Those on shore waited anxiously, the waves growing larger and larger, crashing against the lakeshore. Ziqing worried over Jun Beiyue’s safety, yet couldn’t help but pay attention to the sound of these waves as well—she hadn’t finished playing the entire climax section of “Sorrow’s Parting,” and she wondered whether these gradually surging waves were also following that same rhythm!

What exactly lay beneath the water?

Nature’s ingenious craftsmanship, its wondrous creations—one could reasonably attribute this to some strange natural phenomenon shaped by the terrain, and that explanation wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable!

If that were the case, though, why would the melody of “Sorrow’s Parting,” as it approached its climax, match this sound’s rhythm so perfectly!

Unless whoever composed “Sorrow’s Parting” had once heard this very sound here, drawn inspiration from it, and woven this rhythm into the piece!

“Sorrow’s Parting” was, after all, an ancient demonic melody from antiquity. Ziqing didn’t know exactly how this score had come into Xuanyuan Lige’s hands, but if both the Bloodstring and demonic zithers had originated from Qinse Valley, then surely “Sorrow’s Parting” must have originated from Qinse Valley as well!

Whoever composed it must have some connection to Qinse Valley—yet Ziqing had observed the two elders carefully, for quite some time, and they seemed entirely unable to recognize the climax section within the wave-sound.

How could this possibly be explained!

If “Sorrow’s Parting” had come first, and this wave-sound had come afterward, then there must be some hidden mechanism beneath the coral sea lake!

Time passed steadily by. Jun Beiyue had already been down there for quite a while—though those skilled in martial arts possessed extraordinary breath-holding abilities, if this delay continued much longer, it would soon reach high tide!

Yet just as Ziqing grew increasingly worried, deep within the lake’s depths, two figures were locked in a life-or-death struggle—yet Baili Weisheng was nowhere to be seen!

Even at this depth, the underground lake remained remarkably bright, luminous pearls scattered across the lakebed casting dazzling colors across the surrounding coral, giving the impression of accidentally stumbling into an underwater dragon palace!

Yet this stunning scenery couldn’t compare to the two men suspended weightlessly within the water!

One had hair of three-thousand strands of silver, flowing like white silk, his purple robes rippling like flowing water, drifting through the crystal-clear waters, his ethereal, exquisite face rendered all the more dreamlike against the pale blue lake water, as if he were the noblest of the world’s elven kings, his calm, cold eyes surveying with arrogant disdain.

The other, clad in black combat attire, his lean, powerful frame tall and handsome, exuded an innate nobility even amid the gentle undercurrents of the lakebed, bathed in the soft glow of luminous pearls, along with the commanding, battlefield-forged aura of dominance, his deep black eyes as vast and cold as the sea itself!

If Xuanyuan Lige’s beauty flowed with the water’s gentle grace, then Jun Beiyue’s beauty countered that softness with hardness—every gesture, every glance, every subtle expression naturally radiating a powerful, dominant air befitting a supreme ruler, enough to dim the beauty of everything around him!

“Stay away from my woman!” Jun Beiyue warned coldly, his ability to use abdominal resonance even while holding his breath a testament to the sheer strength of his cultivation!

Xuanyuan Lige was equally unyielding, immediately retorting with disdain, “Can’t even keep watch over your own woman, and you dare blame others!”

“She’s not my dog, requiring my constant watch—unlike some Eastern Qin lapdog, shamelessly clinging where it’s not wanted!” Jun Beiyue said, sparing no courtesy.

Xuanyuan Lige laughed with utter abandon. “Jun Beiyue, what exists between Ziqing and me, you will never understand!”

“Boom!”

Amid the silence, a sudden muffled sound rang out. By the time either could react, water-arrows had already shot toward them in an instant. Xuanyuan Lige immediately arched backward and down, then flicked both hands, all ten fingers plucking in unison, sending several waves of water surging forth—the waves appeared small, yet carried tremendous force, the most powerful wind blades he’d ever produced in his life.

