With an ancient and unadorned face, a pale yellow complexion, and crystal-clear eyes, Qu Baimei, wearing a specially crafted mask, appeared like the descent of the Yellow Dragon Immortal from the Fengshen War.
He was the member of the mysterious organization mentioned by Yin Feilong!
Except for the matter of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, he was responsible for the intelligence and information regarding the Purple Bamboo Island and the Dongning Heritage, leading the organization’s members to seize them and reaping significant benefits afterward.
“If I hadn’t joined ‘Xian Ji’ by a stroke of fate back then, how could I have such glory now?” Qu Bai Mei whispered inwardly.
In the first half of his life, he was utterly unremarkable, barely reaching the Outer Scenery cultivation level by relying on his ancestors’ blessings and becoming the Lord of Changhua Island. However, he faced numerous adversaries around him, and many within the island were discontent, leaving him in a precarious situation both internally and externally. At that time, Changhua Island was quite ordinary, not even ranking among the top islands in that sea area, let alone within the entire Heavenly Dao Alliance. Were it not for its proximity to the enigmatic Golden Turtle Island and its geographically advantageous position for trade in all directions, it might not have even caught the attention of “Xian Ji.”
Fortunately, there are always unexpected encounters in the world. After receiving divine techniques, immortal scriptures, spiritual pills, and various secret treasures from “Xian Ji” and diligently cultivating them, he eventually reached a peak in his life. His cultivation advanced rapidly, becoming a Grandmaster, and Changhua Island gained fame in the Canglan Realm of the Li Hai Sea, becoming one of the leading powers. Even within the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Realms governed by the Heavenly Dao Alliance, this island became famous for its bustling markets in the north and south, becoming a prosperous and flourishing island.
Moreover, after witnessing the power of the “Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable,” Qu Bai Mei, the “Yellow Dragon Immortal,” had no more doubts. The mysterious organization behind him had many powerful experts, including sages capable of ranking among the “Five Elders,” and that was just the tip of the iceberg. There were probably even more secrets he didn’t know about, such as the “Primordial Heavenly Venerable” mentioned by the “Doumu Yuanjun” in recent years.
Being able to establish connections with experts at the level of the “Five Elders” made Qu Bai Mei feel confident and even suspect that the “Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable” and the “Primordial Heavenly Venerable” might be two of the “Four Marvels, Three Devils, Five Elders.” He looked down upon ordinary forces, never expecting that today he would be visited by the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s Inspection Envoy.
“Haha, actually asking a member of ‘Xian Ji’ to cooperate in dealing with ‘Xian Ji,’ Yin Feilong really hit the nail on the head by accident. Too bad he is destined to die without closure, never understanding why he was killed.” Qu Bai Mei adjusted his “Yellow Dragon Immortal” mask and prepared to step out of his bedroom, intending to “sneak” into the banquet hall.
The so-called Mo Ning was just a decoy he had set up!
Because some of the items involved in certain transactions had unclear origins and could easily leave traces for others to follow, Qu Bai Mei always remained in the shadows, letting Mo Ning handle things. When suspicions arose and danger approached, he could discard this pawn, severing all connections and completely distancing himself from the matter.
Being part of a mysterious organization, he never lacked caution!
After walking a few steps, Qu Bai Mei, the “Yellow Dragon Immortal,” suddenly stopped, hesitating: “Yin Feilong’s visit is widely known. If he is assassinated here or disappears, people will inevitably suspect me and my connection to the mysterious organization. Carefulness ensures safety for millennia. I should bring him along to deal with Mo Ning, and then kill them both, erase all traces, making people believe that Mo Ning, after failing in his mission and fleeing, killed Yin Feilong.”
There was no better way than framing a dead man.
He removed the mask, no longer the Yellow Dragon Immortal but the Lord of Changhua Island, and openly returned to the hall, bowing: “Envoy Yin has waited long enough. Let us depart now.”
