After walking for some time, Ji Xia finally set foot on the floating island. From the ground, this island seemed incredibly strange, high in the sky, surrounded by millions of wild beasts fervently worshiping it.
However, when Ji Xia stepped onto the floating island, it appeared rather ordinary. Plants without any spiritual energy fluctuations grew on the island, swaying in the wind, with no peculiar or extraordinary features.
"Hmm? This island looks different from what I expected," Ji Xia thought, walking along a winding path and glancing around. "It's not much different from the gentle mountains of Taicang, nothing special."
"Still, there must be a reason why so many powerful beasts are bowing to it. Perhaps it's just that my cultivation is too weak to sense it," he mused, continuing forward. The floating island spanned over twenty miles, and Ji Xia, with his swift pace, wandered around, reaching the island's center in no time.
The island's center was a dense forest, with tall, thick trees growing amongst scattered rocks. After walking a bit further, Ji Xia suddenly heard a commotion.
"Someone's here?" he thought, startled. He held his breath, his footsteps silent, his spiritual energy flowing imperceptibly. Using the trees as cover, he approached a steep slope.
On the slope, five or six people were confronting each other. On one side were two individuals: the leader wore a luxurious white robe, had black hair tied with a crown, and stood tall with a composed and serious expression, gazing at the four people opposite.
The four people, two men and two women, appeared to be around twenty-five years old. Their bodies faintly showed natural runes, and their spiritual energy surged around them, sweeping through the area.
"They must be young elites from major rune nations!" Ji Xia thought. "Their attire is luxurious and finely crafted, suggesting they come from noble families. The white-robed youth's cultivation is profound, and I can't see through him with my cultivation."
He wanted to use his Great Sun Spirit Eyes to discern the white-robed youth's true cultivation but refrained, fearing it would alert the powerful cultivators. Instead, he closed his acupoints and silently watched the developments.
The tall, robust figure among the four spoke first. "Though your cultivation may be above ours, we survived the Beast Tide by sheer luck. This magical island is a fleeting opportunity, and if we come across this precious herb, it's only right we share it. Why should you claim it for yourselves?"
A pale-faced young man with flowing hair chimed in, "What my brother says is true. You may be powerful, but there are only two of you. If we fight, we might not be afraid of you."
As he spoke, the youthful figure glanced at a girl beside him. The girl was graceful, fair-skinned, with black hair cascading down her back, dressed in a brown outfit, a black decorative ring on her left arm—an unmistakable symbol of a noble from the major rune nations.
Another girl in yellow noticed the lingering gazes of the young man and scowled at him, clearly annoyed. The young man, however, ignored her.
The two from the other side remained calm, as if the fierce pressure from the four did not exist. The white-robed youth stood with a heavy black-armored man, whose face was covered by a terrifying mask, with only his eyes visible.
The black-armored man stepped forward and loudly declared, "My young master has decreed that this precious herb belongs to him. You four should leave immediately!"
His tone was calm, as if it was natural to make such a demand.
The four on the opposite side glared, their faces showing anger. The youthful, graceful figure snorted coldly and said to his companions, "Zhao Wu, Fan Zhu, Lu Yuqi, despite our differences, we, as members of the Great Rune Nation, must unite against external enemies. We cannot afford internal strife!"
"I will fight with everything I have today. I ask that you do the same!" he continued.
The robust figure, Zhao Wu, nodded solemnly. "Naturally. Rest assured, Ji Xiu, I will support you! This white-robed youth is no ordinary person. He may be younger than us, but his strength is formidable. We must be cautious!"
The girl, Fan Zhu, and the yellow-robed girl, Lu Yuqi, also nodded in agreement.
Ji Xia, hidden about ten paces away, overheard the conversation and cautiously peeked at the scene. He noticed a piece of brown stone not far from the group, where a small herb, about the size of a palm, grew.
The herb was a deep green, with seven petals. In the center of these petals, there was a dark green bead, making it look especially beautiful. The most important thing was that the herb radiated energy, indicating its extraordinary nature.
The situation grew tense. Aside from the white-robed youth, the five others began to radiate sharp, aggressive energy, and a battle seemed imminent.
Suddenly, the white-robed youth glanced directly at Ji Xia's hiding spot.
"Since you're here, why hide?" he asked calmly.
Ji Xia had been waiting for the two sides to clash so he could take advantage of the situation, but now that his cover was blown, he felt slightly embarrassed. His expression darkened as he stepped out from behind a black tree on the steep slope.
Zhao Wu, Ji Xiu, and the others were shocked. They hadn't noticed this person's presence until now.
Not wanting to remain hidden, Ji Xia stood tall, straightened his clothes, and stepped forward, planning to greet them. "Greetings, fellow cultivators. I was just passing by. You may continue, continue, there's no need to mind me."
He said this and was about to leave when Zhao Wu, seeing that Ji Xia had remained unfazed in front of such powerful individuals, realized the youth's strength must be on par with theirs. "This young man is certainly no weakling. The white-robed youth may be stronger, but together, we four might still have a chance to claim that herb!"
Zhao Wu's thoughts shifted to a more strategic stance. He returned Ji Xia's greeting and said, "Fellow cultivator, I am Zhao Wu of the Great Rune Nation. Since you're here, surely a share of this precious herb should be yours as well. Why don't we—"
Before he could finish, the white-robed youth's calm voice interrupted, "Pang Shixie, kill him."
"Understood!" The black-armored man, Pang Shixie, responded immediately, his right hand stretching out to summon a long spear, which shot toward Ji Xia with terrifying speed.
Zhao Wu and the others were furious and shocked. They realized that the white-robed youth had no intention of allowing Ji Xia to join them. They wanted to eliminate him before he could become a threat.
Ji Xiu, unwilling to let this happen, gathered his energy and leaped forward to intercept Pang Shixie.
Fan Zhu and Lu Yuqi also made their moves, their natural rune marks flashing with light as they confronted Pang Shixie.
"We must stop him from killing this young man!" Ji Xiu declared.
The white-robed youth watched them with a mocking laugh. "Today, I want him dead, and he will die. What right do you have to stop me?"
With a flick of his wrist, the white-robed youth created a massive circle of spiritual energy that shot forward, expanding rapidly, until it became as large as a millstone, barreling down on Zhao Wu and the others.
Zhao Wu and the others felt an overwhelming pressure, as if they were facing a crushing force.
"This person's spiritual wheel is inscribed with at least four spiritual seals!" Zhao Wu thought in horror. "How could someone this young be so powerful? Where is he from?"
Meanwhile, Ji Xia, seeing Pang Shixie charging toward him with his spear, felt a surge of anger.
He narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and a silver-white long sword appeared in the air. He gripped it tightly.
"Kill me? What makes you think you can?" Ji Xia thought.
The avatar of the Star King appeared in his mind. The spiritual energy from the Great Snow Mountain surged, rushing into Ji Xia's hand, flowing into the sword of vengeance.
"Do you think someone with only two spiritual seals in their divine technique can kill me?" Ji Xia sneered. "Who are you to claim that right?"