Immortal Body and Treasure

Bai Cangshu looked over the empty sea. The only way to judge their coordinates was probably by the angle and distance of Mock Town in the distance.

Following the navigator’s explanation, he checked the treasure map again. This was indeed the correct stretch of sea, but the utterly empty surface gave no sign of any hidden treasure.

"Get a few people to dive down and take a look!"

Bai Cangshu gave the order casually. The Marines could only comply helplessly. Nearly every one of them had been beaten up several times along the way, and even Colonel Brina, the highest-ranking officer aboard, seemed to have yielded, so they tacitly accepted his command.

Besides… this guy seemed to be looking only for treasure, so the Marines did not resist him too strongly.

A Marine warship was far better equipped than an ordinary pirate crew’s vessel. Before long, two men donned simple diving gear and jumped into the sea.

The equipment was really nothing more than weights and a long, narrow breathing tube. It could not support a deep dive at all, so Bai Cangshu did not place much hope in it.

He looked up at the sky. A treasure at these coordinates naturally made him think of Sky Island.

If the treasure really was on Sky Island, that would be quite troublesome. He could remain in this world by paying a price, but not for too long. The rapidly escalating cost would soon exceed what a Reincarnator could afford.

Without the ability to fly—the Rakshasa Ghost’s flight could only cover short distances and was closer to gliding—and lacking any flying tools, Bai Cangshu would have a hard time reaching Sky Island in a short period of time.

Moreover, because Enel of this world had changed so drastically, Bai Cangshu seriously doubted whether Sky Island’s current environment had also undergone enormous changes.

A moment later, the two Marines surfaced. Both shook their heads.

"No good. It’s too deep. We can’t see the seabed, and the current is too strong—we can’t dive down!"

Brina waved a hand. She knew that new treasure maps appeared across these seas almost every day, but in truth, very few treasures were ever found.

She did not take such things to heart.

At that moment, she leaned against the deck, glancing at the black-haired man. His hand-to-hand combat was formidable and his physical qualities exceptional. In her eyes, he already possessed the combat power of a branch colonel or even a rear admiral.

That was already a respectable rank on these seas. As long as one did not encounter those figures whose names resounded across all four seas, one could generally protect oneself.

Those who could surpass that level were usually notorious figures with bounties exceeding one hundred million.

And behind such people, there would inevitably be high-ranking Marine officers hunting them down.

"Hey, do you want to join the Marines?"

The sharpness in Brina’s gaze was gone. No amount of schemes or intrigue had any meaning before that awe-inspiring Heavenly Might.

She had conceded. These seas could not be navigated by political maneuvering or connections alone. This era belonged entirely to those violent monsters.

Brina had already begun considering retiring behind the scenes. Perhaps a logistical desk job suited her better. And if this man agreed, she could use her methods to quickly secure his promotion and thereby gain complete control of G51 Branch.

Colonel Brina of the Marines has invited you to join the Marine faction. Accept?

Bai Cangshu had not actually joined any faction in this world yet. He looked at the woman with an amused expression, as though trying to see through her thoughts through her eyes.

Whoosh—

The sound of enormous waves suddenly rose. Bai Cangshu’s senses were far sharper than those of ordinary people. He sprang from the deck in an instant, no longer bothering to consider Brina’s invitation, and appeared at the stern of the warship. Sure enough, the once-calm sea had somehow begun to churn with undercurrents.

The distant sky darkened at the same time.

He stretched out a hand. The wind above the sea was not strong, but the currents were growing increasingly violent, so much so that the navigator rushed out of the cabin.

"There’s an abnormal current nearby. It’s dangerous—we have to leave immediately!"

Bai Cangshu’s heart stirred. He knew this was likely the most unusual phenomenon in this stretch of sea—the massive current was about to appear.

Four hundred years ago, an unprecedented massive current had blasted Jaya Island up from the seabed and into the sky, where it landed on Sky Island.

For some unknown reason, this sea produced terrifying massive currents at intervals. They swept up everything nearby before blasting it into the sky. Such currents would shoot the waters of the surrounding sea to an altitude of nearly ten thousand meters.

Any ordinary ship caught in one would be instantly smashed to pieces.

The difference between Bai Cangshu and the Plot Characters of this world was that he was a Reincarnator. His treasure map had been certified by the space, so it could not possibly contain false information, nor could its coordinates be wrong.

Bai Cangshu’s thoughts raced. Clearly, the treasure was either on the seabed or in the sky. No matter which it was, he would have to interact with the massive current about to emerge.

Ha, it really is just like the space’s usual style. Want something good? Fine—risk your life for it!

