materialized, amusement dancing in her eyes. "I thought you'd escaped. IT seems misfortune led you straight into my domain."
Her territory?!
They'd sailed into the lion's den?!
Damn this luck!
And worse—the Deceiving Heaven Array Disc was damaged!
Before despair could settle—killing intent erupted from the Whale Empress!
The tribulation had left her gravely wounded.
This debt demanded repayment.
A solid-blue ring exploded from her—expanding ten miles in a breath. The ocean trembled.
ROAR—!
Ten-mile seas boiled.
A tsunami erupted skyward!
Ten-thousand tons of seawater congealed midair—then plummeted.
As those conscious braced for doom—
Chen Junting's gaze snapped to Wang Dong'er.
FLASH! Golden light erupted.
Everyone collapsed into unconsciousness. Only Chen Junting, shielded by Elder Electrolux, remained awake.
And in that clarity—he witnessed the impossible.
Wang Dong'er floated midair. The trident mark on her brow blazed with divine radiance, emanating with brilliance and majesty.
The next second—golden light shifted to azure, blazing fiercely!
From the trident sigil, a beam shot skyward—swelling instantly into a hundred-meter-tall phantom.
Majestic. Broad-shouldered. Hair flowing into the sea. Robes of celestial silk. Trident gripped in hand.
"Sigh—"
A sigh descended from the heavens—directionless, yet pressing down with cosmic weight.
The falling seawater vanished the moment the phantom appeared, dissolving into azure threads that wove into its form—granting it tangible substance.
"Remnant."
The trident tapped lightly.
The raging sea stilled—mirror-smooth, not a ripple remaining.
Seawater coiled into chains, snaking toward the Whale Empress. No matter how she struggled, they dragged her inexorably downward—
CRUSH—!
—sealing her deep beneath the waves.
Silence.
As if nothing had ever happened.
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