Stepping into the Sea of Stars

After spending two days in Yunxiao Ancient City, Su Yu ultimately decided to leave. Staging another bloodbath here offered little benefit. Besides, a ninth-stage Sun Moon mighty figure was stationed in the city. Who knew whether she would behave like the one in Tianmie Ancient City? Tianhe had chosen not to intervene, but this City Lord Qingyu was an unknown variable. Furthermore, powerful experts were not particularly numerous in Yunxiao Ancient City. Killing them wouldn't yield much. Killing purely for the sake of slaughter served no real purpose. If he wanted to kill, he needed to hunt elites, or races like the Mountain-Breaking Oxen that could supply him with massive amounts of blood essence. Slaying people here would only benefit the undead. Before dusk fell, Su Yu walked out of the ancient city. Standing at the city gates, he looked back toward the inner city with a touch of regret. This time, he hadn’t managed to strike a stone sculpture. He knew there were benefits to forging one. What a pity! *I’ll be back!* Su Yu quietly resolved. He had arrived empty-handed and was leaving empty-handed, having even spent a fair amount of resources purchasing intelligence. It was too much of a loss! Sooner or later, he would earn it all back! At that moment, within the ancient city, the female stone sculpture opened her eyes. As if sensing something, she silently watched this harbinger of calamity depart. The human race had always been like this—overbearing in ancient times, and still just as overbearing even after falling into decline. As if stirring up chaos in Tianmie Ancient City hadn't been enough, he was actually leaving completely unreconciled. Yet on closer inspection, his strength had advanced considerably. The female sculpture watched in silence. His progress had been immense. Even in decline, it seemed humanity was never short of geniuses. …… Su Yu wasn't dwelling on any of that. Following the route he had mapped out, he set off toward Nine Stars Island. From Yunxiao Ancient City to the edge of the Sea of Stars was roughly two thousand li. Once inside the Sea of Stars, the journey to Nine Stars Island was still immense; vast expanses separated each island across the sea. According to the map, Nine Stars Island lay over ten thousand li from the shoreline. In total, it was a journey of more than ten thousand li. With considerable hazards likely awaiting along the way, it would take him at least a week or so to arrive. Leaving Yunxiao Ancient City, he traveled west, moving further and further from the human race's East Rift Valley. Su Yu felt little lingering attachment. Back among humanity, very few people were worth his longing. He only wondered how Teacher Liu was doing. He seemed to have returned to the Human Realm, but who knew if he would run into trouble? And then there was his father… Su Yu knew someone would definitely set their sights on his old man this time. But his father was still a soldier, a member of the Great Xia Prefecture's Demon Suppression Army. If the human Invincibles dared hand over even an active soldier to the myriad races… his father wasn’t even part of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. If things ever came to that, the entire Human Realm would become unlivable. No matter where one fled, it would be the same. Besides, the Invincibles weren't fools. If they dared surrender Su Long, morale across the human military would collapse completely, and they might as well surrender the war right then. Figures like King Daqin would never allow such a thing. *Dad probably won't be handed over, but… I still need to be wary of the myriad races finding a clandestine opportunity to kill him or seize his blood…* Su Yu understood these methods well enough. He had witnessed King Miecan and the others using a single drop of blood to trace back time and hunt a killer. In short, the techniques available to Invincibles were terrifyingly numerous. For that reason, even though Su Yu had acted under disguise recently, he made sure to meticulously erase every trace of his aura to prevent being tracked by an Invincible. The All-Heavens Battlefield remained bathed in brilliant starlight. Across the endless void, wheels of stars shone down upon the earth. Whenever a Sun Moon expert died, it triggered an anomaly of a crashing sun or moon, though the radius of its impact was relatively localized. When an Invincible fell, however, the disturbance was staggering. Su Yu hadn't witnessed that yet, but he hoped to cause a few such spectacles in the future. At present, Su Yu remained disguised as a burly human warrior. Maintaining the utmost vigilance, he