Those present marveled at Yuan Ming's gentle and nurturing methods, and Wan Tianren, who had been silently observing and watching Yuan Ming clash with Hou Chou, also had a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Ever since he and Gu Xuanyang were severely injured by the White Bone Venerable, Hou Chou's behavior had become increasingly arrogant and overbearing. Relying on controlling the Ancestor Ape, he had expressed dissatisfaction with Wan Tianren more than once, always trying to replace him and take complete control of the East Sea Alliance to become the overlord of the East Sea.

For many reasons, Wan Tianren naturally couldn't afford to completely fall out with Hou Chou. After all, the other party had value and had not yet crossed his bottom line, but letting him be would have a negative impact on his own authority.

He was pleased with the arrival of Yuan Ming, firstly because of his strength and the status as a Divine Envoy of the Moon God Sect, and secondly because he wanted to use Yuan Ming to balance against Hou Chou.

However, matters of power struggle could be set aside for now. As the Island Master of Fusang Island, with his home now fallen, he was the most dedicated to dealing with the Wu Yue Sect.

Upon Yuan Ming's inquiry about the situation within the East Sea Alliance, Wan Tianren also temporarily set aside other thoughts and began to introduce the situation to Yuan Ming.

The situation was largely the same as Yuan Ming understood, with the only difference being that the Wu Yue Sect had fewer people than the East Sea Alliance.

The Wu Yue Sect acted ruthlessly, their conquests often leading to rivers of blood. As a result, although they occupied a vast number of islands, they recruited few people, and many did not genuinely submit but only did so due to the situation. Many responded to Wan Tianren's call for support, such as Qiuxiang Island that Yuan Ming had encountered before, but unfortunately, they were encountered by Wu Yue Sect followers before they could take action.

Despite this, the battle situation still favored the Wu Yue Sect, as they had many Soul Cultivators with extraordinary strength and the home advantage with the Red Blood Sand Formation. In every major battle, as soon as the East Sea Alliance achieved some success, the Wu Yue Sect would activate the Great Array, rapidly reversing the situation.

The current stalemate was holding, but while the Wu Yue Sect could afford to wait, the East Sea Alliance could not. Yuzhu Three Islands were still trapped in the Formation, and if they were the first to falter, the Wu Yue Sect, with logistic reinforcements, would leave the East Sea Alliance without any chance of victory.

"... This, then, is the current situation of our alliance," Wan Tianren finished, sighing unintentionally.

Yuan Ming nodded, lost in thought, when suddenly Hou Chou spoke again:

"Fellow Daoist Yuan must have some exceptional qualities to receive such appreciation from Alliance Leader Wan. Surely, you must have a good strategy for defeating the enemy. Please, do not keep it to yourself."

"I have yet to see the Red Blood Sand Formation with my own eyes, so I do not dare to speak hastily. It is better to understand more intelligence first," Yuan Ming replied, shaking his head gently and unaffected by Hou Chou's provocative tone.

"Ha, I thought you had great abilities, but it turns out you're just an incompetent person in the end. Alliance Leader Wan better be cautious, don't be fooled by some who only put on an act and inadvertently let this alliance lose its advantage," Hou Chou laughed loudly with an insinuating tone.

Yuan Ming, however, did not get angry, not even casting an extra glance at Hou Chou.

"You needn't worry about my judgment, Clan Leader Hou. I think it's about time; let's conclude today's discussion," Wan Tianren said with a grand wave of his hand, signaling the others to leave.

Hou Chou snorted coldly and immediately got up to leave. The others looked at each other, some left directly, while some paid their respects to Wan Tianren before departing.

But Yuan Ming had personal matters to inquire about, so he did not get up, and Wan Tianren too appeared to have something he wished to discuss privately with him, so he also remained silent. Thischapterispartofthecollectionon*.

After everyone had left, Wan Tianren was the first to speak, giving a wry smile towards Yuan Ming.

"I have made quite a spectacle for the Divine Envoy Yuan to witness," he said.

"Power struggles are common everywhere. It is just that the situation is so dire, yet Hou Chou still has the mind for internal conflict, which really leaves much to be desired," Yuan Ming spoke indifferently.

