Liu Xinyue didn’t speak much during the journey. After traveling for more than ten days, the North Sea came into view. The North Sea churned with waves that reached tens of meters high, crashing against the cliffs along the coastline.
Right at the edge of these coastal cliffs stood a city.
“Taoist Li, that’s Linhai City,” Liu Xinyue said. Occasionally, they could see flying vessels or streaks of light rushing out of Linhai City, heading towards the North Sea.
Liu Xinyue’s flying vessel didn’t stop at Linhai City but passed by its right side and headed straight for the North Sea. A day after venturing deeper into the North Sea, sea creatures occasionally emerged to attack the flying vessel. Naturally, these sea creatures met gruesome ends.
The vessel continued its journey, flying deep into the North Sea for over half a month. Finally, it stopped in the airspace above a vast stretch of water. The sea here was exceptionally deep, with no islands in sight. Whether in terms of visibility or the range covered by their spiritual senses, there were no other cultivators in the vicinity. They had been flying for more than half a month, and at the speed of this flying vessel, they could have circled Li Su’s previous world several times in that time frame.
Liu Xinyue produced a mystical artifact, infusing it with enchantments that conjured various colorful orbs of light, which submerged into the sea. Li Su refrained from questioning her actions.
Before long, luminous columns emerged from beneath the water’s surface. Liu Xinyue gestured, saying, “This is it, my friend Li. Let’s wait here.”
“Understood,” Li Su responded calmly.
Liu Xinyue continued with her preparations, placing numerous magical items around them. These objects hovered in mid-air, motionless. Overhead, there were also magical treasures.
Li Su noticed the unique functions of these magical items, forming an intricate formation. There were various formations, like sword and spell formations, and this one was particularly enigmatic.
Some potent spell formations could harness the collective strength of Foundation Establishment cultivators to challenge a Golden Core cultivator. Even if they couldn’t defeat a Golden Core cultivator, they would have enough power to defend themselves.
It took Liu Xinyue three days to complete her preparations while Li Su patiently waited. After a few more days, the sea’s surface began to stir. A massive hole appeared on the seabed, forming a swiftly spinning vortex.
The emergence of this vortex caused the surrounding winds to become turbulent. Liu Xinyue warned, “My dear Li, there’s a naturally occurring treasure beneath the sea, extremely valuable, but this vortex is treacherous. Once you enter it, your True Essence will be suppressed. Even if I descend, there’s a risk of being drawn in.”
Indeed, the vortex appeared menacing. Its diameter had expanded to over ten miles quickly, with a black hole at its center, resembling a colossal maw leading to an unknown realm.
“The commotion here is likely to attract many sea creatures. Please ensure the safety of this formation,” Liu Xinyue urged Li Su.
“Rest assured, Friend Xinyue,” Li Su replied with a comforting nod. Liu Xinyue nodded, and with a “Mm,” she took flight. The countless magical treasures around them emitted light, forming golden threads that coiled around her waist.
“Fear not, dear Li, I’m entering!” Liu Xinyue declared before flying towards the black hole at the vortex’s center. The golden threads elongated as she moved, seemingly serving as a lifeline to pull her back if needed.
Judging by the vortex’s scale, the seawater here was likely deeper than the Mariana Trench and possessed peculiar energies. Inside the vortex, the True Essence of cultivators was suppressed. Without this hindrance, Liu Xinyue, a Nascent Soul cultivator specializing in water-based techniques, would have felt more at ease in these depths unless confronted by exceptionally formidable sea creatures.
The suppression of True Essence was an uncomfortable experience for cultivators. Li Su wondered if this occurrence was natural or influenced by external factors.
As Li Su observed the vortex, he contemplated the inherent perils of natural environments. Even after achieving the Nascent Soul stage and adding body cultivation to his skills, caution would still be necessary. In the event of True Essence suppression, his physical combat abilities would remain a valuable resource.
Liu Xinyue had ventured deep into the vortex, and Li Su’s spiritual awareness followed her. He encountered the unusual energy inside the vortex, hindering his progress. Due to his proficiency in formations, he decided to deploy a series of formation flags to secure their location, even in the high skies above the ocean.
As time passed, Liu Xinyue did not return, and the golden lines continued to extend towards the vortex’s center. Li Su had concealed the area with a concealment formation to avoid attracting sea beasts’ attention. However, the golden lines eventually drew the curiosity of sea beasts, and some began to approach.
In response, Li Su swiftly dealt with the intruding sea beasts. He placed additional formation flags to deter further interference, but a fourth-order sea beast posed a challenge. Li Su slayed it with his Flying Immortal Sword, driving the other sea beasts away.
Worried about Liu Xinyue’s prolonged absence, Li Su took to the air, using spells, and noticed Liu Xinyue’s magical treasures emitting golden light that connected to him. He activated the Grand Sun Sword Formation in automatic defense mode before descending into the vortex, which suppressed True Essence but did not hinder his physical abilities.
Li Su reached the ocean floor in record time, discovering an underwater structure covered in aquatic plants and an unconscious Liu Xinyue on an underwater plaza. He fed her a pill and noticed that she clutched a white pearl. This might be the treasure she was searching for.
Intent on taking her to safety due to the powerful suppression and the danger of being pulled deeper, Li Su also realized something about the mermaid with the crown he had in his storage bag – she was not dead, as her eyes were opened.