Yin Feilong, already a Grandmaster before the age of forty, exuded charisma and pride, smiling as he returned the bow: “Thank you, my Lord.”
Two streaks of light shot up, heading straight for the place where the sea waves crashed against the shore. There stood a small wooden hut occupied by an old man with white hair, whose daily routine seemed to be fishing from a boat, making him quite mysterious. He was the target of Yin Feilong’s visit—Mo Ning.
“He’s here,” Qu Bai Mei succinctly transmitted in a voiceless message.
The streaks of light immediately descended, and a suppression formation was activated, enveloping the area. The surrounding tides transformed into raging waves, obscuring the sky and completely isolating the location from the outside world, turning it into a blue realm.
Inside the wooden hut, Mo Ning, who had been brewing tea and cooking fish, turned deathly pale upon witnessing the change, knowing his time had come. The island’s lord was here to silence him!
He had understood this would be his fate from the beginning, but the conditions Qu Bai Mei offered were simply irresistible.
Rather than enduring a life of hardship and suppression, he chose to enjoy a brief moment of brilliance!
Behind Yin Feilong emerged a giant, dark-blue ghost capable of devouring the heavens. As Yin Feilong’s palm struck down, the ghost’s massive mouth opened, darkening the sky as if it intended to crush and swallow Mo Ning and the hut in one go.
At that moment, Qu Bai Mei moved. His right hand, gripping a golden-yellow longsword, silently thrust forward, tapping into the undercurrents of the suppression formation. Under the cover of the raging waves, the blade aimed at Yin Feilong’s back.
Although they were both Grandmasters, Qu Bai Mei had ascended to that level many years earlier and had the support of the island’s grand formation. He was confident he could kill this Inspection Envoy!
Puh! A sound like piercing foam echoed. Yin Feilong’s figure twisted, covered in black, unharmed.
A shiver ran through Qu Baimei’s heart. He watched as Yin Feilong’s body split into another figure—pitch-black, with a pair of horns on its head, towering and massive, flickering like a ghost from the Nine Netherworlds.
“Yin… Yin Zu…” Qu Bai Mei couldn’t help but exclaim in shock.
This was none other than Xu Bei, the “Yin Zu” of the “Five Elders,” and the Lord of the Ten Deathless Islands!
Beside him, Yin Feilong wore a self-satisfied smile. Qu Bai Mei had indeed taken the bait!
The message Yin Zu had received clearly identified the mysterious organization’s member as Qu Bai Mei, the Lord of Changhua Island. However, due to certain unknown reasons, Yin Zu couldn’t directly intervene and instead needed Qu Bai Mei to expose himself.
The shadowy Yin Zu raised his right hand and pointed a finger. A chilling aura condensed and pierced through the golden-yellow sword light, through the yellow dragon scales, striking Qu Bai Mei’s forehead.
Suddenly, black flames erupted from within Qu Bai Mei’s body, instantly reducing him to ashes, scattering into the air like drifting fluff.
The “Yellow Dragon Immortal” of Xian Ji perished.
“Old Immortal?” Yin Feilong exclaimed in surprise.
Wasn’t the plan to extract his soul afterward, keeping Qu Bai Mei alive as bait to lure more members of the mysterious organization?
Yin Zu Xu Bei’s voice was low and indifferent: “He bore a mysterious curse. Once certain secrets were involved, it activated, and I couldn’t stop it in time.”
“This…” Yin Feilong remained silent for a while before asking, “Old Immortal, did you find anything useful?”
Yin Zu replied: “I only learned that this mysterious organization is called ‘Xian Ji,’ with members whose identities are unknown, adopting titles of ancient immortals. Among them, the strongest are ‘Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable’ and ‘Primordial Heavenly Venerable.'”
“Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable, Primordial Heavenly Venerable…” Yin Feilong repeated the names. To adopt titles of the Three Pure Ones, weren’t they afraid of divine retribution?
Yet this also confirmed the formidable and terrifying power of these two Xian Ji leaders!
