C524 The Third Guardian
Several days passed.
Yu Yuan remained indoors, secluded in a pavilion arranged by the Skyreach Consortium. He was in deep communication with the cauldron spirit while introspecting.
Van Heqing, the seventh Grand Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect, had wielded the Shatterblade to rid him of all hidden perils!
The evil spirit had been successfully refined into the Bane, consuming the icy current at the base of the sword sheath and undergoing another transformation.
Both the cauldron and the cauldron spirit reaped the benefits.
A profound respect for Van Heqing grew within Yu Yuan.
This Grand Sword Immortal had shown him that supreme combat prowess could reverse the direst of circumstances!
Van Heqing's swordsmanship had inflicted injury upon Lin Zhuyun during her retreat, deterred the Abyssal Leviathan from further rash actions, eradicated the anomaly within the cauldron, and even quelled the chilling stream.
Such was the awe-inspiring might of a Grand Sword Immortal!
"I must hasten to enhance my own level of cultivation and combat strength!" he resolved.
His mind's eye slipped into the Bracelet of Holding, observing the solid crystal blocks resembling millennia-old Sunsorrow, exuding the scent of pine. Yu Yuan pondered in silence.
Originally, there were thirteen pieces of the giant beast's Sunsorrow; one was traded to Zu Ann of Rosy Cloud Island for a key.
The Skyreach Consortium had claimed two pieces, and Yuan Lianyao had requested one.
Thus, only nine pieces of the giant beast's Sunsorrow remained for his use.
"The reconstruction of the vitality within the little world of Veil Breaking requires the aid of pills," he mused with a furrowed brow. "I trust only my own concoctions, yet with the current turmoil in the Sundering Isles and being marked by various factions, leaving Celestial Isle would demand the utmost caution."
"I shall bide my time, observing until I am certain the situation has stabilized, then seize an opportunity to depart discreetly."
He decided to wait until the climate was more secure.
One early morning, Jiang Yurong from the Consortium approached and informed Yuan Lianyao, "Ms. Yuan, Faang Yao from the Ruby Hand has arrived and requests an audience."
Yuan Lianyao, clad in a vibrant red gown, was visibly shaken. "I will meet with him immediately!"
Faang Yao was the individual within the Ruby Hand with whom she was most familiar.
He had set foot in Asvetaesi before Zhou Cangmin, the state preceptor. His acceptance into the Flame Halberd, due to her father Yuan Qiufang, had recently aided her in condensing her Lunar Spirit on a sweltering island overseas.
Her trust in Faang Yao was unparalleled.
"Your father is here too, on the island," Jiang Yurong said with a light chuckle. "Faang Yao and your father would like to meet Yu Yuan. However, this place is a private area of the Consortium. Even Lord Faang Yao cannot enter at will. If you and Yu Yuan wish to see them, you'll have to go outside."
Yu Yuan grasped the situation immediately upon hearing her.
He and Yuan Lianyao had been escorted here by Zhu Peining, but not for the same reasons as when they were aboard the Sea Wanderer. Previously, the Consortium had allowed Yuan Lianyao to stay on the fourth floor out of respect for Faang Yao.
This time, he wasn't simply riding on Yuan Lianyao's coattails.
Zhu Peining's decision from the Skyreach Consortium was influenced by Van Heqing's gesture of presenting a sword.
The sword's will, capable of shattering all, symbolized the Grand Sword Immortal's supreme authority and conveyed the power and intent of the most influential figure in the Sundering Isles.
As one of the nine revered Sword Immortals of the Sword Sect, Van Heqing commanded a natural prestige that surpassed that of Faang Yao.
"Yu Yuan?"
At the doorway, Yuan Lianyao's eyes sparkled with delight at her father's arrival, her face brimming with anticipation. "Shall we go together?" she asked, her voice tinged with a sudden shyness.
Back when her father was in Asvetaesi, her relationship with Yu Yuan was nowhere near as close as it was now.
Yet, having gone through the trials of the Moonfall Sanctuary, the Forgotten Ruins, and the recent string of events, the rumors about her and Yu Yuan had already begun to circulate.
Particularly after her behavior towards Yu Yuan on Rosy Cloud Island, when she emerged from the sea and carried Yu Yuan to Celestial Isle...
With the emergence of Solar Spirit experts, Yu Yuan's identity was sure to become common knowledge throughout the Sundering Isles.
