With this strike, both exerted their strength simultaneously. The spirit sword of the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator finally couldn’t hold up and was cleaved in two by the "Jade Sea Listening Wave Sword," falling into the sea.
Following the force, Li Yunjing was sent flying backward, caught by the cyan light of the "Cyan Cloud Ship," returning him to the deck.
The brief pause of the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator caused him to fall over twenty zhang behind the "Cyan Cloud Ship." Worse still, the octopus monster had already closed in, a tentacle sweeping around and wrapping his waist and ribs.
Amid the man’s wails, the "Cyan Cloud Ship" didn’t pause even for a moment, already re-entering the thunderstorm sea area.
The rolling celestial thunder in the sky seemed to have intimidated the octopus demon beast, halting its pursuit.
In Li Yunjing’s sight, the octopus monster lingered around hesitantly.
Not long after, the massive body of the octopus monster slowly sank into the sea, completely disappearing.
Only then did Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi let out a long breath, collapsing onto the "Cyan Cloud Ship" deck.
All this happened in a flash, yet the peril was extreme. If Li Yunjing hadn’t fended off that Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, it might have been the two of them getting caught.
Cold sweat almost soaked through their clothes.
"This person’s cultivation must be at the sixth heaven of the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
After catching his breath, Li Yunjing said softly.
"Who would have thought the sea could be so dangerous! Not only are there powerful sea demon beasts, but also these malevolent cultivators!"
The contents recorded on the "Shenxiao Jade Scroll" were one thing, but actually witnessing the danger still filled Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi with lingering fear.
"Indeed! What a pity about his treasures!"
Recovering from the shock, Li Yunjing chuckled lightly.
"A cultivator at the sixth heaven of the Foundation Establishment Realm! Even as a loose cultivator, he’d have more wealth than us! Too bad that octopus monster was too formidable; we’re no match!"
Yu Yunyi showed a trace of regret.
Dragged into a pointless fight, Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi became even more cautious.
Exiting the thunderstorm area again, this time the "Cyan Cloud Ship" changed direction and kept its protective barrier up to prevent ambushes.
After traveling another two hundred li, they finally spotted land.
This was "White Sand Island."
Outside the sea area, Yu Yunyi stored away the "Cyan Cloud Ship," and she and Li Yunjing changed outfits, hiding their valuable items.
Their attire now reflected top-grade magical artifact-wielding cultivators at the Great Perfection phase of the Qi Cultivation Realm.
Such garb wouldn’t attract low-tier cultivators, while Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators would find them unappealing, greatly enhancing their safety.
With this ensemble, Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi set foot on "White Sand Island."
"White Sand Island" spanned a hundred li in circumference, its shape elongated.
On this island, besides the cultivators, many mortals also resided here.
The entire "White Sand Island" was divided into eastern and western regions.
The east was where cultivators lived, while the west was where the mortals resided.
East Island was also the largest exchange hub for cultivators in the sea region.
On this one-hundred-li island, over ten thousand cultivators gathered.
Many of the shops were owned by clans or sects, with only a few belonging to loose cultivators. However, like other marketplaces, many loose cultivators set up stalls in designated areas of the island.
Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi strolled around the island, finding it quite bustling.
"White Sand Island" wasn’t without rulers.
This island wasn’t dominated by one group but jointly governed by several small sects, clans from the sea regions, and several powerful loose cultivators, sharing the profits.
All of the South Sea was vast and perilous, filled with demon beasts.
However, "White Sand Island" was not deep within the South Sea but rather close to the mainland’s edge, so this area’s sea region lacked powerful demon beasts.
It was relatively safe here.
Whether from clans, sects, or loose cultivators, they all came here hoping to acquire what they needed.
Here, unlike the inland regions with many rules, the natural law of the survival of the fittest prevailed. Even on "White Sand Island," there were often scenes of conflict.
If one lacked strength, they would be dealt with by the forces managing "White Sand Island." If they were formidable, the managers would turn a blind eye, not intervening.
Such a treacherous place was a paradise for desperados and adventurers.
In the island’s stall area, Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi browsed with great interest, spotting numerous rarely seen materials and demon beasts from the sea.
These items were unique to the sea region.
Their functions and uses varied.
Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi bought some specialties from different stalls.
"Recently, there seems to be a cultivation cave appearing in the Quirky Rock Sea Region. It’s rumored to be the final resting place of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator?"
"Heh! We’ve heard those kinds of tales plenty of times. Most of them are baseless!"
"Really? But this time, they say it’s true! The Wang and Ma families from White Sand Island have already sent people to investigate the Quirky Rock Sea Region."
"These two families are well-informed and won’t act without certainty. If they’ve gone, could it really be the legacy of an ancestor?"
As Li Yunjing and Yu Yunyi wandered near a stall, several cultivators around them were engaged in discussion.