The East Sea region is vast, studded with islands countless as grains of rice. A thin mist often hangs over the sea, confusing even those who call the East Sea their home.

The East Sea is teeming with Sky Masters, spread across its numerous islands. Compared to the Three Central Kingdoms, the maritime sects and families are more numerous than few; these various large and small Sky Master sects and clans are ubiquitous, much like the myriad small islands scattered across the ocean.

Some particularly unique sects and families may not even reside on the islands. Those clans dedicated to the arduous cultivation of water techniques can remain submerged in the deepest parts of the sea year-round, meaning powerful sect activities can be found even on the seabed of the East Sea.

When counting the Sky Masters within the island sects and the deep-sea clans combined, the total number in the East Sea even surpasses the combined total of the Three Central Kingdoms. Many East Sea Sky Masters might never leave the East Sea for an entire year; some families situated impossibly far from the mainland have only ever heard the names Central Kingdoms, Western Regions, Southern Barbarians, or Northern Savages, and may have never even encountered travelers from those lands.

Indeed, the East Sea Sky Masters who venture out to operate in the Central Kingdoms represent only a small fraction.

For years, the East Sea has concealed endless wonders, yet the Central Kingdoms' understanding of it is limited only to those who return, and the scope of activity for these returnees within the East Sea is exceedingly narrow.

Consequently, no one has ever dared claim comprehensive knowledge of everything within the East Sea; the boundless ocean still holds many unexplored regions.

Li Hentian chose the East Sea as the location for his breakthrough to the Nine Palaces Heaven realm precisely because of its immense breadth. Had his cultivation site been exposed, even knowing he was cultivating there would have made him impossible to find amidst the vastness of the East Sea.

Upon arriving, only then did he grasp the sheer scale and immensity of the East Sea. With the Origin Poison squatting on his shoulder, Ji Changkong traveled for two days, getting lost several times. Only after the sun rose or the Big Dipper appeared at night could they reorient themselves.

The maritime weather is fickle, with storms arriving without warning. When the waves rise to cover the sky, rolling torrents crash upward ten zhang high. Water mist permeates everything, obscuring the vision of everyone.

After enduring several successive squalls, Ji Changkong finally understood how profoundly difficult it was to locate someone at sea when one's precise position was unknown.

Even though he had ascertained Li Hentian's general area of cultivation and learned the specific route from the Yi family and Chen Hongji, upon reaching the East Sea, he frequently found himself lost in a fog. When the heavens were uncooperative, frequently getting turned around and heading in the opposite direction was commonplace.

“More fog, Kongkong. This sea is truly tedious,” the Origin Poison grumbled, perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, utterly bored.

A faint white mist drifted across the sea, swirling and refusing to dissipate, like a layer of pristine, flawless white gauze concealing the ocean's clear visage.

The maritime domain seemed boundless. Even with the repeated enhancements to Ji Changkong's divine sense coverage, arriving in the East Sea still gave him the feeling of being blind.

Ji Changkong strained to rise high into the air, soaring above the swirling white mist below, using the celestial bodies above to fix his bearings. He moved neither too fast nor too slow toward the absolute east, employing the method he had adopted over the past two days.

“The seascape is quite nice, though. After being accustomed to the mainland’s scenery, seeing the beauty of the sea offers a completely different flavor,” Ji Changkong chuckled, seizing the moment to flick the Origin Poison’s nose with his index finger. “Little fellow, do you even know what flavor means? Hah, I fear I’ve wasted my breath!”

“Shoo, shoo!” The Origin Poison impatiently batted away Ji Changkong’s teasing finger, glaring ahead sleepily with his small eyes. He huffed, “I know more about flavor than you! Women have flavor. You hypocrite—when you see a beautiful woman, don’t you have some kind of reaction?”

The smile froze on Ji Changkong’s face. He stared at the Origin Poison. “You know about women?”

“Tch!” The Origin Poison’s face was a mask of disdain. He tossed his head back proudly. “Is there anything I don’t know?”

