The Last Sentinel

As Lu Xun once said, "The ignorant have no fear, while the knowledgeable have many worries."

At this moment, this phrase is perfectly tailor-made for the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

If there were any experts here at this moment—whether it be the old Taoist Jiajing, Ye Feng, or Zhao Changcheng—they would probably be so shocked that their jaws would drop.

Are you kidding me?! Blood oath ceremony isn't done like this!

This is not recognizing a master; it's clearly treating a major artery like a large water pipe for irrigation, recklessly and irrigating without any regard for the consequences!

Do Hua Xiaobai and the others think that recognizing a master for a treasure is like farming—the more water you give it, the more vigorously and smoothly it grows? That's utterly absurd!

Anyone in the know understands that the process of recognizing a master for such a treasure, which is related to the fate of a dynasty, involves a rigorous and almost harsh procedure: First, one must verify the authenticity of the item and confirm that it is indeed the "Ascension to the Dragon Map"; second, one must use secret methods to investigate whether there are any dangerous restrictions or unknown mechanisms hidden within the map; and finally, one must deduce and predict what kind of chain reaction will be triggered after it is opened. Every step must be taken with utmost care and cannot tolerate the slightest carelessness.

But these seven people, mistaking ignorance for courage, directly started the "main artery irrigation mode," completely unaware that their reckless actions were brewing a catastrophic disaster.

However, the Seven Warlords of the Sea held a completely different view. In their opinion, the blood shed so far was far from enough!

"Strategist! We don't have enough blood!" Dian Wei's eyes widened, his bloodshot pupils fixed on the slowly unfolding [Ascending Dragon Scroll] before him, his anxiety almost overflowing. The scroll greedily absorbed the blood gushing from the seven men, but it had only unfolded to a width of less than a foot. If the scroll, as thin as a cicada's wing, were to be fully unfurled, it would likely drain all seven of them dry, turning them into withered, stiff mummies.

Brother Eighty turned to look at Hua Xiaobai, his brows furrowed, his voice deep and serious: "What do you mean? Continue bleeding, or is there another way?"

Hua Xiaobai was also completely bewildered and filled with anxiety.

This important matter concerning the recognition of a treasure as its master should have been decided by the boss, Ye Feng, but Ye Feng was not here, leaving no one to consult.

He paced anxiously, his gaze sweeping frantically around him. Suddenly, he noticed that the giant bronze cauldron behind him was now surrounded by warm yet powerful ripples of azure light. The halo spread out like water, echoing the eerie black and red halo emanating from the [Dragon Ascension Diagram] in front of him, forming an energy bond in the distance!

Hua Xiaobai's eyes suddenly lit up, as if a drowning person had grasped a lifeline. He quickly pointed to the bronze cauldron, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement, and shouted, "Everyone, look! This bronze cauldron behind me resonates with the Ascending Dragon Diagram! They are sensing each other!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was indeed as he had said. The cyan ripples and the black and red halo intertwined and swirled in mid-air, emitting a faint glow as they moved, forming a clearly visible energy band that pulsed slowly, as if it were alive.

Old Liu scratched his head, looking puzzled. "So? How can this thing help?"

Hua Xiaobai's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a brilliant idea suddenly flashed into his mind. A bold thought instantly took shape, and he blurted out, "Merge the Dragon Ascension Diagram and the Xuzhou Cauldron! There will definitely be earth-shattering changes, and maybe we can skip the tedious steps and complete the recognition process directly!"

"Okay! Let's do it this way!"

"Brothers, stop the bleeding! Stop wasting blood!"

All seven were fearless and somewhat naive. They immediately stopped bleeding and worked together to control the [Dragon Ascension Diagram], slowly moving it toward the giant bronze cauldron.

As the distance between the two continued to close, the black and red aura around the [Dragon Ascension Diagram] became increasingly intense and eerie. The black and red water ripples were like solid black water, frantically pounding against the surrounding cabin walls, splashing sparks, as if the black water flags of the Great Qin Dynasty were fluttering in the wind, carrying a murderous and domineering aura, constantly assaulting everyone's vision.

Not to be outdone, the Xuzhou Cauldron shimmered with layers of cyan ripples, its surface ever more dazzling. On its body, ancient, long-sealed patterns suddenly lit up, swirling with mysterious light. Accompanied by a steady and powerful "thump-thump-thump" sound, like the heartbeat of an ancient beast, it released thick rings of light and shadow outwards, as if its deepest, most mysterious restrictions and codes had been triggered.

"Release!" Brother Eighty roared, his voice echoing throughout the entire casting chamber.

The seven of them simultaneously withdrew their hands, and the [Dragon Ascension Diagram], like a leaf swept up by a gale, slowly fell towards the mouth of the Xuzhou Cauldron. Just as the scroll was about to fall into the cauldron's mouth, the Xuzhou Cauldron suddenly emitted a deafening, muffled hum. From within the cauldron's mouth, a thick, terrifying torrent of azure energy, carrying boundless vitality and a heavy aura, suddenly surged forth, shooting straight into the sky and dyeing the entire forging chamber azure!

A torrent of azure energy, carrying immense power, poured into the [Dragon Ascension Diagram]. The scroll, originally shrouded in a black and red aura, was instantly enveloped in a dazzling bronze radiance; the black and red hues intertwined with bronze, creating an eerie sight. Then, the azure torrent rapidly condensed and shaped at the edge of the scroll, gradually transforming into a thick, towering bronze tree trunk!

The veins on the tree trunk were clearly visible, and soon bronze branches and forks grew out, along with bronze leaves with delicate textures and a cold metallic luster. Each leaf exuded an ancient and mysterious aura, as if carrying ancient secrets.

If Ye Feng were here right now, he would definitely be so shocked that he would shout out loud – this is no ordinary bronze tree, it is clearly the legendary Sanxingdui bronze tree!

The crisp cracking sounds continued incessantly, extremely ear-piercing. The power of the Xuzhou Cauldron and the [Dragon Ascension Diagram] had completely merged, becoming inseparable. It was as if a seed that had been dormant for millions of years had received ample nutrients and instantly began to expand and grow wildly.

Thick bronze branches, as thick as arms, spread and pierced in all directions at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, they pierced through the spaceship's super fusion chamber—a chamber that was strong enough to forge fusion reactor engines and was known as indestructible. But in front of the bronze branches, it was as fragile as paper and shattered instantly, with metal fragments flying everywhere.

Immediately following, the spaceship's metal deck emitted a piercing tearing sound as the entire deck was frantically devoured and absorbed by the bronze giant tree, instantly turning into dust and disappearing without a trace.

The surrounding monitor screens, flashing emergency lights, sophisticated instruments and equipment, and even everything within reach, were rapidly melted and disappeared under the devouring of the bronze giant tree, as if they had never existed in this world, leaving only a mess and deathly silence.