"What intelligence?" Ye Qin asked calmly.

One of his goals for this journey, besides tempering himself, was to gather as much intelligence as possible about this Sea of Blood. In this perilous place, knowing too little was extremely detrimental to his future trials. Naturally, he was quite interested in the "important intelligence" that Daoist Qian mentioned. Just as Daoist Qian finished introducing the owner of this ancient ship—the Scarlet Sea Alliance—he was interrupted by several cultivators from the Shang Tang Palace. "Gentlemen, why don't we retire to the refreshment hall first, discuss things over some spirit wine?"

Seeing Ye Qin’s inclination, Daoist Bu invited the two to sit down at the Immortal Brew Hall. "First, please sample the spirit brew made from the Blood Sea spirit fruits here. This fine brew is made from spirit fruits unique to the Sea of Blood. While its effect for restoring magic power is only average, its flavor is distinctive and rarely found elsewhere." Seeing their earnest invitation, Ye Qin found it difficult to refuse.

He took the cup filled by Daoist Bu and personally poured one for Shui’er. Tasting it carefully, the flavor was mellow and sweet, carrying a faint hint of bloodiness, followed by a distinct spiciness that evoked the biting chill of the sea wind. However, this spirit wine was only mid-grade; its spiritual efficacy was far inferior to the ninth-grade Scarlet Cloud Spirit Slurry Ye Qin brewed himself. Ye Qin had never placed much importance on indulgence, so he stopped after a slight sip, quietly awaiting Daoist Chen’s explanation.

"Brother Daoist, before coming to the Sea of Blood, you must have had a rough understanding of the situation here. The Sea of Blood is a perilous and grim place, stained over countless years with the blood of innumerable Eastern Sea cultivators, demon race cultivators, and fierce beasts. At its most brutal, even the seawater for thousands of miles turned blood-red, earning it this dreadful reputation. Furthermore, exceedingly ferocious and unscrupulous evil cultivators, demon race members, and high-level demonic beasts haunt this region."

Daoist Qian embellished the dangers of the Sea of Blood, licking his lips. "But why are so many Golden Core cultivators flocking here, and why do even Nascent Soul Ancestors frequently travel to this location?"

Daoist Bu paused here, narrowing his eyes to stare intently at Ye Qin, clearly hoping Ye Qin would pick up the conversation, thereby allowing him to probe Ye Qin’s background.

Ye Qin offered a faint smile but remained silent. He wouldn't be fooled so easily by such a petty trick of playing hard to get and dangling bait.

After failing to elicit a response from Ye Qin for a while, Daoist Qian could only offer an awkward chuckle before continuing, "There are only two reasons. One is the presence of rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures that have matured for thousands of years, and exotic demonic beasts above the Golden Core level. Discovering just one could fetch a great price. The other reason is the abundance of ancient ruins here. Over the past few hundred thousand years, the Sea of Blood has witnessed no fewer than ten great Immortal-Demon Wars. The ruins of these ancient battlegrounds are scattered almost everywhere in the Sea of Blood. In every Immortal-Demon War, countless cultivators and demon cultivators perished, leaving behind numerous treasures, top-tier magic tools, artifacts, even Primordial Spirit hidden weapons, and not a few ancient artifacts! These are enough to attract countless cultivators to explore this place for treasures."

"I am aware of those two reasons. The important intelligence you mentioned won't be that simple, will it?" Ye Qin asked placidly. "Certainly not. Just yesterday, this poor Daoist obtained a piece of news related to a mysterious ancient battlefield ruin." Daoist Qian fell silent abruptly after this, merely sipping his spirit wine without speaking further. Seeing Daoist Qian stop precisely when he reached the crucial point,

Ye Qin certainly understood Daoist Qian's implication: this time, Daoist Bu wasn't trying to play games; he was demanding spirit stones to continue. He considered for a moment, then placed ten mid-grade spirit stones on the table. "Daoist Friend Qian, speak freely. I will not withhold a single spirit stone required to purchase the intelligence. I wonder if these ten stones are enough to buy the intelligence you mentioned?" Ye Qin gazed at Daoist Qian with an indifferent look.

He didn't believe he could easily obtain any astonishing intelligence just by arriving in the Sea of Blood. The intelligence Daoist Chen spoke of was likely about some ordinary ancient ruin.

Many Golden Core cultivators must have visited the ancient ruins in the Sea of Blood. It wouldn't be right for him to be the one to suddenly hear about it now. Truly important intelligence would never be revealed so easily. Ten mid-grade spirit stones for an average piece of intelligence was already an extravagance." "Enough, enough! This Daoist won't be polite and happily accepts!"

