The retaliation produced immediate results.
Over the next half month, the covert war between Divine Wind Island and Tianxing City grew increasingly fierce. Wan Yao'er personally led three successive raids, plundering two Tianxing City transport ships and a small patrol vessel. She seized supplies worth more than two hundred thousand Spirit Stones and killed over thirty Tianxing City cultivators. Every operation was swift and clean, leaving neither survivors nor traces. Although Tianxing City knew perfectly well that Divine Wind Island was responsible, it could find no evidence.
Meanwhile, Tianxing City also retaliated. Its forces harassed and attacked Divine Wind Island's merchant ships more frequently, even establishing several blockade lines in the waters surrounding the island in an attempt to cut off its contact with the outside world. But Chen Ming had prepared well in advance, stockpiling vast quantities of supplies. In the short term, he had nothing to fear from a blockade.
Friction between the two sides continued to escalate, with small clashes breaking out almost every two or three days. Although it had yet to become an all-out war, anyone with eyes could see that the conflict between Divine Wind Island and Tianxing City had become irreconcilable. Sooner or later, a major battle would erupt.
Yet no one expected the turning point in this conflict to arrive sooner than any of them had anticipated.
That day, Chen Ming was in the Council Hall discussing their next course of action with the Four Chiefs when a disciple suddenly came to report that a Star Palace inspection ship had arrived offshore. It flew the flag of a special envoy from the Star Palace, who requested an audience with the Island Master.
"A special envoy from the Star Palace?" Chen Ming frowned and exchanged a glance with Wan Yao'er. Both saw a