scouted his surroundings as he advanced. In this environment, walking alone in the wild without absolute caution was an easy way for anyone to meet an untimely end. Passing Yunxiao Ancient City marked the exit from the Plain of Desires. Ahead lay a no-man's-land devoid of cities and supply depots—a stretch of over two thousand li known as the Heavenly Sea Shore. It earned its name from its proximity to the Sea of Stars. The Heavenly Sea Shore harbored its own perils, both man-made and natural. Night fell. Out in the wilderness, Su Yu was not the only traveler. Formidable entities glided straight through the air, while others rode atop demon beasts, galloping across the terrain. Yet all maintained a wide berth; no one approached another. Up in the sky, another group passed overhead aboard a sky boat. At the prow stood several young men and women, gazing down upon the vast expanse of the Heavenly Sea Shore. The Immortal race! Indeed, even from afar, Su Yu recognized them as members of the Immortal race. They all appeared quite young and carried an ethereal, immortal bearing. In truth, Su Yu suspected this supposedly divine aura of theirs was simply the result of unlocking the Heaven-Connecting Aperture, which was constantly puffing out bursts of air day in and day out. That so-called immortal mist was nothing more than an optical illusion. Dots of light also flickered to life on his Resonance Jade. Sixteen dots in total—quite a sizable party. Their strength was formidable as well: three in the Shanhai Realm, six in the Lingyun Realm, and the remaining seven in the Tengkong Realm. Deep within the All-Heavens Battlefield, the Tengkong Realm was truly just the starting line. From aboard the sky boat, those looking down also spotted Su Yu. "A human at the Tengkong Realm!" "Decent strength. Looks like he's at the peak of Tengkong." The young men and women aboard chatted with casual indifference and a trace of disdain. Out here, no matter how strong a Tengkong cultivator was, they were still just a Tengkong. Among them, one chuckled, "Not bad at all. Daring to travel the Heavenly Sea Shore alone means he's probably no weakling. Looks like a warrior—either from the Great Qin Prefecture or the Great Xia Prefecture." It was an easy guess. Among humanity, the only Tengkong warriors daring enough to venture out here hailed from Great Xia or Great Qin. Of course, he could also be one of those human vultures—the reckless madmen who scraped by on the All-Heavens Battlefield. "Do you think he knows Su Yu?" At the mention of Su Yu, someone remarked with emotion, "Jiu Xuan is dead, and that Su Yu… what nerve! I heard Immortal King Xuanhe…" "Watch your words!" Behind them, an elderly Shanhai Dao Protector snapped in a low, solemn voice, cutting off their discussion of the Immortal King. Soon after, another Dao Protector spoke, "When out in the world, you must exercise extreme caution. Never recklessly provoke formidable foes! That includes the human below. You assume he's at the Tengkong Realm, but that may not be the case! Even if he is, it doesn't mean he is weak. Su Yu was only in the Lingyun Realm, and Liu Wenyan appeared to have just entered Lingyun as well…" The elder admonished them, "Some of you have only just arrived at the All-Heavens Battlefield, while others have honed yourselves here for years, but most of you are stepping outside the Northern War Zone for the very first time!" The Immortal race occupied the north, the god race held the Western War Zone opposite humanity, and the demon race controlled the south. Yunxiao Ancient City lay slightly north, so members of the Immortal race heading toward the Sea of Stars generally passed through here as well. The youths chimed in with their agreement. Indeed, as the elder had said, even those who had been to the All-Heavens Battlefield before were leaving the Immortal race's territory for the first time. The Sea of Stars was situated at the center of the All-Heavens Battlefield, encompassing an astonishing expanse of land. Strictly speaking, the four regional war zones were merely the outer periphery of the Sea of Stars. Yet the Sea of Stars did not interfere with the great wars between the races, because it existed… in the sky! Yes, up in the air. The Sea of Stars hovered suspended aloft like an ocean of stellar light, which was how it earned its name. It was an extraordinary place. Directly beneath the Sea of Stars lay land—a vast, boundless landmass known as the Subsea Continent. That continent was the primary battlefield where the myriad races waged war. Regions like the East Rift Valley were defensive perimeters held by each faction, where only skirmishes and minor clashes took place. Large-scale engagements generally unfolded on the Subsea Continent, which allowed armies and experts from all four regions to converge smoothly. …… While the youths chatted aboard the sky boat, Su Yu shifted his trajectory slightly below, avoiding walking directly beneath their shadow. Right at that moment, a cool voice called down from the vessel, "Human down there, which prefecture do you hail from?" Su Yu looked up, a trace of suspicion rising in his mind. *Looking for trouble? Or looking to die?