At this point, he suddenly sighed, drooping his head like a frostbitten eggplant. Listlessly, he mumbled, “What a pity. I can’t find a woman that belongs to me. There isn't a single one on this entire sea worthy of me! I’m lonely…”

“Uh…” Ji Changkong was at a loss for words.

It was the truth. The Poison Canon had birthed him alone; in this world, he was destined for solitude. Truly, there was no life form in this world a match for him.

“This continent holds no one worthy of me. Perhaps in the Endless Starry Domain—the cosmos is infinite, anything is possible,” the Origin Poison looked up at the vast expanse of stars, his gaze full of yearning. “Perhaps somewhere, a fellow like me is silently waiting for me.”

“Not bad, not bad. You’re already thinking of romance,” Ji Changkong teased lightly.

“Heh heh! I’m different from that little Ghost Demon. I possess emotion; I understand love!” The Origin Poison boasted smugly.

“Eh?”

Ji Changkong let out a soft exclamation. Within the divine sense he had projected outwards, he suddenly detected an unusual fluctuation ahead. The smug Origin Poison immediately fell silent, listened for a few seconds, and then nodded. “Mmm, there’s a bit of activity up ahead, but it probably has nothing to do with us.”

“Let’s go check it out. I need to find an island quickly that can connect with the Xiao family, Chen family, or the Yi family. I need to know what’s been happening in the East Sea recently,” Ji Changkong stated.

The Origin Poison naturally had no objection. Since he was just perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, he didn’t need to exert himself; he could simply watch the scenery unfold.

Taking the Origin Poison along, Ji Changkong followed the guidance of his divine sense, swiftly flying towards the source of the fluctuation.

Towering waves crashed mightily, sending spray skyward. Through the dense water mist ahead, two vague silhouettes, each wielding weapons like tridents and other divine artifacts, were fiercely attacking the rolling currents below with sharp assaults.

Approaching slowly, Ji Changkong clearly saw two men and one woman, perhaps in their forties or fifties. They wore expensive robes specially tailored for Sky Masters by the Cloud Silk Pavilion. Their clothing was crafted from special silkworms from the Southern Barbarians, refined by skilled masters.

These bespoke, expensive garments for Sky Masters were impervious to water and fire, warm in winter and cool in summer, and possessed a resilience that could even withstand ordinary sword strikes.

The three kept their hair tied up in knots. Their attire was largely similar, and the secret techniques they cultivated appeared to stem from the same source, suggesting they belonged to some East Sea Sky Master sect or family.

All three possessed the cultivation of the Seven Star Heaven realm. At this moment, they were clearly excited, relentlessly using their divine weapons to hunt the colossal creature hiding in the sea.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The seawater churned, giant waves surged, and a silver great shark, the size of a small mountain, abruptly surfaced. Its mouth was filled with ghastly fangs, sharp as upturned longswords.

After bursting from the water, the great shark’s savage eyes locked onto the three Three Star Heaven cultivators, and it lunged to bite one of them.

The targeted cultivator was already on guard. The trident in his hand suddenly shot out a fierce silver light. In a flash of radiance, it streaked directly towards the silver great shark.

The great shark roared fiercely. In its eyes, disproportionately small for its massive body, a terrifying ferocity shone. Without any visible effort, the surrounding waves abruptly coalesced into a solid water column, slamming violently into the light emanating from the trident.

The water column, concentrated by the great shark, possessed terrifying impact force, shattering all the incoming light.

Seeing this tactic work, the great shark immediately gathered more and thicker water columns. These columns shot up toward the sky, completely nullifying the attacks from the three figures amidst the water mist.

“This beast is quite clever, but unfortunately, its power can't be focused finely enough, limiting its effectiveness. It’s still foolishly fighting the Three Star Heaven cultivators head-on and even foolishly revealing itself above the water—it’s asking to die!” the Origin Poison commented from Ji Changkong’s shoulder, squinting slightly as he offered an intermittent critique.

Ji Changkong stood to the side, secretly marveling at the sheer size of the great shark. Estimating its length, he found it measured dozens of meters, comparable to some miniature islands in the sea.

