*Ahem, can't hold out anymore. Gonna grab some food and rest a bit.* ************* They had thought that discovering the Hidden Island would bring the Cloudy Mist Sect lasting fame. Instead, their great ship had been blown to smithereens. Even if those who survived managed to find some treasure on this island, how were they supposed to make it back to the Cloudy Mist Sect?
Without the sturdy ship, not even a Shenyou Realm expert could hope to cross nearly ten thousand li of open ocean.
A wave of grief and quiet unease washed over the three Cloudy Mist Sect disciples. All three were young and had never faced any real hardship. First, they'd been attacked by sea demon beasts, watching countless seniors and fellow disciples die before their eyes — human lives as fragile as ants. If they hadn't been lucky, their corpses would already be food for the fish. They'd escaped by sheer fortune, only to end up stranded on this deserted island with no way home. Naturally, they were devastated.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister Qing. Junior Brother will definitely find a way to bring you all back," Miao Lin said, well versed in the art of impressing women. Panic gnawed at him inside, but he knew this was the perfect moment to show off, so he hurried to speak up, his earnest words pouring forth for all to see.
Yu Aoqing was already in a terrible mood. Hearing him boast like that, she let out a cold laugh. "What ability do you have to take me out of here? Can you build a ship that can withstand demon beast attacks?"
"No," Miao Lin answered, caught off guard, his expression turning sheepish.
"Then can you fly across ten thousand li of ocean?" Yu Aoqing pressed again.
"Also no..."
"Then shut your mouth!" Yu Aoqing unleashed all the pent-up frustration she'd been carrying since the days aboard the ship. If they weren't in the middle of a crisis, she probably would have struck him already.
Zhang Yu hurried to smooth things over. "Don't be angry, Senior Sister Qing. Miao Lin was just running his mouth."
"Hmph!" Yu Aoqing flipped her hair, turned, and walked along the shoreline, her voice cold as she spoke. "No ability whatsoever, yet you try to play the hero. Know your own limits!"
Zhang Yu hurried after her.
Miao Lin had only meant to comfort her, but instead got a barrage of sarcasm and cutting words from Yu Aoqing. His face darkened, and he muttered under his breath. A flash of malice crossed his eyes, and he turned to glance at Yang Kai, killing intent surging within — as if he wanted to vent his rage on Yang Kai instead.
"Bring him along!" Yu Aoqing's icy voice carried from up ahead.
Miao Lin hastily agreed. He shot Yang Kai a venomous glare, then gave him a rough shove.
The four of them walked along the beach in one direction. Though Yu Aoqing hadn't said what they were doing, Yang Kai knew she was searching for the other Cloudy Mist Sect disciples who had scattered while fleeing.
This was undoubtedly the right move. They were few in number with no elders to lead them — naturally, they needed to regroup.
But after walking the beach all day, they had only found four other survivors. Only two of those were Cloudy Mist Sect disciples. The other two were ordinary people. The rest had scattered to who knew where.
Their group grew to eight, but their overall strength hadn't improved much. All five Cloudy Mist Sect disciples were of the younger generation.
The last two Cloudy Mist Sect disciples they found were a man and a woman — the man was named Qi Yuan, the woman Luo Qianqian. Neither was particularly strong, roughly at the peak of the Qi Movement Realm to the Separation-Union Realm.
Unable to find any of the elders, Yu Aoqing looked increasingly rattled. Among the five Cloudy Mist Sect disciples here, hers was the strongest cultivation — at the sixth level of the Separation-Union Realm. Everyone else was weaker. On top of that, she held a fairly high status within the sect, so naturally everyone looked to her as their leader, expecting her to guide them to safety. The weight on her shoulders was clearly overwhelming her.
That night, the three ordinary people were ordered by the sect disciples to gather firewood. A bonfire was lit on the beach. Everyone gathered around to discuss what to do next.
Some suggested going to search for the elders. Others said they should stay put and wait for someone to find them. Opinions were divided.
In the end, Yu Aoqing spoke up. "Since we've entered the Hidden Island, we shouldn't waste this opportunity. Tomorrow, we venture inside to explore. We might run into our martial uncles. Even if we don't, if we find opportunities or treasures, we might be able to leave this place and return to Cloudy Mist."
Everyone agreed that Yu Aoqing made sense. More importantly, the wealth and opportunities hidden within the island were what truly tempted them.
After their discussion ended, Yang Kai spoke up timidly. "Esteemed cultivators, if you're going into the island, could you perhaps not bring the three of us along? We're just coastal fishermen. If we run into danger, we won't be able to fight like you — we'd only be a burden..."
The other two ordinary people were thinking the same thing, but none of them had the nerve to say it. Hearing Yang Kai speak, they looked at Yu Aoqing with hopeful eyes.
They knew the decision was hers to make.
Zhang Yu furrowed her delicate brows slightly and nodded. "He's right. Bringing you along really is a burden."
She had expected Yu Aoqing to agree to leave the three ordinary people behind. But to her surprise, Yu Aoqing only paused briefly before shaking her head, a faint smile on her lips. "You were brought here by our Cloudy Mist Sect. If we leave you behind, who knows what dangers you might face. Better to stick with us — at least then there's a chance you'll make it out alive."
*You viper!* Yang Kai cursed inwardly. He knew exactly what Yu Aoqing was thinking. This woman, with her stunning beauty and her venomous heart, was anything but kind-hearted.
Though he thought this, outwardly he had no choice but to express his gratitude, sighing to himself that he'd probably have to stay with the Cloudy Mist Sect people a while longer.
That was fine, actually. He didn't know much about this Hidden Island anyway — might as well tag along and learn the lay of the land. When things truly got dangerous, would he really have trouble finding a chance to escape?
That night, the five Cloudy Mist Sect disciples took turns keeping watch.
The next day, the group of eight ventured into the Hidden Island to explore.