Wang Zhan squinted. His heart was racing. He wasn’t even sure what this big guy blocking their path was.

At a glance, the big guy before him somehow resembled the legendary Black Tortoise.

However, it was a thing of legend. Even Wang Zhan himself couldn’t say for sure if it was the Black Tortoise. But one thing he did know: the big guy’s sheer size was immense, so vast it even blocked the view of the sea level before them.

Wang Zhan lifted his fist, and a massive curtain of fire began to rise around his body.

Luo Xue stood silently behind Wang Zhan, not daring to say more.

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from the sky.

The big guy actually moved its mouth, and then came bursts of roaring sounds, like rolling thunder, "To think that I, who have slumbered here for so many years, would be awakened by the likes of you."

"I didn’t expect a big guy like you to actually speak!" Wang Zhan remained vigilant, his gaze fixed on the enormous big guy before him.

After its eyes swept over Wang Zhan, the big guy gave a derisive laugh before continuing, "What worldly experience could a little child like you have? When I, your old man, dominated the sea domain back in the day, you probably weren’t even born yet."

Wang Zhan was taken aback. He could sense extremely strong energy fluctuations around the big guy’s body. If they were to fight, even he wasn’t sure if he would be this big guy’s opponent. But no matter what, he couldn’t just sit there and wait for death.

The only good thing was that this big guy before them didn’t seem to have any killing intentions. After all, it hadn’t made a move since appearing, which did alleviate some of Wang Zhan’s worries. However, his other hand still clutched the black bead; if he reached a forbidden area of no return, he was naturally prepared to use this black bead.

After all, when dealing with the Dark Priest back then, this single black bead had been enough to bridge the gap between him and the Dark Priest.

One should know, those Priests had all already stepped into the realm of a Tribal Patriarch. He, on the other hand, was merely a human cultivator at the peak of his realm. Thus, if they were to clash, the chasm-like disparity would be insurmountable for him. But fortunately, this black bead possessed extremely strong power; once used, even if it couldn’t kill the opponent, it could still result in mutual destruction.

But the big guy seemed to have already seen through Wang Zhan’s thoughts. It glanced at Wang Zhan and then said, "Dismiss all those ideas in your mind. If you want to fight, believe me, I can break through all your defenses with a single move. Moreover, that black bead you’re clutching in your right hand, while it has decent power, it won’t be an easy task to deal with me using it. Besides, I also smell an old friend on you, so naturally, I have no intentions of attacking you."

"And the fact that I could awaken is entirely because of that little girl beside you. It seems we share an interesting bond."

A flood of information rushed into Wang Zhan’s mind. Squinting, he glanced at the big guy before him and then asked, "You said you smell someone familiar on me. I wonder, which familiar person is it?"

The big guy chuckled and said, "Naturally, it’s the person who taught you the Indestructible Azure Dragon Spell."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhan’s eyes widened. After all, although he had long since learned the Indestructible Azure Dragon Spell, no one could detect it as long as he didn’t display it. He was, however, keenly aware of a certain Dragon Clan Aura on himself. But because that aura was extremely weakened, even some demonic beasts, let alone humans of the Human Race, couldn’t sense its presence. To think that this big guy before him had seen through his secrets at a single glance! How could Wang Zhan not feel a surge of panic?

Wang Zhan looked at the big guy before him in shock. He squinted and asked, "Who exactly are you?"

As he spoke, the big guy suddenly soared into the sky. Wang Zhan, thinking it was about to attack, was just preparing to reveal the black bead in his hand and go all out. Suddenly, the massive figure transformed into a giant, fully two meters tall. This giant, however, had a full head of white hair and a white beard, clearly an elderly man, now standing before Wang Zhan.

This appearance, however, instantly reminded Wang Zhan of the Azure Dragon Venerable. Wang Zhan quickly put away the bead in his hand, looked intently at the giant before him, and asked, "The smell of an old acquaintance you mentioned... it couldn’t be the Azure Dragon Venerable, could it?"

"You’re quite a clever little guy." The giant before him spoke Xu Xu, "The Azure Dragon Venerable and I are old acquaintances. You can call me the Black Tortoise Venerable. What I never imagined, though, is that a little fellow like you could actually learn the Azure Dragon Venerable’s signature martial art. One should know, even those youngsters from the Dragon Clan never had such an opportunity. To think the Azure Dragon Venerable would impart such a martial art to a junior of the Human Race like you!"

