Today's First Chapter. One chapter in the afternoon, one chapter in the evening. Please vote with your monthly tickets!

Ye Tai was forced out of his hiding place among the scattered rocks by the descending Demon Roc, causing the cultivators from the Sky Dome Realm and the Spirit Mist Realm to display looks of astonishment and confusion, even contempt and cold mockery. Even Yao Pengzi and Batu’er, who were locked in an intense battle, were ignored by the crowd of cultivators.

Ye Qin stood frozen for a moment among the rocks; under the scrutiny of the two groups of cultivators, he appeared exceptionally conspicuous.

He couldn't help but feel a touch awkward.

These cultivators were all renowned Foundation Establishment cultivators from the two major cultivation worlds, gathered here to engage in duels and settle past grievances. For him, a cultivator from the obscure Green Pill Sect, to appear here was naturally somewhat inappropriate.

It must be known that the cultivation world was rife with rules and vast disparities in status.

There was no need to mention the differences across cultivation stages; a Foundation Establishment cultivator could simply not compare to a Golden Core cultivator.

Even among those at the same cultivation level, those born into famous, influential families or those with widespread reputations maintained their dignity and disdained any association with low-status rogue cultivators or unknown practitioners.

Having spent so many years in the Green Pill Sect, Ye Qin knew very few cultivators from the great cultivation families, only a handful such as Huangfu Bing'er and Yan Xuan. And even those connections were due to certain specific circumstances.

Stared at by so many piercing gazes, Ye Qin felt extremely uncomfortable. He cupped his hands toward the crowd.

"I merely passed by this area by accident, my apologies for the disturbance!"

With that, he left the dueling site, his mood dejected, and flew towards Dongyu Town. He had originally intended to observe the strength of the top cultivators from both realms, but because of an unexpected incident, he was forced out and had to depart, unwittingly wasting such a prime opportunity to gauge the prowess of others.

"Wait a moment!"

Huangfu Bing'er, who had been silent, spoke softly, "Since Junior Brother Ye has arrived, please stay and observe the match. After the grievances here are settled, you can return to the Green Pill Sect's station with me."

The top cultivators of the Spirit Mist Realm turned their surprised gazes towards Huangfu Bing'er. It turned out that Senior Sister Huangfu recognized this Green Pill cultivator. Huangfu Bing'er’s face was veiled, so no one could discern her expression at that moment.

"Yes, Senior Sister Huangfu!"

Hearing Huangfu Bing'er’s voice, Ye Qin hesitated slightly, a wry smile hidden beneath his composure, and lowered his guard slightly.

Due to the differences in their identity and status, he consciously avoided appearing together with Huangfu Bing'er in public. Even when they appeared together publicly, it was strictly as fellow disciples, with no overstepping of boundaries.

After all, the disparity in familial background among the great cultivation families of the Central Continent had a tradition spanning tens of thousands of years—something he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, could not contend with. He had no intention of challenging these tacit rules.

His expression was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, as he moved to stand with the Spirit Mist Realm cultivators’ contingent.

The low murmurs among the two groups of cultivators subsided, and their focus quickly returned to the duels.

The duel between Batu’er and Yao Pengzi, after dragging on for the better part of the day, finally saw a decisive outcome.

Yao Pengzi made a slight error; his Demon Roc’s wing was torn by a cyan-green flying fork, causing its strength to plummet instantly. It could only rely on the massive tiger to desperately hold on. Batu’er, seizing the opportunity of the sneak attack, was reinvigorated and counter-attacked with full force, forcing Yao Pengzi to flee in disarray.

Although Yao Pengzi had several other demonic beasts in his spirit beast pouch, none were as powerful as the fifth-tier Demon Roc. With no hope of a counter-attack, he seized a moment of opportunity to flee the boundaries set for the duel, admitting defeat with a face alternating between blue and red, and withdrew dejectedly.

If he hadn't voluntarily conceded and withdrawn, even if Batu’er had killed him, no one would have avenged him. Such one-on-one duels meant taking responsibility for one’s life and death; one could not blame others.

The Spirit Mist Realm cultivators had suffered another defeat—their fourth consecutive loss, having won only the very first bout. The reputation of the Spirit Mist cultivators was utterly shattered.