He paused and asked: “Old Immortal, what’s next?”
Yin Zu’s emerald-green eyes seemed to hold a hint of anxiety as he gazed toward the distant sea:
“Qu Bai Mei knew many other things. Since we now have solid evidence of his membership in the mysterious organization, we must eradicate it completely, leaving no trace behind.”
He paused briefly: “Stage a false massacre, leaving behind some clues for the Xian Ji members to follow.”
“Understood, my Lord!” Yin Feilong’s eyes gleamed. This was indeed an excellent “fishing” strategy!
Let’s see what real identities the members of this mysterious organization hold, and discover who the Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable and the Primordial Heavenly Venerable truly are!
…
When Meng Qi traversed the Eye of the Fengshen Sea and arrived at Changhua Island, he saw that the vicinity of the island lord’s mansion had been leveled for several miles.
“Old man, what happened here? It wasn’t like this the last time I came!” Meng Qi noticed many sea traders were also puzzled by the destruction. Without hiding his identity, he directly stopped an elderly man nearby to inquire.
The old man’s face was filled with fear, and his words were somewhat incoherent: “It is said, it is said that Lord Qu discovered some secret, and at the beginning of last month, his entire family was wiped out overnight. The sky was filled with fire dragons, as if the sun had fallen from the heavens, shaking our house so badly that cracks appeared!”
Lord Qu was wiped out because he discovered some secret? Could it be related to the Golden Turtle Island? Meng Qi immediately had a guess. In recent years, Xian Ji had always tasked Qu with investigating the mysterious disappearance of Golden Turtle Island. Could he have found some clue, leading to his family’s destruction?
If it weren’t for recent entanglements, Qu would have long sought help from “Xian Ji” to eliminate the threat at its earliest stage. Since the fall of the Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable, Xian Ji had been operating more discreetly, and it had been many years since they last made a move in this overseas paradise. It should not be due to repercussions from that incident.
Without knowing what else Qu might have done, he could only speculate that it was related to the Golden Turtle Island affair.
“Lord Qu was always kind-hearted, generous, and a senior member of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Why would he be wiped out so suddenly?” Meng Qi feigned confusion.
The old man glanced around cautiously before lowering his voice: “We commoners can’t possibly understand such matters. But it is said that on the night of the massacre, Yin Feilong, the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s inspector, had visited Lord Qu. The massacre occurred right after he left. A while ago, he even came specifically to investigate the case.”
“Envoy Yin? Do you know where he is now?” Meng Qi asked casually.
The old man chuckled: “An inspector is always on the move, but he still spends a few months each year at the Ten Deathless Islands, home of the ‘Yin Zu’ Xu Bei, one of the ‘Five Elders’ of the Heavenly Dao.”
Meng Qi nodded slightly and steered the conversation toward the specialties of Changhua Island’s market, discussing how this place might never regain its former prosperity.
The next day, he traveled discreetly by sea to the Ten Deathless Islands.
With a member fallen and matters involving the Golden Turtle Island at stake, whether for duty or personal reasons, he needed to investigate. But as a stranger in a foreign land, he had to be cautious, for whoever had wiped out the “Yellow Dragon Immortal’s” entire family might still be watching who was investigating this matter!
…
The Ten Deathless Islands and Changhua Island both belonged to the Canglan Realm of the Li Hai Sea, and the teleportation array connecting to other realms was located on this island. Therefore, traveling from Changhua to the Ten Deathless Islands could be done either by flight or by sea.
The sea vessel was enormous and luxurious, protected by formation arrays that resisted wind and waves, ensuring a very stable journey. It cut through the endless blue waves, bringing a sense of expansive freedom.
Meng Qi disguised himself as a sea traveler, blending among the common folk without drawing any attention. At this moment, he was on the deck enjoying the sea breeze and admiring the night scenery.
Above, the high sky was dotted with stars, like a black curtain adorned with sparkling gems, reflected in the sea as if the Milky Way were flowing, creating a dreamlike beauty. Looking around, one could only see deep blue, boundless and infinite, broadening one’s mind.
