Chapter 159: The Mysterious City's Great Vessel, Entering the Voyage Route!

Not long after Bai Xuan's return, he set off once again.

Everything that happened in the South China Sea was too terrifying—a sobering warning that made him acutely aware that the path ahead would be fraught with great battles.

The Grotto-Heaven Route was where the true battle would take place, a clash fierce enough to shatter everything in existence and determine the ultimate victor of all the seas. What happened today was nothing compared to that!

Shortly after, Bai Xuan entered the ocean once more, claiming one legacy after another.

He tracked down the massive, platinum-colored giant fish known as the White Emperor Fish, inheriting its platinum killing arts.

Lacking any natural aptitude, he engaged in a brutal, bloody battle with the colossal creature. They fought until submarine volcanoes collapsed and descended deep into the great abysses. Mastering the interplay of water and fire, he finally won partial recognition.

"This is the art of the platinum Western true blood. If truly mastered, you can deduce your own path of true blood suited to your body, slaying all things and perfecting yourself!"

The White Emperor Fish was deeply displeased. "You have no aptitude for this. Go pass it on to someone who does; the very sight of you annoys me."

It broke through the waves and left, unwilling to exchange another word with Bai Xuan.

This was merely one legacy among many. In truth, Bai Xuan had plundered widely, carefully selecting and taking them all—even those unsuited to his own path—so that he could pass them down to future generations.

Across the entire East China Sea, wherever a presence could be sensed from afar, he had practically visited, seizing these legacies. For those that required vast spans of time to regenerate, he simply left their foundations intact without fully stripping them away.

On Thousand-Mountain Island, he intervened in the trial of the talismanic legacy. The entity's tier was far too high for him to breach, and he managed to acquire only a portion of the *Initial Interpretation of Heavenly Talismans*. Miraculously, Old Li’s granddaughter possessed the requisite aptitude; she was recognized by the legacy and plunged into a prolonged state of inheritance that would require several years of seclusion before she emerged.

By that time, Thousand-Mountain Island would be home to a truly peerless Qi-refining legacy, one rivalling the Azure Python Transforming Dragon Art.

Finally, he located the Heavenly Snake legacy, triggering a ferocious battle with it. Both parties were provoked into genuine rage. Bai Xuan’s physical body was astonishing, radiating boundless brilliance with every stride as he forcefully defeated this phantom of the Heavenly Snake.

"How could you possibly defeat me! Are you insane?!"

The Heavenly Snake phantom was nearly driven mad, but Bai Xuan’s current strength was simply too terrifying. A year of quiet refinement had propelled his combat power to astonishing new heights!

The Heavenly Snake phantom was merely a step away from the upper tier, yet it proved no match for Bai Xuan.

When all was said and done, these legacy spirits lacked true comprehension of the Great Dao, leaving their power incomplete.

In the end, the Heavenly Snake was defeated and forced to submit according to the rules, handing over the complete method for refining snake-foot Dao-soldiers.

In a sense, this method was also a form of longevity. Armed with this technique, Bai Xuan issued commands across the entire East China Sea, sweeping away all resistance in his path.

This was a mobilization. Across the vast East China Sea, the majority of factions surrendered, while a handful of high-level experts were captured and their power bases cleared out.

These individuals were refined into snake-foot Dao-soldiers—nearly a hundred of them in total—possessing terrifying combat strength that had undergone sublimation.

Of course, this relied heavily on Bai Xuan’s boundless vitality. He tossed these individuals into an alchemical furnace to be refined, thoroughly remaking their bones and washing away their mortal frames. Such a feat was utterly impossible for ordinary people.

At last, all preparations were complete. The Thousand-Mountain Army established its most elite unit, the Whale-Hunting Force. Every single member reached the Blood-Refining realm, their vitality surging exponentially thanks to the nourishing elixirs brewed by Bai Xuan, ultimately cultivating a full hundred Grandmasters.

Grandmasters as numerous as clouds!

This was a truly terrifying feat. Anyone else would have found it difficult to accomplish, but only Bai Xuan could pull it off. With his inexhaustible vitality and rapidly advancing alchemy skills, he easily churned out cauldron after cauldron of grand elixirs. The giant fish and sea beasts across an entire maritime domain were refined down—a method remarkably similar to the Prison Sea.

With Grandmasters as numerous as clouds and powerhouses like a dense forest, Bai Xuan had cultivated a terrifying army capable of suppressing all directions. He also acquired another alchemical furnace from the depths of the sea—another middle-grade precious artifact—which he left in the possession of the Thousand-Mountain Army.