Daoist Qian cheerfully pocketed Ye Qin’s spirit stones. "Brother Daoist is indeed straightforward. Then this Daoist has a piece of advice to offer along with this intelligence." "You two are new to the Sea of Blood, so you likely don't know the most important thing when adventuring here!"

"It’s actually quite simple: it’s neither to immediately seek treasure nor to hunt demonic beasts. Instead, it’s to first find a few experienced cultivators and form a team. Those veterans are familiar with the environment of the Sea of Blood; they know where it's safe to go and where it's dangerous to tread. If it’s just the two of you, new to the Sea of Blood and without experience, you might find it hard to take a single step in this perilous land, easily falling into danger without even realizing it."

"I can introduce you to several cultivators of deep seniority. Those high-level Golden Core cultivators are planning to band together soon to explore an ancient ruin for treasures and are currently short of hands. Since you two are new, it's perfect for you to join these veterans and see what the ancient ruins look like. What do you think, Brother Daoist?"

"Daoist Friend Qian, you weren't asked by someone to specifically seek us out, were you?" Ye Qin suddenly sneered.

"This Daoist is merely a small intermediary at this ancient ship outpost, passing information between various cultivators and collecting a small brokerage fee for my own cultivation. If you don't trust me, then I've said all I have to say. You can find someone else." Daoist Bu sounded somewhat displeased; if he hadn't already taken Ye Qin's spirit stones, he would have turned and left. "Daoist Friend Qian is part of the Scarlet Sea Alliance; the reputation of the Scarlet Sea Alliance is involved, so you naturally cannot lie. I trust you. Please continue; who asked you to invite people?"

"They currently have three Golden Core cultivators, all veteran treasure hunters. The leader is Senior Cultivator Pang, at the eighth stage of the Golden Core realm, possessing excellent strength and reputation, quite famous around this ancient ship outpost. The intelligence about the ancient ruin I mentioned earlier comes from these seasoned treasure hunters; they have visited it before. According to them, a blood-red mist over the sea recently dispersed, revealing an ancient battlefield ruin spanning about several thousand miles. It seems there are ghost cultivators active within this ruin, along with various vengeful spirits, zombies, and skeletons. They even spotted the rare Skeleton Demon!"

"Let's tentatively call it the Desolate Spirit Ruin. However, the first time this team entered the ruin, they were insufficiently prepared and ended up losing several companions. They dared not venture deeper, so they returned here first to restock supplies while recruiting more companions, which is why they sought my help in finding cultivators to go with them. As for the specific location and detailed intelligence of this 'Desolate Spirit Ruin,' you will only know once you join the expedition." Ye Qin listened closely, several thoughts flickering through his mind.

Daoist Bu was correct; the Sea of Blood was complex and dangerous, and experience was crucial. Without experienced companions, self-preservation might be an issue during the trials. Moreover, with Bing'er accompanying him, everything needed to be handled cautiously. This opportunity was quite rare; the Desolate Spirit Ruin had always been shrouded in blood mist until recently. Few cultivators would have entered, meaning the treasures within were likely plentiful. The earlier they went, the better, to avoid competition from more treasure-seeking cultivators entering the ruin. "If you two are interested, I can act as a matchmaker and introduce you to Senior Cultivator Pang." Daoist Bu had finished speaking and looked at the two, awaiting their decision. Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er exchanged glances. Huangfu Bing'er nodded, "Since we are here in the Sea of Blood for tempering, it's a good opportunity to explore this Desolate Spirit Ruin."

Ye Qin had made up his mind. He rose, "Then we shall trouble Brother Chen. Please wait a moment; we will be right back." Daoist Bu didn't know what he intended to do and didn't press the matter, simply nodding. Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er left the Immortal Brew Hall. "Husband, where are we going?" Huangfu Bing'er asked doubtfully. "When we arrived earlier, I saw an artifact shop that sells top-tier magic robes and armor."

Ye Qin smiled and explained, "We came in too much haste and forgot to prepare our robes. My current Purple Sword Palace alchemy uniform, and your usual cultivation attire, will be inconvenient for adventuring. Let's first go select a few sets of top-tier soft armor and magic robes. Even if struck by a flying sword or magic artifact, they can withstand a few blows." Huangfu Bing'er finally nodded, realizing.

Her current attire, a plain white silk gown, was a low-grade magic robe with very weak defense. While fine for wearing around the Eastern Sea Islands or during casual cultivation, it was inappropriate here and inconvenient during combat.

Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er arrived at a shop within the ancient ship cabin that sold clothing, armor, and defensive artifacts. This place stocked all kinds of defensive gear, magic tools, and robes of various grades. Naturally, they were slightly more expensive than in White Float City.

