A Fateful Encounter

"If you can pull that off, grandpa here will give you a smile!" Snoopy rolled his eyes.

"Just watch if you don't believe me!" Du Chen glanced at his pocket watch from within the Lotus Sacred Artifacts. "It's 10 AM now. According to Reno's plan, everything will commence at noon, 12 o'clock, when Arthur executes the Sea King! And those ten thousand Garrison Fleet soldiers will emerge from underground based on the battlefield situation after the war begins... We still have two hours!"

"What exactly are you going to do? Tell grandpa clearly!"

Du Chen shrugged and smiled, "Couldn't we just have the Lionheart King 'accidentally' expand the battlefield underground?"

"You're going to destroy the entire underground structure of this sea area?"

"Mmhmm! Don't worry, I'll tell the Lionheart King to be very careful; it won't severely impact Bog Island... Just do as I say!"

Listening to Du Chen's instructions relayed through a Secret Technique, Snoopy returned to the center of the base, staring at Sophie. "My dear, my grand army is about to reach its designated location. Could you first escort me to the battlefield for a reconnaissance?"

Sophie looked at Snoopy in surprise. "Your Majesty, are you not yet familiar with the sea charts south of Bog Island? Or, perhaps, you lack confidence in dealing with that old lion?"

Snoopy smiled arrogantly. "Battlefields are ever-changing; familiarity with charts does not equate to victory! I've got that old lion exactly where I want him, but this confidence stems from this King holding the entire situation firmly within his grasp!"

Sophie's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment. She linked her arm through Snoopy's. "Very well, let's go! But be careful not to be discovered by Reno's scouts!" She whispered softly, "Seins, I've known you for ten years, and only now do your words truly stir my soul. This is how a true King acts!"

Snoopy secretly clicked his tongue. *That wasn't my line, nor Seins's; it all sprang from Francis's mouth! A King? Can that grandson, who's elegant in public but resorts to every trick and deception behind the scenes, truly deserve such a title?*

Susan took out the earthy-yellow orb and transported Du Chen and Snoopy beneath the sea sand of the predetermined battlefield. By then, the Garrison Fleet, led by Old Turtle Darick, had already assembled. From the sky to the seabed, Sea Clan armies and sacred artifacts of war were everywhere! Susan remained underground, while Snoopy subtly surfaced from the sand layer, concealing his tracks, even from the Sea Clan.

Du Chen whispered into Snoopy's ear, "You delay them here for half an hour. I'll go find the Lionheart King; I'll return to you as soon as we've settled things!"

With that, Du Chen rode the Lotus Sacred Artifacts, gliding through the sea sand southwards. After about twenty miles, the sunlight piercing the water from above suddenly dimmed, signaling the arrival of Reno's fleet, covering a vast expanse of the sea, rushing forward!

Launching a fully concealed assault on the Sea Clan in the ocean? That would be nothing short of a madman's delusion! Reno's fleet simply abandoned any pretense of strategic surprise, opting instead for an aggressive, overt, yet utterly murderous charge! As Du Chen emerged from the sea, he was met with an overwhelming aura of dread.

The sight of ten thousand warships dominating the horizon where sky met sea was heart-stopping. But time was short. Du Chen quickly pinpointed the flagship's location, then swiftly descended, flying beneath the golden lion banner on the flagship. He kept the Lotus Sacred Artifacts minimized, unwilling for too many to know he had met the Lionheart King before the Scarlet Army base was destroyed...

But just then, Du Chen heard a thunderous roar in his ear, which made his Lotus Sacred Artifacts tremble! "Who dares to spy on Reno's Grand Army, oblivious to the proper decorum before the Lionheart King's presence?!"

*What!? My Lotus Sacred Artifacts have been discovered!?*

Du Chen was not conceited, but besides the Tyran Beast, could anyone else in the world discover his Lotus Sacred Artifacts!?

