Chapter 118

Qin Ming pondered briefly.

His Wangyue Island lies far in the extreme north, and he rarely leaves.

Any news reaches him through Wu Jiang.

But now, such a major event has occurred.

He didn't know whether it would affect his Wangyue Island.

Qin Ming still decided to go in person and learn the current situation.

"Then let's go!"

Saying this, Qin Ming and Wu Jiang activated their flying artifacts and flew toward the direction of the Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance.

Several hours later.

Qin Ming and Wu Jiang arrived at Fengqi Island, where the San Alliance was located.

This spiritual island sits at the center of the spiritual energy Archipelago, its area five to six times larger than Wangyue Island.

Moreover, the island possesses a second-rank high-grade spiritual vein.

When Qin Ming and Wu Jiang reached the nearby airspace, many cultivators were already hurrying past on various flying artifacts.

Numerous method-boats from spiritual island families were moored near the island.

It seemed the island-massacre had caused considerable uproar within the spiritual energy Archipelago's Immortal Realm.

Nearly every spiritual island family, big or small, had sent representatives.

Qin Ming and Wu Jiang landed near the outer perimeter of Fengqi Island and queued to wait for inspection of their invitation scrolls.

At that moment.

Several young cultivators approached, dressed in the robes of the Yu family of Bicang Island.

One thin young cultivator, at Qi Condensation ninth layer, mocked Qin Ming and Wu Jiang: "Oh? Isn't this Wu the Great Spirit Plant Master?!"

"I heard you slinked back from Yunze Dahuang, then hid in some forgotten corner to learn farming."

"Hahaha!"

Wu Jiang's face darkened at the sight of these men: "Yu Tao, don't push your luck!"

"What? Can't we even exchange a few words?"

"If you can't even figure out farming, why not come to my family to learn how to catch spirit fish?"

Yu Tao casually glanced at Qin Ming standing before Wu Jiang and pointed at him: "Is this the guy teaching you farming? Doesn't look like much."

"Ah~ No future at all!"

With that, he shook his head and led his men inside.

Wu Jiang stared at their backs, teeth clenched with a grinding sound.

Qin Ming paid it no mind—these petty fools—and asked calmly: "Does this Yu family of Bicang Island have any connection with you?"

"Yes, our spiritual island borders Bicang Island closely, and we've had minor disputes before, but things were always peaceful." Wu Jiang nodded, speaking truthfully.

"But a few days ago, Yu family patriarch Yu Wanhé, who had been stuck at Qi Condensation peak for over a decade, somehow obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill and broke through to Foundation Establishment."

"Since then, the Yu family's arrogance has surged, and they've been targeting neighboring spiritual islands at every turn."

Hearing this, Qin Ming nodded thoughtfully.

Half an incense stick later.

Qin Ming and Wu Jiang entered the San Alliance's assembly hall.

Inside a spacious grand hall.

The hall was already packed with people.

Only spiritual island masters who received invitation scrolls were allowed to sit on the chairs inside the hall.

Other itinerant cultivators stood behind, merely listening, with no right to participate in discussion.

Soon after.

Over a hundred leaders from the spiritual islands, both great and small, of the spiritual energy Archipelago had arrived.

All were Qi Condensation families.

The highest cultivation among them was Qi Condensation peak.

These cultivators, deeply shaken by the island massacre, chattered incessantly in the hall, each fearing for their own safety.

"Ah, the old Lin family of Kongdong Island is truly tragic—I heard they were holding a birthday banquet for the patriarch when it happened."

"Even clan members far away returned—and not one survived."

"I heard a cultivator who witnessed it from afar say this massacre was carried out by a gang of ruthless bandit cultivators."

"I heard there were even Foundation Establishment bandit cultivators among them."

"What? Could they still be here?!"

"Sigh! I fear the same," Qin Ming realized—the general situation of this incident was now clear.

Soon after.

Several cultivators entered the hall from outside, led by an elderly man in his fifties; Yu Tao, who had mocked Wu Jiang earlier, followed respectfully behind.

Also present was Yu Pinghai, who had been repelled and fled by Qin Ming near Longlin Island.