Such a great shark thrashing about in the ocean naturally stirred up towering waves, and its massive movements could even trigger changes in the natural climate, summoning storms.

He watched the battle between the Three Star Heaven cultivators and the great shark with interest, showing no intention of intervening. Echoing the Origin Poison, Ji Changkong remarked, “Don’t let its size fool you; this shark is truly massive, and its hide is thick. And it can gather seawater to strike the three above. It will take those three quite some time to kill it.”

The reality bore this out. The great shark’s maneuvers forced the three cultivators in the air into a somewhat disorganized state. Seeing all their attacks dispersed by the water columns, the trio was momentarily at a loss, unable to find a way to deal with the shark.

“Kongkong, should I help those three? Ha! Shark meat is said to be delicious! Do you want to try some?” The Origin Poison suddenly became interested. He leaped off Ji Changkong’s shoulder, looking eagerly at the distant great shark, and an undetectable soul wave suddenly locked onto the creature.

“With your tiny body, you think you can eat that? You’d have to eat for ten years to finish it,” Ji Changkong teased.

“Tch! You still don’t understand me. Never mind its size, if I wanted to digest it, it wouldn’t even take half an hour!” the Origin Poison declared proudly.

Recalling its strange power capable of corroding all things, a chill went down Ji Changkong’s spine. He quickly nodded. “Alright, alright, I know you’re powerful. Don’t meddle in other people’s affairs! Sometimes, helping others doesn't earn gratitude; it might even provoke resentment.”

Before coming to the East Sea, Chen Hongji and Yi Kui had advised him to avoid interfering in the affairs of the East Sea Sky Masters and to refrain from unnecessary meddling. They both said the Sky Masters here were different from those inland; they placed immense value on 'face' and generally never felt grateful to those who rescued them unless facing certain death.

The pedantry and excessive rules of the East Sea Sky Masters were notorious throughout the world, a point Chen Hongji and Yi Kui had repeatedly stressed. This was why Ji Changkong stopped the Origin Poison from interfering.

“Fine, I won’t interfere. I can save some energy anyway. Ah, this is so boring,” the Origin Poison pouted, clearly reluctant.

The great shark, which had been battling the Three Star Heaven cultivators quite effectively, perhaps sensing the malicious intent emanating from the Origin Poison, glanced far in the direction of Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison with its savage eyes. A flicker of panic actually crossed its gaze.

Suddenly, the great shark abandoned its entanglement with the three Three Star Heaven cultivators above, ceased gathering water columns to attack them, plunged headfirst into the sea, left the three behind, and dove towards the deep seabed.

The three Three Star Heaven cultivators watched the great shark depart, stamping their feet in frustration, but they did not pursue it.

Once the great shark was gone, the pervasive mist gradually dispersed. Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison’s view was no longer obstructed. Likewise, the three cultivators, whose attention had been solely fixed on the shark, now saw Ji Changkong nearby.

The trio glanced at Ji Changkong, and expressions of disdain simultaneously appeared on their faces. They didn't spare him a second look and immediately turned to leave this seemingly barren place.

“Those few fellows are so arrogant! Kongkong, did you see that? They look down on you, despising you!” The Origin Poison finally found something amusing, his spirits instantly lifted. He deliberately shouted loudly, winking his small eyes toward the three departing figures with utter contempt. “This East Sea truly is a barbaric place; they don't even have functional eyes.”

Although the Origin Poison exerted himself, his voice was not very loud. An ordinary person surely wouldn’t have heard his muttering.

However, the three opposite were all true masters with Seven Star Heaven realm cultivation. Despite the distance and the low volume of the Origin Poison’s voice, they clearly captured his words and frowned, looking towards Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison.

“Young man, who are you?” The leading figure, sporting a goatee, scrutinized Ji Changkong from head to toe, nodding slowly. “Young man, where are you from? To be able to use external power for void suspension at such a young age suggests your family has some standing. But isn’t the little thing on you a bit too vicious with its mouth?”

“Ha, using external power?” The Origin Poison showed open disdain, winking and grinning at Ji Changkong. “Kongkong, look, they really look down on you! They think your void suspension is due to your family’s spiritual artifacts or divine weapons. Hah, how ridiculous!”

