Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Immortal City Takes Action, the 3-Party Millstone

Under Su Ye’s protection, and with the main force of the Beast Tide heading north, the situation on Donglong Island was still relatively calm.

However, the several Foundation Establishment families directly to the north, who had to face the main force of the Beast Tide and White Whale Moby Dick, weren’t so lucky!

"Lingkong Island has fallen. The Ye Family’s two Foundation Establishment cultivators were killed in action, and their clan has scattered!"

"Cangxuan Island has fallen. The Li Family abandoned their ancestral lands and fled..."

Wherever the Beast Tide passed, Foundation Establishment families were either annihilated or forced to flee.

Panic spread among the cultivators throughout the entire sea region, growing more intense by the day...

Su Ye understood completely. An army of beasts led by a third-rank Demon King was far beyond what any Foundation Establishment family could hope to resist.

What’s more, this third-rank Demon King was a Sea Successor Mutant Species...

’Weiyuan Immortal City’s Nine Nether Blood Sea Array should be able to block it easily.’

’But the Foundation Establishment families in its path...’ Su Ye’s eyes shifted.

If things went as he expected, the Foundation Establishment families lying between Weiyuan Immortal City and the Dongning Sea Region would be completely wiped out by this Beast Tide!

Su Ye shook his head with a sigh.

This was the cruelty of the Cultivation Realm!

’Even a Foundation Establishment immortal clan that presides over its own territory is in constant danger of being toppled before a true tidal wave of power!’

’Time to cultivate...’

Su Ye put away the Intelligence Jade Scroll, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his power.

After successfully cultivating the ’Cold Jade Dao Body,’ his cultivation speed was comparable to someone with a Celestial Spiritual Root.

Su Ye’s cultivation progressed at a tremendous pace!

...

「Several months later.」

Su Ye emerged from his seclusion and began his routine of reviewing the latest intelligence.

However, the situation had developed in a way that completely exceeded Su Ye’s expectations!

’Huh?’

’The Beast Tide... was defeated?’

As he read through the intelligence reports, Su Ye’s eyes flickered with astonishment.

He soon learned the reason:

Weiyuan Immortal City had made its move!

Faced with the surging Beast Tide, the Cyan Profound Sect remained completely unmoved, as always.

The pleas for help from the Foundation Establishment immortal clans were like stones sinking into the sea, met with complete silence...

The Cyan Profound Sect was content to do nothing.

But Weiyuan Immortal City refused to stand idly by!

On the contrary, the Immortal City responded proactively and intervened.

Using the threat of the Beast Tide as leverage, they rallied the Foundation Establishment immortal clans, demanding they contribute both personnel and resources!

Under the weight of the circumstances, the previously independent Foundation Establishment immortal clans had no choice but to obey.

Soon, Weiyuan Immortal City formed a formidable Mobile Fleet, with Canghai’s disciples at its core, flanked by the Foundation Establishment families and the city’s Honored Guest Elders.

This fleet consisted of multiple second-rank spirit ships and over twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators!

But more importantly, there was a Crystal Realm cultivator within this fleet!

’A Crystal Realm cultivator...?!’

Su Ye’s face was a mask of astonishment.

It was common knowledge that Weiyuan Immortal City had a Crystal Realm cultivator.

However, the Crystal Realm cultivator who had stepped forward was not Canghai!

It was Canghai’s head disciple—Sikong Xin!

The direct heir of the Sikong Family, one of the five great families of the Immortal City!

’This head disciple of Canghai, who was always so unassuming, had actually, without anyone knowing, already advanced to the Crystal Realm?!’

’Weiyuan Immortal City... actually has a second Crystal Realm cultivator?’

’On second thought, it’s quite reasonable.’

’Weiyuan Immortal City is the trade hub within the Cyan Profound Sect’s jurisdiction. It’s incredibly prosperous, with countless Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects passing through it.’

’With Weiyuan Immortal City’s wealth, it wouldn’t be difficult to accumulate the Spiritual Objects needed for a breakthrough to the Crystal Realm.’

’They might... have even tried several times?’

’But in all likelihood, only Sikong Xin succeeded...’

Su Ye stroked his chin, lost in thought.

’The success rate for breaking through to the Crystal Realm is only about twenty percent, even with the aid of Spiritual Objects.’

’And how many cultivators at Foundation Establishment Perfection in Weiyuan Immortal City are both loyal enough and have the potential to attempt a breakthrough to the Crystal Realm? Just a few, at most.’