Wang Zhan scratched his head and chuckled, "That old fellow, though a bit eccentric, is ultimately a good person. So, a mere martial art like this... he probably wouldn’t mind too much, right?"

Hearing this, the Black Tortoise Venerable shook his head but didn’t say much more. After all, he and the Azure Dragon Venerable had been old friends for many years. If others didn’t know the Azure Dragon Venerable’s personality, how could he not? That fellow was an absolute old stubborn mule! If it were someone he didn’t approve of, how could he possibly hand over his martial arts so easily?

But the Black Tortoise Venerable didn’t continue asking about the Azure Dragon Venerable. His gaze shifted, instantly landing on Luo Xue standing next to Wang Zhan. Then, he beckoned Luo Xue with his finger and said, "I must say, this little lass is indeed fated with me. I wonder if you would let this little girl accept my legacy?"

The Black Tortoise Venerable looked at Wang Zhan, who was standing to the side. He could tell that if Wang Zhan didn’t speak, he probably couldn’t change Luo Xue’s mind. After all, this little girl’s gaze was constantly fixed on Wang Zhan. And the Black Tortoise Venerable, being an experienced man, how could he not understand what that signified?

Previously, Wang Zhan did harbor some enmity towards the Black Tortoise Venerable. This was because the Venerable posed a threat and made him feel afraid, naturally leading to some worry. But now, Wang Zhan knew the Black Tortoise Venerable’s identity and his friendship with the Azure Dragon Venerable. Coupled with the Black Tortoise Venerable’s evident power, and considering all these factors, Wang Zhan came to a conclusion.

He glanced at Luo Xue beside him, then patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "Now I understand why you said something here seemed to be calling to you. It seems you not only awakened the Black Tortoise Venerable before us, but there’s also a certain destiny between you two. This must be an opportunity bestowed upon you by the heavens, right?"

"Since that’s the case, don’t waste any more time. Go quickly and become his disciple to learn his arts."

"Once you obtain the inheritance of the Black Tortoise Venerable, presumably, your future achievements will even surpass mine."

Luo Xue at his side gave a helpless smile, shook her head, and said, "No matter how hard I try, I imagine surpassing you won’t be an easy feat. So, Brother Wang, there’s no need for such modesty with me. I’m sure it won’t be long before you far surpass me."

Hearing this, Wang Zhan almost chuckled. He had only said it casually. But in Luo Xue’s eyes, once she obtained the inheritance, her strength would soar. However, Wang Zhan knew this point clearly. After all, even with the System’s support during this period, he had encountered countless inheritances; otherwise, his current strength wouldn’t have reached this level.

After a moment, Wang Zhan spoke again, "Alright, stop wasting time. Hurry up and let the Black Tortoise Venerable pass on some valuable things to you."

The Black Tortoise Venerable’s gaze remained fixed on Luo Xue. It had to be said, there was indeed a significant destiny between them. If Luo Xue hadn’t appeared, he would still be sealed away. The affairs of the world are truly unpredictable. A mere girl with so little cultivation actually appeared before him and even helped him break the seal. This truly must be the favor of the heavens.

Standing aside, Luo Xue narrowed her eyes, smiled, and quickly walked to the side of the Black Tortoise Venerable.

In a blink of an eye, the Black Tortoise Venerable rose into the air. He directly raised his hand and pointed a finger at Luo Xue’s forehead.

Luo Xue felt a vast surge of energy madly pouring into her body. However, the sensation wasn’t entirely pleasant; it even brought a faint, aching pain.

The Black Tortoise Venerable’s voice suddenly sounded in her ears. Following a roaring sound, Luo Xue’s body was instantly enveloped by surging sea waves.

Wang Zhan kept backing away, quietly watching the two before him.

He could feel Luo Xue’s strength continuously soaring at this moment. That kind of growth, like ascending a ladder, was truly terrifying.

Indeed, obtaining an inheritance was an extremely good thing for anyone. Not only could one’s strength rapidly improve to a certain degree, but such power could even allow one to battle across cultivation ranks. Of course, compared to Wang Zhan, there was naturally a vast difference. After all, he had the System, which was simply a cheat.