A great wave crashed, sending a spray of white foam skyward. It slipped silently past the ship’s railing, failing to breach the bow.

Today marked five days since Aerfa’s departure, and the company had arrived at the Star Island they had agreed upon.

This was the first time He Yiming had ever seen a place so bizarre and perilous.

The entire island resembled a celestial star, yet surrounding it was not a beautiful, azure sea, but currents and whirlpools brimming with infinite danger.

Given their collective strength—all powerful figures at the Venerable level—they naturally held no fear of ordinary undercurrents or eddies. However, upon witnessing the conditions surrounding Star Island, even they couldn't help but draw a sharp intake of breath.

Whirlpools followed one after another; there was hardly any stretch of calm water. And even from a great distance, everyone could sense the powerful, subtle suction emanating from them.

Only then did they realize they had been far too dismissive of the danger here.

Jin Zhanyi let out a wry laugh. “I never imagined this place would be such a hellhole. If I had known, Jin would have suggested changing the location.”

Xu Daming chuckled softly. “Brother Jin is joking. From what this junior knows, hundreds of years ago, our Eastern predecessors also chose an extremely dangerous location for their contest. Because they were prepared beforehand and familiar with the terrain, they managed a narrow victory. I suspect they are employing the same tactic this time.”

The others nodded in succession. When true masters clash, advantageous terrain can sometimes be the decisive factor in victory or defeat.

Li Jiangfeng stated gravely, “Brother Xu is correct. I am certain someone will propose we fight above these whirlpools shortly. Heh, the currents of these whirlpools shift constantly and unpredictably; even for us, they will demand significant energy. If we truly fight there, perhaps nearly half our focus will be consumed managing the pull.”

Xu Daming smirked. “If this were one of the previous duels held here, we might struggle to win. But this time…”

His gaze flickered towards He Yiming, and the others instantly understood, revealing subtle smiles of schadenfreude.

They truly wondered what expressions the cunning Westerners who had orchestrated this setup would wear when they beheld a Five Qi Grand Venerable capable of flight.

At that moment, even Jin Zhanyi felt a stirring of anticipation.

Li Jiangfeng laughed heartily several times. “Let’s go in.”

He leaped from the ship, his feet meeting the sea surface evenly, and walked straight toward the whirlpools.

The rest of the company nodded one by one and jumped down.

He Yiming held Bao Zhu close to his chest, nodded toward Bai Lingba, and said, “Brother Bai, wait for us outside.”

Bai Lingba nodded slightly without replying. He Yiming shimmered momentarily; instead of using the Light of the Divine Weapon to fly, he followed behind the group toward the eddies.

This contest concerned only the newly ascended Venerables of the East and West, meaning neither Hua Ruijin nor Bai Lingba was qualified to enter.

Seeing the others depart the large ship, Hua Ruijin approached with a broad, eager smile. “Brother Bai, they likely won’t be back for several days. This junior has some fine wine prepared in the cabin; would you care to share a cup?”

Bai Lingba replied coldly, “No need.”

His voice was icy and devoid of inflection, yet Hua Ruijin, having had his hospitality rebuffed, maintained his warm smile without showing annoyance.

Considering Bai Lingba’s formidable strength in defeating the Divine Calculator, even if Hua Ruijin had insulted him or even destroyed the ship, he would not have taken offense.

An hour later, after He Yiming and the others safely traversed the sea covered by the whirlpools in the distance, Hua Ruijin invited Bai Lingba again, failed, and regretfully retreated into the cabin.

However, as he entered, he glanced back. Bai Lingba stood bolt upright at the bow of the ship, motionless as a marble statue, unperturbed by the vessel rocking violently upon the waves.

Hua Ruijin felt a faint pang of envy, wondering from what obscure corner He Yiming had managed to find such a formidable individual.

The level of care Bai Lingba exhibited toward He Yiming likely surpassed the camaraderie shared between ordinary brothers or friends.

If not for the vastly different appearances of Bai Lingba and He Yiming, he might actually suspect He Yiming was Bai Lingba’s illegitimate son.

Sighing softly, he gazed at the distant Star Island, a sudden wave of irritation rising within him.

But he quickly cast the feeling aside. The contest between the newly ascended Venerables of the East and West had been ongoing for millennia. While casualties were unavoidable during this time, all parties adhered to the rules and avoided needless destruction.

Given this, what was he truly worried about?

Yet, as he watched the vast formations of Sacred Beasts emerging from the outer sea where the sky met the ocean, his heart felt unsettled!

May everything go smoothly!

※※※※

Though Li Jiangfeng was one of the major powers of the Southern Border, he was not intimately familiar with the environment of Star Island. This area was one of the Southern Border’s renowned perilous zones, and Li Jiangfeng had no reason to wander around here frequently.

