[DD]: 275

Before the battle began, the tribes scattered by the Evil Demon Orca King were targets that Xia Bai wanted to pursue and eliminate. However, upon seeing Han Li's indifferent demeanor, she abandoned that idea. Han Li indeed had no such intention. To him, everything on the Douluo Continent was essentially his private domain. The conflict between the Demon Soul Great White Sharks and the Evil Demon Orca Clan was a natural struggle in the ecosystem, with no need for him to intervene on either side. Of course, in the end, his actions did aid the Demon Soul Great White Sharks, but the Evil Demon Orca King didn't generate any faith energy for him or Ye Lingling. Besides, Han Li was still missing a soul bone, so helping the sharks was merely a convenient decision. If he had found an alternative source for the left leg bone, he might not have even embarked on this journey. Ultimately, his actions were driven by self-interest.

As for the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, it was a key part of his plan. To Han Li, the whale's entire body was a treasure trove—its soul ring, soul bones, and nearly fully converted body brimmed with soul power capable of forming energy armor. Although the quality of the soul power was slightly inferior, its sheer quantity was unparalleled. In this regard, even the current Di Tian was slightly lacking compared to it. This didn't mean its overall strength surpassed Di Tian's; rather, it excelled in these specific areas, achieving an unparalleled level on the Douluo Continent. The tribulations it endured were certainly not in vain. Han Li didn't lack endurance; what he needed was time. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King was like a rapid power charger. Devouring it would catapult Han Li to the pinnacle, eliminating any need to form alliances. Faced with a Deep Sea Demon Whale King that could potentially ascend to a first-level god after breaking through, Han Li decisively prioritized his growth. Although it was regrettable, this was reality. Justice and evil? They didn't exist—only self-interest mattered.

Upon hearing Han Li's words, Xiao Bai's massive body trembled slightly, even though this was something she had known from the start. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King had left a deeply ingrained impression of invincibility among the sea soul beasts. Even the High Priest could only intimidate it within the boundaries of Sea God Island; encountering it in other waters was almost certain death. Thankfully, it rarely ventured near the island. However, Xiao Bai quickly composed herself, recalling the scene from a few days ago where Han Li casually overpowered the High Priest at her peak. She silently closed her mouth. In Han Li's presence, no one seemed strong enough. After all, this was someone whom even Lord Sea God addressed as a "young friend." If the Deep Sea Demon Whale King were defeated, wouldn't the Demon Soul Great White Sharks have a chance to become the kings of the sea soul beasts? At this thought, a trace of ambition unexpectedly rose in Xiao Baie's heart. Whether or not they became rulers wasn't the most important thing. At the very least, her clan could gain better living conditions and roam freely across the seas.

Han Li glanced curiously at the Demon Soul Great White Shark beneath him, sensing a faint trace of faith energy merging into himself. He wondered what this silly shark was thinking, as she had even stopped swimming. He didn't ask, though; individual faith had little significance to him at this point. Applying slight pressure with his foot, he reminded Xiao Bai, snapping her out of her daydream and prompting her to speed up toward the ocean's forbidden zone. While riding on Xiao Bai's back, Han Li didn't idle. He casually affixed the newly acquired 100,000-year left leg bone to his left leg. Without even entering a meditative state, he absorbed it entirely while chatting with his companions. A mere 100,000-year soul bone offered only a marginal improvement at his current level. Along the way, he also adjusted the skills that came with the soul bone. He kept the Evil Orca Axe skill untouched, as it allowed soul power to condense in his leg, forming a razor-sharp battle axe for single-target attacks. Though the actual power was secondary, the skill looked impressive, so he decided to retain it. However, the original group attack skill, Evil Orca Tooth Slash, was rather underwhelming for his needs. After some deliberation, he chose to keep the Evil Orca Mirror of Destruction instead. The skill transformed the surroundings into mirrors, which could either be used for defense or shattered offensively. Han Li valued its mechanics; once integrated into his body, it allowed direct manipulation of water and spatial laws. While its inherent power was average, combining it with laws produced remarkable results. Whether freezing and shattering ice or fracturing space, the skill was versatile and efficient in reducing his energy expenditure, which pleased him greatly.

Xiao Bai's speed in the ocean was impressive, an advantage of her species' build among soul beasts of the same level. Now, they had entered the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's territory. Compared to previous regions, the creatures here, whether ordinary or soul beasts, were far less numerous and weaker in presence. As expected of the apex predator, the ocean's killer. Han Li sighed. Big fish eat little fish, and little fish eat shrimp. It's the law of survival—he couldn't very well stop others from eating. The problem was simply that the whale ate far too much. But it was precisely because of this insatiable appetite that Han Li was here to feast today. It wasn't all that different.

