Chapter Two: The Islet

“Master, I missed you so much!” A lively young girl threw her arms around the Supreme Lord of the Crimson Sword, who could only protect his cherished beard with both hands.

While the other disciples stood by with perfect decorum, his own younger sister behaved thus. Nuo Xin, massaging his temples, felt a familiar headache rising.

“Little imp, I missed you too! But please, spare my beard!” The mighty Supreme Lord of the Crimson Sword had no choice but to appease this unruly child. After all, he had worked so hard to maintain his beard—he couldn’t let her pluck it out with a few playful tugs.

Seeing his sister finally quiet down, Nuo Xin collected himself. “Master, did you summon us here for a new trial?”

“This time, it’s not about training. Do my disciples still lack for experience?” The Crimson Sword Supreme’s tone brimmed with pride. “Ignore the opinions of those old men.”

“Master, you’re truly the greatest!” Nuo Yu gazed at him with unabashed adoration. Faced with his beloved disciple’s praise, the Supreme Lord of the Crimson Sword found himself unable to keep up his stern façade.

“Then, Master, is there some other important matter?” Nuo Xin asked, full of curiosity.

The Supreme Lord glanced at his disciples. The personalities of Nuo Xin and her younger sister could not be more different. “No need to guess. Tomorrow, I’ll take both of you to a place—the very spot where I found you. Something unusual has happened there, and it might be connected to you both.”

At this news, even the usually noisy Nuo Yu fell silent, clutching her master’s hand. “Master, is that true?”

Nuo Xin, too, gazed at him in stunned disbelief.

“Yes, you heard me right. Don’t worry—compose yourselves. We set out tomorrow.” Without waiting for his troublesome little one to ask more questions, the Supreme Lord’s figure vanished.

Dawn on Swordpool Isle was thick with the salty, damp sea breeze. The Underworld Sea was wild and turbulent that day; standing on the rocky shore, one could hear the roars of sea beasts echoing through the air. The gloomy sky seemed intent on freezing the world in its grasp, and cultivators who stood by the sea felt suffocated, as if the very act of breathing had become a challenge.

At the northern tip of Swordpool Isle, a graceful woman faced the distant heart of the Underworld Sea, her bright, beautiful eyes fixed on the horizon as if she could pierce the unknown.

Suddenly, the sound of flying swords sliced through the air. Another lithe figure appeared at her side. “Sister, why are you here? I’ve looked everywhere for you!” Nuo Yu’s tone was sweetly petulant as she grasped her elder sister’s delicate hand.

Nuo Xin turned, gazing at her sister with affectionate indulgence. “It’s nothing. I just needed a little air.”

“Sister, you’re worried about the place Master’s taking us today, aren’t you? Don’t try to fool me—I know exactly what you’re thinking.” Nuo Yu’s gaze bored into her sister, and when Nuo Xin seemed about to protest, she quickly added—

Nuo Xin smiled. “When did my little sister become so observant? Don’t overthink it, I’m fine. Come, let’s go back so Master doesn’t have to wait.” With that, she summoned her sword spirit. A violet-blue blade emerged between her hands, swiftly growing in size, and she mounted it, soaring away.

No one knew the true breadth of the Underworld Sea. At least, not those living on the Wild God Continent. Legends claimed that crossing the Underworld Sea would bring one to the mythical Divine Miracle Continent, where infinite cultivation resources awaited, and the land was vast beyond imagination. Whether these tales were true, none on the Wild God Continent could say.

“Master, we’ve been traveling for days—aren’t we there yet?” Sustained by their master’s vital energy, the sisters had flown well over a hundred thousand miles. Nuo Yu’s patience had long since worn thin.

“Don’t be impatient, child. We’re almost there.” The depths of the Underworld Sea teemed with dangers. Only a handful from the Wild God Continent could fly here as freely as the Supreme Lord of the Crimson Sword. Still, the sisters noticed their master had begun to suppress his aura as they traveled further, likely to avoid provoking the local sea overlords.

After nearly half a day’s flight, the Supreme Lord suddenly halted.

“Master, are we there?” Nuo Yu quickly asked.

“We are, but it seems there’s trouble ahead,” he replied, his expression grave.

“My dears, I asked you here because half a year ago, passing this way, I discovered a sudden surge of spiritual energy on the island where I first found you. Upon closer inspection, the source was precisely where I met you both. I always thought your appearance on that isolated island was extraordinary, and neither of you has disappointed me—you’re both exceptionally gifted cultivators. My investigation revealed this spiritual eruption would soon reach a critical point, but I found nothing else unusual.”

He met their eyes, which were fixed intently on him, and continued, “Since you appeared on that island, this eruption might be linked to you—it could be the greatest opportunity of your lives, perhaps even revealing the mystery of your origins.”

The sisters followed his gaze to a lush, not-very-large island about ten thousand meters away. Nuo Xin felt a surge of familiarity, but before she could dwell on it, Nuo Yu summoned her Frost God Sword, leaping onto it and speeding toward the island. Nuo Xin was about to stop her when, almost instantly, her sister was hurled backward to their starting point.

“Impulsive girl, be careful. Some creatures are blocking our way—if they spot us, things will get complicated,” the Supreme Lord said kindly.

Nuo Xin’s heart clenched. “Master, is there serious trouble ahead?”

“Did you think I stopped here just to enjoy the scenery? Haven’t you noticed I’ve cloaked your auras completely? A few beings ahead, though not my equals individually, could give me a headache if they band together.” He stroked his beard. “I suspect the local sea overlords have gathered here, drawn by the island’s spiritual surge. Judging by their stance, they mean to raze the island and claim its energy. At their level, these sea overlords have advanced intelligence and rudimentary cultivation—they no longer rely solely on instinct. If they obtain whatever treasure is releasing this spiritual energy, they’ll evolve yet again and grow even stronger.”

Nuo Yu grew anxious. “Master, you must do something! If they destroy the island, my sister and I will never learn the truth about our past.”

The Supreme Lord chuckled. “Impatient little one, don’t worry. They won’t attack yet—they’re waiting for the exact moment when the spiritual eruption peaks, so they can seize the treasure intact.”

“So what should we do?” Nuo Xin asked.

The Supreme Lord replied serenely, “We’ll sneak in quietly. Stay close to me, and they won’t notice us. If we uncover the secrets we seek before they discover us, we’ll depart without trouble. Those creatures, no matter how many, cannot hope to detain me.”

Relieved, the sisters’ faces brightened.

The three drew nearer to the island. Despite the oppressive aura of the Underworld Sea, the small island radiated astonishing spiritual energy and vibrant life, standing in sharp contrast to the surrounding waters.

When they were still five thousand meters from the shore, a sudden wave rose from the sea, driving the waters aside and forming a wall a hundred yards high. It surged forward, an awe-inspiring sight.

“So it’s that one,” the Supreme Lord muttered with a frown.

“Master, who is it?” Nuo Yu whispered.

“The Sword Dragon of the Underworld Sea—a most troublesome beast.”

“The Sword Dragon of the Underworld Sea…” The sisters repeated the name in their minds.

“The most difficult thing about this creature is that unless you enter the water, it’s almost impossible to draw it out, yet it can command the boundless sea to launch deadly attacks. No matter—we’ll get to the island first.”

He pressed his palms together. “Scarlet Flame, heed my command: cleave the void!” A crimson sword, though only a phantom, exuded overwhelming presence. Its blade tore open the very air before them, and before the sisters could react, the Supreme Lord swept them all inside.

When the sisters finally recovered from their astonishment, they found themselves surrounded by a world of green.