"That man is the Bicang Island master, Yu Wanhé," Wu Jiang whispered to Qin Ming, leaning slightly forward.

At that moment, Yu Pinghai spotted Qin Ming in the crowd—their gazes met directly.

His eyes turned dark and menacing; he stepped forward quickly and whispered a few words to Yu Wanhé.

Yu Wanhé's gaze lingered on Qin Ming for a moment, then took a seat in the very front, center position.

When nearly everyone had arrived.

Three Foundation Establishment cultivators entered from the left corridor and took their seats at the head of the grand hall.

These were the three principal and vice leaders of the Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance.

Vice Leader Li Yuanqing was among them.

To the right sat an elderly woman, frail and aged, with Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivation.

In the central seat was a middle-aged male cultivator with a square face, radiating the magic power fluctuation of Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

This man was none other than Wei Mengzhu Huo Qianqiu of the Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance.

As the three Foundation Establishment cultivators stepped forward, a massive Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure surged forth; below, all the cultivators fell silent, daring not to utter another word.

Huo Qianqiu's gaze was sharp as he slowly scanned the hall, then spoke in a deep tone: "I assume you all are already aware of what happened last night."

"Let me tell you: the Lin family of Kongdongdao and the Tian family of Yu Shui Island have been wiped out."

"It is not as simple as you imagine."

"Now, our San Alliance seeks to unite the various spirit islands here, to stand together, assist one another, and jointly investigate this case and repel external enemies."

At this moment, a cultivator in the front row raised his hand. After receiving Huo Qianqiu's permission, he asked: "Senior Huo, if that is so, could you reveal the full details of this incident?"

"Although we still lack sufficient evidence, the intelligence we currently hold indicates that the raiders who slaughtered the islands are undoubtedly linked to the Zhao family among the Seven Great Powers," Huo Qianqiu said solemnly.

The moment he finished speaking,

the hall erupted in uproar: "What?! The raiders were ordered by the Zhao family!"

These Qi Condensation families and itinerant cultivators could never have imagined that the vicious raiders had the Zhao family's shadow behind them.

"Honorable Huo Mengzhu, allow this old man to speak: are you not exaggerating?"

"After all, this is still merely your San Alliance's speculation—there is no concrete evidence yet."

At this moment, Yu Wanhé's voice rose slowly from the center of the front row.

"Perhaps those raiders targeted only those two islands—and may already have left."

Huo Qianqiu frowned, fixing his eyes on Yu Wanhé, surprised he had stepped forward to oppose him.

The cultivators in the hall, upon hearing Yu Wanhé's words, also found them somewhat reasonable.

"Heh, if Vice Island Master Yu does not wish to join the alliance, you may simply leave—we never force anyone," Huo Qianqiu said coldly.

Yu Wanhé chuckled without mirth: "Huo Mengzhu, you jest. I merely asked a casual question. Since everyone is united against the outside, my Bicang Island counts as one."

Upon hearing this, Huo Qianqiu's expression softened considerably.

"Those who wish to join our Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance may sign the Spirit Pact."

"Those unwilling to join—I warn you plainly: when the raiders come knocking, don't blame us if no one comes to your aid," the elderly woman said slowly.

Then, members of the San Alliance carried trays filled with Spirit Pacts.

When it came to Qin Ming, he looked up and realized the man carrying the tray before him was the same burly middle-aged cultivator who had accompanied Li Yuanqing to Wangyue Island to recruit him last time.

At this moment,

most spirit island families, pressured by the threat of the raiders and seeing others around them sign, all affixed their seals to the Spirit Pacts and joined the alliance.

Nearly every Qi Condensation family present today had stayed.

Qin Ming picked up the Spirit Pact on the tray and glanced at it casually.

The terms inside were complex and burdensome, requiring him to be ready at any moment for the San Alliance's orders and deployments.

He immediately lost interest.

'Ordered by the Zhao family?'

'Could it also be that the San Alliance itself orchestrated this?'

Qin Ming stood up and said plainly: "Wangyue Island has no intention of joining the San Alliance. I take my leave."

At these words, every cultivator in the hall turned their gaze toward him.

(End of Chapter)