Chapter 1288
Chapter 1288: White Bone Ancestor, a madman in the boundless sea
The boundless sea stretched endlessly, undulating waves of shattered ancient worlds as far as the eye could discern. Each wave surged and pounded ceaselessly.
Strange-shaped islands dotted the expanse, nestled among the waves. Terrifying corpses floated and sank, revealing decayed remnants.
This mysterious place, within the vastness of the heavens, was enveloped in thick, impenetrable fog. Even an Immortal King could only perceive the hazy surroundings, unable to discern anything. Without the right direction, one could quickly become lost in this wilderness shrouded in darkness.
However, amid this obscurity, a faint halo floated in the air. On an isolated island, there sat a colossal figure cross-legged resembling a corpse. A subtle fluctuation permeated the entire body like a faint spark in the night.
The figure was skeletal, adorned in a tattered black robe, with hollow eye sockets, suggesting an appearance of death. Yet, within the bones, a faint radiance emanated, illuminating a small area around it.
Suddenly, a subtle sound emanated from the figure’s mouth, and the once-extinguished eyes gradually lit up. It seemed to open its eyes instantly, although only the sockets remained. Nonetheless, it gave the impression of coming alive.
“How many years has it been?” the skeletal creature mumbled in ancient and obscure syllables.
I finally feel alive.
Slowly rising from the isolated island, it turned its head to gaze at the vast expanse behind it, within the dark and boundless sea.
A colossal wave surged from that place as if some immense creature propelled it, shaking heaven and earth. Desolate ancient worlds continuously rolled and shattered in the wave, swiftly sinking and submerging.
A weathered and worn warship sailed across the waves, cutting through the boundless air as if it hailed from a primordial, ancient era. Countless ancient realms crumbled beneath the warship, reduced to ashes, swept away by the tide. It was a staggering spectacle – one world after another being born and dying before one’s eyes, washed away like sand.
Upon the ancient and worn warship, vague and terrifying figures stood in succession. They resembled indifferent demonic mountains, overseeing everything as if to last for immortality. They remained silent, like molten iron sculptures, solemn and stoic, yet their aura made the vast sea beneath them boil. Icy radiance emanated from them as if coated with fragments of time, causing hearts to palpitate and tremble.
These were the hunters – individuals and creatures of the boundless sea capable of traversing its expanse, wandering from the far end, searching and exploring. They had crossed countless years in the endless sea and survived numerous epochs. The submerged and shattered ancient worlds were no different from mere dust to their eyes.
Hehe, I didn’t expect to encounter hunters in my lifetime.
The skeletal figure that had risen from the isolated island chuckled with a mixture of low laughter and emotion. Flames beat within the deep eye sockets as if the laws and order had melted away.
Suddenly, a dazzling light enveloped his body, each bone radiating brightly with fragments of the avenue circulating. He had sat withered in this depleted, lawless, unrestrained land for countless years, yet his vitality showed no signs of waning. The terrifying strength he possessed was evident.
The aura from the skeletal figure caused the boundless sea to undulate, with waves surging in response. The eerie creatures lurking in the darkness retreated in fear, unwilling to approach.
Standing on an isolated island, the figure observed the inexplicable area behind it, where the sound of shocking waves rushing toward it could be heard. However, they exploded in front of it as if an invisible barrier isolated and rendered everything immune.
A terrifying figure suddenly opened its eyes on a distant, dilapidated warship. Blood-colored lightning struck down from within, displaying immense power.
“There is someone in that direction…” the figure on the warship remarked.
Though bearing a resemblance of a human, ancient patterns were imprinted between their brows, and their voice sounded old, dry, and indistinct. As the figure attempted to move after a prolonged stillness, the surrounding terrifying figures seemed to come alive, their eyes ablaze.
Initially, the aura of the Unrivaled Universe seemed like a storm, attempting to shatter everything into pieces. The intimidating eyes appeared to pierce through the thick fog, peering into the dark area.
Yet, even with their enhanced vision, they could only discern a faint light, as if a figure stood there, patiently waiting. They communicated in an obscure language, and their majestic coercion obliterated many large waves into ashes.
“It’s getting closer to the mortal world…” uttered a dark-skinned, skeletal figure in the depths of the ancient warship.
Resembling a dried-up monkey, the creatures around him held great respect. Hailing from the distant Spiritual Realm, once a thriving ancient world, it had witnessed peaks and declines, experiencing the inevitable cycle of prosperity and demise. Nothing in this world, not even the Spiritual Realm, was genuinely immortal.
Having endured numerous reincarnations and weathered several liquidations, the natural world had finally reached its limit and began to collapse. The remaining true spirit clung to existence, harboring only a feeble spiritual intelligence. It shrouded the real world, ensuring it remained concealed from other formidable “hunters.”
Compelled by circ.u.mstance, they embarked on the path of “hunters,” akin to countless creatures navigating the boundless sea. They traversed the endless expanse alone, hunting, foraging, and surviving like lone wolves. Before the real world met its demise, they sought a new realm to infuse vitality into their homeland.
They journeyed through the boundless sea for countless years, leaving their homes far behind. They were oblivious to the current state of their homeland; it might have perished and shattered during their trek. Yet, they had no choice—once committed to this path, there was no room for retreat.
