However, before Pei Yuankui could take out his communication jade, another series of deafening rumblings echoed from not far away. It was clear that yet another area had fallen victim to the Netherfire King's attack.
Pei Yuankui's face shifted slightly. "Old Eight, take two Golden Core cultivators and hold the line here. Don't slack off. I'll go investigate elsewhere."
"Big Brother, go ahead! You can leave this to me!" Chu Xuan patted his chest, wearing a confident expression, fully assured of his plan.
Without suspecting anything, Pei Yuankui nodded and swiftly departed.
"The Netherfire King really has a temper, doesn't it? But its reckless assault is actually working in my favor."
Chu Xuan listened to the booming sounds from the distance, a smirk creeping onto his face as he felt increasingly at ease.
...
True Master Yin's expression grew stormy as he listened to Pei Yuankui's report. The Netherfire King had always been dormant—why had it suddenly gone berserk? And why hadn't Chu Xuan come out after five days in the Netherfire Valley?
Pei Yuankui spoke in a low voice. "True Master, do you think Chu Xuan might have already died in the valley?"
True Master Yin's face darkened further. If Chu Xuan were dead, how would he complete Jin Yao Zu's task?
Jin Yao Zu had promised him additional treasures—if he succeeded, his Innate Spirit Weapon would rise to a new level. He absolutely couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. He certainly didn't want to bring the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators all this way for nothing. Not only would it be a wasted trip, but they'd also lose a significant amount of spirit stones in the process.
True Master Yin's voice turned cold. "I'll go in personally and investigate. If Chu Xuan is really dead... isn't the Heavenly Infinite Sect supposed to have two Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivators? The cultivators from the Starshatter Sea would surely offer a good price to acquire them. And then there's Yun Lan and the others. If we didn't catch Chu Xuan, they have their own responsibility. Let them cough up something to make up for it and avoid trouble!"
Pei Yuankui immediately understood True Master Yin's meaning, nodding vigorously. "Understood, Master. I'll take care of it immediately."
With that, True Master Yin soared into the air and stepped into the Netherfire Valley.
"Roar!"
The moment the aura of a Deity Transformation cultivator entered the valley, an angry roar echoed throughout the area. It was as if the beast within was trying to issue a warning.
True Master Yin sneered coldly. "Just a beast that dominates its domain. How dare it threaten me? I'm only here to search for Chu Xuan. If you persist in this foolishness, I'll destroy you as well!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, there was a series of crashing sounds as rocks in the deep valley shattered. And then, a terrifying, towering beast—over ten zhang tall—came into True Master Yin's view.
Netherfire spewed from its body, giving it the appearance of a hellfire god. True Master Yin's brow twitched uncontrollably. From the Netherfire King, he felt an incredibly fierce and enraged aura.
Clearly, this beast was still seething with anger and wanted to vent its wrath on him.
"I'm only here to find the whereabouts of a Nascent Soul cultivator. You don't need to—"
Before True Master Yin could finish his words, the Netherfire King raised its massive claw and swung it down fiercely.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flames erupted, forcing True Master Yin to defend himself.
"Damned beast, can't you understand human speech?!" True Master Yin roared.
The Netherfire King, upon hearing these words, grew even angrier. It immediately unleashed its most potent flame, honed over years of cultivation. The flames blazed red and black, as though capable of reducing the world to ashes.
True Master Yin was momentarily stunned, his soul nearly leaving his body from the shock. He hastily retreated. But a swarm of Netherfire Souls, summoned by the king, surged from every direction, overwhelming him.
"Damned! This is bad!"
True Master Yin, unable to retreat any further, was left with no choice but to use his trump card to stand toe-to-toe with the Netherfire King.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The valley shook as continuous earth-shattering roars resounded throughout.
Meanwhile, Chu Xuan, sitting with one leg crossed over the other under a tree, listened to the booming sounds with a sense of satisfaction. He could easily guess what had happened—the Deity Transformation cultivator, True Master Yin, must have entered the valley, searching for his whereabouts, only to clash with the Netherfire King.
Although Chu Xuan didn't know True Master Yin's true cultivation level, he could surmise that he was likely only at the first or second stage of Deity Transformation. At such a level, it was impossible to confront the Netherfire King head-on and emerge victorious. If his luck was worse, he might even perish in this valley.
"You'd better not die. How could I take my revenge if you die?"
A cold smile played across Chu Xuan's lips as he began plotting how to kill off these bandit cultivators one by one. Not long after, he saw a figure flying out of the valley. The person appeared somewhat disheveled.
A moment later, the sound of Pei Yuankui's voice echoed through his communication jade.
"Everyone, return to the rendezvous point. We'll prepare to head back to the Starshatter Sea."
After a moment, Chu Xuan boarded the bandit cultivators' floating ship.
