Li Yuanjiao nodded thoughtfully, and his once terrifying impression of Pristine Water True Monarch faded significantly. The invincible aura surrounding him seemed to diminish, and he remarked quietly, "The Eastern Sea is truly a different world."
As they flew, Kong Tingyun reminded them, "There are a few powers in the Eastern Sea that you cannot provoke, and I am sure you are aware of them, but I will still mention them again."
After ascertaining that Li Yuanjiao was listening intently, Kong Tingyun began, "The first is the Dragon Clan... In the four seas, the Eastern Sea's Dragon Clan is the most powerful, a top-tier force. The Dragon species are also fiercely protective of their own. As long as it is a True Dragon, you must not offend even a single one."
Everyone nodded in understanding as Kong Tingyun continued, "Next are the various demonic entities—sometimes called Immortals, sometimes Ghost Officials—or even strange, unnatural beings formed from combinations of metallic essences, fate, and ill omens."
She shook her head and added, "There is not much you can do when you encounter one. Even Purple Mansion Realm cultivators avoid some of them, while others might only make you sneeze."
"In the mainland, there are emissaries of death who monitor these things so you rarely see them, but overseas, it is a different story. The Eastern Sea is vast and boundless, hiding countless unknowns..."
She paused before continuing, "As for the other factions, there has never been a day without bloodshed. In the end, it is all for their interests."
Kong Tingyun waited for a moment before leading them to the water. After calculating the time, she said softly, "The Eastern Sea is too vast. Just flying would take us forever. It is better to rely on the water veins, which not only save us mana but are also much faster."
Li Qinghong glanced around and noticed several others nearby, warily watching each other as they waited. Kong Tingyun whispered, "In just a few breaths, the water veins of the sea will surge. When the water rushes in, we will use the Water Command Technique to ride the current to the Scarlet Pristine Sea, where my family's marketplace is located."
Just as she finished speaking, the surrounding waters began to tremble and rush eastward. Large and small bubbles rose, and the ground beneath them shook violently as lightning flashed across the darkened sky.
Li Yuanjiao, having traveled the Eastern Sea for over a year, was well-versed in its ways. He calmly said, "My immortal foundation is Boundless Ocean ... Let me handle the water control."
With that, a serpent dragon formed under his feet, coiling in the sea and transforming into a bluish-gray light ring that enveloped everyone, swiftly carrying them eastward with the surging current.
————
Scarlet Pristine Sea, Golden Sack Island.
There were several islands in the Scarlet Pristine Sea, and Golden Sack Island was a medium-sized one. The Golden Tang Gate had established a firm presence here, reinforcing it with great effort.
Situ Mo, dressed in gold, sat sternly at the head of the hall, his face dark. Below him, a man kneeled on the ground, trembling as he reported, "My lord... the crab has come to demand another thousand people... he says he will return in three days."
Situ Mo's expression grew darker, and he replied in a low voice, "I see."
Although the Golden Tang Gate was an immortal gate, it still had to abide by the rules of the Eastern Sea. What was due had to be paid. The crab was merely at the Qi Cultivation Realm, but it had a serpent dragon backing it. As much as Situ Mo resented it, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
His foul mood was not just because of this; the records on the table also vexed him. As the sole direct descendant on this island, he had secretly obtained these sect records and had been reviewing the events from years ago.
"In the sixth lunar month, the Yu Family joined the gate, and Wan Huaqian became famous in the prefecture for his formation techniques... The Yu Family then ambushed and killed members of the Wan Family, framing the Ji Family... The Wan Family retaliated by attacking Mount Hua, and the Xiao Family sent a warning to the Yu Family... slaughter ensued... and the prefecture was besieged..."
Throughout the destruction of the Ji Family, the real forces behind the scenes were the Yu and Xiao families, along with the broader power struggles between the Azure Pond and Golden Tang. In hindsight, it was clear that Li Tongya was merely a pawn in Xiao Chuting's larger scheme.
"Xiao Chuting manipulated the situation brilliantly, weakening both the Jiang and Yu families and almost subjugating the entire eastern shore, while propping up the Li Family as a loyal supporter... truly masterful."
Situ Mo silently acknowledged the cunningness of Xiao Chuting but knew that he lacked the strength to confront the Xiao Family for now. He filed away his grudges, awaiting a day when he could settle the score.
But Xiao Chuting is a formidable opponent... I must continue to feign ignorance for now, lest I end up caught in Man On Creek's schemes. As he pondered, he suddenly realized that there had been no news from Kong Tingyun for quite some time. This raised alarm bells in his mind.
That woman is never quiet for long. Could she be scheming something?
He quickly ordered, "Go fetch Master Monk Mutuo!"
Watching his subordinate leave, Situ Mo felt a chill of unease run down his spine. Not long ago, he had considered getting rid of her to reclaim control, but after probing her twice and suffering minor setbacks, he had to admit he had underestimated her.
Damn it... It is easy to fool the idiots in the sect, but once outside, none of them are simple... Situ Mo silently fumed.
Li Yuanjiao had been difficult enough, and even that monk seemed like no pushover. Kong Tingyun was sly, and even Li Xijun was quick-witted. Inside the Golden Tang Gate, he could fool his seniors and juniors, but outside, he had suffered one setback after another. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, cursing aloud, "No wonder the Golden Tang Gate is declining... It is full of idiots!"
As he was in the middle of cursing, a burly, bald man barged into the hall, his face red with irritation. He growled, "What now?"
Seeing him, Situ Mo's temper flared even more. He shouted, "You filthy monk! All you do is chase after skirts! Are you even keeping an eye on Kong Tingyun?!"
Mutuo shot him a sideways glance and muttered a mantra under his breath while retorting, "What do you know?! In the Great Zhao, as long as you are a monk, even princesses get on their knees and let you do what you want with them. But here in the south, at least they still know how to cry and run..."
Situ Mo's face darkened further, but he restrained his disgust. Then, suddenly, Mutuo's expression changed. He hesitated before asking tentatively, "She is not on the island..?"
Situ Mo had anticipated this, and his face remained unchanged. Mutuo hastily resumed divining, his face paling as he poured more energy into his divination. After a while, he finally muttered, "She is not in the Scarlet Pristine Sea!"
Situ Mo's face showed a slight shift, his mind racing. Several names flashed through his thoughts, and then a moment of realization struck him. He hesitated, then said, "I heard Splitreed Island was attacked by some kind of demon creatures recently, with many casualties, right?"
Mutuo blinked, realization dawning on him.
"You are saying... Kong Tingyun went to pick up disciples from the sect?"
Situ Mo nodded hesitantly. Mutuo quickly exclaimed, "This is a perfect opportunity! We may not be able to break through the island's great formation, but we could ambush her on the sea route! Let us both go—when we get close enough, I will do the divination again!"
Situ Mo immediately flew into action, rising into the air with Mutuo by his side. As they neared the coast, doubt crept into his mind.
That woman knows I have a Buddhist cultivator here—why would she make such a mistake? Sect disciples... Does Profound Peak Gate not have other Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators to send? This is too convenient...
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he almost shouted, "Quick, check where Li Yuanjiao is!"
Mutuo blinked in confusion.
"Did we not agree we would not go after the Li Family for another ten years?"
"Just do it!" Situ Mo snapped.
Mutuo's face twisted with frustration. "I am not even in the Yue State! How am I supposed to do that now? We are already close to the sea route... Why not just focus on Kong Tingyun?!"
Situ Mo gritted his teeth but relented, fixing his gaze on the approaching water surge. He growled, "Fine, but first check if Li Yuanjiao is in the Eastern Sea! Start with him!"