“End Times Education” holds a notable reputation within the Golden Oak Kingdom.
Although the mysterious texts and symbols on it are completely incomprehensible, accidentally activating some supernatural powers is still possible.
Therefore, it has been involved in several major upheavals, with multiple replicas circulating in the market.
Of course, Wu Ming knew for sure that the copy he held was definitely the genuine article.
Not only did it record the origin of an ancient organization—the Crimson Hand—but it also mentioned several blood rituals and even some secret knowledge.
The ruins within the Red Coral Sea, however, were only vaguely referenced, with a sense of caution and apprehension.
“This ruin should be located in the deep sea… Otherwise, as a tourist attraction, it would have been discovered by countless people already…”
After synthesizing all available information, Wu Ming had determined the general location of the ruins.
“Deep sea… with current technology and equipment, reaching such depths would be difficult…”
Wu Ming sighed, stepping out of the door.
“Hey, Steven, let’s go diving!”
Vidi and others waved at him. “The red coral reefs here are said to be the most beautiful in the world!”
“Of course we must go!”
Wu Ming smiled and walked with Alice to the beach.
The girls were all in swimsuits, especially Lanny and Alice, whose figures were quite impressive. Vidi jabbed Philip hard with his elbow, casting an envious glance.
“Scuba diving requires certain skills and carries risks. Also, none of you have any medical conditions, right?”
A professional diving instructor approached carrying expensive equipment—oxygen tanks, wetsuits, and diving masks, each item costly.
“We’ll try first, then teach you!”
Vidi proudly announced to the girls sunbathing on the sand before cheering and rushing onto the boat.
“When diving for the first time, don’t go too deep. I’ll follow you all the way. Watch the gauge on your oxygen tank, and surface immediately if anything seems wrong. Avoid seaweed and all obstacles…”
The instructor droned on, while Wu Ming showed interest in the equipment. “If I were to buy these instead of renting, how much would it cost?”
“You want to buy all this?”
The instructor was surprised but quickly assumed it was just another rich kid’s whim, considering that real wealthy families even owned private airships and yachts.
“The price might be quite high!”
“Money isn’t an issue. I want the best!”
Wu Ming put on the wetsuit and quickly jumped into the water.
Splash!
A white wave rippled on the surface as his body rapidly descended into the underwater world.
Sunlight filtered through the rippling surface, creating a colorful and surreal underwater realm.
A string of bubbles emerged beside him as Vidi, Nave, and Philip followed, excitedly gesturing.
“With the equipment… I should be able to dive deeper!”
Wu Ming had no intention of admiring the corals and shells. Instead, he focused on the increasing pressure with depth, estimating his limits.
“The human diving record in this world is three hundred meters, but according to the information, that node should be at least a thousand meters below the surface!”
After the instructor signaled, Wu Ming quickly surfaced, removing his mask and oxygen apparatus.
“At first, I can use my astral projection and mental powers to scan. Once the location is confirmed, I can dive in for real…”
Wiping seawater from his face, Wu Ming sighed inwardly. “I hope there’s enough time during this vacation!”
Though he had a general direction, it still covered a vast area, requiring significant time to search.
…
Half a month later.
“Steven!”
Vidi grumbled, watching Wu Ming head out with a fishing rod. “Are you going fishing again? Philip and Lanny are having a blast!”
Alice also looked at him with a hint of disappointment.
“Yeah, you guys go have fun. Don’t worry about me!”
Fishing from a small boat would serve as a perfect cover, while using his astral projection and mental powers for scanning was an effective search method.
Wu Ming had already eliminated several suspected locations and felt he was drawing closer to the real ruins.
“Brother, I’ll go with you!”
Angelina had grown closer to him and now cheerfully grabbed a bucket, appearing even more energetic.
“Okay, fine!”
Fishing required great patience, often involving sitting still for hours, unmoving.
Wu Ming actually enjoyed this leisurely activity, watching the fishing line float on the water, the bobber rising and falling, his eyes half-closed, entering a meditative state.
In this state, his astral form quickly separated from his body, diving deep into the sea, instantly plunging hundreds of meters.
“Previous trenches can be ruled out. Here… Huh?”
Suddenly, a strong inner tremor struck Wu Ming, even causing a flicker of alarm on his physical face.
“What’s wrong?”
Angelina asked curiously. She had been squatting beside him, watching intently, her eyes puzzled.
