C494 Under the Sun Killing Intent

Beneath the coconut tree, Tong Laoqian gently swayed his fan until he was struck by a sudden realization. The fan in his hand came to an abrupt halt. While Zhang Manman, his sister, continued her desperate pleas, his vision blurred for a moment. Then, in an instant, Tong Laoqian had vanished.

His sister, who had been quietly standing behind him, now stepped forward. Her cold eyes shone with a peculiar light as she gazed toward the far end of Rosy Cloud Island.

Whoosh!

Tong Laoqian, nonchalantly fanning himself, strolled along the island as if oblivious to the world around him. His sudden appearance startled the less powerful rogue cultivators, who quickly altered their expressions and kept their distance.

Tong Laoqian, chuckling to himself, paid them no mind. His attention was drawn instead to Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao, who were walking on the sandy beach close to the water's edge.

The sight of three bloodied corpses strewn across the rocks was a chilling testament to Tong Laoqian's brutality. His gaze, however, was fixed on the spot where the fisherman had just vanished, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Swoosh!"

Jiang Yurong soared from the Sea Wanderer like a majestic bird, swiftly closing the distance. Within moments, she landed before Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao. Without sparing Yu Yuan another glance, she spoke with urgency, "Ms. Yuan, our leader urges you to return to the ship. She can only ensure your complete safety aboard the Sea Wanderer."

Yuan Lianyao paused, deep in thought, then asked, "Is it because of the fisherman who just appeared?"

After a brief moment of contemplation and a quick scan of the surroundings, Jiang Yurong gave a slight nod.

Yuan Lianyao hesitated once more before turning to Yu Yuan.

With an easy smile, Yu Yuan reassured her, "Go ahead to the Sea Wanderer, Sister Mayor. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine."

With that, he deliberately glanced at Tong Laoqian, who had just arrived, and gave him a nod.

Tong Laoqian burst into hearty laughter, waving his fan through the air. He called out to Jiang Yurong, "Sister Jiang, there's no need for concern! I've hit it off with Brother Lee Qi here on the island, and we're about to become sworn brothers."

Many independent cultivators were taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

Curious glances darted from every corner of Rosy Cloud Island, converging on the scene.

A copper coin whizzed through the air, instantly killing three Subtlety cultivators who had attempted to block the path. To onlookers, it appeared as though Tong Laoqian was simply trying to ingratiate himself with Yuan Lianyao.

Some speculated that the old devil, Tong Laoqian, was smitten with the beauty of the "blazing red lotus" and sought to win her favor.

Others believed that Tong Laoqian was aiming to forge an alliance with the Ruby Hand, using this dramatic gesture to test the waters.

Given the Ruby Hand's rising prominence, rivaling the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, a rogue cultivator like Tong Laoqian, with a plethora of enemies and facing the Solar Spirit bottleneck, would find securing a position with the Ruby Hand an excellent escape route.

Despite the various theories, the consensus was that Tong Laoqian's actions were directed at Yuan Lianyao.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, during his conversation with Jiang Yurong, Tong Laoqian had actually brought up Lee Qi, the unassuming newcomer who had boarded the Sea Wanderer mid-journey.

What was it about this attractive young man, so highly regarded by Yuan Lianyao, that caught Tong Laoqian's eye?

Was Lee Qi merely a pretext for Tong Laoqian?

Or was his ultimate goal still to win over Yuan Lianyao?

The Observers were not the only ones baffled; even Jiang Yurong from the Skyreach Consortium was taken aback upon learning that Tong Laoqian felt an instant kinship with Yu Yuan and wished to become sworn brothers with him.

Jiang Yurong was momentarily speechless.

"Thank you for your concern, Manager Jiang, but we're simply enjoying a leisurely walk on the island and won't encounter any trouble," Yuan Lianyao declined with a gracious smile. She then gracefully linked arms with Yu Yuan and resumed their seaside stroll.

Their actions sparked both envy and resentment among the hidden and visible Observers.

Once off the boat, Yuan Lianyao and Yu Yuan seemed very close, their interactions fueling wild speculation, yet in reality, they maintained a respectful distance with no physical contact whatsoever.

Jiang Yurong watched them closely, with Tong Laoqian standing by. The deaths of three individuals had drawn the attention of numerous independent cultivators.

In that moment, without any hint of avoidance, she boldly took Yu Yuan's arm...

It was as if she wanted to signal to everyone that her relationship with Yu Yuan was more than casual, prompting them to speculate about a romantic involvement.

"Who is that guy? How did he get so lucky to catch her eye?"

