Disturbance Overseas, a Retreat in Fear

Chapter 577: Disturbance Overseas, a Retreat in Fear

“Oh, it’s the two Fellow Daoists Mei! My few disciples and I were passing by when we spotted the sudden change on this island from afar and came to investigate. We only arrived ourselves not long ago. But you two are well-traveled—have you been able to discern anything peculiar from this celestial omen?” The old man with the surname Zhao smiled broadly, apparently acquainted with the man and woman before him.

“Brother Zhao flatters us. If a Fellow Daoist like yourself cannot identify this celestial phenomenon, then my sister and I know even less. However, given the way the yin energy is coalescing, if a strange treasure is about to appear, it is likely an ill-omened vessel.” The woman replied in a refined manner, while the man beside her merely nodded indifferently, exuding an air that discouraged approach.

The elderly Zhao was not offended. He cleared his throat, preparing to speak further.

But just then, a pleasant flute melody drifted over from afar. Moments later, green light flashed on the distant horizon, and a pinpoint of light began to approach from afar.

Upon hearing the flute, the jade-like face of the woman surnamed Mei shifted several times, but she quickly composed herself as if nothing had happened.

The elderly Zhao was momentarily stunned. Then, recalling something, he cast a few extra glances at the woman, a peculiar expression flitting across his face.

The man beside the woman remained expressionless, but a flicker of anger passed through his eyes.

Soon, the green pinpoint of light drew near.

It was a young man, traversing the air horizontally with a jade flute in hand. He was handsome, clad in stark white robes that billowed behind him, projecting a rather dashing image.

“I guessed correctly. Miss Mei has indeed come to this place.” The white-robed man flew directly to the group before ceasing his flute playing and calling out to the woman with exuberant delight.

“Fellow Daoist Fu, you’ve come as well.” A look of helplessness crossed the woman’s face as she replied with forced pleasantries, apparently not pleased to see him.

“What is the meaning of this? My younger sister has already made it clear she has no intention of being your dual cultivation partner. Why do you continue to pester her? Or do you think that just because you have a Core Formation master, the Mei clan would not dare to drive you away?” The woman’s elder brother spoke coldly, his voice raspy.

“But I sincerely adore your sister. As long as Miss Mei has not taken a spouse, I will remain by her side. Surely, Fellow Daoist Mei will eventually be moved by my unwavering devotion.” The white-robed man gazed at the woman, his face a mask of profound affection.

Hearing this, the woman’s cheeks flushed. She stomped her foot and turned her back to him, refusing to acknowledge him any further.

Her brother, however, revealed a fierce glint in his eyes. Combined with his deathly pale, zombie-like face, it made him appear even more menacingly grotesque.

Yet the white-robed man simply stared fixedly at the woman’s back, paying no heed to anyone else.

“Ahem! Why let emotion cloud your judgment, Fellow Daoists? In a little while, even more colleagues will arrive. If a treasure truly is about to emerge on the island, we should act quickly! If we wait until there are more people, or if a senior of the Core Formation stage appears, we won’t have a chance at all.” The elderly Zhao’s eyes shifted for a moment before he suddenly interjected to defuse the tension, steering the conversation back to the island.

Hearing this, the three of them were slightly taken aback.

“Eh! The celestial phenomenon on the island is beginning to change.” The white-robed man had initially worn a look of utter indifference, but after a casual glance, his expression shifted.

Hearing this, the elderly Zhao and the Mei siblings were startled and looked over as well.

Indeed, the roiling dark clouds in the sky suddenly began to spin around a central point. They kept absorbing the vast yin energy surrounding the island, expanding rapidly in volume. A massive, pitch-black behemoth was on the verge of formation.

“What is this? Is the treasure about to emerge?” The woman revealed a look of terror, her expression crumbling.

“Whether it is or not, we should stay and see. Perhaps this truly is our destined opportunity.” The man surnamed Mei stared at the astonishing scene on the island, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

“But what if it’s not a treasure, but a supreme expert cultivating some top-tier technique? Would our approach offend them?” Hearing her brother’s words, the woman seemed hesitant.

“Nothing in this world comes without effort. If you want a treasure, you must naturally take some risks. Besides, if it truly is some senior residing on this island, we can just offer our apologies and withdraw.” The man’s voice turned cold and impatient.

Without waiting for a reply, he tapped the sword-shaped magic tool beneath his feet and shot directly towards the island.

Startled at first, the woman then showed a worried expression as she urged her own tool to follow.

Seeing this, the white-robed man hesitated for a moment. Casting a sidelong glance, he noticed the elderly Zhao had not moved, and a trace of suspicion arose in his heart.

“Fellow Daoist Zhao, aren’t you going to investigate? You were the one who first suggested seeking a treasure here. Have you changed your mind already?” he asked, frowning.

