A jet-black egg—nearly the size of a human head—rested inside a wooden box.
Straw padding lined the bottom like a nest.
Even before it hatched, the egg emitted an oppressive, savage aura… as if danger itself was sealed inside.
Xia Wei stared at it, stunned.
Lin Ye only glanced once.
"A Fifth-Rank beast egg," he said flatly. "Not a big deal."
Xia Wei almost choked.
Not a big deal?!
A Fifth-Rank feral beast was equivalent to a Star River Realm cultivator!
If her clan could raise one—
Lin Ye continued calmly, as if reading her thoughts:
"Stop dreaming."
"With the strength of your Xia Clan, even if you hatch it, you'll starve it to death."
"This is an egg, not a fully-grown beast."
"Once we reach land, sell it for a good price."
Xia Wei's face twitched.
She wanted to snap back so badly—
but she swallowed it, forcing herself to remain polite.
"Well… it's still incredibly valuable," she said carefully. "A Fifth-Rank egg could sell for—"
Lin Ye cut her off.
"Over ten billion spirit stones. Minimum."
Xia Wei's eyes widened again.
On the deck, the Uugang Panther crept over, lowered its head, and tugged at Xia Wei's sleeve with its teeth.
Its huge, dark eyes looked almost… wronged.
Like a hungry child begging.
Xia Wei's scalp went numb.
"No."
"No way."
She immediately stuffed the egg deeper into the box and hugged it protectively.
"You are NOT eating this!"
"This egg is worth ten billion spirit stones!"
The panther let out a disappointed low growl, still staring at her with soulful eyes.
The Blood Stele ship continued its journey smoothly.
Small-scale river pirates couldn't even catch up to its speed.
This was the true strength of a major sect—
they could casually pull out a ship that smaller powers could never match.
The Blood Stele ship was already considered top-tier.
Even the Blood Stele Army had used it for only a few days, yet it carried them at full speed from Tianming Sect all the way to Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect's territory.
Of course…
a ship like this also depended heavily on the pilot.
If the helmsman had skill and courage—
some could even "fly" across certain dangerous river zones.
Three Days Earlier — Wind-Thunder River
Broken planks floated across the river like scattered bones.
This was the wreckage of Hundred Beast Sect's Earth Fiend Hall ship.
Dozens of surviving disciples clung to driftwood, barely keeping themselves afloat.
After firing over ten signal flares…
another Hundred Beast Sect ship finally appeared on the horizon.
"It's the Sect Master's ship!"
"We're saved!"
"We're saved!"
The disciples cried out in relief.
The entire disaster felt surreal.
Their Hall Master had exchanged a few words with a stranger…
and that stranger responded by slicing their warship apart in one strike.
He killed their Hall Master like snapping a twig.
Killed the Six-Legged Giant Lizard too.
Then took the storage ring and left.
On the deck of the rescue ship, the Sect Master of Hundred Beast Sect stood with the elders behind him.
The rescued disciples—still soaked and shaking—knelt before them.
"Sect Master," one disciple said urgently, "the man argued briefly with Hall Master… then suddenly drew his sword and split our ship."
"He killed Hall Master and the Six-Legged Giant Lizard, and stole the storage ring."
"He looked young and plain, but he carried a black cold-iron sword…"
"And his cultivation… was Star River Realm!"
"Star River Realm…?"
Sect Master Yan Shoutang's eyes sharpened.
Hundred Beast Sect was powerful, yes.
But they weren't invincible.
Offending a Star River Realm cultivator was no small matter.
Yan Shoutang's lips curled into a cold scowl.
"That idiot…"
He knew Earth Fiend Hall Master's personality.
The man relied on the sect's name to bully everyone, feared nothing, and adored that giant lizard like his own child.
He released the beast to roam freely all the time.
Even if the beast ate someone, he didn't care.
Because who would dare accuse Hundred Beast Sect?
But this time…
he had kicked steel.
