This island is named Jingyi Island, a residence for the newly inducted disciples of the Sword Sect, indicating its safety.

Many sword cultivators stationed on the island have also flown towards Warm Water Island.

Song Yan's perception is exceptionally strong, and even from scattered conversations, he can sense that the sword cultivators are more curious than fearful.

Though Misty Sea naturally has demon beasts, the appearance of a water flood dragon is indeed rare.

The sword cultivators are going with the purpose of observing and preventing harm from spreading.

Junior Sister An Li, after staying awake for two days and nights and in high-stress situations, finally reached a safe place and quickly fell asleep.

Song Yan sat cross-legged beside her, quietly regulating his breath and sensing the surroundings.

Suddenly, he paused, as he sensed something seemed to be crawling up from the nearby lake water, two of them, rustling quietly, with little movement and well-concealed auras. Once ashore, the two swiftly darted away.

He furrowed his brows slightly, remembering that Tian Xiaoling was still on Jingyi Island.

The little one is Tian Xiaojiu's niece and was brought into the sect by him.

If unfortunate enough to die from this trivial matter, it would certainly unsettle his mood.

It's like planting a seed in the soil which he usually wouldn't care for, but if something devoured it right in front of him, he naturally would be displeased.

However, he had barely moved when he heard a startled shout from afar.

"Elder of the Crimson Palace?! How come there's a sword cultivator of your level on this island?"

"Who are you?"

Though the voice was disguised, it bore a sharp edge.

Soon, a calm voice responded: "I'm but an ordinary island guardian for the Sword Sect, just on duty today."

Both sides quieted down.

The calm voice continued: "I know you two are fox demons, but I don't intend to intervene. Our Sword Sect doesn't wish to invite trouble, you should return to where you came from."

Listening to this, Song Yan felt speechless.

Not everyone in the Sword Sect is as reckless as Junior Sister Xiaojiu.

What is this Elder doing?

Not wanting to invite trouble, yet letting the fox demon spies slip away amidst the chaos, isn't that inviting even greater trouble?

You should either not reveal yourself and swiftly eliminate the two fox demons. By showing yourself and explaining that "our Sword Sect doesn't want to invite trouble", what is that supposed to accomplish?

However, he isn't a caretaker of the Sword Sect, nor an ancestral figure; the Sword Sect has its own operational rules unless something akin to the "Jingzhe Konglan Mountain" event arises—"Puppet Sect high-level officials fleeing, Sword Sect high-level officials facing destruction"—he'd hardly bat an eyelid, not to mention take action.

...

...

The distant storm lasted for more than half an hour, the entire Warm Water Island appeared as if it had been washed by lake water, and eventually, the sounds of battle subsided.

Another hour passed, seemingly the sword cultivators completed their search around Warm Water Island and confirmed no danger, only then did Song Yan return with Junior Sister An Li.

As soon as they landed on the island, they saw a flood dragon lying in the center of the cultivation square, its scales were a deep blue, its body over ten yards long, with small ice-blue bumps on its forehead.

Many people were already standing around the flood dragon.

Water dripped everywhere from treetop to rooftop, further emphasizing the quietness of the place.

This quietness revealed a strange atmosphere.

Junior Sister An Li immediately saw the burly man leading on the left side of the flood dragon, thus she lowered her head to look at her toes, but when stepping forward, she gathered the courage to speak aloud "I'm sorry, Uncle Luo, I failed in alchemy", yet someone beside her spoke on her behalf first.

"Uncle Luo, the flood dragon struck the island and stirred up a storm, causing the temperature of the alchemy furnace to drop several times, despite the emergency use of Fire Crystal Vine, it was of no avail." Song Yan apologized sincerely, explaining the circumstances, then took out a pill bottle from his storage bag, poured out the mishmash pill, and smiled bitterly, "Uncle Luo, please have a look."

Luo Wangsun glanced at the wasted pill, knowing its toxic nature and strong taste, he had no need for it, thus he didn't even take it, simply laughed, "No worries, let you two youngsters research it, might still have some uses."

"How is that possible?!" Junior Sister An Li suddenly raised her head, "Uncle Luo, punish us! It's all our fault! We failed to do it right!"

