Above the endless ocean.
Huge waves reached for the sky, and the storm raged on ceaselessly, with the blue sea vast and limitless.
A kilometer-long warship was positioned within the high waves.
This ship was about half a day's distance from Linhai City, exactly blocking the essential sailing route for the ships returning from Beast Emperor City. Motionless, it resembled a hunter waiting patiently for his prey.
Xue Mantian stood at the bow with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the sea wind without so much as a frown.
His gaze shifted toward the sky, just as a figure glided through the wind and waves, landing on his shoulder.
Xue Mantian removed the envelope from the eagle's claw.
"They've already set out?"
Xue Mantian squinted his eyes, and the envelope in his hand exploded with a bang, "I never imagined that the lad who once seemed no more than an ant could have come this far. However... this time you won't have the aid of the experts from Baiyu, and I, Xue, will take your head personally!"
A series of footsteps came from within the cabin.
It was none other than two experts of the Dharma Manifestation Realm's second stage, Xu Jinlong from Three Seas Mountain and Ge Ruoyi from Wendao Villa!
Apart from these three great practitioners of the Dharma Manifestation Realm, on this ship, there were also powerhouses from the Nangong Family, the Beitang Family, and Xue Yilou from the Tao Tribulation Realm. Out of the hundreds of experts, there were as many as thirty from the Tao Tribulation Realm alone.
Xu Jinlong stepped forward and said, "Xue, we've received news that Xiao Yi left Beast Emperor City yesterday and should arrive here in less than half a day!"
Ge Ruoyi played with a dagger between his fingers and chuckled, "The Nangong Family sure thinks highly of Xiao Yi. The two of us alone could easily dispose of him, yet they even had you, Xue, make a personal appearance!"
Xue Mantian was at the fourfold peak of the Dharma Manifestation Realm.
He was quite a bit stronger than the two of them.
Xue Mantian said indifferently, "This kid is not that simple; we must not allow any mistakes."
"Xue, did you once cross paths with Xiao Yi in the Tianqing Kingdom?" Ge Ruoyi asked.
Xue Mantian glanced at him and said expressionlessly, "It wasn't quite a confrontation. But, that kid was indeed full of oddities. When I encountered him, he was merely at the Golden Core Realm. But now..."
A look of astonishment flashed in his eyes.
Even if he didn't see Xiao Yi as a threat, Xue was still shocked by his innate talent for cultivation.
From the Physical Body Realm to the Tao Tribulation Realm in just two short years.
Such speed of cultivation was utterly astonishing!
The two men were stunned.
Ge Ruoyi nodded thoughtfully, "His progression in cultivation is indeed bizarre. The vice villa owner of Wendao Villa personally instructed me to force out his cultivation technique!"
"And his Alchemy skills are said to be extremely fearsome as well," Xu Jinlong added somberly.
Xue Mantian said lightly, "Have someone constantly watch the sea, we absolutely can't let him get away!"
"He has no chance of escape!"
A cold, cruel smile spread across the faces of the three.
It would take a full two days to reach Linhai City from Beast Emperor City.
On the stormy, rain-lashed sea, a ten-kilometer gargantuan ship cut through the waves.
A deafening roar echoed across the entire ship.
The tremendously long vessel shook violently and came to an abrupt halt amidst the winds and waves, resulting in a chorus of curses from within the cabin: "What the hell?"
"What's going on? Nearly shook me off the bed..."
An icy voice suddenly spread throughout the entire ship: "Xiao Yi, come out and face your death!"
"Xiao Yi, come out and face your death!"
"Come out and face your death!"
The thunderous sounds reverberated through the storm and waves.
The terrifying presence of the Dharma Manifestation Realm enveloped the ship in an instant.
The mighty suppressive force of the Dharma Manifestation Realm caused the cursing to cease abruptly.
People either left the cabin or looked through the windows to see what was happening outside.
In the midst of the storm.
Xue Mantian, Ge Ruoyi, and Xu Jinlong, leading a group of three, stood proudly atop the wind and waves, surrounded by hundreds of formidable experts lined up in a row. Just in the Tao Tribulation Realm alone, there were more than thirty people.
Their momentum was grand, their presence overwhelming.