As the Eight Leader of Nine Yin Island, he naturally possessed his own ship. His ship was named Flowing Wind. This ship had passed through several hands in Starshatter Sea, from various markets and wandering cultivators, until it eventually ended up with Chen Jin.
Liufeng Hao's offense and defense were unremarkable, but its speed was unparalleled, capable of traveling 36 million miles per day.
Chen Jin's subordinates numbered around ten, with cultivators at both Golden Core and Foundation Establishment stages. Once aboard, Chu Xuan immediately shouted, "Bring me the wine!"
Chen Jin loved fine wine above all else, never satisfied without it. There was a special chamber on the ship dedicated to storing the wines they had plundered from various places. The storage bags also held many prized brews. After every major battle, drinking was a ritual.
Although Chu Xuan had no intention of maintaining this identity for long, since he had now assumed Chen Jin's persona, he would inherit all his habits, and drinking wine was certainly a part of that.
No sooner had he spoken than two Foundation Establishment bandit cultivators struggled to bring in a large jar of wine. This particular wine, called Sunken Water Brew, was exceptionally heavy and potent, having been brewed through a unique method. It was Chen Jin's favorite drink.
As Chu Xuan drank deeply from the jar, his gaze remained constantly vigilant, scanning the ground. Yun Lan and the other Heaven Shaking Divine Sect cultivators watched from the side, doing nothing to stop the Nine Yin Island cultivators from leaving.
Regardless of whether they had an agreement with the bandit cultivators, they had no intention of blocking them. After all, Nine Yin Island had a Deity Transformation cultivator like True Master Yin standing guard.
Meanwhile, the Blood Wine True Master from Heaven Shaking Divine Sect had been embroiled in a fight with the Blazing Fire True Master from Red Flame Pavilion, and it seemed neither of them had any intention of returning. The Golden Core cultivators of the Heavenly Infinite Sect were all under Shi Juntian's command.
Chu Xuan scanned the area but could not spot Shang Xingchen or Wei Ji.
"Looks like Shi Juntian has joined forces with Yun Lan and the others. Where are Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji? Have they been silenced?"
Chu Xuan pondered thoughtfully. Wei Ji, being weaker and not particularly bright, it was believable that he had been silenced. But Shang Xingchen? There was no way he'd be taken out so easily. That guy probably already realized something was off with Yun Lan and the others. The question was, where was he now?
But Chu Xuan didn't truly care. He and Shang Xingchen had always been in a mutually exploitative relationship. If Chu Xuan showed any signs of weakness, Shang Xingchen would not hesitate to kill him and take the spoils. The reverse was also true.
"Such a pity. Once we leave for Starshatter Sea, all the contributions made to Heaven Shaking Divine Sect will no longer count. Everything will have to start from scratch. However, Starshatter Sea is home to countless demon cultivators and traitorous sect members. Its unique environment also yields many treasures. It may well be the perfect place for me."
Chu Xuan smiled faintly, not showing any signs of self-pity or despair over his situation. Instead, he was filled with eager anticipation. After all, wasn't cultivation filled with ups and downs? The occasional storm and turbulent waves were only to be expected.
On the ground of Holy Flame Star, Yun Lan and the others watched as the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators departed, their expressions dark.
Zhang Jinzhou furrowed his brows deeply. "Senior Sister Yun, are we just going to let them walk away like this? As disciples of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, we were swindled by these bandit cultivators. If word of this gets out, we will have no face to show the world!"
Tian Musen smiled bitterly. "I only had two high-grade magic treasures, and I had to hand one over. What kind of situation is this?"
Yun Lan's face twisted in anger. "Who could have imagined that Chu Xuan would disappear like this, vanishing into the Nether Fire Valley? Even True Master Yin went in to search but found no trace of him. And you all suffered a great loss. Am I not suffering too? The reward promised by Jin Yaozu—nothing! Not a single bit. I even had to give away a high-grade magic treasure just to avoid disaster!"
Zhang Jinzhou and Tian Musen were left speechless. They had only meant to complain, but after all, this matter had been led by Yun Lan herself.
Shi Jun Tian stood silently at the side, deeply regretting his actions.
The Golden Core cultivators of the Heavenly Infinite Sect were unaware of the full details. All they knew was that Shi Juntian and the others had failed to stand up against the bandit cultivators, resulting in the death of their sect leader, Chu Xuan. This also led to the disappearance of Elder Shang Xingchen and the capture of Elder Wei Ji, both Nascent Soul experts.
These two events alone were enough to cause his standing among the Golden Core disciples to plummet. Now that Chu Xuan had fallen, even if Shi Jun Tian were to succeed him as the sect leader, he would have no face to remain.
Yun Lan noticed his thoughts and offered some reassurance. "The remnants of the Red Flame Pavilion will soon be destroyed. Once the mission is complete, we can return to the Divine Sect. As for the Heavenly Infinite Sect, the Deity Transformation Elders will handle the matters there. No one will place the blame on you."
