Chapter 348 – Crown Abyss Diver
"Oi, Leyvi. Is that really your plan? What kind of country bumpkin sounded plan is that?" Dastan snapped. "This lake is like the ocean. There are probably countless demonic beasts in there. It doesn't matter how good you are at swimming; the creatures in there can definitely swim better. If we go along with your stupid plan, then we'll all die."
Even Tantan swirled her hand next to her head, giving Leyvi the universal "you're insane" gesture.
Victor nodded repeatedly, silently agreeing with the crown prince. No way in hell was he going to ride a glorified coconut raft across an endless lake.
"Is my plan really that stupid?" Leyvi asked, blinking.
"Hmph, obviously. If you had ever visited deep water like this prince has, you'd never dare to think about crossing this lake with just a raft. All kinds of terrifying demonic beasts live down there. This might be just a lake, but at this size, it's no different from the terrifying ocean," Dastan explained with a serious face.
"Hmm... I fought a bunch of them underwater before, and they're not that hard, so I thought we could cross like that. But I guess not. Did I underestimate the situation again?" Leyvi rubbed his chin, reflecting.
Victor sighed deeply. No wonder this guy gets injured so often despite having such a tough body.
"Heh… what you see is just the tip of the iceberg," Dastan said, arms crossed, voice laced with experience. "The aquatic demonic beasts that roam near the land and shallow waters are just weaklings. The real threats—the super strong ones—prefer the deep. That's where spiritual energy is most abundant."
"I see… so my idea is really stupid, huh?" Leyvi nodded slowly, absorbing the info.
"Hmph, not just stupid, it's retarded," Dastan said bluntly. "Let me tell you, in water, commander-level aquatic demonic beasts are far more dangerous than their land counterparts. No matter how skillful you are underwater, you'd be a sitting duck if you meet one of them."
"Really? Why is that? Are land and water demonic beasts that different?" Leyvi asked curiously.
"Why? Because their bloodline awakening makes them terrifying in their medium. Water enhances them. It's their domain," Dastan explained. "Don't think that just because you beat one or two commander-level beasts on land, you can do the same in water. Big mistake. Plenty of strong cultivators have died thinking like that. Of course, if you can force them to fight on land, it's a different story—they lose their advantage."
"I see. So they're that dangerous, huh?" Leyvi said, scratching the back of his head. "I almost killed us all. Hahaha!" He laughed at himself, but a cold sweat trickled down his back. Good thing Dastan knew about this. If not, things could've gone badly—again.
"Kill us? Not a chance," Dastan huffed. "This prince would never agree with your stupid raft plan in the first place, so only you and Victor would've died."
"I'm not that stupid. I won't go either," Victor chimed in flatly.
"Sure, sure. I was wrong. I'm an idiot. So... how do we cross over now? Dastan, you're a genius, right? You should have the solution for this. Entertain us with the brilliancy of a crown prince." Leyvi goaded, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Although it was an obvious jab, Dastan didn't take the bait negatively. In fact, it was the perfect setup for him to show off—mainly to Tantan of course, not to the two other men.
"Daa hahaha! Leyvi, you should be grateful to me, because only this prince could help you solve this problem right now. Tantan, do you want to see how your master solves a problem that these two losers couldn't?" Dastan turned with a dazzling smile.
Tantan nodded excitedly, her tail swishing with anticipation.
Tch, who said I didn't have a way to cross the lake? I'm definitely not a loser. Hmph, stupid clown prince! Victor retorted inwardly. He didn't have the guts to say it out loud like Leyvi did, but he was clearly offended.
"Hahaha! I knew I could count on you, Dastan. You're definitely the most reliable crown prince I've ever met!" Leyvi said, voice full of mock sincerity.
"Heh, of course! The crown princes from other kingdoms are shit compared to me... huh?... dammit, Leyvi! I'm the only crown prince you've ever met! You're bullshitting again!"
"Hahaha! It's still true. I'm not bullshitting. Come on, Dastan, tell us your method for crossing this lake. Don't make Tantan wait too long. You don't want her excitement to vanish," Leyvi replied with a teasing grin.
Tantan rolled her eyes. Obviously it's you. Don't make me the scapegoat.
"Heh, then watch closely. If you want to cross a large body of water, you must at least have this!" the crown prince declared, full of grandeur.
