On a moonless, windswept night, unusual undercurrents stirred among the reefs west of Black Ape Island.
Duan Tianya and Jueqing advanced over the slippery rocks.
Behind them, five hundred Demon Lotus Guards stood in orderly ranks, already dressed in the uniforms of Black Ape Island's Condensed Jade Sect.
On each face, a demon lotus mask gleamed dimly in the moonlight, making them look like death-sworn warriors.
His gaze sharp, Duan Tianya picked up half a Jade Slip from a crevice beneath his feet.
He half closed his eyes and carefully extended his Divine Sense into it, examining the obscure coded script in detail.
A moment later, a cold smile tugged at his lips, and he said softly, "The time has come. Time to draw in the net."
Meanwhile, at the eastern docks, five magic ships slowly approached the shore.
Their hulls rose and fell with the waves, and the lanterns hanging at their bows swayed along, casting a blood-red glow over the large characters "Gongsun" and "Xin" on their hulls, as though they had been stained with fresh blood, giving them an indescribably eerie air.
"Brothers, just give us a cursory inspection. We're all men of the Gongsun Household, and we're doing Hall Vice Lord Xin's business."
At the bow, Han Shi, disguised as a cultivator of the Gongsun Household, spoke with an ingratiating smile plastered across his face.
"Of course, of course. We're only following routine." The manager leading the Black Ape Island contingent was a cultivator in dark robes.
At those words, he waved a hand, his tone somewhat perfunctory.
To his mind, since these were ships of the Gongsun Household and Hall Vice Lord Xin was involved, there presumably would not be any problems. This was merely a formality.
The Condensed Jade Sect Outer Sect disciples on