*This is impossible! Not even a... God!*

Silence enveloped the sea surface, broken only by the sound of warships cutting through the water. No one but Du Chen had heard that angry roar!

Almost simultaneously, a force capable of seizing dragons and binding tigers clamped onto the Lotus Sacred Artifacts where Du Chen was hidden. With a gentle exertion of power, the minimized Du Chen was effortlessly hoisted onto the deck of the fleet's flagship. No one knew where this power came from, at least Du Chen didn't!

*Clang!* The Lotus Sacred Artifacts struck the iron deck. Du Chen used the momentum to flip, the Lotus hovering slightly, allowing him to stand firm! After revealing his true form and seeing the situation on deck, he inclined his head and smiled. "Francis, a Divine Envoy of Du Chen's Divine Cult, greets Your Majesty. The Lionheart King truly lives up to his formidable reputation. Might this junior inquire how Your Majesty discovered my presence, concealed within the Lotus, observing your movements?"

The deck was empty save for twenty lion-faced, iron-clad Battle-Warriors. Amidst their escort, an unparalleled overlord sat upon a gilded throne beneath the Crimson Lion banner, his gaze cold and imperious. He wore two-toned purple and gold battle armor, eagle-clawed boots, a Phoenix King sash, and golden lion-headed pauldrons on each shoulder. Yet, he wore no helmet, only a mane of golden hair that flowed in the sea breeze and golden eyes as sharp as a hawk's!

This was Alonso, seated on the throne. He scrutinized Du Chen with a cold gaze. After a long moment, a smile bloomed at the corner of his lips. "Excellent! The Sacred Artifacts are excellent, but the man is even better! No wonder Arthur often speaks of you; you are indeed one of the rare young talents of the Three Continents in recent years!"

Du Chen smiled faintly, neither obsequious nor arrogant, merely showing the politeness one would to an elder friend. "Your Majesty has yet to answer my question!"

The Lionheart King's smile grew wider, then he burst into hearty laughter. "When the Garrison Fleet surrenders, if you possess even a shred of discernment, you will understand how I was able to detect your Lotus Sacred Artifacts! Francis, why are you not on Bog Island, and instead, seeking me out?"

*Is this a test?* Du Chen no longer pressed the question. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, when the great battle begins shortly, ten thousand Garrison Fleet soldiers will suddenly appear from beneath the sea. I hope Your Majesty will be prepared in advance!"

This astonishing news, though unexpected, seemed to fall on deaf ears. The Lionheart King's expression remained calm and authoritative. He counter-questioned Du Chen, "Is that the only matter?"

Du Chen's eyes darted around, noting only the Lionheart King's personal Retainers nearby. He then chuckled, "Of course not. This junior also wishes to ask for a small favor from Your Majesty – to create an 'accident' and destroy the underground structure of this sea area, but without affecting Bog Island!"

"Why?"

"My enemies are underground!" Du Chen had promised Arthur not to inform the Lionheart King about the Scarlet Army and Wolf for now, so he spoke vaguely.

Alonso nodded. "Very well! You have given me a spirited and promising Crown Prince; I shall help you eliminate your enemies. This is fair!"

Du Chen smiled, and Alonso smiled too. With just a few words, they finalized a strategy that would determine the fate of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. They then simply looked at each other.

...It felt strange. Du Chen felt that the legendary figure before him didn't match the rumors. The Lionheart King wasn't old; his appearance was that of a man in his forties or fifties, radiating overwhelming dominance and an aura of overseeing a million armies! Yet, beyond this, Du Chen also had a peculiar feeling, though he couldn't pinpoint its origin.

The Lionheart King's 'Lionheart' also showed a momentary flicker of confusion. With a slight furrow of his golden brows, he slowly spoke, "You resemble Arthur..."

"We are friends who endured Philip's inhumane experiments together, were hunted together, and fought enemies hand-in-hand. Moreover, we share a common past..." Du Chen added in his heart, *and we also share a common ancestor—Wolf!* He cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, my friend is still delaying the enemy underground. I must take my leave!"

