The next day, Qi Yuan gathered the necessary treasures and informed Xin Ruyin and the others that he was heading to the outer sea. Without delay, he flew straight to the 50th floor area of Tianxing City.
He entered a grand palace of white marble, towering over ten meters high. Passing through a corridor, he found himself in a vast hall filled with teleportation arrays of varying sizes.
As the only teleportation hub in the inner star sea that provided quick access to the outer star sea, it was bustling with cultivators. The place was packed, a sea of people looking for transportation.
"Changying Island is short one person for a group teleport. It only costs 100 spirit stones! Save time and money—any fellow Daoists interested?" A young cultivator in the early Jindan stage called out.
Teleportation to Changying Island cost 700 spirit stones per trip, but up to seven people could share the cost. Since the price was per use and not per person, frugal cultivators often grouped together to split the expense.
Changying Island? Perfect timing!
Qi Yuan approached the young cultivator and said, "Count me in. Are we leaving now?"
Seeing the group complete, the young cultivator nodded. "Just pay the spirit stones, and we'll depart immediately. No delays."
Qi Yuan handed over his share of 100 spirit stones. Once the group had collected the full fee, the young cultivator led them to a white-robed monk overseeing the teleportation arrays. In exchange for the 700 spirit stones, they received seven golden teleportation talismans.
These talismans worked similarly to the Great Teleport Order but were disposable items. The Great Teleport Order, however, was reusable as long as it remained intact.
The seven cultivators stepped onto the teleportation array designated for Changying Island. Under the operation of the white-robed monk, a dazzling light flashed, and their figures vanished instantly.
When Qi Yuan's vision cleared, he found himself in a small stone teleportation house reminiscent of ancient transfer points. Nearby, another white-robed monk was stationed at the teleportation formation, barely glancing at the arrivals before closing his eyes to rest.
Since the seven cultivators had only gathered temporarily for the teleport, they immediately went their separate ways, which suited Qi Yuan just fine. There was no need for unnecessary conversation.
Changying Island hosted a moderately prosperous city, home to a diverse mix of cultivators. Many of them had braved the outer sea in search of demon pills and rare treasures, leading to fierce battles. As a result, the streets were filled with cultivators bearing bloodstained robes and hostile glares. In the mortal world, such people would be considered ruthless killers.
Qi Yuan casually entered a teahouse, quietly sipping his tea while using his Nascent Soul stage spiritual sense to eavesdrop on conversations. Even though some cultivators had set up barriers to prevent eavesdropping, his powerful spiritual sense easily bypassed such defenses without being detected.
Teahouses and restaurants were the best places to gather intelligence.
Qi Yuan remained there for half a month, patiently listening.
"Fellow Daoist Xue, I heard your senior brother recently fought someone and obtained a mysterious multicolored stone. Is that true?" A late Foundation Establishment cultivator asked.
Three feet away, three cultivators sat at a square tea table—a short one, a hunchbacked one, and a handsome man.
Upon hearing the question, the handsome man's expression darkened. "Fellow Daoist Dilong, my senior brother is an early Jindan cultivator. Do you think you can pry into his affairs without consequence? Are you tired of living?"
"Fellow Daoist Xue, you've misunderstood! My brother was merely speaking carelessly." The hunchbacked cultivator quickly tried to change the subject. "Let's talk about the Level 5 Double-Colored Sea Serpent Beast and the best way to slay it with minimal losses."
The handsome man snorted but let the matter drop.
Mysterious multicolored stone… Could it be a Five-Colored Star Stone?
Qi Yuan's mind raced, but outwardly, he remained calm, sipping his tea and feigning disinterest.
After about half an hour, the short and hunchbacked cultivators excused themselves, leaving the handsome man alone at the table, deep in thought. After a while, he paid his bill and exited the teahouse.
Qi Yuan restrained his aura to the extreme and discreetly followed him.
After half a month of waiting, he finally had a lead—he couldn't let it slip away.
The handsome man was highly cautious, frequently scanning his surroundings with his spiritual sense. He even depleted his mental energy to check for possible pursuers. However, his cultivation level was only in the late Foundation Establishment stage, far inferior to Qi Yuan's, making it impossible for him to detect anything amiss.
Qi Yuan shadowed him out of the city, then off Changying Island. They traveled westward for three days and two nights before stopping on a deserted island. After a day, the man abruptly changed direction toward the eastern waters.
This guy is clever, but not clever enough!
Ten days of wandering later, they arrived at a lush green island. Spiritual light shimmered above it—an indication of a spiritual vein beneath the land.
A spiritual island.
The handsome man looked around cautiously, took out a token, and confidently stepped into the formation protecting the island.
A formation, spiritual veins, and at least one Jindan cultivator...
If I force my way in…
Qi Yuan concealed himself near the island. A plan formed in his mind, and he stealthily planted a stalk of Colorful Grass within the formation. With a faint smile, he vanished from sight.
Not long after…
A Level 6 demon beast known as the Green-Eyed Clam surged toward the island, generating a towering tsunami as it crashed onto the shore.
The commotion instantly alarmed the island's inhabitants.
A pink light flashed in the sky as a pink-robed Jindan cultivator appeared, glaring at the approaching beast. He had no idea why a Level 6 demon was suddenly attacking their island.
The Green-Eyed Clam, however, had no interest in explanations. It only knew that something inside the island was irresistibly attracting it.
Its glowing green eyes unleashed a powerful energy wave, violently shaking the island's defensive formation.
"Damn beast! If I let you go unchecked, my home will be destroyed!"
The pink-robed man anxiously summoned a pink feathered fan, releasing a wave of pink smoke that condensed into a massive hand, slowly pressing forward.
The Green-Eyed Clam snapped its enormous shell, stirring up a fierce black wind that instantly dispersed the pink energy hand.
Watching in secret, Qi Yuan smirked. Perfect.
Using his understanding of formations, he easily slipped through a weakened section of the barrier, vanishing into the island.
The attack from the Level 6 beast had thrown the island into chaos, with its few inhabitants gripped by fear.
Can an early Jindan cultivator handle a Level 6 monster?
Qi Yuan ignored the commotion, extending his spiritual sense to navigate past hidden restrictions. His target was clear—the island's central cave.
The number of barriers surrounding the cave confirmed his suspicions.
This must be the pink-robed man's lair.
Time to break in!
Qi Yuan formed a hand seal, channeling multicolored spiritual energy into thousands of fine threads that delicately infiltrated the formation's weak points.
With a swift contraction—
Bang!
The barriers collapsed.
A humanoid puppet at the Foundation Establishment stage stumbled forward, entering first to check for traps.
Seeing nothing amiss, Qi Yuan followed, stepping into a cave draped in pink hues.
(End of Chapter)