Shi Jun Tian's heart finally eased slightly. "I hope so..."
...
Elsewhere, aboard the Flowing Wind ship, Chu Xuan sat cross-legged on his bed, reviewing the spoils of the recent encounter.
"This Chen Jin has only the strength of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, yet he hid so many talismans. Not bad, not bad."
Chu Xuan smiled broadly as he looked at the six stacks of Nascent Soul talismans. He counted them roughly—there were over sixty in total. Though all of them were only at the early Nascent Soul stage, the sheer quantity could still lead to a qualitative change.
For example, when he had been resisting the pursuit of True Master Yin earlier, if he had these sixty-plus early Nascent Soul talismans, he wouldn't have had to waste so many mid- to late-Nascent Soul talismans, nor would he have needed to throw out Bao to delay for time.
"Ah, there's actually a segment of black flood dragon horn here."
Chu Xuan was pleasantly surprised. He found a piece of black flood dragon horn in the corner of Chen Jin's storage bag. Earlier, he had already refined a segment of black flood dragon horn into the Evil Soul Chain, hoping to upgrade it into a high-grade magic treasure.
Unfortunately, it was still one step short of reaching that level. Now, with this new piece of black flood dragon horn, there might just be a chance to elevate it to a high-grade magic treasure!
"Since I have time..."
Chu Xuan immediately began his weapon refining process. He exhaled a mouthful of Nascent Soul essence.
Under his control, the Nascent Soul essence immediately transformed into flames, enveloping both the Evil Soul Chain and the black flood dragon horn simultaneously. This fire could be adjusted at will according to the cultivator's thoughts, making it the perfect choice for refining tools. It was said that once a cultivator reached the Deity Transformation stage, the Nascent Soul True Fire would further enhance, capable of refining all things in the world and accelerating the absorption speed of rare materials.
"Unfortunately, the Netherfire Devouring Flame is not suitable for refining tools; otherwise, I wouldn't have to consume Nascent Soul essence to use Nascent Soul true fire."
Chu Xuan shook his head slightly before continuing to calm his mind and refine his tools. He wasn't concerned about the consumption of the Nascent Soul essence. After all, his Nascent Soul, both in size and strength, had far surpassed that of other Nascent Soul cultivators at the same level.
Now, having cultivated the Three-Phase Soul Transformation Secret Technique, his Nascent Soul was even more robust. The Nascent Soul essence consumed by using Nascent Soul true fire would soon be replenished on its own in no time. Before long, the black flood dragon horn was completely refined into the Evil Soul Chain.
Buzz!
A dark glow flickered over the Evil Soul Chain, and a faint, melodious hum echoed from within. Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow and examined it closely.
"It really has been upgraded to a high-grade magic treasure! Well done!"
A look of joy spread across his face. After losing a few high-grade magic treasures earlier, he was in dire need of such a treasure.
Now, with the Evil Soul Chain joining the ranks, along with the White Bone Stele and the Yin Frost Bottle, he had three high-grade magic treasures in total.
As for the Sky-Shielding Umbrella and Blood Demon Flask, they were still far from reaching the status of high-grade magic treasures and would require more time to cultivate.
"The journey to the Starshatter Sea will take quite some time. For now, I can wait."
Chu Xuan settled into meditation, silently continuing his cultivation.
...
Two months later, the communication jade pendant at Chu Xuan's waist vibrated. He infused it with Spiritual Qi. A chilling voice immediately emanated from within. It wasn't the chief leader, Pei Yuankui, but the voice of True Master Yin directly.
"The fleet is about to return to the Starshatter Sea. All leaders are to come to my ship to discuss countermeasures for any potential enemies."
Chu Xuan rose immediately.
Within the bandit cultivators of the Starshatter Sea, it was a constant cycle of snatching from one another, mutual slaughter, and endless conflict.
He had already reviewed Chen Jin's memories and knew that Nine Yin Island was merely a medium-sized faction within the Starshatter Sea. Thus, he had long anticipated that their return to Nine Yin Island wouldn't be a smooth one.
Whenever Nine Yin Island's bandit cultivators returned from a plunder, they would always gather all the leaders beforehand to discuss and formulate strategies. Clearly, this time was no different.
Chu Xuan immediately ordered his subordinates to maneuver the ship closer to the Nine Yin Ship where True Master Yin was located.
Soon after, seven leaders, accompanied by their subordinates, arrived before True Master Yin.
Like the others, Chu Xuan kept his head lowered. True Master Yin, compared to before, seemed mostly unchanged.
Yet, Chu Xuan's perception was acutely sharp. He could sense that True Master Yin's breathing had grown slightly heavier, a clear sign that the injuries from the battle with the Netherfire King had yet to fully heal.
True Master Yin did not speak but instead cast a glance at Pei Yuankui.