Few people could wield it; at the very least, several dozen Grandmasters had to join forces to barely refine certain elixirs, but that was already more than enough.

This was the final preparation. Bai Xuan was leaving behind endless legacies for the Thousand-Mountain Army to guard the East China Sea, ensuring that no issues would arise even after his departure.

At the very last moment, he headed to the Water Mansion, disappearing into the depths of the sea for several months.

When several months had passed, the profound city great vessel was complete. There were two massive ships in total, one of which was profoundly astonishing—a true treasure vessel that gathered the legacies of numerous archipelagos, radiating a brilliant divine light capable of sweeping across the East China Sea!

On this day, at the sunken site of the archipelagos, a sorrowful dirge faded away, and all lights were extinguished. A name on the Heavenly Roll was erased, and many finally realized that the Ten Divine Spears had fallen.

"He fought a battle against the Sea-Breaking Abyss, forcing a breakthrough past life and death amidst the waves to cross the final threshold, yet he still failed."

"The era of the Sea-Breaking Abyss and the Black Pirates has passed forever."

Some sighed with emotion. Among the Black Pirate fleet, many wept bitterly, shedding tears as they departed and vanished into the East China Sea.

The remaining Black Pirate fleets were incorporated into the Thousand-Mountain Army, becoming part of the maritime law enforcers.

A new order was established, and maritime markets flourished without obstruction.

Rumble!

On the horizon, those individual Heavenly Rolls were also fading, replaced by a terrifying, earth-shaking, gigantic golden roll!

"The Hegemony of the Myriad Seas!"

On that heavenly roll were dense thousands of names. Every single name represented a terrifying faction and a powerhouse who stood undefeated within their respective sea's hegemony!

"It is time to set off."

Bai Xuan returned from the ocean, cradling a faint glimmer of light in his palm.

That was the transformed Water Mansion.

It had taken him several months to refine the Water Mansion. The true blood required for this feat was nearly inexhaustible, enough to fill an entire sea region.

Logically speaking, only those above the Divine Form realm could accomplish this, but the Undying Origin Stream was simply that formidable, innately possessing the might of Pure Yang Divine Demons.

He lingered within the Bai family for the final span of time. When Bai Xiaozhen held his wedding, Bai Xuan attended in person, stunning everyone. Both Bai Xiaozhen’s grandfather and father stepped down from the seats of honor, revering Bai Xuan as the supreme guest.

As the dragon-head of the Thousand-Mountain Army, it was only fitting that Bai Xuan preside over the wedding. In the end, Bai Xiaozhen drank heavily, carrying no regrets—he had never intended to walk the martial path anyway, feeling only joy and lightheartedness. His bride appeared gentle and virtuous, and Bai Xuan bestowed upon this small household a lower-grade precious artifact, which was more than enough within the Thousand-Mountain Army.

He visited and reunited with Bai Xuanji and the others one by one, drinking through the night until dawn before finally returning.

"Master, are you not leaving with me?"

Bai Xuan asked.

"No. Thousand-Mountain Island gave birth to me and nurtured me; I shall also leave my bones buried here. Longevity is not my desire."

The White-Eyed Marquis smiled.

He chose not to leave. The Bai family was his true home. Now a Nine-Rivers Grandmaster, he was merely a step away from having vitality like the sea, which would also extend his lifespan by quite a few years.

"Very well."

Bai Xuan did not press him further. Everyone had their own path, one that could not be swayed.

He bade farewell to his friends one by one, though this was not the end. The profound city great vessel was complete, capable of crossing vast oceans—a true magical treasure forged from dozens of astonishing precious artifacts!

Consequently, it could accommodate many passengers. In the end, the Thousand-Mountain Army carefully selected elite martial artists under the age of twenty-five from across the entire East China Sea, forming a legion of precisely four thousand to join the voyage.

Of course, powerhouses were limited; after all, countless individuals had buried their bones in the archipelago during that earth-shattering battle. There were only eleven Grandmasters aboard the ship, and among them, the truly top-tier experts remained those under Bai Xuan's command.

As for the remaining powerhouses, some had been invited to join but politely declined.

"We have grown utterly weary of this hegemony over the East China Sea. Why bother entering the route to fight and invite our own humiliation?"

The logic was simple: these powerhouses' willpower was forged on winning, but having been defeated even within the East China Sea, entering the route would be useless!

