Book 6, Chapter 9: Deep Sea Sorrow 2
Chapter 9: Deep Sea Sorrow (2)
Deep Sea Sorrow was an instrument.
It had a very simple use, and its behavior was basically the same as the item Daniel Imbry had created - to attract Sea Beasts, but with greater efficacy than before.
Deep Sea Sorrow was many times more superior to the fluctuation instrument, however.
The fluctuation instrument would create specially designed pulses that would attract the attention of powerful Sea Beasts.
Once the Sea Beasts arrived, they would instinctively begin to swim around the area. Occasionally, they would swim to where the Oceanids’ territory began, causing a great stir.
But because the fluctuation instrument was a mechanical device, it could be found and destroyed. In addition, it could not control the actions of the Sea Beasts; it could only draw them to a certain location, but whether or not a fight broke out still depended on the whims of the Sea Beast.
Deep Sea Sorrow, however, was different.
This instrument was unique in that, like Freedom Wind, it was both a treasure and a powerful Arcana Technique at the same time.
Not only could it direct Sea Beasts to a specific location, it could also control their movements and even facilitate their growth process.
Yes, this instrument could also upgrade the power of the Sea Beasts.
No one knew how Cornigo had managed to achieve this, but as long as the Sea Beasts grew up near the Deep Sea Sorrow, they would mature much more quickly.
The Oceanids believed that it was possible Deep Sea Sorrow contained a Divine-Tier medicine that accelerated the growth process. This was how it attracted the Sea Beasts, and it was then able to give the Sea Beasts orders to attack the Oceanids.
Yes, voluntarily attack the Oceanids!
Not only could Deep Sea Sorrow affect the strength of the Sea Beasts, but it could also give them a target to attack.
The Oceanids were plunged into a terrible situation as a result.
Every so often, they would be attacked by a Beast Sovereign no matter where they migrated to, because the Sea Beasts would purposefully seek them out to attack them.
In addition, killing these Sea Beasts wouldn’t provide them with much benefit. Their blood essence was virtually nonexistent; in other words, there wasn’t much point in fighting at all.
The Oceanids hypothesized that this was also probably an effect of Deep Sea Sorrow. It most likely sacrificed their bloodlines to accelerate their growth. This was also perhaps the reason that it could constantly catalyze the growth process of these Sea Beasts without end, because it relied not on its own source of power, but on the Sea Beasts themselves.
This was how the Deep Sea Sorrow ensured that the Oceanids would be under a steady stream of attacks from these Sea Beasts. Understandably, their lives were incredibly difficult as a result.
Because of the Sea Beasts’ reckless ferociousness, even the Black Flame was eventually forced to stand together with the Oceanids.
Deep Sea Sorrow’s only weakness was that it was a man-made instrument.
Just like the fluctuation instrument, its effectiveness would come to an end once it was destroyed.
Unfortunately, Corniga had been quite thorough with his preparations, and he hadn’t planned on giving them an opportunity from the very beginning.
After completing the Deep Sea Sorrow, he quietly used it to attract Sea Beasts, fostering them over a period of four hundred years until he managed to build up a Sea Beast lair, with the Deep Sea Sorrow at the center.
This was the location of the infamous “Abyss of the Sea.”
Apparently, there were hundreds of Sea Beast Sovereigns living in the Abyss of the Sea. They were its most loyal guards, watching over Deep Sea Sorrow and preventing anyone from getting close to it.
Corniga knew that, with the aid of the Freedom Wind, the Oceanids would never be exterminated in the sea.
As such, he gave up on his plans to completely destroy the Oceanids. Instead, he imbued the Deep Sea Sorrow with a special command.
Only Sovereigns that were about to die could attack the Oceanids. Any young Sovereigns were not permitted to leave the abyss.
This was how, year after year, the might of the abyss grew, until it eventually became the largest no-man's-land in the entire sea.
No one could enter.
No one dared to enter.
The Oceanids had tried countless possible ideas in the past twenty thousand years, attempting to destroy the Abyss of the Sea and the Deep Sea Sorrow.
