The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

The cabin curtain was lifted, and the two bent down and crawled into the boat.

As soon as he entered, everyone's eyes fell on Tao San.

Su Mei's gaze was sharp, like a knife, scraping his face until it stung.

Liu Qi's gaze was neither warm nor cold, but Tao San knew that this person was even more troublesome than Su Mei, a smiling tiger.

Tao San shrank his neck and subconsciously leaned against the cabin wall.

He cleared his throat and said seriously, "The exploration around the deserted island is complete."

As he spoke, he squatted down, dipped his finger in the seawater on his body, and drew an irregular circle on the deck.

"The island is not large, only about three or four miles in circumference. Its terrain is like a shallow basin, higher on the outside and lower on the inside."

"The reefs are mainly located on the north and west sides. Most of them are submerged at high tide and only partially exposed at low tide. The south side is a cliff that is inaccessible."

"Only this spot on the east side has few reefs, deep water, and boats can reach the shore. I went over to check, and the shore is a pebble beach. If you walk up and through a forest, you can enter the island."

Tao San raised his head, looked at Su Mei, and then at Liu Qi.

"I've also checked the water flow. There are no undercurrents around the island, no underwater restrictions, and no ambushes. I dived down and searched the area; it's completely clean."

Upon hearing this, Su Mei's brows relaxed slightly.

Liu Qi nodded as well.

Tao San is usually a scoundrel, but his underwater skills are truly exceptional.

He said he had figured it out, and he truly had. In this regard, no one in the entire Whale Gang could be more astute than him.

The two turned their heads simultaneously to look at Xiong Pihai, who was sitting in the cabin.

Xiong Pihai kept his eyes closed and did not speak.

After a moment of silence in the cabin, he slowly opened his eyes.

"What about on the island?"

Tao San felt a slight stiffness in his back as he was stared at: "When I arrived, there were already cultivators there."

"several?"

"There were about four or five people," Tao San said. "I didn't dare get too close. I just peeked at them from a distance through the woods. Judging from their clothes, they should be from the Mu family."

Xiong Pihai remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Tao San glanced at Su Mei subconsciously and continued, "As for Ruan Ling'er, she looks like she's been wrapped up like a dumpling."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the cabin was stunned.

Wrapped up like a rice dumpling? What kind of strategy is this?

Seeing the doubt on everyone's faces, Tao San quickly gestured: "That's right, he was wrapped tightly from head to toe in black cloth, with only his mouth and nose showing. He couldn't move at all and just stood there in the middle of the open space."

"I glanced at it several times. The black cloth was layered on top of each other, like a silkworm cocoon. The Mu family cultivators were guarding the side, watching it closely."

Upon hearing this, Su Mei took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed her surging emotions.

Liu Qi frowned, somewhat puzzled: "What's going on here?"

Tao San shook his head, indicating that he was also clueless.

Zhou Dahai huddled in the corner, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.

He just felt there was something sinister about this.

He had met the young master of the Mu family a few times; he was a shrewd man who wouldn't do anything pointless.

Wrapping someone up like that and leaving them in the open, there must be some explanation for it.

Xiong Pihai was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand."

He uttered only these three words before closing his eyes again.

The group looked at each other, and for a moment no one spoke.

After some time, the light outside the window began to shine.

Zhou Dahai poked his head out and said, "The fog has lifted."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked out the window in unison.

Sure enough, the morning mist over the sea had dissipated at some point.

As dawn broke, the sky was cloudless, and the sea stretched from the turquoise near the shore to the deep blue of the horizon—a rare and beautiful day.

Tao San's eyes lit up, and he grinned: "This weather is auspicious."

Liu Qi, unusually, did not refute, and nodded slightly.

Those who work in this line of work believe in fate and omens.

Good weather is a good omen; the heavens are on our side, and this trip may go more smoothly than expected.

Looking at the clear sky outside the window, Su Mei's anxiety lessened somewhat.

Only Xiong Pihai kept his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened.

A hundred miles is neither a long nor a short distance.

No matter how slow the ship travels, it will eventually reach its destination, with no obstructions at sea.

It was already morning when the small boat approached the deserted island.

Upon seeing this, everyone in the cabin perked up.

The deserted island lay across the horizon, like a giant beast crouching on the sea.

The island is surrounded by dark reefs, and the waves crash against them, splashing up white spray.

The island is densely wooded, with shades of green piled together, dazzlingly bright when illuminated by the sunlight.

