The old man's gaze swept over Shen Lian and the others. His voice was gentle, yet carried a faint, imperceptible scrutiny as he asked:
"Friends, what brings you to Soul Beast Continent? And judging by how steady your auras are, that 'bird' from the east did not stop you?"
Shen Lian understood as soon as he mentioned the Magic Illusion Seagull. As expected, the Deep Sea Black Tortoise King knew that seagull—perhaps they had dealt with each other for many years.
So Shen Lian did not beat around the bush and asked directly:
"Since you have lived here for so long, sir, you must know this continent well. Could you tell us about its origins?"
At this, the Deep Sea Black Tortoise King stroked his snowy-white beard, a distant look flashing through his eyes.
Rather than taking offense at Shen Lian's bluntness, he smiled gently.
"Since you have asked, there is no harm in telling you. We Soul Beasts call this land 'Soul Beast Continent.'"
Then the Deep Sea Black Tortoise King raised a hand and pointed east and west as he slowly explained:
"Though this continent is nominally one land, it is divided between two factions. The waters and marshes in the west belong to the Peace Faction, led by me. Most of my brethren are amphibious Soul Beasts, such as Black Armor Sea Turtles and Swamp Giant Crocodiles. We are fairly mild-tempered and merely wish to live peacefully on this land. We never take the initiative to provoke the outside world."
At this point, his tone shifted, gaining a touch of helplessness.
"But the east is different. The forests and coastlines there belong to the Radical Faction, led by that Magic Illusion Seagull. Most of them are marine avian Soul Beasts, and their tempers are fierce. That Magic