Chapter 375: Huaien's Unlucky Break
"Haha, Huaien! I knew you weren't ordinary! I heard you even managed to drive off a Lower Earth Sovereign! That's incredible!"
On a small island near the Merchant Continent, Huaien looked up to see a towering man, nearly two meters tall and built like a fortress, laughing heartily as he approached.
Seeing the man, Huaien couldn't help but smile and quickened his pace to meet him.
After a brief embrace, Huaien asked, "Island Lord, how come you're back so soon?"
Previously, the island lord had mentioned that his trip would take about a month, but it had only been half that time. Naturally, Huaien was curious.
"Haha, we came back early because we got news about what you were asking for!" the island lord replied with a cheerful laugh.
Hearing this, Huaien's face lit up with excitement. "Island Lord, do you mean you found news about my teacher and the others?"
"I believe so," the island lord nodded. "Remember when I told you about the ancient secret realm on the Western Sky Continent? A lot of people went to participate in its trials."
"Yes, I remember," Huaien said, nodding eagerly.
"And your teacher's name is Xiao Tiance, correct?"
"That's right!" Huaien confirmed, his excitement growing.
"Haha, then it must be him! Huaien, do you know that your teacher's name is already spreading far and wide across the Thousand Great Worlds?" the island lord said with glee.
"Really? What happened?" Huaien asked, equally elated and curious.
**"He has become a Heaven Sovereign! Not only that, but he also fought the Western Sky Battle Emperor, the overlord of the Western Sky Continent, and walked away unscathed.
"This news is spreading quickly from the Western Sky Continent to all corners of the world. Furthermore, there are two Earth Sovereign pinnacle experts by his side: one named Xiao Xuan and another named Gu Xun'er.
"Didn't you mention these names before? That they were your companions and traveled here with you? At first, I thought it might just be a coincidence, but with all the evidence aligning, it must be your teacher!"** the island lord exclaimed, overjoyed.
Even on their small island, having a connection to a Heaven Sovereign meant a strong backing, something the island lord was keenly aware of.
For Huaien, the joy came not from Xiao Tiance's newfound power but from knowing that his teacher and companions were safe.
"That's wonderful! They're okay!" Huaien said, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Haha, you can rest easy now. A Heaven Sovereign is one of the most powerful beings in the Thousand Great Worlds; your teacher will be just fine. But tell me, Huaien, do you have any way to contact him? I've heard that since his battle with the Western Sky Battle Emperor, your teacher has been in seclusion. Even many first rate powers on the Western Sky Continent sent gifts but couldn't meet him," the island lord said with a chuckle, sharing what he had learned.
At this, Huaien smiled bitterly. "Island Lord, my positioning token something my teacher gave me to locate him was lost. Without it, I can't contact him at all."
The island lord frowned, thinking for a moment before responding. "When I found you washed up on the shore, I didn't see any token on you. It might have fallen into the sea. I can send people to search underwater for it if you'd like."
Huaien considered this, but before he could reply, he suddenly sensed a spatial fluctuation to the west. He turned, noticing the powerful aura approaching from a distance a presence that felt oddly familiar.
Facing the island lord, Huaien said, "Island Lord, a strong aura is coming from the west. I'll go check it out. Please tell the villagers to stay vigilant I fear it might be that Lower Earth Sovereign coming back for revenge."
"Alright, be careful!" the island lord said firmly.
Huaien nodded and immediately headed westward, moving swiftly through the air.
The Fateful Meeting
Out at sea, Xiao Tiance, Xiao Xuan, Gu Xun'er, and Xiao Tianming hovered above the water, their presence commanding and powerful.
Xiao Tiance held a glowing white positioning token in his hand, his brow furrowed. Channeling his spiritual energy, he summoned a strong force that dived deep into the sea. Moments later, a battered token emerged from the water.
"This is the positioning token I gave to Huaien. How did it end up here?" Xiao Tiance muttered, his tone tinged with concern.
Chen Yunqiao, their guide, stepped forward and said respectfully, "My lord, based on the information we gathered, there is a small island to the east. A newly risen expert resides there perhaps it is the person you are searching for?"
Before Xiao Tiance could respond, he, Xiao Xuan, and Gu Xun'er all turned toward the east simultaneously. Their expressions shifted from concern to relief, smiles spreading across their faces.
Though Chen Yunqiao didn't understand what they had sensed, he wisely chose to remain silent.
Moments later, Huaien emerged from the void, his gaze scanning the group before landing on Xiao Tiance. Disbelief flickered in his eyes as he rubbed them to ensure he wasn't dreaming.
Finally, he moved swiftly and bowed deeply. "Teacher! Lord Xiao Xuan, Lady Gu Xun'er, Elder Tianming!"
"Haha, you rascal! When I pulled your positioning token out of the sea, I feared something terrible had happened to you. I didn't expect to see you so soon!" Xiao Tiance said, clapping Huaien's shoulder with a grin.
**"Exactly!" Xiao Xuan laughed. "Why didn't you take better care of the token? When your teacher found it, we thought you might have been in trouble!"
Even Gu Xun'er smiled warmly. "Huaien, we're just glad you're safe."
Huaien's face flushed slightly with embarrassment as he bowed again. "Forgive me for making you all worry. Huaien is deeply ashamed."
Xiao Tiance chuckled. "You're safe that's all that matters. Judging by the direction you came from, could it be true? Did you really manage to drive off a Lower Earth Sovereign?"
Huaien's expression shifted as he nodded slowly, preparing to recount his ordeal.
