Chapter 155

Dan Heng didn't say anything more, but slowly walked to the statue.

The stone carving depicting the Dragon Sovereign's image had long been weathered and worn.

Dan Heng slowly closed his eyes, sensing the power of this place.

Beneath the myriad waves, the ancient Jianmu's dark roots stirred and spread, like a beast that had lain dormant for a thousand years, just awakening from a great dream.

The restrictions woven by past Chi‑Ming Dragon Sovereigns, those bindings that enslave and disperse the power of colossal beasts, formed a decaying net about to break, ready to fall apart.

Memories from the past surfaced from the darkness, tightly grasping Dan Heng.

But this time, he no longer intended to refuse; instead, he would embrace and accept all of this…

Finally, he slowly raised his left hand; a brilliant light condensed from his palm, as if he were about to grasp a star!

Almost at the same moment, a stirring, blood‑boiling music suddenly rang through heaven and earth, playing across all realms—

"Tear…form…liberation!!" (Tear~Heart Sea~Shoulder!!)

The tremendous roar of myriad‑jun thunder

Sways the heart and soul, surging~

Startling waves and terrifying surges!

In an instant, the light in Dan Heng's hand shot straight to the clouds, like a divine arrow piercing the horizon, thunder rolling urgently. Its lingering might spread like ripples, illuminating the sky over the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, shrouded in gloom, as bright as dawn.

Beneath the clouds lay the ancient sea's furious waves; in their roaring turmoil they tore open a wound, revealing the mysterious yet splendid corner of the cave‑heaven secret realm carried within.

—as if a deity had seized the world's creation, ordering the ancient sea not to be blocked, so that all could advance unimpeded.

And at the distant end of the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, a dark‑green giant dragon lay coiled upon the deep abyss, gazing across the sea at Jing Yuan.

Teyvat, Sea Guardian Island.

"Lord of the Coral Palace? I think I just heard…" Gorou scratched his head, he wasn't sure if he'd misheard—someone seemed to be plotting against the Coral Palace Lord's shoulders!

But Gorou quickly realized the Coral Palace Lord hadn't heard him at all; Star Sea's gaze had already been seized by the shocking vision in the light curtain—the splendid dragon palace had firmly occupied her mind, and no matter how Gorou shook her, she couldn't snap out of it.

And on the other side, the undersea purgatory.

"The Chi-Ming clan's palace is truly magnificent, though a bit of a pity..." As the West Sea Dragon King, Ao Yun felt both envy and regret: envy that the Chi-Ming clan had preserved their palace so well after a thousand years, regret that this hall had lain empty for a millennium, now devoid of life.

Yet the distant dragon's illusory silhouette was truly magnificent, making her unable to resist glancing at it a few more times.

"The Chi-Ming clan really went all out, to seal the Jianmu they were willing to sacrifice such a treasure land." Although the light curtain's view of the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea wasn't long, it was enough for Ao Qin to savor for half a day.

"Big brother, why aren't you speaking?" Ao Shun noticed that ever since seeing Dan Heng part the sea and reveal the palace of the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, his older brother had become unwell.

…Could it be envy?

This is understandable; the palace of the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, with its buildings packed like scales, who wouldn't envy it? But the expression on his older brother's face…

"Alas." Ao Guang sighed heavily, filled with sorrow: "I recall the dragon palace of old… Our palace may not be as splendid as the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, but it is also a holy site of our Four Seas Dragon Clan. Sadly, since guarding the undersea purgatory, it has become a ruin of broken walls."

Even though the Chi-Ming clan's holy site in the light curtain remained perfectly preserved after a thousand years, theirs…

He couldn't help but glance again at the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea, watching various fish frolic among the palace clusters, making Ao Guang feel even more sorrowful.

""Who would have thought there were so many structures underwater… No wonder the records say the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea was once the seat of the Chi-Ming Dragon Palace." Fu Xuan was also seeing the palace located in the Thus: Ancient Scale Abyss Sea for the first time, her eyes full of shock."

""During the Sudden Chaos, I was fortunate to witness its grandeur, having seen this marvel. Mountains shifted, seas turned, palaces became ruins… The Chi-Ming clan imprisoned the Jianmu using their ancestral holy land, and the Luofu Starship truly owes them much."

Jing Yuan let out a sigh, quickly composed himself, and said solemnly: "Fu Qing."

""I'm here." Fu Xuan stepped forward before him.

""Stay here, lead the Cloud Riders to guard this passage, lest any other incident arise." Jing Yuan ordered solemnly.

""Jing Yuan…" Fu Xuan furrowed her brow in worry, "…General, are you going to face Phantasm alone?""

""It's not exactly alone." Jing Yuan chuckled, turned to look at Dan Heng and Star: "There are friends joining us.""

""General! We also wish to follow you! Please don't leave us behind!" The Cloud Riders all began to volunteer for battle; even if they only opened the way for everyone, they felt it was their duty."

But Jing Yuan calmly refused: "Everyone, I understand your intentions. But the foe ahead is not merely an Abundance aberration… it is the Annihilation Arbiter of the Anti‑Entropy Legion. Beyond this path lies the confrontation between the Divine Bow Arbiter and the Ashblaze Calamity. You have more important duties—Cloud Riders, hear my orders!"

At his command, many Cloud Riders took up strict formation and waited.

""After I enter the Jianmu, if the waters return to normal, I will withdraw immediately, reseal the cave‑heaven, and follow the Divination Commissioner's arrangements for everything.""

Japan, Shinjuku.

At the floor‑to‑ceiling window of the Love Hotel, Lu Mingfei and Eri were chatting with pen and paper, discussing the aftermath of those shown in the light curtain.

""Jing Yuan, saying that will get you killed." Eri wrote quietly on the paper.

""No, absolutely not! That's not a death flag; he hasn't died yet.""

Lu Mingfei thought, "Princess, you've watched too few shows; a flag has to be something like 'After this battle I'll go home and get married' or 'I'm no longer afraid of anything'—that's the level needed. Jing Yuan's type of laying out aftermath is actually hard to kill, and more importantly, he can't even picture the Starship without him."

"If Jing Yuan died, the commander of the Divine Strategy Office would be the pink‑haired little dwarf of the Divination Bureau; then who would be the head of the Divination Bureau? Would they let Qing Que take the post?"

This scene is simply too beautiful.

Lu Mingfei counted on his fingers—Jing Yuan, Dan Heng… plus March 7th made exactly five people—and, under the five‑against‑one justice, he instead began to worry how Phantasm would cope.

Lu Mingfei poked at the plate of five‑ingredient fried rice before him, meant as breakfast; the thought that Eri also wanted to eat five‑ingredient fried rice for lunch gave him an idea.

""If Jing Yuan wins, how about lunch at Hokkaido ramen with the golden‑cudgel ghost?" Lu Mingfei wrote on the paper, "If he loses, we'll just keep eating five‑ingredient fried rice.""

""All right." Eri replied obediently on the board, "And I want you to keep me company while watching tonight's *Fate/Zero*."