Fang Han hadn't expected to see Fang Qingwei out at sea. By all logic, this little fish shouldn't have been able to stir any real waves—he'd never even bothered to take her seriously.
But now, he realized he'd misjudged her.
Her cultivation had advanced tremendously. Though she hadn't yet stepped into the Mystic Realm of Divine Powers, her strength already rivaled his own back when he had just mastered the Yama Golden Body—comparable to a Shura. She was on the brink of breaking through that final barrier. Normally, with her natural aptitude, it would take another ten years to reach that level.
There was no doubt about it—someone powerful had taken her under their wing.
Then Fang Han noticed the gourd in her hand.
"That looks like my Seven Fiends Gourd," he thought grimly. "But the golden light coming from it… that's new. The Seven Fiends Gourd never had that kind of power. The Heavenly Wolf Smoke within it couldn't have produced that light—it only carried the strength of a few dozen horses. This… this is ten times stronger! Wait—of course! Hua Tiandu summoned Fang Qingwei not long ago. He must have reforged my gourd and handed it to her. Ingenious—utterly ingenious. That way, Fang Qingxue can't complain, and Fang Qingwei becomes his pawn to oppose me. One move, two results. Brilliant. That's the scheming of a sect master."
The realization sent a chill down Fang Han's spine. Hua Tiandu's manipulations were terrifying—always watching from above, pulling invisible strings, creating chaos with effortless precision.
Fang Han knew he couldn't act rashly. He could vent his temper on Fang Qingwei, but harming or killing her was out of the question. If he did, he'd never get past Fang Qingxue—and she was still his greatest protector within Yuhua Sect. Turning her against him would be suicide.
If Fang Qingwei were still weak, it would've been fine—she'd be no threat. But now that she had power… every encounter would be a storm of trouble.
"Damn it," Fang Han muttered through clenched teeth. "Maybe I should just end this once and for all…"
But he shook off the thought. "First things first—get that Five Prisons King Cauldron. I've fought too hard to lose it now. Shame I can't stash it in the Yellow Springs Diagram with all these eyes watching. A treasure like that takes time to refine anyway. I'll deal with these scavengers first."
Surrounding the cauldron with his Wood Emperor True Qi, Fang Han released a wave of power that filled the air. The pressure was so immense that everyone who'd been charging in froze in place—including Fang Qingwei, who withdrew her golden mist and hovered in the distance.
She wasn't alone. Ten cultivators had arrived. Five of them were older men—steady auras, middle-aged faces, plain robes, armed with only a few spirit tools. Yet their presence was undeniable—they were all Mystic Realm experts. Still, none had formed true qi, meaning they lingered at the first stage of the realm. Clearly scattered cultivators—sea hermits who'd clawed their way to power without sect support.
If they'd belonged to a great sect, they would've had treasured artifacts long ago.
The other five… Fang Han recognized almost every face.
Fang Qingwei, of course.
And beside her—Ye Nantian, whom Fang Han had crippled during the Mountains and Rivers Tournament, later rescued by Nan Wanluo.
Another—Yin Snake Sword, once defeated and humiliated by Fang Han himself.
Then came the Young Master of Sleepless Isle—also beaten to a pulp by Fang Han—and next to him, an older man with the same features: the island's master.
Finally, the fifth was a true disciple of Yuhua Sect, dressed in the distinctive Daoist robes of the sect's elite.
Five rogue island masters, one sect true disciple, and four men with grudges against Fang Han—if fate had a sense of irony, this was it.
"Fang Han—it's you!" Fang Qingwei exclaimed. Her body tensed, and a flicker of frost glinted in her eyes.
"Well, well," Fang Han replied coolly, his voice edged with mockery. "Fellow disciples—what a pleasant surprise. You all came to slay the Deadly Island Lord too? How brave. But now that the deed is done, perhaps you should head back. The sea isn't kind to the uninvited."
He stood firm, true qi swirling around the massive cauldron like vines wrapping a fortress. His gaze locked on Ye Nantian. "Ye Nantian, I crippled you once. Looks like you've recovered nicely. I suppose Wanluo's powers live up to their reputation."
"Wanluo Senior Brother's abilities," Ye Nantian spat, "are beyond your imagination!" His eyes burned with hatred—rage honed sharp as a blade.
Then the true disciple stepped forward. "So you're the new true disciple, Fang Han? And you, Dragon Xuan?"
"Cypress Brother!" Long Xuan immediately greeted him. "You became a true disciple two years ago when you broke through to the Mystic Realm. You've been in closed-door cultivation ever since. I didn't expect to see you out at sea—don't tell me you're here to explore the Return-to-Void Domain as well?"
"Partly," Cang Bozi replied with a faint smirk. "But mostly, I came under Senior Brother Wanluo's orders—to watch over Fang Qingwei, Yuan Jiankong, Ye Nantian, and Xiao Shi. I also came to temper myself, hunt a few of the Sea's Forty Bandits." His eyes flicked toward the glowing cauldron. "Didn't expect you two to beat us to the prize."
His gaze darkened, greed flickering before he masked it with a polite smile. "Fang Han, obtaining the Five Prisons King Cauldron is quite the merit for Yuhua Sect. Come—let's bring it back to the sect and hand it over together."
"Hand it over?" Fang Han's lips curved, half amusement, half disdain. "Funny. I don't recall that being in the sect's rules."
"Perhaps not explicitly," Cang Bozi said lightly, shrugging. "But you were only able to slay the Deadly Island Lord because we sealed off the Ghost Gorge first. Our efforts paved the way for your success. According to sect law, when multiple disciples contribute to a prize, the treasure must be submitted to the sect for fair judgment."
His tone was smooth, almost casual—but beneath it was the glint of a wolf's grin.