Pei Yuankui understood immediately and said, "The factions in conflict with our Nine Yin Island are White Bone Island and Black Wind Island. When we return to the Starshatter Sea, the fleets of these two islands are the most likely to attempt an interception.
"However, we deliberately activated a concealment array during our plundering, so no cultivators detected us. Everyone need not worry. When we near the Starshatter Sea, we must remain vigilant and be ready to activate the array at any moment."
The leaders all immediately responded, "Yes!"
Pei Yuankui then took out six storage bags and said, "The True Master is concerned that you brothers may face danger. Within these bags are spirit stones, magic treasures, talismans, and pills, all bestowed upon you by the True Master."
The second leader, Sima Zhen, was visibly moved. "Thank you, True Master! In this lifetime, I will follow your every command, riding at your side without question!"
The third leader quickly followed suit. "The True Master is my heaven! I will remain eternally loyal!"
Naturally, Chu Xuan and the other leaders also expressed their gratitude, their faces filled with sincere appreciation.
True Master Yin gave a faint smile. "Go back now, rest well during this time, and conserve your strength. Be vigilant against any external threats."
"Yes!"
The group promptly departed.
As they left, Chu Xuan's eyes subtly caught sight of one of Sima Zhen's subordinates. His brow arched in surprise. The man's disguise technique was exceedingly advanced, yet it still fell short by a small margin.
Thus, with a single glance, Chu Xuan saw through the man's false appearance. Especially the man's mannerisms. They were eerily reminiscent of someone he knew all too well.
Shang Xingchen!
The man was indeed not dead. And, just like him, he had somehow made his way into the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators!
At the same time, Shang Xingchen also noticed Chu Xuan's gaze. He subtly glanced over. Though he couldn't see through Chu Xuan's disguise, he instinctively sensed that the eighth leader, Chen Jin, shared something in common with him. They were both pretenders.
A face could be disguised, but a person's aura was much harder to mask completely. Especially for someone like Chu Xuan, with whom Shang Xingchen had collaborated many times before.
Aside from not knowing Chu Xuan's hidden trump cards, everything else was crystal clear to him. To put it dramatically, even if Chu Xuan turned into a woman, Shang Xingchen would still be able to detect that unique aura of his.
Chu Xuan also noticed that the two seasoned manipulators exchanged a subtle glance, and in that moment, they silently reached a mutual understanding.
The leaders exited the cabin and arrived on the deck, preparing to return to their respective ships.
Sima Zhen suddenly spoke up. "Eighth Brother, how is the repair of my longbow magic treasure coming along?"
Chu Xuan smiled. "It's almost done on my ship. Do you need it now, Second Brother?"
The eighth leader, Chen Jin, was slightly skilled in crafting tools, but his abilities were limited to repairing mid- to high-grade magic treasures. He couldn't handle high-grade magic treasures.
Sima Zhen indeed had a longbow magic treasure, which he had entrusted to Chen Jin for repairs a long time ago. But Chen Jin had dragged his feet, claiming the reward was too little and delaying the work.
Sima Zhen patted Shang Xingchen's shoulder. "You go with Eighth Brother and bring the magic treasure back."
"Yes." Shang Xingchen nodded and followed behind Chu Xuan.
...
Moments later, inside the ship's cabin.
The two exchanged glances, but neither spoke first.
After a while, Shang Xingchen suddenly laughed. "Fellow Daoist Chu, your progress in the Poison Path is astonishing. The poisons I just refined couldn't even harm you in the slightest."
Chu Xuan chuckled. "Fellow Daoist Shang is not bad yourself. My Gu insects can't even approach you."
The two had already engaged in several secret contests of poison and Gu techniques in just a short time in the cabin.After all, this was the best way to confirm each other's identity.
Shang Xingchen sighed. "Wei Ji said you were as good as dead. I didn't expect you to make it out of the Nether Fire Valley alive."
Chu Xuan smiled. "Fellow Daoist Shang, you too, didn't I hear that True Master Yin plans to sell both of you in the Starshatter Sea? Two mid-Nascent Soul cultivators—whether for corpse refining or ghost forging, you two would fetch quite a high price there."
Shang Xingchen shrugged. "Wei Ji really did get captured. He's still on Sima Zhen's ship. And his storage bag was taken by Pei Yuankui."
Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh softly and nodded in acknowledgment. Wei Ji's capture hadn't exceeded his expectations. He continued, "So, Sima Zhen seems to be listening to your words?"
Shang Xingchen replied, "He's a descendant of a senior brother from my Nether Dao Sect. After the Sect's downfall, he came to the Starshatter Sea. He's now desperately seeking a way to escape the clutches of True Master Yin."
He added, "Fellow Daoist Chu, I have a way to break free from True Master Yin. Would you be willing to join me?"
Chu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. "Speak, I'm listening."