After some selection, the two each chose a set of top-tier Heavenly Silkworm Silk magic robes, which included a Heavenly Silkworm Silk soft armor, a Heavenly Silkworm Silk magic robe tunic, and a pair of Heavenly Silkworm Silk boots. All were top-tier magic artifacts, possessing good defensive capabilities, capable of resisting attacks from top-tier magic artifacts. Even a Primordial Spirit artifact couldn't pierce such robes in one blow.

After Ye Qin changed, he waited for a moment outside the fitting room before Bing'er emerged, causing him to freeze momentarily.

Bing'er, who usually wore a flowing, ethereal white skirt, now wore a pale cyan magic robe made of Heavenly Silkworm Silk. A hint of heroism flashed across her features, making her appear even more beautiful and transcendent, possessing a unique charm. Having been with Ye Qin for so many years, he rarely saw her dressed in this style, and he couldn't help but stare blankly.

Huangfu Bing'er felt a little shy under Ye Qin's gaze, a tempting blush rising on her cheeks. She donned a veiled bamboo hat to shield her appearance from outside view. "This madam has excellent taste. This set of cyan Heavenly Silkworm Silk robes is absolutely stunning on you. After changing, you two look like an immortal couple, making others envious!"

The female Golden Core shop owner expressed surprise, only recovering her composure after Huangfu Bing'er put on the veiled hat, offering a string of compliments.

Ye Qin smiled faintly at the flattery. He knew the kind words were mainly because of Bing'er and the spirit stones, so he didn't read too much into them.

A full set of top-tier Heavenly Silkworm Silk artifact gear offered excellent defense, but the price was high—one million low-grade spirit stones. Not everyone could easily afford it. After selecting matching robes for the two of them to keep in their storage bags for rotation, they paid four hundred high-grade spirit stones and returned to the Immortal Brew Hall. "Daoist Friend Qian, please lead the way!"

Daoist Qian paused briefly when he saw Ye Qin and the other change their attire, then immediately smiled, "Please follow this Daoist!"

Winding through several trading halls within the ancient ship, they arrived at a spacious living room several zhang wide.

Three Golden Core cultivators—two men and one woman—were seated separately in the living room, engaged in quiet conversation.

"Daoist Friend Qian!"

One of the middle-aged cultivators spoke loudly, "Who are these two?"

"Let me introduce you. This is Senior Cultivator Pang, who has been in the Sea of Blood for at least a century, highly experienced, whom this Daoist has always admired and respected. These two are Senior Cultivator Zhu and Senior Cultivator Yang. As for these two, they intend to join your group and venture into that Desolate Spirit Ruin. It would be best if you explain the specifics yourselves," Daoist Qian introduced with a smile. Ye Qin looked over at the three cultivators; they were all late-stage Golden Core cultivators.

The leading cultivator, surnamed Pang, appeared seasoned, just as Daoist Qian described, with a steady bearing. Fine glints occasionally flickered in his deep eyes, indicating extremely profound cultivation, around the eighth stage of the Golden Core realm.

Senior Cultivator Zhu glanced at Ye Qin and the girl before lowering his head again, seemingly lost in thought, his expression dull, appearing somewhat taciturn. However, the peculiar black wooden staff strapped to his back was quite conspicuous. His cultivation was only slightly lower than Senior Cultivator Pang’s, at the seventh stage of the Golden Core realm.

The last, the female cultivator surnamed Yang, possessed cultivation comparable to Senior Cultivator Zhu. She looked quite young, with charming and beautiful features, possessing a temperament caught between girlhood and womanhood.

"Cultivators in the Sea of Blood seem reluctant to reveal their full names. But that’s fine; it saves a lot of trouble," Ye Qin mused internally, then spoke, "Greetings to the three Daoist Friends. My surname is Ye, and this is my wife, Senior Cultivator Huangfu." As he spoke, the others were also sizing up Ye Qin and the girl.

When Senior Cultivator Yang saw Ye Qin look at her, her eyes fluttered, and she let out a light laugh. "Heh, so these are the two younger siblings at the mid-stage Golden Core level introduced by Daoist Friend Qian. However, the Desolate Spirit Ruin isn't somewhere just anyone can enter. Big Sister reminds you that the two companions we lost earlier were both late-stage Golden Core cultivators. If your strength isn't enough, venturing into that ancient ruin is seeking death."

