Chapter 2: The Armored Leviathan

At the sound of Mels' excited voice, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes were initially perplexed, but soon realized these young men were the companions Mels had long been searching for.

These elders, well on in years, naturally understood this moment was for Mels and his friends alone. None of them made a sound to hurry them along, merely watching quietly as Mels and the others embraced and sobbed their hearts out.

After a while, Mels gradually composed himself and remembered he should introduce Sol and the others to the Seven Immortals. Taking Sol by the left hand and Rek by the right, he bounded over excitedly to the Seven Immortals and said to the White-haired Wind God, "Master, they are—"

Before Mels could finish, the White-haired Wind God smiled slightly and interrupted, "Hehe, these must be the Sol, Rek, and Akafir you're always talking about! Not bad, all lads with exceptional bone structure and talent. They'll go far!"

"Boss, who is this old fellow? How come you're calling him master?" Sol whispered irreverently to Mels.

"Watch your tongue! This is the leader of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes, the White-haired Wind God, and my new master!" Mels chided in a low voice.

In truth, Mels was secretly scheming, hoping Sol and the others could build a good relationship with the Seven Immortals, allowing his brothers to also learn some skills from these senior experts! Therefore, upon hearing Sol's disrespectful address to the White-haired Wind God, he immediately reprimanded him.

"Ah, it's nothing, it's nothing! We are indeed old now, so of course we're old fellows!" the White-haired Wind God said with a hearty laugh to the other six elders.

Among the seven, except for the Frost Death God who never cracked a smile, the others were not petty individuals. Thus, they did not take offense at Sol's rudeness. It was Sol and Rek who, upon hearing the name "Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes," went pale with shock, finding it hard to believe these elderly figures before them were the legendary masters from the continent's renowned Hundred Power Ranking!

"Master Mels, are these your friends?" the Mad Venerable inquired gently, looking at Sol and the other two.

Mels caught his meaning and immediately replied, "Just call them by their names. But you must teach Rek a few moves when you have time!"

"No problem, no problem! My young master's brothers are like brothers to me, of course it's fine!" Upon hearing Mels' reply, which was exactly what he hoped for, the Mad Venerable didn't give it a second thought and readily agreed, his face beaming.

"Boss, this isn't...?" Rek stared intently at the Mad Venerable for a long moment before cautiously inquiring.

"Yeah, that's the Mad Venerable. We'll get to that. Let's get on the ship first!" Knowing he couldn't explain too much to Rek and Sol at the moment, Mels immediately changed the subject, suggesting everyone return to the mothership!

Just as everyone was about to set off, the hitherto silent Frost Death God suddenly spoke coldly to the Mad Venerable, "You should put the young lady down now."

"Oh, yes, yes!" The Mad Venerable reasoned that since Mels was now their disciple, they'd make him put Bagina down sooner or later anyway, so he no longer hesitated and immediately set the girl down. But the instant her feet touched the deck, she hauled off and punched Mels square in the face!

"Ouch!" He knew what was coming but couldn't get out of the way in time, and caught it right on the jaw. The bruise on his left eye had just turned bluish-purple, and now his right eye received another punch. It seemed his fate of becoming a "panda" for the next few days was unavoidable!

At this moment, Mels had the Mad Venerable on his left, the White-haired Wind God on his right, and Rek and the others behind him. Yet, Bagina's speed was beyond anyone's imagination. Although everyone intended to help, they were all a split second too late!

Having landed her blow, Bagina didn't press the attack. She stood her ground and said venomously, "You little pervert, let that be a lesson to you! Don't think your numbers scare me! From today on, you'd better start praying you never fall into my hands!" With that, Bagina leaped into the air and shot rapidly toward the mothership.

Although no one liked Bagina's willfulness, they could do nothing about it and could only console Mels gently. Only the Mad Venerable and Rek, who didn't understand the situation, clamored loudly about avenging Mels. Finally, under Mels' shouts to stop, the group let the matter rest.

