Chapter 143
Chapter 143
Chapter 143
As the mermaid princess’s eyes opened, the space within the storage bag had already begun to disintegrate. This type of storage bag couldn’t contain living beings. Living creatures simply couldn’t fit inside. If a high-level cultivator forcibly tried to place a living being inside, the space within would collapse. In the current situation, when the mermaid was put inside, she was in a state similar to death.
However, the mermaid suddenly opened her eyes and came back to life. The space within the storage bag couldn’t hold up any longer. Without hesitation, Li Su released the crystal coffin, as keeping it inside the storage bag would lead to its space collapsing, and the crystal coffin emerging anyway. It was better to preserve one storage bag. The crystal coffin landed nearby. Li Su looked over, and the mermaid’s eyes had already opened. Her eyes were a deep blue, similar to the color of the sea. Her eyes were even more beautiful than the blue eyes of Westerners Li Su had seen before he crossed over.
At this moment, her eyes still seemed somewhat lifeless, having just opened. However, a remarkable change had already occurred. In the surrounding vortex of seawater, gentle streams of energy were rapidly flowing into the crystal coffin and entering her body.
No wonder those four Mermaids wanted to use the Mermaid Pearl as an exchange, to have the person who entered the restriction send her back to the sea. Li Su understood as he witnessed this scene. This mermaid appeared to have used some secret technique to place herself in a state resembling a false death or an icy slumber. If an ordinary person were coincidentally trapped in ice, they could remain frozen for many years.
At that time, this mermaid’s strength was undoubtedly at the Nascent Divinity stage. She had successfully endured the long years by putting herself in a state of false death or hibernation, surviving until now. However, such a method couldn’t be used casually. It required many prerequisites and the corresponding secret techniques or tools. Otherwise, why wouldn’t those four Mermaids at the Nascent Soul stage use such a method? Why didn’t the cultivators from that immortal sect use this method?
How she was waking up now probably involved entering the seawater and absorbing its energy. After being sealed in the crystal coffin for so long, her strength was likely greatly diminished. Of course, even in her worst condition, she should still have the strength of the Nascent Soul stage.
At this moment, her peculiar energy in the seawater was rapidly absorbed by her. This place is practically her paradise! Li Su realized. This incredibly dangerous location for cultivators was nothing short of a paradise for this mermaid. No wonder so many sea creatures were drawn to the vortex.
If this mermaid were in any other place, it might take her hundreds of years to recover her cultivation. But she probably wouldn’t need that long to regain her strength here. We can’t allow her to continue recovering here! She used to be a deity, attacking the sea tribe in the northern realm. Once she regained her strength, Li Su would be disadvantaged.
Li Su took out a magical artifact and prepared to bind the crystal coffin without a second thought. But at that moment, a sudden change occurred. Inside the crystal coffin, the mermaid’s hands suddenly formed seals. In the next second, the gravitational pull from the nearby black hole dramatically increased, causing the golden threads on Li Su’s body to completely give way and break.
The black hole immediately swept over, submerging the three of them. When they reappeared, the scenery before them had changed dramatically. Here, it seemed to be the underwater world, but a soft light was at the center. Around them were many intricately designed structures, some resembling the underwater city from the movie “Sea King” that Li Su had seen before crossing over. However, no signs of any people appeared, and the buildings appeared somewhat run-down.
Li Su felt a potent presence inside this place, but it wasn’t just spiritual energy. It was a unique energy that had merged with the seawater, saturating the entire ocean. This type of energy could sustain so many powerful sea creatures. This energy was continuously flowing into this place.
Li Su suddenly had a bit of understanding of how the vortex came to be. It might be connected to this place. The vortex gathered energy from the seawater and continuously channeled it here, turning this place into what resembled an immortal sect’s hidden sanctuary.
As the crystal coffin entered this place, it seemed even more compatible with the surroundings as the energy from the water rapidly converged towards it. Noticing this, Li Su promptly took action, employing various formations, magical items, and seals to enclose the crystal coffin fully, preventing further energy from entering and creating a barrier around it.
The mermaid inside the crystal coffin appeared somewhat bewildered as if she hadn’t fully awakened yet. “Don’t feign ignorance. I observed your hand movements,” Li Su remarked. He spoke, and the mermaid’s gaze in the crystal coffin finally displayed changes. Gradually, she became more alert, indicating that she likely had very little strength left and wasn’t a match for him. Otherwise, she would have directly broken out of the coffin instead of pretending.
The mermaid’s eyes turned towards Li Su, and the crystal coffin slowly opened after a while. Li Su noticed a unique liquid inside the crystal coffin, even more transparent than water, in which the mermaid was submerged. The mermaid sat up and began to speak. Her voice initially sounded hoarse for a few words but quickly returned to normal. It was a pleasant, soft, and gentle voice, though Li Su couldn’t understand her words.
She spoke in both the language of the sea clan and an ancient tongue, creating a language barrier. However, they could still communicate through their spiritual senses, allowing direct exchange of thoughts and enabling Li Su to learn more about the mermaid’s background.
Li Su extended his spiritual senses, and the mermaid mirrored his intent, allowing them to communicate. “Thank you for bringing me to our territory, but why did you stop me from recovering?” she asked. Li Su now understood the mermaid’s perspective – this place was her ancestral land. It made sense given the history of sea clan activities along the North Sea coast.
“We attacked the Northern Territory because it was not our fault. We just wanted to retrieve the sacred artifacts stolen by humans. When humans refused, we launched the war,” she explained.
“This is my ancestral land. If you prevent me from recovering, my people won’t be friendly to you,” the mermaid conveyed through her spiritual senses.
Li Su responded, “Your people? Don’t you understand your situation yet?” The mermaid appeared perplexed, but she realized no signs of her people when she looked around. She began to comprehend the situation.
“How much time has passed?” she asked with concern.
Li Su replied, “I don’t know for sure, but at least ten thousand years, possibly twenty or thirty thousand years, or even longer.” The mermaid’s expression changed drastically. Given the relatively short lifespans of most cultivators, the notion of at least ten thousand years was challenging to accept.
“Has it really been that long?” she mumbled in disbelief. The mermaid finally acknowledged the reality when Li Su flicked a drop of water, causing a nearby building to crumble. She looked around, her eyes filled with profound sadness.