Alonso's gaze towards Du Chen unconsciously softened with a paternal fondness. "Is your friend the one impersonating the Sea King? Tell me his location; there's no need to retrieve him. You shall observe the battle from my Crimson Lion flagship!"

Du Chen disliked this semi-commanding tone, but inexplicably, a sense of compliance welled up within him. He politely declined, "This... while my friend is skilled in disguise, his actual strength is quite lacking. Once the great battle begins, it will be difficult for him to protect himself!"

"War has already begun!" The Lionheart King smiled proudly.

Du Chen was startled. *Wasn't the original plan for battle to start at 12 o'clock? How could...* He turned his head to survey the sea. The fleet, like storm clouds pressing down on the sea, was still sailing, still more than ten nautical miles from the designated combat zone—the shallow waters! How could Alonso claim the battle had already begun under such circumstances?

Just then, Alonso commanded with undeniable authority, "If you don't want your friend to die, tell me his location!"

Du Chen's heart tightened. He vaguely sensed that something had already happened and hastily said, "At the eleven o'clock direction, about seventeen nautical miles out!"

The Lionheart King nodded slightly, then suddenly his voice boomed across the world. His right arm was raised high, and a purple-gold, lion-headed long blade appeared in his palm before heavily descending! "Adjust coordinates! At the eleven o'clock direction, within a one-mile radius, seventeen nautical miles out, unleash the Tempest Thunder Prison! As for the rest... cover it entirely!"

Before his words even faded, Du Chen heard a *clang-clang* of metal on the great ship beneath his feet. Looking up, he saw the colossal warships of Reno's two hundred thousand-strong fleet all turning their bows. Their figureheads uniformly pointed towards the Lionheart King. Only then did Du Chen realize that this army of two hundred thousand, seemingly on the march, was actually arranged in a mysterious and wondrous formation!

Following this, purple lightning flashed across the old lion's long blade. The electrical energy surged skyward, gathering in the heavens. Bolt after bolt of lightning flared up from Reno's massive warships, finally... forming a thundercloud that eclipsed the sun!

The Lionheart King remained expressionless. His long blade was raised once more, and his majestic voice echoed into the sky, "Thundercloud Storm Array, First Strike!"

Du Chen suddenly felt a vast and formidable force of nature descend from the sky. Looking up, the lightning on the thundercloud crackled and danced, then vanished. From their trajectory, they were heading straight for the Garrison Fleet's stronghold, over ten nautical miles away...

The Reno army under the Lionheart King's command actually possessed long-range destructive power! Du Chen's military experience on the great plains told him that if Arges—the top general of Lanning—were to encounter the Lionheart King's army, he would undoubtedly be annihilated!

*Oh heavens! No wonder the Pontiff himself was helpless against the Skylands, no wonder the Papal Curia's Godfather of the Skylands could only serve as an inconspicuous spy chief in Reno! No wonder it's widely acknowledged in military circles that while there are countless famous generals across the Three Continents, the Twin Pillars of the Skylands are unrivaled!*

*No, that's wrong. After Martial Venerable Robert's death, the Skylands only had one heavenly prodigy left: the Lionheart, Alonso!*

"Thundercloud Storm Array, Second Strike!" The Lionheart King's long blade rose again!

Another flash of lightning and thunder. Upon closer inspection, this second thundercloud was exactly twice the size of the first!

Listening to the rumbling thunder, cold sweat broke out on Du Chen's palms! *What a stroke of luck! Snoopy and I weren't supposed to investigate the Scarlet Army base. If I hadn't had a sudden impulse to visit the Lionheart King... Snoopy and I would probably have been pulverized into dust by this killing array formed by two hundred thousand soldiers!*

Du Chen wiped his forehead; it felt chillingly cold!

Sometimes, the Goddess of Fate tortures people this way: after making you dance at the edge of a butcher's knife, she tells you she never intended to kill you...