The noisy day ended in such an atmosphere. After treatment from several elders, who treated Mels like a star surrounded by the moon, his injuries improved significantly. However, the fact that he had secretly taken Lannis off the mothership also earned him a severe scolding from the Seven Immortals!

Nevertheless, although the Seven Immortals didn't say it outright, their lenient handling of Mels showed these seven elders greatly admired his clever tactics in dealing with the Mad Venerable. After all, having a disciple who could exchange five blows with the Mad Venerable brought great honor to his masters! Therefore, their reprimand of Mels was much lighter.

By the time all matters were settled, dusk had fallen. Using the arrival of Rek and the others as an excuse, which also served as a disguised reward for Mels' outstanding performance, an exceptionally lavish dinner was held. Afterward, Mels, Rek, and the other two went to the bow of the mothership. Watching the calm sea, Mels quietly recounted his experiences after separating from his brothers to the three of them.

When the crescent moon hung in the sky, Mels' lengthy tale finally concluded. Rek and the others finally understood why the Seven Immortals had become Mels' masters and the origins of the relationship between the Mad Venerable and Mels!

"Boss, I never imagined so much happened in just the few days you were gone! Luckily, we were smart enough, or we might have missed you!" Sitting on the gunwale, Sol looked at Mels and said with emotion.

"Yeah! That day, leaving you alone, I regretted it terribly! With a constantly complaining Sol by my side and this Akafir who only knows how to eat and can't even speak clearly, I really..." Rek poured out his grievances to Mels.

"Stupid ox, who's complaining! It's all because you left the boss alone that we've been worried sick until now! That day, I already said if you abandoned the boss, we wouldn't be brothers anymore, but you still ran off! It really infuriates me!" Sol punched Rek on the shoulder, half-joking and half-serious.

"Alright, Sol, this time it's your fault! Actually, if Rek hadn't taken you guys and run that day, maybe none of us would have survived!

Think about it, you're not suited for chaotic battles. Rek and I would have had to face a bunch of enemies while also taking care of the injured Akafir. That way, we couldn't fight properly nor run away easily. In the end, we'd all be dead!

That's why I asked Rek to take you and run. If I had asked you... hmph, we'd all be brothers in the underworld now!" Mels said.

"Alright, alright, it's all my fault, okay?" Sol, being open-minded and seeing Mels and Rek forming a united front, knew he couldn't win an argument against both of them, so he changed the subject. "By the way, boss, there's something you definitely don't know!"

"Hehe, what could have happened in just a few days that I don't know? Tell me." Mels asked with interest.

"Hehe, Akafir doesn't have a Summoning Gem! That means he doesn't have any Summoned Beast!" Sol whispered.

"What!" Mels was shocked, reflexively standing up and exclaiming in surprise.

"It's true! Akafir always wears gloves on both hands. He says they're the only things his grandfather left him and refuses to take them off. Last time, after he was injured by the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower, when I was treating his wounds, I couldn't remove his clothes with the gloves on, so I took them off. That's when I discovered he doesn't have a Summoning Gem on the back of his left hand!

At first, Sol and I thought his Summoning Gem might be somewhere else on his body. But later, out of curiosity, we checked his entire body, and there was no trace of a Summoning Gem anywhere!" Rek nodded at Mels and then said seriously.

"That's strange!" Mels turned to look at Akafir, who was sitting behind them munching on fruit, and said, "I heard from my foster father that every human is born with a Summoning Gem! Could it be that Akafir isn't human? But that's impossible too! Demons look completely different from humans, and Akafir is clearly human!"

"Boss, don't speculate wildly. I think Akafir might have a congenital defect, which is why he doesn't have a Summoning Gem!" Rek suddenly spoke up.

"Mhm, never mind that. Having a Summoned Beast or not doesn't really matter! Akafir is with us, so he's our brother. If anyone bullies him, we'll all fight together!" Mels nodded and then smiled brightly.

