"ROOOAAARR!!!"
A beast's roar echoed through the night sky from an unknown source. Deep within a shadowy cave, a figure huddled like a startled rat flinched violently, instinctively pressing himself further against the damp rock wall.
This was Yu You, the sole survivor of the Shadow Corpse Sect. Ever since his narrow escape from Lin Feng's grasp months ago, he'd been living like a fugitive on Demon Loong Island. Countless times, he'd nearly met his end beneath the claws of demonic beasts. Only after a grueling month spent healing his wounds did his situation marginally improve—though "improved" was a relative term. Deprived of his strongest corpse puppet, his combat strength was crippled. While he could handle a single late-stage tier-3 beast, the island teemed with them. Often, before finishing one fight, another would be drawn by the commotion. Encounters with tier-4 beasts were pure terror, forcing him into a wretched existence of perpetual flight and hiding.
Few Golden Core cultivators could traverse Demon Loong Island alone—Lin Feng being a monstrous exception. Yu You dared not leave; the surrounding seas were even deadlier than the island itself. His only option was to hide, scrupulously avoiding danger, clinging to the hope of rescue. He prayed his master, Wu Pang, was still alive and would soon find him. Failing that, perhaps other sect members would trace their steps… As long as he endured, hope remained.
Fueled by this desperate faith, Yu You endured nearly a hundred tortured days on the island. Yet, rescue never came. The gnawing despair was pushing him to the brink of collapse.
Only when the distant roar finally faded did Yu You dare exhale. Peering cautiously into the darkness outside, he hesitated, then retrieved a grey jade talisman from his spirit storage ring. It was a Shadow Corpse Sect communication talisman. Activating it would trigger a resonance if any other sect member was nearby.
He channeled energy into the talisman, holding it until his hope dwindled once more. Just as despair threatened to drown him, he prepared to stow the useless token away.
"Huh?!"
His eyes snapped wide, disbelief warring with sudden, frantic hope. The talisman in his hand pulsed faintly—a resonance! A response!
For seconds, Yu You stood frozen, certain it was a cruel trick of his exhausted mind. Then, reality slammed into him. Unbridled joy erupted across his face. He scrambled to his feet, stumbling out of the cave entrance like a man possessed.
"WHOOSH!!!"
The moment he emerged, a piercing shriek tore through the night air, rapidly closing in. An overwhelming pressure, suffocating and immense, crashed down upon him. A blinding violet light descended from the heavens, forcing him to shield his eyes. When his vision cleared, he gasped. Before him stood a colossal purple avian beast, feathers crackling with latent lightning. On its back stood two figures.
"Sui… Elder Sui!!" Yu You choked out, tears welling in his eyes. Overwhelming relief mixed with sheer exhaustion washed over him. His knees buckled, threatening to drop him to the ground.
Sui Lu frowned. He shot a wary, almost deferential glance at the white-robed elder beside him before raising his right hand. A surge of pure Nascent Soul energy coalesced into an invisible force, yanking Yu You effortlessly towards him. Simultaneously, a warm, potent stream of energy flowed into Yu You's body.
Yu You gasped as the tidal wave of essence flooded his meridians. Lingering internal injuries, stubborn remnants of his escape, dissolved instantly. Vitality surged through him as if he'd consumed a trove of precious elixirs.
Regaining his composure, Yu You bowed deeply to Sui Lu, his voice thick with reverence and lingering fear.
"Disciple Yu You greets Elder Sui…"
His eyes flickered towards the white-robed elder. Receiving no introduction from Sui Lu, he wisely offered an equally deep bow of respect towards the silent figure.
Sui Lu's expression darkened as he fixed Yu You with a piercing gaze. His questions were sharp, clipped.
"Why are you here alone? Where is Wu Pang?"
"Master… he hasn't contacted you?" Yu You's body trembled. Complex emotions twisted his features. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees before Sui Lu, his voice thick with anguish.
"Elder Sui… Master… he… I fear the worst has befallen him! I beg you… avenge him!!"
Though he'd suspected this outcome, Sui Lu's jaw muscle twitched visibly. His voice turned dangerously low.
"Speak. What happened?!"
Yu You cowered as Sui Lu's aura intensified exponentially, pressing down like a physical weight. Barely able to lift his head, he stammered out his account.
