Chapter 479: Heart of the World

The blue sphere that surfaced stood firmly on the ocean.

From Qin Ziwen’s perspective, the sphere was the size of a house, its smooth surface reflecting a magnificent luster.

Wherever it was, the surrounding, blood-stained seawater automatically purified itself.

From a distance, it looked quite miraculous.

“Good heavens,” Zhang Chongshan muttered at his side. “What is this? How is a pearl this big floating on the ocean?”

Qin Ziwen focused his gaze:

[Level 9 Marvel] Heart of the World (A Marvel nurtured by a world, possessing all sorts of incredible effects)

He felt a little more at ease. ‘So it really is the Heart of the World.’

‘But why did it suddenly surface? I thought I’d have to go through all sorts of trials or a great battle to get my hands on it.’

‘I never expected it to be this easy.’

Mogu had never seen the Heart of the World, but he could tell from his master’s expression that this object was extraordinary.

“Master, wait a moment. I’ll go retrieve it.”

“Wait. Be careful of traps,” Qin Ziwen called out, stopping Mogu. Even though the Heart of the World was floating on the surface, that didn’t mean there wasn’t danger lurking below.

‘It might be bait.’

Mogu stood on the water’s surface. He lowered his head and gazed into the depths of the sea.

“It’s not a trap. ‘It’ left long ago.”

“‘Who is ‘It’?” Qin Ziwen already had an answer in his heart.

“The one we saw last time.” Mogu turned his head to look at his master.

Qin Ziwen narrowed his eyes. “It’s not attacking us.”

Mogu walked up to the Heart of the World. The Heart was massive, its peak nearly reaching his chest. “Master, I suspect the way to obtain the Heart of the World isn’t through direct conflict. Perhaps we just need to complete its trial, or achieve its goal, and we can obtain this item from it.”

Mogu extended his hand. Seawater churned around his palm as currents rose and coiled around the surface of the Heart of the World.

The next second, the Heart of the World devoured all the water currents coiling around its surface.

Mogu took a deep breath, plunged headfirst into the sea, and dove under the water. He lifted the orb with a single hand, holding it aloft in his right palm as he rode the waves back.

Gray suddenly spoke up. “I think I’ve figured out what those people were trying to do. They held a sacrificial ritual to give ‘It’ a full meal. The ritual just took so long that it happened to end right as we arrived.”

“So all those Sea Beasts that were drawn here were actually its food,” Qin Ziwu murmured.

Qin Ziwen said, “I’ve seen documentaries about baleen whales feeding. They filter-feed, swallowing countless small fish and shrimp in one gulp, then expelling the seawater.”

“You’re saying those Sea Beasts, dozens of meters long, were devoured as easily as if they were tiny shrimp?”

“It’s possible.”

The Heart of the World was brought onto the boat, which then returned to the shore.

Qin Ziwen disembarked and walked into the Urban Village.

The once-large village was now desolate and deserted. Advertisements on the walls were faded and peeling, and the iron gates were corroded with rust.

A startled crab scurried out from a crack in a corner, only to hide in another.

“If no one maintains it, this place will fall into ruin in a few years at most,” Qin Ziwen remarked wistfully.

Qin Ziwu called from behind, “Bro, let’s go. There’s probably nothing left here.”

He left one thing unsaid: they had taken the prize. If the previous group came back, they’d be in trouble.

“Coming.”

Qin Ziwen took one last look back at the Island, then walked into the Teleportation Gate without a second glance.

Mogu stood guard outside the gate. Only after the last person had entered the Teleportation Gate did he stride in himself.

After the bronze gate vanished, dozens of nautical miles away, a head floating on the water glanced this way with trepidation before diving beneath the waves without looking back.

…

The tide rose and fell.

A Light Gate shimmered into existence over the sea.

A behemoth of a ship slowly sailed out from the gate.

The waves parted as the massive vessel came to a stop on the water.

The deck was sparsely populated.

Yan Guihen, holding the Dragon Head Staff, surveyed his surroundings. His gaze was sinister as he looked out over the clear, empty sea.

“Go. Find it for me,” Yan Guihen said, his voice hoarse.

Before long, the crew sent to investigate returned.

“Sir, the ritual is over. We couldn’t find…” the leader reported, steeling himself.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the Dragon Head Staff slammed down on his forehead.

The bald man let out a muffled grunt and was knocked to his knees, a wretched sight to behold.

“A Heart of the World that big—don’t tell me it grew legs and ran off!” Yan Guihen’s tone was vicious. “I don’t care if you have to dig up every last earthworm on this island, you will get me an answer!”

Before long, they had an answer.

The bald man ran over excitedly. He crouched on the ground, his bearskin cloak making him look like a large, groveling dog. “Sir, we found many traces of human activity on the nearby island! Judging by how fresh they are, it was a day ago at most.”

A vicious glint flashed in Yan Guihen’s eyes. “You’re saying someone snuck in here a day ago?”

“Absolutely!”

Yan Guihen looked up. “Interesting. I had just finished setting up the sacrificial ritual when my house was robbed, forcing me to return to my Home. By the time I get back, the prize is gone. What a coincidence, wouldn’t you say?”

The bald man answered with unwavering conviction, “Sir, it was definitely the ones who ambushed us!”

Yan Guihen said, “It doesn’t matter. I’ll settle this score with them eventually. The Heart of the World is a top-tier Marvel; an ordinary person can’t use it even if they get their hands on it. My things are not so easily taken! Where did you find the tracks? Move the ship over!”

The large ship approached the shore.

Yan Guihen stood on the forecastle, seventy-some feet high, and leaped lightly, drifting to the ground like a leaf.

“Sir, judging by the footprints, they must have come from here!” the bald man shouted from a distance.

The clearing at the edge of the forest ahead was bare, the sandy ground covered in messy footprints.

Yan Guihen extended his hand toward the clearing and uttered a single word: “Track.”

As he spoke, a current of air surged at his feet, making the leaves RUSTLE.

On the empty ground, a series of messy footprints materialized out of thin air.

Whenever Yan Guihen’s gaze focused on a set of footprints, information about their owner would appear.

A moment later, Yan Guihen said coldly, “Found them.”

One pair of footprints on the ground was exceptionally large, completely out of place among the others, but its aura was also the strongest.

“Track!”

A crimson anchor flew out and slammed into one of the footprints. With the CLANKING of iron chains, the anchor bored deep into the ground.

After a moment, the corners of Yan Guihen’s mouth curved upward.

“Level 5 Authority? If you were any higher, I really wouldn’t have been able to lock on to you.”

“Let’s go. We’ll head back first and gather our forces!”

…

On the other side, Mogu, who was in their Home, looked down at the crimson anchor mark that had appeared on his chest. The mark was now pulsing faintly, like a breath.

“Master, I’ve been targeted. Maybe I should leave.”

Qin Ziwen placed his hand on Mogu’s chest and silently tried to dispel the mark.

[Insufficient Authority: Unable to Dispel Mark]

‘Insufficient Authority… Could they be Level 6 Authority?’ Qin Ziwen’s heart sank.

“No need. You stay here. Liangcai, go and dismiss the others in the Home for now.”

“My Lord? What about the Hunting Team?”

“All non-Extraordinaries are to retreat. All Extraordinary are to remain.”

“Yes, sir.”