Heroes' Prison

Chapter 915 - 864: A Brand New Sea-Calming Divine Staff

"Greetings, Dragon God General!" As soon as Huang Yi arrived at the Dragon Palace, several Sea Clan members respectfully saluted him.

Huang Yi nodded slightly in acknowledgment toward them. He was one of the twelve Senior Councilors of Dragon Sea and one of the five Great Generals. In the entirety of Dragon Sea, only the Sea Dragon Emperor outranked him, and there were very few who could stand on equal footing with him. Throughout Dragon Sea, nearly all of the countless beings would bow upon seeing him.

"Big Brother God of Slaughter!" Just then, a youthful boyish voice rang out with a hint of excitement.

The speaker was a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing a golden Small Dragon Robe, with two dragon horns atop his head. His large, watery eyes sparkled with mischief and adorableness.

This was none other than Huang Yi’s sworn brother, the heart and soul of the Sea Dragon Emperor, and the Third Prince of Dragon Sea—Jin Jiao.

"Third Prince, long time no see! I was just about to ask for your help." Huang Yi nodded toward Jin Jiao.

"God of Slaughter, are you here to see Father again?" Jin Jiao ran over, clutching Huang Yi’s sleeve with his small hand, looking up at him with his wide, watery eyes. "What do you need my help with?"

Huang Yi patted his little head and said, "I need your father’s assistance for something. But my Dragon Sea General’s Token isn’t with me, so entering your father’s chamber might be difficult. His Imperial Guards only recognize the token, not the person. You’ll have to take me to him!"

"You don’t have your General’s Token with you? Alright, I’ll take you to see Father!" Jin Jiao said, grabbing Huang Yi’s hand and leading him forward eagerly.

Before long, Jin Jiao had led Huang Yi to the Sea Dragon Emperor’s royal chamber, which was guarded by rows of stern sentries. The leader of these guards was none other than Iron-faced General, one of the five Great Generals of Dragon Sea, whose rank was on par with Huang Yi’s. Famous for his strict discipline, Iron-faced General only allowed entry to key royal members or those with the appropriate token. Huang Yi was no exception to this rule.

However, when the guards saw Jin Jiao leading Huang Yi, they did not block his entry and instead allowed them to pass.

Under Jin Jiao’s guidance, Huang Yi finally met the Sea Dragon Emperor!

At that moment, the Sea Dragon Emperor was seated on a magnificent golden Dragon Throne, wearing a golden Dragon Robe and holding a golden Sea-Calming Divine Staff. His commanding imperial aura filled the chamber. But upon seeing Huang Yi, his dignified presence immediately softened, and he spoke warmly: "God of Slaughter, you’re here."

Huang Yi nodded and got straight to the point: "Sea Dragon Emperor, I’m here to ask for your help. Hero’s Continent is currently at a critical juncture. The Seven Archdemons are on the verge of launching an invasion, preparing for a catastrophic assault. They will likely send powerful elites. I need to make some preemptive arrangements."

"Are you asking me to go to Hero’s Continent to help fend off those elites?" The Sea Dragon Emperor speculated, then firmly shook his head. "Our Sea Dragon Clan’s strength diminishes significantly when we leave the Dragon Sea. My full power can only be unleashed within the bounds of Dragon Sea, which has been home to our ancestors for generations and is imbued with their protective blessings. Even if I remain in the ocean but leave our territory, my strength would still be weakened. I wouldn’t be of much help."

The Sea Dragon Emperor spoke with helplessness and continued, "Moreover, the last time I battled the Fallen Messenger, he used a technique that abruptly amplified his power. It seemed like he summoned a high-ranking figure from the Demon Clan. I sustained severe injuries in that battle, and I am still not fully recovered. If the Seven Archdemons are sending formidable elites to conquer Hero’s Continent, their strength will undoubtedly be overwhelming. I fear I wouldn’t stand a chance."

The Sea Dragon Emperor’s words rang true—NPCs lagged far behind players in terms of advancing their strength. Currently, the top-tier players had nearly all ascended to the Heavenly Realm, while the Sea Dragon Emperor’s strength was roughly on par with Dao Feng. Given the strength reduction he would suffer upon leaving Dragon Sea, he would be even weaker than Dao Feng.

"I don’t need you to go to the continent. I only ask that you defend Dragon Sea. The enemy may launch an attack from the ocean to target the rear of my Hero Guild. If that happens, I hope you can mobilize the countless beings of Dragon Sea to fend them off," Huang Yi said, producing the Crystal Staff he had obtained from the Tidal Calling Siren Princess and handing it to the Sea Dragon Emperor.

"Such dense Divine Power from the Pillar of Sea God! This is... a Divine Artifact Fragment!" The Sea Dragon Emperor gasped in amazement when he saw the Crystal Staff. Trembling with excitement, he leaped out of his Dragon Throne, his gaze riveted on the artifact.

No one knew better than he did the immense value of such a large Divine Artifact Fragment. The Sea-Calming Divine Staff he held was a Treasure passed down through generations of the Sea Dragon Clan. It symbolized both strength and authority and had repelled countless invaders. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that there would be no Sea Dragon Clan without the Sea-Calming Divine Staff!

