Deep Sea Starship Apocalypse

The faint light of the Meteorite Sanctuary had long since sunk into the depths of darkness, and even the last bit of warmth had been devoured by the rain of bones and the foul air.

Yu Moyan, holding Jiang Duyue's hand, pulled themselves out of the shadows of the collapsed ancient hall's ruins. Underfoot was still a sticky, stringy sludge, mixed with broken bones, rotten flesh, and dried, blackened scabs. Each step sank them half an inch, their shoes tearing out endless black threads, as if they were stepping on the rotting, disemboweled entrails of a gigantic creature. The bone rain was still like needles and knives, piercing and corroding their skin with excruciating pain. A maggot-like itching sensation seeped into their flesh through their pores, leaving rings of dark red burns. The stench, sweet and putrid, clung to their noses like a malignant sore, and inhaling it was like inhaling a scalding, sticky, foul paste, choking them and causing a dull ache in their chests; even breathing became an ordeal.

The dark, blood-red eye in the sky continued to turn indifferently. The leaden clouds hung low, almost touching the dilapidated rooftops. There was not a breath of wind; everything seemed suffocated in a gigantic iron coffin, the oppressive atmosphere making one's heart tighten, as if the heavy, deathly silence would crush them at any moment. The spatial barriers were soft and mushy like rotting flesh, with silent, pitch-black ripples spreading everywhere. Light was swallowed, spiritual energy was pulverized, and the occasional fragments of space, like invisible blades, sliced ​​through the decaying air, revealing a bottomless black gash, a colder, more desolate, and more hopeless abyss below.

In the distance, at the center of the world, the cocoon of ten thousand evils, spanning tens of thousands of miles, continued to slowly undulate. Each rise and fall caused the heavens and earth to tremble, and the foul and bloody aura surged like a tide, pushing the oppressive atmosphere of the entire world to its extreme. Yu Moyan raised his eyes and glanced at the terrifying giant cocoon covered with a scarlet eye and flowing with bloody filth. His fingertips tightened slightly, gripping Jiang Duyue's hand even tighter.

"This place is no place to linger. The fusion of all evils is a foregone conclusion. Before long, the ultimate evil lord will emerge from its cocoon, and then the entire world will become its hunting ground. We will have no chance of survival." Yu Moyan's voice was extremely low, carrying a hint of imperceptible solemnity. He circulated the last of his star energy to create a thin, pale golden curtain around the two of them, barely isolating them from the biting rain of bones and the dense foul air. "I saw a trace of the coordinates of the ancient inheritance site in the fragments of the Meteorite Sanctuary. It is located deep within this group of collapsed ancient palaces, in the ruins of the Lingyao Emperor. Only by finding his inheritance can we have a chance to resist the evil lord."

Jiang Duyue nodded slightly, his face cold, but his gaze sharp as a blade as he swept over the eerie and terrifying ruins around him. His robes were already soaked by the rain of bones, stained with black and red stains, yet they still couldn't conceal his elegant demeanor. However, his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly also intimidated by the terrifying oppressive atmosphere: "Emperor Lingyao... just from his background, I know he is an ancient supreme being. His place of inheritance must be extremely dangerous, and with the collapse of heaven and earth, evil spirits abound. The journey will probably not be peaceful."

"It's more than just unsettling." Yu Moyan sighed softly, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding ruins. The walls, covered in dark mold, were studded with countless broken teeth, fingernails, hair, and even half a rotting eyeball. Soaked in the rain of bones, the scabs melted away and slowly flowed down the walls, accumulating into puddles of dark red stagnant water in the corners. Bubbles on the surface kept bursting, emitting a nauseating stench. "The laws of heaven and earth have collapsed, and countless mutated evil creatures have already bred here. They feed on rotting flesh, broken souls, and foul air, and are even more terrifying and disgusting than the previous vicious minions. We must be careful, or we will be annihilated once we are entangled."

The two said no more and walked side by side into the depths of the ancient palace complex. The putrid slurry beneath their feet grew thicker and thicker, gradually reaching above their ankles. The sticky sensation made their scalps tingle. Tiny, writhing creatures occasionally wriggled in the slurry. These were maggots bred from the foul air of heaven and earth. They were deathly white, with tiny, sharp teeth at both ends, gnawing at the broken bones and rotten flesh in the slurry, making a faint "crunching" sound. Once they sensed the presence of living beings, they would frantically pounce on their ankles. If it weren't for the Star Element Shield blocking their way, they would be devoured to the bone in an instant.