"Hehe, I didn't expect you all to know about that incident, Teacher," Huaien said with a sheepish smile.
He explained, **"A merchant guild came to the island a while ago. They discovered a mineral vein hidden beneath the island and tried to seize it. Because the island lord entrusted me with protecting the island, I stepped in to stop them. Their forces weren't very strong, so I drove them off without much trouble.
"But the next day, a Lower Earth Sovereign appeared. He was incredibly domineering, claiming ownership of the island and demanding I become his subordinate.
"We fought, and though I was no match for him, thanks to the master tier spirit array inscribed on the positioning token you gave me, combined with my Devour Spirit Clan bloodline, I managed to hold him off."**
As Huaien scratched his head awkwardly, he continued, "It felt like just another incident, but I didn't expect Teacher and the others to hear about it."
"Good job, kid!" Xiao Xuan laughed heartily and patted Huaien on the shoulder, pride shining in his eyes.
Xiao Tiance also nodded approvingly, smiling as he silently assessed Huaien's condition. Despite Huaien's apparent health, Xiao Tiance's senses picked up lingering injuries.
After stepping into the Earth Sovereign realm himself, Xiao Tiance understood the vast gulf between a Supreme Pinnacle and a Lower Earth Sovereign. Even with the help of the positioning token, driving off such an opponent must have been no easy feat.
"Well done you didn't disgrace me. But..." Xiao Tiance's gaze turned cold as a trace of killing intent flickered in his eyes. "Anyone who dares harm my disciple must answer for it."
He turned to Huaien and asked, "Do you know who this Lower Earth Sovereign was? Which force does he belong to?"
Huaien felt a warm sense of comfort at his teacher's protective demeanor but shook his head. "Teacher, I don't know his identity. He never revealed his name or showed his face, so I couldn't tell who he was."
Xiao Tiance frowned but nodded. "Understood. I'll have someone investigate and see if we can figure out which force this person belongs to."
"Thank you, Teacher," Huaien said, bowing deeply. **"But there's no need to worry. If my guess is correct, he will come back.
"When he left, he warned me to think carefully and said that if I refused to submit the next time, he wouldn't hold back and would kill everyone on the island."**
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance's lips curved into a slight, dangerous smile. "Good. If that's the case, I'll stay here with you and wait for him. Let's see who's bold enough to act this way."
Turning to Xiao Xuan, Gu Xun'er, and Chen Yunqiao, Xiao Tiance instructed, "Xuan ge, Xun'er, Yunqiao, I need you to head to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce and bring back Mu Ling. I'll stay here with Huaien and wait for this person to show up."
"Understood."
"No problem," Xiao Xuan and Gu Xun'er replied simultaneously, understanding Xiao Tiance's fierce protective nature when it came to his people.
**"Once you've brought Mu Ling back, return to meet us here. Afterward, we'll head to the Northern Sky Continent together. Be cautious the chairman of the Four Seas Chamber, Tong Sihai, is said to be a peak Earth Sovereign. It's likely he's stronger than Mu Ling, or Mu Ling wouldn't have settled for being just a guest elder.
"If you encounter anything you can't handle, send a message, and I'll deal with it personally."** Xiao Tiance's tone was calm but commanding.
Xiao Xuan laughed confidently. "Don't worry, Tiance! With Xun'er and me, the Four Seas Chamber is nothing to worry about."
"Be careful, though," Xiao Tiance advised with a smile. "The Merchant Continent may seem prosperous, but the shadows behind the scenes are deep. Don't get caught off guard."
"Relax, Uncle Tiance. We'll be cautious," Gu Xun'er assured him with a smile. With the Emperor Flame in her possession, she feared no one below the Heaven Sovereign level.
"Good. Return quickly." Xiao Tiance nodded.
With that, Chen Yunqiao, Xiao Xuan, and Gu Xun'er departed for the Merchant Continent. Once they had left, Xiao Tiance turned to Huaien and said with a smile, "Let's go, Huaien. Take me to your island."
"Yes, Teacher," Huaien replied respectfully, leading the way.
Arrival at the Island
The island was about a hundred miles away, and it didn't take long for the group to arrive.
As soon as they landed, Xiao Tiance extended his spiritual senses to scan the island. He found no particularly strong individuals. The most powerful being present had only just passed the Divine Spirit Tribulation, while most others were below the Three Transformation Realm.
Huaien explained, **"Teacher, Elder Tianming, this is Baiye Island. When I crossed the spatial barrier, my battle energy became unusable for some reason.
"I was unlucky enough to fall straight into the ocean. Though I swam a long distance using only my physical strength, I eventually collapsed from exhaustion. When I woke up, the island's lord, Bai Qi, had saved me."**
Xiao Tianming chuckled. "You're lucky to have survived. That alone is impressive."
Xiao Tiance nodded in agreement. "Indeed, you were fortunate. On our way here, I sensed several spirit beasts in the sea. Though their strength was average, they would have had no trouble dealing with someone unconscious."
Huaien scratched his head, embarrassed by his misfortune.
As they walked further into the island, it was oddly quiet no villagers were in sight. When they reached a temple like structure, Huaien stopped and explained, "Teacher, please wait here. Before I left, I thought the Lower Earth Sovereign might return, so I asked the island lord to hide the villagers."
Xiao Tiance smiled. "No rush. Go ahead."
Huaien approached the temple and knocked on the door in a specific pattern. Five or six minutes later, someone opened the door.
The person's eyes lit up when they saw Huaien. They immediately turned around and shouted excitedly, "Island Lord! Island Lord! Huaien has returned!"
(To be continued...)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1