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墨書 Inktalez
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the trees, illuminating the grassy ground of the forest, where vibrant vegetation was greedily soaking up the warmth and flourishing.
The climate of the rainforest was humid and chilly, and this particular terrain was especially peculiar. Numerous springs, resembling mirrors, were embedded in the ground, extending for hundreds of meters. Upon closer inspection, some of these springs were bottomless, while others were only one or two meters deep.
These unusual formations were created by volcanic lava beneath the surface, which had penetrated the ground, causing seawater to fill the area and resulting in its distinctive features. Naturally, the strange creatures lurking beneath the sea could also use these spring openings to capture prey wandering across the land.
A deer had just approached one of the springs to drink when a creature that resembled a fish but was far larger surged upward. With a wide maw, it swallowed the drinking deer whole before splashing back into its watery lair.
Only those creatures unafraid of death would dare to drink here, making the area eerily quiet yet fraught with danger.
At the edge of the forest stood two figures clad in fiery red armor: Lian Qingzong and Jiang Lao. They gazed at this unique landscape filled with hundreds of spring pits, where light danced on the water's surface, reflecting dazzling glimmers.
"Young Master, we've arrived," Jiang Lao stated with utmost certainty.
Lian Qingzong nodded. "Yes, this must be the place..."
"But... there are just too many spring openings," Jiang Lao remarked, observing the various depths and shapes of the pits with a hint of confusion.
"According to reports from our last visit, there were only a few dozen springs here. How could there be so many now?" Lian Qingzong shared his bewilderment.
"Could someone have been here before?" Jiang Lao pondered aloud.
"Unlikely. This sparsely populated area is usually just a pass-through for travelers," Lian Qingzong replied as he surveyed the tranquil spring openings, clearly sensing that danger lurked beneath their calm surfaces.
Suddenly—
A massive fish with sharp teeth surged out of the pit, roaring as it lunged toward Jiang Lao!
Clang!
The sound of a blade being drawn echoed as Guanghua appeared. The fish, eager for a feast, was suddenly struck by the sword light, and with a loud thud, its body was cleaved in two, crashing to the ground. Jiang Lao stood there, sword in hand, snorting coldly at the oblivious creature.
After a moment, this fish that had thrown itself into the net was skewered by Jiang Lao and Lian Qingzong and placed over a makeshift fire to roast. Jiang Lao was quite the clever one; after roasting a pig once with Lu Fei Fan, he had surprisingly picked up enough skills to roast fish as well. The large fish, with its innards and scales removed, sizzled beautifully over the flames, whetting their appetites.
However, while they were eating, both were deep in thought about how to effectively eliminate their target. After some discussion, they realized they had no good solutions and decided to scout the area personally.
Lian Qingzong intended to dive in himself, but Jiang Lao insisted on going first. Lian Qingzong did not argue further.
Jiang Lao activated his Pulse Energy, holding his breath as he jumped into a seemingly bottomless spring. The water was so deep that Lian Qingzong could initially see Jiang Lao's figure beneath the surface, but after a while, he disappeared from sight.
This indicated just how deep the spring was.
About ten minutes later, Jiang Lao quickly returned to the surface with a splash, gasping for air. His aged face was flushed from holding his breath, and he coughed up a couple of mouthfuls of water—he had reached his limit.
Once he caught his breath, he climbed out of the water and sat on the ground, taking deep breaths of fresh air. "This hole is too deep. I swam nearly five hundred meters down without seeing the bottom. My 'closed breathing' technique couldn't reach it at all!"
"I'll give it a try," Lian Qingzong said as he removed his Rain Cloak. After thinking for a moment, he also took off his bright red battle armor. Finally dressed in a tight-fitting shirt and gripping his Greatsword, he stood by the spring's edge. His Pulse Energy flowed around him, and notably, his mouth and nose began to undergo some peculiar changes!
Seeing this transformation in his young companion's breathing technique made Jiang Lao realize that it was clearly more advanced than his own.
“Is this ‘Fish Breathing’?” Jiang Lao had never seen his young master use such a new breathing technique before.
In today's world, human activities are no longer confined to the islands. Empowered Individuals have mastered unique and powerful breathing methods, allowing them to dive into the deep sea to hunt Sea Beasts or search for rare materials.
Jiang Lao's closed breathing technique was merely one of the most common methods, but it had its limitations in terms of time spent underwater, making it impossible to stay submerged for long periods.
On the other hand, Lian Qingzong's newly acquired ‘Fish Breathing’ clearly allowed him to remain underwater for much longer. However, this technique required a stronger Pulse Energy cultivation method, which was evidently not a problem for someone as astonishing as Lian Qingzong.
Watching his young master jump into the water with a long sword in hand, Jiang Lao felt a mix of emotions. He couldn't help but feel old and regretted not putting in more effort during his youth; now he found it impossible to compare himself with these younger generations.
Lian Qingzong moved through the water like a fish, diving deeper into the tunnel. As the water pressure gradually increased, he formed a faint membrane of Pulse Energy around him that alleviated the pressure. The light underwater began to dim, yet his eyes could still discern the surroundings. Apart from rocks and schools of fish, there was little else; the current grew stronger as he ventured further.
