Eternal Tale

Chapter 258: The End of the Forbidden Sea

In the endless sea of thunder, black clouds raged like a herd of wild stallions, layering over the sky, growing thicker and darker, with thunder serpents slithering everywhere.

The giant ship had anchored on the sea’s surface, and several bolts of lightning struck down, seemingly splitting the surrounding waters in half, shrouded in darkness.

*Buzz!*

The ship sped across the sea, constantly dodging the lightning, looking rather disheveled, as if fleeing.

"Old Ox, it’s up to you."

Chen Xun, shrouded in darkness, stood at the front, holding dual mountain-splitting axes. "These thunderbolts have no consciousness; we still have a chance."

"Moo!" Black Ox’s eyes were filled with unprecedented seriousness as he concentrated on steering the ship.

Xiao Chi stood far away, on the deck, where the mist no longer obstructed his view. He no longer needed to guide the way and could only stare at the vast sea of thunder above, trembling in fear.

He wanted to roar, wanted to run, but seeing his two elder brothers standing at the front, he forced himself to overcome his fear. At this moment, he absolutely could not be a burden!

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox..." Xiao Chi panted, his heart sinking like it was falling into an abyss. "What are you two trying to do? What are you searching for…?"

Throughout their journey, he felt as though they weren’t merely cultivating; there was something else... a sense of urgency.

Yes, urgency.

Xiao Chi’s expression lost its usual playfulness, replaced with seriousness. It wasn’t about their family. He had sensed it ever since they first met.

Brother Xun and Brother Ox weren’t wandering aimlessly like he was. They had a purpose in coming to Da Li—one far beyond imagination.

"Perhaps the wandering they mentioned isn’t happening now. They came to Da Li with an objective, one that’s far-reaching."

Xiao Chi’s claws gripped the deck tightly, his eyes gradually calming. They had never treated him unfairly. "Whatever my two brothers plan to do, I, the Flameglow Ancient Lion, will follow them to the end."

He raised his head slowly, facing the vast heavenly power. The fear in his heart was dispelled by the two imposing figures ahead.

*Boom!*

A deafening thunderclap roared, and jagged arcs of lightning clashed against the sky and the divine mountain. The dark sea of thunder only lit up momentarily when lightning flashed.

The explosive sound of thunder made Xiao Chi’s fur stand on end, and he quickly lowered his head, shivering...

At that moment, a black shadow shot into the sky, its resolute aura of death slicing through the air, a black brilliance surging as it cut through the sky thunder!

Chen Xun’s gaze was cold as he stared at the heavens above, knowing there would be no escape at some point.

Moreover, these heavenly thunders lacked the essence needed to temper the body as tribulation lightning did; they were just ordinary thunderbolts, though their power was still immense—far beyond what ordinary beings could withstand.

They had evaluated the situation. With this level of power, they could safely pass through. If it were like tribulation lightning, they would have no choice but to flee. The sea of thunder here was endless, unlike tribulation lightning, which had a time limit.

Black Ox snorted, the ‘War Realm Camp’ token beside him emitting a faint hum. Its blood-forged material seemed to come alive.

He looked at Chen Xun with concern, unsure if his big brother could withstand it. There was no end in sight, and they still had a long way to go.

"Old Ox, who am I?! A mere thunderbolt is nothing. Steer the ship steadily!"

"Moo!!" Black Ox roared, and the Five Elements Formation Flag burst into brilliance. This was Chen Xun, invincible!

Chen Xun stepped onto the branches of the Crane Spirit Tree, which had completely enveloped the ship. Though there was no purple mist here, the ancient will of the Forbidden Sea was terrifying, as if this was the source itself.

"War Realm Camp..."

He frowned slightly, looking at the sea. "It’s as if something has tainted the Forbidden Sea. The blood on those ancient warships... could it not belong to living beings?"

The massive ancient warships didn’t just contain human remains; they held the remains of various other creatures, many of which even Xiao Chi couldn’t identify.

Undoubtedly, the ancient war wasn’t limited to humans; all kinds of beings had fought!

In the vast sea of thunder, deep within the Forbidden Sea, the terrifying ancient will and the direction indicated by the War Realm Camp token—was it really possible for anyone to make it through?

The more Chen Xun thought, the deeper his contemplation grew, his eyes showing hesitation. Having been here for over a hundred years, he had already understood some things.

The ancient will was clearly not the same as the demonic energy of the Forbidden Sea. They were, in fact, opposing forces, providing some form of protection to the beings of Da Li. Their true purpose was to guard the Western Sea!

The encroachment of the Forbidden Sea on the Western Sea had never stopped, but due to the presence of this ancient will, it had not spread further. After all, the purple mist was born from the Forbidden Sea itself.

Most cultivators believed that the ancient will was intertwined with the demonic energy, originating from the Forbidden Sea. In reality, that wasn’t the case. When Chen Xun retrieved the Lotus Demon Coral, he had ventured underwater.

These ancient remnants were entirely opposing the Forbidden Sea. When cultivators appeared, they attacked indiscriminately, not to kill, but to use their blood as a barrier, stopping these cultivators in their tracks!

When the ancient warships appeared, this sensation intensified. It was a harsh truth: these ancient beings, despite countless years, were still fighting, still protecting the beings of Da Li!

Upon discovering this truth, Chen Xun was shaken, filled with admiration. The interests of cultivators seemed insignificant compared to the sacrifices of these predecessors.

He had experienced wars in the cultivation world, such as the Northern Frontier War, but the purpose of those battles and the sacrifices of the predecessors in the Forbidden Sea were fundamentally different.

"This journey truly has shown me many unique sights."

A rare sense of melancholy crossed Chen Xun’s eyes before he smiled freely. "I wonder if the other side of the Celestial River

awaits."

As his words fell, Chen Xun’s robe billowed despite the lack of wind, his aura becoming deep and profound. His eyes flashed with blazing lightning, and an ancient, nameless book hovered in the air.

Amidst the thunderous roars, a woman’s voice echoed softly in his ears, clear as day, unaffected by the deafening thunder.

"He firmly believes that with the ancient tome in your hands... it will travel further than if it were with me. He hopes that his old friend can carry it to see the legendary future world."

"Senior Brother Ji, we’re almost there." Chen Xun’s gaze was resolute as he looked ahead, the ancient tome floating beside him. "Your final wish, Old Ox and I will fulfill!"

*Boom! Boom!*

The world became a blinding white, as the endless sea of thunder surged, accompanied by the sound of evaporating water. A lone ship navigated through the sea of lightning, cutting through the waves, covering thousands of miles in an instant, disappearing from sight.

…

Six months later, they finally emerged from the sea of thunder. Even the divine mountain was no longer visible, and they had no idea how far they had traveled.

Here, the sea was calm and silent, the sky still gloomy.

But what struck fear into their hearts was the end of the Forbidden Sea—a vast curtain of purple and gold light that separated the heavens and earth, stretching endlessly across the sky. It was the true... ancient grand formation!

A giant ship was anchored far on the sea, and the three figures on it appeared as tiny as dwarves facing a giant. They looked up, their jaws practically dropping onto the crane’s head in shock.

The War Realm Camp token continued to hum, its frequency accelerating as if trying to trigger something, but it was suppressed by the ancient grand formation.

"What the... Old Ox, what is this thing?" Chen Xun’s voice trembled. "This grand formation is even more exaggerated than the formation at the Heaven's End Ravine. Can it be broken?"

"Moo~~~" Black Ox exhaled heavily, his eyes vacant. Was this truly a formation?!

Xiao Chi’s eyes rolled back, and he lay limp on Black Ox’s back, unable to speak a word.