Ye Tai flew alone over the East Sea on his executioner weapon. Though he encountered no direct danger, the monotony of the journey had nearly numbed him. In the days following the main body of cultivators, he had fellow sect disciples to occasionally converse with and pass the time. Now, utterly solitary, he did not even possess a single person to speak to.

Were it not for the Star-Fixing Disk indicating his steady approach to that small island, he might have believed he would sail across this endless ocean forever.

At noon on this particular day, as Ye Tai was listlessly navigating the sea on his artifact, he suddenly paused. Rubbing his eyes, he perceived what seemed to be a "small mountain" emerging far out on the distant water. His spirits immediately lifted, a flicker of excitement stirring within him, and he quickened his pace.

After flying over the sea for nearly a month without rest, he had finally sighted a small island where he could temporarily anchor.

"Uh... wait a minute!"

Still over ten li from the "small mountain," Ye Qin’s mind suddenly cleared. The flying sword beneath his feet slowed, and a look of confusion crossed his face. He hurriedly unrolled the scroll of the Chart of the East Sea Domain.

According to his position on the map, that tiny island was still more than three days’ journey away. Such a vast distance meant it should not have been visible within his current range of sight. Yet, he was seeing this "small mountain" a full few days ahead of schedule.

"Could the Star-Fixing Disk be wrong? Or... is there another islet? If there were such an island here, it should have been recorded in the Chart of the East Sea Domain scroll. The cultivators who compiled the map would never have missed such an obvious landmass."

Ye Tai racked his brain, finding no satisfactory answer.

He resolved to fly closer for a look regardless. If a genuine island truly existed there, he certainly needed to rest for a while. In just a short time, he was within five or six li of the "small mountain."

Ye Qin then realized with surprise that it was not a mountain at all, but a colossal sailboat, huge as a mountain fortress, with billowing sails adorned with intricate drawings of massive sea beasts.

This great sailing ship was moving swiftly, directly toward him.

Ye Tai had seen nearly a hundred such great ships docked at the ferry points near East Fishing Town. He instantly understood—this vessel must have come from the direction of East Fishing Town, perhaps even belonging to the fleet of some Golden Core ancestor based there.

A strange expression crossed Ye Qin's face.

He had always been perplexed by the purpose of these massive sailboats. They were slow, yet they navigated the notoriously treacherous East Sea. He couldn't fathom how such large ships survived these waters. Their helmsmen must possess incredibly rich experience and boundless courage.

Seeing it was a ship hailing from East Fishing Town, a powerful sense of caution immediately arose in him, making him reluctant to approach further.

Such a large vessel surely belonged to some formidable maritime power. The Foundation Establishment cultivators on board would likely be numerous—perhaps a mere handful, or perhaps dozens, even hundreds.

Ye Qin was acutely aware that if he approached, he would be outnumbered and alone. If the cultivators aboard harbored ill intentions, he would be in deep trouble. No matter how strong a single cultivator might be, they stood little chance against a coordinated assault by a large group.

Ye Qin decided not to take the risk. After a moment’s thought, he immediately veered his flying sword, altering course to avoid the massive ship.

Since he was already close to his destination island, there would be plenty of time to rest after reaching the small island.

As Ye Tai noticed the great ship, the cultivators aboard naturally noticed him as well.

Atop the ship’s prow stood an elder in grey robes, flanked by a powerfully built man with rough hands, appearing middle-aged. Numerous lower-level Qi Refining cultivators busied themselves on the deck.

"Ship Master, look there—a Foundation Establishment cultivator crossing the sea. Ha! Looks like we'll have some unexpected bounty today. Ship Master, shall we intercept him?" the middle-aged man said cheerfully.

"Hmm. No rush. Let him fly closer himself. Fifth Brother, tell all the brethren to prepare. Don't startle our 'guest.' When he arrives, we strike together, and take him down in one go," the elder instructed gravely.

"Yes!"

The man acknowledged the order and turned to shout instructions into the ship's hold. Soon, several robust Foundation Establishment cultivators rushed out, hiding themselves among the cargo on deck. They were undoubtedly the key figures among the Foundation Establishment cultivators aboard the massive ship.

However, their excitement quickly turned to disappointment.

The cultivators on the ship watched in astonishment as the approaching cultivator, clearly headed their way, suddenly stopped when he reached five or six li distant. He turned, bypassed their vessel, and flew off in another direction.

They had never witnessed such a thing.

On the East Sea, a lost cultivator who had strayed from their comrades would typically see a large ship from East Fishing Town like a beacon of hope, flying toward it without hesitation, rarely considering such complex possibilities. But this cultivator, almost within boarding range, suddenly turned tail and fled.

Having the fat morsel slip from their grasp was undoubtedly a significant blow to the grey-robed elder and the surrounding cultivators.

"Could he have sensed our hostility? Impossible. We gave off no indication of aggression."

The elder frowned, muttering to himself a few times.

He commanded the burly men to remain calm and decided to investigate personally.

The grey-robed elder cast forth a flying sword, which transformed into a streak of light as he soared from the great ship, flying straight toward Ye Qin while shouting loudly, "Fellow Daoist ahead, please wait a moment!"

Ye Tai, having turned away, heard the shout from behind and glanced back.

Seeing a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the large ship pursuing him from a distance, he was not overly concerned. He possessed confidence enough that a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could not detain him here.

