Chapter 381: Various Factions

Of the two groups that emerged from the teleportation array, one group was mostly dressed in white robes embroidered with golden cloud patterns.

The leading man had a square face, narrow eyes, a prominent nose, and two long, thin silver whiskers above his lips.

If Han Li were here, he would probably be surprised to find that this man was none other than Xiao Jinhan, the Palace Master of the North Cold Immortal Palace.

Behind him stood four or five others dressed in the same North Cold Immortal Palace attire, including Vice Palace Master Xue Ying and Golden Immortal Lu Yue, who had appeared at the Candle Dragon Dao before.

In addition, there were three cultivators wearing Candle Dragon Dao robes, led by Ouyang Kuishan, the three Golden Immortal Dao Masters.

The other group was entirely dressed in blue robes, members of the Cangliu Palace who had also appeared in the Candle Dragon Dao battle. The leader had a kind face and faint blue glints in his eyes; he was Luo Qinghai, the Great Palace Master of Cangliu Palace.

Beside Luo Qinghai stood a young man in his early twenties, with an extremely delicate appearance. Though male, he gave a stunning impression.

Most of the others seemed to have appeared at Candle Dragon Dao as well.

Lu Jun, his face full of excitement, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Lu Jun, Island Lord of Black Wind Island, welcomes Palace Master Xiao, Palace Master Luo, and all the senior fellow cultivators. Your presence here at Black Wind Island truly honors our humble abode."

The man surnamed Feng beside him also stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Xiao Jinhan.

Xiao Jinhan merely nodded slightly at Lu Jun and the other man, then led his group out of the teleportation array.

"Island Lord Lu is too courteous. No need for such formalities," Luo Qinghai returned the bow to Lu Jun, then led his group out as well.

Seeing this, Lu Jun and the man surnamed Feng quickly stepped aside and stood still, like two attendants. The other Black Wind Island people in the tower dared not even breathe loudly, lowering their heads and standing to the side.

"So this is the Black Wind Sea Region? Though the spiritual energy is a bit thin, it feels quite nice," Luo Qinghai said casually, walking to a window in the teleportation tower and looking outside.

"I didn't expect that only a few years after parting at Candle Dragon Dao, I would meet Fellow Daoist Luo again in this Black Wind Sea Region. What a coincidence," Xiao Jinhan said indifferently, glancing at Luo Qinghai.

"Hehe, I didn't expect to see Palace Master Xiao again at Guanlan City either. I wonder why the North Cold Immortal Palace has mobilized such a force to this remote sea region? If you need any help from our Cangliu Palace, please don't hesitate to ask. Including myself, everyone in Cangliu Palace is at your disposal," Luo Qinghai said with a smile, his blue eyes flickering slightly.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, why pretend to be ignorant? The Cangliu Palace is now at its zenith, unlike before. Not only does the Five Extremes Palace Master sit in Shang'a Continent, but the Seven Sons of Cangliu are also widely renowned. Even this young friend beside you, with such talent, truly makes me envious. What virtue does the North Cold Immortal Palace have to command the Cangliu Palace?" Xiao Jinhan sneered, glancing at the people behind Luo Qinghai, pausing especially on the delicate young man, and said slowly.

"Ah, this is my disciple Nanke Meng, still shallow in cultivation. Don't laugh at him, Palace Master Xiao. Meng'er, why haven't you greeted Palace Master Xiao yet? Palace Master Xiao is now the foremost figure in the North Cold Immortal Domain. If you can get even a little guidance from him, it will benefit you for a lifetime," Luo Qinghai said, his smile unchanged, instructing the delicate young man behind him.

"Junior Nanke Meng greets Palace Master Xiao," the delicate young man said, his willow-leaf brows slightly furrowed, his expression somewhat unnatural, but he still stepped forward and bowed with cupped hands.

Xiao Jinhan merely nodded slightly without expression and said nothing.

"Speaking of which, that place has descended upon the Black Wind Sea Region this time. With Palace Master Xiao's abilities, I assume you have already investigated where the entrance is?" Luo Qinghai waved his hand for Nanke Meng to step back, then changed the subject.

"Fellow Daoist Luo flatters our North Cold Immortal Palace too much. Regarding this matter, we have only just received news," Xiao Jinhan snorted and said flatly.

"Is that so? If Palace Master Xiao hasn't found that place, then those from Fuling Sect probably haven't found it either. That means our Cangliu Palace still has some chance to pick up some scraps after you two," Luo Qinghai blinked and said with a laugh.

"Are you saying that Fuling Sect already has people here?" Xiao Jinhan stared at Luo Qinghai, asking word by word.

"I'm not sure about that; I've only heard some rumors. Oh, by the way, I also heard that the Great Elder of Fuling Sect seems to have come out of seclusion," Luo Qinghai said calmly.

"Fellow Daoist Luo is indeed well-informed," Xiao Jinhan said, narrowing his eyes.

"Palace Master Xiao flatters me. When it comes to being well-informed, who in the entire North Cold Immortal Domain can compare to the North Cold Immortal Palace? For instance, back then, Bai Lian hid so deeply in Candle Dragon Dao, yet you still found him," Luo Qinghai laughed, glancing meaningfully at Ouyang Kuishan and the other two behind Xiao Jinhan.

Ouyang Kuishan and the other two trembled slightly, a hint of embarrassment in their eyes.

