Li Qinghong paused briefly as a figure rose into the air, wearing flowing robes and clasping their hands in salute. "This lowly one greets Your Grace."
Zong Yan, who had been living comfortably in recent years, now carried himself with a confidence that starkly contrasted with his former servile demeanor as a subordinate to the demon clans. His eyes shone brightly, and his posture was upright, although faint traces of his past struggles remained.
Li Qinghong, ever courteous, responded politely to Zong Yan and listened as he meticulously recited the island's expenses down to the last detail.
Zong Yan nervously finished his report. The accounts naturally showed deficits—after all, the small island had no productive output, and the resources of the sea were dominated by the dragon clans, leaving others no room to intervene. As Zong Yan spoke, the white-clad female cultivator before him appeared distracted, her gaze wandering over the island's scenery, further unsettling him.
Zong Yan harbored complex feelings toward the Li Family. Alongside deep gratitude, he felt the customary Eastern Sea deference—bordering on submission—toward power. For someone like Li Qinghong, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator capable of leveling the island in anger, Zong Yan also carried an immense fear of being discarded.
Li Yuanjiao had spent considerable time on the island, and Zong Yan knew him to be a man who detested bullying and despised blood sacrifices. That understanding brought him some comfort. But facing Li Qinghong, who remained a relative stranger, Zong Yan did not dare to gamble on her temperament.
Kongheng, the monk, soon arrived, descending from the sky with his characteristic serene demeanor. His hands pressed together in a gesture of respect, he spoke softly, "It has been many years. Fellow Daoist, you have made significant progress."
The monk, who naturally had small eyes, became even harder to read as he lowered his gaze. Li Qinghong replied casually, her attention still elsewhere, letting Zong Yan continue his report about the island's loss of several hundred catties of spirit paddies. She didn't seem to hear him, simply waving her hand and saying, "Not bad. The population seems sufficient."
Li Qinghong's initial reaction upon arriving mirrored that of her brother. Her spiritual sense swept across the island, searching for temples or statues. Finding none, she relaxed slightly.
At these words, Kongheng froze momentarily before closing his eyes and murmuring a prayer under his breath.
Zong Yan was briefly stunned as well. Only then did he realize that the kind, stoic middle-aged man he had known was gone. Offering a few brief words of condolence, Zong Yan refrained from the typical Eastern Sea formalities. Instead, he directly led Li Qinghong to the cave dwelling where Li Yuanjiao had once meditated in isolation.
Stepping inside, Li Qinghong found the cave pristine and spotless. The floor was polished smooth, and the room was devoid of clutter. There were no incense burners, altars, or jade furniture—only a single gray meditation cushion at the center.
Li Qinghong stood silently for a moment before picking up the cushion. Sweeping it with her spiritual sense, she found it to be an ordinary item of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Flipping her hand, she stored it away. Just as she was about to speak, the island's grand defensive formation roared to life.
Lifting her gaze, Li Qinghong connected her spiritual sense to the formation and saw a fish-headed humanoid demon standing outside. The creature had fleshy wings sprouting from its back and crouched impatiently by the barrier, its demeanor brimming with irritation.
"Huiyao has arrived." Li Qinghong's almond-shaped eyes flickered with subtle movement as she thought to herself, It seems the waters around Zongquan Island are teeming with countless offspring. I merely crossed the sea, and this demon has already caught wind of it.
Rising into the air, she flicked her sleeve to create an opening in the defensive formation. Huiyao flapped its fleshy wings as it flew inside. The old demon had finally broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and taken on a human form, though it still retained its fish head with oversized eyes.
Huiyao's large eyes widened further as it took in Li Qinghong's appearance. Its gaze briefly settled on the purple lightning coiled beneath her feet, and it was visibly startled. The creature quickly adjusted its demeanor. Its fish head began to contract and stretch, eventually morphing into the visage of an old man.
The Hui Clan, a species of aquatic demons, primarily cultivated the Water Mansion System. Even after assuming human form, their features often retained strange, fish-like characteristics, including segmented faces split into two halves.
Li Qinghong, clad in an aura of thunder, appeared far more intimidating than her brother. Huiyao quickly restrained himself and barked, "Where is Li Yuanjiao?! He promised to join me in battle, yet I don't see him anywhere!"
The demon had visited the island several times, only to be met with evasion. Zong Yan claimed ignorance, and Kongheng demanded he stop engaging in blood sacrifices. Fearing manipulation, Huiyao avoided further conversations.
Now, finally encountering another member of the Li Family, the demon wasted no time asking questions. Li Qinghong glanced at him briefly and said in a calm voice, "My brother was injured in the Green Pine Grotto Heaven and has returned home to recover. Moreover, since he killed a Daoist Master's disciple, he cannot leave the family grounds. For the next ten or so years, I will be stationed here."
Li Qinghong initially intended to keep her family background concealed, but given the scarcity of thunder cultivators, the distinctiveness of Foundation Establishment Realm immortal foundations, techniques, and dharma artifacts made it easy to recognize her origins. Seeing that Huiyao had already deduced her background, she saw no point in further concealment.
Huiyao snorted twice, clearly surprised that the Li Family had managed to secure a foothold in the Green Pine Grotto Heaven and even more shocked to learn they had killed a Daoist Master's disciple. His skepticism evident, he probed, "Oh? Which Daoist Master might this be?"
This piece of news, still circulating only in the mainland and not yet among the demon clans, would soon spread. Calculating the timeline, Li Qinghong guessed it was close and dismissively waved her hand, saying, "Your clan's channels are extensive. Give it a month or two, and you will know."
This statement seemed to partially convince Huiyao. Muttering to himself, "Fine, fine..." he suddenly grinned and added, "Still, Fellow Daoist, wielding thunder arts, your presence is a great boon! Let us send that wretched Cloud Octopus into the depths of the sea!"
Li Qinghong asked, "What kind of demon are you planning to slay this time?"
Huiyao replied, "Just a Cloud Octopus. It cultivates the Soft Advance system, with its Dao foundation rooted in Auspicious Qi Clouds. It is a greedy monster at the late Foundation Establishment Realm, with two subordinate Foundation Establishment Realm demons and over a hundred Qi Cultivation Realm minions under its command."
Huiyao continued, "This damned thing, relying on its ability to traverse wind and clouds, has been raiding my territory. Worse, its lousy Dao foundation has earned the favor of the dragon son. I must kill it now before the new dragon son descends and allows it to further lord over me."
Pointing southward, Huiyao rasped, "Head directly south from here. The more clouds and mist you encounter, the closer you will get to the coastal edge near the easternmost part of the Southern Sea. That is where it resides."
Li Qinghong weighed the forces of both sides, sensing that their group was slightly weaker. She asked, "Do you have any reinforcements? Surely, it is not just you, a lone demon general?"
Huiyao replied, "My 2,367th younger brother, Hui'er, will join us. He is at the mid-Foundation Establishment Realm."
Li Qinghong was momentarily stunned and, with a wry smile, remarked, "Your mother certainly left behind a prosperous legacy."