* *Well, with three Shanhai cultivators, one of whom seems to be at the peak of Shanhai, they won't be easy to mess with.* Still, Su Yu wasn't overly intimidated. Hearing that airy, distant voice, he feigned caution and replied, "I'm from the Great Xia Prefecture!" "As expected!" In the air, the Immortal youth who had asked nodded with a smile, clearly pleased with his deduction. The group had just been debating which prefecture the traveler belonged to. He had guessed Great Xia while someone else had insisted Great Qin; evidently, he had won. "Are you heading to the Sea of Stars?" The Immortal youth asked again, leaving Su Yu with no choice but to reply, "Yes, to gather some materials." "Would you like to travel together?" The young man smiled faintly. "We can give you a lift and save you the walk. The Heavenly Sea Shore isn't all that safe! Of course, no need to worry—I only wish to ask you a few things about the human race. The Human-Immortal Alliance still has its treaty, after all." Su Yu remained guarded, saying in a low voice, "I wouldn't dare trouble your esteemed Immortals!" The youth gave an easy smile. "Nonsense! For a human to reject an invitation from the Immortal race isn't very friendly, wouldn't you say?" As the youth spoke, a Dao Protector inside the cabin warned via voice transmission, *"Do not stir up trouble! We are heading to Nine Stars Island to observe the prodigies of the various races. Do not waste too much time on this human!"* *"Don't worry, I just want to learn a bit about humanity. We know too little about them. Many of the previous generation visited the Human Realm, but we've never set foot there…"* The three Shanhai Dao Protectors said no more, each sweeping their willpower over Su Yu. Caution was still warranted! Nowadays, plenty of people concealed their strength. With Su Yu having just emerged from the human race, it was best not to strike up idle conversation with humans unless necessary. The Dao King had issued an Immortal decree: any lone human travelers in the area had to be scrutinized to determine whether they were Su Yu in disguise. They still didn't know if Su Yu could disguise himself as other races, but he supposedly possessed a divine character capable of altering his appearance to masquerade as other humans. Any human warranted suspicion. …… Su Yu was exasperated. *I was minding my own business, yet you insist on inviting me.* *The Immortals are all the same! Dao Cheng and Jiu Xuan had that exact same attitude before, inviting me over to the Immortal Realm for a visit. Look what happened: Jiu Xuan is dead, and I'll kill Dao Cheng sooner or later!* *You Immortals sure are hospitable! A whole bunch of your inviter friends just died, and now you want to invite me too!* *Three Shanhai experts—one peak Shanhai, one seventh-stage, and one sixth-stage…* Not weak at all; in fact, quite formidable! With three Shanhai Dao Protectors guarding them, these young men and women had to possess notable backing. Perhaps not overwhelmingly mighty, but likely from Sun Moon families, and most likely traveling far from home for the first time. If they ventured out regularly, Dao Protectors wouldn't accompany them. Every race understood that greenhouse flowers could not weather a storm. That was why figures like Dao Cheng and Modona traveled without Dao Protectors. Of course, each possessed powerful life-saving measures and could summon an Invincible if pushed to the brink—though whether an Invincible could arrive in time was another story. Those accompanied by Dao Protectors were either leaving home for the first time or were truly useless second-generation scions. Su Yu made a rough appraisal. It was unlikely that this entire group of youths consisted of pampered slackers, and their cultivation was decent, so they were most likely venturing abroad for the first time. Having reached this conclusion, Su Yu gauged the surrounding activity and soon called out, "Then I shall trouble your esteemed Immortals…" He put on a reluctant facade. Aboard the sky boat, the youth gave a faint smile and waved his hand. A longsword shot down toward Su Yu. Su Yu's eyes flickered, and he hastily stepped back; soon, a broadsword hovered steadily before him. The youth smiled calmly. "Step aboard!" Feigning amazement, Su Yu stepped onto the sword, inwardly cursing, *Idiot! Showing off a mystic-tier immortal sword like it's a heaven armament—did you think I was some country bumpkin?