Aolai Sea was incredibly vast, with more than a hundred thousand islands of various sizes, making it impossible to study them all thoroughly in a short time. Zhong Shan and his companions took about a month to roughly fly around Aolai Sea.
Even with their formidable strength, it took the three of them—each at least at the celestial level—a month to circle the sea, demonstrating its immense scale.
During this period, they encountered countless strong beings, many of whom were also scouring the perimeter of Aolai Sea, seeking the saint's relics. Many demonic beasts also came in groups for the same purpose.
However, the trio wasn't without gains. They at least made contact with some people from the Taichu Sacred Court.
On one of the islands, which had seven or eight palaces, clearly set up as a temporary base, Zhong Shan sat in one of the palaces, reviewing a large amount of information.
Princess Nine-Tails, feeling bored, played Go with Su Afo, but both of them were terrible at it, making their game quite chaotic.
"Zhong Shan, have you figured out a way yet?" Princess Nine-Tails asked while holding a chess piece.
"Still looking. Is this information accurate?" Zhong Shan frowned.
"These were collected by Brother Hongxiao. They should be correct. This includes the geography of Aolai Sea, its history over the past tens of thousands of years, the changes in sects on the islands, and the shifts in power. It should all be accurate," Su Afo assured.
Zhong Shan nodded, tossing aside the last scroll he was holding.
"Do you know why the Supreme Sage came here?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.
"No one knows that. But it's said the Supreme Sage was the last to fall," Princess Nine-Tails replied.
"Oh?"
"According to legend, the seven great sages fell one after another, and the Supreme Sage was the last. Before he died, he suddenly came to Aolai Sea and died the same day!" Princess Nine-Tails explained.
"The same day? What day was it when the Supreme Sage died?" Zhong Shan inquired.
"I know this one—June 7th at noon," Princess Nine-Tails immediately answered.
"The time of great misfortune?" Zhong Shan's brows furrowed.
"Right, June 7th at noon is the most ominous time of the year. It has always been so. Have you discovered something?" Princess Nine-Tails asked, puzzled.
"Not yet, but it's worth considering. June 7th at noon is five months away. Perhaps in five months, we might find some opportunity," Zhong Shan thought aloud.
"Exactly. The Supreme Sage wouldn't come here to die for no reason. It's too coincidental. Perhaps he knew about Lady Nuwa's relic. June 7th at noon must be a very significant day!" Princess Nine-Tails quickly said.
"But surely others have looked into this date and found nothing," Su Afo said, puzzled.
"Not many people would think of June 7th at noon. Maybe those who did were too foolish to find anything. We'll discover it ourselves! Besides, even if they find it, it won't matter," Princess Nine-Tails said confidently.
"Hmm?" Zhong Shan was surprised.
Realizing she might have slipped up, Princess Nine-Tails quickly said, "Zhong Shan, keep looking and researching!"
But Zhong Shan wasn't so easily fooled. "Even if they find it, it won't matter?" Could Su Daji have given Princess Nine-Tails some crucial piece of information?
However, since Princess Nine-Tails was unwilling to say more, Zhong Shan had no way to force her.
Just as Zhong Shan was about to continue studying the information, a figure walked into the hall.
"Brother Hongxiao, have you found anything?" Su Afo immediately asked.
It was the same general who had once sent Su Afo to the Eighteenth Layer of Hell.
"No, I've dispatched all my subordinates. As soon as there's news, they'll report back immediately. So far, there's no word of Lady Nuwa's relic. However, there's a large-scale battle happening in the nearby sea," Hongxiao said, shaking his head.
"A battle? That's inevitable. With so many strong beings from Fengzhong Territory gathered here, there are bound to be grudges and fights," Zhong Shan nodded.
"Yes, but this time it's different. The new saintess of the Purple Sky Dojo is being besieged," Hongxiao said with a smile.
"Oh?" Su Afo became interested.
"This saintess is newly appointed to the Purple Sky Dojo. She's at the celestial level and wields a Heavenly Thunder Pearl with great skill. The sea sharks of the celestial realm can't get close to her. Unfortunately, this time the sea sharks are too numerous. A million strong, and she won't be able to hold out much longer," Hongxiao explained.
"People from the Purple Sky Dojo? If she dies, she dies. It's even better if a saintess dies," Su Afo laughed.
"What did you just say? A million sea sharks besieging the saintess? Why are they attacking her?" Zhong Shan's eyebrows furrowed.
"It seems the young prince of the sea shark clan wants to take the saintess as his concubine, but she refused. So, they started fighting," Hongxiao said.
"Zhong Shan, are you interested?" Su Afo asked with a puzzled smile.
Zhong Shan didn't respond to Su Afo. His frown deepened, and he asked, "Do you know what the saintess looks like? Her name? Or her background?"