Unlike Mels' concern, Akafir seemed completely uninterested in whether he possessed a Summoned Beast. He would occasionally tilt his head to listen to the conversation, then vigorously attack the large pile of fruit in his hands. Only upon hearing Mels' final words did a clear, refreshing smile appear at the corner of Akafir's mouth.

Under the swaying moonlight, the long-separated brothers chatted until late into the night before each retired to rest.

The next morning, accompanied by a slight tremor from the mothership, Mels and the others awoke from their slumber. By then, the massive fleet was already filled with early-rising sailors. Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of Magic Family staff at the port, the fleet officially embarked on its journey to the Frank Islands!

With the addition of the Magic Family fleet that had arrived earlier, the departing fleet now consisted of nine motherships, over thirty medium and small supply ships, and four heavy whaling ships! According to estimates from the lead ship at the front of the fleet, the voyage from Bomas Harbor to the Frank Islands would take approximately three months. During this journey, the fleet would not encounter any resupply ports, hence the large number of supply vessels accompanying them.

About three hours after the fleet set sail, all the sailors on board began busily reorganizing the fleet formation.

Due to rough seas, several captains ordered the nine motherships to form three columns of three ships each, then brought the three columns close together to create a massive square formation. Iron chains and wooden planks connected the ships within the formation. This way, the previously bumpy voyage became much smoother and could withstand greater waves.

The remaining thirty-plus supply ships were connected to the nine motherships with iron chains, allowing the motherships to tow them forward.

When sailing with favorable winds, the nine motherships, despite towing numerous supply ships, could still maintain a fairly high speed under full sail! When facing headwinds, the fleet relied on skilled helmsmen to navigate using the tides. Although the speed couldn't compare to sailing with the wind, it was still much faster than sailing on inland rivers!

After the reorganization, viewed from above, the entire fleet resembled a giant spider. The central square formation of motherships towed the many supply ships, while the four whaling ships served as escorts.

After hastily completing all the work, Mels quietly approached the White-haired Wind God with a request to teach Rek and the others martial arts. Unexpectedly, the White-haired Wind God had already considered this idea and readily agreed. He also explained to Mels that he could only teach Rek and the others basic martial arts; the essence of the "True Nameless Divine Style" could not be imparted.

Although this didn't fully satisfy Mels' request, he understood that even if Rek and the others learned just a fraction of the Seven Immortals' skills, it would greatly benefit their future. Moreover, considering there was still plenty of time, having his brothers learn from these senior masters was already the first step. As for the future, he would worry about it later. Therefore, he happily agreed.

Thus, the Frost Death God took Rek as his disciple, imparting all his dual-blade techniques. Akafir followed the Cloud-reaching Sword God to learn swordsmanship, hoping to make a breakthrough. As for Sol, naturally, he followed the Angry Thunder Fairy and the Cold Ice Deity to learn ice and thunder magic!

With these youths joining them, the most excited among the Seven Immortals were the Angry Thunder Fairy and the Cold Ice Deity. For Mels, who was completely clueless about magic, teaching him had been a headache for his two elders! Now, with Sol replacing Mels, Sol's intelligence and natural talent immediately made the Angry Thunder Fairy and the Cold Ice Deity feel they had found worthy successors. Therefore, they taught with even greater care!

Sol, in turn, cherished this rare opportunity, diligently memorizing all kinds of magic. Within a month, he could already perform some basic ice and thunder magic, which he had previously been unfamiliar with!

The vast, boundless sea offered little to do aboard the ship all day. Mels and the others thus devoted themselves wholeheartedly to various martial arts and magic. The saying "With a mind free of distractions, progress is made by leaps and bounds" perfectly described these young people at this time.

However, Mels also had his share of troubles. First, to prevent Mels from causing any more mischief, the task of delivering meals alone to Lannis now required accompaniment. The number of times he was allowed to enter Lannis' room also decreased. Except for a few times Mels sneaked in, over the past month, he had rarely spoken with Lannis. This situation left Mels feeling deeply helpless.