Looking from afar, the area where the Sea Tribe army had gathered was covered by a vast dark cloud, and lightning, like torrential rain, descended from the sky. The distance was too great for Du Chen to hear screams, but soon, blood-red seawater and... charred limbs drifted in on the surging tides!

But just then, a layer of sky-blue shield covered the entire surface of the shallow waters, surprisingly reflecting the Thundercloud Storm Array with great difficulty!

A messenger also reported the situation to Alonso. "Your Majesty, after suffering the first strike, the Garrison Fleet activated the Sea-Quelling Countercurrent Array. Our front-line troops are starting to be affected by our own lightning!"

The Lionheart King remained unmoved. His figure slowly ascended. When he reached the cloud level, his long blade was raised for the third time. "Thundercloud Storm Array, Third Strike!"

With a thunderous crash, even Du Chen, over ten nautical miles away, felt his ears ring! But before his very eyes, the Sea Clan's countercurrent barrier was shattered...

*This is bad! Can Snoopy, that bunny-grandpa, withstand a shock of this magnitude!?*

Du Chen grew anxious and quickly concealed himself in the Lotus Sacred Artifacts, flying to Alonso's side. "Your Majesty, my friend..."

"The Sea Clan's formation is broken. Form the Windshark Array! Sacred Artifacts units, support from the rear! As for the rest of the forces... charge!"

After Alonso gravely delivered his commands, he watched the fleet charge forward to slaughter the remnants of the Sea Clan. Turning to Du Chen, he smiled faintly. "Do you now understand how I was able to detect your Lotus Sacred Artifacts?"

Du Chen was momentarily stunned. "I understand! Your Majesty is a Twelve-Tier Battle God, possessing Wood, Fire, and Water attributes, from which you have developed various Secret Techniques for lightning and storms. The way you discovered my Lotus Sacred Artifacts is similar to the Tyran Beast's unique ability—both detect changes in air currents from the wind... But Your Majesty, my friend..."

As he spoke, a spherical, purple lightning barrier, about a mile in diameter, slowly rose from the opposing sea area. This barrier not only contained a large number of Sea Clan soldiers but also encompassed mud and seawater. The barrier rapidly flew towards the fleet. Du Chen saw Snoopy at the edge of the barrier, hands on hips, cursing furiously. Moreover, Susan, who had accompanied Snoopy on reconnaissance, was also trapped inside!

Everything within a one-mile radius of Snoopy's location had been brought along by the barrier!

The Lionheart King calmly stated, "Did you not hear? At the start of the battle, I deployed the Tempest Thunder Prison to protect your friend and conveniently capture some prisoners!"

Du Chen let out a long breath and sincerely praised, "Commanding from the center, determining the battle with a wave of your hand, everything under control... Your Majesty's military might is something Francis has never witnessed before!"

"If your God-General Du De commanded two hundred thousand troops, could he achieve such a battle result?" The Lionheart King counter-questioned.

Du Chen laughed, "If Your Majesty were willing to lend me two hundred thousand troops, perhaps I could let Du De try!"

With that, both men burst into hearty laughter.

...Although the battle's outcome was decided in mere minutes, mopping up the remaining enemies, searching for fugitives, capturing Susan and other prisoners trapped in the Tempest Thunder Prison, and creating the "accident" Du Chen requested... these trivial matters consumed an entire day.

Du Chen remained by Alonso's side, staying on the Northern Fleet's flagship. From beginning to end, only the Lionheart King's personal Retainers had seen Du Chen, ensuring maximum secrecy for his identity and whereabouts. Du Chen no longer worried about his tracks being exposed. However, witnessing firsthand the old lion's decisiveness and dominance on the battlefield, he once again questioned why everyone said Alonso was old. Could an idiotic ruler, swayed by female charms, truly accomplish such feats!?

