On Whale Island.
Ling Xiao’s figure flashed and vanished.
Moments later, Whale Island was blasted to pieces, sinking into the sea, with only the island’s master grabbed by Ling Xiao and dragged to the shore.
A strange ripple flickered in Ling Xiao’s eyes.
At this moment, he had not only mastered Ye Gushan’s killing intent, the destructive will of the Primordial God of Destruction and the Primordial Hell Dragon, and the mountain-river will of the Mountain-River Martial Soul, but also learned the *Soul Control Secret Art* of the Lantern Fish Clan.
Will was a manifestation of soul power, and the *Soul Control Secret Art* dealt with the manipulation and use of soul power.
Ling Xiao’s rapid mastery of these three martial soul wills was largely due to this secret manual from the Lantern Fish Clan.
The more he understood his own soul, the more astonished Ling Xiao became.
When he fused with the Mountain-River Martial Soul and awakened the Primordial Golden Dragon, a hidden corner appeared deep within his spiritual sea.
This corner concealed a terrifying soul power, over a hundred times stronger than what he currently possessed!
Unfortunately, with his current strength, he couldn’t fully tap into it.
Previously, his lack of understanding of soul power meant he hadn’t noticed it, but now that he had, he could start planning to extract this hidden soul power, which would undoubtedly be greatly beneficial for his future development.
It might even become a major trump card.
“Hmph, lowly human, since you’ve seen through my true identity, kill me if you must. Don’t think our mighty Sea Clan will fear you, my kin will avenge me sooner or later!”
The Whale Island Master now understood that Ling Xiao knew his true identity. Surprisingly, he didn’t beg for mercy, showing some backbone.
“Is that so? Kneel and answer my questions!”
Ling Xiao’s eyes shimmered with eerie inscriptions, and under the control of the *Soul Control Secret Art*, his formidable mountain-river will invaded the Whale Island Master’s spiritual sea.
He stood there, hands behind his back, black hair fluttering in the wind, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling hue.
Deep and vast, they seemed capable of sucking in another’s soul.
The Whale Island Master, initially defiant, claiming he’d rather die than yield, suddenly went blank-eyed, obediently kneeling like a docile puppet.
“It works!”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly. Though he had only skimmed the *Soul Control Secret Art* and grasped some of its soul manipulation techniques, using the mountain-river will to control someone’s mind was one of them.
It was his first attempt, and it succeeded.
“Yes!”
The Whale Island Master nodded, seemingly powerless to resist Ling Xiao’s words.
If Ling Xiao ordered him to die, he’d likely end his own life without hesitation.
“Excellent!”
Ling Xiao smiled and asked, “Are you part of the Sea Clan’s Storm Legion?”
“Yes!”
The Whale Island Master answered without hesitation, a matter that was actually a secret within the Sea Clan.
Their Storm Legion, since its formation, had operated in secrecy, targeting not only the Heavenly Dragon Continent but also the Divine Phoenix Continent and the other twelve continents.
Ling Xiao questioned him thoroughly, but the Whale Island Master, being a minor figure, didn’t know much detail.
Even so, the information was valuable.
The Storm Ocean covered seven-tenths of the Mysterious Realm, far larger than the land, and stretched from the Heavenly Dragon Continent to the Chosen Giant Gate.
Historical records described the Mysterious Realm as a square landmass enveloped by a spherical barrier of its laws.
What lay beyond those laws was unknown, as no one who left the Mysterious Realm ever returned.
Ling Xiao then asked more questions related to the Sea Clan.
He concluded that the Sea Clan’s infiltration of the human realms had reached a severe level.
He wasn’t sure about other continents, nor was the Whale Island Master.
But on the Heavenly Dragon Continent, the Ninja Clan had fully allied with the Sea Clan.
The Blue-Eyed Clan had become a frontline base for the Sea Clan.
The Barbarian Clan also had Sea Clan bases, though smaller than the Blue-Eyed Clan’s.
As for the Holy Dynasty, among the twelve sects, including the Moonflower Sect, high-ranking members had either defected to or were controlled by the Sea Clan.
Unfortunately, such details were highly confidential, beyond the Whale Island Master’s knowledge.
“Do you know where that Xu Dao went?”
Ling Xiao asked his final question.
“Dead!”
The Whale Island Master replied, “When you sank Whale Island, he died in the collapse.”
Ling Xiao nodded. Though he couldn’t confirm Xu Dao’s death, it seemed likely.
“That’s enough.”
Ling Xiao stored the Whale Island Master in his beast ring.
He planned to bring him back to the sect for Wu Xiang to handle.
This living Sea Clan member would serve as proof of his claims.
An hour later.
At the Divine Sword Sect, in Master Baiyun’s chambers.
“How’s it going? Has Bai Feifei accepted you as her father?”
Ling Xiao, before leaving, had to meet Master Baiyun.
“Sigh, that girl’s been ruined by that Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable. Her head’s filled with nonsense. Changing her will take time.”
Master Baiyun sighed but soon brightened, “Forget her, you’ve truly shocked this old man. I once thought your talent wasn’t enough to take you to the Moonflower Sect, how foolish I was.”
He clearly remembered when Ling Xiao last returned to the Divine Sword Sect, he was just an outer disciple of the Moonflower Sect.
Now, he was a core disciple, with status equal to an inner sect elder.
Such a scenario was beyond his imagination.
He recalled sending Ling Xiao, Dai Yuling, and Leng Mei to the Moonflower Sect, hoping just one would become a disciple, never daring to dream bigger.
Yet now, Ling Xiao was effectively the Moonflower Sect’s strongest disciple.
Dai Yuling was the fifth-ranked core disciple.
The only one unaccounted for was Leng Mei.
“Leng Mei’s fine, I can confirm that. Once I reach the Celestial Realm, I’ll find her!”
The stronger Ling Xiao grew, the clearer his sense of Leng Mei became.
He knew she was in that valley of the Moonflower Sect, but with his current cultivation, he wasn’t qualified to enter.
Still, knowing she was alive was enough.
“Good to know. By the way, why were you gone so long this time? Did something happen?”
Master Baiyun asked, puzzled.
“Have you heard of the Sea Clan?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“No!”
Master Baiyun frowned and shook his head.
