Chapter 250: Ruling the World (19) — Aren't You Happy to See Your Grandmaster?

A violent jolt shook Xiao Yi's mind, tearing him from his thoughts. His spiritual energy pulled taut, but just as he moved to rise and investigate the disturbance outside, an invisible, colossal hand descended and clamped firmly onto his shoulder.

A mountainous force crashed down with irresistible weight, pinning him so rigidly in place that he could not budge an inch.

"Who?!"

Shock seized Xiao Yi, his pupils contracting violently. As a Nascent Soul Late Stage Grand Cultivator who had presided over Endless Island for years, he had fortified both the island and this secret chamber with layer upon layer of high-grade restrictions, making his warning arrays airtight. Yet this visitor had arrived in utter silence, breaching every barrier without stirring the faintest ripple of spiritual energy—and Xiao Yi had sensed nothing at all.

To achieve such a feat, the visitor's cultivation had to be far beyond the Nascent Soul realm.

Had this person intended to take his life, he would have perished in that single instant, yet no lethal strike came. Countless thoughts churned through his mind—alarm, caution, and bewilderment all tangling together—leaving him unable to fathom the newcomer's true intent.

Forcing down the trembling in his chest, he slowly turned his head. The moment he saw the visitor's face, he froze, and the spiritual energy circulating through his body ground to a dead halt.

Standing before him was a handsome young man in gold-patterned robes who appeared barely twenty years of age. His presence felt utterly hollow, without the slightest wisp of spiritual energy leaking forth, as if he were nothing more than an ordinary mortal.

Yet it was precisely this deceptively ordinary demeanor that stirred extreme dread and reverence in Xiao Yi's heart.

Before this figure, all of his Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivation and centuries of Dao heart resolve could not summon a single shred of will to resist. His divine soul, his cultivation, and every flaw across his being felt completely exposed beneath that gaze, stripped bare of all secrets.

Xiao Yi realized in an instant that the prying sensation that had enveloped him earlier, locking onto his divine soul, had come from this very person.

A true Deity Transformation Divine Lord!

Terror swept through his mind, accompanied by overwhelming bewilderment. An exalted being of this caliber ought to be holding court in a paramount cultivation domain like Ganzhou. Why had he suddenly descended upon the Heavenly Abyss Sea to seek him out?

Was the Blood Demon rising again to bring disaster? Was a great upheaval of heaven and earth at hand, prompting the Deity Transformation experts to emerge early and keep the turmoil in check? Countless conjectures swirled ceaselessly through his thoughts.

Just as his thoughts spiraled into turmoil, a calm, measured voice broke the silence.

"So you are Canfeng's grand-disciple, Xiao Yi. To keep your wits about you in my presence shows decent resolve and no small amount of courage."

As the words faded, Xiao Yi stiffened, his breath hitching, his expression torn between shock and uncertainty. He focused his gaze on the gold-robed cultivator, scrutinizing him closely. The longer he looked, the more familiar the man appeared, until hazy fragments of memory surged up—a familiar figure he seemed to have glimpsed from afar in his youth.

"You... who are you?" Xiao Yi stammered, his voice trembling with thinly veiled apprehension.

Jiuyou's gaze remained placid. Looking upon the uneasy junior before him, he spoke in an unhurried, even tone. "Little Xiao, you don't remember me? By sect seniority, you ought to address me as Great-Grandmaster."

Those few simple words struck like a thunderclap, sending violent shockwaves through Xiao Yi's mind.

Every trace of hesitation vanished from his face, replaced by sheer astonishment and disbelief. His throat bobbed as he blurted out, "You are Grandmaster Jiuyou?!"

His eyes went wide, and he stood frozen, unable to collect himself for a long time.

In the minds of all cultivators across the Heavenly Abyss Sea, Jiuyou—this titan of the older generation—had vanished without a trace centuries ago. Most of the world assumed he had long since passed away. Who could have imagined that this legendary predecessor of the Demonic Path was not only still alive, but had also stepped onto the supreme Dao, breaking through to the Deity Transformation Realm to stand at the very pinnacle of this world?

