The man who emerged from the sea was tall and straight-backed, his entire body drenched, a trail of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His features could be called handsome, yet an unusual aura clung to him—a sense of the uncanny. His eyes, in particular, were deep and unfathomable, radiating a chilling frost.
In short, that feeling could be summed up: sinister.
To encounter another person on this desolate island, and one who was not Zhao Lin'er, stirred no joy in Xiao Chen. His instincts told him the young man before him was dangerous. He tensed, deliberately slowing the rhythm of his circulating mystic art to conceal his true strength.
From the nearby forest, more seabirds erupted into the sky. Another figure shot forth with lightning speed, arriving in the blink of an eye.
This was a young woman with a lithe, curvaceous figure, her attire scandalously revealing. Long, snow-white legs shimmered beneath nearly translucent gauze. Her arms and flat stomach were bare; her full breasts were wrapped in a thin strip of silk, exuding a provocative charm.
Her glossy black hair hung wet and loose. Her skin was smooth as congealed fat, her features bewitchingly beautiful—yet a trace of terror flickered in her almond-shaped eyes. Only when she drew up beside the young man and stood shoulder to shoulder did her agitation settle.
"Roar..."
Faintly, the roars of the Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon echoed from the shore. Given their drenched state, it was not hard to imagine they had just encountered the beast.
Mist rose from the pair as their dripping clothes dried in an instant, revealing their considerable cultivation. A dim, crystalline radiance flickered over their bodies as they walked forward.
Xiao Chen was unsurprised. Even if the cultivators of the World of Immortality could reach the heavens, it was natural—this was the final destination for martial artists. The most outstanding figures from the mortal world across millennia had entered this realm.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" The young man's accent was peculiar, but Xiao Chen understood him perfectly.
Sensing the veiled hostility and the faint killing intent they exuded, Xiao Chen replied calmly, "I am Xiao Chen. I shattered the void from the mortal world to arrive here." He made no secret of his identity, subtly hinting that he bore no grudge against them and could not be their enemy.
The pair was visibly startled involuntarily stepping back a few paces. Clearly, a cultivator capable of breaking the void was no weakling in this world. Their reaction betrayed as much.
When Xiao Chen briefly explained that he had been passively drawn into the World of Immortality following Lan Nuo, the two relaxed, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It's hard to say whether you're fortunate or unfortunate. You've entered the World of Immortality, but the location where you broke through is utterly terrible. This sea region is the infamous Forbidden Sea, and as for this island... heh heh..." The young man's laugh carried a chill, though the killing intent seemed to fade. Together with the bewitchingly beautiful woman, he walked toward the small lake. Amid the trailing vines, fragrant flowers, and verdant trees, they appeared to fully unwind.
"What a pain! We hadn't even set foot on this island when we ran into an ancient ferocious beast," the scantily clad woman complained, displeased. "Now the ship is wrecked, and all the sailors have been devoured by that dragon. How do we get back? We shouldn't have come."
"We should count ourselves fortunate. In the past few hundred years, we might be the only ones to have set foot on this island alive." The young man glanced at Xiao Chen. "Could you prepare us some food?"
His tone was overbearing, more a command than a request. Yet Xiao Chen remained unruffled. "Yes," he replied.
As Xiao Chen's figure disappeared into the trees, the young man asked, "What do you think?"
The woman sneered coldly. "Whatever story he spins, he's a dead man walking. We can't let anyone know we arrived first. Only the dead keep secrets."
The young man nodded, his smile cold. "His cultivation is respectable; he's hiding his strength. But he's no match for either of us alone—doomed without a doubt. But let's keep him alive for now. We still need his use."
From the distant forest, Xiao Chen watched through the leaves reading the shape of their lips. After a moment, he turned and departed.
It was not long before the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat wafted back to the lakeside. A leg of wild goat was roasted to a glistening golden brown. Shellfish in a stone pot had been boiled to tender perfection. On platters of shell lay lychees, pineapples, bananas, and other fruits.
The young man and woman ate with satisfaction.
After drinking a cup of coconut milk, the woman laughed, "Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Xiao. My name is Liu Yue. This is Wang Zifeng, my senior apprentice brother. Heh heh..." Her smile was utterly seductive. Beneath her snowy neck, the silk-bound breasts trembled continuously, radiating infinite allure. Her bewitching features were the very picture of coquetry.
Wang Zifeng picked up the thread. "You've likely never heard our names, but you might have heard of our lineage's founder."
"May I ask your founder's name?" Xiao Chen already suspected that the founder was a void-breaker from the mortal world.
"The Evil King—Shi Zhixuan!" As Wang Zifeng and Liu Yue spoke this name, their expressions became profoundly reverent and longing.
Xiao Chen was shaken.
How could he not know that name? Shi Zhixuan was one of the most brilliant figures in mortal history, a name that echoed across the ages alongside Bodhidharma, Zhang Sanfeng, and Dugu Qiubai.
When the Undying Demon Art was unleashed, none could rival it under heaven. Later, trapped by love, his demonic core shattered—but through great wisdom, he cultivated a supreme Dao heart and serenely shattered the void, leaving behind a millennial legacy!
Both Dao and demon, the Undying Evil King!
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