"Alas, with the Ancestor Ape at his disposal, and both Fellow Daoist Gu and I gravely injured, Hou Chou has the strongest combat power within our alliance, and I can't suppress him. I must ask Divine Envoy Yuan to bear with him," Wan Tianren said as he bowed slightly.

"Rest assured, I'm not so petty as to get frustrated over such a small-minded person," Yuan Ming replied calmly.

"Speaking of which, I couldn't say everything in front of everyone just now. But now, I must be frank with you—the situation of the East Sea Alliance is even worse than I described. With the large number of Cultivators stationed on the islands, resources are consumed at an alarming rate. At most, we can only hold out for twenty days. After that, if we can't break through the Wu Yue Sect's forces, we'll have no choice but to retreat," Wan Tianren said with a worried expression.

"Twenty days, huh... it should be barely enough. Alliance Leader Wan need not worry; I will find a Breaking Formation Technique before then," Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then confidently declared.

"If that's truly the case, I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of all fellow Daoists to Divine Envoy Yuan in advance," Wan Tianren said, with a mix of anticipation and disbelief.

"Alliance Leader Wan just needs to spread the teachings of the Moon God Sect well, so more people will believe in Lord Nether Moon God. That way, any problem can be resolved easily," Yuan Ming said earnestly.

His purpose here was not only to assist the East Sea Alliance and eradicate the Wu Yue Sect but more importantly to grow the following of the Moon God Sect and increase its believers.

"Understood, I will do as instructed!" Wan Tianren responded respectfully.

"With that settled, then I'll take my leave," Yuan Ming said as he got up and left the grand hall.

A group of people flew over from a distance, escorting several large Flying Cars and Flying Boats. They appeared to be a merchant caravan, led by a red-robed woman with a red ribbon over her eyes—it was Yan Siyun.

"Fellow Daoist Yan, it's been a long time," Yuan Ming greeted her with a slight smile as he walked up to her.

He had just been in the great hall when he sensed that Yan Siyun had come with others, prompting him to take his leave.

Yan Siyun was initially shocked but, after sweeping the area with her Divine Sense and recognizing it was Yuan Ming, her face beamed with joy.

"Divine Envoy Yuan, you have finally come out from the secret realm!" she exclaimed with delight.

Yuan Ming nodded with a smile and then gave her a few appraising looks.

Nowadays, Yan Siyun was dressed in a light red tight-fitting attire, her long hair tied up high, making her appear much more dashing and far less delicate than before.

Not only had Yan Siyun's temperament changed drastically, but her cultivation had also greatly advanced. Her aura was smooth and well-integrated, evidently having reached the Core Formation Stage.

"I didn't expect that you would have formed your Golden Core by now, truly a matter for congratulations," Yuan Ming said.

"Thanks to Lord Nether Moon God's blessing, otherwise I may have never reached this step," Yan Siyun replied with a look of gratitude.

Ever since she started practicing the Divination Secret Skill given by Xi Ying, her lifespan and fortune had dwindled, making the advancement to the Core Formation Stage increasingly uncertain. She had almost given up on the pursuit of the Immortal Path. It was only after receiving the Spirit Origin Fruit bestowed by the Nether Moon God that she rallied herself and, with renewed vigor, finally broke through to Core Formation.

At the same time, Yan Siyun also noticed Yuan Ming's current level of cultivation, and surprise flashed across her beautiful face.

"Have you become a Nascent Soul cultivator?"

"In the secret realm, there is a place where the flow of time differs from the outside world. I had to engage in arduous cultivation for several decades there before I luckily made the breakthrough," Yuan Ming explained with a smile.

"I see. But there are countless cultivators in the world who are stuck in the Core Formation Stage, some spending a lifetime without breaking through. Fellow Daoist Yuan... no, Senior Yuan, to achieve so much at such a young age, it's no wonder you've gained favor from Lord Nether Moon God," Yan Siyun sincerely remarked.

"Heh, Fellow Daoist Yan, no need for formalities. Let's continue as peers as we did before; I still prefer you calling me Fellow Daoist Yuan. By the way, shouldn't you be at Dragon King City? What brings you here?" Yuan Ming asked with a slight smile.

