Shi Yan and Xia Xinyan arrived together at a three-story stone building on the island. Before the building, the grass and flowers were lush, the spiritual energy dense; a few sunflowers, under the moonlight, actually emitted faint, flowing luminescence, quite peculiar.

Xia Shenchuan stood among those sunflowers, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the cool daylight, seemingly deep in thought about something.

As the head of the Xia family, Xia Shenchuan should naturally command due respect in the Endless Sea. However, since arriving at Sun Island, not a single person had come to pay him a visit.

All the various factions acted as if they were unaware that the Xia Family Head had also arrived on Sun Island; not a single shadow was seen.

The fickleness of human relationships was evident.

The Galo Sea Region was finished, the Heavenly Evil Cave Heaven had betrayed them, and the Yang family had withdrawn.

The Xia family, having barely escaped, now lacked the Yang family as their backer, and their patriarch was often erratic and bordering on madness. In the eyes of many, the Xia family was irrecoverably diminished, perhaps no longer capable of ranking among the top fifteen powers in the Endless Sea.

Because of this, when the Xia family settled near the waters of Cloud Wind Island, neither the Gu family nor the Heavenly Pool Sacred Land took them seriously. They even entertained thoughts of absorbing the remaining strength of the Xia family to aid them in dealing with the demonic human incursion.

The former prestige of the Xia family had plummeted to its lowest point. If Shi Yan had not blackmailed Gu Xiao and Wu Qin into ceding five islands each, the internal conflicts within the Xia family would have escalated, perhaps leading to a situation of fragmentation.

Xia Shenchuan understood clearly that while the current Endless Sea was fraught with peril at every step, it also contained the very opportunity needed for the Xia family to regain its former glory.

Previously, he hadn't known how to seize it. It was only after Shi Yan reappeared in the Endless Sea and forced Gu Xiao and Wu Qin to yield that he seemed to grasp something, making a cautious decision to once again tie the Xia family's fate to the Yang family's, gambling everything one more time.

"Shi Yan, oh Shi Yan, the future of my Xia family is staked on you. I hope you do not disappoint me…"

Xia Shenchuan muttered under his breath, his heart filled with complex emotion, his gaze upon the bright moon above holding many layers of meaning.

Shi Yan had only been in the Endless Sea for about five years.

Before that, Xia Shenchuan hadn't even known who Shi Yan was, never sparing a thought for such a minor figure.

Yet, as things stood now, by what means he couldn't fathom, Shi Yan had made both Gu Xiao and Wu Qin submit.

Even the Sun God Tang Yuannan seemed to have sent an invitation to the Xia family, ostensibly to discuss a joint plan against the demonic humans, likely out of respect for Shi Yan.

Although Xia Shenchuan did not know what Shi Yan relied upon, he knew that Shi Yan must possess some formidable power.

As the head of a house, his understanding of the major leaders in the Endless Sea was profound; he knew exactly who Gu Xiao and Wu Qin were.

To make them submit and voluntarily relinquish five islands, Shi Yan must wield a power great enough to make Gu Xiao and Wu Qin tremble.

Otherwise, they would never have yielded, much less conceded ground to the Xia family.

In a mere five years, after the Yang family’s retreat, Shi Yan, by himself, had achieved this much. This compelled Xia Shenchuan to look at him with new eyes, forcing him to seriously reconsider Shi Yan.

"Truly an unfathomable young man. If Xinyan were to be with him, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad thing…" Xia Shenchuan mused to himself.

"Grandfather."

Just as he was contemplating, Xia Xinyan's soft voice suddenly carried across the courtyard.

Xia Shenchuan looked up and saw Shi Yan walking alongside his granddaughter.

Three years had passed since they last met. Shi Yan's physique was even more robust, his aura steady, carrying an imposing majesty in his stride, possessing a natural awe that commanded respect.

Nodding subtly, a smile touched his face, Xia Shenchuan spoke in a gentle tone, "So, you've arrived, my boy."

Shi Yan grinned, his smile bright and sincere. "It’s wonderful to see you, Elder. When I returned to the Endless Sea, I heard the Galo Sea Region had fallen, and I truly feared I wouldn't see you again."

The smile on Xia Shenchuan's face stiffened. He shook his head with a wry smile and sighed, "If I hadn't escaped quickly, you might indeed not have seen me."

"Ahem!"

Fifty meters away, Ye Changfeng coughed incessantly, chuckling lightly toward Shi Yan, waving his hand. "Can I come over?"

Shi Yan was momentarily speechless, wearing an expression of exasperated amusement.

He couldn't figure out what ailment had struck Ye Changfeng and Lin Yaqi; they insisted on following, refusing to leave despite his explicit warnings. The two were simply oblivious.

Shi Yan felt utterly speechless, contemplating whether he should resort to harsh words to make them realize their intrusion.

"These two?" Xia Shenchuan was also somewhat bewildered. He glanced at the pair and asked Shi Yan, "Your friends?"

"Ha, of course, we are friends." Before Shi Yan could reply, Ye Changfeng nodded vigorously, grinning. "Very good friends. I’ve long heard that the Xia Family Head is sharp-witted; seeing you today confirms the rumors."

Shi Yan frowned slightly.

Xia Xinyan shot the pair a helpless glare. "Can you two please wait a bit? Could you hold your disruption until our conversation is over?"

All the way here, Ye Changfeng had been constantly teasing her and Shi Yan about their relationship. While she didn't particularly mind it deep down, some of Ye Changfeng's ruder remarks were quite explicit, making it unbearable for her at times. She secretly resented that this handsome, effeminate man was so garrulous and shameless.

"I really do have something important."

