Li An and the others walked up to the grand hall, where they saw a total of nine people seated. At the head was a middle-aged man with an imposing square face. Ying Huaihai presented the bone powder, eliciting a chorus of astonishment from those present. The Island Master, Ying Tianlong, stared at Li An: "What exactly happened?"

Li An replied, "Reporting to the Island Master, we went out to sea to hunt Spirit Fish and unexpectedly encountered a floating corpse. The others were all struck by the bizarre... all of them died. I thought I was doomed too, but unexpectedly the corpse drifted away and only then did we survive. I’ve brought back the bodies of Ying Meng and the others."

"Quickly, bring them out!"

Everyone looked grave. Li An immediately opened his storage ring, and six corpses appeared in the hall, all indeed tainted with some strange energy. Ying Tianlong stepped down from above to personally inspect them.

As he was lost in thought, suddenly, three of the six corpses sprang up abruptly, launching an attack directly at him.

Ying Tianlong, caught off guard, turned pale as protective light flared up around him. His silhouette began to fade into the void, but the surrounding space was already filled with an explosion of Talismans, leaving him no room to escape. He had no choice but to endure the attack from the three corpses!

At the same time, Li An had also moved—

"How dare you!"

"Assassin!"

The surrounding elders were all shocked. In the next moment, after a heartrending scream, as the fiery light from the Talismans disappeared, they saw that Ying Tianlong had already been controlled by "Ying Lin," unable to move.

"Ying Lin..."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Release the Island Master!"

The crowd shouted, their eyes betraying a mixture of apprehension. Despite the sneak attack, the fact that this individual could seize Ying Tianlong in an instant spoke volumes about his strength.

Though not yet at the Harmonization Dao, he was undeniably a formidable force within the Refining Void!

"I? I am Ying Huaihai!"

Li An’s appearance changed, transforming into the likeness of Ying Huaihai. He declared in a deep voice, "Ying Tianlong murdered the former Island Master, a treacherous villain. Today, I will purge Yingyuan Island on behalf of justice!"

"Ying Tianlong must die! Miss Ying Meng’Er should inherit the position of Island Master—who dares to dissent?!"

As he finished speaking, Ying Meng’Er also revealed her true appearance and proclaimed loudly, "Elder Huaihai’s slaying of the traitor is to uphold the justice of Yingyuan Island— who dares to defy?!"

Immediately, an uproar ensued within and outside the hall.

"Huai Zhou, Huai Ye, fellow Daoists, you have always stood for justice. When the former Island Master was slain, you spoke out bravely. Now that the Young Island Master has returned, why do you hesitate to pay your respects?!"

Li An’s gaze fell on two elders, whose hearts wavered between doubt and loyalty. Hearing these words, they immediately knelt, saying, "Salute to the Young Island Master!"

They belonged to the old Island Master’s faction and had been suppressed ever since his death. Now with Ying Meng’Er back and Ying Tianlong subdued, why wait to switch sides?

For a moment, the other elders in the hall were also at a loss.

"Ying Tianlong deserves to die a thousand deaths. Strip him of his cultivation and await further punishment—"

Li An gave a loud shout and struck fiercely, his palm hitting Ying Tianlong’s Dantian with immense force, obliterating it completely. Ying Tianlong let out a heart-rending cry and immediately fell unconscious.

Seeing this, the others didn’t hesitate and knelt on the spot.

With the just title in Ying Meng’Er’s hands and strong support within the island, and Ying Tianlong now a cripple... the choice was obvious.

"Young Island Master, please ascend the position at once—"

Li An extended a hand toward Ying Meng’Er—

Ying Meng’Er took a deep breath, her emotions reaching the pinnacle, almost in disbelief at how smoothly everything had unfolded!

She walked up to the leader’s seat, sat down, and said, "The principal villain has been executed. All others are pardoned!"

"Elder Ying Huaihai has rectified the situation with great merit to Yingyuan Island. From now on, he shall be the Supreme Elder of Yingyuan Island!"

"Furthermore, release the elders detained by Ying Tianlong immediately!"

...

Thus, Yingyuan Island changed leadership.

Unfortunately, both of Ying Meng’Er’s parents had passed away, leaving only her imprisoned aunt.

This was good news for Li An, as a Ying Meng’Er like this was easier to control!

"Many thanks to Elder Huaihai. In the past, I did not know of the elder’s endurance and heavy responsibilities. Zidai has been disrespectful to Elder Huaihai, please forgive me!"

Ying Meng’Er’s aunt, Ying Zidai, in the early stage of Refining Void, was released from prison and showed great respect to Li An.

Moreover, Ying Meng’Er heeded Li An’s advice and told no one of his true identity. Everyone on the island regarded Li An as Ying Huaihai.

Seeing this, Li An allowed her to stay.

If Ying Meng’Er had revealed Li An’s identity to Ying Zidai, it would have meant that she deemed Ying Zidai more trustworthy than him... Once such a tendency appeared, Li An would not let Ying Zidai live.

The struggle for power is always merciless.

That night, Li An refined Ying Tianlong.

"Dao Spirit Sect?"

In Ying Tianlong’s memory, the most significant aspect was this sect!

Appearing at some unknown time in the depths of the Southern Sea, its power was overwhelming, turning many existing forces into vassals. Many years ago, someone from Dao Spirit Sect found Ying Tianlong and asked him to exploit Yingyuan Island’s unique terrain to refine an ’artifact of sealing’ for them.

Ying Tianlong agreed, and the people of Dao Spirit Sect helped him usurp Yingyuan Island, even refining Ying Meng’Er’s parents, burying them beneath Yingyuan Island for nurturing...

"My parents were refined into sealing artifacts..."

When she found her parents’ bodies, Ying Meng’Er wept like rain!

Li An also personally went to check, feeling a bit startled: the two bodies were buried within Cold Ice, melted beyond recognition, with only faint silhouettes visible in the blue Profound Ice.