* The flying sword carried him swiftly up to the sky boat. The three Shanhai experts scrutinized him once more. They didn't probe too deeply, merely assessing him in broad strokes while gauging any sense of danger. There was virtually none. Either his strength was genuine, or he was vastly more powerful than they were. The three elders said nothing further. If he truly outclassed them, probing would be useless anyway. There shouldn't be any major issue. Soon, Su Yu stepped onto the deck. The vessel was reasonably spacious, with decks fore and aft and a large cabin in the middle that appeared suitable for resting. At the moment, the young men and women were gathered on the deck, where several tables and chairs were arranged. It looked as though they were treating this as a leisurely outing; Su Yu even noticed cups of steaming tea and the lingering aroma of wine. These Immortals had probably been sipping tea, enjoying wine, and chatting just moments ago. They certainly knew how to enjoy themselves! Thirteen youths in total—six in the Lingyun Realm and seven in the Tengkong Realm. Among the Lingyun cultivators, most were in the early stage, with one in the middle stage and one in the late stage. Su Yu felt that without a top-tier prodigy like Modona among them, he could crush this entire bunch with a single hammer strike. "Greetings, esteemed Immortals!" Su Yu clasped his hands. The young man who had spoken to him earlier offered an easy smile. "Care to introduce yourself?" "Zheng Yunqi, human, Great Xia Prefecture." "Zheng Yunqi?" The youth mused thoughtfully. "The most renowned expert with the surname Zheng in the Great Xia Prefecture should be Principal Zheng Ping of the Great Xia War Academy. Do you know Principal Zheng?" Su Yu replied hastily, "I know him—no, I've seen him once. I'm from a collateral branch of the Zheng family. In terms of generation, I'm considered a grandson to Principal Zheng, on par with his grandson Zheng Yunhui." Su Yu then added quickly, "If you esteemed Immortals have any questions, I will speak without reserve. The Human-Immortal Alliance is sacred, and I wouldn't dare be negligent." "Sensible!" The youth smiled and gestured downward. "Sit and talk! Don't be nervous. We harbor no ill intent. If we truly meant you harm, a mere Tengkong like you couldn't do anything no matter how cautious you were." With that, he introduced himself, "I am Yunsheng." "Lord Immortal Yun!" Su Yu offered polite flattery. Yunsheng smiled. "Take a seat!" "I wouldn't dare…" "Sit!" Yunsheng repeated calmly. Su Yu took a seat with an uneasy expression, while Yunsheng and the others sat down as well, watching Su Yu as though he were a performing monkey. A young girl among them asked with a smile, "Human, where are you headed in the Sea of Stars?" Su Yu answered promptly, "Tianxia Island. I intend to gather some earth sea divine metal. It fetches a high price, and Tianxia Island isn't far from the edge of the Sea of Stars, so the danger isn't too great…" "Tianxia Island?" Yunsheng pondered for a moment and chuckled. "Indeed, Tianxia Island is rich in earth sea divine metal. But it might not be all that safe right now. It's only about five thousand li from Nine Stars Island…" Su Yu replied quickly, "It should be fine. There's usually no major danger around Nine Stars Island. I looked into it; the Thousand Domains Alliance on Nine Stars Island has always maintained order in the surrounding area. As long as one doesn't cause trouble, the danger is minimal." Yunsheng smiled, as did the others. Ignorant! Naturally, that was outdated information. Seeing that Su Yu was traveling alone and likely held no status, it made sense that he was unaware of current developments. The vicinity of Nine Stars Island was far from safe right now! Prodigies were flocking there in droves. Wherever geniuses gathered, danger inevitably followed—that was an ironclad rule. Yunsheng didn't bother explaining and asked instead, "Do you know Su Yu from the Great Xia Prefecture?" "Su Yu…" Su Yu adopted a vigilant look, his eyes darting slightly. Yunsheng said indifferently, "Speak freely. What does it matter if you know him? I know Dao Cheng, but would someone vent their anger on me just because of an acquaintance? Besides, we aren't all that close with Jiu Xuan and Dao Cheng anyway." Su Yu exhaled