The broken walls along the way became increasingly dilapidated, and the scabs on the walls grew thicker and thicker, densely embedded with countless fragments of the remains of living beings. Some were half-rotten arms, the five fingers twisted and spread, the fingernails filled with black mud and bits of flesh; some were half-rotten faces, the eyeballs detached, the tongues protruding, the faces crawling with white maggots, burrowing in and out of the rotting flesh; and there were also shattered vertebrae, with strands of rotten flesh hanging on them, tainted by the foul air, turning an eerie blackish-purple.

The stench of blood and decay in the air grew stronger, mixed with a faint musty smell and the mournful lament of shattered souls, gradually blurring one's consciousness. Horrifying images of living beings being devoured, torn apart, and melted kept flashing before one's eyes. Yu Moyan circulated his star energy and focused his mind to barely stabilize his spirit, while Jiang Duyue protected herself with her own pure spiritual power, her eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, not daring to relax for a moment.

After traveling only a few miles, a faint, sticky wriggling sound suddenly came from the ruins ahead. The sound was neither like the chirping of insects nor the roar of beasts, but more like the sound of countless pieces of rotten flesh being squeezed and dragged, making one's stomach churn and feel nauseous.

Yu Moyan immediately raised his hand, signaling Jiang Duyue to stop. The two of them flashed and hid behind a broken section of a huge stone pillar, peering out.

Ahead lay a vast expanse of ruins, where several mutated monsters lurked. Just one glance was enough to send shivers down one's spine, and a wave of nausea and fear instantly washed over one's entire being.

The leader, named the Rotten Corpse Monster, was entirely formed from rotting flesh and underground putrefaction. It had no fixed shape, resembling a gigantic lump of rotten flesh, about ten feet in size. Its surface was devoid of skin, exposing dark red and black muscles and organs. Yellowish-green pus gushed from its muscles, dripping onto the ground and corroding small black pits with a hissing sound. It had no head, only a gaping maw in the center of its body. Inside the mouth was no tongue, only layers upon layers of fine, needle-like teeth, the gaps filled with broken bone and rotten flesh, constantly dripping foul-smelling saliva. A dozen or so fleshy tentacles of varying thickness sprouted from its lower body, each tipped with a tiny, scarlet eye. Each tentacle writhed in the putrid scum, dragging the massive body slowly along, leaving a sticky, dark red trail in its wake and emitting a suffocating stench. Even more horrifying, tiny maggots constantly emerged from its body, gnawing at its own decaying flesh, only to be forcibly pulled back into its body by the foul stench, repeating the cycle endlessly with faint chewing sounds—a truly disgusting sight.

Beside it were several bone-cracking blood louse monsters, smaller than the putrid corpse monsters, but even more ferocious and terrifying. Their bodies were covered in dry, blackened bone fragments, from which dark red blood and rotting flesh seeped. White corpse lice swarmed across their bone armor, the dense clusters constantly gnawing at the flesh beneath, causing these monsters to emit mournful shrieks. They had no limbs; their bodies resembled shriveled corpse bags, their bellies bulging high, filled with devoured fragments of souls and rotting flesh, threatening to burst at any moment. The head was a twisted skull with empty eye sockets from which blackish-red pus and blood constantly flowed. Foul odors spewed from its mouth and nose, and four sharp fangs grew from its mouth, with strands of flesh and tendons hanging from them. Whenever it moved, the bone armor rubbed together, making a piercing "crunching" sound, accompanied by the "rustling" sound of corpse lice crawling, which made one's eardrums ache and one's mind restless.

There was also an even more grotesque, rotten-eyed flying maggot demon, no more than half a foot in size, yet capable of hovering in mid-air. It had no body, only a huge, rotting eyeball, its entire surface cloudy and white, covered with blood vessels and black spots. Tiny, white maggots crawled all over its surface, constantly burrowing in and out, gnawing at the eyeball until it was pitted and oozing yellow pus. Below the eyeball grew a dozen slender, silky fleshy tentacles, each with tiny suckers that held fragments of shattered souls. When the tentacles moved, they emitted a buzzing sound, and wherever they passed, a foul stench filled the air, even slightly distorting it with corrosive energy.

These monsters are all distorted from the filth, rotting flesh, broken souls and residual evil energy after the collapse of heaven and earth. They have no intelligence, only the instinct to devour living things. Their appearance is terrifying, bloody, rotten and disgusting to the extreme. Just looking at them makes people feel numb all over and their stomachs churn.

Yu Moyan and Jiang Duyue exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes. These monsters may not seem strong, but their sheer number and the thick foul aura they carry make them inescapable. Once they get close, the foul aura will invade the body, corroding the meridians and soul. Even if they are killed, one will be tainted with an indelible stench and corpse poison.