Bai Cangshu glanced at the others. The navigator’s expression was conflicted, while the other Marines all looked toward Brina and Bai Cangshu.

"Let’s go! Once we get caught in the current, none of us will survive!"

The navigator looked grave. More than anyone, he understood the terror of the sea. This was an even more frightening disaster than the thunderstorm from before. The deep sea could swallow anyone.

Leaning against the rail, Bai Cangshu said, "My treasure is inside that massive current. How can I leave now?"

Seeing this, the navigator could only turn to Brina.

"Colonel!"

"If we don’t leave now, we’ll all die!"

Brina raised her eyes and looked at Bai Cangshu. There was no fear in his gaze, only longing for treasure.

"Hey, are you really going to gamble your life here over a treasure map?"

There was little force behind Brina’s words. She knew full well that control of this ship had long since ceased to be in her hands. Even the intentions the other Marines were showing now were unmistakable.

Those Marines wanted to join her in killing the black-haired man.

At that moment, several Marines hiding behind the deck had likely already raised their guns, while the others gripped their sword hilts. At a single command from her, they would charge alongside her with unprecedented coordination.

Bai Cangshu seemed not to notice their small movements. He remained seated against the rail with his arms folded, even leaning his weight slightly backward, as if a single push would send him tumbling into the sea.

But when Brina saw this, she had no intention of meeting Bai Cangshu’s eyes. In that instant, her pupils widened. She nearly recalled the time she had met that evil god, Enel. The unrestrained look in his eyes had been almost exactly the same as the carefree, faintly smiling expression on Bai Cangshu’s face now.

Brina’s breathing caught. Then she shook her head and said coldly, "Follow orders, Marine Soldiers."

"And Watson, I order you to return to your posts. Don’t make fools of yourselves!"

Her voice startled the Marine lieutenant hiding in the cabin with a gun trained on Bai Cangshu. He did not understand why Colonel Brina was doing this, but at that moment, the black-haired man slowly turned around.

An overwhelming fear suddenly filled his heart. The other man seemed like a hideous demon, radiating an inexplicably oppressive presence that left him unable to dare oppose him.

Bai Cangshu withdrew his gaze. Unless he had to, he did not want to kill these valuable crew members. Whether it was sailing or completing milestones, their existence was necessary.

But once they crossed that line, Bai Cangshu would not hesitate to slaughter every last one of them.

The current became increasingly turbulent. Even with the stability of a Marine warship, the vessel began to shake violently. The crew instinctively drew in the sails and began securing themselves as well.

Fear covered their faces. Everyone could feel the dreadful atmosphere of the sea about to undergo a terrifying change, and not a single person aboard the warship spoke.

Crash—

The waves grew violent, and the ship began drifting uncontrollably.

The navigator screamed desperately from the cabin.

"If we don’t leave now, we won’t be able to!"

"Sir!"

His voice was hoarse with desperation. Both hands gripped the wheel tightly. The urge to survive made his nerves throb violently every second. He began wavering inwardly, wondering whether he should ignore Colonel Brina’s and that man’s threats and turn the helm himself.

Perhaps the others would support him.

"You will not leave!"

Bai Cangshu barked the words. Standing on the rail, he watched as an enormous vortex-like current began forming in the sea ahead, as if a hole had opened beneath the ocean and terrifying currents were spiraling toward its center.

His pupils trembled. He could clearly see that as the vortex appeared, the shape of the seabed gradually began to reveal itself. Beneath the ever-deepening vortex, special fish found only in The Deep began to appear.

The Marine warship circled the outer edge of the enormous vortex, which spanned more than ten nautical miles. Every Marine had gone pale as paper, feeling that the ship could capsize at any moment. Once drawn in, none of them would leave behind even bones.

"Let us go, sir!"

"Run!"

"Forget this madman! Let’s take him together and kill him!"

Before death steadily closing in, the Marine Soldiers’ reason was gradually shattered.

Brina’s fingers pressed against the rail hard enough to crack it. Her face was pale, and it was obvious that her heart was far from calm.

She stared fixedly at the madman who was still standing on the rail at a time like this. He seemed to have no fear of death at all. There was still only Greed in his eyes.

Boom!

The hull jolted violently!

The terrifying current swelled again. Before that gigantic vortex, the warship was as uncontrollable as a leaf, beginning to tilt irrepressibly toward its depths.

"Colonel!"

The navigator’s eyes were bloodshot, his throat completely raw.

At last, one Marine could not endure any longer. He drew his sword and lunged at Bai Cangshu.

