For most people looking at him, Da Hai came off as unassuming. He was someone who blended into the background. Someone you'd brush off as unimportant. Sure he'd dress nicely and was well kept but the feeling he gave off was not extraordinary in any way.

Compared to the likes of Shenni, Si Hai, or even Wangshu who made an attempt to stand out, Da Hai was practically invisible. He'd contributed greatly to the Shenni war sure, but everyone else participating who survived was equally crucial.

His reputation didn't exceed others either. He'd hardly made any appearances outside of the east sea and barely any news reached the rest of the primitive world. As he spent all his time hauled up in Yingzhou, he was an afterthought to many powerhouses in the world. A name you remember but don't think much on.

But the current situation has changed. For all the years he'd known him, Zulong had seen many sides of Da Hai. He'd seen him amiable(mostly), deadpan(always), disappointed(sometimes), frustrated(a lot), happy(rarely). But he'd never seen his master as he was now.

Da Hai's facial expression could only be described as a chilling rage. His mouth did not move from that thin line it was in but his glare was positively apocalyptic. The air around the sea god had changed as well.

From the moment he stepped through the hole in reality. All things were silenced. The storm made no sound, the waves lay in wait, the wind stilled. Zulong felt a chill down his spine just from being near his master, and he wasn't even the one targeted.

Da Hai took one look at the barely alive four symbols divine beasts and took action. Although he didn't move, the effect of primordial Qi was felt. Baihu, Qinglong, Zhuque, and Xuanwu regained colour.

Si Hai stood on top of the ocean starring in somewhat of a disbelieving expression. "You actually came here?" He wondered as if he was looking at the dumbest man alive.

"You actually came here away from your island?" Si Hai's crooked mouth broke into a smirk. "Heh, heh heh, hahahahahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The sea god exploded into full blown laughter ignoring all those around him.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, this is too funny," Si Hai laughed. "Da Hai, heh, I pegged you for a, heh, somewhat intelligent, haha, man. Not a smart one but at least not one this dumb," Si Hai made out between chuckles.

Da Hai tilted his head to one side and smirked. "The only fool here I see is you," he said softly.

"Haha, Da Hai you fool. You were safe on that island, save from me for the most part I'll admit," Si Hai smirked. "But that is all you are, a turtle who cannot fight anywhere else but from the comforts of your own home."

The sea got pointed his harpoon at Da Hai. "But even then, I no longer fear that place. You see, for the last ten thousand years I've tirelessly developed ways to counter your little mind tricks," he boasted. "Your illusions no longer affect me, you have lost all chance you've had of defeating me. But at least you were boosted in Yingzhou."

Si Hai sighed and shook his head, "To think you'd actually willingly leave. You realise that out here, you're weaker than ever right?"

"Heh, yeah, I am weaker outside of Yingzhou," Da Hai admitted. "But you seemed to have gotten the wrong impression Si Hai," Da Hai said holding bu Si Hai's bisected arm.

At first he was confused, then his mind caught up to him. Si Hai's pupilless eyes widened and looked down. One of his arms, the lower arm on his left side had been torn off. It took a few moments between his realisation for the pain to catch up to him.

"What?" He grunted. He looked back at Da Hai and couldn't help but be unnerved by his smile.

"Si Hai," Da Hai began. "If anything, you've proven yourself dumber than I thought." The ancestor of the great sea chuckled and threw the arm into the sea.

"Ten thousand years to figure spells to counter illusions. Ten thousand years in seclusion to study illusions. Ten thousand years of sitting on your ass and learning techniques," Da Hai repeated over and over. "Ten thousand years wasted."

Si Hai gritted his teeth and growled. He leapt into the air preparing to smash Da Hai to pieces. The full weight of his cultivation came barreling down. The sea quaked beneath him, the thunder and wind howled behind him. The storm clouds swirled with him as the epicentre.

"Tsk tsk Si Hai," Da Hai said not even moving. He looked up at the descending Si Hai. The emperor of the four seas was incredibly fast, but to Da Hai's eyes, he appeared very slow.

"You see, while you were busy studying spells, I've been enlightening myself on the Dao," Da Hai said. "In ten thousand years, I've made so many improvements that I've left you behind."

"Indeed, you were smart to figure spells to counter my greatest weapon. On earth you'd be like a gamer changing his loadout for a new boss fight," Da Hai said softly while Si Hai became confused upon hearing these words. What was Da Hai talking about?

"But Si Hai, while you did get stronger, you grew laterally," Da Hai said smiling brightly. "Whereas I grew vertically," he sighed and waved up.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

In one motion, Si Hai had suffered a grievous cut that left his entire left side hanging by his waist. He bled out in shock, herculean amounts of blood like Dao essence leaked out like a fountain. The golden radiance showered the area.