Tao San wielded the oars, and the small boat glided along the water toward the east side of the island.

The location he chose was indeed excellent: a natural bay surrounded by reefs on both sides, with a waterway in the middle that was only a few feet wide and just deep enough for a small boat to pass through.

Tao San jumped off first and tied the rope securely to a rock, after which everyone else disembarked one by one.

The deserted island is indeed a basin. As you walk up from the scree beach, the terrain gradually rises, and the scree under your feet turns into rugged reefs.

The rocks are riddled with holes from the sea breeze, and their surface is covered with honeycomb-like pores. You have to be extra careful when stepping on them, or you'll twist your ankle if you're not careful.

Tao San led the way, and after walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the reefs gradually thinned out, and a mixed forest took their place.

The trees are not tall, but they grow densely and in a tangled manner.

Tao San pushed aside a clump of bushes, turned around and whispered, "We'll be there once we cross this grove."

Everyone slowed their pace and became more alert.

The woods were quiet, with only the rustling of the wind through the treetops and the occasional bird call, which was short and brief.

Su Mei placed her hand on the hilt of the knife at her waist.

Liu Qi's fingertips slipped into his sleeve and pinched a talisman.

Zhou Dahai swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Only Xiong Pihai maintained his steady pace.

Tao San pushed aside the last few clumps of bushes, and the view suddenly opened up before him.

There was a circular open space, about twenty feet square, with an unusually flat surface, as if it had been deliberately cleared and compacted.

There wasn't a single tree, a clump of shrubs, or even a slightly larger rock around the open space; it was completely clear and spotless.

This terrain is clearly a natural arena for combat.

At this moment, everyone's eyes fell on the human-shaped black rice dumpling in the middle.

There's no other reason than that it's just too strange.

Liu Qi narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze from the black rice dumpling to the opposite side of the open space.

There stood four cultivators, three of them positioned in a triangular formation, protecting the black rice dumpling behind them.

The leader, dressed in brocade robes and carrying a sword, had a handsome face and a calm demeanor; it was none other than Mu Fangxu.

The two people behind him, one holding a bronze mirror and the other holding a long spear upside down, were both at the late stage of Qi Refining cultivation.

There was another person standing slightly to the side, with his hands behind his back; it was Li Ping.

Su Mei did not look at Mu Fangxu, Li Ping, or any other cultivator.

From the moment she stepped into the open space, her gaze was fixed on the human-shaped black rice dumpling.

She recognized the glimpse of light blue fabric peeking out from the gap in the black cloth; it was Ruan Ling'er's clothing.

Her breathing quickened, and she couldn't help but call out, "Ling'er!"

The black rice dumpling twitched and let out a muffled groan, indistinct and unclear.

But to Su Mei, that was a response.

Her heart felt like it had been squeezed, and then she turned her head sharply, her gaze like a knife piercing Mu Fangxu: "Aren't you going to release them?"

Mu Fangxu did not move.

His gaze swept across Su Mei's face, then over Liu Qi, Tao San, and Zhou Dahai, finally landing on Xiong Pihai. He paused for a moment, then looked back at Su Mei.

First came doubt, then surprise, and finally disbelief.

"Manager Su?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the open space.

Upon hearing this, Mu Ming and Mu Dingyuan behind him both changed their expressions.

Su Mei, the head manager of Wenxianglou, has been in Mujia Market for a full ten years.

During this period, how many affairs in the building did she handle, how many visiting cultivators did she receive, and how much internal information about the Mu family did she obtain?

Thinking of this, Mu Fangxu's face gradually darkened.

He remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking: "I never expected that the problem lay with Steward Su."

Li Ping stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Su Mei. His face remained expressionless, but his mind was in turmoil.

He had been to Wenxianglou more than once, and Su Mei had met him more than once.

He used to think that Su Mei looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze, but now, looking back, he suddenly realized why.

Su Mei met Mu Fangxu's gaze with her back ramrod straight.

From the moment Ruan Ling'er was captured, she knew this day would come; her identity would be exposed sooner or later.

Now that it's already exposed, there's no point in hiding it anymore.

She stared at Mu Fangxu, ignoring his words, and said slowly and deliberately, "Release them."

Mu Fangxu remained motionless, looking at Su Mei with anger and a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"Steward Su, our Mu family has always treated outsiders with kindness, and over the years, we have never been harsh on you."

