After a moment's hesitation, she still brought the bottle to her lips. Faintly, she seemed to catch a trace of her brother-in-law's unique scent, and for a moment, a blush crept across her pale cheeks.
But Lyra didn't drink much—just two small sips before recapping the bottle. After all, who knew when they'd find land again? Every drop of fresh water was precious.
Suddenly, she did something even she hadn't expected: she shyly offered the open bottle to Ian Song. "Brother-in-law, you should drink some too."
"There isn't any of your saliva on this, is there?" Ian teased.
"Of course not!" Lyra's cheeks flushed even deeper.
"Ah, what a pity," Ian said with mock seriousness. He took the bottle, drank a mouthful, then handed it back to Lyra. "I'll leave the water in your care."
Lyra instinctively took the bottle, shooting Ian a glare. "Brother-in-law, you're teasing me again."
"Haha!"
Ian couldn't help but laugh out loud, his laughter tinged with a bit of pride.
Hearing Ian laugh, Lyra was both embarrassed and annoyed, but the gloom in her heart was swept away by his laughter. For a moment, she gazed at Ian in a daze—her brother-in-law could keep such a lighthearted attitude even in the face of danger. It was truly remarkable.
Night fell, and a sky full of stars appeared overhead.
The rolling waves gradually calmed. Aside from Ian's strokes through the water and their breathing, everything around them fell into a deep silence.
After swimming for a while, Ian's gaze suddenly sharpened in a certain direction, and his expression turned grim.
"Lyra, hold on to me tight."
Ian spoke in a low voice.
"Brother-in-law, what's wrong?" Lyra's voice was tinged with panic—she didn't think Ian would ask her to hold tight just to take advantage.
"A few sharks are coming, but it's nothing to worry about."
Ian said calmly, stopping his strokes and keeping balance using only his legs.
Splash, splash, splash!
The sound of water breaking reached them—three sharks had already closed in to within a hundred meters.
But to his shock, dozens more water columns erupted all around, cutting off every escape route. At the same time, a tremendous pulling force from the surface yanked Ian and Lyra downward.
Below, the monster had already opened its huge, shadowy maw, waiting for them to fall in.
"Screw you!"
Ian cursed inwardly and activated Spatial Stasis.
The moment the ability activated, a small frozen space formed around them, and the irresistible suction vanished.
"Go!"
Spatial Stasis only lasted for three seconds, so Ian didn't dare waste a moment—he pushed the flying sword at full power straight up into the sky.
Three seconds later—
Space returned to normal. The giant beast, finding Ian Song missing, let out several furious roars toward the sky.
Already thousands of meters above the sea, Ian Song looked down at the monster with lingering fear, then urged the flying sword to streak away like a cold beam of light.
This monster's strength far surpassed Innate Ninth Layer—it had reached Foundation Establishment. Ian hadn't expected such terrifying creatures to exist in this world's oceans.
"Brother-in-law, is this giant sword beneath us a magic treasure?" Lyra asked curiously.
Mountain-Sea Divine Palace can forge magic treasures, but theirs are either for attack or defense—none can both attack and fly like the bronze flying sword.
Plus, in this world, the power cultivated in the middle dantian isn't as pure as true essence. Using it to drive a magic treasure only brings out a fraction of its power.
Ian Song nodded. "That's right."
After flying several hundred li, Ian Song slowed down and lowered altitude, using Clairvoyant Vision to search for islands.
His luck wasn't great—his lower dantian's true essence was completely drained and still he hadn't found land.
He quickly popped a few Vital Essence Pills, switched to using his middle dantian to control the sword, and kept searching. Since he'd already exposed the flying sword, he was determined not to stop until he found an island.
Finally, Heaven rewards persistence. Just as Ian Song's middle dantian true essence was about to run dry, he spotted an island.
His spirits lifted and he sped up, flying the sword toward their first hope of land.
He sent out his bronze flying sword again, aiming straight for the monster.
The beast's body was covered in jet-black scales, but even that couldn't stop the sword's edge. With a wet crunch, it pierced the creature's skull. Just to be sure, Ian Song manipulated the sword to shred its brain to mush.
He recalled the sword and kept swimming.
But just then—
"ROAR!"
A furious roar thundered from the depths, making Ian Song and Lyra Hale's eardrums buzz.
"Brother-in-law, what was that?" Lyra asked in a frightened voice.
"No idea!"
Ian shook his head, using Clairvoyant Vision to peer straight into the depths.
An even bigger monster—dozens of times larger than the last—was shooting toward them like lightning.
The previous beast he'd killed was already huge, about two stories tall and dozens of meters long.
But this one, the roaring monster, was at least ten stories high and nearly a kilometer long.
"Damn, what the hell is that? No way I can stay at the surface!"
Ian made a snap decision: he released his bronze flying sword, expanded it tenfold, and, still carrying Lyra Hale, leaped onto it.
"Go!"
With a thought, the sword shot skyward at an angle.
"Ah! Brother-in-law, we're flying!" Lyra cried out in shock.
Boom!
At that moment, a water column at least ten meters thick blasted upward, slamming straight toward Ian Song.
Ian's face changed—the force of that water column was stronger than a full-force strike from an Innate Ninth Layer expert. He hurriedly dodged on the flying sword.
But to his shock, dozens more water columns erupted all around, cutting off every escape route. At the same time, a tremendous pulling force from the surface yanked Ian and Lyra downward.
Below, the monster had already opened its huge, shadowy maw, waiting for them to fall in.
"Screw you!"
Ian cursed inwardly and activated Spatial Stasis.
The moment the ability activated, a small frozen space formed around them, and the irresistible suction vanished.
"Go!"
Spatial Stasis only lasted for three seconds, so Ian didn't dare waste a moment—he pushed the flying sword at full power straight up into the sky.
Three seconds later—
Space returned to normal. The giant beast, finding Ian Song missing, let out several furious roars toward the sky.
Already thousands of meters above the sea, Ian Song looked down at the monster with lingering fear, then urged the flying sword to streak away like a cold beam of light.
This monster's strength far surpassed Innate Ninth Layer—it had reached Foundation Establishment. Ian hadn't expected such terrifying creatures to exist in this world's oceans.
"Brother-in-law, is this giant sword beneath us a magic treasure?" Lyra asked curiously.
Mountain-Sea Divine Palace can forge magic treasures, but theirs are either for attack or defense—none can both attack and fly like the bronze flying sword.
Plus, in this world, the power cultivated in the middle dantian isn't as pure as true essence. Using it to drive a magic treasure only brings out a fraction of its power.
Ian Song nodded. "That's right."
After flying several hundred li, Ian Song slowed down and lowered altitude, using Clairvoyant Vision to search for islands.
His luck wasn't great—his lower dantian's true essence was completely drained and still he hadn't found land.
He quickly popped a few Vital Essence Pills, switched to using his middle dantian to control the sword, and kept searching. Since he'd already exposed the flying sword, he was determined not to stop until he found an island.
Finally, Heaven rewards persistence. Just as Ian Song's middle dantian true essence was about to run dry, he spotted an island.
His spirits lifted and he sped up, flying the sword toward their first hope of land.