After resting until both body and mind were somewhat relaxed, Bai Wangyan slowly stepped out of his quarters. He walked silently toward the ship's deck. The sea breeze gently blew through his hair as his sharp eyes gazed out at the vast ocean. Amidst the emptiness of the sea, something stirred beneath the surface an enormous creature, a sea monster people had dubbed "The Dinosaur of the Deep."
This being had a fearsome form. Its sheer size alone could make an ordinary person stop breathing from sheer terror. A mere moment of eye contact could send the heart racing uncontrollably. Many would choose to avert their gaze or retreat but not him.
Instead, he felt a strange attraction to it. He observed it with interest, like a hunter who had found a worthy prey for battle. This creature was the perfect training opponent. It was ideal for being the first trial to awaken his true power.
He strode confidently to the edge of the ship, where it met the wide deck. The wooden floor beneath his feet was warm from the sunlight that had poured down all day. A light sea breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean to his nose.
Bai Wangyan stood there, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The midday sun shone brightly above, its golden rays reflecting off the water in a dazzling brilliance that nearly stung the eyes. He leaned back against the ship's rail, his robe fluttering in the breeze, and his white hair swaying gently.
"The weather today is quite pleasant. The sky is clear untouched by a single cloud," came the calm, chilly voice of a young woman from behind, softly interrupting the surrounding silence.
Bai Wangyan shifted slightly before turning back. His deep blue eyes met those of the speaker a young woman dressed in light-colored robes. Her eyes were serene and calm, though not devoid of emotion.
"Sister, do you know what I intend to do next?" he asked, stepping a bit closer, his eyes unreadable like the depths of the sea.
Liang Yi gazed at her younger brother for a moment before responding steadily. Her voice was calm but not cold, carrying understanding.
"You want to kill them… And after that, you want to leave this place. Because you seek boundless freedom."
Bai Wangyan let out a low chuckle, the corner of his lips curling into a smile that was neither cold nor warm.
He nodded slightly, accepting her words without resistance.
"You're remarkably insightful, Sister… You can see through my thoughts and desires with clarity."
His voice was even, yet there was a trace of complexity in his eyes even he might not have been able to explain it.
Liang Yi lowered her eyes slightly before turning to look out at the sea as well. She stood quietly beside him for a moment before speaking softly,
"Even if your power is tremendous, I can't be fully at ease about your safety. Enemies lurk in every direction some strong, some weak and the human heart is the most unpredictable of all.
Besides… You're the only one left in our family."
Her breath trembled slightly at the weight of that truth. Though her voice remained composed, it carried emotions she could barely suppress.
"I won't allow you boundless freedom just yet. You must first grow stronger not just in strength, but in experience and wisdom."
Her words were not a command, but a line drawn in protection. Not because she doubted his ability, but because she knew the enemies of the world were too fearsome to be overcome by mere strength alone.
Bai Wangyan did not answer immediately. He turned back to look at the sea again endless, vast, and deep like his own heart at that moment: confused, empty, and unfathomable. The midday breeze continued to blow, the leaves in the nearby pot rustled, and the waves rhythmically hit the ship like the calm beat of a heart.
At last, he spoke softly, each word clear:
"If you say so… then I shall do just that."
His voice was deep, without defiance or resistance just quiet acceptance of her care and concern.
"I'll be waiting for you right here," Liang Yi said in a steady, cold tone that carried great strength. Her eyes fixed on her beloved younger brother.
"If even one of those sea monsters dares to harm you… I will sweep them all from the ocean. I won't leave a single one alive."
Her stance was firm. This was no threat it was a promise, ready to be fulfilled at once.
Bai Wangyan looked back at his sister, his eyes showing a glint of gratitude. His lips moved with a soft but resolute voice:
"Thank you… for always supporting me."
He nodded slightly, his posture now more resolute than ever. His eyes burned with unwavering resolve like an undying flame.