Her relationship with Yu Yuan might have been muddled and ambiguous due to rumors.
Yuan Qiufang and Faang Yao were likely to inquire about it as well.
She suddenly felt a bit anxious.
"I won't be leaving this place just yet," Yu Yuan said with a smile, shaking his head. "Find out what's happening outside and fill me in later. How are things in the Sundering Isles?" He gestured to the Golden Sanctum acupoint near his waist, adding, "The underlying issue persists."
At his words, Yuan Lianyao felt a mix of relief and disappointment.
She nodded and followed Jiang Yurong out of the room.
The door closed softly behind them.
This secluded gem of an island, with its rune circle crafted by the Skyreach Consortium, boasted bridges over streams, artificial mountains, and rare stones, all nestled among various pavilions.
Here, Yu Yuan wasn't concerned about external disturbances or being spied upon by the Abyssal Leviathan.
In fact, without the protection of the Crucible of Evil, and not being inside it, the eight clusters of sunfire remained still—a testament to his compliance.
Yu Yuan surmised that the rune circle played a role, and that the Abyssal Leviathan, through Lin Zhuyun, knew he was on Celestial Isle under the protection of the consortium.
Sword Island was close to Celestial Isle, and Van Heqing had even drawn his sword in its defense.
The Abyssal Leviathan, despite its arrogance, would likely avoid confrontation with Van Heqing until it regained its full strength.
After all, Van Heqing was the Grand Sword Immortal, ranked seventh within the Sword Sect, and a cultivator of the Unbound realm.
In the vast expanse of the Star River, he was a formidable force that could instill fear in the Sky Fiend and cause extraterrestrial beings to shudder.
"Cough, cough, Brother Lee Qi, no, Yu, you've really kept me in the dark!"
As Yuan Lianyao departed, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.
Yu Yuan's face registered surprise upon hearing it, wondering to himself, 'How could it be him?'
During his time on the Sea Wanderer, Feng Zhong, the Windspeaker, had similarly burst in shortly after he boarded, seeking an audience. Now, it seemed history was repeating itself.
He had been aboard the Sea Wanderer back then, but now he found himself on Celestial Isle, within the enigmatic confines of the Skyreach Consortium.
"This individual must be extraordinary!"
Yu Yuan was intrigued and made his way over, pushing the door open.
To his surprise, not only was Feng Zhong there, with his goatee and shifty eyes, but Zhu Peining, the former Sea Wanderer's overseer, was also present.
Feng Zhong was no longer hunched over; his posture had straightened somewhat, though he still had a sleazy air about him.
Beneath his gray robe, his skin was exposed, dry and cracked like ancient bark.
He grinned at Yu Yuan from the doorway, "Yu, aren't you going to invite me in?"
Before Yu Yuan could respond, Feng Zhong was already peering curiously inside, his gaze ambiguous, "There's nothing inconvenient, right? Ms. Yuan has already left, after all."
Yu Yuan's expression soured as he stepped aside to let Feng Zhong and Zhu Peining in, then promptly shut the door. "Mr. Feng, why did you toy with me on the ship? What have I done to deserve you knocking on my door, seeking to sell information?"
Zhu Peining, who had been standing outside with Feng Zhong, remained silent by his side.
As they entered the room, Zhu Peining gave a slight bow, allowing Feng Zhong to proceed first.
This subtle gesture betrayed a truth—Feng Zhong's status was significantly higher, and Zhu Peining was well aware of it.
"I wasn't toying with you. As the Windspeaker, it's my job to sell news to those who board the ship," Feng Zhong said with a sly chuckle, glancing around with envy. "Yu, you really make me jealous. Before I left the ship, a pair of sisters were eager to join you."
"And now, you've caught the eye of the Ruby Hand's most exquisite flower."
"Such luck with the ladies is beyond even my wildest dreams."
He rambled on, his head shaking as he fixated on these romantic escapades.
"Please, Senior, no more jests," Yu Yuan pleaded, sitting down on the floor and leaning against a pillar. "Those sisters from the Nightbane Sect nearly did me in on the ship, and they attacked me again beneath the sea. I'm lucky to be alive; otherwise, I'd be nothing but bones by now."
Zhu Peining scoffed, "You sly fox, knowing full well the reputation of the Nightbane, yet you still dare to meddle with them."