An elder stepped forward quietly.
"Sect Master… the Heavenly-Armor Rhino Egg… is in that man's hands."
Yan Shoutang's aura turned icy.
"Heavenly-Armor Rhino."
A Fifth-Rank feral beast egg.
If it hatched successfully…
Hundred Beast Sect would gain another Fifth-Rank beast.
And with that…
they would possess enough power to contend even in Midstream.
Their beast-breeding secret art drastically increased success rate.
Many sects tried to raise beasts and ruined themselves in the process.
Hundred Beast Sect was among the very few that succeeded.
Beast cultivation required mountains of resources and rare techniques.
But once raised…
those beasts were loyal, controlled, and stable.
This egg was critical.
And now it was gone.
Yan Shoutang's expression turned darker.
"Was he targeting the egg from the beginning?"
If so…
that meant an internal leak.
A traitor.
A spy.
Yan Shoutang turned toward a white-haired elder behind him.
"Elder Liu."
"Track him down."
"Find out who he is."
The elder bowed sharply.
"As you command."
He stepped forward.
His body flashed—
and his figure launched over the river, star-light shining faintly around him.
Star River Realm.
Elder Liu vanished instantly.
Yan Shoutang's gaze swept slowly across his own people.
Every elder's heart clenched.
The Sect Master said nothing.
But the message was clear:
If there's a traitor… he will find them.
Yan Shoutang finally turned away and spoke coldly:
"He stole the Heavenly-Armor Rhino Egg."
"In the entire Lowerstream Lands, only Hundred Beast Sect can truly hatch a Fifth-Rank beast."
"If he wants to sell it… the best place is Spiritwater River Domain."
"Full speed ahead."
The ship trembled as it surged forward, slicing through the waves.
Three Days Later — Spiritwater River Domain
Near the port, hundreds of ships crowded the calm waters.
The scene was chaotic but alive—an annual spectacle.
Every year, Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect's Herbal Trade Convention drew massive crowds.
Because it was hosted by a Midstream sect…
yet it invited the top forces of Lowerstream.
To put it bluntly—
this was Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect's method of harvesting Lowerstream resources.
Instead of searching for rare herbs one by one…
they simply held a convention and let every sect bring the herbs to them.
And in exchange?
Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect offered "mid-grade" pills—
which were still priceless treasures to Lowerstream.
Other sects didn't want to sell pills to Lowerstream.
Or if they did, the price was outrageous.
So this convention became a gold mine.
Then—
a black ship sailed into view.
People stopped.
Heads turned.
A hush spread across the port.
"That is…"
"No way…"
"T-Tianming Sect's ship?!"
Even those who didn't know the flag could feel the killing aura pouring off its hull.
The craftsmanship.
The structure.
The materials.
Everything screamed elite.
Ships hurriedly moved aside.
No one dared block its path.
A moment later, the ship arrived.
Everyone watched as—
a young man and woman descended from the deck on the back of a black panther.
They landed.
Then, with a flick of his hand—
the massive ship disappeared.
Stored.
An entire ship.
Inside a storage ring.
"What kind of storage ring can hold a full ship?!"
"Top sect wealth is insane…"
Most people had no choice but to dock their ships at the harbor.
Storage rings large enough for ships were absurdly expensive.
Not even most sects could afford them.
A spectator squinted.
"That panther… isn't that a Fourth-Rank beast?"
"Uugang Panther."
"In Fourth-Rank beasts, it's one of the most dangerous—fast as lightning."
"You can't run from it."
And before anyone could process further—
WHOOSH!
The panther vanished, carrying the two into the city.
On the second floor of Storm Pavilion by the dock, a refined middle-aged man fanned himself slowly.
His eyes narrowed into a thin line as he stared after Lin Ye.
"Hm… Tianming Sect has shown up."
"When did they start caring about a convention like this?"
He smiled faintly.
"But Tianming Sect has plenty of enemies… and many of them are already here."