"Quickly finish this battle, don't linger." Yu Moyan said in a low voice, star energy gathering at his fingertips and transforming into a pale golden longsword. The sword blade shimmered with a clear light, completely out of place with the surrounding decay and darkness.

Jiang Duyue nodded slightly, her body surging with clear spiritual energy, which condensed into a silver-white blade of light. Her temperament was as cold as frost, forming a stark contrast to the bloody and putrid environment.

The two figures flashed like streaks of light, instantly pouncing towards the mutated monsters.

The putrid corpse monster was the first to sense the presence of living beings. Its body writhed violently, and its dozen or so tentacles lashed wildly. The scarlet single eye at the tip locked onto the two of them. Its huge mouth opened and spewed out a mouthful of yellowish-green pus, mixed with bone fragments and maggots, carrying a nauseating stench, which rushed towards the two of them.

Several bone-cracking blood lice monsters let out shrill screams, their bone armor creaking as they charged at the two men. Their fangs gleamed coldly, and pus and blood splattered from their mouths as they tried to devour their flesh. The rotten-eyed flying maggot demon flapped its tentacles, hovering in mid-air, constantly dripping pus from its eyeballs. The pus turned into tiny maggots as it landed, crawling towards the two men's ankles, its foul stench disturbing their minds.

Yu Moyan flicked his wrist, and the Star Essence Longsword swept out horizontally. The pale golden sword light pierced the darkness, instantly cutting through the gushing pus. Wherever the sword light passed, the pus and maggots were instantly purified by the Star Essence, turning into ashes. Immediately afterward, he swayed, dodging the charge of the Bone-Splitting Bloodlice Monster, and thrust his longsword straight in, precisely piercing the eye socket of one of the Bone-Splitting Bloodlice Monsters' skulls.

The power of the Star Element erupted instantly, and the skull of the Bone-Splitting Blood Lice Monster exploded. Black and red pus and blood, along with bone fragments, flew everywhere. The swarm of corpse lice inside its body was instantly burned by the Star Element, making a sizzling sound, and turned into ashes. The headless body staggered a few times, then collapsed to the ground with a thud, and was quickly swallowed by the surrounding putrefaction, turning into a pool of rotten flesh.

Jiang Duyue raised his hand and waved, a silver-white blade of light slashing down from the air, instantly slicing a Rotten-Eyed Flying Maggot Demon in two. The rotting eyeball exploded, yellow pus and maggots splattering everywhere. The maggots writhe wildly on the ground, but were instantly crushed by Jiang Duyue's spiritual power. Immediately afterward, he condensed spiritual power at his fingertips, transforming it into several thin strands of light that pierced through the bodies of several other Bone-Splitting Blood Lice Monsters like sharp blades. Their bone armor shattered, rotten flesh flew everywhere, and foul odor and blood gushed out. The monsters let out shrill screams and collapsed one after another, their bodies rapidly rotting and dissolving.

Only one rotting corpse monster remained. Seeing its companions all killed, it went berserk. Its enormous, rotting flesh body swelled continuously, its tentacles lashed wildly, and its huge mouth spewed out more pus and maggots. The maggots on its body surface were densely packed, rushing towards the two like a white wave. The stench soared to the sky, disgusting to the extreme.

"The core of the foul energy is right in the center of its body." Yu Moyan saw through its weakness at a glance, shouted, and went up side by side with Jiang Duyue.

The two of them burst into light, their star energy and spiritual power intertwining to form a dazzling light screen that blocked the onrushing maggots and pus. Yu Moyan thrust his longsword straight in, precisely piercing the core of the putrid worm-like corpse's body, while Jiang Duyue followed closely behind with her light blade, slashing down fiercely.

As the star energy and spiritual power erupted simultaneously, the enormous, rotten flesh exploded instantly, scattering yellow-green pus, black-red blood, broken bones, and maggots all over the ground. The stench of decay permeated the surroundings. With its core destroyed, the worm-like monster let out a final, sticky wail before its body rapidly dissolved into a pool of foul-smelling rotten pulp that seeped into the ground and remained motionless.

The two stood amidst the chaos, their robes stained with dirt and pus. The stench of decay in the air remained thick and nauseating. Yu Moyan circulated his star energy to purify himself of the foul odor, while Jiang Duyue also cleansed himself with her spiritual power. Not daring to linger, they continued deeper into the ancient palace complex.

The deeper you go, the more dangerous and terrifying the environment becomes.

The putrid scum on the ground gradually rose above their calves, the sticky sensation growing heavier. Complete skeletons began to emerge from the scum, some humanoid, some beast-like, crawling with maggots that gnawed at the remaining rotten flesh, emitting faint chewing sounds. Spatial rifts multiplied, chaotic currents churning within the dark fissures. Occasionally, fragments of souls would drift out from the rifts, emitting silent wails, only to be quickly swallowed by the surrounding foul air and reduced to nothingness.

