Cultivating immortality in the seas, I created an immortal island of eternal life.

The mist flowed slowly between the rocks, and the soles of my shoes rustled as I stepped on the gravel.

Gao Yao didn't walk fast; he was still thinking about what to do next.

Should I just unleash my full power?

To be honest, with Wu Ling by his side, he could do whatever he wanted in this blessed land that only those below the Foundation Establishment stage could enter.

Whether it's people from Yun Kingdom or Hongyun Trading Company, kill them one by one, kill them in pairs. As the saying goes, murder and arson bring wealth, this is the fastest way to make money.

But Gao Yao only thought about it for a moment before quickly suppressing the thought.

How long have we been in this blessed land? Less than half an hour.

At this point, they were in a hurry to act, robbing unlucky newcomers whose pockets were emptier than their faces. After spending a lot of effort killing a few people, the spoils they got were less than what they could earn by raising fish on Turtle Reef Island for two days.

This isn't robbery, it's just a waste of time.

Moreover, being reckless could easily lead to mistakes. Although he didn't recognize all the outer disciples who had entered Yunxiang Sect, they were all familiar faces.

Did they kill everyone they encountered?

That won't do.

If a group of people go in and only Gao Yao comes out alive, how do you explain that? Can you say you were incredibly lucky, that you avoided everyone else while they all died?

Do you really think those old foxes in the sect are fools?

You need to be patient.

Once these people have thoroughly looted the blessed land and filled their pockets with good stuff, it won't be too late to make a move after they've chosen their targets.

However, what Gao Yao is concerned about right now is not the robbery.

When that fat guy from Hongyun Trading Company mentioned Master Xuanyuan, his eyes lit up like a dog seeing a bone, clearly he had something on his mind.

The people from the Yun Kingdom beside him didn't refute him either; their matter-of-fact silence indicated that the intelligence from both sides matched. The Yun Kingdom and the Hongyun Trading Company knew far more about this blessed land than the Yunxiang Sect.

But then again, where did the news of the blessed land first come from?

In the market, it was said that someone had brought out something good. The news spread like wildfire, but if you think about it carefully, who started this rumor first?

With the news spreading so quickly and widely, it would be strange if no one was behind it.

What if this was a scheme orchestrated by the Yun Kingdom or the Hongyun Trading Company from the very beginning?

Gao Yao rubbed his temples, feeling that the more he thought about it, the more complicated it became.

But one thing is certain: the people of Yun Kingdom and the people of Hongyun Trading Company know more about this blessed land than he does.

This means that if there's something really good, they know where to go.

Therefore, following them is better than blindly figuring things out on your own.

Not long after they had gone, Gao Yao remembered another thing the short, stout merchant had said.

Master Xuan Yuan is a rogue cultivator who has reached the Golden Core stage.

Gao Yao is currently stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining, having reached the limit of the Fetal Breathing Realm. The next step forward is the Innate Realm, and then the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The foundation-building cultivation method was in Wang Yao's hands. The "Kun Yuan Hua Sheng Gong" that the woman gave her only went up to the ninth level of Qi Refining. How she progressed after that depended entirely on her mood.

He had considered finding other cultivation methods, but the sect had extremely strict control over them. He couldn't find them even in the library, let alone in the market.

Gao Yao was well aware of the sect's purpose in doing this: to tie a rope around the necks of all the fishermen, so that if they wanted to climb higher, they would have to obey.

He wanted to find an independent cultivation method, one that was not subject to anyone's control.

This blessed land was once inhabited by a rogue cultivator who had reached the Golden Core stage.

What does "freelance cultivator" mean?

He belongs to no sect or faction and works alone.

The things left behind by such a person must have nothing to do with the Yunxiang Sect.

If he can find a complete cultivation technique here, he won't need to ask Wang Yao for the Foundation Establishment technique anymore, and he can walk his own path from now on.

The thought was like a spark falling into dry wood, and it ignited instantly.

Gao Yao quickened his pace.

The stone forest gradually thinned out, and the ground was no longer covered in uniform pebbles. Low shrubs began to sprout, their leaves dark green with finely serrated edges. The stuffy, musty smell in the air faded somewhat, replaced by a sweet, fishy odor of decaying vegetation. It wasn't unpleasant, but after a while, it made one's chest feel tight.

Gao walked very carefully.

This gray fog is too oppressive to spiritual sense. Wu Ling can only extend his senses a few feet away. Any further and he will sink into the sea. He is not much better than a blind man.

He would stop every now and then, listen carefully for a while, and only continue walking after confirming that there were no unusual movements around him.

"Sage, there are people ahead."

Gao Yao immediately darted behind a rock, concealed his breathing, and shrank into the shadows.

The footsteps grew closer; it was two people talking as they walked, their voices not loud enough to be heard clearly from a distance.

As the people approached, Gao Yao could finally see them through the cracks in the rocks. There was another person from Yun Kingdom and another from Hongyun Trading Company, forming a group.

Gao Yao held his breath and remained motionless until the two had walked far away before emerging from behind the rock.

He didn't show himself earlier because he was afraid that the Yun Kingdom cultivator would see through his disguise. This outfit might fool the people from the Hongyun Trading Company, but it would probably expose him if he said a few more words.

However, looking in the direction where the two disappeared, another thought popped into his mind.

Since the people of Yun Kingdom can travel with the people of Hongyun Trading Company, it would be acceptable for him to wear this robe and imitate it.

Even if the people from Hongyun Trading Company see through our scheme, we can just find someone else. After all, this blessed land has no shortage of opportunities to change people.

After walking for another fifteen minutes, some broken stone slabs began to appear on the ground, with dark green moss growing in the cracks. The sweet, fishy smell in the air became stronger, and occasionally, fragments of bone could be seen in the bushes, their origins unclear—whether human or animal.

Gao Yao crouched down and poked at the broken bones with his fingers. The surface of the bones was pitted and uneven, as if something had gnawed at them. He threw the bones back, wiped his hands on his clothes, and continued walking.

He stopped when he reached an open area.

The fog ahead thinned out, and we could see clearly what was happening a hundred feet away.

A collapsed stone tower lies half-buried in the gravel, its body sheared away by some force, the cut surface smooth as a mirror. Scattered around the base are fragments of pottery and rusted bronze artifacts, resembling the remains of a dwelling.

Gao Yao was still surveying the ruins when he reached into his sleeve and clutched several talismans.

Wu Ling reminded him that there were other people nearby.

A fat man peeked out from behind a rock, saw Gao Yao, paused for a moment, then smiled broadly: "Fellow Daoist, we've finally met a living person!"

Gao Yao didn't reply, but instead glanced at the fat man.

The man from Hongyun Trading Company was dressed in a short, stout style, somewhat resembling the merchant he had just killed, but he was fatter and younger.

His face showed only the shrewdness typical of a street businessman, mixed with a touch of ingratiating familiarity.

"Fellow Daoist, you're from Yun Kingdom, right?" The fat man took two steps closer, but not too close, clearly knowing the proper etiquette. "My name is Qian Qian, from Hongyun Trading Company. I'm not a big shot, just someone who runs errands."

"This blessed land looks so gloomy, it's terrifying to walk around alone. How about we travel together?"

......