Night fell. Only about twenty guards remained on the flagship's deck. The Lionheart King, seated on his throne, hosted Du Chen across from him, raising his cup with a faint smile. "Your friend still maintains the Sea King's identity. He's been temporarily inconvenienced, confined with the prisoners! The true Seins should have been killed by Arthur by now, so your friend's Sea King identity will be of great use!"

Du Chen nodded and smiled, "Precisely. He also needs to assist me in helping the Miki people restore their nation!"

Alonso furrowed his brow, observing Du Chen's response, then suddenly uttered, "You truly resemble Arthur..."

*Perhaps Arthur and I both exhibit strong ancestral traits, both strongly resembling Wolf!* Du Chen thought playfully, but humbly replied, "How can I compare to Crown Prince Arthur...?"

"Why can't you compare? While Arthur is exceptionally talented, his spirit is too arrogant!" The Lionheart King swirled the wine in his cup and snorted, "He only learned the first strike of my Thundercloud Storm Array before boasting daily about wanting to crush the Garrison Fleet, hmph! If Seins had commanded the Garrison Fleet today and used a peak Sea-Quelling Countercurrent Array, I would have had to expend some effort... Hmph! I taught Arthur to be confident, but not arrogant! In this regard, Arthur is inferior to you!"

Du Chen offered an awkward smile, finding it hard to say anything further.

"Where is Du Chen, the Divine, at this moment? I wish to meet him!" The Lionheart King then asked.

"My Divine is currently engaging the Fiendkind in the Labyrinth of Life. Your Majesty will likely be disappointed..."

The Lionheart King laughed heartily, "Du Chen, the Divine, is alone? Haha, tell him to be careful! Although Bonis was wounded in the Battle of Auerbach Grand Canyon, his 'Devourer Array' is still one of the three great military arrays of Fallen Gods. If he can gather over a hundred thousand elite troops, he can even kill a Divine Emperor!"

*The three great military arrays of Fallen Gods?* Du Chen found this intriguing and immediately inquired.

The Lionheart King slowly explained, "Those were the three strongest military forces during the War of Fallen Gods: first is Bonis's 'Devourer', second is my 'Thundercloud Storm Array' which I just used, and the third is the Brockman family's 'Seven-Star Divine Radiance Array'!"

Du Chen's heart stirred. *Is the Brockman family's Seven-Star Divine Radiance Array really that powerful? After resolving matters here, I must quickly find Ted and Helen—only they can unleash the full potential of the Brockman family! But how did the Lionheart King obtain the 'Thundercloud Storm Array'? Was it passed down by Wolf?*

Du Chen buried this question in his heart. After all, he wasn't well acquainted with the Lionheart King; how could he inquire about such a top national military secret? The Lionheart King didn't give him the chance to ask, stating somewhat listlessly, "However, if we're talking about the strongest battle array of the Fallen Gods, it's still Orbach's 'Lion Emperor's Roar'. Compared to it, my 'Thundercloud Storm Array' is just a fake lion; Orbach is the true undefeated lion!"

Du Chen offered a few polite smiles, but thought to himself, *Though the Lionheart King is authoritative, he is not arrogant! Could an idiotic ruler say such a thing?*

Just then, "Seins," the Sea King, was brought in by Reno's soldiers, bound hand and foot, even with Sacred Artifact Shackles! The bunny-grandpa had been captured along with the Sea Clan army and Susan earlier. Not only did he have to endure the shock of the Tempest Thunder Prison, but he also had to continue impersonating the Sea King, which was truly a bitter ordeal! The moment he saw there were no outsiders, he glared at the Lionheart King, stamping his feet and yelling, "Grandson, there are no outsiders now, hurry up and release grandpa!"

Alonso's face immediately darkened. Du Chen might indulge Snoopy's bad temper, but the Lionheart King was not in such a good mood!

A piercing gaze swept over Snoopy, making him shiver, but he still shouted defiantly, "What are you looking at? I'm a rabbit, but I'm not afraid of you!"

