Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

With that in mind, he could accept even the worst-case scenario, where the True Treasure Pavilion completely gave up.

With these thoughts, Su Ye’s mind was at peace. He left the Martial Arts Arena and headed to the city’s Council Hall to meet with the two female Golden Core cultivators.

A few minutes later.

Cloud Sea Immortal City, Council Hall.

WHOOSH.

An Ice Silver Escape Light flashed, and Su Ye landed gracefully. A gentle breeze blew, rustling the corners of his robes.

The two female Golden Core cultivators sensed the fluctuation of Magical Power. Their own Escape Techniques flickered as they opened the main hall doors to greet him.

"Mr. Su."

"Greetings to you both."

Su Ye cupped his hands in a salute, his smile serene.

In contrast,

though the two female Golden Core cultivators were still as radiant as ever, their expressions held a hint of sorrow, and they looked quite haggard.

Although they had escaped quickly and saved themselves, these past days had not been easy for the two women.

Seeing Su Ye so calm and composed, as if nothing had happened, Zhao Jiuhuang couldn’t hold back. She shot him a glance that was both plaintive and alluring.

"You certainly have nerves of steel, Mr. Su."

"These past few days, I’ve been so worried about my family that I haven’t been able to sleep..."

"Try to relax."

"As long as the green mountains remain, we won’t lack for firewood. If worst comes to worst, we can just start over,"

Su Ye consoled.

His words were meant to comfort, but as soon as he spoke, the two female Golden Core cultivators completely lost their composure.

"You really have a way with words," Zhao Jiuhuang said, rolling her eyes.

The Zhao Family had toiled for several hundred years, following the True Treasure Pavilion’s instructions to establish themselves in the Day Flame Sea Region. Generations of their ancestors had overcome countless obstacles to finally build the family enterprise they had today.

And now... start over?

Beside them, Lin Yinxiu’s pretty face, usually as cold as frost, couldn’t help but twitch.

Unlike Zhao Jiuhuang, she didn’t have a family enterprise built over generations, but establishing the Shenxiao Pavilion had still taken her more than 140 years!

Especially since...

"My Shenxiao Thunder Pool was just completed..." Lin Yinxiu winced.

Even if they had transferred their assets, abandoning the Day Flame Sea Region and retreating to the Outer Sea was still a crippling blow for the two of them.

Unlike Su Ye, these two female Golden Core cultivators had deep-running operations in the Day Flame Sea Region. They were deeply rooted, their fates tied to the Flame Alliance—to prosper as one and to fall as one.

Retreating to the Outer Sea was like becoming a government in exile. Their days of glory were over.

The feeling was truly bitter...

’The situation isn’t set in stone. There might still be a turn of events...’ Seeing the atmosphere turning into a pity party, Su Ye raised an eyebrow and quickly cut in, changing the subject.

"Come on, let’s go hear what message the True Treasure Pavilion has sent."

"Alright."

"I hope it’s good news..."

...

The three Golden Cores walked into the Council Hall.

They came to a quiet room behind the main hall. Inside was a gourd vine, wrapped around a silver metal frame.

Several cyan gourds hung down from it, but most of them were wilted and small, looking malnourished.

Only one gourd was smooth and plump, emitting a cyan stream of light.

The Knowledge Fruit Gourd.

A special variety discovered and selectively bred by the True Treasure Pavilion.

This particular vine was a cutting from the main vine in the True Treasure Pavilion. They shared a trans-spatial connection, which could be used to transmit messages.

Zhao Jiuhuang walked to the gourd vine. With a wave of her fair hand, she plucked the Knowledge Fruit Gourd.

After being picked, the deep cyan Knowledge Fruit Gourd instantly turned pale yellow. Its spiritual light receded, as if it had been air-dried in a single moment.

"This Knowledge Fruit suddenly ripened today. The message from the True Treasure Pavilion is inside."

"Fellow cultivators, I’m opening it."

"Pay attention."

Zhao Jiuhuang shook the Knowledge Fruit Gourd as a reminder.

The message within a Knowledge Fruit Gourd cannot be stored for long. It disperses as soon as it’s opened.

Therefore, every time a Knowledge Fruit Gourd was opened, the Golden Cores had to be present to confirm the message.

This was to prevent the message from being altered, like a forged imperial decree.

Su Ye and Lin Yinxiu nodded, their eyes fixed on the Knowledge Fruit.

Then,

CRACK.

With a firm squeeze from Zhao Jiuhuang,

a crack on the Knowledge Fruit Gourd rapidly widened. The next moment, a multi-colored, featureless ’fruit-ling’ crawled out from within.

The fruit-ling appeared and, like a stiff phonograph, emitted a rather mechanical voice.

"The Pavilion is aware of the matter concerning the Star Casting Hall."

"All cultivators of the Flame Alliance are to defend their territory, hold Cloud Sea Immortal City, and not rashly resort to arms. Your duty is to protect the Immortal City."

"If the enemy provokes, do not be careless. You should prioritize defense, exercising restraint and discipline. You must avoid the outbreak of war and preserve your foundation."

"When the time is right, you may negotiate a truce to end the war in the sea region and restore peace to the people."

HUM.

After the fruit-ling finished speaking,

its form gradually disintegrated, vanishing without a trace.

