The sea breeze still blew, carrying its salty tang and wisps of sourness. Chen Wuya leaned against a reef, the red mark in his right palm slowly losing its heat, though his meridians felt as though they had been scoured by sand and gravel. With his eyes closed, Misaligned Force twisted crookedly through his body, barely sustaining his last breath.
Footsteps sounded in the distance, neither hurried nor slow, crisp against the wet flagstones.
He did not open his eyes. He could tell this was someone new. Not Bai Zhi's footsteps, nor Mo Feng's frantic rhythm. This person walked steadily, every step as measured as if by a ruler.
"Can you still stand?" The voice was old, yet powerful.
Chen Wuya opened his eyes and saw an elderly man in a robe of jade green standing three paces away, a whisk in his hand. His gaze rested on Chen Wuya's face, holding neither contempt nor pity.
"I can." As he spoke, he braced a hand on the ground and slowly rose. His knees were a little weak, but he did not fall.
The old man studied him for several breaths before speaking. "I am the Lord of Penglai Island. Was it you who resolved the sea beast disturbance just now?"
"More or less."
"You didn't use a formation."
"I'm not a formation master."
The Island Lord fell silent for a moment, then took a jade talisman from his sleeve and gave it a gentle squeeze. The talisman cracked open, and a faint glow shot into the air, instantly shrouding the entire island. The ruined mechanism platforms around them began to tremble. Several broken chains reconnected on their own, and the cannon muzzles slowly turned toward the open sea.
"This is the Sea-Calming Token. It can activate the island's defenses, but