Seeing that everyone seemed unwelcome and was subtly trying to usher them out, Ye Changfeng quickly raised his hands, adopting a serious demeanor. "A very important matter! One that I believe the Xia Family Head will find exceedingly interesting."

Xia Shenchuan was startled. "What is it?"

"Well, I come with goodwill, hoping to forge a good connection with the Xia family." Ye Changfeng smiled, walking closer deliberately. He continued solemnly, "I heard that the former Xia Family Head, Xia Qinghou, currently resides in the First Heaven of the Spirit Unification Realm, and due to issues with his Reincarnation Martial Soul, he remains in a state of being half-awake, half-mad. Is this true?"

Xia Shenchuan’s brow furrowed deeply. He stared at Ye Changfeng, utterly confused, and replied calmly, "The rumors are true."

Xia Qinghou had once been an outstanding figure in the Endless Sea. If not for the cultivation issues that left him constantly erratic, how could the Xia family have fallen to its current state?

Xia Shenchuan sighed inwardly. Hearing Ye Changfeng bring this up, his expression was not good.

Ye Changfeng nodded, then looked toward Shi Yan with a smile. "I can restore Senior Xia Qinghou to his senses."

Shi Yan's eyes immediately brightened.

Xia Shenchuan and Xia Xinyan both stiffened, staring at Ye Changfeng in utter disbelief.

Lin Yaqi also paused, looking at Ye Changfeng with surprise. "Xiao Bai, how long have you been here? How do you seem to know even more than Old Ghost Master? Master specifically warned you not to act recklessly. What are you planning?"

Ye Changfeng chuckled, shrugging. "Old Ghost said that as long as I don't violate the principle, I can do as I please."

Xia Shenchuan didn't understand their exchange, but his eyes shone with a complex light as his gaze focused on Ye Changfeng. His voice trembled slightly. "Boy, don't make rash guarantees. Some things are not as easy as you imagine."

Shi Yan, after his initial excitement, was also quite astonished. He spoke to Ye Changfeng, "Don't talk nonsense if you're not certain."

"You don't believe me?" Ye Changfeng put on an air of being wronged. "I am offering genuine kindness! As the most dazzling alchemist of the future, the pills I craft are capable of bringing the dead back to life, let alone restoring sanity to the living?"

This grand statement only made Xia Shenchuan and Shi Yan more skeptical.

Lin Yaqi, however, pouted dismissively. "The pills you made even frighten Old Ghost Master. I hope you don't end up killing someone."

"Shi Yan, who exactly are these two?" Xia Shenchuan asked, perplexed.

Shi Yan hesitated, then explained, "I just met them."

Xia Shenchuan's expression grew even stranger.

"I used to be from the Spirit Treasure Cave Heaven, but I’ve been purged out now. You people probably wouldn't recognize me." Ye Changfeng grinned, and with a flash of rainbow light from an Illusory Void Ring on his hand, a jade bottle materialized in his palm.

Inside the jade bottle was only a walnut-sized pill. The pill was covered in tiny pores, and within each pore flickered streams of light of different colors, looking quite dazzling.

"I gift this one Spirit Void Pill to you. As long as you have Xia Qinghou swallow it, I guarantee he will never suffer from mental confusion again." Ye Changfeng spoke casually as he offered the jade bottle to Xia Shenchuan.

Xia Shenchuan took it, utterly confused, his eyes scrutinizing the jade bottle from every angle, his face radiating suspicion. "Can this single pill truly solve my father's problem?"

"Of course," Ye Changfeng replied confidently.

Lin Yaqi’s bright eyes flashed with a strange light. Her mouth slightly agape, she looked at Ye Changfeng as if he were a monster. "Xiao Bai, has your mind gone fuzzy? You're just giving away a Spirit Void Pill? Do you realize how many spiritual herbs and how many Demon Cores Old Ghost Master exhausted to refine that pill?"

"Fifty-eight types of spiritual herbs, three Level Eight Demon Beast Cores, and twelve Level Seven Demon Beast Cores." Ye Changfeng enumerated the details flawlessly, then shrugged. "I also know the refining method for the Spirit Void Pill, but my cultivation is still shallow; I can't actually start refining it yet."

At these words, Shi Yan and the other three Xia family members were instantly energized.

"If you know how, why give it away?" Lin Yaqi looked genuinely unable to comprehend.

"Ye Changfeng, are you really from the Spirit Treasure Cave Heaven?" Shi Yan pondered for a moment, then suddenly sneered. "I dislike being deceived."

"Uh…"

Ye Changfeng’s smile faltered. He awkwardly rubbed his hands and explained sheepishly, "To be precise, I am an apostate of the Spirit Treasure Sect. Your Spirit Treasure Cave Heaven in the Endless Sea is likely just a branch of the Spirit Treasure Sect."

"You are not from the Endless Sea?" Xia Shenchuan’s expression changed drastically.

"Mmm," Ye Changfeng nodded. "I crossed through the 'Dark Magnetic Mist Swamp'."

Xia Shenchuan and Xia Xinyan both turned pale, staring at Ye Changfeng as if he were a strange creature.

"Dark Magnetic Mist Swamp?" Shi Yan asked in surprise, frowning, turning to Xia Shenchuan. "Do you know that place?"

Xia Shenchuan nodded, his expression complicated. "It is said that at the very eastern end of the Endless Sea lies the Dark Magnetic Mist Swamp. Legend has it that beyond that swamp is the center of the Divine Grace Continent. For a thousand years, many powerhouses of the Endless Sea have tried to cross it, but no one seems to have succeeded. Most perish within, including Divine Realm martial artists!"

Shi Yan gasped in horror.