Ye Qin slowed his pace, his hand hovering near his storage pouch, maintaining vigilance.

As the pursuer drew near, Ye Qin clearly saw that it was an elder with a grizzled white beard, clad in a long robe, possessing cultivation at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment—a rather ordinary level.

This elder appeared weathered by long voyages at sea, with a lean and sturdy frame.

"Little Brother, I am Shen Daliang from the Shen Family fleet of East Fishing Town, and I captain this large ship. I am carrying cargo bound for Glazed Island. It seems you’ve been separated from your companions? We are all cultivators from the Central Continent; it’s rare to meet on the sea. Why not board my ship for a rest? My vessel is heading that way, and I can convey you to Glazed Island, saving you the trouble of flying aimlessly and getting lost at sea," the elder offered, drawing close to Ye Qin.

"Your ship is going to Glazed Island?"

Ye Tai feigned surprise, showing a peculiar look. Then he lowered his head, appearing conflicted, hesitating as if debating whether it would be wise to follow.

Seeing that Ye Qin seemed moved, the elder inwardly rejoiced and quickly persuaded him, "Indeed. Little Brother need not worry. Shen Family ships are famous in East Fishing Town and are very safe on the open sea. Once you reach Glazed Island, you can find companions there to form a party heading to the East Sea Archipelago. Of course, there will be a small fee for the passage."

Hearing the elder’s words, Ye Qin's apparent worry seemed to dissipate, and he exclaimed with feigned relief, "I can find other cultivators heading to the East Sea Archipelago on Glazed Island? Very well. Since it’s on your route, I won't be polite then. Thank you for the trouble, Ship Master Shen, for taking me to Glazed Island."

"Haha, not at all, I welcome it! Little Brother, please follow me!" The elder laughed heartily.

"Please!" Ye Tai smiled.

The elder then immediately turned and began flying back toward the great sailboat, leading Ye Qin.

Ye Qin followed the elder on his flying sword, then suddenly, his gaze turned icy cold.

The Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword shot out like a beam, transforming into a blazing, ten-foot-tall fiery blade aimed directly at the elder’s back. Simultaneously, he pulled out the Dark Cloud Barrier, while the Bronze Bell and the Immortal Binding Ropes were already gripped in his hands, ready to be deployed if the fiery sword failed to neutralize the elder instantly.

"You—!"

The elder instantly sensed the intense wave of fire energy engulfing him from behind and instinctively turned back in alarm.

In his effort to disarm Ye Qin’s suspicion and lure him aboard, the elder had neglected all defenses, not even applying a protective aura. Furthermore, he was confident Ye Qin would not dare attack, given the large number of his comrades aboard the ship.

Yet, he never expected that at such close proximity to the vessel—only a few li away, a matter of mere blinks of an eye for artifact flight—Ye Qin would dare turn hostile so swiftly and strike with such savage intensity, leading with a Primordial Spirit-grade artifact! He was caught completely unprepared.

"Traitor!"

The elder only managed to react, trying to dodge, but the back of his heart was pierced by the Southern Bright Luminous Fire Sword, leaving a gaping wound. He glared in pain, attempting to fight back, but his strength failed him, and he tumbled headlong into the sea.

"If you wanted to trick me aboard, you should have used a more cunning ploy. That direction is clearly toward the Central Continent, not Glazed Island! Did you think I was so lost at sea that I couldn't tell which way was which?"

Ye Qin, having skewered the elder’s physical body, sneered coldly. Naturally, in the same instant, he swept up the elder’s accompanying flying sword, artifacts, and storage pouch before he plummeted too far. Then, utilizing the Dark Cloud Barrier, he abruptly changed direction and sped away.

In East Fishing Town, he had exercised restraint, unwilling to shed blood needlessly. Even when Chu Baier and his group had insulted him, he had repeatedly tolerated it, even letting one escape, to avoid massive repercussions. But in this merciless East Sea, he would tolerate absolutely no malicious actions directed against him.

He understood the inherent cruelty of this region perfectly.

Stretching for tens of thousands of miles, this sea was devoid of human habitation, rules, or restraint. The death of a few cultivators here wouldn't even cause a ripple. It was even more ruthless and unforgiving than his trials in the Ten Thousand Withered Ridge Cave.

Once a fight broke out, it was a matter of kill or be killed. Any hesitation here was sentimental foolishness. Dying because of stupidity was entirely his own fault. One should never expect anyone to seek vengeance on your behalf.

Ship Master Shen seeking to lure him aboard only to lose his own life was his own doing.

The burly men on the great ship, who had been waiting for Ship Master Shen to bring Ye Qin aboard so they could ambush him together, witnessed the sudden turn of events in mid-air. They erupted into enraged shouts, and six or seven of the men soared into the sky on their artifacts, desperately giving chase to Ye Qin.

"Don't run! Get back Ship Master Shen’s life! Kill him for revenge!"

Ye Qin glanced back disdainfully. Relying on six or seven low-level Foundation Establishment cultivators to hunt him down was laughable. If he weren't concerned that more Foundation Establishment cultivators might still be lying in wait on the ship, he might have even doubled back to teach them a lesson.

Ye Qin paid them no mind.

The Dark Cloud Barrier soon vanished over the sea.

Those six or seven burly men shrieked in frustration, but none could catch up to Ye Qin's Dark Cloud Barrier. They could only stand there helplessly, watching as Ye Qin disappeared from sight.