On another front, the Mad Venerable, who had promised Mels to teach martial arts to Rek and the others, had yet to take any action. Whenever Mels pressed him, the Mad Venerable would politely refuse, using the reason, "These lads' foundations are still shallow; they're not suited to learning multiple martial arts consecutively!"

Although Mels was greatly disappointed, whether to teach or not ultimately depended on the Mad Venerable's decision. Even he couldn't push too hard, so in the end, he had to let it go and drop the matter.

However, for Mels personally, he gained a lot from the Mad Venerable! Although the Mad Venerable didn't teach Mels any specific martial arts, he frequently requested sparring matches with Mels. In name, it was sparring, but in reality, it was feeding him moves! Day after day of battles, Mels continuously lost, but in doing so, he constantly realized his own shortcomings. Over a month, both his practical combat experience and his skillful application of techniques improved significantly, enhancing his combat ability!

People often say the sea is unpredictable and dangerous. Having lived in the mountains, Mels finally understood the meaning of this phrase after experiencing a small storm! When the fleet had been sailing for about a month and a half, a sudden small storm descended upon them. Unable to avoid it in time, the fleet could only strive to control the ships and attempt to break through the storm. Unfortunately, just as the fleet barely managed to escape the storm's center, a bolt of lightning struck a transport ship in the fleet that was fully loaded with firewood and coal! The struck transport ship immediately caught fire. After the sailors' efforts to extinguish the fire failed, to prevent the flames from spreading to other nearby transport ships, the White-haired Wind God decisively ordered the ship abandoned. He personally severed the iron chains, letting the transport ship sink to the bottom of the sea.

Initially, the loss of one ship didn't have a significant impact on the entire fleet. However, serious problems emerged just a few days later!

The entire fleet carried over thirteen hundred sailors and guards, and their daily food supply required meticulous preparation. After losing the supply ship laden with coal and firewood, the fleet’s fuel reserves dwindled critically, and cold meals became the norm for all three daily rations!

Many captains and the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes quickly recognized the severity of the crisis. Under the command of the White-haired Wind God, more than thirty fire-magic specialists across the fleet were urgently deployed to each ship’s galley. Every noon and dusk, they employed fire magic in place of conventional cooking fires to ensure the crew received hot meals.

However, human magic generated fundamentally different temperatures than burning natural materials. Maintaining precise thermal control and sustaining the spell for over an hour proved even more exhausting for the mages than engaging in full-scale magical combat! Within just one week, several mages fell ill one after another and could no longer fulfill their duties.

Realizing the situation was rapidly deteriorating, the White-haired Wind God ultimately ordered the fleet to alter course and head toward the nearest uninhabited island to gather firewood for the remainder of the voyage.

At noon, the massive fleet approached the island identified by the lead vessel. Mels, Rek, Sol, and Akafir—having just finished lunch—were already gathered at the bow, impatiently awaiting their chance to set foot on solid ground.

Born and raised in the mountains, Mels and his companions had never before seen the sea. During the first few days aboard ship, all four suffered constant seasickness and vomiting. Even now, Akafir remained pale each day, his appetite having shrunk from five bowls of rice to only three. Thus, stepping onto an island and standing on firm earth felt like a dream come true—filling them with restless excitement.

As the fleet neared the island, the mothership could proceed no closer to shore. It anchored approximately ten kilometers offshore, and small boats were dispatched to ferry crews ashore. Mels and the others, who had been eagerly awaiting this moment, immediately prepared to board the boats alongside fellow sailors. Yet before the small boats could even be lowered from the mothership, the four whaling ships encircling the fleet suddenly blared prolonged horn blasts—sounding the alarm!

Alarmed, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes and other officers instantly ordered the lowering of the boats halted and rushed to the sides of the whaling ships. The sudden turn of events left Mels and his companions—who had already boarded the small boats—stunned and uncertain. Moments later, upon confirming the disturbance originated from the opposite side of the fleet, Mels pulled Sol and the others back onto the mothership and sprinted toward the starboard rail.