He strutted closer to the water's edge, swung his hand forward dramatically, and a massive vessel burst out of his space ring. It landed with a thunderous splash, waves surging outward from the impact. Everyone summoned their Qi barrier instantly to shield from the splash.
The Crown Abyss Diver was a sleek submarine, its sapphire-blue hull gleaming beneath the sunlight with intricate gold filigree forming elegant royal patterns across its surface. The design was a blend of majesty and menace—its streamlined shape punctuated by sharp, blade-like fins folded tightly along its sides, ready to unfold and cut through water with ease. At the bow, a crown-shaped emblem pulsed faintly with energy, while luminous crystal portholes gave glimpses of the luxurious interior. It radiated power, elegance, and unmistakable royal prestige.
Tantan's eyes sparkled instantly, locking onto the vessel like a predator eyeing prey. She didn't just see a submarine—she saw a mighty metallic beast, perfect for charging into the deep and ramming demonic beasts into submission. Her tail twitched with excitement at the thought.
"Daa hahaha! This is a submarine!" Dastan announced proudly, puffing out his chest. "Look at how majestic this tier-5 metallic beast is! This prince calls it Crown Abyss Diver! Capable of traveling deep underwater!"
He pointed to it as if presenting a rare treasure. "It was built with a focus on defensive and stealth capabilities, allowing it to travel underwater safely. Even if a general-level demonic beast were to attack this thing, it would survive!"
"Interesting! Another unique vehicle spirit artifact!" Leyvi exclaimed, eyes lighting up with curiosity. He wasn't familiar with the term submarine, but he was more than intrigued. "If this diver thing really works like you described, then it's definitely much better than my raft plan. Hahaha!"
"Oi Leyvi, don't ever compare your stupid raft with this prince's majestic Crown Abyss Diver. Such disrespect." Dastan scolded, arms crossed. Tantan gave Leyvi an especially offended look, her tail swishing in protest. She clearly took the comparison personally—this submarine was her new obsession.
"Sure, sure. I'm not comparing them. Your Crown Abyss Diver is the best," Leyvi said, casually waving it off. "So what are we waiting for? Let's depart right away. Go, Dastan, operate this thing."
"Hold on." Dastan raised his hand, halting the enthusiasm with practiced smugness. "This prince is rich and all, but this time, you need to provide the spirit stones. Extraordinary spirit artifacts require extraordinary fuel. Let this prince tell you—this majestic vessel consumes a huge amount of energy, mostly to maintain its impenetrable defense."
He stretched out his hand, as if the gesture itself was part of the payment request.
"Sure." Leyvi didn't even flinch. With a flick of his wrist, a massive pile of spirit stones appeared on the beach, glittering like a treasure hoard.
Dastan blinked. Hard.
He had expected a sarcastic remark, a stingy joke, another "Why are you so poor for a rich prince?" jab, but instead, Leyvi handed over the energy cost without a second thought.
The truth was, Leyvi understood. Throughout their journey, Dastan had supplied all the fuel for their many vehicle spirit artifacts, and even though he complained endlessly, he still made sure everyone traveled safely. Leyvi had laughed it off often, but deep down, he knew those vehicles had been a great help in their journey.
This time, however, the journey was personal. Getting to Anda was his priority. And Leyvi had no illusions. If the Crown Abyss Diver was as powerful as Dastan claimed, it would need every bit of energy he could give it. What if the Abyss Diver failed suddenly because it didn't have enough energy supply? Everyone would be in danger. Besides, there was a spirit stone mine on the island. He could always resupply later.
Dastan stood there, stunned. He had fully braced himself for a back-and-forth. This sudden generosity short-circuited his expectations.
Don't tell me… he misses that panda wife of his so much, he doesn't even feel like bantering anymore? Dastan narrowed his eyes. Hmm… yeah, that's probably it.
"Is this enough?" Leyvi asked. "I have more."
"Uhh..." Dastan snapped back to reality and eyed the glittering mountain. "Yeah, this is more than enough. No need for more."
He knew exactly how Leyvi worked. If he said it wasn't enough, Leyvi might double or triple the amount.
"Hahaha! Then good. It's time to go!" Leyvi said with a wide grin.
And so, Crown Prince Dastan led the group into the Crown Abyss Diver.