That Daoist Master… severed the natural phenomenon… Li Qinghong mused quietly to herself, in awe.
The cultivators were visibly shaken, staring dumbly at the turbulent skies above them. Cold raindrops began to fall, and as Li Qinghong bowed her head and closed her eyes, a warm tear traced down her cheek. She heard an elder cultivator beside her murmur, "The eclipse and falling stars… it is the True Monarch of the Yue Cultivating Sect at work!"
The Qi Cultivators could not even make out the True Monarch's form and thus escaped the more intense side effects. But Li Qinghong, at her Foundation Establishment Realm, had caught a fleeting glimpse and suffered a cascade of haunting visions. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, feeling the unsettling tremor in her heart.
She drifted away from the crowd, diving deep beneath the water's surface to distance herself. It took her a moment to recover fully before a thought surfaced, prompting her to mutter, "What weapon was that True Monarch wielding? Was it a staff? A sword?"
She mulled it over for a moment, glancing all around her. Her gaze blurred slightly, and she murmured, "How did I end up at the ocean floor...?"
Emerging from the water, Li Qinghong glanced toward the lingering, unmoving thunderclouds. She turned back to look upon the now-serene Jiangnan, muttering in bewilderment, "How strange… why are those clouds not moving?"
After flying a few more li, a sudden, chilly sensation settled over her in the Shenyang Mansion region. She halted imperceptibly, suppressing her unease, and quickly dove back beneath the waves.
————
Darkness settled over several prefectures in the Yue State, and on Splitreed Island in the Eastern Sea, the night grew even denser. Under the water, the entire seabed was cloaked in an inky blackness while turbulent storm clouds surged above, swallowing up the once-bright sky and darkening the waters until they resembled thick black ink.
Thunderstorms raged across the ocean's surface, stirring waves into a frenzy as violet-black lightning cascaded down with the rumbling force of landslides and crashing seas.
Li Xuanfeng had spent several months on the island, gradually acclimating to its atmosphere. Standing in the water with his hands behind his back, he observed the pitch-dark depths alongside Ning Heyuan, who stood just behind him. Glancing at the darkened waters, Ning Heyuan spoke softly, "Brother-in-law… These storms are rare, let alone such an immense thunderstorm. The sea is as black as ink, stretching on for thousands of li—it is a sign something has happened."
Li Xuanfeng turned slightly toward him, and Ning Heyuan, being well-informed, explained in a low tone, "Word from within the sect says a sea creature tried to break through to the Golden Core Realm in the Eastern Sea but failed, dying in the process."
Ning Heyuan paused, adding, "It was from the Converging Water lineage, which has little to do with us, but there is likely unrest in the Serpent Dragon Palace. With this phenomenon already underway, it is probably a settled matter by now."
Li Xuanfeng nodded, and Ning Heyuan continued, "I have picked up a few things worth sharing with you, brother-in-law."
Li Xuanfeng gestured for him to proceed, and Ning Heyuan went on, "The Golden Tang Gate's Golden Sack Island has been quiet for years, but it is said they recently established a temple there because a woman gave birth to a child with awakened spiritual roots."
Hearing this, Li Xuanfeng cast a sidelong glance at the distant thunderstorm, muttering, "That Wrathful Dao lineage Master Monk is not dead?! He has not returned to the north...? He dares to reincarnate here on Golden Sack Island?"
Ning Heyuan nodded, speaking quietly, "I looked into it thoroughly… It is not that he could not return—rather, the Wrathful Dao has been heavily weakened in recent years, its territories split up by the other Six Dao. Many temples were destroyed, and those monks understand one another best. It is not only in the Eastern Sea; several Wrathful Dao Master Monks' tactics have been dismantled in the north, so they have sent agents to the southern seas and Jiangnan as backup."
"I see," Li Xuanfeng replied with a nod.
Ning Heyuan then added a word of caution, "That island has a Foundation Establishment Realm formation and several guest cultivators guarding it. Though Golden Tang Gate may be waning, it still has some reserves, and it is likely safer there than elsewhere."