As Senior Cultivator Yang chuckled, the fiery red phoenix hairpin ornament in her elaborate hairstyle chimed sweetly. Ye Qin’s gaze sharpened upon hearing this; this Fire Phoenix Step-Crown was a sound-based artifact with the effect of confusing the mind and spirit, subtly interfering with others’ mental state even without intentional activation. Yang cultivator's words were clearly meant to question whether they had the qualifications to join them. However, displaying their full strength within the confines of the warship outpost was inconvenient. "Fifth stage of the Golden Core realm, plus two Primordial Spirit artifacts. Is this strength enough to dare venture into the ancient ruin?"

Ye Qin pondered briefly, then released the Golden Bird Shining Light Sword and the Southern Bright Departing Fire Sword. Seeing this, Bing'er also summoned the Ice Soul Cold Light Sword and the Purple Jade Departing Fire Sword.

Their Primordial Spirit artifacts alone proved much. A mid-stage Golden Core cultivator possessing two Primordial Spirit artifacts was already considered quite strong. Ye Qin did not summon all five Primordial Spirit artifacts. Although the other party had a good reputation at this warship outpost, he was completely unfamiliar with these three late-stage Golden Core cultivators and naturally remained cautious. This place was mixed, chaotic, and dangerous; keeping an extra eye out was never wrong.

"Purple Sword Palace, Southern Bright Departing Fire Sword! Is this young brother a cultivator from the Purple Sword Palace?" Senior Cultivator Yang, despite operating in the Sea of Blood, seemed to have heard of the Purple Sword Palace in the Northern Islands and recognized him immediately. Ye Qin gave a noncommittal nod. Since Yang cultivator recognized his identity, Ye Qin wouldn't offer further explanations.

Senior Cultivator Yang tried to ask more, but her mind received a distant divine sense transmission from the team leader, Senior Cultivator Pang: "No need to say more, it will be these two. Both are mid-stage Golden Core cultivators; their cultivation is sufficient." "But their cultivation seems a bit low!"

"Last time we stumbled because we were unprepared, and we suffered a loss. This time, as long as we are careful, we have a sixty to seventy percent chance of success. If things go south, using these two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators as cannon fodder might be convenient. If they die, we can always return here and recruit a few new Golden Core cultivators. Let's decide it like this."

Senior Cultivator Pang’s attitude was quite dismissive of Ye Qin and the girl; he didn't care much about their strength, only viewing them as two expendable cannon fodder. Senior Cultivator Yang swallowed the words she was about to speak. Since Captain Pang had sent a message, a decision had been made, and he had likely communicated it to Zhu Mu Tou as well. Just as Ye Qin felt something was strange,

Senior Cultivator Pang, who had remained silent, finally spoke, "With the strength of you two Daoist Friends, following us to the Desolate Spirit Ruin shouldn't be a major issue! However, this journey is fraught with danger; you must be careful yourselves."

"Since it's settled, you two should go prepare. This 'Desolate Spirit Ruin' is different from other ruins. This ruin has numerous vengeful spirits, extremely dense ghost energy, and large areas of corpse miasma and blood mist. You should first purchase some Pure Heart and Clear Mind Talismans, Dewdrop Talismans to dispel defiling ghost energy, Ghost Appeasement Talismans, Exorcism Talismans, as well as Poison Repelling Spirit Pills, to avoid being ensnared."

Seeing that the matter was settled, Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er left to purchase the necessary supplies.

Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er spent about two hours acquiring these items. When they returned to the living room, Ye Qin was surprised to find two more mid-stage Golden Core cultivators had joined the group. These two Golden Core cultivators were clearly novices, having just been teleported from the Eastern Sea cities to the Sea of Blood. Somehow, they had been persuaded by Daoist Chen and joined Senior Cultivator Pang’s small team.

During this time, Senior Cultivator Yang was very talkative, constantly probing Ye Qin, Huangfu Bing'er, and the two new Golden Core cultivators about their strength through indirect questioning. Senior Cultivator Pang occasionally interjected a few words, while Senior Cultivator Zhu remained stubbornly silent at the back. The entire team appeared rather peculiar.

After meticulous preparation, Senior Cultivator Pang led the team of seven Golden Core cultivators away from the ancient ship outpost, flying on their swords toward the Desolate Spirit Ruin.

Meanwhile, while Senior Cultivator Pang, Ye Qin, and the others were methodically preparing to venture to the Desolate Spirit Ruin, Du Ran, a Golden Core cultivator from the Shang Tang Palace, found another group of Golden Core cultivators within the ancient ship.

This secondary cabin, marked with the insignia of a dripping blood broken sword, contained only rows of tables and chairs, with people sitting scattered here and there, their expressions somber, either silently brooding or conversing in low tones. Du Ran immediately spotted four seasoned Golden Core cultivators gathered around a table in the corner.

