pappabearbooks Chapter 329 - 322: Holy Hall-level Sea Beast: Candle Mirage
Chapter 329 - 322: Holy Hall-level Sea Beast: Candle Mirage
Gone?
’Is some filthy thing stealing my food?’
Shi Ming had originally thought that if he could deal with the burgeoning horror, he could kill two birds with one stone. He could acquire another Life Holy Hall Origin and see if he could use Ah Jian’s avatar to complete the "Ninth Revolution" and obtain the "Supreme Sanctuary" skill.
But the thing that had eroded the Creation Celestial Pillar had taken the Holy Hall Origin with it?
And only dead sea beasts disappeared from the Map of the Endless Sea.
’Did the Holy Hall-level Sea Beast in the Extreme North Ice Eye that suddenly vanished from the map also die...?’
’It died so quickly.’
’Could it have fallen prey to that horrific entity as well? After devouring the Creation Celestial Pillar, did it move on to its next target? And does it, like me, possess the power to easily kill Holy Hall-level sea beasts?’
’An enemy like this must be eliminated!’
Then, after a momentary flicker, the Eye of the World unexpectedly provided additional information!
[The starry sky is full of opportunities.]
[It is also full of dangers!]
[The consciousness of the Creation Celestial Pillar, which once roamed the starry sky, sought a way to break through to the Nirvana-rank. However, thirty years ago, it was unexpectedly corrupted. Like a plant infected with incurable bacteria and viruses, it fell!]
[Could it, which once obtained the "Supreme Sanctuary" through the Ninth Revolution, have ever imagined that it would end up paving the way for another?]
[Not only that, but did it also lead a greedy wolf, on the verge of stepping into the Nirvana-rank, to the flock it was meant to protect?]
’On the verge of stepping into the Nirvana-rank?’
’No wonder!’
Back when he was still an S-rank Awakened, Shi Ming had used the Eye of the World to investigate Mount Everest and only saw a jumble of squares! Its power was indeed nearly two full ranks above his own at the time!
Two ranks was an insurmountable gulf.
But one rank, with the help of the Eye of the World and the Arm of Judgment, was not necessarily an insurmountable challenge!
It seemed he had to make another trip to the Extreme North, as quickly and covertly as possible.
At the very least, before it officially stepped into the Nirvana-rank, he had to find out what it was!
What were its weaknesses!
And how to kill it! To reclaim the Holy Hall Origin that was rightfully his!
...
...
...
The sea region within the Arctic Circle was collectively known as the Extreme North Ice Sea.
Currently, it was guarded by the King-level Wandering Ship, [Katyusha].
But the Katyusha only operated on the outskirts of the Ice Sea and over its former homeland. Although the King-level Wandering Ship was equipped with ice-breaking capabilities, it rarely entered the true core of the region.
It was too cold there.
Strangely, despite the extremely low temperatures in the core area of the Ice Sea, it didn’t seem to have a global impact.
The abnormal cold had not slowed the ocean currents, disrupted the climate, or caused the ice caps to expand rapidly and trigger a global catastrophe. It only gradually affected the temperature within the Arctic Circle, having a minimal impact on the Endless Sea Region outside it.
The Katyusha divided the Extreme North Ice Sea into three zones based on temperature.
Outer Zone:
The area with temperatures ranging from 0 to -40 degrees Celsius was called the Outer Zone. The seawater was not frozen and remained liquid. The Outer Zone was also the largest part of the Ice Sea, making up about 70% of it.
Frozen Area:
Seawater mixed with Sea Crystal Stones began to freeze, and the temperature gradually dropped from -40 degrees to around -120 degrees Celsius. Ancient glaciers, millions of years old, rose with the sea level, growing ever harder. Powerful ice-type sea beasts lived here, like the Glacier Dragon that Shi Ming had once slain. The temperature here was their paradise...
Core Area:
The area wasn’t very large, only about 54 nautical miles (approximately 103 kilometers of glaciers). Even a Glacier Dragon could not withstand the low temperatures here. In the very center of the core, the air temperature was -180 degrees Celsius. Although this wasn’t yet the condensation point for nitrogen and oxygen, puddles of liquid air could still be found on the glaciers in some places. The vast majority of carbon-based life forms that entered this area would be frozen to death in an instant!
