Li Xuanfeng was alone, armored and cloaked, standing on a golden flying shuttle as he sped through the surging dark waves.
Taking advantage of the brewing sea storm, he found an excuse to silently leave the market at Splitreed Island. Riding the wind through thunder and rain, he headed eastward, traveling thousands of li along the water veins until he arrived at the Scarlet Pristine Sea.
Though the Eastern Sea's weather was famously unpredictable, with sudden shifts from clear to stormy skies, such a fierce thunderstorm was rare. The night was pitch-black, cloaked under heavy, boundless clouds. The Scarlet Pristine Sea had turned a dark green—nearly black, seeming to be merging seamlessly with the horizon's darkness.
Li Xuanfeng suppressed the golden light of his shuttle, advancing noiselessly through the wind. Torrential rain struck his Black Gold Spirit Armor, shattering into mist upon contact with his protective aura which enveloped him like a shield.
In the distance, Golden Sack Island soon appeared on the horizon. Li Xuanfeng quietly pulled back, stopping a few li away. Reaching into his storage pouch, he retrieved a jade box.
Although he was confident the monk would take the bait, Li Xuanfeng was not one to act recklessly. Estimating a distance of about a hundred li from Golden Sack Island, he took the figurine from the jade box, casually brushing it along the island's perimeter before placing it back in the box. He then landed on a nearby island to observe Golden Sack Island's response.
————
Golden Sack Island.
Situ Mo had suffered greatly from an ambush orchestrated by the Li Family in alliance with Kong Tingyun, leaving him at a severe disadvantage. Yet, after spending several years in secluded cultivation on the island, he emerged to find that the situation was not as dire as he had initially feared.
First, his caution had paid off; by treating Kong Tingyun as a formidable opponent, he had managed to preserve his life, sustaining only minor injuries. Returning to the island that day, he had been filled with relief.
Second, to his surprise, Mutuo had ultimately fallen into his hands.
He had initially thought that Mutuo's death would mean the loss of a major ally. Yet, within only half a year on the island, one of the women Mutuo had favored bore a child, which Situ Mo quickly noticed upon coming out of seclusion. He soon ordered the child to be brought to him.
Sure enough, this half-year-old child, who was capable of walking already, looked up at him with a wrinkled, unsightly face.
It was unmistakably Mutuo himself.
Curious, Situ Mo asked, "Why have you not returned to the North? Even with this reincarnated body, starting from scratch would take you at least decades to regain the title of Master Monk, would it not?"
Mutuo rolled his eyes, clearly irritated.
"The North? Is there anywhere safer than your Golden Sack Island?"
After pressing him further, Situ Mo learned that the Wrathful Dao lineage in the North had descended into chaos. Mutuo's previous contingency plans—statues, heirs, and alternative bodies—were now all potential targets with countless monks lying in wait, eager to capture him upon his reincarnation.
Thus, Mutuo had returned to Golden Sack Island, and Situ Mo finally understood why Mutuo had been spending his days and nights with women when he first arrived. He had been leaving behind a last resort.
After all, reaching the level of a Master Monk… it comes with some life-preserving skills, Situ Mo scoffed to himself inwardly.
With Mutuo in his control, Situ Mo felt a weight lifted from his shoulders, even allowing himself a small grin.
"Mutuo, that fool, has truly fallen into my hands! Now, instead of a battle of wits, he will be forced to serve me, my pawn for the next few decades…" he thought to himself in satisfaction.
Mutuo might not excel in combat, but his survival and divination skills were outstanding. With this weakened version of Mutuo at his disposal, Situ Mo could avoid most risks.
He built a small temple for Mutuo, feeding him and nurturing him for his divination skills. Just two years later, having mostly recovered from his injuries, Situ Mo received some more good news.
"Kong Tingyun has finally been transferred!"
This development allowed Situ Mo to relax significantly. Always cautious, he still refused to leave the island, wary that Kong Tingyun might try another ploy. It was not until he had fully healed would he even consider stepping outside.
No matter how much Mutuo or the guest cultivators advised him otherwise, even when word came from his sect that Kong Tingyun had been sighted at another base, he remained steadfast, refusing to leave the island.
Situ Mo was no fool. The enmity between his family and the Li Family was now openly acknowledged. Even without Kong Tingyun, the Li Family could easily hire a few Foundation Establishment Realm experts. With their combined forces, he could be ambushed and gravely injured again, and that would spell disaster.
Situ Mo resented the Golden Tang Gate, despising this world where such sects exploited and discarded families like the Ji Family for blood qi. To sever ties completely, he even refused to use blood qi for healing or cultivation, treating his injuries with the utmost caution.
Having come out of seclusion, he was lost in thought when, unexpectedly, Mutuo hurriedly approached him, calling out to him with great urgency in his voice.
"Situ Mo!"
Over the years, Mutuo had used blood qi to at least restore his original appearance. Although Situ Mo found him repulsive, he had no choice but to rein in his irritation and asked in a low voice, "What is it now? If you need blood qi, go buy it from the market! Do not even think about bothering the people on my island!"
However, Mutuo exclaimed excitedly, "It is a treasured artifact!"
As the red-faced monk hurriedly explained the situation, Situ Mo listened patiently before frowning and replying, "What so-called treasured artifact? This must be one of Kong Tingyun's tricks… she must be trying to lure us out!"
Mutuo opened his mouth to curse him as a coward but suddenly remembered that his cautiousness had saved his life last time. So, he grudgingly replied, "What does it matter? Kong Tingyun went back to the Yue State long ago! Besides, it is only a hundred li away… What kind of ambush would that be? If a fight breaks out, all I need to do is shoot a signal into the sky, and the island will see it instantly. Who sets up an ambush like that?"
Situ Mo frowned, looking at the monk with some frustration.
"And what can this artifact do?"
With no one else around, Mutuo spoke frankly, "It is incredibly useful. Our Wrathful Dao lineage has some methods that can exploit particular artifacts to remotely control others, even proclaiming their sins… It is remarkably effective!"
Mutuo continued, "This technique can enact the Dao of Transformation. According to records, some people who crave deer meat and must eat it daily—once this artifact shines on them, their sins manifest, and it transforms them into a deer, making them experience the punishment… A true taste of their own medicine! And if they are powerful enough to resist the transformation, well… Do they not have disciples? Family? Let them feel the weight of retribution!"
Mutuo clarified, "This transformation is not an illusion. If one is struck by the spell, they genuinely turn into a deer, as if they were born that way."
Situ Mo shuddered, staring deeply at him, feeling a sudden chill in his heart. Mutuo seemed entirely certain, and Situ Mo could not find any fault in his words. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "What difference is there between eating a person and eating a deer?"
"All beings are equal; there is no difference," replied Mutuo, flashing a set of white teeth, as though the blood qi he had absorbed a few days prior was nothing more than a few bites of venison. Noticing Situ Mo's gaze, he shook his head and added, "So eating deer is like eating people; it is a boundless sin… no one should do it… I…"
Situ Mo could no longer contain himself and interrupted with a curse, "You damned hypocrite, did you not consume blood qi just days ago?!"
Mutuo shook his head.
"Me...? Once I have reached illumination, these people and deer who aided in my cultivation will ascend to paradise as well. It is a great blessing!"
Situ Mo restrained his temper, casting him a sidelong glance before saying in a low voice, "Stop spouting nonsense. I will not listen to this drivel. I will send someone to that location first to check things out on your behalf… Do not go rushing into things recklessly."