Peering out, they saw two of the four heavy whaling ships split cleanly in half and slowly sinking! The remaining two whaling ships now sailed side by side, roughly seven to eight kilometers away from the mothership formation, moving forward rapidly—as if deliberately luring something away from the main fleet.

The sea surface lay eerily calm, disturbed only by chaotic ripples. Yet Mels and the others were certain something lurked beneath the waves.

Sure enough, less than two minutes later, a colossal black shape emerged near the two whaling ships.

“Whale—a whale!” sailors aboard the mothership shouted immediately. For Mels and his companions, it was their first time witnessing such a gargantuan creature firsthand—and they were both awestruck and deeply curious.

“Wow! Boss, look—it’s as big as a mountain! No wonder it sank those whaling ships!” Sol exclaimed.

“Hmm, it *is* enormous—but doesn’t it seem strange? Our foster father told us about whales before, and their skin should be smooth. Why is this one covered in huge black scales?” Mels wondered aloud.

“You’re right… Well, maybe it’s a different species—hence its unusual appearance!” Sol nodded slightly before returning his gaze to the black leviathan far out at sea.

At that moment, the two whaling ships appeared satisfied they’d drawn the whale sufficiently far from the mothership formation. Executing a series of sharp turns, they swiftly flanked the beast from port and starboard.

“Prepare the bow-mounted harpoon ballistae!” The bold sailors stood resolute—even facing the ocean’s sovereign. Their long, steady shouts echoed unwavering determination to conquer the whale.

Following their captains’ orders, the whaling-ship crews—already primed and ready—immediately adjusted the four harpoon ballistae mounted at each ship’s bow. They loaded massive harpoon bolts and aimed them squarely at the whale, which remained blissfully unaware of the imminent assault.

“Fire!” At the captains’ command, all eight harpoon ballistae roared simultaneously, launching the colossal bolts skyward. Glinting under the sun’s glare, the silvery-white projectiles traced elegant silver arcs—striking the whale with pinpoint accuracy, half of its massive body now breaching the water’s surface.

The whaling ships’ seamless transition from defensive maneuvering to aggressive assault occurred in the blink of an eye—a testament to flawless tactical execution and seasoned command. Yet before the entire fleet could erupt in cheers, the situation took a dire turn.

Though the eight chain-attached harpoon bolts struck the whale, their razor-sharp tips failed utterly to pierce its strange black scales! A cacophony of metallic clangs rang out as the bolts clattered harmlessly into the sea one by one. Enraged by the attack, the whale whipped its colossal body around—searching furiously for the assailants!

Though the heavy whaling ships were the largest and most capable vessels of their kind, they were still only half the size of the mothership Mels stood upon.

Relying on their smaller size, superior agility, and the captains’ expert seamanship, the two whaling ships accelerated away before the whale could strike—swiftly repositioning themselves behind the beast.

Now fully surfaced, the whale resembled a distant mountain. Unable to locate the whaling ships, it immediately fixed its attention on the nine motherships—Mels’s vessel among them—as its new targets. Having locked on, it began advancing slowly but inexorably toward the motherships—clearly intending to ram and sink them outright!

“Oh no, boss—that giant’s got its sights set on *us*!” Sol cried out in alarm as he watched the whale draw nearer.

Under normal circumstances, Mels would have mocked Sol for his cowardice upon hearing such a cry. But the gravity of the moment left no room for idle jest.

The whale drew ever closer to the mothership. Though the two whaling ships—now circling behind it—fired harpoon bolts again in a desperate bid to divert its attention, the determined leviathan ignored them entirely, charging straight toward the mothership.

“Second Brother, Fourth Sister, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother—the whaling ships are no match for it. We’ll have to confront this monster ourselves! Third Sister, Fifth Brother—assist us in taking to the skies!” At this critical juncture, the White-haired Wind God called out to the other members of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes.