It would take another two or three days to reach the Ten Deathless Islands.
Just then, lights appeared from the horizon ahead. It was a sea vessel decorated to the utmost of luxury, with exotic flowers and plants planted everywhere and glass lanterns placed throughout, radiating bright light that illuminated the surroundings as if it were broad daylight. The owner of the ship seemed to be someone who greatly feared darkness and loneliness, hence keeping the lights on and surrounding himself with strange flowers.
Several sea travelers who were cooling off on the deck with Meng Qi suddenly froze, remaining silent for a long time before murmuring in hushed tones:
“Night Emperor, Night Emperor!”
They faced the large ship with the utmost respect.
Night Emperor? One of the Four Marvels among the Four Marvels, Three Devils, and Five Elders, one of the “Two Emperors and Two Lords”—Huoli Shang? With the information provided by Qu Jiuniang and the data collected by Xian Ji, Meng Qi was quite familiar with the high-level experts in this region.
“Huoli Shang,” the Night Emperor, was a rising star who had only achieved the Law Body cultivation level in the last twenty years. However, his techniques were mysterious and formidable, rivaling most of the Five Elders. It was said his strength was comparable to that of a Celestial Immortal.
His original name had long been forgotten. He often lamented that since his birth into the world, living beings had strayed from the Dao, tainted by worldly influences, losing their true nature, like wandering sons leaving home, filled with sorrow. Only through countless opportunities and arduous efforts could they return home. Thus, he indulged in a life of freedom, enjoying all kinds of pleasures, laughing and drinking without end, never lamenting his departure!
As time passed, he simply adopted the name “Lishang,” becoming a highly legendary figure.
“Night Emperor is known for his casual demeanor. If he’s in a good mood, he might invite us aboard for a banquet and bestow some extraordinary fortune,” said the sea travelers, crowding to the edge of the deck and gazing at the magnificent ship with hopeful eyes.
The Night Emperor was famous for his carefree behavior. He had once sailed the seas alone on his ship, inviting sea travelers aboard to fulfill a wish, amusing himself in the process. Therefore, everyone regarded him as a wish-granting Bodhisattva, praying for their wishes to come true.
As the ship drew closer, a voice suddenly echoed from above:
“Night drinking until dawn, how can there be no companions? Master Lishang invites you all to board and attend the banquet. Would you be so kind as to accept?”
“An invitation from the Night Emperor—who in the world could refuse?” “Thank you, Master Lishang!” A chorus of voices rang out.
Who knows, perhaps their wishes would soon be fulfilled!
Meng Qi watched with interest. This was his first encounter with a Law Body cultivator, so he followed the crowd, crossing the thick plank laid between the decks and boarding the “Night Emperor’s Ship.”
Indeed, the air was fragrant with various flowers in full bloom. A gardener with ordinary features was tending to them, his eyes bright with joy and passion.
A thought stirred in Meng Qi’s mind—this gardener reminded him of Master Lu.
Of course, when Master Lu was carving, he was focused and devout, fully dedicated. This gardener, however, exuded passion and joy, like a meteor streaking across the sky, savoring the most brilliant moment of his life, making one keenly feel the beauty of existence.
As if sensing Meng Qi’s gaze, the gardener turned his head and smiled in greeting.
“Based on my experience reading thousands of novels, this guy must be ‘Night Emperor’ Huoli Shang, right?” Meng Qi’s lips twitched. Someone who could give him such a feeling was definitely no ordinary person.
Without revealing his emotions, Meng Qi followed the other sea travelers into the grand hall of the ship. Inside, many tables were set with various delicacies, and beautiful attendants stood by, as radiant as blooming flowers.
At the top sat a man in white, surrounded by flowers. He was clean and refreshing, his smile radiant, leaning against a woman with delicate features and an alluring figure, resembling a spoiled young master.
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