Night fell, and several bonfires were lit on the small island.
Orange-red flames danced in the darkness, driving away some of the chill and illuminating the weary faces gathered around them. The disciples huddled in twos and threes, some tending their wounds, some silently eating dry rations, and others leaning against rocks with their eyes closed, snatching a little rest.
The relief of surviving the disaster gradually faded, replaced by crushing fatigue and bewilderment-in the space of a single day, they had witnessed the deaths of two Nascent Soul cultivators and nearly a hundred other cultivators. That shock was not something they could digest in a few short hours.
Chen Ming did not disturb them. He knew that what they needed now was not a lecture, but time and quiet. After arranging the watch rotations, he went alone to a stretch of reef on the island's eastern side. Sitting there, he gazed at the distant, pitch-black sea and sorted through everything that had happened that day.
Footsteps approached from behind, light and steady.
"What are you thinking about?" Wan Yao'er sat beside him, her tone even.
Chen Ming did not turn. His gaze remained on the distant sea as he said quietly, "I'm thinking about how the balance of power in the Chaotic Star Sea will change after the destruction of Jade Wave Island and Black Wind Island. About how the Star Palace will react. About what we should do next."
Wan Yao'er fell silent for a moment before saying, "With their Island Masters gone, Jade Wave Island and Black Wind Island are bound to fall into internal turmoil. If we handle things properly, we can seize the opportunity to absorb some of their territory and resources."
Chen Ming nodded, a hint of concern in his voice. "But timing is