Liu Xing pinched his chin, considering the situation. The patriarch of the Jin clan's question—whether he still wanted the Heaven Severing Pill—had an obvious answer. He still wanted it. However, the situation was more complex than he had expected. If the patriarch was telling the truth, then he would have to fight twenty supposedly gigantic spirit beasts on his own. The whole circumstance felt suspicious, like a piece of meat stuck in his teeth that he couldn't quite locate.

"Of course I still want it," Liu Xing finally replied. "That is the entire reason I came to this Wild Tide Region."

"Then we will not obstruct you, Senior Liu," the patriarch said with an easy smile. "It's truly disappointing that the result of Jin Wuyi's research will fall into the hands of an outsider, but it is what it is. Perhaps that pill was not fated to belong to us."

"Just to be clear, I'm assuming that you will not help me in subduing these spirit beasts?"

"Yes," the patriarch and the two elders said at the same time. The patriarch continued, "The weakest of them is at the peak of the Lock Opening realm, while the strongest is in the late stage of the Sun Refining realm. Even if we deploy our treasures, it would be too dangerous for us."

"Then let me make it clear to you as well," Liu Xing began. "Since I'm the one retrieving that pill, I will not compensate you for it. Killing those spirit beasts, saving Jin Wuyi, and securing your Alchemy Hall is more than enough compensation."

Twenty spirit beasts ranging from the Lock Opening to the Sun Refining realm was a dangerous prospect, even for Liu Xing. The former emperor of the Twelve Sun Empire had been at the Sun Refining realm, and he had been quite troublesome. Of course, Liu Xing was now at the Core Splitting realm, but the fight would undoubtedly force him to face multiple spirit beasts at the Sun Refining realm.

"With all due respect, Senior Liu," the elder with the long beard and long eyebrows began, "while you're the one who will retrieve the pill and free our Alchemy Hall, that pill ultimately belongs to our clan, one that my son dedicated years of his life to. Considering the great value of that pill, I think it is reasonable for us to ask for more compensation."

"That is right," the other elderly man nodded.

Liu Xing chuckled. "You two are shameless. It is as if you have forgotten why you are all currently sitting on the ground. Would you like to be pressed a little lower?" Liu Xing pointed his finger forward, then bent it downward. At his gesture, the surrounding qi pressed down on them. It was not meant to break them, only to remind them that greed was unwise. In unison, their backs bent slightly, drawing flinches and a few quiet squeaks.

"Let me ask you once again, then," Liu Xing looked toward the patriarch, who was now sweating bullets while trying to smile and shooting a nasty look at the man on his right. "Is it reasonable for you to ask more from me? Can you deal with those spirit beasts and free the Alchemy Hall on your own?"

"No, we cannot," the patriarch shook his head slowly.

"Told you so," Liu Xing said, lessening the pressure of his qi.

Truthfully, he understood where their words came from. If their positions were reversed, he too would be bitter if someone tried to take such a precious pill. However, while the Heaven Severing Pill was valuable, killing twenty gigantic spirit beasts, some at the Sun Refining realm, was incredibly dangerous. He deemed the exchange just. It would be a lie to say he wasn't the one who benefited most, but he was also the one who would be in the most danger.

"Will you escort me to the Alchemy Hall?" Liu Xing asked the patriarch. "Or would you like me to seek it out on my own? If it's the latter, I would like a simple map or a landmark I can use to find it."

The sky was dark. The clouds above were plentiful, and he was sure they would obstruct the moon, making the night colder and darker. He intended to finish his mission tonight, which meant braving the dark seafloor alone. It would be troublesome, though not impossible.

"Let us escort you there," the patriarch replied. "But when we are a certain distance from the Alchemy Hall, we will retreat. Is that acceptable?"

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"No problem," Liu Xing said.

"When do we go?" the patriarch asked.

"Right now," he said.

At that, the patriarch of the Jin clan nodded. This marked the end of their conversation.

Liu Xing was the first to stand up, followed by the patriarch, the grand elders, and then the rest of the Jin clan. The patriarch asked Liu Xing to wait a moment before ordering the grand elder with the long beard to retrieve several treasures. Soon, the grand elder came back carrying several items. The first was a needle compass, which he gave to the patriarch. The second was two pairs of rings, each adorned with a pearl. The patriarch took one, the two grand elders each took one, and the last one was given to Liu Xing. He pinched the ring between his thumb and index finger and observed it more closely. The ring itself was made of gold, and the pearl emitted a soft blue light. This little ring was a treasure, but judging by the amount of qi it held, its function was simple.