’One Sikong Xin is probably their limit...’

’But... that’s enough!’

"This is a Crystal Realm cultivator, after all..." Su Ye muttered.

In this sea region, the appearance of a single Crystal Realm cultivator was enough to cause massive upheaval and change the entire political landscape of the Cultivation Realm!

Moreover, according to the intelligence reports.

Judging by the combat prowess Sikong Xin displayed in this battle, he was by no means a newly ascended Crystal Realm cultivator!

He used Crystal Secret Skills with casual ease.

His life-bound treasure was perfectly refined and attuned.

He had even nurtured his Divine Technique seed to the point where it could be activated!

According to the reports, the turning point in the recent battle against the Beast Tide was when Sikong Xin activated his divine seed to unleash the Quasi-Technique—[Celestial Vault Thunder Shadow]!

This tyrannical Quasi-Technique was terrifyingly powerful, heavily wounding White Whale Moby Dick in a single blow and forcing it to retreat!

’It took me ten years of nurturing my Divine Technique seed, [Soul-Chasing Life-Taking], before I could even activate it.’

’Even though Sikong Xin, as a Crystal Realm cultivator, can nurture a divine seed much more efficiently than I can, the power of his seed is also far greater than mine... All things considered, it must have taken him at least seven or eight years.’

’Then there’s the time needed to stabilize his realm, cultivate Crystal Secret Skills, and refine his life-bound treasure...’

’He probably broke through to the Crystal Realm ten, or even twenty, years ago and has just been hiding it all this time...’

’He hid it so well...’

Su Ye couldn’t help but marvel.

Then, a strange light glinted in his eyes.

Reading between the lines of the intelligence report, Su Ye’s thoughts went even deeper.

’Sikong Xin broke through to the Crystal Realm over a decade ago but chose to lay low and bide his time. Clearly... he was wary of the Cyan Profound Sect!’

’After all, a single city with two Crystal Realm cultivators, on top of being a major trade hub... its power, its wealth...’

’That’s enough to threaten the Cyan Profound Sect’s dominance!’

’Therefore... intimidated by the power of the Cyan Profound Sect, Sikong Xin—or rather, Weiyuan Immortal City—was willing to lie dormant!’

Su Ye’s gaze was profound as he muttered to himself, analyzing the situation.

’But now... they’re no longer lying low...’

Su Ye pondered and quickly deduced the reason.

The news that Canghai was seeking to break through to Core Formation couldn’t be kept secret.

It was bound to draw suppression from the Cyan Profound Sect.

They were damned if they did, damned if they didn’t.

So why not take the initiative and strike first?!

Moreover, a century had passed since the death of Qingxuan.

Yet, the Cyan Profound Sect had still not produced a new Golden Core cultivator!

Without a Golden Core cultivator, the Cyan Profound Sect lacked the absolute power to dominate the sea region with impunity!

Thus, they could only resort to political machinations to suppress the development of the various Foundation Establishment families under their rule.

Aiding the Luo Family against the Qi Family a decade ago was just one such example.

However, as internal strife within the Cyan Profound Sect intensified, even these political games were becoming impossible to maintain!

’This time, with the Beast Tide’s attack, the Cyan Profound Sect did nothing and lost the hearts of the people...’

(In this context, "the people" refers to the various Foundation Establishment families and Loose Cultivators; mortals are not included.)

’While Weiyuan Immortal City stepped forward to shoulder the responsibility...’

’The ’Mobile Fleet’ was formed to deal with the Beast Tide, so why couldn’t it become... a permanent institution?’

Su Ye’s eyes were profound.

Without a doubt, by using this Beast Tide as an opportunity, Weiyuan Immortal City—through its own outstanding performance—had successfully usurped some of the Cyan Profound Sect’s functions!

’Next...’

’The Cyan Profound Sect and Weiyuan Immortal City are bound to have a fierce struggle for dominance over the sea region...’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

’And what’s more... there are the natives, hidden in the shadows!’

’The three powers will intertwine, like three great millstones of flesh and blood... grinding countless cultivators to dust between them...’

A sudden chill ran through Su Ye’s heart!

He took a deep breath, raised his head, and licked his lips.

A fire seemed to burn within his ink-black eyes!

Having seen the situation clearly, what Su Ye felt was not fear, but... excitement!

"Total chaos?" he chuckled.

"I love it!"