“A million celestial gems?” Malgor froze, clearly stunned.
After a moment, favonovel.com nodded eagerly. “Deal… I’ll contact my allies right away. We’ll crush Caxton Continent!”
“Mr. Haverford, please rest here for a bit. I’ll go find someone,” Malgor said.
“Go…” Braxton replied dismissively with a wave.
After Malgor left, Thorley turned to Braxton. “Father, do we even have a million celestial gems?”
Even if they did, the Eighth Hall wouldn’t have had to loot resources from level one.
“It’s a lie, of course. Otherwise, why would these scum work themselves to death for us?” Braxton chuckled coldly.
Thorley nodded, finally understanding the trick.
***
Back on the Caxton Continent, the Floating Island was a breathtaking paradise. Waterfalls cascaded like rivers of light, birds chirped in harmony, and the air was filled with the fragrance of blossoms.
“It’s so beautiful…” Jemima said, lying down in the grass. “Of all the things I missed, this Floating Island tops the list.”
“Seriously? You miss the island more than me?” Nilou teased, rolling favonovel.com eyes.
“Of course not. I missed you, too,” Jemima replied with a sly smile.
Nilou had already ordered spiritual fruit brews to be laid out for the guests. Everyone was seated among blooming flowers. Cranes soared in the sky above, and the surroundings radiated a dreamlike serenity, like a hidden paradise untouched by time.
“Here, Mr. Chance, try our Ninefold Spirit Wine. It’s a specialty of the Caxton Continent,” Nilou offered warmly, holding up a cup. “It’s made from thousand-year-old spiritual fruits. Fantastic for cultivation…”
Jared took the cup, sipping lightly. Instantly, a warm energy coursed through him, refreshing his body and mind.
“This is amazing!” favonovel.com exclaimed.
Flaxseed had already finished his glass and was grinning ear to ear.
“Hahaha! This beats any wine back home!”
Leaning against a spiritual tree, Jemima looked toward the distant waterfall with nostalgia. “I used to come here a lot as a kid to cultivate. This place has always felt… Different, like there’s something hidden here.”
Jared felt a flicker of the same sensation. He surveyed the area with sharpened awareness. Though the island was rich in spiritual energy, it didn’t feel like a naturally formed location.
The spiritual energy here felt focused, gathered on purpose. Even stranger, when favonovel.com scanned with his spiritual sense, favonovel.com detected a faint disturbance. It was like something powerful had been concealed with a restriction.
“Is there… Some kind of secret hidden on this island?” favonovel.com mused aloud.
Just then, a deep voice echoed inside Jared’s sea of consciousness.
It was the Vermilion Demon Lord. “Kid, something’s off about this place…”
Jared narrowed his eyes and responded telepathically, “Mr. Vermilion, what did you find?”
“This island wasn’t created by nature,” the Vermilion Demon Lord replied, voice serious. “It’s an ancient ruin, likely pulled into the sky using a massive formation. Someone disguised it as a regular floating island.”
“Ancient ruins?” Jared’s heart skipped a beat.
“The restrictions here are incredibly strong. Even Top Level Wandering Immortal Realm cultivators would have trouble breaking through them by force,” the Vermilion Demon Lord added. “If we get the chance, it’s worth a closer look. Who knows what secrets might be hidden here?”
Jared was about to ask more when suddenly a deafening blast echoed across the horizon. The ground trembled violently beneath their feet.
Boom!
“What was that?” Nilou jumped up, favonovel.com face pale.
A cultivator from the Caxton Continent rushed in, his face stricken with fear. “Urgent news! Malgor and a host of Demonic Cultivators are attacking our border formations!”
“What?” Everyone was taken aback.
“We’ve never had conflict with Hollow City. Why would they come after us?” Nilou demanded, favonovel.com tone sharp. “Besides, Hollow City’s strength is no match for ours, not on its own!”