Shang Xingchen smiled. "Our Nether Dao Sect has a small faction of cultivators who've managed to establish a foothold in the Starshatter Sea. They've gained some strength. We've long had communication through a sound transmission jade, but due to the vast distance, it hasn't been effective. Now, with the Nine Yin Island fleet so close to the Starshatter Sea, I've managed to contact several from the Yellow Spring Island and informed them of True Master Yin's injury, caused by the Netherfire King."
At this, Shang Xingchen looked at Chu Xuan with a smile in his eyes.
Chu Xuan pondered deeply. There was constant conflict between bandit cultivators. Today you strike me, tomorrow I devour you. True Master Yin was the strongest on Nine Yin Island, but he was now wounded, and gravely so. Once this news spread, other bandit cultivators would surely grow restless, eager to act. If he could indeed leverage such a force, perhaps there was a chance for him to escape alive.
Shang Xingchen continued, "If Fellow Daoist Chu is willing to cooperate, we will have the Flowing Wind Ship approach the White Cloud Ship. When the battle grows chaotic, and the magic spells fly, it's possible that the Flowing Wind Ship will be swept up in the storm."
Chu Xuan nodded slightly. "Alright, I'll cooperate with you."
Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded. "We're both new to the Starshatter Sea and unfamiliar with the land. We must work together to survive."
He paused for a moment, then suddenly spoke with respect, "Eighth Leader, that longbow magic treasure…"
Chu Xuan hesitated. "It's not completely repaired yet, but since Second Brother needs it, you may take it."
He walked into the crafting room and handed the longbow magic treasure to Shang Xingchen.
Shang Xingchen didn't waste any more words and turned to leave. Moments later, he departed on a fast ship, heading toward the White Cloud Ship where Sima Zhen was.
Chu Xuan watched his departing figure, his expression thoughtful. He wouldn't trust Shang Xingchen fully. At best, it was seven parts truth, three parts lies. They both sought to escape from True Master Yin—that was unquestionable.
But once True Master Yin was dealt with, could he really leave with Shang Xingchen?
Shang Xingchen had his allies in Yellow Spring Island, but Chu Xuan had none. If he followed Shang Xingchen to Yellow Spring Island, it would be like a tiger entering a wolf's den, surrounded by enemies.
Shang Xingchen had likely been eyeing him for some time. He couldn't fall into the trap the other had set. It was very possible that, just as he escaped from True Master Yin, he would be restrained by Shang Xingchen and his allies.
"I took the bait, as for the trap... well, anyone who wants to jump in, let them."
Chu Xuan gave a faint, knowing smile.
A month later, Chu Xuan's sound transmission jade vibrated at his waist. He infused it with Spiritual Qi, and immediately, Pei Yuankui's voice came through.
"We're about to enter the Starshatter Sea region. Everyone, be on high alert! Watch for ambushes!"
Chu Xuan made his way to the deck. The dozen or so bandit cultivators under his command were already on full alert. He gazed into the distance.
Before him, the once dull and barren starry sky now displayed a vast and fragmented expanse of landmasses. Beneath these land fragments, the waves gently rippled. The waves stretched far into the distance, seemingly endless.
The Starshatter Sea was formed from countless shattered star fragments, carried by the Three Thousand Weak Waters. Cultivators of the Nascent Soul realm and below could not enter the Three Thousand Weak Waters. Only those of the Deity Transformation realm could barely resist the corrosive nature of these strange waters.
"It seems there are no other fleets intercepting us," Chu Xuan observed, scanning the surroundings. He didn't sense the presence of any other fleets.
But just then, from the darkness ahead, a fleet suddenly emerged. The attack formations aboard the fleet immediately unleashed a series of powerful Spiritual Qi beams!
These beams shot directly toward the flagship of True Master Yin's fleet, the largest and most imposing of the ships. The sudden onslaught caught the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators completely off guard. Especially when they realized that another fleet had surged out from the previously empty starry expanse to their side, their panic grew exponentially.
Chu Xuan quickly glanced at the emblems on the two attacking fleets and immediately understood. These fleets were from White Bone Island and Black Wind Island, both of which had been in constant friction with Nine Yin Island.
However, even White Bone Island and Black Wind Island had their own disputes. Now, they had inexplicably formed an alliance to besiege Nine Yin Island. It was clear they had learned of True Master Yin's severe injuries. Moreover, there was still the unknown fleet from Yellow Spring Island, somewhere out there…
"Looks like the cultivators from Yellow Spring Island are quite clever," Chu Xuan mused with a faint smile. "They've probably spread the news of True Master Yin's injuries in secret, getting White Bone Island and Black Wind Island to fight amongst themselves. Meanwhile, they can hide in the back and reap the benefits."
"All Nine Yin Island fleets, gather around my flagship, and break through southward!" True Master Yin's voice echoed through the sound transmission jade at Chu Xuan's waist. "I will activate the Black Mirror Formation!"