“A big fish is biting!”
Wu Ming swung the rod, landing a blue fish several feet long into the boat, its tail still slapping the wooden planks.
“Awesome!”
Angelina immediately grabbed a net, battling the fish. Meanwhile, Wu Ming’s eyes darkened slightly.
“So it’s really here…”
Confirming the location was worth celebrating, yet his mood was heavy. “That presence… I’m certain!”
An unexpected discovery stirred a mix of excitement and caution within Wu Ming.
…
Late at night.
Moonlight shimmered on the sea, clearly reflecting a silver moon on the surface.
The sea at night appeared more tranquil, yet like an unfathomable beast, its depths hidden from moonlight seemed to conceal indescribable mysteries.
“This is the place!”
A small boat approached. Wu Ming, fully equipped, donned his diving mask and plunged into the sea with a splash.
Gurgle! Gurgle!
Numerous fine bubbles emerged from his regulator.
In the dark sea, corals looked oddly different from daytime, with many seaweeds stretching like countless monster tentacles dancing wildly.
One hundred meters! Two hundred meters! Three hundred meters!
The surroundings grew darker until finally engulfed in unfathomable blackness.
However, the dim visibility had no effect on Wu Ming, who relied on his astral perception and mental scanning.
Gurgle! Gurgle!
“Getting close? Hmm?”
Wu Ming’s consciousness stirred, sensing an approaching undercurrent.
Pfft!
A jet of water shot forth like an arrow.
Wu Ming twisted his body, dodging gracefully. His mental powers accurately detected a “monster”!
It resembled a malformed plesiosaur, with a long, slender neck contrasting sharply with its massive, toothy body. Its blood-red eyes were filled with ferocity, staring at Wu Ming like an invader.
“A sea monster?”
“And one guarding this area specifically!?”
If the Red Coral Sea were truly plagued by such ferocious monsters, it would be widely known. The current situation strongly suggested human involvement.
“Back off!”
With his current mental power, Wu Ming could use a mental spike to kill even a minotaur like Zak or scare away a ghost ship.
But this sea monster only hesitated briefly, its blood-red pupils flaring as it charged directly at him!
Its seemingly clumsy limbs moved in perfect harmony underwater, flowing with incredible agility.
“Brave!”
Wu Ming clenched his right fist, sending a violent vibration through the water, landing a punch on the monster’s hide.
A sensation of toughness, thickness, and slipperiness came through, as if striking several layers of greased leather.
The monster merely twisted slightly, dissipating most of the force effortlessly, its speed unchanged.
“Dealing with such a creature on land would be difficult enough, let alone in its home territory… Moreover, its structure is abnormal, seemingly immune to mental attacks and illusions…”
A layer of lightning flickered over Wu Ming’s hand.
Crackling!
The blue lightning surged into the monster, finally causing it pain. Its sharp mouth opened wide, letting out a fierce bite toward Wu Ming.
“Get lost!”
Realizing he couldn’t defeat this beast quickly, Wu Ming immediately released another powerful bolt of lightning, temporarily paralyzing it while he swiftly swam away.
After all, he was here to find the ruins. Killing the monster was irrelevant.
Such a thick-skinned, mentally immune creature would be hard to handle even for a Taoist priest, especially in the deep sea!
Gurgle!
Dense bubbles parted the water as Wu Ming rapidly descended.
Eight hundred meters! Nine hundred meters! One thousand meters!
It was a deep sea trench. Following the path detected by his mental powers, Wu Ming arrived at a rocky wall. With hands like sharp claws, he cleared away numerous shells and seaweed, revealing a strange crimson-red symbol.
“Wu wu!!!”
Upon seeing Wu Ming reach the location, the monster’s cries grew more desperate. Suddenly, several more similar silhouettes emerged from the trench, rushing toward him.
“There are more of them!”
Wu Ming’s expression changed slightly, though he wasn’t particularly afraid.
“Didn’t expect such good luck this time!”
He placed his palm on the crimson-red symbol, channeling his mental powers and magical energy outward. The rock wall shimmered with light.
“Teleport!”
Whoosh!
In the next instant, his entire form vanished from the trench!
The entrance to the ruins was actually a teleportation array!
The surrounding sea monsters cried out in fury but dared not vent their anger on the rock wall, only lingering there for a long while…
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