Feiyu Sea Region, Gui Sha Island.

This place was once the foundation of a minor Foundation Establishment Sect, spanning thousands of miles across.

The island was home to several Grade Two Spirit Veins of middle to lower quality, as well as some Grade One Spirit Veins. Most of its land was fertile, suitable for mortals to farm.

The mountainous regions contained a few ordinary Spirit Ore mines, which provided a stable annual income. All in all, the conditions were rather average.

Ever since the Ling Family of Changqing Continent crushed the allied forces and unified the entire Feiyu Sea Region, this minor Sect, which had originally remained neutral, chose to surrender. All of its Disciples relocated to Changqing Continent.

Now, the island had been taken over by disciples sent by the Ling Family, along with a garrison of Cultivators from other small clans.

The Marketplace on the main island remained, but it was not very popular. It hadn’t been particularly bustling before, and it was even less so now.

Deep within the barren mountains and wild ridges of the island’s eastern part, in a primeval forest teeming with beasts and rarely trodden by humans, Lu Armor hid inside a crudely dug cave.

For a genuine Golden Core Master, such living conditions were truly meager, but there was nothing to be done about it.

Lu Armor had also been injured in the great battle that day, so he had been hiding here to recuperate.

Of course, another reason was that both his Dao Companion and Combat Companion had fallen. The hatred in his heart was impossible to quell, so instead of leaving the Feiyu Sea Region, he lay in wait here, planning to find an opportunity for revenge.

In the dim cave, Lu Armor, who had been sitting cross-legged, awoke from a state of Dao contemplation. His expression was sinister, and his gaze was chillingly cold.

He had cultivated for several hundred years. As a Loose Cultivator with no one to support him, his journey could be described as one paved with blood and tears at every step.

To achieve what he had today, Lu Armor had endured untold suffering, and he had faced numerous life-or-death crises where his life hung by a thread.

Of course, Lu Armor was still considered lucky. Most of the Loose Cultivators who had started out like him had already perished along the way; not even fragments of their bones could be found.

He was the only one who had not only persevered to this day but had also repeatedly encountered fortunate opportunities, eventually stepping into the Golden Core Master Realm.

But now, Lu Armor had suffered such a major setback. His Destiny was greatly damaged, and the future of his Dao path was bleak.

’...Several months have passed. The Ling Family should have let their guard down by now, right?’

Lu Armor pondered silently, a monstrous hatred surging in his heart.

Although he and Yun Wushuang had only become a couple later in their lives, they had been together for nearly a century, supporting and caring for each other. They still had deep feelings for one another.

Now that she and his Combat Companion had perished on Changqing Continent, Lu Armor knew he would never be at peace if he didn’t find a way to avenge her.

However, in the current Feiyu Sea Region, there were no longer any powers that could counterbalance the Ling Family. Facing a late stage Golden Core expert, Lu Armor was all alone and had no confidence in succeeding.

Unless he himself could take another step forward and also advance to the late stage of Golden Core.

But Lu Armor calmly assessed his own aptitude and potential and felt that the hope was truly slim.

Another option was to invite three to five friends to help him deal with Ling Qiyue together.

Unfortunately, after a moment of consideration, Lu Armor realized that while he knew a few Golden Core Masters, his relationships with them couldn’t be described as particularly good.

’For minor matters, it would be fine. But asking them to risk their lives with me? That’s impossible.’

’This is the natural disadvantage of a Loose Cultivator. A Cultivator from a Major Sect or a powerful faction would have a much larger network. They could ask for help from their fellow disciples or clan members, or even from their masters and elders. At the very least, they could borrow a few powerful Magical Treasures.’

’As a Loose Cultivator, I can’t count on anyone for such a major undertaking. I can basically only rely on myself.’

’...Forget it. I’ll stay in the Feiyu Sea Region for a few years first and kill a batch of Ling Family disciples. Then I’ll see.’

Lu Armor gritted his teeth and weighed his options. Even if he couldn’t do anything to Ling Qiyue for the time being, he couldn’t just stand by and watch the Ling Family take control of the entire Feiyu Sea Region.

Lu Armor had learned quite a bit about the situation on Changqing Continent from the three powers. He knew that because the Ling Family had risen too quickly, they lacked a deep foundation.

As long as he could inflict heavy losses on the Ling Family’s disciples, it would be like striking at their lifeline, preventing them from ever growing stronger.

When the time came, he would spread the news that the Feiyu Sea Region was vulnerable. Other major powers would naturally hear of it and come to claim this ownerless land for themselves.

Lu Armor’s gaze grew colder. At that point, he feared the Ling Family wouldn’t even be able to hold on to their precious Changqing Continent. The best-case scenario would be their entire clan becoming vassals; the worst would be them being utterly eradicated.

Just as he was delighting in this thought, a massive BOOM came from outside. The earth shook and the mountains swayed, and his entire cave collapsed.

Lu Armor jolted. His somewhat dazed mind instantly cleared, and an overwhelming sense of danger flooded his heart.

Outside, Ling Qiyue stood quietly in mid-air. Her dress was as white as snow, and her jade-like face was cold, stunning, and alluringly beautiful.

The Fenghuo Panyun Bell hovered above her head, casting down curtains of light. A green and a red Flying Sword danced around her, exuding a sharp, murderous intent.

Behind her floated four Daoist Soldier Puppets, all of them Third Rank Middle Grade quality.

The weed-covered ground suddenly collapsed into a large pit, and a figure faintly exuding a malevolent aura shot out, stopping only when he was several hundred feet from Ling Qiyue. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"You... You actually found me so quickly?"

Lu Armor’s face darkened, his eyes fixed grimly on the beautiful woman across from him.

’Even though I’m not skilled in the Heavenly Secret Shielding Technique, I still know some methods to conceal the aura of my fate. Logically, she shouldn’t have been able to find me.’