However, having spent years thriving in the South Sea, he possessed considerable experience with the ocean’s whirlpools and undercurrents.

Before him, whirlpools were arranged irregularly, one after another. Apart from the larger ones, smaller eddies constantly materialized across the sea surface, perpetually shifting. These whirlpools sometimes dispersed and sometimes merged; there was no calm patch of water anywhere.

When viewed from afar, these whirlpools were already alarming. As the group drew nearer, their expressions grew increasingly solemn.

The suction emanating from these vortices far exceeded their imaginations. Even as Venerables approaching them, they could feel the immense pulling force, a sensation that made them feel unstable, as if they might be dragged in at any moment.

Li Jiangfeng stated gravely, “Everyone, the suction of these whirlpools is extremely strong; it must not be underestimated. When you enter, remember the word ‘stability’ and absolutely do not rush ahead in pursuit of speed. If you slip up accidentally, it will be embarrassing.”

His words were deliberately tactful, but everyone understood his meaning.

This location had been chosen by the Western powerhouses; they must have entered Star Island earlier and were likely observing their progress.

If someone were to stumble and fall into the water now, although their Venerable-level strength would prevent mortal danger, losing face would be catastrophic. Even if they secured ultimate victory in the contest, they might never be able to hold their heads up in front of the Westerners again.

Li Jiangfeng moved forward step by step. He appeared unhurried, yet every footfall was as steady as Mount Tai. He skirted the most significant whirlpools, weaving agilely through seemingly dangerous gaps.

Behind him, the Qilian Twin Devils, Xu Daming, and Lin Xiangqing followed closely. Every step they took mirrored Li Jiangfeng’s path without the slightest misstep.

After they passed, the arrangement of whirlpools on the sea surface changed completely. Even if those following wished to retrace the path, it would be impossible.

Meanwhile, Li Yajing began charting a different course. Having lived in the South Sea for many years, her mastery over whirlpools and undercurrents was no less than her father’s.

Behind her, Jin Zhanyi, Wei Zongjin, and the three from the Northwest entered in succession.

Under the guidance of the father and daughter, the entire group navigated the treacherous sea of whirlpools without major incident and safely reached Star Island.

As for He Yiming, although he appeared to be walking on the sea like the others, there was actually a faint, powerful fluctuation of energy surrounding him.

This was the invisible divine light of the Sword of Aurora enveloping him, allowing him to fly slowly; his movements on the water were merely a tactic to deceive the eye.

A quarter of an hour later, everyone arrived on the island. They looked back, a trace of shock in their eyes.

Without the guidance of the Li father and daughter, who were accustomed to the sea, they might not have broken through the blockade of whirlpools to reach this place, even taking twice as long.

“Those Westerners truly had malicious intentions,” Xu Daming stepped onto the shore, letting out a light snort. “For such a dangerous place, one needs a hundred attempts and explorations to enter successfully even once. Lin does not believe they can enter and exit this location with ease.”

The others nodded silently. Only experiencing it firsthand revealed that the danger here surpassed even the legends.

Jin Zhanyi frowned slightly. “Brother Li, how are these whirlpools formed? Their suction is too powerful.”

A force that even Venerables found hard to bear—if an ordinary person came here, no matter how familiar they were with the environment, their only fate would be to be sucked into a vortex. Moreover, under this incredible suction, once caught, even an ordinary Innate expert would struggle to break free.

Li Jiangfeng pondered for a moment. “The whirlpools outside Star Island have existed for ten thousand years, but as for how they formed, this humble one does not know. However, nature creates wonders endlessly; there is no need for us to investigate too deeply.”

Jin Zhanyi’s eyebrows rose as he was about to speak, but his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he pointed toward the sky. “Spirit Beast War Eagle.”

Everyone looked up. In the distance beyond the island, a large black bird was soaring with spread wings.

Although the distance obscured details, most of them simultaneously recognized its origin.

The Western Pantheon was one of the two supreme powers in the West. Within the Pantheon, many outstanding talents were cultivated, including those who specialized in training war eagles. While their martial prowess might not be high, their status within the Pantheon was quite revered.

These war eagles belonged to a specific lineage; they lived alongside humans from birth and enjoyed the best treatment in the Pantheon.

When they matured, they became mounts for the Pantheon’s top masters, carrying these powerful figures across the skies.

In a sense, the Pantheon’s practice was similar to the totems of the deep mountains. However, in terms of scale, the Western Pantheon couldn’t even come close.

The war eagle in the sky flapped its massive wings, circled overhead once, seemingly scrutinizing something.

He Yiming’s expression instantly grew serious. He stated coldly, “It is not a Spirit Beast.”

Jin Zhanyi paused, startled. “Brother He, what did you say?”

He Yiming said solemnly, “A Sacred Beast… War Eagle!”