"Hmph!" Alonso snorted heavily. "Francis, the front-line troops have just checked; no one survived in the underground base you mentioned. The entire base has been shattered! You may take your friend back to Bog Island!"

Du Chen glared fiercely at Snoopy. "Your Majesty, please forgive him. My friend's temper is indeed a bit foul, but his abilities are very strong!" He paused. "Your Majesty, there should also be a Sea Clan woman captured with the 'Sea King,' named Sophie..."

The Lionheart King mused, "Hmm, that Sophie was indeed a handful. To be safe, the vanguard General heavily wounded her with a sacred artifact of war before opening the Tempest Thunder Prison. Since you want her... Guards, bring Sophie here!"

Soon, the heavily wounded and unconscious fish-mermaid was carried in, bearing dozens of shackles. Du Chen took her into the Lotus Sacred Artifacts—a living captive from the Scarlet Army would be of great use! He then had Snoopy's chains removed and rose to take his leave.

The Lionheart King did not rise to see them off, merely looking at Du Chen for a few more moments. "The sea lanes are clear. I will lead the main fleet south to engage the Sober Empire. If you have any matters, go to Emerald City and find Arthur! As per the original plan, two divisions of the Northern Fleet will remain here for the next few days, blockading the sea route between Bog Island and Emerald City, isolating all news. They will also secretly help you clear out the remaining Garrison Fleet forces outside Bog Island! As for the matters on Bog Island itself, my navy cannot help much; it's mainly up to you!"

"Your Majesty need not worry. The Miki survivors have been secretly preparing for national restoration for the past five years and are well-prepared! And the Great Triangle Navy harbors deep hatred for the Sea King; now that Seins is dead, they can openly assist me in secret..."

As Du Chen said, news from Emerald City had not yet arrived, but everything on Bog Island had returned to its original trajectory after Du Chen acquired a Scarlet Army captive and incidentally destroyed one of their bases.

The Garrison Fleet originally stationed near Bog Island numbered six hundred thousand, but after the battle with Reno, six entire Army Corps, over four hundred thousand Sea Clan members, were either captured or died on the spot. The fortunate ones became exiled remnants in the nearby waters, but awaiting them were Reno's forces on the surface and the Great Triangle Navy's purge teams in the shadows...

This was merely the head count. In addition, the sacred artifacts of war on Bog Island, along with most military equipment, had been 'fed' into the Lionheart King's maw by Snoopy's command. Now, that equipment, only suitable for the Sea Clan and unwearable by human soldiers, had been gifted by Du Chen to Gode's father, deepening their friendship. As for the sacred artifacts of war, they were divided between Du Chen and the Lionheart King—all naval sacred artifacts went to Reno, and a small number usable on land went to Durkus City. In short, everyone profited handsomely, except for the Garrison Fleet, who bled profusely.

Under these circumstances, Du Chen and Snoopy returned to Bog Island the next day, declaring to the remaining troops on the island that "the Sea King has been defeated, escaping back to his island stronghold. Everyone must unite around the Sea King, and His Majesty will lead you to break out"... They then discovered that only about a hundred thousand second-line troops of the Garrison Fleet remained on the island, and they were severely short on equipment, especially sacred artifacts of war. Meanwhile, three million people, including seven to eight hundred thousand able-bodied men (over three hundred thousand of whom were former Miki soldiers' slaves), had already begun a restoration rebellion—these slaves even possessed weapons no less effective than those of regular armies, secretly provided by the Great Triangle Navy!

With Reno's fleet blockading from outside and a slave rebellion from within, the poor Garrison Fleet had no time to lament. Under Snoopy's "wise leadership," they suffered repeated defeats, were beaten black and blue by the slaves, and retreated to the Saltwater Lake area north of the Goddess's Palace. South Bog Island was already flying the Miki Goddess's Thorny Bloom Battle Banner!