Fortunately, along the way, they sensed an aura of the natural world not far away. This realm was relatively young, born not long ago compared to others. That was precisely what they sought. In such a realm, the background would not be overlyterrible, and the strength of the true spirit it sp.a.w.ned would, at best, be on the road of detachment.
To their surprise, however, the realm seemed to have faced a calamity. The aura of the true spirit had vanished, and its presence could no longer be concealed. Even the aura of the natural world lay exposed to the boundless sea. This act was akin to lighting a bonfire in the dark or dropping a drop of blood in the deep sea—all “hunters” who detected the aura would swarm towards it.
In this world, lunatics possessed incomparably terrifying strength. They no longer cared about their ident.i.ties, pasts, or the worlds of their origin.
In the eyes of these lunatics, everything was mere prey. They hunted creatures trekking the boundless sea and regarded some weak real worlds as food rations, devouring them without hesitation.
Their strong cultivation bases made them relentless, driven by the single-minded goal of ascending to a higher realm. Thus, they became some of the most fearsome beings.
“It seems that we have encountered a madman,” remarked the thin figure sitting cross-legged in the depths of the ancient warship, gazing at the dark area ahead.
The ancient warship beneath them, crafted from unique materials, harnessed the collective power of the natural world behind them, ensuring their safe pa.s.sage across the boundless sea.
Without it, navigating and searching for so long would have been impossible for them alone. Despite their strength, they were no match for the unpredictable and terrible “lunatics” who roamed the vastness.
In terms of strength, they were naturally inferior to those solo wanderers, each representing an unpredictable generation. Unwilling to risk encounters with these evil lunatics, the awakened figures on the ancient warship considered diverting their course.
“Brother, how about we turn around and find another route to avoid them?” suggested another awakened figure on the ancient warship, echoing the reluctance to take unnecessary risks.
However, the thin figure shook his head, expressing concern.
“I’m afraid it’s too late. If we don’t go over, he might come to us.”
Despite their roles as hunters, they shared a common fear of the evil lunatics and preferred not to expend time and effort unnecessarily. Their ultimate goal was to reach a “weak” world, a.s.similate it with the one behind them, and give rise to new life.
“I’m the Bone Race Ancestor. I greet all the Daoist brothers,” declared the bone figure standing tall on the small island, flames blazing in its eye sockets. Despite its tattered black robe, its presence commanded respect.
The White Bone Ancestor appeared to be grinning as he slowly advanced towards the ancient warship. Astonishingly, the boundless sea beneath him fell into an eerie silence as if a path had been laid, calming the wind and waves. Many ancient worlds were flattened under his steps, reduced to a level Dao, with spectral white bones materializing behind him.
“Dao of Bones…” murmured the figures on the ancient warship, their pupils constricting. This was a peerless individual who had embodied the true essence of cultivation.
“I’ve seen Brother Dao,” expressed the figure designated as the eldest brother from the depths of the ancient warship.
He rose and approached, engaging in communication through an esoteric language, as their high cultivation levels allowed them to understand each other’s thoughts through spiritual fluctuations.
Where do you want to go? Can you give me a ride?” inquired the White Bone Ancestor, whose skeletal form exuded an air of amus.e.m.e.nt.
Despite the figure named Big Brother’s pupils contracting slightly, he asked calmly, “With the strength of the fellow Daoist, if you have a destination, what need is there for any tools?”
The opponent’s formidable strength and years spent dwelling in the region made him feel a palpable unease. Notably, he had cultivated the Light of the Immortal Emperor and embarked on the path of detachment, surpa.s.sing the three declines—an achievement not uncommon in the Boundless Sea.
In the vast and majestic ancient realms, one could extend their existence for countless years without undergoing birth and death. However, for those who had trodden the path of detachment, the so-called light of the Immortal Emperor could be extinguished with a mere raise of their hand.
Pa.s.sing through the Calamity of Heaven, each cultivation breakthrough marked immeasurable growth in strength.
The leader of the group, who dared to traverse the boundless sea, held the position of the foremost powerhouse in the mortal world behind him. His strength could effortlessly obliterate the so-called Immortal Emperor. Little did he antic.i.p.ate that encountering a “lunatic” in the vastness of the sea would induce palpitations within him.
“No, no, the boundless sea is so expansive. With the speed of my feet, who knows how long it would take to find another habitat? You all must have discovered a good place, hence the urgency,” commented the Bone Ancestor. He was smiling and shaking his skeletal head. His appearance, resembling a skeleton, emanated a dreadful and terrifying aura.
Upon hearing this, a chill ran down the spines of everyone on the ancient battleship as if some formidable ent.i.ty was scrutinizing them.
“It appears this ship is constructed from Immortal gold and Fortune Immortal gold. Your world must be abundant in resources.”
Recalling a past encounter, he continued, “The real world that I consumed earlier only yielded a palm-sized piece of Immortal gold.”
His tone carried a certain emotional weight as he spoke to himself, sending shivers through the listeners. Unnoticed, he had already boarded the ancient warship and, with a click, unscrewed the head of a terrifying creature beside him before gnawing on it.