Eventually, the profound city great vessel docked outside Thousand-Mountain Island. It was unimaginably majestic, resembling a mobile giant city a hundred meters high and as broad as a mountain.

At the very last moment, this giant vessel welcomed its final passenger—a six-eyed giant whale with heaven-shaking combat prowess, having already stepped into the Divine Form realm!

"I, too, wish to join the profound city great vessel, should the Dragon-Head be willing."

This six-eyed giant whale was as timid as a mouse. During the battle of the archipelagos, it hadn't struck a single blow; sensing that the situation was turning sour, it had fled to keep itself out of trouble.

Otherwise, given its astonishing combat power, it would have posed a tremendous problem.

Now, it approached with utmost caution to request an audience. The giant whale's six eyes resembled golden lakes, illuminating hundreds of leagues and making the Thousand-Mountain Army feel as though they were facing a formidable enemy.

"Terrifying. This Whale King has been dormant in the East China Sea for who knows how many years, rarely seen by anyone."

Even Yu Wenhan wore a grave expression. As the master of the Profound Abode View, she was deeply shocked.

Without reason—the six-eyed giant whale possessed heaven-shaking combat power. It was an abyssal mutant that had also obtained an immensely terrifying legacy. If it truly struck, Yu Wenhan would be obliterated in an instant, lacking even the time to flee!

The six-eyed giant whale lingered there, waiting eagerly for someone to acknowledge it.

"Can the profound city great vessel accommodate you?"

Bai Xuan manifested, shaking the surroundings. The giant whale was equally shocked, golden light blazing within its six eyes.

"What terrifying true blood!"

The six-eyed giant whale could perceive Bai Xuan’s dragon true blood churning within his body like a great river; a single flying droplet of it could blast apart a Grandmaster or even rival a weaker Heavenly Roll powerhouse.

"Bai Xuan, the profound city great vessel embodies Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed. There is a layer of sea beasts in the hold that can accommodate dozens of behemoths."

The six-eyed giant whale hurriedly said, "Please, grant me a ticket. I beg of you. I am willing to trade my entire life's savings for it."

It possessed a vast fortune accumulated over many years. Dragging it out now to exchange for a ticket, it proved terrible at bargaining and was swindled out of nearly everything it owned, barely securing qualification to board.

"My Heavenly-Visage Sword..."

The six-eyed giant whale watched its precious artifact being taken away, feeling as though it were dying of heartbreak.

Yet, its mood quickly brightened. After all, two hundred years of waiting had finally not been in vain.

"Last time I wanted to board, I was almost slain by that female cultivator... Damned thing, she had a single ship and didn't bring a single person!"

The six-eyed giant whale complained repeatedly. "I remember her name was Yu Qinghui—a dark horse who rose abruptly to suppress an entire era. This era's captain has a good temper and actually sells tickets. How touching."

It deeply cherished its ticket, entering the profound city great vessel. At the bottom of the vessel lay a water cabin spanning dozens of leagues, which was also one of the archipelago legacies refined directly into the giant hull.

On the deck.

"The long night illuminates the sword, a single thought commands a myriad of swords!"

Xu Xingjian roared. Of all present, he was the most talented, having even comprehended a trace of sword Dao essence.

At this moment, as he bade farewell to the East China Sea, a sudden epiphany struck him. He broke through once more, and boundless sword Qi surged into the sky, stepping into a brand-new realm!

"Two hundred years of waiting, and I have finally entered the Dao!"

The swordsman wept tears that, upon falling, transformed into crisscrossing sword Qi.

He had broken through a crucial bottleneck, uniting his divine intent, Dao essence, and the might of heaven and earth into one. With all three elements complete, he stepped into the Dao-entering realm!

At the final moment, Bai Xuan stepped through the air, boundless true blood flowing and shaking the surroundings.

"This vessel is named 'Heaven-Swallowing.' Let us go; it is time to set off."

At Bai Xuan's single command, the profound city great vessel finally set off with a rumbling roar. Countless runes emerged, resembling a grand mountainous city as it sailed toward the distance!

...

Bai Xuan did not strip away everything. He left behind a profound city great vessel; should any disaster befall them, the Thousand-Mountain Army could board this vessel like an ark, fleeing deep into the storm and returning only after peace was restored.

Alternatively, relying on the profound city great vessel's astonishing might, they could also suppress a region and sweep across the East China Sea.