Then he turned to face forward. His foot struck the wooden floor with force, sending out a faint vibration. He then leapt through glowing sacred runes and lines of incantation cast by the elders runes that covered the ship like a mystical shield, protecting it from any threat. The glowing lines trembled slightly as his body passed through not resisting, but yielding gently allowing him to pass beyond the barrier, descending rapidly and confidently.
As his body touched the surface of the water, he vanished swallowed by the sea without even a ripple or misstep.
His balance was astounding. Even in the unstable environment of water, he maintained perfect composure, as if his body and spirit had merged with the ocean itself.
When the underwater dinosaurs saw prey fall into their territory, they didn't hesitate. They surged upward from the deep darkness of the ocean in a frenzy. The once-calm waters turned into a storm beneath the surface. The massive force drove the ancient beasts to compete with one another to reach their prey. Their roars, though inaudible, were felt through the trembling waters echoing across the ocean floor. Their colossal bodies clashed violently, churning the sea until waves burst upwards as if to swallow everything whole.
"These sea creatures… are massive," Bai Wangyan thought, scanning the monstrous beasts charging toward him.
But instead of waiting to be attacked, he darted forward without hesitation. His eyes reflected countless giant shadows swimming through the deep. Within those eyes, there was only cold stillness no fear, no hesitation.
He charged at the mosasaur, the leading beast, without mercy.
With a single, swift punch, he struck its massive body. The immense force traveled through it as though struck by countless giant invisible blades. The mosasaur's body shuddered and then exploded. The sound of tearing flesh and bursting blood was muffled underwater, but the sight of scattered meat and gore floating in the current was vividly gruesome. It was annihilated instantly without the slightest chance to resist.
In the deep darkness below, the faint roars of the sea beasts echoed like curses from the ocean's abyss. Bai Wangyan's body hovered motionless in the water. His deep blue eyes were cold and emotionless. Around him, over a hundred terrifying beasts circled.
They roared and lunged at him from every direction. He didn't move.
Not until one beast's claws neared his face.
In that instant, his body vanished from sight.
Slash!
Water splashed. Bones cracked. Flesh tore. That beast was cleaved in two from chest to tail. Black blood oozed in clouds beneath the sea. He reappeared behind it, having needed only a single punch. Teeth from nearby enemies shattered like they had been torn apart by a hurricane of blows.
The youth did not rush, nor was he furious. On the contrary every movement was precise, like a brushstroke on a canvas. In a blink, two more were grabbed and hurled into each other, their bodies torn to pieces.
"You're too slow…"
His voice was soft, but it pierced the deep sea like a blade through the monsters' hearts.
Their eyes trembled in fear. Some tried to flee but it was too late.
His body surged through the water, releasing energy like an underwater storm. Bones shattered from the pressure alone he didn't even need to strike.
Left eight, right eight, a spin-kick in the middle sixteen sea dinosaurs exploded instantly. Their remains crashed against underwater rock walls, bursting into a cloud of fragments.
From over a hundred creatures, only three remained. They froze, paralyzed with fear. This boy… was too terrifying.
"So these… are the ancient sea beasts," Bai Wangyan murmured, his gaze piercing into their very souls.
One of them screamed and lunged forward, desperate to trade its life for his.
He moved just one step then pierced its chest with a clean, direct punch. It wasn't overly powerful but it struck the heart with precision. The beast died without even a final cry.
Only two remained. They began retreating into the shadows, their instincts screaming that he was death incarnate.
They tried to keep as much distance from him as possible. But one of them was slower by just a fraction.
Bai Wangyan reached out one hand and crushed it mercilessly with the pressure of his grip alone!
Now only one remained.
But he did not pursue.
It seemed they were not worthy of his awakening.
He stood still. Calm. Cold. His body didn't waver even slightly as the deep-red blood of the massive beasts slowly spread and faded into the current. The scent of blood tainted the underwater air but to him, it was peace.
His eyes remained as cold as a snowy peak that would never melt.
Eyes that knew no fear.
No hesitation.
And had never known mercy.
He was not a hunter.
He was a walking catastrophe beneath the sea.