As soon as the command was given, black light erupted from the Nine Yin flagship. In the blink of an eye, a massive protective shield formed around the ship. This was the Nine Yin Island's defensive formation, the Black Mirror Formation, which could reflect about 30% of incoming attacks, especially effective against Spiritual Qi light beams.
"Follow close behind, towards the White Cloud Ship," Chu Xuan ordered immediately.
"Yes!" his subordinates responded without hesitation. Although they didn't understand the reasoning behind it, as their leader had commanded, they did not dare to question.
The Flowing Wind Ship immediately adjusted its course to follow closely behind the White Cloud Ship, which was already positioned near the flagship, the Nine Yin Ship. Together, they now fell under the protection of the Black Mirror Formation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once again, the Black Wind Island fleet fired a barrage of Spiritual Qi light beams.
The ship carrying the Fifth Leader, however, failed to reach the Nine Yin flagship in time. It was caught in the full force of the beam barrage, splitting the ship in two. Those on board, unless they had reached Deity Transformation, had no hope of survival. In the void of space, no one could survive without the protection of powerful cultivation.
Seeing Nine Yin Island's fleet break through southward, the White Bone Island and Black Wind Island ships immediately quickened their pace, chasing after them. The Spiritual Qi light beams and the Black Mirror Formation clashed violently in the starry void, exploding and canceling each other out.
At that moment, one of the Golden Core bandit cultivators beside Chu Xuan suddenly shouted in alarm, "Leader! There's a wreckage ahead!"
Chu Xuan's brows furrowed as he focused his gaze. A mass of wreckage lay directly in the path of the Nine Yin Island fleet's southward escape route.
If they charged straight ahead, their ships would suffer severe damage, possibly even exploding outright. But if they attempted to dodge, their speed would be greatly reduced, and the pursuing fleets would catch up quickly.
"Turn the ship to face the enemy, prepare for close-quarter combat!" True Master Yin's deep voice roared from the sound transmission jade.
The sudden appearance of two attacking fleets, combined with the wreckage blocking their path, meant one thing: their retreat route had been exposed. There was a traitor within their ranks!
But right now, True Master Yin had no time to focus on identifying the betrayer. Continuing to flee would only deplete their strength. Turning back and fighting for their lives might still offer a chance at survival.
Chu Xuan immediately gave orders for his subordinates to ready their magic treasures and magic tools, preparing for battle. His gaze remained fixed on the approaching enemy fleets.
The enemy clearly didn't intend to destroy the ships outright. To bandit cultivators, every ship was a valuable asset. And with the Nine Yin Island fleet known for its speed, capturing a few ships would allow their forces to grow even stronger.
The fleets from White Bone Island and Black Wind Island targeted the Nine Yin flagship directly, while the other ships chose their targets accordingly. One ship, in particular, seemed to have locked onto the Flowing Wind Ship, making a beeline toward it.
"I don't understand ship cannon duels, but when it comes to gang fights, I'm all in," Chu Xuan said with a cold smile, watching as the White Bone Island cultivators on flying magic treasures darted toward the Flowing Wind Ship's deck.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several figures leaped onto the Flowing Wind Ship, their movements swift and practiced. These bandit cultivators were clearly experienced in gang fights. As soon as their feet hit the deck, each immediately summoned a small shield magic treasure to protect themselves while clutching two talismans in their hands.
"Heh heh, Chen Jin, didn't expect it to be me, did you?"
The leader of the group, a one-eyed man with a dragon tattoo, fixed his gaze on Chu Xuan with a vicious grin. "Last time you took out my eye, this time, I'll make sure to take revenge personally!"
This man was Hou Wang, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from White Bone Island. A few years ago, White Bone Island and Nine Yin Island cultivators had teamed up to explore an ancient cultivator's cave, only for things to turn violent when it was time to divide the spoils. During that fight, Chen Jin—Chu Xuan's current alias—had taken out Hou Wang's eye.
That battle had left Nine Yin Island's cultivators with a massive windfall, while the grudge between Nine Yin Island and White Bone Island had deepened irrevocably.
Chu Xuan looked at Hou Wang and chuckled lightly. "Looks like you've come to the wrong person."
Hou Wang sneered, "I'll turn you into a corpse puppet!"
With a wave of his hand, a massive corpse king emerged from the shadows behind him, charging toward Chu Xuan. The beast was enormous, its appearance gruesome and terrifying.
Chu Xuan's eyes scanned the creature, and he immediately saw that it was nothing special. It was far weaker than Hu or Long, and even compared to the Bao he had once unleashed against True Master Yin, this corpse king was pathetic.
This corpse king was at most at the second-tier level of a corpse king.
Hou Wang grinned maliciously, "This corpse king has devoured plenty of blood and flesh, and has already advanced to the second-tier level! Chen Jin, if I remember correctly, your corpse king is still first-tier, hahahaha..."
His laughter had barely finished when Bang! A powerful fist shot out from the shadows and smashed the corpse king's head in one blow.