"how so?"

The question was asked calmly, but everyone present could hear the suppressed anger beneath.

The Mu family has been based in Xikou Fangshi for many years and boasts that they know this area of ​​water like the back of their hand.

And what happened? The Giant Whale Gang hid right under their noses, in the busiest Wenxiang Tower in the market, and remained hidden for ten years.

If this gets out, where will the Mu family put their face?

For Mu Fangxu, it was an even greater stain.

Su Mei remained silent for a moment. Of course, she understood the meaning behind Mu Fangxu's words and could see the embarrassment on the faces of the Mu family members.

But she couldn't bring herself to apologize, since they were each serving their own masters and there was nothing to apologize for.

"The Mu family is very kind and treats me well, but unfortunately, I, Su Mei, am unlucky and didn't meet the Mu family sooner," Su Mei said.

That was a clever way of putting it. The implication was that it wasn't that I, Su Mei, had betrayed the Mu family, but rather that I was originally a member of the Giant Whale Gang, even before I came to the Mu family; it's just that you hadn't noticed.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Mu family members indeed softened somewhat.

Being infiltrated and being betrayed are ultimately two different things.

Mu Fangxu remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

He didn't press further; some things are best left unsaid, as saying more would only seem petty.

His gaze passed over Su Mei and landed on the burly figure behind her.

Standing over eight feet tall, he was like a wall.

Mu Fangxu felt a chill run down his spine. He had seen this person's portrait before; when the Mu family was collecting information on the Great Black Sea's calamity cultivators, this was the first person they drew.

"Could this be Fellow Daoist Xiong from the Giant Whale Gang?"

Xiong Pihai raised his eyelids slightly, and when he heard Mu Fangxu call his name, he grinned: "I've long heard that the Mu family has a prodigy. In just two years since he came to Xikou Fang City, he has managed to subdue the surrounding cultivators. Seeing him today, he is indeed a man of great talent."

"We owe this smooth journey to Fellow Daoist Xiong," Mu Fangxu said.

"Oh?"

"If Fellow Daoist Xiong hadn't rarely gone out in recent years, the cleanup process wouldn't have been so easy."

This is the truth.

The Giant Whale Gang is the largest plundering and cultivation group in the Great Black Sea, and its reputation is widespread.

As the top henchman of the Giant Whale Gang, Xiong Pihai has robbed countless merchant ships and taken countless lives over the years.

But in the last two years, he suddenly disappeared.

Not only him, but the entire Giant Whale Gang has been largely inactive.

The cultivators of the Great Black Sea have always followed the lead of the Giant Whale Gang, which is also a trendsetter.

When they make a move, their subordinate gangs follow suit; when they remain still, their subordinate gangs act timidly and conceal their true intentions.

With the gang inactive, all that remained were lone wolves, which the Mu family dealt with with almost no effort.

From this perspective, the Mu family should indeed thank the Giant Whale Gang.

Xiong Pihai didn't respond, and Mu Fangxu didn't mind. He changed the subject and asked, "I heard that Fellow Daoist Xiong reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage five years ago. So much time has passed, have you successfully established your Foundation?"

Xiong Pihai sneered, "If you were at the Foundation Establishment stage, wouldn't you have run away long ago?"

Mu Fangxu smiled and nodded, secretly relieved.

Since the Mu family decided to govern Xikou City, they have attached great importance to intelligence regarding the bandits and cultivators near the Great Black Sea.

The details of which gang it was, where they operated, how many members they had, and their cultivation levels were all recorded.

After Mu Fangxu took over the market, he extended his intelligence network to every island where cultivators were active.

The Giant Whale Gang was the only exception.

This gang was the most notorious, but also the most secretive.

Apart from a few renowned experts like Xiong Pihai, to this day, the Mu family still doesn't know exactly how many people the Giant Whale Gang has, or who its core members are.

Su Mei is a living example. A cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining hid under their noses for ten years. If Ruan Ling'er hadn't been captured this time, she probably could have continued to hide.

Is there another Su Mei in Mujia Market from the Giant Whale Gang?

Upon realizing this, Mu Fangxu felt a chill run down his spine.

Taking this opportunity, he wanted to find out more, even if it was just to get one more sentence out of him.

Just as he was about to speak, Xiong Pihai suddenly raised a hand and slowly said, "I've said everything that needed to be said."

"What's the story behind capturing Ling'er? Let's get this straight."