“Yes!” With a brief, crisp response, the Angry Thunder Fairy and the Cold Ice Deity simultaneously formed wind seals with their hands and chanted loudly: “In the name of the Wind Goddess Maya, summon the winds of the nine heavens; grant brave warriors the ability to soar through the skies; combine the power bestowed by the gods—and tread upon the blue heavens!”

Upon completing the advanced flight incantation, five beams of emerald light shot from their palms toward the White-haired Wind God and the other four elders. Instantly, the five immortals were enveloped in green radiance—feet lifting slowly from the deck.

“Second Brother, Fourth Sister—follow me! Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother—you two go first and distract the beast!” commanded the White-haired Wind God, addressing the four elders surrounding him. His words had barely left his lips when the Frost Death God—dual blades drawn—and Feixue Kuanglong—long spear in hand—shot skyward, flying directly toward the whale.

“Sixth Brother—let me test it first!” As soon as Feixue Kuanglong soared above the whale, he straightened his silver spear. With a nod from the Frost Death God beside him, the Coiling Dragon Silver Spear erupted forth—its wielder descending from great height in a thunderous thrust aimed squarely at the whale’s back!

The sheer force of Feixue Kuanglong’s silver spear dwarfed anything a harpoon bolt could deliver. A dazzling burst of metallic sparks flashed like fireworks—followed instantly by a deafening, guttural roar that reverberated to Mels and the others’ ears! Looking out, they saw blood gush from the whale’s back—but Feixue Kuanglong now hung motionless in the Frost Death God’s arms.

“No way—what *exactly* just happened?” Sol muttered, bewildered—unable to follow the speed of Feixue Kuanglong’s attack. In truth, not only Sol, but even Mels and Rek had failed to see clearly. All they’d glimpsed vaguely was something shooting up from the whale’s back—striking the unprepared Seventh Elder midair and wounding him!

“Haha—this whale is no ordinary creature!” Just as anxiety gripped Mels and the others—leaving them unable to confirm what had transpired—the Mad Venerable’s voice suddenly rang out from behind the four youths.

Approaching Mels slowly, the Mad Venerable said, “You must not have seen clearly what just occurred. Allow me to explain.

The Seventh Brother of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes likely assumed his martial prowess—combined with his profound Qi energy—would surely cleave the whale in two. He didn’t anticipate, however, that as he neared its back, the whale would sense his Qi. In an instant, the iron-armored scales covering its back—designed for defense—erected fully upright and, through some mysterious mechanism, launched outward—piercing the Seventh Brother midair and leaving him grievously wounded!

Still—I must commend that young man! Though he knew evasion was impossible, he refused to retreat. Instead, he poured every ounce of his strength into his spear—thus managing to wound the whale! Haha—but he was also fortunate. Had he not been airborne—and had the Sixth Brother not reacted instantly to deflect the remaining iron-armored scales—the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes might well have needed to rename themselves the Six Immortals!”

“Mad Venerable—I don’t know what grudge you hold against our masters—but there’s no need to gloat over Seventh Master’s injury!”

Hearing the Mad Venerable’s faintly mocking tone, Mels couldn’t help but bristle—and retorted sharply.

“Haha, Young Master Mels—if I truly meant to mock them, I wouldn’t be telling *you* any of this. I could simply walk over and say it to their faces! I merely believe these youngsters are still too inexperienced to handle this colossal whale—so I wish to lend aid. However, I cannot fly—so I need…” The Mad Venerable remained unruffled by Mels’s sharp reply. After explaining, he turned toward Sol—his expression unmistakably signaling his hope that Sol would cast the “Wind Wings Soar” spell to carry him aloft.

“Boss—what do you think…?” Seeing the Mad Venerable’s look, Sol understood instantly—and sought Mels’s counsel. Gazing at the Mad Venerable before him—and recalling Feixue Kuanglong’s wounded state—Mels finally gave a slow, solemn nod.

“Good! Since Young Master Mels consents—then let this venerable one deal with that pitiful whale!” Upon seeing Mels’s assent, the Mad Venerable spoke with absolute confidence.