This was a refuge, but for Bai Xuan, it was a raft for riding the wind and waves to cross into the route.

"Months have passed, yet it is still an endless storm. You can't even see your hand in front of your face on the surface of the sea. Everything is shrouded in the storm—it's too terrifying."

On the deck, a lookout gazed upward, worry etched across his expression.

The entrance to the route had been pointed out by the immortal talisman: it lay amidst the storms deep within the chaotic-void sea. Ever since setting foot on the route, it had been an endless tempest. The entire sky was a leaden gray blanket of clouds blocking out the sun, accompanied by torrential rains that swept across the boundless sea.

Every day on the sea, one could only witness rising mountains of giant waves; magnificent, yet monotonous.

Day after day of this would weigh heavily on the minds of even veteran sailors, potentially driving them mad.

Fortunately, the profound city great vessel was unimaginably magnificent, several times stronger than the entire fleet of the Isles of Immortals. It was a true treasure vessel, propping up the boundless might of heaven and earth to protect the entire craft.

The giant ship was like a mountain, featuring even a layer containing thousands of acres of spiritual fields, all lush green and cultivating countless spiritual herbs and grains.

It was a city complete with four thousand elite soldiers, while various terrifying powerhouses resided atop it, suppressing all directions. Living within this city, few would truly lose their minds.

With the immortal talisman guiding the way, the route was guaranteed to be correct. At times, those in the Dao-entering and Divine Form realms could sense the fabric of heaven and earth shifting—this was spatial distortion, bizarre and shifting in ten thousand ways. Without the immortal talisman's guidance, anyone would be hopelessly lost deep within the route.

"There is an island ahead!"

The scouting Daoist was investigating, operating an astrolabe that illuminated a hundred leagues ahead, revealing an island.

"Adjust the course!"

Commands were issued to investigate.

However, as the profound city great vessel drew closer from afar, they saw that the island looked craggy and towering in the distance, yet it was cast in eerie shadows. There were no buildings to be seen—only empty, deathly stillness.

"This island looks perilous. Send a dozen elites to check it out."

On the upper deck, Wan Yongdao led hundreds of soldiers, speaking with a furrowed brow.

Having inherited the legacies of the various branch lines, the main line, and even the ancestors of the Wan family, he enjoyed the special treatment of a sailor aboard the *Sea-Swallowing*, along with endless elixirs. By now, he had also reached the consummate Grandmaster realm.

Soon, a warship was deployed, heading toward the small island.

Yet, after reaching the small island, the warship lingered without returning. It sat docked beside the small island in utter silence, devoid of even a shadow of a person. Spirit talismans flew out, but no one replied.

"What is going on?"

This quickly alarmed the Daoists of the Isles of Immortals. Exercising extreme caution, someone took action, using true talisman techniques to retrieve the warship—a contingency plan prepared beforehand.

Upon the fleet, there were bloodstains, but not a single soul remained.

"Leave this place."

True Person Liushen furrowed his brow, sensing danger. He was decisive; while Bai Xuan was in seclusion, he had the authority to issue such orders.

Yet, as the profound city great vessel pulled away, a pair of terrifying, deep eyes seemed to light up in the distance upon the island. They were not human, nor were they even living things, but some unspeakably terrifying entity carrying a dreadful malice.

Those eyes opened, instantly locking onto the profound city great vessel. A certain shadow descended, casting a layer of deathly stillness beneath the stormy, overcast clouds.

"I curse you..."

It was a lingering voice, profoundly deep and intermittent within the storm, making many Daoists' hair stand on end and chilling them to the bone!

"Go curse your mother!"

The lookout on this deck witnessed the gaze and felt his heart freeze. He saw a broad spine crossing the heavens amidst the mountain-like waves, six rays of golden light erupting to pierce through hundreds of leagues of overcast clouds.

"Lord Six-Feathers!"

The lookout naturally recognized the giant whale. This six-eyed giant whale was the ship's only sea beast; the deep layers of the profound city great vessel served as a ballast water compartment a hundred leagues wide, where the giant whale usually slept, occasionally swimming outside the ship.

At this moment, the six-eyed giant whale let out a leisurely, resonating cry that shook the surroundings!

Those six terrifying rays of golden light shone forth, shattering everything. The entire island was split asunder, violently fracturing and being cleanly sliced apart into rubble that sank into the sea!

The shadow wailed and roared, but it was useless. The golden light illuminated hundreds of leagues; wherever it reached, everything was annihilated, unable to rival it as it turned to wisps of smoke!

