Lin Feng knew better than to provoke the Deputy Leader of the Zhenhai Alliance. After all, he was the one who had killed the man's disciple. During their initial encounter upon departure, Lin Feng had sensed an unmistakable dislike in Liu Yangzheng's gaze. It had startled him at the time, even making him fear he was already suspected. Later, however, Wang Chen had informed him that the competition slot he now occupied had originally belonged to Gu Yulu. Gu Yulu had vanished without a trace during the Flying Shadow Fish hunt some time ago and was presumed dead. When the Alliance discussed filling the vacant slot, Yu Ping had naturally recommended Lin Feng, securing his place in the competition. Liu Yangzheng's displeasure likely stemmed from this fact.
Though no one could possibly know he had killed Gu Yulu, caution was paramount. Since the Deputy Leader clearly disliked him, Lin Feng was content to keep his distance. Beyond a single, polite exchange when boarding the ship, he had avoided speaking to Liu Yangzheng entirely.
Now, Liu Yangzheng and Yu Ping emerged from the cabins, followed by the other eight contestants. Liu Yangzheng was speaking quietly to a tall young man in purple robes beside him. This youth, named Duan Weiqi, was Liu Yangzheng's senior disciple—Gu Yulu's senior brother. Rumored to have reached Great Perfection Golden Core several years ago, he was on the very cusp of forming his Nascent Soul. Gossip suggested he had long boasted of winning the Five Cities Competition before advancing, marking him as profoundly arrogant.
Besides Duan Weiqi, the other seven contestants—five men and two women—all appeared remarkably young, none looking older than thirty. They were the cream of the crop among the Zhenhai Alliance's younger generation, each at late Golden Core cultivation, mostly the ninth layer.
Seeing them emerge, Lin Feng and Wang Chen walked over. Yu Ping nodded at them with a slight smile. "We're about to land. Lin Feng, Wang Chen, are you ready?"
"Ready," both Lin Feng and Wang Chen answered simultaneously with a nod.
Yu Ping nodded again but said nothing more. He glanced at Liu Yangzheng beside him before addressing the group. "Prepare to disembark. Once you step onto Darkpine Island, the competition officially begins. We will not intervene. Be careful."
"Yes!" they chorused in unison.
They moved to the ship's railing, gazing at the island looming before them. Up close, the most striking feature was an endless coastline stretching to the horizon. Beyond it lay a seemingly boundless jungle, its colossal trees piercing the clouds. Further inland, the hazy silhouettes of distant mountains rose, their true size and distance difficult to gauge.
No cultivators from the other four cities were visible. Participants from each city landed at separate points around the island. Once ashore, contestants had five days to find others, battle them, and seize their jade tokens. At the end of that period, everyone was required to converge at the summit of the island's tallest central mountain. There, the overseeing elders like Liu Yangzheng and Yu Ping would be waiting to determine the victor.
In the distant past, the Five Cities Competition had been a public spectacle, open to all cultivators of the Starry Sea. However, the sheer number of spectators had eventually made maintaining order impossible. To avoid complications, the leaders of the participating factions had jointly decided to close the event, announcing only the results afterward.
As the ship touched the shore, under the tacit approval of Liu Yangzheng and Yu Ping, the ten contestants summoned their flying swords. They soared towards Darkpine Island, some in small groups of two or three, others alone, quickly vanishing into the dense foliage in different directions.
"Let us depart as well…"
Watching the contestants disappear, Liu Yangzheng gave Yu Ping an impassive nod. With a light tap of his foot, he ascended into the air.
"…" Yu Ping watched Liu Yangzheng's back, a faint, almost imperceptible frown creasing his brow for an instant before he too levitated. He recalled the large ship into his storage ring and flew after Liu Yangzheng.
The two figures streaked through the sky like twin meteors, heading straight for the tallest peak at the island's heart. Within moments, they vanished from sight.
…
Within the dim, shadowy jungle, Lin Feng flew for about fifteen minutes before landing on a thick tree branch. He glanced up just in time to see the fading trails of Liu Yangzheng and Yu Ping's flight lights streaking across the sky.
Only after the lights had completely disappeared into the distance did he lower his gaze, contemplating his next moves. He and Wang Chen had parted ways upon landing, agreeing to meet at the central mountain summit in five days while they separately sought opponents.
This immediate area around their landing point likely only contained Zhenhai Alliance contestants. To find cultivators from other cities, he would need to push deeper into the island. Simply heading towards the central destination guaranteed encounters with others eventually.
Typically, the primary challenge for contestants during the first day or two wasn't other competitors, but the island's perilous environment itself. This served as an initial trial: overcoming natural obstacles and evading or defeating the powerful demon beasts inhabiting the island before gradually encountering rivals.
However, as the term 'typically' implies, exceptions occurred. For Lin Feng, less than half a day after landing, his first significant trouble didn't come in the form of a ferocious beast, but from fellow human cultivators. And worse, they were supposed 'allies'...
"..." Lin Feng frowned slightly, looking at the four figures who had suddenly appeared blocking his path. His voice was calm. "What business do you have?"
"Heh! Got some nerve, I see. Staying so calm even when death's at your doorstep." Duan Weiqi looked at Lin Feng with open mockery, a cold snort escaping him. "I wonder if that calm is just an act..."
"Of course it's an act," a narrow-eyed male cultivator to Duan Weiqi's right chimed in smoothly, his gaze fixed on Lin Feng like a cat eyeing a trapped mouse, full of contempt and amusement. "Let's see how long he keeps it up when I put my blade to his throat."
"Look at him. You really buy those rumors that he has exceptional strength? That he could match Wu Luosen? That he killed Wu Luosen in a couple of moves and scared off another late Nascent Soul 'evil cultivator'?" A third man, dressed in ostentatious white robes with slicked-back hair, narrowed his eyes at Lin Feng, his tone dripping with sarcasm as if recounting a ridiculous joke.
The fourth, a short and wiry cultivator, scoffed derisively. "And you believed that nonsense? He just got lucky getting a strange fire and learning a bit of artifact forging, so people flatter him. Him killing Wu Chang... Wu Luosen? Ridiculous!"
"..." Lin Feng waited patiently as the four took turns delivering their lines. The corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. He couldn't help but ask, "Tell me, are you four here to perform a comedy routine?"
The four men paused, momentarily confused by the unfamiliar term. However, the undisguised mockery in Lin Feng's eyes was unmistakable. Duan Weiqi's gaze turned murderous. "Brat! Stop playing the fool when you're about to die!! Cooperate and do as I say, and we might spare you. Otherwise, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
Lin Feng remained impassive. "Oh? And what must I do to earn your mercy? Hand over my token? But I only have one. How will you four split it?"
"Enough nonsense!!" the narrow-eyed man snarled threateningly. "Hand over your storage ring and that strange fire of yours willingly! Then we might consider letting you live!"
Lin Feng actually stroked his chin, adopting a thoughtful expression. "Why is that always the line? Can't you lot come up with something more original?"
The wiry cultivator's eyes flashed with malice. "Insolent brat!! Do you truly think we won't kill you? Let me tell you—"
"ROAR!!!"
His words were abruptly cut off by an ear-splitting, bestial roar that erupted right behind Lin Feng. Simultaneously, a massive, car-sized black shape exploded from the dense undergrowth with lightning speed. A claw, glinting with lethal coldness, tore through the air, aimed directly at the back of Lin Feng's skull!!