Chapter 189: The Change on Qianye Spirit Island

Qin Ming stared at the retreating figure, his heart unable to settle for a long time.

"It was Mo Lingwei."

"Wasn't she originally willing to join the Zhao family just to gather materials for a Foundation Establishment pill?"

"Under Nie family's tight control, how could she possibly slip into Qianye Spirit Island?"

"Could it be that the Zhao remnants—"

At this thought, a cold sweat broke out on Qin Ming's back! If true, then the Zhao remnants were planning a major move against Qianye Spirit Island.

A grand scheme long in the making.

Someone who didn't even fear Foundation Establishment cultivators or Nie family's pseudo-Jin Dan—just think how serious this was.

"This place is too dangerous. Notify Long Yi and get out fast." Qin Ming was decisive—he turned and ran without hesitation.

Immediately, Qin Ming sent Long Yi a message talisman: "Comrade Long, I've received word that Qianye Spirit Island is about to descend into chaos. Staying here is extremely perilous—you must leave at once."

"I won't return to the villa. I'm leaving first. You must evacuate your people right away."

…

Inside the villa at the Jingxue Pavilion's encampment in the valley.

Long Yi was in good spirits today, conversing with several senior officials of the pavilion in a private chamber.

Suddenly,

her message talisman activated. She opened it and found it was from Comrade Qin.

After reading its contents, her face turned pale. She shot up from her chair with a sharp gasp.

She raised her hand and cast a soundproofing barrier, enveloping the entire room.

"Bad!"

"Things have changed—we must leave Qianye Spirit Island immediately!"

Seeing Long Yi so unnerved, the other senior officials were stunned. Li Mu, the guardian, frowned and asked, "What happened?"

Long Yi handed the message talisman to him.

Li Mu took it, released his spiritual sense to read it, and immediately froze in shock.

"If this message came from Comrade Qin, it's almost certainly true."

"Don't make a scene. Under the pretense of moving goods, evacuate to the harbor at once."

"Take everything you can. Leave behind what you can't. Alert your people right away."

Inside the room, the Jingxue Pavilion members quickly agreed—they would evacuate Qianye Spirit Island in secret.

…

On the other side.

With her face disguised, Mo Lingwei, her refined features twisted with complex emotion, arrived at a deep underground chamber on Qianye Spirit Island.

"Why did you take so long?"

"Have you set everything up outside?"

From the darkness, a hoarse voice spoke. As Mo Lingwei drew near, a familiar face emerged.

It was Zhao Wuji, the eldest son of the Zhao family—but now, his former composed and capable demeanor was gone, replaced by an eerie aura and a grotesque, half-destroyed face.

"Everything is ready," Mo Lingwei said, expressionless.

"Hehe! Don't try anything clever. From the moment you came to me, you've been tied to the same rope as a grasshopper."

"Your entire Mo family is in my hands. If you play games in front of me, you know what'll happen." Zhao Wuji warned coldly.

Mo Lingwei's face turned ashen. She clenched her fists but said nothing.

"Wait here. The show's about to begin."

Zhao Wuji turned and walked deeper into the hidden tunnel.

Not long after,

he followed the tunnel down into the earth.

A bone-chilling cold emanated from the cavern below, radiating a sinister, terrifying aura.

Even Zhao Wuji nervously swallowed, then continued downward.

Before him appeared a vast underground cavern.

The cavern walls were inscribed with intricate array runes and talismanic seals. Dozens of thick black chains, as wide as arms, extended into the darkness. On the floor below sat a withered, white-haired elder, his life force drained, his aura unstable—as if he might die at any moment.

Zhao Wuji walked forward, bowing respectfully to the elder. "Grand Ancestor, all preparations are complete."

"Hmm. Then begin," the ancient voice replied.

Zhao Wuji hesitated. "Grand Ancestor… are you certain you must do this?"

"Hehe! I, Zhao Wuyang, spent my life dominating the realm, formed a pseudo-Jin Dan, and lived to this age—this was already fate."

"But if the Zhao family is gone, what use is there in the Spirit Isles of the cultivation world?" Zhao Wuyang said darkly.

"Hehe! Even Lei Yuanzong and Lingyu Men never saw this coming."

"The reason Qianye Spirit Island produces one drop of 'Xuanyin Earth Demon Spirit Fluid' every hundred years—"

"Is because beneath it lies a sealed third-rank demonic plant."

The moment Zhao Wuyang finished speaking,

"Glo-glo-glo-glo-glo~"

"Old Ghost Zhao, you've finally come to your senses!!"

The chains deep in the cavern shook violently, and a monstrous voice echoed.

Countless crimson, tentacle-like vines crawled up the chains. "Cough! Today, I, Zhao Wuyang, offer my body to the demon—let these arrogant sects feel true terror!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Wuyang's eyes burned with madness as he let out a demonic laugh.

…

Outside Qianye Spirit Island.

Qin Ming hurried toward the harbor. At the checkpoint gate, the Nie family elder who had brought them in yesterday spotted him and smiled warmly. "Oh! Young Master Qin, so late—leaving already?"

"Yes, sudden urgent business. Need to return and handle it," Qin Ming replied calmly, expression unchanged.

"Hehe! Too bad—you just arrived, barely had time to enjoy yourself."

"But business comes first. I'll have the protective array opened for you." The Nie elder said.

He turned to order his men to activate the array.

At that moment,

Qin Ming looked up at the night sky—his pupils dilated sharply.

BOOM! Over the harbor and sea, an endless tide of demonic beasts surged toward Qianye Spirit Island.

Even more shocking: a colossal black ape, over ten zhang tall, with strange, glowing eyes radiating overwhelming terror, followed behind the beast horde—its target, too, was Qianye Spirit Island.

The Nie family's outer patrol guards also spotted this horrifying sight.

"Emergency! Enemy attack!"

"Quick! Activate the main protective array fully!"

Moments later, several signal flares exploded into the sky above Qianye Spirit Island.

The Nie cultivators instantly relayed the news to the island's interior.

In the valley's encampment, people still reveled in the festive trading atmosphere.

A brilliant magical flare burst in the sky, illuminating the night like daylight.

All cultivators looked up in stunned shock, panic spreading rapidly.

"What's happening?"

"Isn't that the Nie family's alarm signal?"

"Could something terrible be happening?"

…

Qin Ming extended his spiritual sense—the beast tide was overwhelming. Dozens of second-rank demonic beasts, including several late-stage second-rank beasts, clearly premeditated.

As he pondered how to escape,

BOOM! A far greater, earth-shattering explosion shook the entire Qianye Spirit Island.

Instantly, the ground trembled violently. The island's spiritual energy became chaotic.

(End of Chapter)