Clang! Clang!

The six-eyed giant whale engaged that terrifying shadow in combat, churning up mountain-like waves in the sea. The battle lasted for half an hour until all the shadows were swept away. The giant whale retracted the power of its six eyes and plunged back into the vast waters, returning to the profound city great vessel.

"No matter, the enemy has been slain."

When the news spread, many breathed sighs of relief.

The six-eyed giant whale was simply too powerful. Even if Xu Xingjian and the others joined forces, they might not defeat this terrifying existence; only Bai Xuan could steadily suppress it by a head.

It had always kept a low profile, but its power was terrifying, having already broken through the Divine Form realm to stand undefeated in the East China Sea.

"Do not enter islands like this again. They are fraught with danger; once you step inside, you risk being entirely wiped out."

True Person Liushen spoke with utmost solemnity, issuing an order.

"What on earth was that thing inside?"

Some were curious, lingering fear gripping their hearts.

"Unknown. They might be cultivators who entered the Grotto-Heaven Route in the past, only to be corrupted and transformed into monsters lurking in isolated islands, waiting for latecomers to devour them so they can transform into inheritors and step onto the path once more."

Such was the explanation of the six-eyed giant whale, which had acquired many ancient legacies and possessed some experience from surviving the previous hegemony of the seas.

This terrified many.

Past hegemons of the seas? If so, their terrifying strength could be explained.

Yet it was utterly chilling. Many looked outward from the profound city great vessel, seeing only a leaden world of low-hanging storm clouds and mountainous billows, seemingly pregnant with unimaginable perils.

Some caught glimpses of vague shadows within the sea that vanished in the blink of an eye, while others even saw human-shaped figures clinging to the ship before disappearing altogether.

"It is too terrifying. Without the profound city great vessel, no one could possibly cross this endless storm."

To brave the Grotto-Heaven Route without the profound city great vessel was to court certain death with zero chance of survival!

A few days later.

"The traces of other people have been discovered?"

Bai Xuan opened his eyes.

He was meditating in seclusion, water and fire surging around his body to form an alchemical cauldron that rang out with a metallic chime. This was the evolution of the Pure Cauldron Alchemy Art and the variation of the Mountain-River Internal Elixir Art—a display of the might of water and fire, comprehending the remnant scriptures of water and fire while embodying the True Dragon Breath Method.

Bai Xuan's mastery of fire had reached perfection; in terms of fiery nature, he was no inferior to the Dao of water. A faint trace of Dao essence vaguely manifested, harmonizing water and fire to multiply their power.

"Yes, Captain. Liu-Yu investigated personally; there can be no mistake."

Bai Rongxun reported.

Those who served by Bai Xuan's side remained these most loyal and reliable members of the Bai family. By now, Bai Rongxun's strength was advancing by leaps and bounds, having already stepped into the consummate Grandmaster realm.

With Bai Xuan personally brewing elixirs, the path was essentially smooth sailing all the way up to the Grandmaster realm, which could be crossed in just a few months.

"I understand."

Bai Xuan’s expression remained calm.

The profound city great vessel had been underway for several months now, its terrifying speed covering tens of thousands of leagues in a single day.

Over these past few months, the sea had been desolate, save for desolate, solitary islands and endless tempests.

Logically speaking, there should have been living creatures in the water, but even the six-eyed giant whale dared not linger, stating that horrors lurked beneath the waves as well—staying too long made one prone to being lost within the abyssal trenches.

This was the first time they had encountered others; perhaps fellow travelers from other sea domains!

At that moment.

Bai Xuan's figure flickered, and he arrived on the deck.

In the far distance, several large ships could be vaguely seen emerging amidst the storm.

This profound city great vessel had startled many, and numerous experts on the deck looked out from afar.

Upon the opposing profound city great vessel, strands of spiritual light soared into the sky, illuminating tens of leagues in matchless brilliance.

At the lead of their flagship were six massive sea beasts harnessed by glowing chains, pulling the vessel forward as it cleaved through the waves.

Every single sea beast possessed mountain-like, oceanic vitality of terrifying magnitude, surpassing even the Shark King. Their life force transformed into battle banners fluttering in the sky, while wings upon their backs beat to stir up a thousand layers of waves as they towed the profound city great vessel onward.

This was a display of deep foundations and astonishing strength capable of shaking an entire sea domain—unimaginably formidable!