He seemed exceedingly bored and intent on stirring up trouble.

A Sky Master capable of void suspension should naturally be in the Seven Star Heaven realm. But seeing Ji Changkong's youth, the three immediately categorized him as a dandy with mediocre cultivation who relied on his family’s spiritual treasures for flight—clearly not taking him seriously.

Shooting the Origin Poison a fierce glare, Ji Changkong smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting. “This youngster comes from the Central Kingdoms and is merely passing through this area. Heh heh, might I trouble the three seniors for some information?”

Upon hearing that Ji Changkong hailed from the Central Kingdoms, for some unknown reason, a clear expression of disgust crossed the faces of the three.

“We are busy; we have no time for you,” a slightly plump middle-aged woman scoffed, turning away. “Senior brothers, let’s hurry. The Blood Emperor is recruiting experts for the Demon Slaughter Assembly. We must acquire some respectable gifts. Time is pressing; we don't have time to waste chatting with a little thief from the Central Kingdoms.”

The other two nodded in agreement, completely ignoring Ji Changkong, and turned to fly away into the distance.

The Origin Poison snorted, about to utter some sharp, sarcastic words, when he suddenly noticed Ji Changkong staring at him. He snorted upward, and the Origin Poison fell silent, his small eyes suddenly flashing with a cold light as he stared menacingly at the three arrogant departing East Sea Sky Masters.

“I could kill them effortlessly,” the Origin Poison hissed once the trio was further away.

“I know. Killing them would be easy, not difficult at all,” Ji Changkong smiled. “But we have no enmity with them. To start killing just because of a few dismissive words violates our principles.”

“I don't have any principles,” the Origin Poison pouted lowly. “If I dislike someone, I kill them.”

“No, Little Poison, Poison, you cannot kill based on a fleeting whim. Killing requires a reason and a purpose,” Ji Changkong patiently began explaining fundamental principles to the Origin Poison, cautioning him against indiscriminate slaughter.

The Origin Poison looked woeful, nodding pitifully. “Fine, fine, I understand. Please stop talking,”

“Good, as long as you understand. Let’s go; we’ll follow them. Heh, as long as those three remain alive, they can serve as guides to lead the way,” Ji Changkong smiled, ceasing his lecture.

The three Seven Star Heaven realm cultivators were clearly unaware that Ji Changkong and the Origin Poison were following them at a leisurely pace. The trio headed back toward their sect as planned, eventually arriving at a massive island constructed entirely of fiery red coral stones.

The island was nearly the size of the Lan Rou Kingdom. Covered entirely in crimson coral, the island looked like a burning flame at first glance—exceedingly beautiful.

After just one distant glance, Ji Changkong softly exclaimed, “Fire Coral Island!”

Fire Coral Island was quite famous within the East Sea. Many Sky Masters resided there, and several renowned sects were based there, including the Fire Cloud Sect, a rather famous major sect in the East Sea.

Upon seeing Fire Coral Island, and recalling the auras of the three individuals just encountered, Ji Changkong immediately concluded that the three must belong to the Fire Cloud Sect. It explained the faint scent of burning clouds that lingered on their persons.

“Let’s go; we’ll head to the Xiao family’s outpost. On Fire Coral Island, the Xiao family has business dealings with the Fire Cloud Sect,” Ji Changkong said, glancing at the Origin Poison. “After breathing fresh air for so long, isn't it time to rest?”

The Origin Poison nodded reluctantly, his face twisted in displeasure, and slowly retreated into the Tianyuan Pearl within his body. When there were many people around, Ji Changkong preferred not to expose him to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Xiao Xing had marked the Xiao family’s location on Fire Coral Island for him on a schematic map while they were in Xuanyuan Valley. With his phenomenal memory, Ji Changkong quickly located the Xiao family's stronghold on Fire Coral Island. Following the special signal, Ji Changkong proceeded unimpeded. Under the respectful gazes of the Xiao family members, he was ushered directly into the VIP chamber of the Xiao family on Fire Coral Island.

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