Princess Nine-Tails and Su Afo both looked at Zhong Shan in confusion. What was going on?
"I don't know her name or her appearance. She's surrounded by a million sea sharks. However, I heard she joined the Purple Sky Dojo a hundred or two hundred years ago, and she seems to come from your Small Thousand World," Hongxiao said after thinking for a moment.
"Where are they?" Zhong Shan's expression changed.
"To the west, fifty thousand miles away," Hongxiao replied, puzzled.
"Whoosh!"
Zhong Shan's figure disappeared from the hall.
In the hall, Su Afo, Princess Nine-Tails, and Hongxiao were all slightly taken aback.
"Brother Hongxiao, gather your troops and follow quickly!" Su Afo said immediately.
Princess Nine-Tails and Su Afo quickly chased after Zhong Shan.
Neither of them knew what was going on with Zhong Shan, but they knew something significant was happening.
As Su Afo chased, his eyes lit up with excitement. Finally, something was happening. What was Zhong Shan up to? Did he want to seize a saintess as a concubine?
Heavenly Thunder Pearl, saintess of the Purple Sky Dojo, Small Thousand World. A hundred or two hundred years ago?
In an instant, a memorable figure flashed through Zhong Shan's mind.
"Just give them up, and I'll be your woman for life, never regretting it!"
"Are you really so heartless?"
"Am I not beautiful enough?"
"Did I come to the wrong place?"
The stubborn woman from the past, her sorrowful gaze, was still vivid in Zhong Shan's memory. He could never forget her. Was it her? Was it really her?
Besieged by a million sea sharks?
Zhong Shan charged straight towards the sea where the battle was taking place.
Before long, Zhong Shan traversed the fifty thousand miles of sea and arrived near the battlefield.
Surrounding the area were numerous islands, each crowded with cultivators who were watching coldly from the sidelines, unwilling to intervene.
At the center, a large purple barrier covered an island. Numerous strong cultivators flew around, wielding large blades and attacking the purple barrier. Some managed to break through, engaging in combat within. The sea was littered with corpses, mostly of sharks, with many live sharks showing no mercy to their dead kin. The scent of blood made them even more frenzied.
The number of attackers was so vast that it was impossible to see the situation inside the purple barrier clearly.
"The sea shark clan is handling matters here, stay away!" Seven strong cultivators flew towards Zhong Shan, quickly blocking his path.
"Hmph!" Zhong Shan let out a cold snort, drawing out his great blade, Longevity.
"Are you looking for death?" The leading sea shark cultivator glared at him.
"Shhhkkkkk!"
Blood splattered the sky as Zhong Shan swiftly killed the seven sea shark cultivators with a single strike.
This sudden change drew the attention of the cultivators on the surrounding islands, all of whom looked at Zhong Shan in the sky with surprise.
"Who is that? Does he have a death wish?"
"Maybe he's from the Purple Sky Dojo!"
"No, I recognize him, he's the Sacred King of Great Yi!"
As discussions broke out, a hundred sea shark cultivators noticed the commotion and quickly surrounded Zhong Shan.
Zhong Shan glared coldly at the dense, endless sea shark cultivators. Many sharks in the sea hadn't taken human form, not because they couldn't, but because they chose not to.
With a fierce look in his eyes, Zhong Shan swung his great blade towards the sea below.
Heaven's Law, Myriad Waves!
The terrifying cold air from his blade swept across, instantly freezing the hundred approaching sea shark cultivators into ice sculptures.
"Boom!"
The blade struck the sea, creating a massive chasm. Enormous waves surged up but were immediately frozen into solid ice, transforming a thousand-mile radius of sea into a frozen wasteland.
Zhong Shan's strike landed in the densest part of the sea shark horde, killing nearly ten thousand sea sharks in one blow.
The sky was stained with blood, and the scene of frozen carnage spread before everyone's eyes, leaving the spectators in shock.
The sea shark cultivators finally recognized Zhong Shan as a formidable adversary. Numerous sea shark cultivators rushed towards him, breaking through the ice from below, surrounding him from all sides. They formed a dense sphere, tens of thousands of strong cultivators charging at Zhong Shan.
"Roar!"
A thunderous roar erupted from within the sphere.
"Boom!"
The sphere of tens of thousands of strong cultivators exploded outwards, with countless cultivators dying instantly. Only those with higher cultivation levels survived, but they too were severely injured and thrown back.
As Su Afo and Princess Nine-Tails arrived, they witnessed the grand scene of tens of thousands of cultivators being blasted away. Both were slightly taken aback.
Su Afo's eyes gleamed with excitement. "What a powerhouse! Taking on tens of thousands at once, this is thrilling!"