Tide Sound Marsh, less than a hundred miles from Crane Island, the residence of Bai Qiong Demon King. This place is home to tens of thousands of birds, their calls resounding across dozens of miles, even drowning out the roar of crashing waves.
A young cultivator, dressed in a golden crown and wide-sleeved robe, sat cross-legged atop a radiant rainbow of light. He resembled an old fisherman watching the ebb and flow of the tides, his expression serene and composed.
This person was none other than Xiao Han, a standout disciple of the current generation in the Xiao Family.
He had acquired the Xiao Family’s internal secret technique and received the clan’s concentrated training. Now, not even twenty-five years old, he was already a Xuan Guang Third Realm cultivator, leaving his peers far behind.
If he could successfully form his elixir before thirty, he was confident that, upon returning to the mountain gate, he could establish his own residence outside the sect, much like Su Yihong.
However, as he thought of this, a name surfaced in his mind. Although this person’s cultivation was inferior to his own, they already controlled a Grotto Heaven. Yet, the clan seemed intent on pushing him to compete with this individual, which irked him greatly. He sneered inwardly and thought, "That Zhang Yan is of mortal origin, and when opening his meridians, he only had a low-grade Fog Phase. If not for Master Sun bestowing upon him the *Lan Yun Secret Volume*, he likely wouldn’t have even reached the Xuan Guang Stage. He just happened to master a swordsmanship technique to intimidate some disciples from lower-grade families. What is so remarkable about that? Someone like him—what qualifications does he have to be compared to me? Yet my clan regards him as such a significant rival. It’s utterly ridiculous."
At this moment, a golden rainbow descended from the sky, arriving in the blink of an eye. It transformed into a swirling mass of white qi that gradually descended. When the cloud dissipated, a middle-aged Daoist with black robes, purple-tinged brows, hair tied in a Daoist bun, and a fierce expression appeared.
Upon seeing Xiao Han, the Daoist hurriedly approached, his face brimming with joy as he exclaimed, "Jiulang, just as you predicted, with Lu Rong’s assistance, the Old Master effortlessly broke through the prohibitions on Crane Island and entered the inner court. Now, he has Bai Qiong Demon King’s Lu Mei Niang tightly monitored and trapped in a secret chamber. Within three to five days, we’ll have her. She won’t be able to stir up any trouble."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Han seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He lightly patted his knee, revealing a smile, and said, "In that case, we can rest easy."
Three months ago, their party, carrying Yan Zhengting’s letter, came here to pay a visit to Bai Qiong Demon King’s Lu Mei Niang, expressing their intent to obtain the Sixty-Year Four-Season Water.
After reading the letter, Lu Mei Niang was polite and gladly agreed, even hinting at her willingness to align herself with the Xiao Family in her words.
However, unexpectedly, after just one month, another letter arrived from Yan Zhengting. This mentioned that Zhang Yan was also coming for the Four-Season Water and warned of an impending calamity in the East Splendor Continent. It stated that even overseas lands might not remain paradises, urging her to arrange an escape route carefully.
After reading the letter, Lu Mei Niang began to waver. Although she had yet to make a final decision on whom to side with, hesitation was evident.
This matter ought to have remained secret. However, Lu Rong, Lu Mei Niang’s daughter, who admired Xiao Han, secretly disclosed the information.
Recognizing that he couldn’t afford to wait, Xiao Han decided to make his move first. Drawing information about the array formations on the island from Lu Rong, he enlisted the aid of a Nascent Soul Realm elder accompanying him to directly storm the inner court. They trapped Lu Mei Niang in an inner chamber, severing her communication with the outside world. In an instant, they turned the tables and seized control of the situation on Crane Island.
Daoist Zi Mei also admired Xiao Han’s decisiveness at the time. If Lu Mei Niang had truly chosen to align herself with the Mingcang Sect’s lineage, it would have been greatly detrimental to them.
Once the island’s arrays were activated, even with the assistance of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, their side would have been placed in an extremely disadvantageous position. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger as he said, "Jiulang, why did you spare Lu Mei Niang’s life? If not for the Old Master heeding your words and aiming to capture her alive, we wouldn’t have to waste any more time. She could have been eliminated in the blink of an eye, and we could’ve taken control of Black Mountain, which produces the Sixty-Year Four-Season Water, for the Xiao Family. Wouldn’t that have simplified everything?"
Xiao Han chuckled softly, shaking his head as he replied, "The Xiao Family’s foundation still lies within the Mingcang Sect. This East Sea region, teeming with demons and fierce beasts, is no place to linger. Intervening recklessly risks inciting the suspicion of other Demon Kings, making it hard to contain the situation."
The East Sea Eighteen Demon Kings, though ruling their respective territories, often came to one another’s aid in the face of external threats. If they were to kill Bai Qiong Demon King merely for a scant amount of Four-Season Water, it might provoke the vigilance and hostility of the Great Demons. If one or two teamed up to come seeking revenge, it would be a significant loss instead of a gain.
Daoist Zi Mei snorted coldly and said, "How lenient we’ve been with her."