Five months later, in the north of South Phoenix, the sun burned hot in the sky. Golden streams of light fell like sharp swords, stabbing mercilessly into the depths of the Forbidden Sea. The sea sizzled and angry waves surged out, its wild fury suffocating. A strong wind blew, seemingly intent on shoving the entire Forbidden Sea over the horizon. The sound of the waves and the cries of the sea beasts was outright shocking to any who could hear it. It was as if the sound itself wanted to bury any listeners at the bottom of the sea. Mutagen surged along with the waves, bending the light waves and turning everything hazy. Compared to it, everything else on the Forbidden Sea seemed as insignificant as dust.2

At the moment, a lone ship was visible on the horizon, where the sky met the sea. Huang Yan lay in the boat amidst the haze and the mutagen and the waves. Patting his belly, he let loose a long sigh and looked down toward the bottom of the sea.0

“You can really make a big commotion,” he said, sounding somewhat emotional.0

As the waves crashed, a three-meter-thick vine splashed out from the water, pulsing with fluctuations...0