Since ancient Earth times, the landmass where the East Sea Island nation sits had been steadily sliding toward the Mariana Trench. The island itself was already prone to earthquakes, and those quakes only accelerated the process. Scientists at the time predicted that within a few thousand years, the entire nation would slip into the trench, never to resurface. Yet ten thousand years passed, and not only did the land not vanish, but the people thrived and multiplied, growing ever more prosperous.
The scientists' predictions weren't wrong. The reason for this outcome was, naturally, the emergence of new changes as the ages progressed.
After humanity ventured beyond the solar system and awakened the power of mythic genes, they didn't immediately abandon the solar system. Instead, with the great discovery of spiritual matter, remnants of Earth's—and even the solar system's—mythological past were gradually unearthed. These were traces left by ancient cultivation civilizations, carrying the mysteries of myth, sparking fierce competition among countless human races.
Especially near the East China Sea, a massive underwater ruin was excavated. Asian nations swarmed in like sharks drawn to blood, scrambling wildly and seizing countless treasures, each possessing unimaginable abilities.
But over three thousand years had passed, and the details of the artifacts dug up from that East Sea ruin were lost to history.
Only one treasure remained widely known.
It seemed the East Sea Island nation had obtained a peculiar artifact, transforming it into a colossal pillar that plunged into the Mariana Trench, propping up the sliding landmass and halting its descent—a true miracle!
This pillar formed from the treasure was called the East Sea Divine Pillar, revered by the locals as a divine sign, a favor from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu to her people.
Could the massive underwater pillar he was seeing be that very Divine Pillar?
Though Feng Lin was seeing it for the first time, he was utterly certain of his judgment.
After all, not just anything could extend over twenty thousand meters into a deep-sea trench.
He maneuvered the spacecraft, continuously scanning the full view of the East Sea Divine Pillar. The pillar was perfectly cylindrical, stretching straight down like a heavenly column, forcefully bracing the entire continental plate, preventing it from moving an inch. With such immense size and hardness, even without any extraordinary abilities, it was a divine object.
The spacecraft's optical computer automatically began scanning the pillar's material, quickly yielding results. The data showed the iron pillar was composed of one hundred percent iron, with no impurities.
Just iron?
How could such a common element form a divine object like this?
It defied all scientific principles.
Yet the evidence was right before him. The Huaguoshan spacecraft's technology was incredibly advanced, hailing from interstellar space, far surpassing solar system levels, far more reliable than Feng Lin's own probing. If the spacecraft's scan was wrong, Feng Lin would have no chance of discovering anything else.
At that moment, the holographic projection displayed a strange image, revealing the internal structure of the iron pillar.
Feng Lin was startled to find that the iron atoms within the pillar were packed together with unimaginable density, each atom a node in an incredibly dense, web-like crystalline structure. Any element reaching such terrifying density would become immensely hard.
As the spacecraft's detection rays continued scanning, the optical computer indicated it could no longer penetrate further.
The pillar's density was simply too immense. It appeared to be an iron pillar, yet it was as solid as a single iron atom, with no gaps, impermeable even to light radiation, revealing only the surface.
This pillar must hold deeper secrets to block detection by interstellar technology.
Only an ancient cultivation civilization, full of boundless mysteries, could create such a treasure, defying nature and surpassing imagination.
The spacecraft circled the massive pillar, scanning it entirely. Feng Lin's heart stirred as he realized the East Sea Divine Pillar somewhat resembled a giant iron rod.
Could this be the Ruyi Jingu Bang?
The thought crossed Feng Lin's mind unbidden, but he quickly laughed at himself. How could it be that coincidental?
He was walking the path of Sun Wukong's myth, and he just happened to stumble upon the Ruyi Jingu Bang?
If so, his luck would be too absurd!
Besides, many mythological figures across various cultures wielded rods as weapons. The Hindu monkey god Hanuman was one, and Chinese mythology had countless examples. It couldn't be ruled out that this pillar was a treasure from another nation's myths.
The truth could only be known by testing it firsthand.
Feng Lin docked the spacecraft on the seabed and stepped out wearing a Jingkun-186 diving suit.
This was the pinnacle of interstellar technology, a suit capable of withstanding water pressure up to fifty thousand meters.
The spacecraft's lights went dark, and Feng Lin paddled with his hands, approaching the iron pillar.
From a distance, it didn't seem so imposing, but up close, the pillar's grandeur was overwhelming, like a sky-supporting column. He felt as insignificant as an ant before it.
Feng Lin's hands moved swiftly, his palms brushing against the pillar's surface, which bore fine patterns, like natural engravings.
These patterns extended endlessly, seemingly forming images.
He pulled back to get a better view, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He realized the fine patterns formed an ancient Chinese oracle bone script. Through the optical computer's analysis, it turned out to be the character "量" (measure).
Feng Lin's mind raced with wild thoughts as he swam upward, gradually revealing eight large ancient characters, strung together into a sentence.
"The vessel has no fixed form; only the heart's energy matters!"
Not the Ruyi Jingu Bang?
Feng Lin couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Though he knew the odds were slim, the shattered hope still stung.
But he quickly composed himself.
How could things be so perfect in this world?
That everything good would fall into one person's hands!
Such mythical weapons, once revealed, would shake heaven and earth with boundless power. Only a handful of such mythic treasures existed among the interstellar superpowers, their rarity beyond imagination.
Even if Feng Lin obtained one, he couldn't protect it once word got out.
If the East Sea Divine Pillar were truly such a earth-shattering mythic artifact, how could a small island nation on Earth hold onto it?
Feng Lin cast aside such fantasies and began seriously examining the iron pillar.
He infused his spiritual energy into it, only to find it like hitting an impenetrable wall. Even his formless, intangible spiritual force couldn't penetrate, as if a barrier blocked all probing.
The sensation was oddly familiar.
His excitement reignited. Even if this pillar wasn't a mythic artifact, it was still a powerful, unknown relic from an ancient civilization, much like the furnace he had refined before.
Just as he prepared to try the same method—using his spiritual energy to refine the pillar—a light suddenly shone from above.
Someone else had entered the trench.
Who could it be?
Feng Lin quickly slipped aside. The spacecraft had already entered stealth mode. He and the vessel remained hidden, leaving no trace.
A submarine, large as a whale, slowly descended, its bright light illuminating the surroundings.
Soon, over a dozen people swam out, their diving suits bearing the symbol of the rising sun.
Feng Lin's eyes narrowed. That was the flag of the East Sea Island nation. These people were all from that country!