However, they had never succeeded.
Deep Sea Sorrow persisted, becoming the Oceanids’ enduring nightmare.
Sometimes, the Oceanids wondered if their act of revenge had been misguided. Could the past twenty thousand years of torment have been avoided?
Su Chen was promising to help the Oceanids get rid of this problem once and for all.
What reason would the Oceanids have not to accept?
They were probably open to negotiating about Freedom Wind, let alone Neptune’s Eye, if Su Chen was able to succeed.
Jiang Jusheng was amused when he heard what Princess Westminster had said. “Are you crazy? This is the Deep Sea Sorrow we’re talking about here! Where is it located? In the Abyss! The Abyss of the Sea! One of the most dangerous no-man’s-lands in existence! Why is he so confident that he can do it? He’s just blowing hot air!”
Su Chen replied, “I’m going to try whether I can do it or not. The Oceanids won’t suffer anything if I fail, and they will only give Neptune’s Eye to me if I am able to hand over the Deep Sea Sorrow to them.”
Princess Westminster added, “If there is a person on this continent who can deal with this issue of the Deep Sea Sorrow, then Su Chen is our best bet.”
“Why?” Jiang Shaohong asked.
This time, it was Gu Qingluo who replied. “Because he is Su Chen, the Worldly Sage.”
Jiang Shaohong was amused. “Just because people call him a Sage?”
“No, because he was able to develop a way to break through the limits of bloodlines when it came to cultivation techniques,” Princess Westminster replied.
Jiang Jusheng was taken aback. “You mean......”
Princess Westminster nodded. “If Su Chen had said that he was planning on slaughtering his way into the Abyss to seize the Deep Sea Sorrow, I wouldn’t have believed him. But Sir Su has indicated that he wants to capture a Beast Sovereign instead and perform some research on it. Perhaps he will be able to discover how the Deep Sea Sorrow is stimulating the Sea Beasts. And if he can find that secret, he may be able to develop a way to counter its effects. And this......”
Su Chen stepped in. “This is exactly what I’m good at.”
Yes, research!
That was exactly what Su Chen specialized in.
His plan had never been to deal with the hundreds of Beast Sovereigns directly. Instead, by dealing with one or two of them, and then performing his research on them, he would have a real shot at finding the source of the problem.
Yes, this would take time. No one knew when Su Chen’s research would actually bear fruit.
But Su Chen possessed the Origin Bone Scepter.
As long as there did exist a solution, Su Chen would eventually find it with enough trial and error.
Even though there was still the possibility of failure, this was currently the most likely way for Su Chen to resolve the problem.
At the very least, that was what Su Chen believed.
The Oceanids and Eternal Night believed this as well.
Jiang Jusheng hadn’t expected the situation to turn out like this. “So if he helps you deal with this problem, you will give Neptune’s Eye to him? Do you know what this means?”
Princess Westminster replied, “All I know is that Sky CIty needs both the Neptune’s Eye and the Immortal Soul to activate. Only returning the Neptune’s Eye will not change the overall situation too much at the moment.”
What This was a good way of shirking responsibility, since this matter hinged on two isolated occurrences.
Just as Princess Westminster had said, handing over the Neptune’s Eye, on its own, wouldn’t affect the overall situation much. However, destroying the Deep Sea Sorrow would have a massive impact.
And even if Su Chen did manage to get his hands on both necessary items, and Sky City regained its mobility, so what?
The Harpies flew in the sky and had no interest for the creatures in the sea.
They would only threaten other people, not the Oceanids.
If the Harpies really wanted to enter the sea, the Oceanids wouldn’t mind - they were more than happy to have someone help them share the burden of fighting against the Sea Beasts.
The Oceanids hadn’t been willing to hand over Neptune’s Eye earlier because it was an important component of their defenses. There was nothing Sky City could offer that the Oceanids would be willing to trade for.