The corner of Jun Beiyue’s lips curled into a cold smile. Far from panicking, he waited with wild confidence for the small water waves to reach him, making no move to dodge, instead reaching out to grab them!

Most terrifying of all—he actually caught them!

One had to remember, underwater, movements appeared slow, but in truth, every single motion required tremendous strength!

The Gu family’s internal cultivation techniques truly lived up to their reputation!

Xuanyuan Lige was inwardly shaken, yet he gave Jun Beiyue no chance to catch his breath, suddenly flashing behind him, striking out with a fierce palm strike. Jun Beiyue immediately sidestepped, catching hold of his arm. Seeing this, a flash of ruthless resolve crossed Xuanyuan Lige’s eyes. Drawing on some unknown reserve of strength in his arm, he violently yanked in the direction Jun Beiyue had grabbed him, simultaneously unleashing several wind blades, all aimed directly at Jun Beiyue’s eyes, viciously merciless!

Jun Beiyue immediately closed his eyes, yet proved equally ruthless himself, drawing his sword and sweeping it in a sudden horizontal arc, nearly slicing straight through Xuanyuan Lige’s waist!

Xuanyuan Lige naturally dodged—only to realize too late that this had been merely a feint; what Jun Beiyue truly wanted was his hands!

A dagger flashed toward him from another direction. However quickly he dodged, both the backs of his hands were sliced open, deep gashes drawing blood!

A flash of malice crossed Xuanyuan Lige’s eyes. Disregarding his wounded hands entirely, rather than retreating, he pressed forward instead, launching an attack that caught Jun Beiyue entirely off guard—close-range wind blades aimed directly at Jun Beiyue’s eyes. Jun Beiyue immediately turned his head aside, yet the wind blades, transformed into water-arrows, still grazed past the corner of his eye, carving a long, bleeding gash!

Jun Beiyue smiled coldly—this world’s foremost zither master, disregarding his own wounded hands entirely just to take his life. A man capable of such ruthlessness toward himself must surely be the most ruthless of all beings in this world!

Xuanyuan Lige—such a frail-seeming body, concealing such a cruel heart!

Jun Beiyue instantly channeled his internal energy down into his legs, suddenly kicking out directly at Xuanyuan Lige, driving him straight down into the lake’s depths!

He intended to seize this opportunity to explore the lakebed—let this fellow go keep Baili Weisheng company down there instead!

But unexpectedly, at that very moment, a vine resembling seaweed suddenly appeared out of nowhere, instantly spreading across the entire body of water, simultaneously blocking Xuanyuan Lige’s path!

“The Bai family!” Jun Beiyue snorted coldly. Yet before he could react further, a mass of seaweed suddenly surged toward him from behind like an ocean wave, instantly enveloping him completely, cocooning him tight!

The Bai family had come prepared! This seaweed proved extraordinarily difficult to break free from, beginning to attach itself frantically to the skin of his limbs, making even the slightest movement nearly impossible!

Yet at that very moment, the seaweed deep beneath the water suddenly withered by more than half—what other reason could there be, except that it had absorbed the potent medicinal blood of Xuanyuan Lige?

In mere moments, Xuanyuan Lige surged upward—that kick from Jun Beiyue had very nearly cost him his life!

He wickedly wiped away the bloodstain at the corner of his lips, glancing at the seaweed’s spreading withered state creeping toward Jun Beiyue, a cold, sinister smile curling at his lips. He had never been a kind man!

Whatever kindness he possessed, he’d given entirely to Ziqing. Toward Jun Beiyue, toward this war god who protected Da Zhou, he’d never harbored any soft-hearted mercy whatsoever. His ten fingers slowly curled into claws, his slender, gaunt fingers taking on a gaunt, terrifying appearance. Suddenly, he flicked them forward violently, and in an instant, water-arrows shot out from nowhere in the water, all converging at once toward the trapped Jun Beiyue!

He wanted him dead here, where no one would ever see!