Chapter 542 - 347: Ancient Water God (Part 2)

Chapter 542: Chapter 347: Ancient Water God (Part 2)

"My apologies. At my age, it’s easy to get lost in thought. I have so many memories that reminiscing has become quite a time-consuming affair..."

Wuzhiqi turned its head and calmly surveyed its surroundings, looking at the young Water Apes clustered around its body. It then explained to Han Ning, "You might be curious why my clan has so many Water Apes, yet not one is as powerful as I am."

At that moment, it didn’t seem like a mighty Quasi-God Elf, but rather a venerable elder gazing kindly upon its descendants.

"To become a Water God, one requires the blessing of a Divine Spirit. Without the ability to form a Divine Heart, one can never become a true Water God."

"Huai Kong, come here."

Wuzhiqi’s gaze fell upon a strong Water Ape in the distance.

"Hrrrmm~"

The Water Ape, which was about as tall as Han Ning, floated before Wuzhiqi and assumed a posture of reverent worship.

"Remember this Beast Master. After I am gone, you will lead the clan and leave this place with him."

An invisible force pulled the Water Ape over to Han Ning.

"From now on, my children are in your care."

"Uuwaa..."

Wuzhiqi glanced back at Han Ning and gave a slight nod.

"And you, Lord Wuzhiqi?" Han Ning couldn’t help but ask.

"...I’ve lived long enough. I no longer have the strength to protect them."

Wuzhiqi took one last, deep look at its children. It then raised its head slightly, its gaze seeming to pierce through the endless ocean, past the rippling surface, and into the distant sky.

"My Life will soon fade away..."

"Han Ning, my only hope is that you will help them find a suitable habitat, a place far from conflict."

Although Han Ning had never introduced himself, Wuzhiqi had clearly learned of him through some other means.

"Please, rest assured. I will do everything in my power to find a suitable habitat for them," Han Ning said solemnly.

"As the saying from your people goes, a gentleman’s word is his bond."

Wuzhiqi’s gaze remained fixed on the sky. Its massive, powerful body began to rise, passing through the shipwreck to hover in the gloomy, pitch-black ocean.

"WOO WOO!"

The remaining Water Apes followed closely, surging upward after it.

As it emerged, the faint, distant cry of a dragon echoed through the pitch-black waters.

Bolts of purple lightning, like writhing dragons, materialized from the void, forming a gigantic cage that sealed Wuzhiqi and its descendants around the shipwreck.

"Han Ning... I can’t believe you actually know Vilornox!" Lin Ke’s eyes shone with even greater admiration as she looked at him.

"Ahem, it was just a coincidence! A lucky coincidence!" Han Ning stammered, unsure how to explain.

She and Irena pressed close to Han Ning. The three of them looked up in unison, their faces grim. They all sensed that something was about to happen.

WHOOSH~

An endless torrent of ethereal blue light erupted from Wuzhiqi’s body, illuminating everything.

Like Moses parting the Red Sea, a terrifying wave of Energy pushed the ocean apart. Within the surrounding waters for countless miles, motes of hazy blue light began to glow. Under the influence of an unseen force, they drifted out and converged upon Wuzhiqi’s body.

The surrounding cage of purple lightning wavered under the influence, straining like ropes in a storm and threatening to snap at any moment.

In an instant, the ceaseless flow of ethereal light suffused Wuzhiqi’s thick fur, making it appear dreamlike and illusory.

The peace in its gentle eyes was gradually replaced by a savage fury. Its body grew inch by inch, muscles swelling and bulging. The surrounding water, disturbed by an invisible force, was pushed aside, forming a vast whirlpool.

As Wuzhiqi’s body grew ever larger, wisps of brilliant blue lightning began to appear around it.

CRACKLE! SIZZLE! Wuzhiqi’s eyes flashed with blinding electricity. Serpents of lightning coiled around it, and its fur bristled, standing on end from the raw power.

"HRAAAGH!"

With a furious roar that seemed to echo from ancient times, Wuzhiqi raised both fists and smashed them outward!

BOOM! RUMBLE!

A thunderous explosion erupted. The serpents of lightning surged, and the True Dragon Chains caging its body shattered into dust, dissipating into the void.