Yu Yuan protested, "Mr. Feng can vouch for me. It was Tong Laoqian, that old devil, who set me up!"
"If you weren't harboring ill intentions and lust, why would you let those sisters stay in your room?" Zhu Peining huffed. "Men, no matter their age, are all the same! Had it been an old crone like me instead of those beautiful sisters, would you have let her stay?"
"Sister Zhu, please, no need for veiled insults!" Feng Zhong interjected.
Zhu Peining cleared her throat and responded, "Of course, I wouldn't dare insult you, sir."
Yu Yuan chose not to defend himself further and shifted the focus, "Mr. Feng, since you've graced us with your presence, please feel free to ask whatever you wish."
"Why talk of questioning? It sounds so harsh," Feng Zhong said, mimicking Yu Yuan's posture as he sat down, propping himself up with his hands, and asked with a grin, "Tell me, why did Van, the old eccentric, assist you with his sword? We've been neighbors for years in the Sundering Isles, and I've never seen him draw his sword before."
"Who exactly are you, Senior?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"Foolish boy, he's already mentioned being Van's neighbor," Zhu Peining interjected from behind Feng Zhong. "We're on Celestial Isle, the inner sanctum of the Skyreach Consortium!"
Yu Yuan paused for a moment before his eyes brightened, "Celestial Isle, the most enigmatic of the three guardians!"
The Sundering Isles are the Skyreach Consortium's most valued division. The Consortium's vast array of goods are distributed from Celestial Isle to all the sects and empires throughout the Everlands.
As such, the Skyreach Consortium has appointed three permanent guardians for the isle.
The individual capable of turning the sea to gold, fortifying it like a bastion, is one of the guardians stationed on Celestial Isle.
The person who, a few days prior, wielded the profound meanings of the Water Spirit Spell to attack Lin Zhuyun, is the second guardian.
Both are well-known to the public, frequently appearing throughout the Sundering Isles and recognized by all.
The third guardian was well-known, yet shrouded in mystery.
Rumors had it that the seldom-seen guardian of Celestial Isle was the true power broker, the mightiest warrior of the Skyreach Consortium on the island.
Could Feng Zhong, the hunched man with a goatee who peddled information aboard the Sea Wanderer, be this enigmatic guardian?
"Windspeaker and the Skyreach Consortium are essentially one and the same," Zhu Peining clarified. "He is a Windspeaker by origin, accustomed to roaming far and wide with the Sea Wanderer under the guise of the Lunar Spirit. It's his way of cultivating."
Yu Yuan felt a shiver run through him as he recalled another incident.
During his time on the Sea Wanderer, the eight clusters of sunfire within the Golden Sanctum's little world had stirred on several occasions.
Yet Lin Zhuyun and the Abyssal Leviathan had not made their move against him.
He had assumed that the Abyssal Leviathan was still recovering, wary of Zhu Peining, Tong Laoqian, and the others, biding its time until they reached the Sundering Isles.
But the death of Pei Zhen on Demon's Scar proved his initial judgment wrong.
Lin Zhuyun was fully capable of annihilating peers like Zhu Peining and Tong Laoqian.
The reason she hadn't attacked wasn't due to Zhu Peining or Tong Laoqian's presence.
It was because Feng Zhong, this mysterious figure, was hidden aboard the Sea Wanderer!
"I want to know why that girl was so hell-bent on killing you," Feng Zhong mused, rubbing his hands together. "Seeing her determination, I'm starting to feel less envious of you, Yu. She's your betrothed, and yet there's such animosity between you. You must have been quite the charmer!"
"The facts seem to support that," Feng Zhong continued. "On the ship, you had sisters throwing themselves at you, not to mention your flirtations with the Ruby Hand's red lotus. You're engaged, yet you shared close quarters with those sisters and Yuanyuan. Is that really appropriate? Her jealousy fueled a bloody rampage across the Sundering Isles, and I'm left with quite the mess to explain."
With a pained expression and earnest tone, Feng Zhong lamented, "Yu, the fault lies with you!"
Zhu Peining trailed behind, her expression a curious mix of amusement and restraint, as if she was struggling to hold back laughter.
Yu Yuan was deeply shaken. He had discerned a crucial fact from the elder's words and exclaimed, "Senior, why do you believe that she isn't possessed by the Sky Fiend, but rather retains her spiritual wisdom?"
