Supreme White Island.
Fang Qing counted on his fingers. He had already spent ten years in seclusion.
"I don't think I've ever secluded myself for so long in my life?"
He turned his spiritual sense inward and saw the Tide-Birth Pearl suspended high within his qi sea dantian, flanked by two magical treasures: a pearl and a flute.
Beneath the Tide-Birth Pearl, seventy-seven drops of liquid mana had gathered into a deep, emerald pool.
Though Fang Qing had remained in seclusion, he had kept watch over the situation in both worlds through informants such as Xu Hei and Xiang Dahu.
Everything remained as usual in the Lesser Vast Sea. Neither the Azure Sea Sect nor the Sea-Extinguishing Alliance had made any major moves.
Over at Three Origins Island's Three Talents Market, however, Zhan Hongxiu had successfully reached Foundation Establishment. She had loudly publicized Lu Lingfeng's grave crimes, including throwing in his lot with demonic cultivators and murdering his master, and had fought several fierce battles with the Jiang Family patriarch.
Although she had reached Foundation Establishment somewhat later, she had a second-order Longevity Tortoise and had managed to best the Jiang Family's Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Unfortunately, after his defeat, the Jiang Family cultivator had retreated to Three Origins Island and sheltered behind its formations. Zhan Hongxiu had been unable to advance, and he had instead contacted demonic cultivators to ambush her, dealing her a moderate setback.
But she had considerable fortune and had turned disaster into a blessing. Word had it that she had won the friendship of the deep-sea merfolk and was recuperating. Who knew when she would come surging back? "As for Ancient Shu and Xituo Commandery..."
Fang Qing sighed deeply.
Those Purple Mansion cultivators could discern the finest detail. Even a Dao Foundation cultivator with a proper