C493 A Fisherman on the Back of the Island

Three individuals, each at the Subtlety Realm, were clad in distinct attire. They were all unaffiliated rogue cultivators.

The ringleader had a cunning glint in his eyes as he ogled Yuan Lianyao's chest, seemingly undeterred by the possibility of retribution from the Ruby Hand.

His two companions trailed behind him. One hung his head low, his face ashen, while the other, with his thick brows and wide eyes, crossed his arms and chuckled to himself.

Yu Yuan glanced at them and shook his head, remarking, "Do you really believe you can act with impunity on Rosy Cloud Island?"

Even without Yuan Lianyao's presence, he was confident they could handle the situation, though it would undoubtedly require a significant effort.

"Have you ever considered what I might do if I confronted you three, given your realms and combat abilities?" Yuan Lianyao's expression turned stern.

They had been enjoying a stroll on the beach with Yu Yuan when these unwelcome individuals approached them.

If their cultivation had been profound, reaching the Lunar Spirit level, it might have been a different story—a chance to refine their skills. But these three were merely at the early and middle periods of the Subtlety Realm, easily discernible in strength and offering no real challenge, more annoying than threatening.

"We have some confidence in our combined strength," the man said with a laugh.

Yu Yuan was about to respond when a Soul Voice interrupted him.

Whoosh!

A gleaming copper coin flew from a distance, enlarging a million-fold as it neared. By the time it was close, it had grown to the size of a mountain, with the words "Qian Yuan Tong Bao" etched clearly on its surface, seemingly alive as they flew out.

The four radiant characters transformed into lightning bolts, piercing through the bodies of the three obstructers.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

In a flash, the golden words had passed, and the three cultivators, who had reached the Subtlety Realm and honed their spiritual sense, were struck through the heart and neck. Blood sprayed across the stones, marking the abrupt end of the confrontation.

Yuan Lianyao, who had been seething with anger, suddenly froze. "Tong Laoqian?"

The cultivators lingering nearby underwent a dramatic shift in demeanor.

"It's actually the big devil, Tong Laoqian!"

Even those who had been eager to get a closer look hesitated upon hearing Tong Laoqian's name, and began to slowly back away.

Three cultivators at the Subtlety level had been killed on the spot, their deaths gruesome.

"Why go through all this trouble?"

Yu Yuan shook his head and chuckled mockingly as he sensed wisps of strange power escaping from the three corpses and entering the Crucible of Evil within his acupoints.

The four radiant golden characters, "Qian Yuan Tong Bao," which spelled certain death, reintegrated into the copper coin.

Once the coin had shrunk, it zipped away, seeking out Tong Laoqian.

Beneath the palm tree, Tong Laoqian, leisurely fanning himself, pinched the tiny copper coin between his fingers. With a smile, he turned to Zhang Manman and said, "Mmm-hmm, you're absolutely right. However, the agreed time has passed. Three days have gone by, and naturally, the agreement is now void."

Zhang Manman's plea was for Tong Laoqian to grant her and her sister more time.

Tong Laoqian was well aware that since Yu Yuan had been tipped off by Yuan Lianyao about their situation, granting time was now irrelevant.

Thus, regardless of Zhang Manman's words, he simply humored her with a smile while turning his attention to Zhang Miao, who stayed quiet behind her sister, her head bowed.

Tong Laoqian inwardly scoffed, indifferent to their plight, viewing the sisters merely as a source of amusement.

Yu Yuan's gaze sharpened.

Behind the corpses, a small boat bobbed in the blue-green waters. The vessel, barely a meter long and narrow enough for just one person, was occupied by a man in a raincoat, his back to Rosy Cloud Island. He appeared to be a cultivator from the island, absorbed in fishing, seemingly oblivious to the disturbance nearby.

Yet with just one glance, Yu Yuan sensed something was amiss.

He furrowed his brow and took another hard look at the three lifeless bodies, his expression growing darker by the second.

"Let's head back to the Sea Wanderer."

Yuan Lianyao also sensed that something was amiss. She followed Yu Yuan's gaze to the corpses and remarked, "What's the deal with Rosy Cloud Island? It's not worth the visit. Besides, we've already been through quite a lot. The Skyreach Consortium only allotted us a single day to recuperate. We might as well go back and rest."

Her suggestion to turn back was partly because she couldn't gauge the depth of the fisherman's cultivation level. The three deceased had instinctively turned their gazes towards the fisherman when the coin was thrown.

And it was only at that moment that the fisherman caught the attention of the crowd.

He was clearly present, yet not on the island, and despite being such a conspicuous figure in the sea, he managed to remain unnoticed.

