Chapter 517 - 470: News

Chapter 517: Chapter 470: News

"What troubled times..."

Chu Mu let out a long sigh, slowly setting down the Jade Scroll in his hand.

He rubbed his forehead. As his gaze shifted back to the bloody slaughter outside the island, the doubt lurking in his heart seemed to intensify.

The Longevity Sect had ample motive for the current chaos in the Vast Sea, but what was the Profound Serpent Race’s motive?

One could say that the death of the Young Master Profound Snake was the initial catalyst for the Profound Serpent Race’s invasion of the Vast Sea. However, the conflict had dragged on for so long that his death alone no longer seemed a sufficient explanation.

Take the current situation, for instance. The Demon Suppression Islands stood as an impregnable fortress. If not for the power of the Beast Tides, the Profound Serpent Race would never have been able to back the Chen Family into such a corner.

Furthermore, with the Vast Sea in turmoil and new powers rising everywhere, what could the Profound Serpent Race possibly do even if they did manage to conquer the Demon Suppression Islands?

Beyond the Demon Suppression Islands lay the very heart of the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World. The potential gains simply didn’t outweigh the risks of continuing this bitter war, especially when it was so obvious they were just trying to pin down the Chen Family’s main forces.

’Are there deeper interests at play?’

Chu Mu was lost in thought. He didn’t buy the whole "deep-seated, irreconcilable hatred" narrative. Between two major powers, such feuds were rarely what they seemed.

Besides, the Vast Sea Chen Family was in such a desperate situation. Even if there was a bitter feud, they would surely be trying to cede some benefits to end the conflict with the Profound Serpent Race and free themselves up to handle their internal problems.

The fact that the conflict hadn’t ended could only mean that the benefits offered by the Chen Family didn’t meet the Profound Serpent Race’s demands. Or perhaps... the Chen Family was unwilling to give them what they truly wanted?

Chu Mu pieced together the sequence of events, but the more he analyzed, the foggier everything became.

The whole situation was just too bizarre!

Judging by the chaos in the Vast Sea, it was clear that the Longevity Sect and the Profound Serpent Race weren’t the only hidden players pulling the strings.

After a moment, Chu Mu stood and walked to the window. His gaze passed over the bloody scene outside, focusing instead on Celestial Secret Island, the central island of the archipelago.

The Teleportation Hall on Celestial Secret Island was, for all intents and purposes, the only safe passage connecting the Demon Suppression Islands to the outside world.

However, ever since the chaos erupted within the Vast Sea, the Teleportation Hall had been closed under some pretext.

Any Cultivator on the Demon Suppression Islands who wished to return to the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World had to cross the sea region surrounding the islands—a vast expanse spanning tens of thousands of miles that had now become a forbidden zone.

Of course, he knew the truth. ’The so-called interference with the Teleportation Array might have been real at some point, but it should have been resolved long ago. They’re just using it as an excuse to block access for any Cultivator not from the Chen Family, preventing a mass exodus from the Demon Suppression Islands.’

After all, for a High Tier Cultivator like him, traveling with a group across the now-forbidden sea to return to the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World was dangerous, but not impossible.

For the countless Tier One and Tier Two Cultivators on the islands, however, crossing that same forbidden sea was nothing but a pipe dream.

After decades of bitter war and countless Beast Tides, despite non-stop efforts to clear them out, the waters for tens of thousands of miles around the Demon Suppression Islands had long become a teeming habitat for innumerable Demon Beasts.

Tier Two Demon Beasts were innumerable, and there was no shortage of Tier Three Demon Beasts either. It had long since formed a nearly self-contained, lethal ecosystem—a true Forbidden Sea.

For anyone below the Golden Core realm, entering it was a death sentence. The only way for a Cultivator below Golden Core to leave the Demon Suppression Islands was under the protection of a High Tier Cultivator. Otherwise, their only hope was the Teleportation Hall.

In other words, for the countless Low Tier Cultivators on the Demon Suppression Islands, their current situation was simply a death sentence. The only question was whether they would die sooner or later.

’And as for me...’

’What should I do? Where should I go?’

His fingertips tapped an unconscious, rhythmic beat on the windowsill. TAP, TAP, TAP. His thoughts were a whirlwind.

Just then, the Sound Transmission Order in his robes vibrated, pulling him from his swirling thoughts.

He glanced at the Sound Transmission Order. Several messages were flashing. With a light touch of his Divine Sense, the messages played one after another in his mind.