They had come here to completely resolve their past grievances. However, this matter concerned the dignity of the younger generation of Spirit Mist Realm cultivators, and losing so humiliatingly was infuriating. In the subsequent matches, the Spirit Mist cultivators finally stopped holding back their strength; the few strongest Foundation Establishment cultivators at the ninth layer stepped forward to challenge, determined to forcefully retrieve their honor.

Ye Qin watched the battles with cool eyes, gradually gaining some insight.

Every cultivator who stepped up for the next duel had a reason. Before the fight began, the grievance would be clearly stated—either a notorious figure from the Sky Dome Realm had killed someone important to a Spirit Mist Realm cultivator, or vice versa. After the duel, the previous grievance would be completely cleared, never to be pursued again.

Ye Qin was naturally concerned not with these personal grudges, but with the true strength of these dozens of top cultivators from both groups.

By observing their duels, he rapidly compared his own strength against theirs, estimating the height of his own power. Among this group of Spirit Mist cultivators, he estimated he could rank within the top five.

"Hey, kid over there, step out! Let's have a match. How about it?"

Wuli Han pointed towards the Spirit Mist Realm contingent and loudly issued a challenge.

Ye Qin was contemplating the previous match when he noticed many Spirit Mist cultivators looking at him with strange expressions, causing him to pause. Only then did he realize that Wuli Han was calling him out.

"Senior Brother Wuli Han, I have no grievances with you that need settling. Why challenge me to a duel?" Ye Qin couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Haha, of course we have no grievances to settle. But I am quite clear about the strength of these Spirit Mist Realm cultivators. Fighting them isn't satisfying enough. Only you remain an unknown. You managed to repel my brother Ah Mumeng, so you must possess considerable strength. Why don't we fight now? In the East Sea Archipelago, we might not have such a convenient opportunity. Rest assured, I won't take your life."

Wuli Han licked his lips, seemingly very interested in the prospect of a match.

Ye Qin considered it for a moment, then shook his head in refusal.

Wuli Han might be interested, but Ye Qin certainly wasn't.

Both groups consisted of highly reputed cultivators. He was here simply to watch these rare duels. Fighting Wuli Han for no reason—whether he won or lost—would bring him no benefit, only inviting more suspicion.

"Wuli Han thinks highly of you, you should go up and broaden your horizons. Perhaps you can even learn a few tricks." "Indeed, getting to spar with Wuli Han is a rare opportunity." Several nearby Spirit Mist cultivators clearly disliked Ye Qin and scoffed sarcastically.

Ye Qin’s expression turned cold as he glanced at the Spirit Mist cultivator who spoke—it was one of the cultivators who had recently lost a match. He sneered internally but said nothing. The cultivators from the great cultivation families of the Spirit Mist Realm and the ordinary cultivators always looked askance at each other; there was nothing to discuss.

Ye Qin was unwilling to fight, and although Wuli Han and the other notorious cultivators from the Sky Dome Realm were somewhat displeased, they could not find sufficient reason to force Ye Qin into combat. In the end, the matter was dropped.

The series of duels lasted nearly an entire day. The accumulated grievances between the top cultivators of the Spirit Mist Realm and the more than ten notorious figures from the Sky Dome Realm were completely settled.

Afterward, Huangfu Bing’er and Ye Qin returned to Dongyu Town and the Green Pill Sect’s station.

On the way, Ye Qin sold the low-grade spirit artifacts and raw materials from Chu Bai'er and the others' storage bags at a fair price in the market streets, acquiring some spirit stones. Though not a large amount, it was an unexpected small fortune.

For the next few days, the skies over the East Sea remained overcast.

Ye Qin did not venture out again, staying honestly at the station to prepare for crossing the sea.

Initially, he worried that Chu Bai'er or his father would come looking for trouble. But strangely, everything remained quiet; there was no reaction whatsoever from the Chu Ship Owner side.

In truth, Ye Qin was unaware of the situation.

Chu Bai'er, having lost the Star Fixing Disc, knew he had courted disaster. Terrified, he dared not return to his father. Instead, he sent a subordinate back to report that he had an urgent matter requiring him to visit a distant ancestral home, before fleeing to his maternal grandmother’s home to lie low. He wouldn't dare return to Dongyu Town until this matter blew over and his father’s anger had subsided. Although the Chu Ship Owner found it odd, he did not know the Star Fixing Disc was lost, so he took no action.