However, the smooth sailing ended there. Because those second-line Garrison Fleet troops were not cowards willing to die passively. Snoopy's repeated foolish commands turned their mood from despair and incomprehension to anger and resentment... Especially on the fifth day, Snoopy and Du Chen grew impatient, attempting to subtly hint to the Generals to surrender their troops! This completely enraged the Garrison Fleet. They chose to fight to the death rather than surrender and began to disregard the Sea King entirely!

By this point, it was the sixth day after the naval battle. Late at night, Snoopy hid in the Goddess's Palace, glancing at the army outside, which had spontaneously constructed defensive positions. He said to Du Chen with a worried tone, "Grandson, grandpa here can barely hold this situation together anymore. It looks like the Garrison Fleet is about to overthrow me, their Sea King... Thankfully, yesterday I only hinted at surrender. If I had stated it explicitly, there would have been a military mutiny on the spot!"

There were no outsiders in the room. Du Chen sat in a chair, chuckling wryly. "Nonsense! Your orders have killed at least thirty thousand Garrison Fleet soldiers in these six days! If you were truly a wise and mighty Sea King, they would serve you loyally without complaint. But with your repeated 'military blunders,' how can they still obey you?"

"My military blunders were all instructed by you and Porter!" Snoopy retorted angrily.

"Alright, just kidding!" Du Chen also glanced at the troops outside, who were slowly becoming outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant towards the "Sea King." "Hold on a bit longer. The inherent fear of the Sea King still persists, so it will take some time for their discontent to escalate into a military coup! You just need to hold on until the Sacred Artifact Box is opened!"

"It's a pity they'd rather die than surrender, otherwise everything would be easy... Oh right, grandson, why don't we first eliminate the Garrison Fleet, control Bog Island, and then slowly refine that Sacred Artifact Box?" Snoopy grumbled.

Du Chen shook his head. "Don't forget, the ones refining the Sacred Artifact Box are five thousand Crocodile Battle-Warriors, and over a hundred High-level Battle Gods in the Crypt! If we eliminate the Garrison Fleet first, where would I find so many skilled laborers to refine the Sacred Artifact Box for me? Ask others for experts? Then the secret of the Sacred Artifact Box would be completely exposed! Should we refine it ourselves? Don't you know how deep our Durkus City's coffers run?"

He paused, then sighed, "Besides, the longer we wait, the more complications may arise! I truly can't wait to know what's inside that box. Using the Sea Clan's experts now is the fastest way to get that item. Other than that, do you have a faster method?"

Snoopy thought that made sense, but still complained, "So, we just have to wait until the Sacred Artifact Box is opened, then grab the item and wash our hands of it and leave...?"

"Exactly! Once we have the item, we'll immediately rush back to Emerald City. We'll leave the rest to Porter and the Great Triangle Navy!"

Snoopy gritted his teeth. "Fine! I'm a bunny, and I have to stick it out... But Francis, how much longer until those Sea Clan Battle Gods open the Sacred Artifact Box?"

Du Chen thought for a moment. "Old Turtle Darick said at least seven days. The time should be approaching..." He suddenly concealed himself within the Lotus Sacred Artifacts.

*Clang!* One of the Sea King's Retainers burst in excitedly, "Your Majesty, it's open! The Sacred Artifact Box is open!"

Du Chen's eyes lit up. Without waiting for Snoopy to speak, he mimicked the Sea King's voice for him, "What's inside!?" Snoopy, without another word, hastily rushed out, "Immediately take me to see it!"

The two eagerly hurried towards the Crypt. But just then, a Twin-masted ship slowly sailed into the northern sea area of Bog Island. The Great Triangle Navy, responsible for blockading this area, quickly spotted it, and a squad of soldiers approached.

At the bow of the ship, Xue Ji slightly frowned. "Why are there so many Sea Clan patrols? Sword Slave, tell the sailors to raise the Aqua Cloud Banner and inform the forces ahead that Xue Ji, a disciple of Water's Embrace Lake, wishes to meet His Majesty Sea King Seins!"