“What I offered was merely a suggestion. I never said I would go myself. Besides, I have brought a group of juniors on this trip and am unwilling to take such risks. If there truly is a treasure, I would gladly cede it to you three.” The elderly Zhao chuckled, stroking his beard with an air of complacency.

“Hmph! You speak prettily, Brother Zhao. I suspect you’re just using us as a probe!” The white-robed man glared at the old man. But seeing the receding figures of the Mei siblings, he gritted his teeth and transformed into a beam of light, giving chase.

The elderly Zhao watched the man’s departing trail of light with a beaming smile from behind. After a long while, he began to mutter to himself.

“A beautiful woman is a disaster! Once you’re caught by the word ‘love,’ I’d say your troubles have just begun,” he murmured softly.

Hearing this, the group of male and female disciples behind him exchanged bewildered glances.

As the three figures flew into the island’s bounds, heading straight towards the source of the celestial omen, the elderly Zhao’s spirits lifted. He stared unblinkingly, a hint of nervous anticipation in his expression.

But just then, a cold voice suddenly came from behind their group.

“You were clever not to take that risk. Otherwise, even if a treasure were to appear, would a junior like you be worthy of possessing it?”

The elderly Zhao’s heart lurked in alarm.

His group of disciples hastily turned to look behind them, but found only empty space; there was no one there.

“Which senior has graced us with their presence? Zhao Qiao of the Tai Yang Sect pays his respects to the senior.” Unable to find the speaker, the elderly man felt a chill run down his spine and immediately spoke with deference.

“Tai Yang Sect? What relation is Bu Diankong to you?” The voice remained disembodied and cold, seeming to drift from all directions.

“Sect Leader Bu… he is my uncle-master. Does the senior know our sect leader?” The elder was startled but dared not delay his response.

“Heh. We’ve met once before. I was originally planning to eliminate you all, just to keep the place clear of nuisances. But since you are from the same school as an acquaintance, I’ll spare you for now. However, you juniors will stay here and not move. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless.” The voice hesitated for a moment before speaking in a slightly softened tone.

“Of course, we would never dare to cause the senior any trouble.” The elder’s face had paled somewhat upon hearing this, but inwardly he felt relieved, silently congratulating himself that his sect’s elders had such wide connections.

…

Meanwhile, the white-robed man had caught up to the Mei siblings. The three flew together to the vicinity of the small valley. As they were about to proceed further, the spiritual energy ahead suddenly stirred anomalously, and a barrier of light appeared out of nowhere.

“Three Fellow Daoists, please turn back. If you come any closer, I will be forced to act.” The voice of a man, cold and calm, rang out in the ears of all three.

It was Han Li’s voice.

The Mei siblings and the white-robed man exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of shock and uncertainty.

“May I ask which Fellow Daoist you are, and what business you have on this island?” The man surnamed Mei couldn’t hold back and called out loudly.

“I will count to ten. If you still do not wish to leave, then you can stay here forever. Ten… nine… eight…” Han Li did not respond at all. Instead, his voice turned even colder as he began his countdown without the slightest courtesy.

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators’ faces changed color. The other party’s tone was incredibly arrogant. They were torn between believing it was a bluff and fearing he was truly a cultivator of the Core Formation stage or above.

In the midst of their hesitation, Han Li had already counted to half. Just then, the light barrier flickered, and over a dozen puppet apes flew out, arranging themselves in an arc and advancing towards them in perfect unison.

“Not good, retreat quickly! These are high-grade puppets. We cannot contend with them!” The woman surnamed Mei seemed to have extensive knowledge, instantly recognizing the power of the ape puppets. Her pretty face turned pale.

Without a second thought, she grabbed her brother’s arm and shot backwards into the distance. The white-robed man was not foolish either. He too recognized the puppets’ strength, drew in a sharp breath, and followed closely after the Mei siblings.

Seeing the three retreat in the face of difficulty, the countdown voice behind the light barrier abruptly ceased. The ape puppets gave chase for a little over ten zhang before stopping and watching them coldly, unmoving.

Only after the three fled the island without looking back did the apes turn and squeeze back through the light barrier, disappearing from sight.

…

In the valley mouth, Han Li sat cross-legged. He slowly opened his eyes, but his face showed no joy.

He had clearly sensed that, besides the low-grade cultivators in the nearby sea, a Core Formation cultivator had now appeared. Although the other party’s escape technique was still quite profound, he had been exposed the moment Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the area.

He could only hope that the three he had just scared off would be enough to make the Foundation Establishment cultivators think twice.

He was not afraid of cultivators of such a rank, of course; he simply had no desire to commit unnecessary slaughter.

And this was only the beginning.

According to his estimate, if any real trouble were to arise, it would most likely occur on the final day.

After all, with some time as a buffer, the high-grade cultivators in the vicinity should have received the news and arrived on the scene by then.

(End of chapter)