On the broken walls and ruins, huge skeletal marks began to appear, traces left after the ancient battle between creatures. The bones had long since rotted, leaving only deep indentations filled with putrid water. Fragments of teeth and rotten flesh floated in the putrid water, and occasionally deformed little monsters would emerge from the putrid water, their appearance becoming increasingly disgusting and terrifying.

Some of the monsters are called Veined Rotten Wolves. They resemble emaciated wild wolves, but without fur. Their bodies are covered with dark red veins and rotten flesh, their bones are twisted and deformed, their limbs are dislocated, and they drag their broken leg bones as they crawl in the putrid sludge. Their fangs are broken and covered with rotten flesh and pus. Their eye sockets have no eyeballs, only a clump of wriggling maggots. With each crawl, the veins pull on the rotten flesh, making a "tearing" sound, and a stench of decay hits you.

Some are called pus-bubble corpse frogs, shaped like millstones, their bodies covered with large and small yellow pus-bubbles. These pus-bubbles swell and bulge, ready to burst at any moment, spewing out foul-smelling pus. They have no tongue, but their mouths are filled with fine, sharp teeth. Their abdomens are rotten and cracked, revealing wriggling internal organs covered with maggots that constantly gnaw at the viscera, making faint sounds. When they jump, the pus-bubbles shake, and the pus drips down, corroding the ground with a sizzling sound.

There is an even more terrifying Soul-Shattering Rotting Throat Demon, which has no body, only a rotting throat and half a spine. The throat is covered with cracks, constantly spewing out shattered souls and foul air. Rotten flesh and blood hang from the spine. It floats in mid-air by relying on the foul air, emitting a hoarse and piercing roar. Wherever it passes, shattered souls wail, making people's hearts ache.

These little monsters, each one more bloody, more rotten, and more disgusting than the last, are scattered in every corner along the way, like maggots clinging to bones. Once they detect any living creature, they will frantically pounce on it.

Yu Moyan and Jiang Duyue pressed on, slaying their way through the enemy ranks. Their star essence and spiritual power were constantly being depleted, and the light around them gradually dimmed. The number of monsters they killed increased, and the ground was littered with rotten flesh, pus, blood, maggots, and broken bones. The stench of decay and blood in the air was so thick that it was impossible to breathe in. Inhaling it was like swallowing scalding hot, rotten flesh, causing them severe chest pains and their faces to gradually turn pale.

Jiang Duyue breathed heavily, a hint of paleness appearing on her usually cold face. She said in a low voice, "Our spiritual energy is being consumed too quickly. If this continues, we will be exhausted and worn down by these mutated monsters before we even find the place of inheritance."

Yu Moyan nodded, his gaze sweeping across the increasingly deep ruins of the ancient palace ahead. In the distance, the outline of an even more magnificent and dilapidated palace could be vaguely seen. The palace was towering, and even though it was mostly destroyed, it still could not hide its former magnificence and solemnity. It was obviously the former residence of Emperor Lingyao.

"The entrance to the Inheritance Land is just ahead. If we persevere a little longer and enter the Emperor's Former Residence, we'll be a bit safer." Yu Moyan gritted his teeth, once again activating the last of his star energy, and pulled Jiang Duyue along, quickening his pace as he rushed towards the main hall.

The mutated monsters along the way became increasingly dense. Corpse-eating worms, bone-cracking blood lice, rotten-eyed flying maggots, sinewy rotten wolves, pus-bubble corpse frogs, and soul-shattering rotten-throat monsters swarmed towards the two like a tide. Rotten flesh writhed, pus and blood splattered, maggots crawled, and shrieks were ear-piercing. The disgust and fear intertwined, pushing the danger of the surrounding environment to the extreme.

Yu Moyan and Jiang Duyue stood back to back, unleashing their full power. Their Star Essence Longsword and silver-white blades slashed down relentlessly, each strike slaying several small monsters. Rotten flesh exploded, pus and blood splattered, and maggots were shredded into mincemeat. Yet, the monsters kept coming, seemingly endless, and the foul energy continuously eroded their shields. Their Star Essence and spiritual power were being consumed faster and faster, and their shields were gradually thinning, on the verge of shattering.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, a rotting wolf with sinews broke through the defense line, its foul-smelling fangs biting fiercely at Jiang Duyue's shoulder. Jiang Duyue dodged to the side, but its claws tore through his robes, and the stench instantly seeped into his skin, sending a piercing pain through him.