and said with calculated caution, "I wouldn't say I know him, but I've seen him once. Back when he was studying at the Great Xia Civilization Academy, I visited the academy and caught a glimpse of him. Back then, he was only in the Qianjun Realm… Who would have thought… Sigh!" He sighed with deep emotion, a mix of pride and sorrow coloring his tone. "Unfortunately, he later moved to the Great Ming Prefecture, and his ties with the Great Xia Prefecture grew distant. Now he's slaughtering across the All-Heavens Battlefield. I wonder if our human Invincibles have taken him back…" "He certainly hasn't returned," Yunsheng chuckled. "No need to guess on that. He hasn't gone back to the Human Realm at all." Pausing, Yunsheng added, "Word has it that this Su Yu possesses an Invincible heritage from the human race. Do you know anything about that?" Su Yu smiled awkwardly. "That… there are rumors, but I'm just a nobody. Who knows if it's true or false? Even the big figures aren't entirely sure about such matters." He then continued, "Lord Immortal Yun, I truly don't know much about these grand affairs. Even if you ask, I can't give you proper answers. It's only because our races are allies that I dared board your ship in the first place…" Yunsheng didn't press the matter. Nearby, another young man chimed in, "I heard the Human Realm has no suppression force. Is that true?" Su Yu nodded. "Yes. Certain demon races can unleash their full power within the Human Realm. That's common knowledge across the myriad realms." "Have you ever seen the Manor Head of the Great Xia Prefecture?" Su Yu nodded again. "I have—on television. That is… equivalent to projection recordings. Manor Head Xia frequently presides over decapitations. Whenever large numbers of cultists from the All-Races Cult operating in the Human Realm are captured, Manor Head Xia personally executes them!" At these words, the youths perked up with interest! A true butcher! The Blood Slaughter King truly lived up to his reputation. A young immortal girl asked eagerly, "Is the Blood Slaughter King very cruel? Does he look ferocious?" Su Yu frowned in displeasure. "How could that be! Manor Head Xia is brilliant and mighty! How could he be cruel or ferocious!" His face darkened, brimming with obvious discontent. The others took no offense. They had heard that Xia Longwu was the spiritual pillar of the Great Xia Prefecture, so it was only natural for Su Yu to push back. Sure enough, folks from the Great Xia Prefecture were fierce to the bone. A mere Tengkong dared to show anger while surrounded by so many experts. The rumor that Great Xia was full of bloodthirsty killers was evidently true. The youths felt as though they had discovered a whole new world, their curiosity about the Human Realm thoroughly piqued. "I heard a descendant of Immortal King Tianyu went to the Great Xia Civilization Academy to study, and there's even talk of a marriage alliance with the Xia family. Have you seen the young master of the Xia family?" "I have!" Su Yu nodded once more. "His Highness Xia Huyou is also… brilliant and mighty!" A piece of praise delivered completely against his conscience. Su Yu inwardly sneered. *Is Xia Huyou really planning to take in that little immortal maiden? He'd better watch out for her blowing puffs of air all day long!* As a descendant of an Immortal King, her status was indeed significant. Su Yu had seen her previously, though he hadn't paid her much mind. Back at the Great Xia Civilization Academy, when geniuses from powerful races arrived, he had caught sight of her; her strength had been utterly ordinary. *Immortal King Tianyu…* Su Yu made a mental note. He couldn't tell whether the Immortal King genuinely sought good relations with humanity or harbored deeper schemes by sending a descendant straight into the Human Realm. He continued answering their questions, providing basic, superficial details. It seemed these youths had studied the human race to some degree but couldn't match the information to reality. Seeing him was likely their first encounter with an actual human. Meanwhile, they chatted among themselves. Though they didn't delve into deep secrets, Su Yu caught the general drift. They spoke in the Immortal language, which he understood fluently. These thirteen youths all served under the banner of the same Immortal King. Some were descendants of Sun Moon cultivators, others of Shanhai experts. They didn't belong to a single family, but they hailed from the same faction—an institution called the "Tianxuan Dao Academy," roughly equivalent to a human academy. *Tianxuan Dao Academy…* Su Yu was unfamiliar with it. He knew little about the