He turned his head to look out another window. This time, the Beast Tide had only lasted a few short days before abruptly dispersing.

Chu Mu was slightly suspicious. After a moment’s contemplation, he gave a soft call to Wangcai. With a surge of Magical Power, he leaped up, bringing Wangcai with him to land steadily on the Corpse Puppet’s shoulder.

At the same time, two streaks of Tunneling Light shot toward Earth Demon Island from the north and south.

The arrivals were none other than He Fengshan and Chi Shan. Seeing the towering Corpse Puppet with Chu Mu standing proudly atop it, the two couldn’t hide a trace of envy in their eyes.

He Fengshan immediately sent a sound transmission, his tone heavy. "I’ve received confirmation. Fellow Daoist Ming Yu’s Life Soul Lamp has been extinguished!"

Chi Shan asked impatiently, "What about the other two?"

He Fengshan shook his head, his voice growing even heavier. "Lie Shan True Master and Bone Transformation True Master... their Life Soul Lamps are shattered. Their whereabouts are unknown."

At his words, the three of them fell into a heavy silence.

Chu Mu’s expression turned grim. Ever since the great upheaval in the Vast Sea half a year ago, a sense of panic had gripped the Demon Suppression Islands.

The plight of the Low Tier Cultivators was one thing; they could do nothing but await their fate, with no power to resist.

It was different for the High Tier Cultivators. There were a significant number of Golden Core Cultivators on the Demon Suppression Islands who were not part of the Chen Family.

Of the seventy-two Earth Demon Islands, more than half were guarded by Golden Core Cultivators from outside the Chen Family. No matter how tyrannical the Chen Family was, they couldn’t possibly treat these Golden Core Cultivators the same way they treated the masses of Low Tier Cultivators.

The Chen Family’s stance was clear. Since the upheaval half a year ago, they had significantly increased the benefits offered to win over the Golden Core Cultivators on the islands. They were incredibly generous with all sorts of rare treasures for those who chose to stay, and for those who wished to leave, they were free to go without any restrictions.

But with the Teleportation Hall sealed, any Cultivator wanting to leave the Demon Suppression Islands had no choice but to attempt a crossing of the surrounding Forbidden Sea to return to the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World.

Although the situation in the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World was chaotic, it hadn’t yet deteriorated to a point where Golden Core Cultivators felt directly and severely threatened.

The crisis was primarily one of the Chen Family’s dominion over the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World; its repercussions mostly affected the Low Tier Cultivators.

As for the hundred-odd non-Chen Family Golden Core Cultivators on the Demon Suppression Islands, every major power could only try to court their favor for the time being.

Therefore, in the past half-year, tempted by the Chen Family’s generous offers, very few Golden Core Cultivators had actually chosen to leave the Demon Suppression Islands. Most, like Chu Mu and his acquaintances, were still watching to see how the situation would develop before making a final decision.

As for Ming Yu True Master, Lie Shan True Master, and Bone Transformation True Master, their garrisoned islands were adjacent to Earth Demon Island, so Chu Mu and the others were fairly familiar with them.

These three were among the few Golden Core Cultivators who had chosen to leave during the last six months.

Naturally, their departure had attracted a great deal of attention.

But now, a mere ten days or so after they left, Ming Yu True Master was dead. As for Lie Shan True Master and Bone Transformation True Master, their shattered Life Soul Lamps meant they had been critically injured and their lives were hanging by a thread!

One dead, two gravely wounded, and all of them missing...

Chu Mu asked, "Is there any other news?"

"It’s not clear yet."

He Fengshan shook his head. "We can ask around more at the gathering later..."

At this, Chi Shan suddenly turned to Chu Mu and asked hesitantly, "Fellow Daoist, what do you think was the cause of Ming Yu True Master’s fall?"

Seeing Chi Shan’s obvious hesitation and unease, Chu Mu’s eyes flickered, but he ultimately shook his head, unwilling to speculate wildly.

After all, for three Golden Core Cultivators traveling together to end up with one dead and two missing... it couldn’t possibly have been an accident.

’It was either the work of a Demon Beast or a person.’

’Those were the only two possibilities!’

And neither of those possibilities was a good thing.

The atmosphere grew heavy once more. The three of them hurried on, and it wasn’t long before they set foot on Celestial Spirit Island and rushed into a pavilion.

...