An hour later.

Xu Ping emerged from Duan Shuang’s cave, feeling refreshed and walking leisurely.

The extreme pleasure of their recent spiritual union had relaxed him completely, washing away the fatigue from days of seclusion and cultivation.

However, just as Xu Ping was about to enter the Blood Bone Hall and return to the underground cave residence, his steps paused ever so slightly.

His expression remained calm and unruffled, yet a faint chill flashed through his eyes, as deep as the starry sea.

In that instant, his unparalleled Divine Sense had caught a hint of an extremely subtle feeling of being watched.

This surveillance did not come from within the island, nor from nearby, but from a distant location, probably no less than a hundred miles away.

Such a high level of technique and strong concealment, if not for his Divine Sense being as potent as Nascent Soul Perfection and far surpassing others of the same level, he might not have detected it at all.

"Is someone... spying on Blood Bone Island?"

Xu Ping’s brows furrowed slightly, and several thoughts flashed through his mind, "Is it Xuanmo True Monarch, that old demon lurking in the shadows, or... the Star Palace?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The ability to perform such long-distance and concealed surveillance is definitely not something an ordinary Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator could accomplish.

And those with whom he had conflicts or reasons to do this were indeed a small circle.

Xuanmo True Monarch was a strong suspect, but the shadow of the gargantuan Star Palace made Xu Ping even more wary.

After pondering for a moment, a decisive look flashed in Xu Ping’s eyes.

"Sneak out and take a look!"

With his current strength and resources, unless a Divinity Transformation Cultivator personally arrived, he was confident he could handle even a Nascent Soul Perfection entity like the ancestor Yun Lan and at least escape unharmed.

Being secretly observed like this, constantly on edge, was not his style at all.

With his resolve set, his figure flickered, seemingly merging into the breeze, and in the next instant, he vanished without a trace, not even stirring the slightest ripple in the air.

The Thousand Illusion Concealing Pearl was exerted to its extreme, perfectly complemented by his powerful Divine Sense concealing technique. At this moment, he seemed to have merged entirely into nothingness.

...

About a hundred miles away from Blood Bone Island, amidst the vast sky, deep within a thick cloud layer.

A Nascent Soul Cultivator dressed in the Star Palace’s distinctive star-patterned robe, with a rather youthful appearance, was sitting cross-legged in the void, intently focused.

In his hand, he held a strange, ancient-looking treasure mirror, its edges inlaid with seven star gems, while the mirror’s surface remained elusive as water.

This mirror, called the "Universe Mirror," was one of the secret treasures not easily wielded by the Star Palace, capable of peering into the distant reality and discerning the vital energies, profoundly marvelous.

The young cultivator was named Ling Hao, a rising star among the direct descendants of Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivators in the Star Palace, holding a significant status.

Yet at this moment, a hint of helplessness and caution lingered on his face.

"Alas, just one order from the ancestor, and we have to sneak around like thieves, spying everywhere..."

Ling Hao muttered to himself, yet he dared not slacken in the slightest.

He diligently used the Universe Mirror, meticulously monitoring every subtle movement on Blood Bone Island, recording all that he saw and heard onto a jade slip beside him.

The Star Palace Saints unexpectedly issued strict orders, dispatching many direct-line late-stage cultivators like him to various parts of the outer seas.

They were tasked with closely monitoring all top forces and major loose cultivators, expected to record every "anomaly," yet without clarifying what exactly constituted an "anomaly."

This undoubtedly made executing the order quite tricky, forcing them to record everything down to the tiniest detail.

Thankfully, they had the Saint-bestowed Universe Mirror, otherwise attempting such long-distance surveillance on a powerhouse matching top-level late-stage cultivators without being detected would be utter folly.

Just as he was fully immersed——

Buzz!

On the dim surface of the Universe Mirror in his hand, an extremely tiny red glint flashed without warning.

"What?"

Ling Hao’s complexion suddenly changed dramatically.

This was a warning from the Universe Mirror, signaling the approach of a tremendously powerful concealed presence.

Almost without thinking, he immediately urged the Universe Mirror with all his strength, its surface rippling like water, sending an invisible detection wave in the direction indicated by the red glow.

The next moment, the mirror faintly reflected an obscure shadow almost integrated with space, silently closing in at an incredible speed.

Though he couldn’t discern the specific features, the faint chill emanating from that shadow, even through the Universe Mirror, made Ling Hao feel as if plunged into an ice cave.

"Discovered, escape!"

He dared not hesitate for an instant.

The opposing force had detected and approached so swiftly, indicating their power far exceeded his estimations.

He fiercely bit the tip of his tongue, spitting a mouthful of vital blood onto the Universe Mirror.

Swoosh!

A brilliant starlight abruptly burst from the cloud, and Ling Hao’s figure, along with the Universe Mirror, instantly blurred and transformed into a minuscule starlight, frantically fleeing toward the distant sea.

"This... actually discovered?"

As Ling Hao employed the Blood Escape Secret Skill and vanished, Xu Ping’s figure slowly emerged from the void, eyebrows tightly knit, his face bearing a hint of astonishment.

He held much confidence in his concealing techniques, and with the Thousand Illusion Concealing Pearl, he was confident even top-level Late-Stage cultivators couldn’t easily detect him from hundreds of miles away.

Despite his careful approach earlier, his presence was still detected when he got within a certain range.

"It was that mirror..."

Xu Ping’s gaze turned sharp, although he hadn’t seen clearly, the hint of the wave from the mirror in the opponent’s hand did not escape his perception, "What a mystical treasure! Can it actually reveal my presence?"

Moreover, the adversary’s decisive reaction and astonishingly swift escape also slightly astonished him.