The treasure ship cleaved through the azure sea, sailing steadily toward East Pole City.
Inside the cabin, Chen Qing sat cross-legged, his aura deep and heavy, like water in a bottomless pool.
His eyes were slightly closed as the Great Void True Scripture slowly circulated within him, continuously refining the Lotus Heart essence in his body.
This journey to Fuyu Mountain Island had not only pushed his cultivation to the fourth tempering, officially allowing him to step into the True Origin Realm Middle Stage, but had also earned him thirty incomparably precious drops of Earth Vein Profound Marrow. The harvest had been enormous.
Yet there was little joy in his heart. Instead, a cloud of doubt lingered there.
The Demonic Sect had grasped his movements with far too much precision. From his departure from East Pole City for the Myriad Streams Market to Qiao Lian Zheng's ambush along the way, it was as though an invisible pair of eyes had been watching from the shadows.
This was absolutely no coincidence.
Two days later, the familiar outline of East Pole City appeared on the horizon.
The city gates were thronged with traffic and teeming with noise.
Without alerting too many people, Chen Qing quietly returned to Tianbao Supreme Sect's residence in the city.
Not long after he sat down in the hall, Deacon Huang Mei, having received the news, hurried over.
"Your subordinate welcomes True Disciple Chen's triumphant return!" Huang Mei bowed deeply, her face carrying respect along with a trace of fatigue, as though she had been worn down by the affairs of the outpost.
Chen Qing gave a slight nod and gestured for her to sit, then asked directly, "Deacon Huang, while I was away, how has the situation near East Pole City been? Has there been any further