Bai Cangshu stared at the bottom of the vortex. The seabed was becoming clearer and clearer. He could see a massive hollow on the ocean floor, with huge amounts of seawater pouring downward.

And a peculiar skull mark appeared on the seabed as well.

Bai Cangshu’s heart began pounding faster and faster.

Without looking back, he lifted his left foot and pivoted on his right foot atop the rail. Even as the ship was on the verge of capsizing, he spun sharply. The Marine’s fierce slash cut only air, and Bai Cangshu’s spinning kick instantly sent him flying.

Everyone’s hearts clenched as they watched the Marine fly off the deck.

They could only watch as he fell into the incomparably enormous vortex and vanished in an instant.

This was perhaps the most terrifying way to die at sea.

Brina finally broke completely. She could no longer remain calm and roared, "You bastard, do you want everyone to die with you?!"

"Are you not afraid at all?!"

Bai Cangshu turned around. It was as though he were leaning against the air, following the sharply tilted hull. Everyone could see the terrifying vortex directly behind him, yet Bai Cangshu was still smiling.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"This is a magnificent sight you may never see a second time in your entire lives!"

"Why are you all pulling such long faces?"

Madman. This guy was completely insane!

Brina could no longer hold herself back. If they were buried beneath this sea, there might not even be bodies left behind.

"Turn back!"

"Navigator, turn back!"

At this point, Bai Cangshu no longer cared about their actions. He suddenly spread his arms and, beneath Brina’s disbelieving gaze, leaped backward into the air before falling toward the enormous vortex.

Bai Cangshu looked at the woman and laughed wildly in midair.

"I have an Immortal Body. Why should I fear death?!"

His robes snapped in the wind as he flew through the air. The skin over his entire body had already returned to normal, with none of the purplish-black Cursed Blood marks remaining.

Based on the bloodline ability of Human: Perfect Individual (Mythical Species, Myriad Manifestation Species), you have activated the bloodline trait: Intermediate Immortality

Intermediate Immortality (Rare · Supreme): As long as your physical body is not completely destroyed and your blood has not completely dried up, you will not die

He had obtained this trait when he escaped the terrifying thunderstorm. No, in truth, this ability had already lain dormant within Bai Cangshu after he used the complete version of the secret technique, Cursed Blood Homology.

It could be said that Bai Cangshu had possessed this safeguard ever since entering this world. This was the true foundation that allowed him to dare make moves in secret even against the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and the reason he had remained calm even after starting with negative seven points.

He was already completely different from before. His overall strength was in no way inferior to those powerful figures. With Intermediate Immortality combined with High-Speed Regeneration, Bai Cangshu possessed survivability beyond that of most Plot Characters in this world.

In midair, Bai Cangshu switched his milestone back to Rakshasa Ghost. He spread his arms, shouted, and flew directly toward the seabed at the bottom of the terrifying vortex.

The cave marked with the skull symbol.

Buzz!

Intense air pressure howled. Bai Cangshu drew in his arms and crashed into the cave at terrifying speed.

The next instant, endless seawater suddenly burst out from other openings.

Boom!

The terrifying current, more than ten nautical miles in diameter, shot into the sky.

Everything swallowed by the vortex was launched with it nearly ten thousand meters into the air.

The tiny warship seemed to be overturned by the horrifying waves in an instant, hurled away to some unknown place.

Bai Cangshu, meanwhile, felt a heavy impact in front of him as he plunged headfirst into another body of water.

The force of crashing into water after flying hundreds of meters through the air was no less than slamming directly into concrete.

Bai Cangshu suffered a heavy blow in an instant.

Smack!

Blood immediately stained the water red, but Bai Cangshu merely shook his head and stood back up. In the brief moment it took him to rise, the torn wound across his face had already healed completely, while his joints snapped back into place with a series of cracks.

Bai Cangshu saw that this was a hollow rock cave. Though it was beneath the sea, the seawater had been completely kept out.

He quickly sensed something strange about this place. Clutching his heart, he felt it grow heavy, and breathing became difficult.

It was not due to low air density. He had already become used to low-density air at the Cultivation Institute, and this was completely different.

He turned and searched through the cave. Soon, he saw three items placed at its center.

There was no gold or silver in this treasure—only three things.

On the left stood a massive black greatsword embedded in the ground. It was double-edged and two palm widths wide. Even the exposed portion of the blade was nearly two meters long.

On the right was a half-open chest. The gorgeously patterned, curled fruit within was undoubtedly a Devil Fruit.

And in the middle, where Bai Cangshu believed the most important item should have been placed, there was actually a severed arm…