After traveling a bit further, the ocean seemed devoid of any soul beasts. Only a few ordinary fish swam around carelessly, while Xiao Bai unconsciously slowed her pace.

"Stop here," Han Li said, frowning as he ordered an abrupt halt. Xiao Bai obeyed silently. It wasn't that she didn't want to swim faster; her body instinctively resisted advancing further. Despite her best efforts to control it, she couldn't maintain her previous speed.

"You wait here for us," Han Li casually comforted her. This made Xiao Bai breathe a sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't blaming her, that was good; she didn't want to experience the same treatment as the High Priest.

"Grand Uncle, Lingling, you two don't need to make a move. Just watch from the side and don't get hurt."

Han Li was already flying into the air with the two of them.

"Oh, right, Lingling, remember to give me a healing spell before the fight starts. Just a quick one will do."

Han Li turned his head and instructed again. Ye Lingling nodded. This was to help her complete her assessment. Although she had received a small portion of divine power, it was just a sliver. After all, her task had been completed too quickly, leaving no time for further transformation. The gap between her and Han Li was too enormous. Even one second of combat could almost drain most of her soul power. As long as she participated, that was enough. As for using the Golden Thirteen Halberds to attack? Don't joke. Even though she held an artifact, it was fine for dealing with ordinary people, but against the Deep Sea Demon Whale King? Without sufficient divine power, it would be nothing more than tickling it. The difference in strength between the Evil Demon Orca King and the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was significant. If the former could survive a sea-water attack from a casual tail swipe of the latter, it would already count as extraordinary luck. In such a situation, knowing Han Li's personality, how could he possibly let Ye Lingling take the risk? After all, his life philosophy was always grounded in caution.

"Don't worry and go. This old man will protect her."

Qian Daoliu touched the small angel statue on his chest and spoke solemnly. Thanks to Han Li's modifications, it was as though he carried the Angel Temple with him, allowing him to instantly enter his strongest combat state. Protecting one person was no burden at all. "Alright, then I'll leave her to you, Grand Uncle."

Han Li smiled. With Qian Daoliu of the Angel Temple and his steady nature, he was undoubtedly the perfect bodyguard.

The three conversed as they hovered over a section of the sea. This stretch of ocean was distinctly different from the surrounding waters. For starters, the color of the water here was unimaginably deep, as though it devoured the surrounding light. Moreover, there were no waves in this area of the sea. The calmness of the waters formed a stark contrast to the surging waves in the neighboring regions. It was eerily still, the kind of stillness that felt unsettling, with the air around it carrying a sense of stagnation. This was the most direct impression the sea gave to anyone. The Demon Whale Sea—that was the name Soul Beasts gave to this area.

As the three figures paused mid-air, dark clouds began gathering above the entire Demon Whale Sea, and the water below turned pitch black at a speed visible to the naked eye. The sky and sea merged into a single color at that moment.

Boom!

In the sky, dark clouds churned as a five-meter-wide lightning bolt shot toward Ye Lingling in the form of a blue-and-white pillar of light. However, it didn't descend from the clouds but burst forth unexpectedly from beneath the sea.

"Feigning an attack to distract us? So it's a cultured whale," Han Li quipped. His body, however, moved swiftly. In a flash, he was already blocking the lightning bolt. His wings stretched forward, piercing into the blue-and-white pillar of light.

"Just lightning? As if I don't have any of my own. I'll gladly accept this attack and see how well this so-called Deep Sea Demon Whale King, who's said to be just one step away from godhood, wields lightning power."

"Martial Uncle, take Lingling up a bit higher. It seems our host isn't very welcoming."

Han Li's voice came from within the lightning pillar as the blue-and-white light gradually dimmed. In contrast, the wings on his back grew even more vibrant with the power of wind and thunder.

"Sea God's heir, huh? Such a loathsome scent to beasts. And who are you?"

From beneath the sea, a voice suddenly echoed, shaking the waters into a frenzy. The strange fluctuations that followed as the sound entered the air made Han Li frown involuntarily.

"What a grating voice. How long has it been since this guy talked? It's like it has rocks stuck in its throat."

"Me? Just the one who's here to kill you, that's all."

Han Li showed no interest in engaging in further conversation. This was simply his planned prey, a dish about to be served—why waste words?

"Ha ha ha!"

As if it had heard something amusing, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, still hidden in the depths, burst into laughter. The sound stirred waves, and its unpleasant voice made Han Li want to cut it down immediately.