On the other hand, Deep Sea Sorrow was totally worth it. If there were multiple Neptune’s Eyes, the Oceanids would have been more than willing to hand over them all.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t offer much more, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t support Su Chen in other ways.
That was why Princess Westminster had appeared here - Su Chen didn’t mind waiting another five years, but the Oceanids minded greatly.
Jiang Jusheng knew that the situation had taken a marked turn for the worse.
“What if I refuse to lend him my men?” Jiang Jusheng asked.
Princess Westminster sighed. “To us Oceanids, there is no longer any room for ‘what if’s.’ The Oceanids have waited twenty thousand years. Now that we have an opportunity in our hands, we will grasp it no matter the price that we must pay.”
This simple sentence more than demonstrated the decisiveness of the Oceanids.
To protect Su Chen, the Oceanids had no issue with turning on their former allies, even if it meant bloodshed!
Not only so, Princess Westminster even added, “Also, Your Majesty, please fulfill your end of the bargain that you had promised to Su Chen.”
“What did you say?” Jiang Jusheng was infuriated.
Princess Westminster said coolly, “That was something you should have already given to him, and it is an integral part of Sir Su’s plan. The plan is allowed to fail, but the person who causes the plan to fail must bear the consequences of their action.”
The Oceanids didn’t necessarily believe that Su Chen’s plan would definitely succeed, but they would never accept Jiang Jusheng being the reason for failure.
Jiang Jusheng knew that he was in a tough situation.
At that moment, a Spirit Burning Realm Origin Qi Scholar rushed into the room and whispered into Jiang Jusheng’s ear, “Your Majesty, the Oceanids have already gathered their armies outside.”
Suddenly, Jiang Jusheng found himself staring at a war just waiting to unfold!
Jiang Jusheng didn’t know if he could stop Su Chen, but he knew there was no way he could stop the Oceanids.
They lived on the front lines against Beast Sovereigns all the time. All of their warriors were incredibly powerful and didn’t fear death.
If they wanted to attack Water Sheen, Water Sheen would definitely fall.
Jiang Jusheng’s expression suddenly changed as he began to laugh. “A misunderstanding! It’s all just a misunderstanding! I was just making a joke to Sir Su earlier. Don’t take it so seriously! You all, back off now! Why are you still standing here? Sir Su, Princess Westminster, please come closer.”
All of the soldiers immediately retreated.
People with political power really needed to grow some thick skin.
Jiang Jusheng was actually quite flexible when he needed to be.
But Su Chen had no intentions of playing along with him.
All he said was, “May I leave now?”
“Hm? Of course. How could I keep you from leaving?”
“And what about the Subdued Sea branch?” Su Chen asked.
“Naturally, we will lend them to you. We’ll just abide by the former conditions.”
Su Chen shook his head. “I’m not planning on pledging anything to you now. We’ll see what ends up happening to the Subdued Sea Garrison, I suppose.”
“What?” Jiang Jusheng was stunned.
“These are my conditions now. You can choose whether or not you want to accept them.”
Jiang Jusheng said angrily, “Su Chen, don’t be brash. Do you really think I am afraid......”
Su Chen interrupted him. “No one can make a mistake without paying a price. I don’t think my request is too excessive at all. Right now, I am in a terrible mood, so if we don’t settle this matter now, there will be no chance of us discussing this in the future. Princess Westminster, what do you think?”
Princess Westminster obviously didn’t want the situation to degrade to this point. She frowned and said, “Can you not resolve this situation with less animosity?”
“I don’t want to use the Deep Sea Sorrow to force the Oceanids into action, so consider this a favor you are doing for me. However, I will only accept this outcome,” Su Chen replied.
Princess Westminster knew that Su Chen was giving her a way to back out of the situation. She had no expectations that Su Chen would actually return the favor someday.
But since Su Chen had made his decision, and she completely understood his anger......
Princess Westminster turned to face Jiang Jushen. “I agree that this is the best way to resolve the situation, Your Majesty.”
[1] The Arcanist Remnant organization located in Oceanid territory.