"This is a simple treasure that can emit light," the patriarch explained. "The intensity depends on the amount of qi you pour into it, as well as your intent. It will be useful for braving the night sea."

After that, the four of them began to move. The patriarch led the way, with the two grand elders in the middle and Liu Xing behind them. The three from the Jin clan used flying swords as their transport, while Liu Xing used his shield. This time, however, he didn't jump from shield to shield. Instead, he encased it with his potent qi and made it fly, just as he usually did with his stone turtle.

Soon, the four of them arrived at a beach. While the clouds obstructed the moon, some of its light managed to spill onto the world, keeping the beach from being pitch-black. This small amount of light was enough for a cultivator's eyes. Liu Xing looked around before settling his gaze on the lazily rolling waves. Far in the middle of the sea, he could see the silhouette of a small boat, its lantern light flickering. This dark sea reminded him of his experience within the mist-qi and his encounter with something truly horrifying.

He shook his head and asked his guides, "Are we going by boat?"

He was sure the Alchemy Hall was quite far from the beach, and diving into the sea from the start didn't seem like the smartest approach.

The patriarch of the Jin clan turned, and a genuine smile touched his lips as he shook his head. "Of course not, Senior Liu. There's a secret path we will use. Follow me."

The four of them walked across the sand, leaving footprints behind them. As he followed, Liu Xing decided to check on the Qing clan using the Eye of Lightning he had left there. From high in the sky, he could see people, whether servants or cultivators, beginning to scramble. He didn't know what they were scrambling about,, but he was certain something was afoot with the Jin clan.

The patriarch tried to make small talk, asking him what it was like to live as a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect, what kinds of advantages he had, and more. Liu Xing decided to humor him.

"My sect has a similar hierarchy to those of other sects. Disciples earn points by going on missions, which they can then exchange for techniques, tutors, and many other things." Liu Xing decided to spice up his story. "The missions are usually simple, though a bit dangerous. The last mission I took involved fighting a massive centipede. We fought for days and flattened a hill into a bowl. But it wasn't a centipede; it was actually a demonic cultivator."

As he continued the story, he directed the remaining Eyes of Lightning flying high above to look in the direction they were heading. From that vantage point, he could see their destination. It was a tower ten to twenty meters tall. On top of the tower, two bright yellow beams of light rotated, signaling to ships where the land was. It was a lighthouse, its color a pure white that made it look beautiful and dignified.

Soon, they arrived at the lighthouse. The elder with the long beard opened the door for them, and they all entered. The base of the lighthouse was illuminated by a warm orange light. Several boxes were stacked against the walls, a spiral staircase rose to the top of the building, and at the base of the stairs, a young member of the Jin clan clasped his hands and paid them respect.

"The secret path is ready," he said. At that moment, a low, grinding groan echoed through the room as if mechanisms were being activated. The stone floor between them slid open, revealing a staircase that led straight down into darkness. Fist-sized gems along the walls pulsed with warm, orange light, illuminating the path.

"Follow me, Senior Liu," the patriarch said as he stepped onto the stairs.

Liu Xing looked at the two elders, and their eyes conveyed that they would enter after him. Thinking nothing of it, he followed the patriarch of the Jin clan, while the two elders followed behind him. As he descended, the air grew colder and colder, though he felt that the gems on the walls, aside from illuminating the stairs, were also emitting some heat. He realized the stairs were made from some kind of granite; their color was white, but they were also decorated with colorful veins. Looking over the patriarch's shoulder, he realized the staircase was incredibly deep, descending perhaps several hundred meters.

As he walked, Liu Xing felt a flicker of panic. His three Eyes of Lightning were still outside. One was positioned at the top of the lighthouse, where it could peer into the base. He saw the entrance slide shut. As they descended the long staircase, their footsteps echoing, Liu Xing knew his Eyes of Lightning could not follow. He idly thought that, if the Jin clan were hostile, this would be the perfect opportunity for them to spring some traps.

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