After roughly ten days, Ye Qin guided the Great Winged Warship to a stretch of sea, spotting a colossal spirit island in the distance.

Within several hundred li of the island, patrol guards could occasionally be seen flying past on swords, meticulously surveying the surrounding waters.

The island's mountain ranges undulated, and one could frequently glimpse various streams of light formed by Golden Core cultivators flitting across the island’s sky—it was quite lively.

As the warship proceeded further, it entered the surveillance range of the patrolling cultivators.

“We’ve arrived! The Immortal City presided over by Sect Master Jiang is just ahead!”

Liao Xiaozhi, clad in yellow robes, stood lightly at the prow, a look of pleasure on her face.

“We’re here? Excellent! I’ve been on edge this whole journey, worried about encountering demon cultivators or beast tides. Now we can finally relax. Once we reach the Immortal City, we’ll be safe. I just wonder if Palace Master Zhou and the Nascent Soul Ancestors have arrived at the city yet!”

“The Ancestors should have arrived!”

The Golden Core cultivators aboard the warship surged to the front as they gazed upon the island ahead, joy replacing the fatigue on their faces.

Throughout this flight from danger, they hadn't dared to rest or relax for even a moment. They had even encountered beast tides at sea, fighting several fierce battles halfway through, rescuing numerous cultivators who had been scattered after the defeat on the battlefield.

“That we could escape the beast tide this time and arrive safely at the Immortal City is entirely thanks to Brother Ye’s full efforts; otherwise, very few of us would have survived. If Brother Ye ever needs anything from me, Palace Master Zhou, just say the word, and I will not hesitate in the slightest!”

Zhou Yi had managed to emerge from the grief over Elder Zhou Hong’s death in battle, but his spirits remained very low. He cupped his hands towards Ye Qin and spoke with deep respect.

A flicker of surprise crossed Ye Qin’s eyes.

He knew very well that Zhou Yi, the Young Palace Master, usually presented an outwardly gentle and humble demeanor, one who didn't strive for conflict. However, like the direct descendants of other major cultivation clans, he harbored deep pride. This pride was merely restrained and never aggressively displayed. Such a person would never willingly submit to being beneath another. Zhou Yi adopting this attitude was quite rare.

“Brother Zhou is being too modest. Escaping the beast tide was entirely due to the combined efforts of everyone fighting their hardest. I only managed to slay a few dozen demonic beasts. Let’s go inside the city!”

Ye Qin shook his head slightly, unwilling to claim such enormous credit. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could save hundreds of Golden Core cultivators single-handedly. Without the combined assault of hundreds of Golden Core cultivators against the horde, he likely would have had to use the Great Winged Warship’s teleportation array to flee back to Linhai City, abandoning the ship to save their lives.

The cultivators had secretly wondered why Ye Qin possessed a small warship. However, Ye Qin, as the Fifth Elder of the Purple Sword Palace, held a status and authority equal to that of the other Nascent Soul Ancestors of the Palace. Wartime assets like warships were typically held only by Palace Masters and Elders. The quantity, grade, and deployment of such artifacts were high-level secrets within any Immortal Palace, not something ordinary disciples could inquire about.

They privately speculated that Ye Qin possessing a small warship was likely a vessel constructed by the Purple Sword Palace, which Elder Ye was managing.

Yet, Zhou Yi, the Young Palace Master, knew this was absolutely not a Purple Sword Palace warship. Their vessels carried the unique markings of the Purple Sword Palace and possessed a completely different style. But Zhou Yi dared not inquire about the warship’s origins.

The status of an Immortal Palace’s Young Palace Master was one level below that of an Elder. A Young Palace Master had the right to know most affairs of the Palace but lacked the authority to command critical wartime resources. Only Immortal Palace Elders possessed the right to deploy such crucial assets. Furthermore, Ye Qin was a Guest Elder of the Heavenly Dao Alliance Elder Council, holding a revered position. Given his many considerations, Zhou Yi naturally refrained from questioning Ye Qin about the warship’s background.

All dozens of Golden Core cultivators present were from the Purple Sword Palace or its allied Immortal Palaces. Regarding the topic of the warship, they wisely kept their mouths shut, daring neither to ask further nor to mention anything about it carelessly.

Ye Qin naturally said nothing to them either. He did not wish for too many outside cultivators to see the Great Winged Warship. Upon sighting the great island, he stored the vessel away, and then, along with the Golden Core cultivators from the Purple Sword Palace and allied palaces, they swiftly flew towards the Immortal City on their swords.