Staring at the two broken halves of the Knowledge Fruit Gourd, Su Ye remained calm. However, the expressions of the two female Flame Alliance Golden Core cultivators had become incredibly grim and dark.

The True Treasure Pavilion’s message sounded like a lot.

But, to sum it up, it only had one meaning.

—They’d chickened out.

’After all, the Day Flame Sea Region is just a part of the greater Outer Sea. For the True Treasure Pavilion, it’s not a core interest... Conceding to the Star Casting Hall is understandable.’

’And it looks like the True Treasure Pavilion hasn’t completely washed their hands of it. They must have negotiated with the Star Casting Hall and gotten something out of it... For example, they saved Cloud Sea Immortal City?’

Su Ye folded his arms, mulling over the fruit-ling’s words.

As one of the nine sects of the Inner Sea, the True Treasure Pavilion’s intervention was ultimately useful to a degree... but unfortunately, only to a very small degree.

’Even if Cloud Sea Immortal City is saved, for the Flame Alliance, this is definitely like being cut in half... no, it’s a painful loss akin to being chopped off at the ankles.’

’Not to mention, they also lost two great Late-stage Golden Core cultivators. The Flame Alliance... is in a tough spot.’

Su Ye shook his head.

For him, however, this outcome was acceptable.

Saving Cloud Sea Immortal City meant that his Yiyue Palace, and the Moon Instrument he had spent a fortune to build, would be safe and sound!

Furthermore,

most of the assets he hadn’t yet sold off were also located in the Immortal City Sea Region... Su Ye did a quick mental calculation, and his eyes instantly lit up.

’Basically, that rounds down to no losses at all. Excellent! This is great!’

Su Ye was delighted, but he didn’t let any of it show on his face, maintaining a grave and thoughtful expression—Lin Yinxiu and Zhao Jiuhuang were right there, after all.

Even with Cloud Sea Immortal City saved, these two Golden Cores had still suffered devastating losses. Their enterprises were spread throughout the entire Day Flame Sea Region...

Therefore,

after exchanging a few more pleasantries, Su Ye took his leave and departed from the Council Hall.

The two female Golden Core cultivators’ expressions were just too grim and ugly. Su Ye was afraid that if he talked any longer, he might say something that would make them break down completely.

’Whatever.’

’I suppose I’m just too considerate.’

’The situation is what it is; there’s no point in overthinking it.’

’It would be better to go back early and use the rest of the Nine Spirits Soul-Strengthening Incense.’

After all,

Su Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Even if there’s a truce...’

’...I’m still responsible for the lives of several Golden Core cultivators from the Candle Python Cave...’

’I can’t let my guard down...’

Su Ye shook his head and returned to Yiyue Palace.

...

「Several months passed in the blink of an eye.」

The situation in the sea region was stable.

A stable, precipitous collapse.

Within these few months, the entire Day Flame Sea Region, with the exception of the area around Cloud Sea Immortal City, was occupied by the Candle Python Cave. Volcano State, which served as a headquarters for the Flame Alliance, also fell.

The Flame Alliance had a dual-capital system, with both Volcano State and Cloud Sea Immortal City serving as headquarters.

However, the Wanlong Commerce Association held greater influence in Cloud Sea Immortal City, whereas Volcano State was the main base of the Native Faction.

This vast continent, equivalent in size to several Australias and rich in resources, had now fallen. The blow to the Flame Alliance was extremely severe.

However,

fortunately,

the True Treasure Pavilion’s prestige had proven effective.

The Candle Python Cave did not invade Cloud Sea Immortal City.

The two sides even signed an agreement, using a wind belt between Cloud Sea Immortal City and Volcano State as a boundary to divide their spheres of influence, with each agreeing not to interfere with the other.

The Flame Alliance’s territory had shrunk to one-sixth or one-seventh of its original size, but they had finally achieved peace.

However,

just when Su Ye thought the matter was over, subsequent developments in the sea region took a turn he hadn’t expected.

...

After the Candle Python Cave occupied Volcano State,

the density of Fire Element Spiritual Qi Particles in the Day Flame Sea Region began to climb at a rate visible to the naked eye.

In just a few short months, it had increased by sixty percent. The underwater volcanoes grew restless, and the temperature of the entire sea region became noticeably hotter!

Furthermore, it showed signs of continuing to rise!

This scene,

left the cultivators of the sea region deeply worried.

"It’s so hot!"

"The Fire Element Spiritual Qi is getting more and more violent!"

"Could it be... that the supervolcano is about to erupt again?"

"Damn it, what did the Candle Python Cave do?"

Speculation ran rampant.

And then,

one day, from the direction of Volcano State,

a golden light appeared, piercing the heavens, visible even from ten thousand miles away!

The crimson-gold light stretched from heaven to earth and lasted for ten full days and nights before finally fading.

The concentration of fire-element Spiritual Qi in the sea region surged again, increasing by another few dozen percent on top of its previous level!

"The abnormality in the sea region is beyond our understanding. We ask the Pavilion to enlighten us..."

Worried, the Flame Alliance sent a message to the True Treasure Pavilion, asking for information.

This time, the True Treasure Pavilion’s reply was swift, but also very brief.

"Wait!"