"Indeed!" Huang Yi nodded. "This is a major fragment from the Pillar of Sea God. Fusing it with your Sea-Calming Divine Staff should greatly enhance your power. Since your strength is supreme within Dragon Sea, any Demon Clan elite wishing to pass through would at least need to be at the Senior Heavenly Domain Level. And there aren’t many demons of that caliber."

The Sea Dragon Emperor’s eyes brightened with joy as he nodded repeatedly. "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! This fragment is comparable in size and importance to the Sea-Calming Divine Staff itself—about one-third of the original Divine Artifact, the Pillar of Sea God. When fused, the combined artifact would restore two-thirds of the original power. I wonder if it might reach the level of a Sub-Divine Artifact. If it does, even the avatars of the Seven Archdemons won’t be a match for me!"

"That powerful?!" Jin Jiao gasped, his young face brimming with astonishment. His large, sparkling eyes fixated on the Crystal Staff in Huang Yi’s hand.

"Of course!" The Sea Dragon Emperor nodded. "A complete Divine Artifact is incredibly rare; it’s nearly impossible for anyone below the Demigod Level to acquire one. However, with enough fragments, it’s possible to restore some of the artifact’s former glory, including a portion of its powers and abilities—thus becoming a Sub-Divine Artifact. Compared to Sub-Divine Artifacts, even Epic Equipment pales in comparison."

"Then let’s go ahead and fuse it!" Huang Yi said, tossing the Crystal Staff to the Sea Dragon Emperor.

The Sea Dragon Emperor extended his hand, and the Crystal Staff flew into his grasp. He examined it closely, growing increasingly pleased with every passing moment, his dragon eyes gleaming with delight.

Then, he stretched out his hands, bringing the Crystal Staff into contact with the Sea-Calming Divine Staff—a relic passed down through generations of the Sea Dragon Clan!

At that instant, the two staffs radiated a blinding brilliance, so dazzling that no one could keep their eyes open. Even Huang Yi, with his enhanced vision, saw nothing but a sea of white before him!

The bright light rapidly expanded, enveloping the entire Dragon Palace and continuing outward across Dragon Sea, traveling thousands of miles in an instant!

No matter where one was in Dragon Sea, all eyes turned toward the direction of the Dragon Palace, where a resplendent light shone like a newly risen sun!

Every living being in Dragon Sea gazed reverently toward the Dragon Palace. Be it fish, shrimp, or creatures with higher intelligence, all turned to that radiant source.

Huang Yi steadied himself and activated his Heart Eye Ability to observe the fusion process of the two staffs.

The two artifacts began to melt into each other, gradually merging into a single entity. They were parts of the same Divine Artifact, the Pillar of Sea God, and were destined to become one again.

Time passed, and eventually, the dazzling light subsided!

Now, in the hands of the Sea Dragon Emperor, was a brand-new item.

It no longer resembled a staff; instead, it looked more like a rod. Transparent, imbued with a golden hue, and exuding a brilliant aura, it was both imperial and artistic in design.

Dense Divine Power emanated from it, showcasing its essence as a former Divine Artifact!

Such an item, no matter where it was, would never go unnoticed. Even the most unobservant person could sense its immense power.

"It has grown so much stronger!" The Sea Dragon Emperor exclaimed, running his fingers lovingly over the golden rod, unable to put it down.

"Father, has it reached the level of a Sub-Divine Artifact?" Jin Jiao leaped forward, wrapping his arms around the Sea Dragon Emperor’s neck, his eyes gleaming with hope.

"That’s its only shortcoming," the Sea Dragon Emperor sighed, shaking his head. "It hasn’t yet reached the Sub-Divine Artifact level. Yet, its quality already surpasses any Epic Equipment. If we could obtain more fragments, it might evolve into a Sub-Divine Artifact. At that point, I wouldn’t even fear facing avatars of the Seven Archdemons."

He then turned to Huang Yi and said, "God of Slaughter, this reforged Sea-Calming Divine Staff is no longer solely of the Sea Dragon Clan. It is now yours and mine to share. If you ever need it, you can come and take it anytime."

"Understood. I will indeed need this half-reformed artifact eventually, but not now. When the time comes, I’ll retrieve it through special means." Huang Yi nodded, casting a final glance at the reforged Sea-Calming Divine Staff, feeling a measure of relief in his heart.

Now, he had another powerful weapon at his disposal.

...

Time passed, and a day went by.

The invading army stationed at Red Cliffs City had spent the entire day waiting in vain, all their meticulous preparations coming to naught.

"What’s going on? Why hasn’t the God of Slaughter led his army to besiege Red Cliffs City? The Fallen General’s forces have sent multiple urgent messages! They joined this siege despite their tightly packed schedules; they don’t have time to waste on you," Miyamoto Musashi complained, glancing toward the nearby Pope.

The Pope frowned in confusion. "This intelligence came directly from one of our Guild’s core members. It’s absolutely reliable—there shouldn’t have been any mistakes!"

"Obviously, this was fake intelligence!" T.N.T shot the Pope a cold look. "The latest news says the Fallen General has already run out of patience and has taken his six Annihilation Warriors back with him. They have more important matters to handle. Today, all our work has been for nothing! Time’s up—notify all units. Tomorrow, we’ll launch a full-scale assault. No more hesitating; we’ll initiate the final battle directly!"