A profound shock washed over him. Xiao Yi's thoughts were an intricate tangle, leaving him unsure whether he should feel terror or delight.

He had heard tales of this grandmaster's ferocious reputation since childhood. In his prime, Jiuyou had single-handedly crushed the top sects of the Righteous Path, slaughtering his way through the encirclement of numerous Nascent Soul cultivators and withdrawing at his leisure—a battle that had shaken the entire sea. That earth-shattering carnage and peerless audacity was something Xiao Yi still recalled with dread; even now as a Nascent Soul Late Stage expert, he knew he did not possess the qualifications to imitate it.

And now, that unbridled, ruthlessly decisive legend was standing right before his eyes in the flesh.

Seeing Xiao Yi's turbulent emotions and dazed expression, the corner of Jiuyou's mouth curled slightly. He spoke softly, snapping him from his daze once more. "What? My dear great-grandson, aren't you happy to see your grandmaster?"

The majestic yet gentle voice brought Xiao Yi back to his senses. He hurriedly suppressed his chaotic thoughts, bowing low in utmost reverence. "This disciple would not dare! There is not the slightest displeasure!"

Collecting himself, Xiao Yi straightened slightly, only to bow again in deepest deference, asking cautiously.

"May I ask if Grandmaster has returned to the Heavenly Abyss Sea and sought this junior out for some grand undertaking? Could it be... you intend to restore the old lineage of Soul Wraith Island?"

Jiuyou's expression remained indifferent. He did not answer immediately, merely finding a stone seat and settling in with unhurried grace. Raising a hand, he began leisurely brewing a pot of clear tea, his movements languid and completely at ease.

Beside him, Xiao Yi held his bow the entire time, holding his breath and focusing his mind, not daring to slacken for an instant. Before this Deity Transformation expert, even a Nascent Soul Late Stage Grand Cultivator like him dared not show the slightest presumption.

After a long while, the tea came to a boil. Jiuyou poured a cup for himself, then pushed another toward Xiao Yi before speaking slowly, his tone flat and undisturbed.

"There is no need to rebuild Soul Wraith Island. I have returned to stay on Endless Island for a time. You need not panic; it has been many years since I last extracted souls, refined spirits, or indiscriminately harmed living beings."

Pausing briefly, he lifted his gaze slightly and continued in an even voice, "However, there is one small matter that requires you to handle on my behalf."

Relief washed through Xiao Yi at those words. He immediately took the cup of tea, cupping his hands in salute. "Whatever Grandmaster commands, this junior will not shrink from it, even at the cost of ten thousand deaths."

...

Once their conversation concluded, Jiuyou rose slowly and paced toward the exit of the secret chamber.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi hurriedly stepped forward half a pace and asked softly, "Right, Grandmaster—regarding your appearance here, should this junior inform the cultivators of the alliance?"

At the question, Jiuyou merely turned his head and shot him a cold, sidelong glance.

That single silent look spoke volumes, conveying his attitude completely.

Today, having attained the Deity Transformation Realm to look down upon this world, he no longer had any need to preserve face for any faction, much less heed anyone's whims. The sheer depth and stature of a Deity Transformation Cultivator demanded neither pretense nor posturing. Whether others knew or did not know, whether they showed reverence or contempt, made no difference. Anyone who dared obstruct his path, stir up trouble, or harbor malicious intent could simply be wiped out.

Watching Jiuyou's silhouette depart the secret chamber, Xiao Yi found it impossible to calm his churning thoughts for a long time.

Meanwhile, as Jiuyou flew through the air, he had already confirmed the deduction in his mind.

The outsider who had ambushed and killed four Middle Nascent Soul Stage cultivators in rapid succession across the Heavenly Abyss Sea in recent days was, nine times out of ten, Fang Buxin, who had fled here in panic.

A cold chill touched him as he secretly pondered.

'Fang Buxin stirred up turmoil across the sea and slaughtered high-level cultivators, courting enmity at every turn, but hardly out of senseless bloodlust. Most likely, he hopes to use the refined souls of multiple Nascent Soul cultivators to improve his odds of condensing a Blood Soul Seed.'