Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 666

Chapter 666: The Depths Stir Once More

After saying this, the Lord of the Underworld reached out her hand. The black jade that Ethan’s mother had given him earlier detached itself from the Nether Jade Wraith Coffin and drifted toward her palm, as if drawn by an unseen force.

“What exactly is this black jade?” Ethan asked, watching the dark gem glide through the air.

“It’s called the Nether Jade,” June explained. “The three treasures of the Nether-Realm—the Nether-Throne, Nether-Armor, and Nether Coffin—all require it as the key to unlock their final forms.”

“Then why did you give it to me?” Ethan frowned slightly, still confused.

“If I hadn’t let you take the Nether Jade out of the Nether-Realm,” she said, her tone soft but resolute, “I wouldn’t have been able to execute the final plan. Without that, I might have already dissipated. The reasons are… complicated, and you wouldn’t fully understand right now. I’ll explain everything when there’s time. But for now, I must go. Reconstructing his body will take a long while, and I can’t delay any longer.”

There was a flicker of anxiety in Ethan’s mother’s expression. As she finished speaking, her Avatar began to fade, its light dimming around the edges. She turned to Ethan one last time, waved gently, and then rose toward the city’s surface. Her figure ascended through the layers of colossal whale bones and ancient skeletons—areas forbidden to all Merfolk and sea creatures, who were required to pass through the main gate.

But she ignored those rules completely.

The Merfolk King said nothing to stop her. Watching her depart that way, he instead released a long breath, his shoulders easing as if a great weight had lifted.

“Phew… Great nephew, your mother is—”

Rumble…

Before he could finish, the entire world trembled. Thunder rolled from somewhere distant, and a strange, heavy aura swept through the water. The Merfolk King froze mid-sentence, his face twisting with shock, awe, and fear.

“Uh…? What is it?” Ethan asked, looking around in confusion.

The King shut his mouth immediately and waved his hand as if to silence the topic altogether. His eyes darted away, and he refused to speak another word.

Seeing his reaction, Ethan understood it must have been related to his mother’s true identity—something forbidden to mention in this world. He didn’t press him further.

Instead, he turned back to the Nether Jade Wraith Coffin and gently ran his fingers over its cold, dark surface. Slowly, his expression softened. A faint smile appeared on his lips as an unfamiliar warmth filled his chest.

‘I’m not without parents after all,’ he thought. ‘My mother’s identity speaks for itself, and my father… he must have been someone extraordinary among humans.’

There had to be a reason they hadn’t been by his side. He thought about the rumors surrounding the Noble Eight Lineages and the Caelum family, realizing for the first time that his own surname—Caelum—was tied to that ancient bloodline.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. His father hadn’t sought revenge all these years. Perhaps the generation responsible for the old conflict was already gone, and vengeance no longer had meaning.

His heart gradually settled, clarity returning to his gaze.

Then he suddenly remembered the strange object the Megalodon Clan King had been holding earlier.

“Your Majesty,” Ethan asked, “the Divine Sea Temple—what exactly is it?” He was certain that relic wasn’t native to Earth.

The Merfolk King’s expression hardened. “The Divine Sea Temple… it’s an ancient and mysterious force. It existed even before the rise of the Merfolk. As for what kind of organization it truly is… even I can’t say. My father—the Old King—once told me they’re like a cancer festering on Earth. But…” He hesitated, eyes darkening. “They’re undeniably powerful. My father once encountered one of their people—a man said to be among the One Hundred and Eight Stewards. His strength rivaled my father at his very peak. Imagine, then, the might of those above him… or the power of the Temple Master himself.”

A shudder passed through the Merfolk King’s body as he finished speaking, the memory clearly unsettling him.

Ethan was speechless. That powerful? If the Divine Sea Temple truly wielded such strength, couldn’t they easily unify all of Earth? Couldn’t they even conquer a planet in a vast universe like the Umbral Star?

“Fortunately,” the Merfolk King said, exhaling slowly, “the Path of Ethereal maintains balance. The people of the Divine Sea Temple cannot freely leave their domain, nor can they cross beyond this boundless ocean.”

Ethan finally breathed out, tension easing from his shoulders. So that’s it. If not for that restriction, the entire world might have already fallen under their control.

“Your Majesty,” he asked after a pause, “how great is the difference between your power and the Old Merfolk King’s peak?”

The King blinked, clearly uncomfortable. “Uh… me? Compared to my father? That’s… incomparable. Perhaps one-tenth of his strength.”

He had intended to stop halfway through his explanation, but Ethan’s steady gaze urged him to finish the thought.

Ethan’s mind reeled. One-tenth? The Divine Sea Temple truly was terrifying. If one of their stewards could match the Old King at his prime, then revenge—at least for now—was beyond his reach.

He turned his attention back to the Nether Jade Wraith Coffin. His mother had told him to leave it here, and clearly, she trusted the Merfolk deeply. That alone was enough reassurance for him.

His next goal was clear—he needed to retrieve Lyla.

“What about that Sǫgarr fellow?” Ethan asked, remembering the man only now. He had been keeping an eye on him earlier, but when the seawater had rushed in and Starfall was injured, he had completely forgotten.

“He’s here,” Princess Star called out from a distance.

A group of guards appeared, dragging Sǫgarr forward. Heavy restraints bound his wrists and ankles—the very ones he had once planned to use on Ethan and his companions.

“He’s confessed everything,” Princess Star said as she approached, her expression unreadable. “Miss Lyla and Miss Astrid are being held at the Megalodon Clan’s base, locked in a dry cavern.”

“Oh?” Ethan’s voice was calm. He didn’t even glance at Sǫgarr again. After nodding to the princess in thanks, he turned, raised his hand, and brought it down in a single, sharp strike.

Smash!

The sound was wet and final, like a melon bursting open. Sǫgarr’s body dropped to the floor, headless and twitching.

“Ah!” Princess Star gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

“Since he’s confessed, he’s no longer useful,” Ethan said evenly, flicking his hand to shake off the blood. “Leaving him here would only be an eyesore.” He wiped his palm clean with a scrap of the dead man’s clothing, his tone casual, almost indifferent.

“Your Majesty, Princess Star, I’ll be taking my leave,” he said at last. “I’ll go to the Megalodon Clan, and after that, I’ll depart. I entrust this matter to your care. If the Merfolk tribe ever requires my aid, send word. I will cross fire and water for you.”

He bowed slightly to the Merfolk King—a gesture of genuine respect, the first he had shown since stepping foot in the City of the Whale Fall. Then he straightened, ready to go.

“Great nephew, wait!” the Merfolk King called, his voice urgent.

Ethan turned back. “Hmm? Is there something else, Your Majesty?”

“You seem to have forgotten why we brought you here in the first place!” the King said quickly. “You are the emissary personally chosen by the Merfolk Sovereign. Our tribe will lend you our full strength. This time, Princess Star will accompany you. Only with her by your side can we maintain contact with you, even when you’re far from us in the deep sea.”