Immortal race, just as they knew little about humanity. Unless taught from childhood, mastering knowledge of one's own realm was usually enough for anyone. Throughout the conversation, the youths mentioned Immortal King Tianxuan several times, indicating they fell under his domain. The division of power within the Immortal race resembled humanity's: Immortal Kings ruled over individual domains. Yet there was a slight difference—the Immortal race also possessed a Half-Emperor. Of course, that was the human title; the Immortals addressed him directly as the Immortal Emperor. The Immortal Emperor governed the Immortal Court and held dominion over the Immortal Realm. In ordinary times, the Immortal Kings ruled their territories independently, but in critical moments, they had to report to the Immortal Court to receive orders. However, the Immortal Emperor hadn't shown himself in many years. The youths merely touched on these matters in passing—all public knowledge. They weren't foolish enough to discuss state secrets before Su Yu. Still, their repeated mentions of Nine Stars Island came as a surprise to him. *Are they heading to Nine Stars Island as well?* *Is Nine Stars Island that popular?* Su Yu couldn't quite figure it out, but he kept his silence. It was normal enough to visit Nine Stars Island; perhaps because the Star Astral Mansion was due to open soon, offering immense fortunes, these youths were hoping to reap some benefits. The sky boat flew at great speed. Covering two thousand li didn't take long, and before long, the Sea of Stars was within reach. Even before they arrived… Su Yu was greeted by a breathtaking spectacle! Far ahead, countless stars sparkled, casting their radiance in all directions! It was as if myriad celestial bodies were scattered across the sky, mirrored against the void. Even from hundreds of li away, he could hear the roaring crash of ocean waves. An ocean! No—an ocean floating in midair! A boundless expanse of sea suspended aloft in the sky. The miraculous Sea of Stars was near. Su Yu feigned composure, but among the Immortals, many had never seen the Sea of Stars either, and exclamations of wonder broke out across the deck! "The Sea of Stars… It really is an ocean suspended in the air!" "Brother Yunsheng, can you see the bottom of the sea from down below?" Yunsheng smiled. "You cannot. Below lies the Subsea Continent. Looking up, you will only see the starry sky, not the sea—as though the ocean doesn't exist at all. It is a wondrous realm. You cannot enter the ocean from beneath; you can only enter from its perimeter." "That wondrous?" "Has anyone ever dived to the seabed and tried to punch through to reach the Subsea Continent?" "No one. If you dive to the seabed, you are likely to enter some other minor realm rather than the Subsea Continent." "Incredible!" "It's breathtaking!" The scene before them was undeniably stunning! A boundless ocean suspended in midair, studded with stars as though the heavens themselves rested within the waters. Emerald waves rippled across the expanse—a magnificent sight to behold! From the rear cabin, however, a Dao Protector warned in a deep voice, "Peril often lurks beneath beauty! Keep your guard up in the Sea of Stars. Many demon races lie submerged within the waters! Furthermore, dragons are abundant here, and they are notoriously overbearing. Even though we hail from the Immortal race, they will not hesitate to strike viciously if we encounter them!" "The Sea of Stars holds countless other hazards. Stay sharp!" "No carelessness!" The Dao Protector repeatedly cautioned the young men and women. This place was fraught with danger. Meanwhile, Yunsheng turned to Su Yu with a smile. "We have arrived at the Sea of Stars. Tianxia Island and Nine Stars Island lie in different directions, Brother Zheng, so we cannot escort you any further!" "Thank you for your trouble!" Su Yu offered his thanks without another word. *That's my cue to scram.* *Just fine by me!* He had wanted to leave as soon as possible anyway; tagging along with them would have made it awkward to visit Nine Stars Island. *If not for those three Shanhai experts, every last one of you little immortal maidens and lords would have tasted my hammer!