Currently interacting with Yan Siyun as Yuan Ming, he had to be cautious with his words. Therefore, although he already knew that Yan Siyun had come here with the people from Red Ganoderma Island, he couldn't reveal it carelessly.

"It's a long story. I wished to remain in Dragon King City, but current disturbances in the East Sea have led to widespread rumors and hindered the flow of information, making it less convenient than before. The intelligence delivered has become increasingly sparse and sometimes even contradictory. Just so happens, the East Sea Alliance has placed an order with Hundred Pills Square for a batch of supplies and elixirs. With the situation in the East Sea being unstable and the transportation of supplies difficult, I led the merchant caravan to gather everything and deliver it to Purple Nan Island. Moreover, being at the frontline here makes it easier for me to acquire firsthand intelligence to report to Lord Nether Moon God," Yan Siyun explained.

"I see," Yuan Ming said, glancing at the token in Yan Siyun's hand while recalling that she had not been able to pray for several days in a row.

"Please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist Yuan, I need to deliver the elixirs and supplies to the East Sea Alliance," Yan Siyun said.

Hundred Pills Square and the East Sea Alliance seemed to have engaged in transactions before, and Yan Siyun quickly completed the handover. She then took Yuan Ming to her accommodations on Purple Nan Island.

The setup inside the house was similar to her residence in Dragon King City, with storage shelves on all four walls neatly arranged with various Jade Scrolls, all containing intelligence about the situation in the East Sea.

"Fellow Daoist Yan, do you have any intelligence regarding the Red Blood Sand Formation here?" Yuan Ming asked straightforwardly after seating himself.

He trusted Yan Siyun more than the East Sea Alliance.

Yan Siyun nodded, then took out several Jade Scrolls that included descriptions of the scenes when the Red Blood Crimson Sand Array was deployed, first-hand accounts of the sensations felt by those who entered the Formation, and extensive information on the Formation gleaned from various classics.

It was said that the Formation used Qi-Blood as its guide and living souls as a catalyst. During setup, a large number of living beings needed to be prepared for a Blood Sacrifice. Once the Formation was complete, it could be activated and deactivated at will. Once activated, violent winds would whip up a sky full of Red Sand, continually assaulting the enemy without rest. If one did not use magic to resist, the bloodthirsty Red Sand would invade the body, causing Qi-Blood to become chaotic and conflicted, eventually leading to an explosive death.

Throughout the conflict, the number of the East Sea Alliance's deaths due to this Formation was countless. If they managed to escape desperately and fall outside the Formation, it was still better; if they unfortunately perished within, their Qi-Blood would be absorbed by the Formation, serving to enhance its power further.

Moreover, this Formation could also disrupt space, such that no island within could use a Transmission Array to move. Otherwise, one would inevitably fall into chaotic spatial currents.

The East Sea Alliance spent a long time researching a Breaking Formation Technique and eventually discovered that the Formation actually contained several Array Eyes. If they could find the exact locations and send individuals to infiltrate and destroy them, the Formation would automatically collapse and cease to be a problem.

However, merely observing from the outside was not enough to find the Array Eyes. The East Sea Alliance had tried more than once to secretly send Array Masters into the Formation to locate them.

But the Wu Yue Sect had Soul Cultivators in place with Divine Sense far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators. The East Sea Alliance's every infiltration attempt was detected by the Wu Yue Sect's guards before they could get far, immediately activating the Great Array. In the end, the East Sea Alliance could only return empty-handed.

"Hmm... It seems I need to take a trip there myself to see this Formation with my own eyes. Where exactly is it located?" Yuan Ming put down the Jade Scroll and mused for a moment.

"Go north from here. Follow the line from Nanshan Island approaching Ting Chao Island, and you will find it. However, Fellow Daoist Yuan, please be careful. The Wu Yue Sect has stationed many people on the frontline islands. If they detect a Nascent Soul approaching, they might immediately activate the Formation," Yan Siyun cautioned as she handed over another Jade Scroll that recorded the battle lines between the Wu Yue Sect and the East Sea Alliance.

Yuan Ming nodded, stood up, and left. Soon, he found the location of the Red Blood Sand Formation, using the map as a guide.