He then drew his Thunder Blood Golden Dragon Staff—and abruptly raised his left hand, tearing off the glove he wore. A dazzling crimson gemstone instantly blazed—flooding the sky with radiant red light!

“In my name—witnessed by the Creator God—summon my loyal servant, the Thunderfire Wyvern Yagda!” Before the short incantation even concluded, the Mad Venerable’s red gemstone flared brilliantly. Amidst the intense crimson radiance dyeing the heavens, a Summoned Beast resembling an ancient dinosaur soared skyward against the wind—a creature nearly three meters long, with a wingspan exceeding ten meters, a scarlet body bearing two razor-sharp claws beneath, and a slender neck crowned by two elongated heads side by side!

“Kid—hurry with your spell! This fellow lacks patience. Even after decades in my company, he won’t wait long!” Eyes locked on the Thunderfire Wyvern overhead, the Mad Venerable glanced back and urged Sol.

“Okay!” Sol gave a slight nod—then, without hesitation, formed a wind seal with the middle fingers and thumbs of both hands—and chanted loudly: “Wind—gather around me! O spirits of the wind—release your power! Bestow your abilities upon the brave warrior—free him from the earth’s bonds—let him roam the vast skies! Under the guidance of my name—release the power of the wind! Wind Wings Soar!” The moment the final word left his lips, brilliant emerald light coalesced behind the Mad Venerable—forming a pair of translucent green wings.

“Kids—be careful! That big fish might go berserk at any moment! If nothing else—take shelter in the cabin!” With that teasing farewell, the Mad Venerable sprang into the air—soaring upward to confront the giant whale.

By this time, the Frost Death God had already returned the unconscious Feixue Kuanglong to the mothership. The task of engaging the whale now fell to the White-haired Wind God and the Cloud-reaching Sword God. With Feixue Kuanglong’s injury serving as a sobering warning, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes approached the strange leviathan with extreme caution—daring not to initiate close combat recklessly.

The White-haired Wind God’s greatest mastery lay in palm-force techniques. Though most effective at close range, his sheer power meant even his ranged palm strikes carried devastating Qi energy! The Cloud-reaching Sword God—deeply versed in sword-energy cultivation—was equally formidable. Thus, the two now flew high above the whale—relentlessly bombarding the colossal creature with alternating barrages of ranged palm strikes and sword-energy slashes!

Yet the whale was no mere mortal opponent. The same palm-winds and sword-energy blasts capable of instantly slaying multiple people now felt like mere tickles to the leviathan—inflicting no real damage whatsoever! Watching the whale draw ever nearer to the mothership, the White-haired Wind God sighed softly: “Sigh—without summoning *that one*, it seems we cannot stop this monster.”

Hearing those words, the Cloud-reaching Sword God grew deeply alarmed. “Elder Brother—this isn’t the final moment yet! There’s no need to unleash your Summoned Beast! Perhaps—” Before he could finish, a long, avian-like cry pierced the air from behind him!

Before either elder could identify its source, a massive, fiery-red, dragon-like Summoned Beast had already streaked past them overhead—racing straight toward the giant whale above!

“Haha—you old fool—unleashing *your* Summoned Beast would be like trying to kill everyone, wouldn’t it? Better let my little pet try first!” The Mad Venerable—propelled by the green wings on his back—flew swiftly toward the White-haired Wind God.

“Haha—with Venerable Brother lending a hand—does this old man still need to intervene? May Venerable Brother achieve swift victory!” Recognizing the Mad Venerable, the White-haired Wind God couldn’t suppress a surge of joy. In truth, he well understood that today’s iron-armored leviathan was an extraordinary anomaly—its combat prowess so overwhelming that, aside from himself, only the Mad Venerable possessed the strength to match it! Earlier, pride had kept him from seeking the Mad Venerable’s aid—but now that the venerable master had arrived of his own accord, he was naturally overjoyed.