Ye Qin and the others flew over the island’s mountain ranges and soon saw a magnificent Immortal City constructed of red rock megaliths. This newly built Immortal City, overseen by Sect Master Jiang of the Western Branch of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, had already taken initial shape. Faint glows of formation light shimmered across the city walls; the protective grand array could be activated instantly should demon cultivators or a beast tide attack.

Occasionally, streaks of light from flying swords and other artifacts could be seen crossing the sky, arriving from the distant sea towards the Immortal City, or departing the city to hunt sea beasts in various parts of the Blood Sea. The Immortal City appeared largely completed and capable of housing a significant number of cultivators. However, given that this was the era of the Immortal-Demon War, only cultivators at the mid-to-late Golden Core stage and above would be present in this city.

This Immortal City was clearly far superior to the indefensible stone city constructed by the Purple Sword Palace. Ye Qin found this in no way surprising. Sect Master Jiang, as a dominant figure in his own right, could mobilize all the financial and material reserves of the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s Western Branch. With numerous Immortal Palace cultivators from the Western Branch gathered under him, it was entirely normal for him to erect a heavily fortified Immortal City within a few short years. His strength far surpassed that of the Purple Sword Palace.

The patrol guards stationed on the outer seas merely scanned their group with divine sense and did not conduct a strict investigation. In a short time, Ye Qin, Zhou Yi, and the group of Golden Core cultivators arrived at the eastern gate of the Immortal City and landed.

The gate guards were quite stringent in screening incoming cultivators, checking each one individually to prevent any spies from the Demon Race from infiltrating the city to probe their defenses. Above the city gate, a massive plaque with a black wood frame edged in gold bore the powerful, sweeping golden calligraphy of "Xiaguang City."

The Nascent Soul Demon-Slaying Rankings and the Golden Core Demon-Slaying Rankings were posted conspicuously on one side of the gate. At that moment, many cultivators waiting to enter the city were idly pointing at the rankings, engaging in discussion.

After waiting for a considerable time, Ye Qin and the others finally entered the city and walked down the street.

“Eh, isn’t this Brother Zhou? What brings you to Xiaguang City?”

Ahead, a group of seven or eight male and female cultivators dressed in luxurious robes descended from a pavilion along the street. Ye Qin, Zhou Yi, and the others couldn't help but look over. The speaker was a refined cultivator in a sapphire blue magic robe, walking towards them alongside several valiant men and beautiful women. This group’s attire was richly noble; they were all cultivators at the ninth layer of the Golden Core stage, carrying an air of arrogance—it was clear they were direct disciples of the Great Immortal Palaces. Even many Golden Core cultivators passing by on the street quickly made way when this group appeared, unwilling to cause an offense.

“It is Brother Jiang!”

Zhou Yi recognized the person upon sight and offered a respectful smile and bow. He then turned to introduce the others to Ye Qin: “This is Young Palace Master Jiang Ran from Palace Bao Xia, Sect Master Jiang’s kin. Brother Zhou and Brother Jiang have cultivated together before; it’s an old friendship, though it’s been quite a while.”

“Jiang Ran?”

“Jiang Ran, ranked ninth on the Golden Core Demon-Slaying Rankings?!”

The Immortal Palace cultivators from the Purple Sword Palace couldn't help but be surprised by the name, their gazes shifting to show a degree of reverence. To break into the top ten of the fiercely competitive Golden Core Demon-Slaying Rankings meant one was among the absolute top Golden Core cultivators in the Eastern Sea cultivation world. This person’s fame was practically known by all.

“Speaking of which, Brother Zhou was defending the city built by the Purple Sword Palace. How do you have the leisure to travel all the way to my Xiaguang City?” Jiang Ran chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the cultivators in the group. When his eyes passed over Ye Qin, who wore the Elder insignia of the Purple Sword Palace on his robes, he paused slightly, knitting his brows as if pondering something.

Hearing this, Zhou Yi’s smile faded, and he sighed. “Brother Jiang is unaware; about ten days ago, a large force of demon cultivators suddenly attacked the stone city built by the Purple Sword Palace. We were forced to abandon the city, and the cultivators from the various Immortal Palaces were scattered. We plan to rest and regroup here in your city for a time, rally our forces, and prepare for the next stage of operations.”

“Oh, such a thing happened? I only just emerged from seclusion a few days ago and am not very clear on the situation at sea. I apologize for asking so abruptly. Xiaguang City has plenty of space for all of you to reside. Brother Zhou and all you Daoist friends, please rest assured within the city. If you need anything at all, Brother Zhou, just say so.” Jiang Ran looked surprised and apologetic.