"Am I not more handsome and imposing than him? My cultivation level is even higher. Why haven't I been blessed with such fortune?"

"Lee Qi, a relative of the Shadowlight Empire's royal family, fell out of favor with the Lee family and is now heading to the Sundering Isles to escape misfortune."

Suddenly, due to Yuan Lianyao's affectionate gesture, Yu Yuan found himself the object of envy, with countless jealous stares piercing him like blades and clubs.

Confronted with all the hostile glares, Yu Yuan simply smiled, gave Tong Laoqian a nod, and reassured Jiang Yurong, "Don't worry, we're fine."

With that, he and Yuan Lianyao continued their leisurely walk along the shore, hand in hand.

Jiang Yurong paused, taken aback. As she was about to offer advice, she caught a remnant soul's whisper.

She nodded at Yuan Lianyao, advising, "Ms. Yuan, please take extra care."

Without further insistence, she furrowed her brow, cast a final glance at Tong Laoqian, and turned to head back to the Sea Wanderer to make her report.

Under the blazing sun, the heat was intense.

Yu Yuan, with Yuan Lianyao's arm in his, strolled along the beach with an air of composure, occasionally pausing for longer stretches on the soft sand.

Initially, a few independent cultivators kept a watchful eye on him.

As time passed, the inhabitants of Rosy Cloud Island busied themselves with other tasks and scattered.

Even Tong Laoqian stopped following. After Jiang Yurong returned to the Sea Wanderer, he shared a meaningful look with Yu Yuan and settled in a shady spot to cool off with his fan.

An hour later, Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao had made their way to the opposite side of Rosy Cloud Island, now a fair distance from the Sea Wanderer docked by the Skyreach Consortium.

On the island, a small hill stood near the two of them.

"Ah!"

A rogue cultivator's terrified scream abruptly pierced the air from that hill.

Yuan Lianyao's face paled slightly.

Yu Yuan, however, seemed unfazed. "Before nightfall, it's expected that some will meet their end on Rosy Cloud Island."

"You appear to be very familiar, almost comfortable with this," Yuan Lianyao observed, her eyes clouded with doubt. "Logically, this should be your first time here, yet you seem to already know the deep sea's rules like the back of your hand."

"I visited the Embers Sea first," Yu Yuan clarified.

"No, it's not the same," Yuan Lianyao countered with a huff. "The Embers Sea is under the jurisdiction of the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, where there is order. Rosy Cloud Island and the Sundering Isles we're headed to lack powerful sects to enforce rules. I struggle to adjust to such chaotic, lawless places where might makes right."

"And yet, you're too composed, eerily so. It makes me suspect there's something off."

Suspicion was written all over her face.

"You're overthinking it," Yu Yuan said with a reassuring smile.

Just then, a gaunt figure emerged silently from the summit of the hill.

The man's complexion was ghostly pale, as though he was a stranger to sunlight. He stood against the roaring sea wind, his clothes whipping about him, while his somber gaze surveyed the scene below.

Yuan Lianyao, who had been laughing moments before, instinctively looked up sharply from the rocky beach.

The man's lips twisted into a sneer as he regarded Yuan Lianyao with the cold calculation of a snake eyeing its prey.

Yuan Lianyao's expression darkened with a sense of foreboding.

Yu Yuan frowned, eyeing the small hill and the pallid man, and murmured, "He's playing with fire."

Yuan Lianyao grew increasingly worried and hissed, "Keep quiet!" Even from the distant peak, the man could hear Yu Yuan's hushed tones, given his level of cultivation.

She recognized him; the emaciated man was a fellow resident of the fourth floor, just like her and Tong Laoqian.

On the fourth floor, where one pays a thousand soulstones daily, status is everything.

The man's level of cultivation was certainly superior to hers. If he disregarded his affiliation with the Ruby Hand and decided to strike suddenly, she doubted she could defend Yu Yuan.

"You just can't help but stir up trouble with that mouth of yours," Yuan Lianyao chided.

"I'm not wrong, though. He's practically a goner, yet he stands there so tall and noticeable," Yu Yuan retorted with a smirk. Noticing the man's growing anger, he casually waved his hand and called out to the figure atop the mountain with a mischievous grin, "Farewell, no need for formalities."

A flash of deadly intent sparked in the man's eyes, signaling his readiness to swoop down for the kill.

Yuan Lianyao's face turned grim as she inwardly scolded Yu Yuan for his recklessness. The man had emerged on the mountain's summit with a clear malevolence in his gaze toward them both. Yet, Yu Yuan seemed intent on fanning the flames with his careless taunts.

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