Du Ran instructed the other Shang Tang Palace cultivators to wait nearby and approached alone. After bowing, he said, "My surname is Du, a cultivator from the Shang Tang Palace of the Eastern Sea Islands. I have inquired around the ancient ship outpost and heard that you Daoist Friends are the treasure-taking cultivators here who strike the hardest and have the most flawless methods, never leaving loose ends? I have a major deal I'd like to know if you are interested in?" Treasure-taking cultivators, unlike beast-hunting or ruin-exploring cultivators, are unique to the Sea of Blood. Their methods are unscrupulous, often resulting in direct murder for gain; most of these cultivators are composed of rogue cultivators. If one carried treasure, encountering a treasure-taking cultivator outside was far more terrifying than encountering a demonic beast.

After unexpectedly discovering that Ye Qin had also arrived at this ancient ship outpost, Du Ran started planning to use others to deal with him—borrowing a knife to kill.

"Name your price. You only have one chance to speak. If you cannot satisfy us..." The leading treasure-taking cultivator looked up at Du Ran, a cold sneer curling his lips, his tone chilling. Du Ran felt an immediate surge of killing intent envelop him, causing him to inwardly chill. How long must one fight in the Sea of Blood to cultivate such a palpable killing intent?

Du Ran dared not delay and quickly sent a private spiritual message to the leader. "Eastern Sea Islands, a mid-stage Golden Core Elder of the Purple Sword Palace, only two accompanying him to this place. Is this prey sufficient?" "Oh, an Immortal Palace Elder at the Golden Core stage? Continue speaking."

The treasure-taking cultivator remained outwardly calm, but his willingness to listen indicated he was interested. As he transmitted privately, the other treasure-taking cultivators also raised their heads.

"Whether this person managed to become an Immortal Palace Elder as a Golden Core cultivator is likely not of your interest. But what is certain is that this person possesses five Primordial Spirit artifacts and has managed the affairs of an Immortal Palace Elder for thirty years, possessing vast wealth. Not long ago, at an auction in the Heavenly Dao Pavilion of White Float City, this person spent a staggering sum of twelve million low-grade spirit stones to purchase a Golden Core Consolidation Pill. Isn't this prey more enticing than the ordinary Golden Core cultivators you hunt in the Blood Sea?"

"Twelve million for a Golden Core Consolidation Pill?! Does he have too many spirit stones!" Even the treasure-taking cultivator couldn't remain completely composed. His expression shifted, but he quickly calmed down and sneered, "You've devised quite a plan. Since he can become an Elder of the Purple Sword Palace, his background must be considerable. Does Daoist Du take us treasure-taking cultivators for fools? If I were that foolish, not even an ash would be left of me in this Sea of Blood! If something went wrong, I, Cao, might be finished. What is your relationship with that Elder?" "Daoist Brother Cao, that’s not quite right. While the risk is high, the rewards are extremely rich. The principle that risk and profit coexist applies everywhere."

Du Ran was exceedingly shrewd. Seeing their stern expressions, which seemed poised to refuse outright, he sensed a profound shock beneath the surface, just lacking the final nudge. He continued to transmit his voice:

"I won't deny there's some personal grievance between this person and myself, making it inconvenient for me to act given my status. However, Brother Cao, you are situated deep within the Sea of Blood, leagues away from the Eastern Sea Isles. Is the Purple Sword Palace truly extending its reach this far? Moreover, the Sea of Blood is vast; targeting one person there is like searching for a needle in an ocean. As long as the execution is clean and swift, what reservations could you possibly have, Brother Cao?"

The Cao Cultivator did not immediately reply, his brow deeply furrowed. After a moment of silent, transmitted discussion with the other treasure-hunting cultivators, his features finally relaxed.

"Name your price. But one condition: this information must not be shared with anyone else. Otherwise, murder is easy, but seizing treasure is difficult. If the intelligence leaks, you won't be able to bear the consequences."

Sensing the undisguised threat, Du Ran remained entirely unconcerned. "That is a given. There is only one condition: this person must die! Beyond the spoils from his person going to your esteemed self, I will additionally offer a generous gift valued at no less than five million low-grade spirit stones."

As Du Ran spoke, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. The cultivators from the Shang Tang Palace nearby, who had been watching intently, felt a cold jolt. "Haha, an easy arrangement. Prey that I, Cao, have set my sights on either dies or lives to tell no tales!" Seeing his objective secured, Du Ran exchanged a satisfied smile with the Cao Cultivator—a smile of pure contentment.

At the chapter's end, I humbly request monthly votes! C