Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’
Chapter 274: Splitting Sea Dragons and Whales Just One Hammer Strike

In the depths of the waters.

Navigating through the treacherous undercurrents, Little Li the Heavenly Serpent finally caught sight of jagged rocks piercing the water ahead. The reef formations were arranged in a chaotic manner, resembling the skeletal remains of a colossal beast—or perhaps they were the remains, eroded over countless years by the relentless currents until they became indistinguishable from ordinary rocks.

It was hard to imagine the sheer size of such a creature when it was alive.

Splash—

A violent surge of water echoed from the rocky cluster.

Li Mo extended his senses, pinpointing the source of the disturbance. Moments later, he spotted Guo Jing, wedged firmly within the "beast's skeletal jaws"—or more accurately, stuck in its gaping maw.

She flailed like a lightbulb shoved into a beast’s mouth, her whale-like tail thrashing wildly against the unyielding stone.

"Wu Mo!"

Guo Jing could barely peer out through the cracks.

"I was just passing by when I spotted the Celestial Jade. I couldn’t help but revert to my true form, and now I can’t change back."

For demonic beings, shapeshifting wasn’t as effortless as breathing. Some even required rare spiritual treasures to maintain their human forms, especially those with lower cultivation levels.

"Stay still. I’ll try to get you out."

"Wait—aren’t you a traditional demon? Does that mean you’ll have to touch my tail? I knew it—"

"?"

Little Li the Heavenly Serpent twitched his lips.

So you’re not even worried about me ripping your tail off while pulling you out?

"I wasn’t planning to pull you out."

Gripping the Star Piercer, Li Mo prepared to smash the reef apart—

Then—

Ooooooh—

A deep, ancient reverberation suddenly echoed through the waters.

Wu Mo shuddered, and Guo Jing wasn’t faring much better, her soul trembling with instinctive terror.

Hm?

Li Mo turned.

In the distance, a towering black horn emerged from the churning waves, followed by a shadow twice the size of Guo Jing’s true form. Its metallic scales seemed to warp the very light around it.

...

"Great-Grandma?"

A middle-aged man from the Giant Whale Clan blurted out before shaking his head.

"No—its bloodline is purer. That’s a true Riftsea Dragonwhale! It’s even grown dragon horns!"

Before the projection screen, the gathered demon elders wore grave expressions—especially those of the Giant Whale Clan.

"Why are the spirits summoned by the Celestial Jade this time so absurdly strong? Or did we just have the misfortune of encountering the most powerful among them?"

"Our ancestors were once rulers of the ancient seas, unmatched in raw strength even by true dragons of the same realm!"

"Even if the princess weren’t trapped, her chances would be slim. And now..."

"Everything depends on Wu Mo."

"But... will he even help?"

At this, the Giant Whale Clan fell silent.

Let it not be forgotten—there was only one Celestial Jade.

Within the Palm-Buddha Realm, every clan was a competitor.

If they were in his place, they wouldn’t take such a risk for no gain.

This Riftsea Dragonwhale was undoubtedly one of the most formidable spirits in existence.

Wu Qing and Murong Feng exchanged glances, their eyes filled with worry.

From what they knew of him through Murong Xiao, he would intervene.

But neither wished to see the hope of the Howling Serpent Clan clash with the Dragonwhale to mutual ruin.

After all, Wu Mo hadn’t even encountered the spirit meant for him yet.

"Look—Wu Mo is making his move!"

"Is he seriously planning to face the Dragonwhale head-on?!"

...

"An ancestral spirit?!"

Still trapped, Guo Jing trembled under the oppressive aura of her progenitor.

Her massive form quivered, and she was about to urge the two serpents to flee—

When a figure shot forward, riding the waves.

If I absorb this Dragonwhale’s essence, could I add another transformation to the Seventy-Two Changes?

The thought flickered through Little Li’s mind, but he didn’t dwell on it.

After all, as a certain battle maniac once said: Fight first, figure things out mid-battle.

Boom—

Boom—

Where the Riftsea Dragonwhale passed, even the sturdiest reefs crumbled like brittle sand. Its hollow, lifeless eyes were now fully visible.

It lacked true sentience, operating only on residual instinct.

Yet that was enough to unleash the bloodline power of the Riftsea Dragonwhale Clan—

Gravity.

A simple, brutal, yet devastating ability.

The surrounding currents congealed into a viscous mire, and the force behind its charge multiplied exponentially.

"As long as it’s not something I can’t catch up to..."

Li Mo watched the behemoth barrel toward him, his fighting spirit igniting.

That divine hammer technique—he had yet to land a solid hit with it.

The one time he’d used it, Yin Mianmian’s bizarre movements had left him swinging at air.

The seven mystic cores in his dantian trembled, surging with overwhelming power. The Star Piercer, a divine weapon, groaned under the strain of a mere Specter-Gazing cultivator’s might.

And so—

A bizarre scene unfolded.

A hundred-zhang-long, mountain-like Dragonwhale collided with a figure dwarfed even by its horn.

Yet that tiny figure glowed with a faint golden light—

Heaven-Overturning Strike!

For an instant, even the waves seemed to freeze.

Hummm—

Outside, the bronze chimes transmitting the battle’s sounds clashed chaotically, screeching like a dropped microphone.

Countless eyes widened in disbelief.

No one had expected—

Wu Mo would choose to meet force with force!

Crack—

A soft sound.

Then, spiderweb fractures spread across the Dragonwhale’s body—from its horn to its tail.

Like a crumbling mountain, its massive form collapsed, sending a geyser of water skyward before dispersing into mist.

"Wha—?"

The Giant Whale elder gaped, dumbfounded.

"Holy shit," Murong Feng blurted, momentarily forgetting decorum.

Divine Monk Huaikong’s cloudy eyes sharpened with a sudden gleam.

Hengyuan’s lips parted before he hastily muttered, "Amitabha," chastising himself for nearly breaking his vow of silence.

The demon spectators recoiled as one.

"He shattered the Riftsea Dragonwhale in one hit?!"

"Wu Mo will forever be a friend of the Giant Whale Clan!"

"That’s terrifying... Wait, who pissed themselves? It got on my foot!"

"Apologies, I couldn’t hold back—ink reflex."

"Tch. Seems Wu Mo is... even stronger than we thought! The outcome between him and the Qingluan Goddess is anyone’s guess now!"

"Our peerless Heavenly Serpent crushes all with pure strength!"

"Our Qingluan Goddess—"

The aquatic and avian factions immediately resumed their squabbling.

Meanwhile—

As the spirit dissipated, a wisp of light merged into Li Mo’s brow, guiding him toward the Celestial Jade.

At the same time, the phantom of a Riftsea Dragonwhale took form within him.

If only I had its essence...

[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in ‘Guo Jing.’ You aided her escape and witnessed true power.]

[Investment Reward: One drop of Riftsea Dragonwhale essence.]

Well, isn’t that convenient?

These divine spirits are all projections preserved by the Jade Phoenix Goddess.

I wonder...

Could there be a True Dragon among them?

Or perhaps beings no lesser than a True Dragon?

In the end, what form will his Seventy-Two Transformations ultimately take?