"You've, to think you," Si Hai muttered in shock.

"Yes Si Hai, I've left you behind," Da Hai said smiling sadistically. "My Dao has long since left the realm of Great Principle," he said swiftly swinging his hand across.

Si Hai wasn't prepared to defend himself. But even if he was, he couldn't defend was he was bisected at the waist. Si Hai desperately lashed out with a punch. However, that blow never reached Da Hai as his fist was crushed and encased by water before tearing off.

Da Hai leisurely walked up to Si Hai still smiling. "You really have no shame do you Si Hai," Da Hai laughed. He shoved his hand, tiny in comparison, into the gargantuan Si Hai's chest. He made and gripping motion and tore out an ethereal construct of a Dao fruit.

Si Hai's eyes widened fearfully. "Wait Da Hai, wait, please wait a minute," he begged. "My kingdom, all my slaves, all my treasures, they're yours, I'll even serve you."

Da Hai tightened his grip. The sound of something succumbing to high pressure was heard as loud as day. All the while Si Hai begged.

"A slave, no a mount, I'll be your mount, don't do this," Si Hai begged helplessly. "Please Da Hai, as a fellow godfiend, as a cultivator, you know why this is wrong," he screamed as cracks began appearing on the Dao fruit. "This is not the way of us godfiends!"

"Si Hai, were you not the one who said the Chaos Godfiends no longer exist? That what remained was but names?" Da Hai said with venoming dripping contempt. "To think someone like you managed to forge a Dao. A toxic Dao I'm sure. To so willingly bully juniors, to hurt my s… to hurt those who belong to my sect. You really are trash."

"You do not deserve to be in the realm of Great Principle ChaosImmortal. So I'll send you back to the Great Unity realm, even the odds for a bit. Pretty fair wouldn't you say?" He snarled.

"Or maybe I'll break your unity, and send you tumbling back to a mere Golden Immortal. Give you a taste of your own medicine," he said. "Not a bad idea actually. I'd deposit you on the south continent where the empress of birds would love to see you," he said taking a brief look at the amazed yet scared Zhuque.

Those spectating the battle didn't know what to feel. Sure, they were immensely thankful to Da Hai. They wanted to all bow in respect and revere him. Zhuque wanted to convince her sister to build a shrine for him.

But there was something intrinsically wrong with what Da Hai was doing. An intrinsic feeling that they all dreaded. The Dao was precious. It was something fundamentally a part of you. As Great Unity Golden Immortals who'd found their Dao, they all understood the importance of such.

"What an emperor of the four seas," Da Hai scoffed. "I showed you mercy last time, but you dare scheme behind my back. No wonder you followed Shenni, you two are so alike."

Radiant Dao essence broke away from the Dao fruit of emperor Si Hai. He could feel his cultivation becoming unstable. His power was plummeting. His current state was miserable.

"Da Hai, don't think you'd get away with this!" SI Hai roared. "I am a valuable ally to the devil ancestor, you really think he'd let you get away with this?"

"The same tactic? Really?" Da Hai raised an eyebrow in amusement. He crushed his fist tearing off have the Dao fruit. He completely pulverised fifty percent of Si Hai's Dao. The emperor of the seas fell back in pain. He was barely able to maintain his stature and desperately tried to crawl away.

"Ah, ah, ah," Da Hai sang teleporting before him. He gripped the other half of the Dao fruit taking his sweat time torturing Si Hai. "Let's take this nice and slow."

Si Hai looked utterly miserable. He felt extremely depressed right now. How had Da Hai reached the Primal Origin Chaos Immortal realm? He'd completely surpassed him in every way. Based on the way he'd fought, he wasn't new to the realm. Da Hai's cultivation was very stable.

Si Hai looked in petrified fear. He'd never felt so weak before in his life. So helpless as he gazed up the phantom image of eight hissing serpents. Their manes were glowing menacingly.

Above the clouds, violet light gathered and an old man in purple robes appeared. His hands were placed firmly behind his back. He looked down at the dark clouds in curiosity.

"What happened while I was gone?" He muttered. He took a brief look eastwards towards the mainland before tearing his eyes away. Luohu shouldn't care too much about the ocean anyway.

Descending towards the ocean surface, the old man observed the panicked look of Da Hai and the half dead Si Hai. "Oh, well isn't this interesting," he muttered.

"Hongjun," Da Hai whispered letting go of Si Hai giving the old man, Hongjun his full attention.