The core regions of the Ice Sea and the Sea of Boiling were collectively known as the Two Poles of Hot and Cold.
The Nan Murong and Bei Qiaofeng of the Endless Ocean!
But in truth, Nan Murong was far inferior to Bei Qiaofeng.
Raising the temperature to 1000 degrees Celsius wasn’t too difficult; an ordinary steel furnace could reach 1500 degrees Celsius. But lowering the temperature to -180 degrees was far, far harder! Only some laboratories, or S-rank ice-attribute Awakened using special abilities, could barely achieve it!
As for the coldest temperature it could reach?
There was no precise figure.
Humans only knew that slightly off-center in the Ice Sea, there were no glaciers. Instead, there was a clear lake about one square kilometer in area, as pure and flawless as the eye of a planet.
Hence, it was named the "Extreme North Ice Eye."
The science teams from the Katyusha and the [Nine Cauldrons], relying on the Jade Sea Cangwu and modified space suits, had once briefly set foot within that one-square-kilometer area of the Core Area. They were astounded by the lake’s beauty, but unfortunately, their time was limited, and they had to withdraw before they could investigate much.
But at this very moment,
this pure and flawless Ice Lake was even more beautiful.
From the depths of the clear, azure water, wisps of blood seeped out. The low temperature solidified the blood into ribbon-like strands, resembling solid coral growing in the lake or the mesmerizing patterns within amber. It was exceptionally beautiful.
If one were to jump into the Ice Lake and follow the ribbon-like strands of blood to the very bottom,
they would find a sea beast forged from Crystal Stone that had been grievously wounded in a fierce battle and had only just recently fallen.
It seemed to be formed from a 258-faceted crystal, sharing certain special similarities with the "Phaseless Pure Ice" Shi Ming had once obtained. Yet, its surface was even colder and carried a hint of spatial power. Even in the lightless depths of the liquid-air lake, it glittered as captivatingly as the most beautiful diamond.
A Holy Hall-level Sea Beast: the Candle Mirage!
After a battle that lasted for three whole days, it was defeated and killed.
Its corpse was enveloped by a strange shadow, one rich with life force.
The shadow slowly seeped in...
Bit by bit, it eroded the great beast’s body. As it penetrated, it began to devour, absorb, and feast upon it. But the Candle Mirage’s most precious Holy Hall Origin seemed difficult to digest. The shadow didn’t try to consume it forcefully, instead merely enveloping it to be dealt with later.
No matter how powerful the shadow was, it still had to follow the basic laws of nature. It did not possess an ability like Shi Ming’s Right Arm Red Pattern. To completely devour the energy within the Sea Beast Flesh and Blood, it would need at least a month.
Fortunately, no one was here to disturb it.
All was silent.
The Ice Lake remained as quiet and beautiful as ever.
...
...
...
Shi Ming’s efficiency had always been exceptionally high.
After taking the first batch of Pure Dome Crystals from the Lighthouse as reparations, along with the wondrous item "Shield of Star Guardian"—also known as the "Star Dome Curtain"—he set off for the Ice Sea.
Heading north from the Sea of Soaring Dragons, the temperature gradually dropped.
It was currently October, so the overall temperature on the Endless Ocean was considerably lower than when he had slain the Glacier Dragon. The changes in temperature made no difference to him, but his ideal perceived temperature was still around 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.
That was most comfortable.
After leaving the Sea of Soaring Dragons and crossing a sparsely sailed stretch of the Vast Sea, he arrived in the territory of the King-level Wandering Ship, [Katyusha].
The density of wandering ships increased slightly as a result.
With his hearing, Shi Ming could even faintly hear people singing from ships far in the distance.
"Apple and pear trees were a-blooming,
Mist was creeping on the river..."
It was the song "Katyusha."
If he weren’t on a mission, he might have lingered in this pleasantly temperate sea, listening to a spiritual symbol of this land that had not been erased by the ocean.
But now was not the time to rest!