Li Xuanfeng was Ning Heyuan's brother-in-law, and his only family member allowed to stand by a Daoist Master's side. Ning Heyuan, not wanting any harm to come to him, subtly voiced his concerns.
Li Xuanfeng responded softly, "The Daoist Master dislikes the Situ Family."
He recalled hearing rumors of tension between Yuansu and the Situ Family. At first, Li Xuanfeng had not fully understood the significance of these rumors, but he now recalled how Yuansu, before his departure, had specifically instructed him, "All but the dragon kin are fair game."
With this instruction in mind, Li Xuanfeng now saw things clearly—one of Yuansu's motives in deploying him had been to target Golden Tang Gate, serving both as a mission and a means to settle an old grudge.
Upon hearing this, Ning Heyuan nodded slightly and added, "Years ago, a friend of the Daoist Master gifted him a Three-Eyed Mount Tiao Beast , a prized creature that Situ Tang killed for its third eye. Although they compensated him with spirit treasures, resentment remained."
After a quick moment of reflection, Ning Heyuan continued, "As for the Daoist Masters within the sect, only Daoist Master Yuanwu holds favorable ties with the Situ Family; the others do not look upon them kindly."
Li Xuanfeng watched the storm brewing far off in the sea depths and asked in a low voice, "Any way to draw them out?"
Ning Heyuan paused briefly before answering, "Situ Mo is cautious and, after suffering a previous setback, likely will not step out easily… Golden Sack Island is fortified like an iron barrel, so direct confrontation is not advisable. But… brother-in-law, perhaps wait for an opportunity—a time when Golden Tang Gate escorts a merchant ship. That would be the perfect moment to ambush the monk. Master Monks often place too much trust in their divination skills, making them easier to catch off guard."
Regardless of Golden Sack Island's defenses, it was still a Golden Tang Gate market and thus heavily fortified. Ning Heyuan continued, "As for drawing him out, I do have one method."
He took out a clear jade box from his sleeve, within which rested an intricately carved jade figurine—three-headed and six-armed, each hand gripping a short staff or axe-like weapon.
"I acquired this especially for you, brother-in-law. It is a wrathful treasure artifact from the Buddhist cultivator, equivalent to our Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifacts—a rare find!"
Buddhist cultivation, after all, only began to rise in more recent ages. Although successive Revered Ones had refined and completed its lineage over time, their techniques in smithing and alchemy remained comparatively undeveloped, making this treasure exceptionally rare among Buddhist cultivators.
Passing the jade box to Li Xuanfeng, Ning Heyuan explained, "This treasure can be sensed by any cultivator from the Wrathful Dao lineage within a hundred li. In the past, if a Wrathful Maha had been nearby, they could have sensed it from thousands of li away, ordering its immediate retrieval. No one dared to reveal it then. But now… it can serve as bait."
Confident in his position as a direct disciple of the immortal sect, Ning Heyuan spoke with assurance, certain that taking down a Master Monk from a fading Dao lineage would be straightforward.
"After so long on the island, I am sure that Master Monk left behind many reincarnation channels. Even weakened, their reckless ways guarantee they will seize any chance to act. Whether you can completely eliminate him, though, depends on yourself!"
"Hmm… Well done," Li Xuanfeng remarked with rare praise as he took the jade box, murmuring, "You have gone to great trouble for this."
Ning Heyuan smiled, waving it off, and replied quietly, "What are you saying, brother-in-law? We are family."
The years had worn down Ning Heyuan's sharp edges and pride. Building his bond with Li Xuanfeng was more than seeking favor with a Daoist Master; it was to solidify this familial tie and prepare an additional path for his future.
Li Xuanfeng then glanced down at the figurine in the clear jade box, his expression hardening as he thought to himself, I still owe a blood debt to my second uncle… I will start by exacting a little interest from this bald-headed monk!