Chapter 99: Entering Sichuan

"This is it."

Guided by the sea dragon, the ship finally arrived at the end of a rather barren cape in the southern seas.

An energy lock encircled its neck, disabling its ability to attack, but its long fins remained tightly tucked into its abdomen, concealing its two young.

Seeing Shang Youqing approach from the cabin, the sea dragon instinctively took a half step back.

Shang Youqing ignored her, standing on the bow deck and using her spiritual sense to push aside the sea surface the sea dragon had pointed to. Indeed, as the sea dragon had predicted, the two vanished freighters lay hidden beneath a blanket of algae.

Without specifically using her spiritual sense to investigate, no one would have guessed that seemingly abandoned ships lay beneath this seaweed forest.

She withdrew her spiritual sense and, turning to inform Chen Jichuan of the shipwreck's precise location, he responded and gave a direct command into his earpiece, commanding the submarine following behind to dive and conduct a search.

During this period, the sea dragon had been leaning in the corner of the cabin, looking at Shang Youqing with fear, who clearly had the aura of the Nine Heavens God. When Shang Youqing looked at her again, she finally lowered her dragon head tremblingly and told the truth.

"I know that the center of the South China Sea is not a place for sea beasts like us who were expelled to the cape to go, but... food resources on this side of the cape have always been very scarce..."

"The better territories have all been occupied by stronger sea beasts. My partner lost his life while fighting for territory with other sea beasts, leaving only me and two newly born baby dragons."

"But I myself... I really can't hunt for more food resources in this narrow cape. For the sake of my children, I had to... I had to take the risk and rob those two freighters, but I really haven't harmed human lives... I beg you, no matter how wrong you are, don't implicate my two children. They don't understand anything, they are innocent..."

When the sea dragon choked and explained these words, Shang Youqing's gaze lingered on her two shrunken long fins for a moment, then quickly moved away and asked Shen Jichuan, "What are you going to do with her, Colonel Shen?" "

We'll have to take her back for interrogation before making a final decision. However—"

Chen Jichuan paused briefly, then averted his gaze and continued, "If the final investigation results are indeed as she claims, that no human life has been harmed, the Tribunal for Sea Beasts will also consider appropriate punishment."

The implication was that the sea dragon's life would not be extinguished.

The sea dragon breathed a sigh of relief and allowed Chen Jichuan's men to lead her away.

Cheng Huang, following Shang Youqing, casually interjected, "Not bad, not bad. Colonel Shen is quite humane."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shang Youqing turned and glanced at him, then quickly shut up.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Jichuan asked, walking back to find Shang Youqing gazing towards the center of the sea with a slight frown on his face.

Shang Youqing: "I'm wondering, why are those sea beasts driven to the cape and not allowed to approach the center of the sea?"

Before Chen Jichuan could reply, Cheng Huang raised his hand and answered.

"I know that. It's related to the Heavenly Dao's prohibition. The spiritual energy of the immortal Penglai Mountain floats in the center of the sea. Sea beasts are forbidden from approaching the center, naturally to prevent the emergence of dragons that transform into gods in the future—"

Cheng Huang was speaking when he realized he had stepped on his Phoenix's sore spot. He quickly shut up and glanced nervously at Shang Youqing.

Shang Youqing, however, remained expressionless and said, "Oh."

Chen Jichuan glanced back and forth between Cheng Huang and Shang Youqing, pondering for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, a huge wave crashed into the ship. The ship

rocked violently, and water rushed onto the deck.

Chen Jichuan reached out and held Shang Youqing, who was nearly knocked over by the waves. Then he heard Cheng Huang exclaim, "Phoenix, look over there!"

Shang Youqing looked in the direction of the sound and saw, just beyond the previously calm sea, crests of waves like crumbling mountains, surging towards the ship.

The ocean current twisted and surged, sullen and profound, like a giant undersea beast gaping its maw, tearing and swallowing every cloud in its path.

The sky above seemed to be swallowed up in an instant, completely darkening.

Chen Jichuan, in his years of maritime patrol, had never witnessed such a bizarre and terrifying scene. He knew full well that raising such a massive wave in the ocean was beyond the capability of ordinary sea beasts.

As the surging waves approached amidst the hissing wind, Chen Jichuan hurriedly threw his coat over Shang Youqing, who was standing beside him, and pushed her toward Cheng Huang, shouting, "Cheng Huang, get Shang Youqing away first—"

But before he could finish his words, a towering wave, as tall as clouds, suddenly appeared behind him, collapsing and crashing down towards him.

Shang Youqing, who hadn't yet obtained her spiritual weapon, couldn't bear to see Chen Jichuan suffer. With lightning speed, she grabbed Chen Jichuan's arm and pulled him away, condensing Phoenix Fire to block the massive wave overhead.

The huge wave paused for a moment as she blocked it, but the next second, a pervasive cold current surged through the Phoenix Fire Barrier, dragging Shang Youqing from the crumbling hull.

Shang Youqing was engulfed in the icy vortex, swept away by the rapids and plummeting into the glacier.

A deep, trembling roar, as if piercing from the depths of the abyss, echoed through the air.

It was unknown how much time had passed.

The deafening roar faded, and a cold silence returned.

Only the dripping sound of glacial water flowing through the icy stream remained.

As Shang Youqing climbed from the rock wall, her slender neck tensed slightly from the creeping cold. Painfully, she pushed her upper body upwards, opened her eyes, and stared at the endless, cold glacial cavern before her.

She pursed her lips, white with cold, and tensed her body. She descended from the rock wall, surveying the deep cavern structure, searching for an exit in the direction of brighter light.

Suddenly, Shang Youqing paused slightly. She stared at the huge and eerie dragon skeleton lying across the winding cave, and instinctively stepped back.

But the next second after stepping back, her thin and tense back unexpectedly hit an ice wall, followed by a familiar ancient chill that suddenly hit her...

Shang Youqing turned her head and was shocked to see that face as cold as an ice peak. The dragon horns on both sides of his forehead were surrounded by a faint blue sheen, like a glacier god, looking at her indifferently.

Shang Youqing only stared at him for a second, and the shoulder blade that had just been touched was forced to lean back slightly by the coldness, and the skin and bone marrow of her whole body were penetrated by the coldness.

Her face was calm, but the hand hanging by her side curled up its fingertips slightly in response, and retreated to the position just now, with her back against the cold stone wall.