“Don’t mention it! Old fool—you’d better return to the ship and check on your brother. I fear those iron scales may be venomous!” With a slight smile, the Mad Venerable offered his final words—and charged alone toward the whale.

At that very moment, the Thunderfire Wyvern—having closed the distance—had already launched its assault. As a high-tier holy-beast-level fire-element Summoned Beast, its deadliest weapon was the searing flames it spewed from the skies!

The principle of the Five Elements dictated that water subdued fire—but if fire’s intensity surpassed a certain threshold, water-attribute creatures suffered exponentially greater damage! Though the Mad Venerable appeared rough-hewn, he was a battle-hardened veteran who’d precisely calculated this advantage—and thus summoned his fire-attribute beast to deliver a decisive blow! Indeed, his strategy proved sound: the moment the Thunderfire Wyvern opened its maw and unleashed its inferno, the whale’s back was instantly scorched black! Screaming in agony, the whale—seeing the aerial monster raining fire upon it—exploded into fury. It halted abruptly, surged fully above the waves—and arched its back, causing every iron-armored scale to bristle upright! Then, as it relaxed its tensed spine, the scales launched outward—flying en masse toward the Thunderfire Wyvern hovering in the sky!

“Petty tricks! Beast—don’t you know when you’re beaten?” Roaring in anger, the Mad Venerable surged forward—placing himself squarely between the Thunderfire Wyvern and the incoming barrage. He brandished his Thunder Blood Golden Dragon Staff—deflecting the rapidly hurtling black scales with a series of thunderous clashes!

These scales had threatened Feixue Kuanglong earlier only because the attack had been sudden—and the distance too short! Now, not only did the Mad Venerable fully comprehend the whale’s combat method—but he’d also increased the distance between himself and the beast. For the whale to hope to injure this master with its scales now was nothing short of folly! Seeing its master shielding it, the Thunderfire Wyvern in the sky grew even bolder—spewing torrents of flame back and forth. The blazing inferno instantly caused multiple patches of the whale’s back to smoke—releasing a foul stench. Even the iron-armored scales still embedded in its hide began melting under the intense heat—peeling off one by one and falling into the sea.

"Hmm? Why isn't this thing fleeing yet? Doesn't it know pain?" Mad Venerable, observing the strange sight of the whale enduring the assault with all its might yet refusing to dive to avoid it, felt a flicker of suspicion. Meanwhile, the Summoned Beast hovering in mid-air continued spewing flames unabated, seemingly intent on turning the overlord of the sea into a "roast whale"!

"It seems this monster won't leave until it suffers even more!" Witnessing the whale's tenacity, Mad Venerable resolved to deliver the final blow! Gripping the Golden Dragon Rod in his right hand, he soared higher into the sky and roared, "Agdar, move aside!"

As the Summoned Beast reluctantly ceased its fiery onslaught and retreated to one side, Mad Venerable summoned his divine strength. Swinging the long rod wildly with both hands, he instantly formed a circular shield before him! Eyes wide with rage, every hair on his body standing on end, he concentrated his entire power into one point and bellowed, "Nine Heavens Profound Darkness Rod Technique, Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens!"

Amidst a thunderous roar like a clap of lightning, a brilliant flash of light erupted from his hands! Formidable Qi, following this radiant surge, shot toward the massive whale in the sea in a furious zigzag pattern!

"Boom!" When the Qi made contact with the whale, an earth-shattering sound reverberated in everyone's ears!

Stripped of its protective iron-scale armor, the whale now had no means of resistance! Under the relentless barrage of attacks, a gaping hole was instantly blasted into its body! Its massive body convulsed and twisted a few times before beginning to slowly sink into the depths.

The blood flowing from the giant whale seemed to dye the seawater crimson, its foul stench enough to make one retch. Yet at this moment, Mels and the others remained oblivious to it all, utterly captivated by Mad Venerable's power that could move heaven and earth. Only now did they realize just how formidable the strength of a true master could be.