Luo Wangsun gently looked at An Li, then slowly raised his head to look at the person opposite, saying, "Great Elder, you've seen it, the Ghost Shark Essence Blood I meticulously prepared is all ruined because of this monster.

The Water Abyss Flood Dragon and the Ghost Shark both belong to the water category demons, which suits me exceptionally well; this flood dragon should be given to me."

The Great Elder stared at the Water Abyss Flood Dragon, speaking in a deep voice, "I cannot agree with you due to certain reasons. However, preparation for refining this pill can begin..."

Luo Wangsun replied, "Alright! Then leave it to An Li and Bai Xiuhu for refining."

As soon as the words fell, the Great Elder said, "No way!"

Luo Wangsun asked, "An Li is a Pill Master of the Su Family, but Bai Xiuhu belongs to your Sun Family, why not?"

The Great Elder glanced at the flood dragon then replied, "But Bai Xiuhu now resides on Warm Water Island, which is the Su Family's territory; perhaps because of An Li, he's already completely biased towards your Su Family?

For fairness, an experienced pill master from the Sun Family must also participate in the pill refining, as these two youngsters inevitably lack experience, even a mere Ghost Shark Crimson Palace Pill would be a challenge to refine, having another experienced pill master would be beneficial."

The air suddenly became quiet.

Song Yan looked at the Great Elder in surprise, feeling the Elder was rather odd.

Upon saying this today, the once-close Su and Sun Families would directly forge a rift, wouldn't they?

If it were ordinary disciples speaking, it would be one thing, but as the Great Elder, the weight is entirely different.

Suddenly, Song Yan recalled the scenario from the days before, "the attack of a fake Song Yan", and seeing the current demeanor of the Great Elder, he suddenly became enlightened.

The fox and wolf races are desperate, thus they are trying to stir chaos, aiming to cause disturbances and see if amidst the turmoil he, Song Yan, would surface.

He is sure that this Water Abyss Flood Dragon was deliberately released by the fox and wolf races, with intentions similar to "Two peaches kill three warriors".

In past history, those "three warriors" used to have a good relationship, yet someone simply exploited "face" to estrange and eliminate all three.

If "face" alone can kill, what about enmity hindering one's path?

The overall "level" on the Mountain and Sea Demon Country side is bound to be higher than Three Kingdoms, Song Yan almost deduced the fox and wolf's next step—the pill recipe for refining the Water Abyss Flood Dragon.

That pill recipe might suddenly emerge from somewhere within days, able to push "the Great Elder and Luo Wangsun's conflict to the extreme", thereby inducing internal strife in the Sword Sect.

But internal strife isn't outright chaos.

The Sword Sect may develop cracks but won't straightforwardly collapse.

So, if he were the fox and wolf races, the next step is obvious—brothers quarrel within walls, then taking advantage of the chaos to attack.

As for the attackers...

Song Yan pondered for a moment and arrived at a small conjecture: the Puppet Sect, Sword Sect's mortal enemy, might be the one.

And the Puppet Sect...

His Divine Sense flickered, scanning the three cages subdued beneath him within the Ice Hell.

One person, complexion pale, eyes vacant yet cruel, this is the Paperpeak Senior Brother— Gong Libai, Early Stage Crimson Palace.

One person, face full of rashes, a dwarfish old woman, Middle Stage Crimson Palace, who is the Blood Corpse Peak Master—"Blood Granny" Blood Cliff.

And the third cage originally belonged to him, had now one more person, this one was burly, injured all over, short-haired with a fierce face, appearing as if surrounded by flowing flames.

While parting with Blood Granny then, Song Yan had given her a secret order, which was to give "the third Ice Floating Life Bracelet to the Mechanical Peak or Bizarre Poison Peak Master".

Now, it seems Blood Granny succeeded.

This short-haired man looks very likely to be the Mechanical Peak Master.

Three of the Puppet Sect's four peaks are now under his control, though not overt, doesn't mean he hasn't mastered the situation.

Then...

If the Puppet Sect wishes to use the chaos to attack the Sword Sect.

Then let them come.

Whether left hand to right hand, or right hand to left hand, he won't be at a disadvantage.

By grasping the situation in the Three Kingdoms and occupying a good vantage point, a slight inference would reveal the whole picture.

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