After swimming for quite some time, he opened his mouth to expel bubbles. Afterward, he inhaled the oxygen extracted from the water into his lungs. Although scarce, after several cycles, the oxygen absorbed from the water was sufficient for him not to need to return to the surface for air.
Jiang Lao waited anxiously on the shore for half a moment when suddenly there was a disturbance in the water. He quickly stood at the edge, wondering if something had happened to his young master.
A few minutes later, with a splash, Lian Qingzong burst out of the water, sword in hand and dragging a sleek black Water Fish Beast with fish-like whiskers and horns. After a few struggles, once Lian Qingzong pulled it onto shore, he struck it down with his Greatsword, rendering it docile.
“This cave shouldn’t be an entrance,” Lian Qingzong remarked before diving into another spring hole.
As time passed, this area filled with spring holes on the ground was littered with fish beasts caught by Lian Qingzong from underwater caves, along with luminous stones and strange creatures. They lay scattered on top, leaving Jiang Lao both amused and exasperated; at least dinner was assured.
When night fell, Lian Qingzong finally emerged from one of the springs and landed on the shore. He used Pulse Energy to dry off completely and walked over to where Jiang Lao had built a fire, sheathing his Greatsword and falling into silence.
Jiang Lao quickly handed over some roasted Sea Beast meat to his busy young master. The young lord remained quiet as he devoured his meal heartily.
“Young Master, is this really the entrance to the ‘Tomb of the Giant Whale’?” Jiang Lao couldn't contain his impatience. After Lian Qingzong had descended, he had also dived into several springs, but they either led to dead ends or his breathing technique couldn’t reach the depths.
Lian Qingzong was equally frustrated. After finishing the piece of roasted meat in his hand, he noted that Jiang Lao's cooking skills seemed to have improved. However, despite searching for a long time, he still hadn’t found the entrance. It was clear that the terrain here had changed rapidly over the years. Having traveled such a long distance to get here, he naturally couldn’t give up easily. Finally, he said, “Let’s continue.”
Jiang Lao nodded, clearly no longer questioning him. Since his Young Master was certain this was the right place, it must be correct.
After all, the Giant Whale’s eye held great significance for them, which was self-evident.
At this moment, Lu Fei Fan was in the water just like Lian Qingzong and Jiang Lao. However, when Lu Fei Fan fell into the water, a gigantic fish beast charged toward him. Fortunately, Lu Fei Fan kicked away the corpse of the Head Wolf; the fish beast lunged at it and dragged it away, attracting countless terrifying fish beasts vying for a share.
Lu Fei Fan quickly distanced himself from this dangerous area. Just as he intended to move forward, a tentacle suddenly wrapped around his limbs and dragged him down into the depths!
When Lu Fei Fan fell into the water, he had limited oxygen to breathe. As he sank deeper, the water pressure increased. Unable to hold his breath any longer, he suddenly opened his eyes wide and struggled in the water. But as his limbs were ensnared by the tentacles, they tightened their grip when they sensed his struggle and added two more tentacles to bind him securely, pulling him into the dark depths where no light could reach.
It was over. Lu Fei Fan struggled helplessly until he could no longer hold his breath. When he opened his mouth, a torrent of seawater flooded in, and in the next moment, he lost consciousness.
It felt like being in a dream as he floated in an endless ocean surrounded by vast waters. He desperately tried to swim forward but found himself unable to move at all, as if something were binding him tightly.
Suddenly, he spotted an ancient warship appearing in the distance. He opened his mouth to shout but realized that no sound came out; it was as if he had lost his voice entirely. He strained with all his might but emitted not a single sound as that ship slowly drifted away from his sight.
A sense of despair washed over him; he didn’t know whether it was waiting for death or fear that caused this emotion. Sometimes when one finds a glimmer of hope for survival underwater, they realize that after struggling fruitlessly, it is merely an escape from a cataclysm they cannot flee from—despair inevitably follows.
When sorrow outweighs hope, a person who gives up becomes resigned to their fate. They will no longer struggle or resist but allow themselves to be battered by the stormy ocean until they become what they feared most.
Lu Fei Fan suddenly felt exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to sleep peacefully. Closing his eyes, he let despair grow within him amidst this dark world.
He no longer wanted to struggle. Faced with fate, perhaps the choices it offered him were limited. It had been this way in his previous life, and he wished to change it in this one. But now, as he was on the verge of drowning, there was nothing he could do.
"Why give up on life? You're so young; you probably haven't even found your true love yet..." A gentle voice echoed softly in his ear.
He slowly opened his eyes, wearily gazing at the world before him.
The first thing that caught his eye was the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, each uniquely shaped and protruding downward. Water droplets occasionally fell from them, the crisp sound of dripping water gradually restoring his hearing.
A hand pressed against his mouth, forcing a foul-smelling liquid down his throat. He coughed a few times, the intense stench overwhelming him. He quickly sat up and leaned over to vomit.
He expelled mouthfuls of seawater from his bloated stomach until it felt empty. Gradually, he became more alert; he had regained half of his strength.
He clearly realized that he was still alive!
So, where was this place? Had someone just saved him?
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