* Three Shanhai experts were indeed troublesome, particularly the one at the peak of Shanhai, who would be exceptionally difficult to deal with. …… Soon, Su Yu disembarked from the sky boat on his own. He had officially arrived at the Sea of Stars! The floating ocean was an astonishing sight. Even Su Yu was awestruck. How could an ocean of this scale—boundless and immense—remain suspended in midair? There seemed to be nothing supporting it from below. Amidst his awe, a thrill of excitement stirred within him. The Sea of Stars! This realm's greatest claim to fame was the Star Astral Mansion. The opening of the Star Astral Mansion was drawing near. By previous estimates, it would open sometime next year. Soon, however, the various races would select candidates to enter the Sea of Stars, acclimate to the environment, and prepare for the expedition into the mansion. *I wonder when the Great Ming Prefecture and Great Xia Prefecture will choose their candidates… They said selections would finish by year's end, and then they'd bring people here to adapt to the surroundings…* Su Yu didn't know what grand opportunities lay inside the Star Astral Mansion; he only knew it contained Heavenly River Sand. A precious material capable of purifying willpower! Without it, opening the Great Xia Prefecture's Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm was exceedingly difficult, and the willpower within remained impure. With Heavenly River Sand, that mystic realm would become a paradise for Civilization Masters! He watched Yunsheng and the others fly off, choosing not to rush straight into the sea just yet. He decided to observe a moment longer. Truly magnificent! The Human Realm had three great sea regions. Though he had never visited them, Su Yu doubted any terrestrial ocean could match the grandeur of this airborne sea! "The All-Heavens Battlefield truly has its wonders!" After marveling from below, Su Yu began ascending into the air. Flying upward just to enter an ocean was quite the novelty. Ahead, seawater crashed against the empty void without spilling downward—another truly bizarre sight. Su Yu soared upward over ten thousand meters before finally leveling out with the sea's surface! Only now did the true visage of the Sea of Stars reveal itself. Within the water, stars seemed submerged directly beneath the waves, as though the sea had swallowed the heavens whole. The beauty was staggering! All around was quiet. Apart from Yunsheng's sky boat cruising ahead at high altitude, no one else was in sight. *Truly breathtaking!* Just as the thought crossed Su Yu's mind, a colossal demon beast surged from the depths ahead, smashing straight toward the sky boat! A brilliant sword light flared! An Immortal expert aboard the vessel struck, cleaving down with a blow that sent the aquatic beast crashing back into the sea. Right at that instant, a shrill avian cry pierced the air. A gigantic bird soared into the sky, blotting out the light as its razor-sharp beak plunged down toward the vessel! *Crash!* A gaping hole was torn straight through the sky boat! Thunderous booms erupted in quick succession! A fierce battle broke out in an instant. Within blinks of an eye, the sky boat was battered beyond repair. The three Shanhai experts swiftly snatched up the youths and took to the air, fleeing toward the deeper regions of the ocean! Su Yu watched, dumbfounded! *Damn, that's dangerous!* *Running into two Shanhai great demons right at the entrance—those Immortals are truly down on their luck.* Seeing that they had completely ignored him and flown off, Su Yu patted his chest. His heart thudded rapidly against his ribs. *How thrilling!* *With so many demon beasts around, no one should care if I slaughter a few, right?* Licking his lips, Su Yu grinned. *What a fantastic place!* The next instant, he plunged straight into the sea, dissolving into water and vanishing on the spot. *I am of the water race! The ocean is my home turf!* *There must be water race entities here. This environment is simply paradise for them—what a great place!* Not long after Su Yu dove in, an earthen figure materialized nearby. It glanced in all directions before water began trickling across its muddy surface. A heartbeat later, the earth figure transformed into a water figure and swam into the depths. *Who says the earth race can't handle water? I can manage just fine!* Fu Tuling enters the waters! *Nine Stars Island, here I come!* …… As time passed, more travelers arrived in steady trickles. Some plunged into the water, while others took to the air, all heading in the direction of Nine Stars Island. Clashes erupted continuously. Only when two colossal dragons soared past did the demon beasts in the sea retreat, refraining from attacking them. In the Sea of Stars, the dragon race held absolute supremacy. Genius prodigies were beginning to converge on the Sea of Stars. Simultaneously, masked figures from the Heaven Hunting Pavilion entered the scene, followed shortly by small hunting parties. Some had come to hunt down geniuses, while others sought traces of Su Yu.