"Watch out!" Yu Moyan's heart tightened upon seeing this. He swiftly slashed the rotting wolf with his sword, then circulated his star energy to purify the foul air within Jiang Duyue's body. "Cleanse one more time. We must enter the main hall!"

The two of them held back and unleashed their full power, their bodies radiating light like two dazzling shooting stars. They broke through the encirclement of the monsters, stepping over the rotten flesh, pus, blood, and maggots on the ground, and rushed towards the dilapidated hall.

The monsters relentlessly pursued them, their shrieks, wriggling sounds, and chewing noises mingling together, causing earache and mental breakdown. Finally, the two reached the main hall. The hall doors were mostly destroyed, leaving only a broken frame. The frame was engraved with intricate and ornate ancient patterns, which, despite the erosion of time and the collapse of the world, still exuded a faint aura of noble elegance, completely out of place with the surrounding decay and bloodshed.

Above the door frame are four ancient, grand, and magnificent seal characters: Lingyao Sacred Court.

His brushstrokes are elegant and graceful, his demeanor dignified and noble, without a trace of ferocity, only the majesty and refinement of an ancient supreme being. He truly lives up to the magnificent, noble, and elegant name of Emperor Lingyao.

Inside the palace, there was no strong stench and foul smell like outside. Instead, there was a faint, clear and elegant sandalwood fragrance that had not dissipated even after the passage of time, isolating the outside world from decay and darkness.

Without hesitation, the two plunged into the Lingyao Holy Court. As soon as they entered, the mutated monsters outside the palace gates were thrown back as if they had hit an invisible barrier, letting out shrill screams. They dared not take another step forward and could only wander around outside the palace, howling and gnawing at the rotten flesh and pus on the ground.

Having finally escaped danger, the two breathed a sigh of relief, staggered back a few steps, and leaned against the cold stone pillars in the hall, panting heavily.

The interior of the hall was equally dilapidated, with cracked floors, broken stone pillars, a collapsed dome, and countless rubble and broken artifacts scattered about. Yet, even in this state, its former grandeur and magnificence were still evident. The walls were adorned with numerous exquisite murals depicting the Lingyao Emperor ruling the world and illuminating all realms. The paintings were elegant, grand, and exceptionally luxurious, showcasing the aura of an ancient supreme ruler.

The crisp sandalwood scent in the air gradually calmed their restless minds, and their excessive spiritual energy and star essence began to slowly recover.

Yu Moyan raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across every corner of the hall, finally settling on a broken stone platform in the very center. The platform was carved from white jade, and even with several cracks, it remained warm and elegant, emitting a faint glow. On the platform lay a palm-sized golden jade tablet, engraved with intricate and ornate patterns, its light restrained yet exuding a noble air—the very core clue to the inheritance of Emperor Lingyao.

"Found it." A hint of joy flashed in Yu Moyan's eyes as he pulled Jiang Duyue along and slowly walked towards the stone platform.

As one approaches the stone platform, the crisp, clear aura grows stronger. The golden jade tablet radiates a gentle yet noble light, its patterns resembling flowing stars, elegant and extraordinary, devoid of any worldly impurities, perfectly matching Emperor Lingyao's magnificent, noble, and refined identity.

Jiang Duyue's gaze fell on the jade tablet, and a ripple appeared in her cold eyes: "This is the clue to the inheritance of Emperor Lingyao. As long as we unlock the secret on the jade tablet, we can obtain his complete inheritance."

The two stood before the stone platform, gazing at the golden jade tablet that carried the legacy of the ancient supreme beings. They felt both a sense of relief and a growing sense of solemnity as they listened to the frantic roars of the mutated monsters outside the hall and the increasingly intense and terrifying atmosphere in the world.

They finally found the clues to the inheritance of Emperor Lingyao in this corrupt, bloody, and perilous world, and found a glimmer of hope.

But the blood cocoon of ten thousand evils outside the palace was still writhing. The countdown to the arrival of the ultimate evil lord was getting closer and closer. The inheritance had not yet been fully obtained, and the road ahead was still extremely dangerous.

Yu Moyan reached out and gently touched the golden jade tablet. A warm and elegant touch came from his fingertips, and a magnificent, noble, and clear ancient aura slowly flowed into his body through his fingertips.

The secrets of Emperor Lingyao's legacy are about to be revealed.

They knew this was just the beginning; the real test was yet to come. The decaying ruins and evil spirits outside the palace were about to undergo an even more terrifying upheaval. Only by fully taking control of Ling Yao's legacy could they gain a foothold in this apocalyptic world and contend against the eight ultimate evil lords who were about to emerge from their cocoons.