Wuzhiqi hovered in the water, the electrical aura around it growing ever more intense until it had nearly condensed into a massive body of pure lightning.

One second, two seconds... The light gradually expanded, then abruptly split into two spheres, one large and one small.

The larger sphere of light descended into the body of Huai Kong, the one Wuzhiqi had just instructed.

The smaller sphere, meanwhile, plummeted downward, shooting straight into Han Ning’s arms.

Han Ning reflexively caught the sphere of light with both hands.

The light faded.

A tiny, delicate little ape, its fur not yet fully grown and its body still slick with amniotic fluid, was curled up in his palms, sleeping soundly.

High above them, the light of evolution flared violently.

A new Wuzhiqi was born!

The ancient Wuzhiqi, having become those spheres of light, vanished.

The walls of water, held apart by that unseen power, came crashing down, slamming into the seabed with a deafening roar.

At the same time, massive cracks suddenly appeared in the void all around them, spreading visibly toward Han Ning and the others.

A line of light-blue text appeared before Han Ning’s eyes.

[The Secret Realm fragment is about to collapse. Please evacuate immediately. Estimated time remaining: 60s]

"Everyone, hurry! This small Secret Realm is collapsing!" Han Ning shouted to the two young women beside him as he leaped onto Egg Pancake’s back. He then yelled up to the newborn Wuzhiqi and the other Water Apes in the water.

"HOO!"

Even without Han Ning’s warning, Huai Kong had noticed the strange phenomena. It let out a low roar to its children, and they all gathered closely around Han Ning.

"Everyone, follow me!"

Seeing the ape clan following him so closely, Han Ning knew they were obeying Old Wuzhiqi’s final command and trusted him completely. He hesitated no longer. Following the guidance on his status panel, he directed Egg Pancake toward one of the cracks in space and plunged inside.

The others and their Soul Beasts followed without a moment’s hesitation.

「The scene shifted.」

The view before them changed from the pitch-black seabed back to the Sea God Palace Complex, which was wreathed in blue light.

He, his companions, and over a hundred Water Apes all appeared in unison at the entrance to the 50th palace.

Faint, violent fluctuations of Energy emanated from beyond the open palace doors.

Not far off, the remaining black-robed figures were manipulating crimson lightning, bombarding the Sea God Palace’s protective shield with a frenzied assault.

Han Ning glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Huai Kong. ’The invaders haven’t realized the Secret Realm was destroyed yet.’

[

Race: Demigod Wuzhiqi

Gender: Male

Aptitude: S

Level: Emperor Level IV

Talents: Eyes of Golden Flame, Thunder Soul, Water Gathering

Mastered Elements: Water, Thunder, Gold, Body

]

’Emperor IV! He’s not as strong as Old Wuzhiqi was, but he’s more than enough to handle this crisis!’

Han Ning was secretly overjoyed. He spoke gently to Huai Kong, who was hovering before him.

"Huai Kong, do you remember what Lord Wuzhiqi instructed us to do?"

"UUWAA!" Huai Kong, who now bore a strong resemblance to Old Wuzhiqi, nodded vigorously.

"Listen, we’re in a bad spot right now... There’s a group of villains who are after you and your kin..."

Han Ning briefly explained the situation with Ladar’s invasion to Huai Kong.

"If we want to get out of here safely, we have to take care of them. They’re inside right now. Will you lend me your strength?"

He pointed toward the pitch-black palace doors, his tone grave.

"Hoo!"

A flash of lightning sparked in Huai Kong’s eyes as he nodded once more.

Han Ning then turned to Lin Ke and Irena.

"You and the ape clan wait for us here at the entrance. If anything happens, contact me with the Dazed Puppet Silkworm."

"Okay!" Irena and Lin Ke nodded in unison.

Meanwhile, the intelligent Huai Kong gave its own instructions to its children before following Han Ning into the 50th grand hall.

...

Inside a small room suffused with Spiritual Light.

Ladar and three figures in dark robes were watching intently, their gazes fixed on a purple, octopus-like creature before them.

The purple octopus’s tentacles were a blur, moving as fast as lightning while Spiritual Light Points flickered before it.

With each rapid tap of its tentacles, the flickering Spiritual Light within the room gradually dimmed.