Chapter 737: Another Major Characteristic of the East Sea

The Three Heroes of Fangshan Island stared at Lu Yang in surprise, baffled as to why he suddenly asserted his non-involvement. Rumors of a unique treasure on Fangshan Island had circulated for a long time; surely its recent appearance couldn't be connected to someone who had just arrived.

"Uh, this might actually have something to do with me," Tao Yaoye admitted, raising her hand awkwardly and a little sheepishly, which drew everyone's attention.

"I feel something beneath the spiritual vein has connected with me," she said. As she spoke, the spiritual vein intensified, surging skyward. A green light flashed, and a palm-sized, glowing three-leaf green grass swayed in the air. Lu Yang and the others didn't recognize the plant.

"Fairy, do you recognize this?" Lu Yang asked. The Immortal Fairy recognized it with a glance. "This is the Soaring Immortal Herb, by the looks of it, it's quite ancient."

"The Soaring Immortal Herb? What's its relation to Junior Sister Tao's Soaring Immortal Physique?" Lu Yang inquired. "The Soaring Immortal Herb is an immortal herb cultivated by a Soaring Immortal Physique for their own use," the Immortal Fairy explained. "Consuming it can drastically shorten one's cultivation process, saving anywhere from a hundred to a thousand years of effort. This one was likely left behind by a Soaring Immortal Physique — perhaps forgotten, or they died before consuming it. It remained here until it sensed the Soaring Immortal Physique within Tao Yaoye, which triggered its emergence." She added, "Naturally, others can also consume it."

Lu Yang was slightly startled by this revelation. Skipping a hundred years of cultivation was an incredibly potent effect, especially considering he had only cultivated for three years himself.

"However, I advise you not to consume it just yet," the Immortal Fairy continued. "This Soaring Immortal Herb can still be replanted." Lu Yang then shared the Immortal Fairy's knowledge with the others, earning their admiring glances.

With the Soaring Immortal Herb's emergence, the spiritual vein became significantly more active, its spiritual energy concentration rising by a full grade. The herb had previously been rooted deep within the vein, absorbing its power. Now that it had emerged, the vein's true grade was revealed: Fangshan Island's spiritual vein was not Fourth Grade, but Fifth Grade! Despite this, the Three Heroes felt no joy; instead, they were overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom.

"This is bad!" Grandmaster Yan exclaimed, his expression changing dramatically.

"What's wrong?" Lu Yang and the others asked, puzzled.

"The treasure's emergence caused a celestial phenomenon, which surrounding cultivators must have noticed," Grandmaster Yan explained. "Even if they don't recognize the Soaring Immortal Herb, they'll realize that it was previously consuming most of the spiritual vein's power once they see it has upgraded from Fourth to Fifth Grade. A treasure capable of absorbing such vast amounts of spiritual energy, even if unknown, will be recognized as priceless. You live in Daxia and don't understand the rules of the East Sea. Here, treasures belong to the capable! People will come to seize this immortal herb!"

As East Sea cultivators, the Three Heroes immediately grasped the inherent danger. The emergence of the immortal herb was a curse, not a blessing—a typical characteristic of the East Sea.

A terrifying pressure descended, accompanied by an aged voice. "Yan Chuan, I have arrived. Why are you not coming out to greet me?"

"It's Gao Feng, the Hall Master of the Alliance!" Grandmaster Yan exclaimed, recognizing the voice. "He lives near Fangshan Island!"

"What's his cultivation level?" Lu Yang asked with interest.

"Peak of the early Nascent Divinity stage!"

The Three Heroes dared not disrespect Gao Feng, so they promptly left the spiritual vein and went out to greet him.

Gao Feng's eyes were icy. He hovered in the air, staring coldly at the Three Heroes. "A treasure has emerged on Fangshan Island. Hand it over, lest your Fangshan Island suffer undue disaster."

Grandmaster Yan, trembling, forced himself to speak despite his fear: "Senior Gao, the Alliance has rules against members seizing from each other."