Yuan Lianyao figured it was best to steer clear of trouble. As long as she and Yu Yuan remained on the Sea Wanderer, they should be safe.

The Skyreach Consortium's rules were strict; as long as they were aboard the Sea Wanderer, their passengers were off-limits.

Jiang Yurong had mentioned that the Skyreach Consortium would look after her on behalf of the Ruby Hand sect, but once she disembarked, her safety on Rosy Cloud Island was not guaranteed. Could the Consortium really protect her from those harboring ill intentions?

For some reason, as she stared at the fisherman's silhouette, she felt uneasy.

"Yu Yuan?" she called out, after making her suggestion. Noticing he hadn't responded, she called out to him again.

"He's gone into the sea," Yu Yuan stated abruptly.

Upon looking once more, Yuan Lianyao saw that the fisherman and his skiff were gradually descending into the ocean's depths.

Only then did the others who had disembarked from the Sea Wanderer take note of the fisherman and his vessel, realizing there was an odd presence on the water.

"That man is peculiar. Let's return to the Sea Wanderer," Yuan Lianyao proposed once more. "The three who died seemed to be under the control of his spiritual sense. They had no will of their own."

Yu Yuan nodded slowly, affirming, "I've noticed it too."

"Let's leave. There's something off about Rosy Cloud Island. We shouldn't venture any deeper," Yuan Lianyao added.

"It's all right," Yu Yuan said with a smile. "No worries. Continue walking with me."

"Ah!" Yuan Lianyao exclaimed in surprise.

Elsewhere.

On the fifth level of the Sea Wanderer, Jiang Yurong stood on the rooftop of a house with a lattice design, her expression grave as she discussed matters concerning the ship and the intricate details of purchasing magic items on Rosy Cloud Island.

The woman dressed in sackcloth suddenly furrowed her brow and murmured to herself, "What brings Zu Ann out of hiding?"

"What?" Jiang Yurong initially didn't catch what was said.

"That old monster Zu from Rosy Cloud Island," the woman said with a frown. "He's stirred up trouble with three youngsters, all to meddle with the red lotus."

"Zu, Zu Ann!" Jiang Yurong's face paled as she came to a realization. "That doesn't make sense. We've passed by Rosy Cloud Island countless times, and he's never shown himself!"

"Who knows why he's surfaced this time?" The woman was visibly unsettled. "Since Faang Yao has made his decree, the red lotus must remain unharmed. The Ruby Hand is gaining power, on par with Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep. We must show them respect."

"I understand," Jiang Yurong responded promptly.

"Go and summon the lotus back," the woman commanded. "As long as she's aboard the Sea Wanderer, protected by the rune circle, even if Zu Ann loses his mind, I can safeguard her for some time. But if he disregards our presence on Rosy Cloud Island and actually kills her, there's nothing I can do."

"After all, if he doesn't strike on the Sea Wanderer, he isn't violating the Skyreach Consortium's rules."

With that, Jiang Yurong became truly alarmed and quickly disembarked from the ship.

Zu Ann of Rosy Cloud Island spent years, sometimes even decades, cultivating in seclusion at the bottom of the island, rarely making an appearance.

Many from the Skyreach Consortium had traversed past Rosy Cloud Island time and again without ever hearing tales of this old devil, much less seeing him.

But Jiang Yurong was well aware of the longstanding rumors about "Zu Ann" and knew better than to take him lightly.

Whoosh!

Almost simultaneously, a ghostly Lunar Spirit soared from the fourth floor of the Sea Wanderer, descending towards the sea.

Jiang Yurong, having just disembarked and set foot on Rosy Cloud Island, watched the Lunar Spirit escape from the fourth floor and quietly sink into the ocean, her mind racing with questions. "Why has he also projected his Lunar Spirit and gotten involved?"

She was well aware of the few dwellings on the fourth floor and who occupied them.

Yu Yuan let out a soft sigh, shaking his head in resignation. "A tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease. Is that fellow here for Yuan Lianyao or for me?"

He was well-acquainted with the identity and origins of the island's mysterious angler.

In his past life, he had crossed paths with "Zu Ann" and was familiar with the old devil's temperament and habits.

Unexpectedly, "Zu Ann" had emerged this time, taking control of the consciousness of three individuals to stir up trouble for both him and Yuan Lianyao.

"Has he harbored some grudge against the Ruby Hand over these three hundred years?"

Despite his bewilderment, Yu Yuan chose to disregard Yuan Lianyao's counsel, continuing their exploration of Rosy Cloud Island with heightened vigilance.

After all, there were places he yearned to visit and sights he was eager to behold on the island.

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