Chapter 291: Chapter 291: A Drowned Sinner

Looking at the string of red notifications, Li Feng was momentarily dumbfounded.

This was the first time he had ever received a direct warning from the system.

Taking a slow breath, he focused his attention on the details of the entity displayed before him.

[Name: Apostle of the Deepest Tides]

[Title: ███████’s Creation, A Drowned Sinner]

[Remark: A being that even the Lord of Azure Heaven failed to destroy. Under the suggestion of the Divine Ice Phoenix, the Lord of Azure Heaven chose to seal this Apostle here temporarily while he and the Divine Ice Phoenix focused their efforts on hunting down ███████.]

[Status: Extremely Weak and Extremely Hungry due to the special nature of this prison.]

“Phoenix? So there really is one here? But… what is going on?”

Instead of getting an answer, Li Feng’s questions only multiplied as he stared at the strange, blank text.

Yet the situation allowed him no time to linger on his thoughts as …. something was coming.

Clack…

Clack…

Clack…

Like a heavy footstep splashing through a damp puddle, the sound echoed from the dark entrance as black water spilled steadily into the chamber.

For some reason, it wasn’t a sense of oppressive or terrifying pressure that struck them… it was something far deeper.

Like an instinctual revulsion, a gnawing disgust that filled their hearts as if every fiber of their body screamed that whatever was coming should not exist in this world.

Clack…

Clack…

Another step echoed from the darkness as a huge figure slowly emerged from the entrance.

The first thing they noticed were its legs… thick and powerful, almost like a horse.

Each step was heavy enough to make the wet stone floor tremble.

Black liquid could be seen clung to its hooves, dripping like thick, viscous oil.

…Then slowly, the rest of its body came into view.

Its lower half was that of a horse, powerful and solid, but its upper body was entirely humanoid.

A massive purple torso rose above the horse-like body, muscles bulging and coiled with raw strength.

The skin was unnaturally smooth, yet veins beneath it pulsed faintly with a dark, eerie glow.

Black liquid slid down its chest and arms as if the creature itself were constantly leaking darkness.

Li Feng’s eyes slowly traveled upward.

Then he froze because where the creature’s head should have been…

There was only a black pyramid.

It was sharp, smooth, and perfectly shaped…. as if a pyramid were fused to its flesh rather than worn as a mask.

There were no eyes, no mouth, and no nose… just a cold, triangular structure perched atop its shoulders.

Then the pyramid head tilted slightly, as if the creature were observing them.

In its right hand, it held a massive lance.

The weapon looked strange.

It didn’t seem to be made of metal.

Instead, it appeared to be a solid piece of darkness shaped into a weapon, with thick black liquid slowly dripping from its blade.

Soon, it took another step.

Clack…

The Apostle of the Deepest Tides fully emerged into the chamber.

Splash!

The dark water around its hooves rippled outward.

The moment it appeared completely in the light, despite having no eyes or face, it seemed to be surveying the group ahead.

And when its gaze landed on Yue Lan,

[…Found…you…my…lord…]

Hearing a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the ocean, everyone looked confused.

But Yue Lan frowned, sensing that the creature’s gaze was fixed on her.

Meanwhile, the old man’s mind was in turmoil at the sight of the Apostle still alive.

A terrifying thought reached him.

His words echoed weakly through the chamber:

“Did… my lord lose…?”

His soul flickered violently, like a weak flame hit by a strong wind.

The old man’s translucent figure trembled in midair.

His eyes were wide with shock, as if even his existence was starting to crumble.

For him, the Lord of Azure Heaven wasn’t just powerful.

He was faith… a pillar… someone who should never fall.

But now…

The Apostle he thought was dead was standing right in front of them.

It was still alive.

And that meant… that thing had really survived.

The old man’s mind went blank.

“If… if my lord really lost…” His voice was hoarse.

“Then everything… everything we protected…”

“Everything we sacrificed…”

“Was it all for nothing…?”

His soul flickered again, dimming for a moment as despair crept in.

Then—

“Hey!”

Li Feng’s voice cut through the silence.

The old man froze and glanced up at him.

“Old man, snap out of it! Something else has to be going on! Didn’t you say if that thing was alive we’d all be dead? But we’re still here!”

Li Feng’s eyes locked on the monster.

He murmured, “And I can tell… it’s extremely weak right now.”

At that, the old man’s panic eased slightly.

He seemed to be waking up.

His soul flickered for a moment before slowly stabilizing.

Li Feng’s words were pulling him back from the edge of complete despair.

“…You’re right…”

His voice was still hoarse, but the despair in it had lessened.

“If that thing… was truly alive and active….”

The old man’s gaze slowly shifted toward the Apostle.

“…then this world would already be drowned.”

His dim eyes narrowed as he studied the monster carefully.

The Apostle of the Deepest Tides still stood there, but the old man noticed it seemed to struggle just to walk.

The black liquid around its hooves continued to spread across the stone floor, but its movements were slow, almost languid.

For some reason, it didn’t attack immediately, as if it were observing them too.

The old man’s eyes widened with sudden realization.

“…It’s starving.”

Li Feng raised an eyebrow. That matched what the system had told him as well.

The old man hurriedly explained,

“This prison… it wasn’t just meant to seal it.”

His voice grew heavier.

“It was meant to drain it.”

Li Feng’s eyes flickered.

“Drain it?”

“Yes.” The old man nodded slowly.

“The Lord of Azure Heaven knew he couldn’t destroy the Apostle at the time. So instead, he created a prison that would slowly consume its strength.”

His gaze darkened.

“Time… hunger… isolation… and the suppression of the seal. All of it was meant to slowly grind that monster down.”

Then he turned to Li Feng.

“Even so… that thing isn’t something you young ones can fight. It’s unkillable.”

“So what do you suggest we do?” Li Feng asked.

“Run.” The old man said seriously. “We aren’t far from the exit, so—”

Before he could finish—

Whoosh!

A black lance shot through the air.

Its target was clear.

….Yue Lan.

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[Here an illustration of the Apostle]:

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