The owner of the ship was a lean man, who had also reached the Peak of the Tao Tribulation Realm, but faced with the pressure of the three great Dharma Manifestation figures, his face had gone pale, and he hurried forward, saying, "Jin Yu pays respects to the three seniors, may I ask the esteemed reasons for your visit?"
"Let Xiao Yi roll out here, or this seat will have everyone on this ship join him in death!" Ge Ruoyi said with an icy expression.
Jin Yu's face changed drastically, and he responded quickly, "Seniors, might there be some misunderstanding? There... there's no one called Xiao Yi on our ship..."
Xu Jinlong barked, his face full of scorn, "Do you think we have the time to be joking with you?"
Xue Mantian said indifferently, "Xiao Yi, if you don't come out now, don't blame this seat for being ruthless!"
From inside the cabin, a series of curses could be heard: "Who is Xiao Yi? Get out there and face death quickly, don't drag us into this!"
"Xiao Yi, you get out there yourself, we don't want to die for you!"
Amidst the cursing of the crowd.
Xiao Yi, with his hands behind his back, walked leisurely out from the cabin. Facing the howling wind and pelting rain, Xiao Yi wore an unchanging smile, amusingly watching Xue Mantian and the others suspended in mid-air.
"You really are here!"
Xue Mantian's eyes showed a trace of coldness as he sneered, "Xiao Yi, long time no see, didn't expect you'd still end up in my hands, did you?"
Xiao Yi laughed as he glanced at the strong figures surrounding Xue Mantian. Although he was smiling, the killing intent in his eyes was increasingly cold: "Xue Mantian, long time no see! I've waited a long time for this day!"
Xue Mantian was taken aback, looking at him puzzled, "You've been waiting for this day?"
Xiao Yi nodded, "Ever since that day in the Tianqing Kingdom, I've been thinking non-stop about personally slaughtering you!"
Xue Mantian was at a loss for words.
Ge Ruoyi laughed heartily, "Xiao Yi, who gave you the courage to even dream of provoking the Master of Xue Yilou?"
"Leave aside the Master of Xue Yilou, even we could crush you as easily as crushing an ant!" Xu Jinlong looked at Xiao Yi, shaking his head with a disdainful smile.
Those below Dharma Manifestation are merely ants!
Xiao Yi wasn't even at the Dharma Manifestation Realm, how could he possibly be their opponent?
Xiao Yi cast a glance at Xue Mantian and the others, and said with a smile, "Xue Mantian, to come kill me, this few people you've brought just aren't enough!"
"Hahaha, that has to be the funniest joke I've ever heard in my life!"
"Xiao Yi, to kill you we have deployed three great Dharma Manifestation figures, more than thirty Tao Tribulation Realm experts, nearly a hundred Golden Core Realm... we've already outnumbered you, and yet you say we're not enough?"
Xu Jinlong and the others shook their heads with laughter, faces full of mockery.
Xiao Yi sighed, "This many people and you still talk about overwhelming with numbers? It seems you have a misunderstanding about what overwhelming with numbers truly means!"
The group was momentarily taken aback.
Xiao Yi said with a smile, "Let me teach you what it means to 'overwhelm with numbers'!"
Xiao Yi slowly snapped his fingers.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
From the cabin, over a hundred figures burst forth at once.
Leading them were none other than the four Dharma Manifestation Realm powerhouses, Shadow Demon, Zhang Ling, Shu He, and Fu Yuan, followed by ninety-eight Tao Tribulation Realm experts, including Along.
One hundred and two people, lined up behind Xiao Yi.
Especially the formidable Shadow Demon, at the Fifth Layer of the Dharma Manifestation Realm Peak, whose chill seemed to overshadow even Xue Mantian.
"How, how could there be so many people?"
"Good heavens! Four great Dharma Manifestations, and all the rest are Tao Tribulation Realm?"
"Who are all these people?"
As everyone was in a state of shock and uncertainty.
Starting with Shadow Demon at the lead, the one hundred and two people turned simultaneously to look at Xiao Yi and spoke in unison, their voices thundering like a storm, eclipsing the sound of the fierce wind and rain, "We greet the Lord of the City!"