"Elder Sui… Over three months ago… Master brought me into Zhenhai Alliance territory. We… we met one of their elders, Wu Luosen. He cultivated soul magic. Master and he collaborated to set up a Soul-Siphoning Grand Array here on Demon Loong Island. Wu Luosen used his position to lure many cultivators… But among them… there was a man named Lin Feng, from the inland regions…"
Yu You recounted the events at the quicksand pit in detail – Lin Feng's inexplicable resilience, the terrifying unorthodox fire, the array's collapse. His narrative ended with Lin Feng and the others bursting free from the failing formation. He hadn't witnessed Wu Luosen's death or Wu Pang's presumed final moments; he'd fled after his encounter with Lei Yan. His knowledge was actually less than Sui Lu's, who had heard the rumors circulating outside.
Throughout the tale, Sui Lu listened with deepening furrows on his brow. The white-robed elder beside him remained impassive, like a statue carved from ice. As Yu You finished, a flicker of profound impatience finally crossed the elder's eyes. Such petty squabbles beneath his notice. He glanced dismissively at Sui Lu.
"Enough. We depart immediately. Find Yu Ping and this… Lin Feng."
He had come seeking Wu Pang's assistance for other matters. This messy entanglement over a dead Nascent Soul cultivator was an unwanted distraction. The death itself was insignificant, unworthy of his intervention. But since he was here, he might as well sweep this annoyance aside. More critical tasks awaited.
Sui Lu stiffened immediately, his posture radiating subservience.
"As you command! My investigations confirm Yu Ping is currently leading Zhenhai Alliance's contingent at the Five Cities Tournament. Lin Feng is a participant. Judging by the timing, they should all be on Wu Pine Island right now. We can reach it within a day…"
Yu You stared, stunned by Sui Lu's palpable deference to the white-robed elder. Who is this? Realizing the elder's power must be unimaginable, he clamped his mouth shut, abandoning his plan to mention Lin Feng's earlier murder of his junior brother back inland. Now was not the time.
The white-robed elder gave only the faintest nod. Sui Lu wasted no time. A silent command pulsed towards the massive lightning-infused avian beneath them. With a mighty beat of its crackling wings, the Thunder Roc surged upwards. Within a heartbeat, it vanished into the ink-black expanse of the night sky...
......
…
Meanwhile, Lin Feng remained blissfully unaware of the impending storm. He walked with a light step, savoring his guaranteed victory. First place was his. His path led directly towards the tournament's endpoint – the central mountain.
By the fourth morning, Lin Feng stood at the mountain's base. He scanned the towering peak piercing the clouds, then surveyed his surroundings. No other contestants were in sight. Unsurprising. No one else could have traversed the island with his speed and impunity. Others would inevitably be delayed by demon beasts or ambushes.
Typically, early arrivals would lie in ambush here, waiting to poach tokens from later contestants. But with twenty-six tokens already secured, Lin Feng had no such need. Without pause, he began his ascent.
Soon, the flattened expanse of the summit came into view. Drawing closer, details resolved: dozens of shimmering, holographic surveillance screens floated above a sizable clearing. Below them stood over a dozen figures.
As Lin Feng crested the ridge, nearly every gaze on the summit snapped towards him, as if anticipating his arrival. His eyes instantly found Yu Ping and Liu Zhengyang.
Simultaneously, a sharp prickle of unease shot through Lin Feng's core. His senses screamed – hostile eyes were upon him. His gaze instinctively locked with Liu Zhengyang's across the clearing. But the elder's expression showed nothing untoward, making Lin Feng question the momentary dread. Shifting his focus, he found the source: a middle-aged cultivator clad in black robes edged with gold stood apart, his cold stare fixed unwaveringly on Lin Feng, naked hostility radiating from him.
Lin Feng guessed the man's identity – Qin Huangtian, Lord of Black Loong City. Unfazed, he maintained his composure. He walked calmly towards Yu Ping and Liu Zhengyang, offering a respectful bow.
"Elder Yu. Elder Liu."
"Hmm. Heh… Good. Very good." Yu Ping beamed, his eyes crinkling with undisguised approval. "Lin Feng, your performance was exceptional. However… why have you ascended so early?"
A faint smile touched Lin Feng's lips.
"I have already secured sufficient tokens. There was no need to linger."
His words caused a ripple of surprise, not just from Yu Ping but from the surrounding elders as well. Yu Ping's eyes sharpened with intrigue.
"Sufficient tokens? Do you mean…?"
Lin Feng gave a slight nod.
"Indeed. I currently possess twenty-six tournament tokens."
With a casual wave of his right hand, twenty-six jade tokens materialized, suspended in the air before him by an invisible force.
"This…"
Stunned silence fell over the summit. They had witnessed Lin Feng overpower Qin Yulong via the surveillance arrays, but they knew nothing of the two earlier groups who had essentially delivered their tokens to him. While they had suspected Lin Feng might win, the revelation that he'd gathered twenty-six tokens this swiftly was staggering.