The creature's brain matter, black blood, and bone fragments splattered in every direction. Some of the gore even landed on Hou Wang's face. He stared in disbelief at the decapitated corpse king as it collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, completely destroyed.
Hou Wang's expression froze in shock. For a typical Nascent Soul cultivator, it took immense effort to cultivate even a single corpse king. Hou Wang had even sold several of his precious magic treasures just to acquire more and better flesh for his corpse puppet.
This was supposed to be a second-tier corpse king—how could it have been crushed so easily? Wasn't it commonly said that the physical body of a corpse puppet was stronger than that of a cultivator?
"This is a question worth thinking about. I'll give you plenty of time to think it over."
A calm voice suddenly echoed from behind him.
Hou Wang whipped around in surprise, but to his shock, Chu Xuan's figure had already disappeared.
Crack.
Instinctively, Hou Wang attempted to flee using his Nascent Soul. But before he could even react, an overwhelming force snapped his neck.
His Nascent Soul was snatched with a single hand and casually thrown into the Sky Shield Umbrella.
Chu Xuan had long since reached the ninth level of Nascent Soul and the thirty-ninth stage of body refinement—an expert. Dealing with a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Hou Wang was a trivial matter. What's more, Hou Wang had never suspected his true strength, mistaking him for someone of equal cultivation, such as Chen Jin.
With Hou Wang's death, the morale of the Golden Core cultivators he had brought with him plummeted. Within moments, they too were swiftly dealt with by Chu Xuan's subordinates.
"Leader! We should counterattack! We can seize Hou Wang's ship!"
A Golden Core cultivator spoke up, his eyes alight with ambition.
Chu Xuan glanced at him, his voice icy, "Who gave you the courage to make such a suggestion? Can't you see that we are in a disadvantageous position? Two more ships are heading our way, can't you see that? Immediately move toward the Nine Yin flagship!"
The Golden Core cultivator was silenced by the rebuke, shrinking back with a lowered head.
Chu Xuan's gaze swept toward the Nine Yin flagship. Three Deity Transformation cultivators had burst out of their ships and were locked in a fierce battle. The aftershocks from their fight were too powerful, threatening to damage their own ships, so they intentionally stayed far from the fray.
In the end, the outcome of this battle would hinge on the struggle between the Deity Transformation cultivators.
Chu Xuan's gaze remained sharp, constantly scanning the surroundings.
Where was the Yellow Spring Island fleet? This fleet was truly patient, still keeping itself hidden. Were they planning to wait until the other three factions had suffered significant losses before making their move?
The battle between the three Deity Transformation cultivators continued unabated.
On the ships, a large number of White Bone Island and Black Wind Island cultivators launched boarding actions against the Nine Yin Island cultivators. The Nine Yin cultivators, outnumbered and weak, were quickly pushed back.
Occasionally, entire ships exploded into countless pieces of wreckage, while cultivators were thrown from the decks, helplessly drifting into the vast void of space.
The battle on the Flowing Wind ship also raged on. However, as just the eighth leader, Chu Xuan wasn't the main target. Instead, the focus was on the higher-ranking leaders, like Pei Yuankui and Sima Zhen.
Everyone knew that higher-ranked leaders meant deeper reserves of power. Capturing them would naturally yield greater rewards.
In the constant boarding battles, Chu Xuan attempted to distance himself from the deck. He quickly realized that as long as he didn't stray too far, he could rely on his flying magic treasure to return to the ship swiftly.
But if he ventured too far from the deck, his Nascent Soul's Spiritual Qi wouldn't sustain him in the vast expanse of space for long. This was precisely why it was only upon reaching the Deity Transformation stage that cultivators could traverse the stars without any external aids.
Just then, the battle between the three Deity Transformation cultivators finally reached its climax. True Master Yin unleashed a torrent of sinister winds, forcing both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master into retreat.
Chu Xuan focused his gaze. Both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master were heavily injured, their faces grim. Their spiritual artifacts showed significant damage.
In stark contrast, True Master Yin was surrounded by a strange ghostly form, resembling a whirlwind, floating ominously at his side. Though his aura was somewhat unstable, he was clearly holding his own against the two and still had the strength to spare!
"True Master Yin's hidden abilities are impressive…" Chu Xuan mused, stroking his chin.
The stars were silent, and no sound could travel in the void, but from what he could see, both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master looked cautious. They clearly didn't want to continue the fight.
"At a time like this, you still haven't made your move?"
Chu Xuan surveyed his surroundings, his brows slightly furrowing.
As expected, just as the three Deity Transformation cultivators cautiously retreated, another fleet emerged into the starry void. The lead ship flew a banner adorned with blood-red flowers, a symbol of the Yellow Spring Island fleet!
As soon as the Yellow Spring Island fleet appeared, a barrage of Spiritual Qi light columns shot forth without warning, aiming straight for the position of True Master Yin and the others.