Hearing this, Xiao Jinhan's expression also darkened.

"It seems Island Lord Lu still has important matters to report to Palace Master Xiao. We won't disturb you any longer; we'll take our leave now," Luo Qinghai said, glancing at Lu Jun and chuckling.

"Palace Master Luo jokes. Both of you are honored guests in my Black Wind Sea Region..." Lu Jun, clearly not expecting Luo Qinghai to say such a thing, was momentarily stunned before speaking awkwardly.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, please do as you wish. I believe we will meet again soon," Xiao Jinhan interrupted coldly, his voice flat.

Luo Qinghai smiled slightly, cupped his hands to Xiao Jinhan, then led the Cangliu Palace group flying out, quickly leaving the teleportation tower.

The group did not linger in Black Wind City either, heading straight for the city gate and soon disappearing into the distant sky.

Xiao Jinhan gazed in the direction where the group had flown off, his expression flickering as if pondering something.

"Palace Master, this Luo Qinghai seems to know a great deal," Xue Ying said, walking over and speaking in a low voice.

"Hmph! That man is a notorious old fox, with plenty of eyes and ears both in the open and in the shadows," Xiao Jinhan said coldly.

"Then do you think he has already found out the location of the entrance to the Nether Cold Immortal Mansion?" Xue Ying asked hesitantly.

"Hard to say, but even if he has, it doesn't matter. I don't care about Luo Qinghai; though he is cunning and resourceful, I don't consider his strength a threat. The key is the Reincarnation Hall and the Fuling Sect," Xiao Jinhan said slowly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"The Reincarnation Hall is naturally our Immortal Palace's great enemy, no need to elaborate. But the Fuling Sect... are you referring to the Grand Elder Feng Tiandu?" Xue Ying's beautiful eyes flickered.

"Exactly. Across the entire North Cold Immortal Domain, there are only two people I take seriously. Bai Liyan is no longer a concern; only this Feng Tiandu remains," Xiao Jinhan said coldly.

Xue Ying did not know what to say at that moment, so she could only stand by in silence.

Xiao Jinhan stood for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at Lu Jun and the man surnamed Feng, and ordered, "You two, come here. Tell me in detail all the intelligence you have gathered so far."

...

At that very moment, amidst the endless desolate winds of the Black Wind Sea region, a massive gray flying boat was speeding forward like lightning.

The boat was a full twenty to thirty zhang long, its entire body seemingly made of a gray bone material, looking somewhat old and worn, with even some large holes cracked in places, and blurry patterns inscribed on the hull.

The endless howling yin winds surged around it, making the bone boat's form appear and disappear.

Compared to the boundless yin winds, the bone boat was like a small vessel in a raging storm, tattered and seemingly on the verge of being crushed and torn apart at any moment. But if one looked closely, they would notice that when the yin winds swept against the boat's body, the blurry patterns on the boat immediately emitted a thin layer of grayish ghostly light.

As soon as the yin winds touched this grayish ghostly light, they immediately slid away to both sides.

And the soul-snatching sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves in the desolate winds, upon hitting the grayish ghostly light, were also blocked outside, unable to penetrate the bone boat at all.

This was why, despite the formidable power of the surrounding desolate winds, the gray bone boat could travel through them unimpeded.

At the bow of the bone boat sat a gaunt middle-aged man cross-legged.

His cheeks were sunken, his face withered, and his skin was a purplish-black, making him look like a zombie. Especially the chains of bluish-black wrapped around his body, which occasionally swayed lightly, producing a crisp clattering sound, adding to the eerie appearance.

The zombie-like man stared ahead, with two faint green flames flickering in his pupils like ghost fire.

On the hull beneath him were clearly inscribed clear gray array patterns, forming a complex formation, with gray lines extending from the formation and spreading to various parts of the bone boat.

Just then, a figure emerged from inside the bone boat and walked over to the zombie-like man.

This person wore a gray brocade robe, had a somewhat gaunt face, appeared to be in his thirties or forties, and had long, narrow eyebrows and eyes, giving him a cold and sinister look.

Moreover, his left eye was tightly shut, with a deep scar above it, suggesting he had suffered severe injury.

"Senior Brother, can you still hold on?" the one-eyed man asked softly.

"It's fine," the zombie-like man said indifferently.

"This time, thanks to your flying boat made from the bones of a warding-off-evil beast, we were able to cross this desolate wind," the one-eyed man said, his expression relaxing before grinning.

"Although the desolate winds are powerful, there are still many ways to forcibly cross them; it's nothing remarkable," the zombie-like man said flatly.

"There are probably no more than three people in the entire North Cold Immortal Domain who could say such a thing. Even I, as the Sect Master of the Fuling Sect, would not dare to boast like that," the one-eyed man said with a chuckle.

The withered face of the zombie-like man seemed to show some change, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.

"This time, in obtaining the treasure, I will do my utmost to help you take that final step and achieve the Taiyi Jade Immortal stage," the one-eyed man said solemnly.

"Good, I appreciate your efforts, Junior Brother," the zombie-like man said, letting out a light breath and nodding.

"Senior Brother, you flatter me," the one-eyed man quickly waved his hand.

"By the way, with so many matters lately, I haven't had time to ask. After all these years, have the scoundrels who killed Fang Pan and Chong Luan been found yet?" the zombie-like man asked, recalling something, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.