Gao Feng remained unmoved. "Seize? If you willingly give it to me, how can that be considered seizing?"

As he spoke, another figure surged from the sea, eyeing the Three Heroes with a smirk. "Yan Chuan, Fangshan Island is blessed. As your neighbor, wouldn't it be fair for me to have a share?" This newcomer was the Tiger Shark Clan Chief, a neighbor of Fangshan Island and a cultivator at the upper early Nascent Divinity stage. Both he and Gao Feng were the closest Nascent Divinity stage cultivators in the vicinity.

"Heh, how dare any random scoundrel reach for something our Five Elements Sect has its eyes on?" Lu Yang sneered. Meng Jingzhou, Tao Yaoye, and the others emerged from the cave entrance, providing support.

"You are the Five Elements Sect disciples from True Lord Ma's banquet!" Gao Feng exclaimed, showing a hint of hesitation upon seeing Lu Yang. The Tiger Shark Clan Chief reacted similarly. Gao Feng wasn't afraid of the Five Elements Sect itself; the East Sea was too far from them. Would the sect really dare to extend its influence all the way to the East Sea simply because their disciples were provoked? Although the East Sea was internally chaotic, it was very united externally, and the Alliance's leadership would never allow the Five Elements Sect to interfere. What he truly feared was True Lord Ma.

Gao Feng gritted his teeth, not uttering a single harsh word, and turned to leave. The Tiger Shark Clan Chief's face was so grim it seemed water could drip from it. He plunged back into the sea, pretending nothing had happened.

Seeing the two Nascent Divinity cultivators depart, the Three Heroes breathed a sigh of relief, believing they had finally escaped disaster. "Is that it?" Man Gu asked, scratching his head. From the previous tension, he had expected a fight.

"Of course, it's not that simple," Lu Yang said, shaking his head. "Gao Feng only left temporarily because he feared angering Old Ma. So, wouldn't it be better if Old Ma never found out he was involved? If it were me, I wouldn't attempt a robbery openly. I'd come at night, masked, grab what I wanted, and then flee. Who would know it was me?"

Meng Jingzhou lightly shook his head, finding Gao Feng's approach amateurish. "He lacks experience. An attempted robbery in broad daylight, followed by a masked robbery at night, still makes him a suspect. If it were me, I wouldn't even show up during the day. I'd just come at night, masked, and then there would be no suspicion." Li Haoran added, "However, there's still a way to mitigate it: gather more people at night to increase the number of suspects. That would make Gao Feng relatively safer."

Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, and Li Haoran discussed various criminal methods, one after another, leaving the Three Heroes utterly bewildered. "Aren't you disciples of the righteous path? And haven't you never been to the East Sea before?" they wondered, "How are you so familiar with all this?"

Man Gu quickly pulled out paper and a pen to record Lu Yang and the others' discussion, marveling, "As expected of role models, they adapted to the local way of thinking so quickly." Tao Yaoye, however, looked at Man Gu with a strange expression. "Are you learning their methods, or are you taking notes for them?"

Sure enough, as darkness fell, masked figures in black robes appeared, like reapers, their eyes fixed on Fangshan Island with greedy expressions. "So, Fangshan Island has a Fifth Grade spiritual vein!" one exclaimed. "And this is a treasure that can rival a Fifth Grade spiritual vein! Why not just take Fangshan Island for ourselves? Yan Chuan and his two companions are only at the Nascent Soul stage; it's a waste for them to occupy such an excellent spiritual vein."

Following Lu Yang's instructions, the Three Heroes had already evacuated the main island's inhabitants to the scattered small islands nearby.

"One, two, three... twelve," Lu Yang counted, stretching his limbs with a smile. "Quite a few people, and all at the Nascent Divinity stage. Since we've come to the East Sea, of course we should fully enjoy its unique culture. The banquet is over; now it's time to try some brawling."