A sense of alarm rose in the hearts of all three cultivators. They retreated in alarm, their faces showing a mix of anger and shock.
True Master Yin, positioned at the forefront, was almost directly in the path of the Spiritual Qi light columns. He roared angrily, summoning the vortex-like ghost to shield himself, while quickly flying toward the Nine Yin ship.
Boom!
The Spiritual Qi light columns exploded violently. The mighty vortex ghost from the earlier battle was swept away under the immense force, vanishing in an instant.
True Master Yin, connected soul and spirit to the ghost, immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, his face paling as his strength visibly waned. It was clear that he had lost at least half of his power.
The White Bone True Master and Black Wind True Master hadn't expected Yellow Spring Island to strike out of nowhere. Both fleets had already suffered significant losses, and facing the well-rested Yellow Spring Island fleet was clearly unfavorable.
After a brief moment of deliberation, the White Bone Island and Black Wind Island fleets immediately retreated, slowly withdrawing from the battle from a different direction.
Chu Xuan's communication jade again trembled, this time with True Master Yin's voice echoing from it.
"All Nine Yin cultivators, retreat with me!"
At the same time, the transmission jade left by Shang Xingchen buzzed with a message.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, immediately head toward the White Cloud ship, this is our only chance!"
Boom!
But to everyone's surprise, the three fleet leaders did not move toward the Nine Yin ship. Instead, they sped off in the opposite direction. It was clear they intended to escape amid the chaos. The other ships remained still for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to do.
On the Flowing Wind ship, the cultivators were at a loss, uncertain of the next move.
Chu Xuan smiled faintly, immediately commanding his subordinates.
"Accelerate! Head toward the Nine Yin ship!"
His voice was resolute as he added, "I, Chen Jin, will never forget—I am a Nine Yin cultivator!"
His subordinates were bewildered, exchanging confused glances.
"This... doesn't seem like our boss."
But despite their inner thoughts, none of them dared defy Chu Xuan's orders. They immediately steered the Flowing Wind ship toward the Nine Yin ship. The other ships remained stationary, but the Flowing Wind ship accelerated quickly.
Meanwhile, the White Cloud ship made a more conspicuous move, heading directly toward the Yellow Spring Island fleet.
True Master Yin, standing on the deck of the Nine Yin ship, watched this scene. Though his expression remained grim, there was a flicker of relief in his eyes.
"This Chen Jin," he thought to himself, "is usually so unremarkable, yet in a critical moment, he truly remains loyal to me." He nodded inwardly. "White Cloud ship… It must be them who leaked the information this time."
True Master Yin's gaze turned icy, filled with an intense hatred. He could almost feel the urge to crush the White Cloud ship into dust with nothing but his eyes.
In the end, only the First Leader Pei Yuankui, Sixth Leader Ge Rong, and Chu Xuan's three ships managed to return to the Nine Yin ship's side.
True Master Yin picked up his communication jade, and his hoarse voice echoed, "Good, good, good. It seems I did not treat you all unfairly in the past. Now that you've safely returned to the Nine Yin Island, I will personally remove the poison from each of you. From now on, you three will be my disciples! I will personally teach you the Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art!"
Pei Yuanhui and Ge Rong's expressions shifted slightly, but there was no other change.
Previously, True Master Yin had treated them like mere servants, even poisoning them to maintain control. Even when he taught them spells and techniques, he had always been cautious and secretive.
Now, was he finally treating them as disciples, or was this just another attempt to win their loyalty with empty promises?
As for Chu Xuan, he showed no interest. The Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art and the title of "personal disciple" meant nothing to him.
At this moment, True Master Yin's words were nothing more than empty flattery to gain their trust. Chu Xuan couldn't be fooled by such words. The reason he was still following True Master Yin was twofold.
First, he found Shang Xingchen untrustworthy. If he followed him to the Yellow Spring Island fleet, he would likely fall into a trap. Second, despite True Master Yin's previous shortcomings, he had founded Nine Yin Island and commanded numerous robbers. He couldn't be as weak as he appeared; there had to be a hidden trump card.
At this point, True Master Yin spoke coldly, "You three, return to the Nine Yin ship. Remember to hide within the shadows of the ship. Don't let the Yellow Spring Island people spot you. As for the three ships you brought, let your subordinates control them."
He smiled sinisterly, "I've been roaming the Starshatter Sea for so long. How could I not have a backup plan? If they dare engage in boarding battles, I will send them a 'special gift'!"
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow, already guessing what True Master Yin's "backup plan" might be.
On the other side, aboard the Yellow Springs ship. Shang Xingchen and Sima Zhen had already moved from the White Cloud ship to the Yellow Springs ship's deck. He watched as the Flowing Wind ship slowly moved further away and couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly.
"Chu Xuan, Chu Xuan, trying to trick you once really isn't easy."