It had to be said that Chu Bai’er’s actions were ridiculous, but they inadvertently allowed Ye Qin to avoid a major incident.

Upon returning to the station, Ye Qin spent several hours carefully examining that disc-shaped artifact. After consulting the reference texts documenting artifacts, he finally understood that this disc was the "Star Fixing Disc," an artifact specifically used for crossing the sea.

Ye Qin was ecstatic; this artifact would be extremely useful in the East Sea.

For the remaining time, he gradually purchased spirit stones of the middle grade and higher in Dongyu Town. The more spirit stones he possessed, the more mana he could replenish, allowing him to sustain himself longer at sea.

During this period, he made sure to avoid any further mishaps.

As long as he left Dongyu Town and reached the East Sea, he wouldn't have to worry about the Chu Ship Owner coming to seize the Dark Gold Jar Crystal and the Star Fixing Disc.

A full half a month passed.

The surface of the East Sea was clear and sunny. Golden Core cultivators with great divine abilities performed Heavenly Divination Arts and calculated that there would be several months without storms on the East Sea. This was the optimal time to cross the sea. If they missed these few months, another major storm front would arrive, likely forcing them to wait another year or more.

The number of cultivators gathering in Dongyu Town, preparing for the crossing, increased daily; large numbers of cultivators were setting off every day.

The Spirit Mist Realm cultivators also set out on this day.

The white-haired, rosy-cheeked Ancestor Sun Ran, along with three other Golden Core Ancestors, led sixty to seventy Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Green Pill Sect to the seaside of Dongyu Town. At the seaside ferry crossing, over a hundred massive sailing ships were anchored.

"Our journey to the East Sea will be a very long sea voyage, with very few islands available as stops. All junior nephews must remember to follow this old man and not fall behind. Otherwise, it is highly likely you will perish in this great ocean. Only after reaching the East Sea Archipelago will there be stable havens. However, as long as you arrive safely at the East Sea Archipelago, you are bound to achieve great things there."

Ancestor Sun stared at the calm, blue sea surface, speaking with a solemn expression. The current sea area appeared tranquil, but the danger lurking deep beneath the waves struck fear even into him, a Golden Core cultivator.

"Reporting to Martial Uncle, the disciples of our sect are all prepared. May I ask if we can depart?" Huangfu Bing'er approached behind Ancestor Sun and reported. "Good, let's go!"

Sun Ran summoned the spirit beast pouch tied to his waist.

A seventh-tier Azure Dragon Bird soared into the sky. Its wingspan stretched over twenty zhang, its body frighteningly large, with a crimson plume on its forehead, vermilion-colored wings, and three long azure tail feathers—incredibly magnificent.

The sheer might of this Azure Dragon Bird frightened the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivators, causing them to retreat hundreds of zhang. Sun Ran's mount was actually a tamed Golden Core-level Azure Dragon Bird.

This enormous bird let out a clear cry, circled the sky for a moment, and then gently landed before Ancestor Sun. It carried the old ancestor aloft, flying towards the East Sea.

"Go!"

The other three ancestors smiled, each riding their own high-tier spirit bird.

Including Ye Qin, all the Foundation Establishment disciples of the Green Pill Sect watched these giant birds with envy. Ye Qin, in particular, had personally witnessed the ferocity of wild Azure Dragon Birds in the Vast Ridge of the Spirit Mist Mountains.

A seventh-tier Azure Dragon Bird was capable of slaughtering dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators and sending them fleeing in panic.

They lacked the skill to control such a high-level rare beast and could only obediently fly on their artifacts, following the four ancestors toward the East Sea.

Simultaneously, Foundation Establishment cultivators from the other major cultivation worlds also took to the air, led by their respective sect’s Golden Core Ancestors, flying out of Dongyu Town. The entire sea surface was filled with countless brilliant artifacts, transforming into specks of light that rapidly plunged into the perilous, vast East Sea.

The Heavenly Dao Alliance’s conscription order was not effective for only a few cultivation worlds like the Spirit Mist Realm and the Sky Dome Realm; it applied to the vast majority of cultivation worlds across the entire Central Continent.

(End of this chapter)