Time hurried by, and more than twenty years passed in the blink of an eye.
In the Outer Sea, nearly ten thousand li from Strange Abyss Island, there lay a small island shrouded in sea mist all year round.
Several streaks of blue and red light flew in from somewhere in the distance, heading toward the mist-shrouded island.
Within the lights were five cultivators-two men and three women-flying on their magical treasures. Only the middle-aged man in his forties had reached early Foundation Establishment; the others were all young Qi Refinement cultivators.
The middle-aged man panted heavily. "Ever since the Beast Tide erupted on Strange Abyss Island more than twenty years ago, these Demon Beasts have grown more and more numerous. Now even these remote waters have fifth-grade Demon Beasts prowling through them. Back on Strange Abyss Island, it was only thanks to a senior's compassion that my senior brother and I managed to escape the Beast Tide with a group of newly initiated junior brothers. It seems my allotted time has finally run out. I'll hold off that fifth-grade fish demon for a moment. Split up and flee when I do. If even one of you escapes, that will be something."
As he spoke, the middle-aged cultivator led the juniors a little farther through the air.
Hearing his words, the young Qi Refinement cultivators could not help despairing. A stocky young man in his twenties said dejectedly, "We're the ones who dragged you into this, Uncle-Master Sun. Without us weighing you down, you could surely escape with your cultivation. Leave us behind and save yourself!"
The middle-aged cultivator laughed at that. "With my paltry cultivation, how could I possibly escape a fifth-grade Demon Beast?"
Then he hurriedly urged them, "Go, quickly! I'm the only one who can hold that