His polite words left the somewhat dejected cultivators from the Purple Sword Palace with no room for complaint, easing their discomfort somewhat. After speaking, Jiang Ran suddenly looked at Ye Qin and asked Zhou Yi with a smile, “Who is this Daoist friend?”

“Look at me, I forgot to introduce Elder Ye to Brother Jiang. This is Ye Qin, the Fifth Elder of my Purple Sword Palace, and these others are cultivators from the Purple Sword Palace and allied palaces,” Zhou Yi introduced with a slight smile.

“Elder Ye?”

“Isn’t he the Purple Sword Palace Elder who jumped over two hundred ranks on the Golden Core Demon-Slaying Rankings in just one month?”

“I heard his Great Five Elements Sword Formation is unrivaled among peers. I wonder if that’s true.”

“Unrivaled at the Golden Core stage, let’s not exaggerate. Is there anyone truly unrivaled in the Eastern Sea cultivation world? Perhaps he accumulated merits over several years and cashed them all in last month to surge up by two hundred ranks at once. Besides, ranking over two hundred means he hasn’t even reached the top one hundred. Any one of us could defeat him!”

“Let’s talk when Elder Ye manages to break into the top ten,” sneered the seven or eight young cultivators behind Jiang Ran, their expressions varied. Their voices weren't loud, but they were clear enough for everyone in Ye Qin’s party to hear.

This group of seven or eight cultivators, all at the ninth layer of the Golden Core stage, were direct disciples of the Great Immortal Palaces of the Western Branch. The majority of them ranked within the top fifty or top hundred on the Demon-Slaying Rankings; the weakest among them was not below two hundred. They were truly powerful and possessed ample reason for their arrogance. Ye Qin’s ranking, merely over two hundred, was insignificant in their eyes.

The remaining cultivators in Ye Qin’s group—only a few ranked between two hundred and one thousand, while the rest hadn't even cracked the top thousand. The disdain shown by this group of Golden Core cultivators from the Western Branch was entirely understandable. However, Zhou Yi and the others, having witnessed Ye Qin’s strength firsthand over the past few months and having only escaped the beast tide thanks to Ye Qin activating the Great Winged Warship, had long regarded Ye Qin as their leader. Hearing these cultivators from the Western Branch speak disrespectfully of Ye Qin, their faces instantly changed color, and they glared fiercely. If they hadn't been inside Xiaguang City, they might have erupted into a confrontation on the spot.

“Enough!!” Jiang Ran frowned and sharply halted the cultivators behind him.

“Brother Zhou, Elder Ye. I have a mission today that requires me to leave the city, so I cannot linger for more conversation. Brother Zhou, once you have selected your residence in the city, let me know, and we can catch up later!” Seeing the atmosphere becoming tense, Jiang Ran, unwilling to provoke an unnecessary conflict, bid farewell to Ye Qin and Zhou Yi and led his group of seven or eight Golden Core cultivators out of the city.

“Brother Jiang, farewell!” Zhou Yi’s expression was sour, but he couldn't afford to offend Jiang Ran and his group here. He suppressed his displeasure and said goodbye to Jiang Ran.

“What nonsense! If Young Palace Master Jiang had said those grand things, fine, at least he has the ability. These riff-raff dare to compare themselves to Brother Ye? Hmph! Next time we meet outside the city, we’ll certainly teach them a lesson.” Jin Zhongxin said indignantly after the group walked away.

“Exactly! They dare compare their years of accrued merit to Brother Ye’s ranking,” Liao Xiaozhi added angrily.

“Let’s go. First, we’ll report the demonic cores to the Heavenly Dao Alliance and tally our merits. It’s almost the end of the month, and the rankings for this month will be redrawn. Afterwards, we still need to find Palace Master Zhou and the cultivators from the allied palaces to find everyone who was scattered,” Ye Qin said lightly, finding their indignation slightly amusing. He hadn't taken the cynical remarks from the Western Branch Golden Core cultivators seriously at all; he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

With this great defeat, the Purple Sword Palace’s hope of winning the position of Palace Master had become extremely slim. Should he continue to participate in demon slaying, fulfilling Palace Master Zhou’s task of slaying demons for one year to challenge the ranking on the Demon-Slaying List? Or should he simply enter deep seclusion and prepare to break through to the Nascent Soul realm?