Chapter 1201: Meng Qi’s Departure

Meng Hanan was shaken. She knew she had support, but it was insignificant compared to Yong Lanyi's power. She felt despair. Since the alliance leader's disappearance and Vice Alliance Leader Wang Cang's ascension, the Sea Cultivator Alliance had deteriorated. They remained one of the three major powers, but were undeniably the weakest.

She produced a jade card and gave it to Yong Lanyi. “Meng Qi has a spirit sense mark; you can detect it with this.”

Yong Lanyi took the card, scanned it with his spirit sense, frowned, and said, “This spirit sense mark is still within the Qu 18 Disks. This means your disciple, Meng Qi, is still inside?”

Meng Hanan bowed. “Theoretically, yes. But the spirit sense mark has only moved within a small area for a few days. I’m unsure.”

Yong Lanyi had a gut feeling that Ye Mo had left, but dismissed it. One needed to reach the 18th disk to exit, requiring a level-nine formation grandmaster. No matter how gifted Ye Mo was, reaching that level within 100 years was impossible.

The tournament concluded, yet no cultivators departed. Everyone anxiously awaited Ye Mo and Meng Qi's emergence. Jin Xuecheng resolved to help Ye Mo, regardless of the consequences. Eighteen days passed—a short time for cultivators. The Qu 18 Disks were again shrouded in mist and vanished.

Everyone understood Ye Mo wouldn't be returning; the Qu 18 Disks had sealed themselves, only to reappear fifty years later. Yong Lanyi's face was ashen. His cult had lost miserably; he'd been utterly outmaneuvered. Worst of all, his son had been killed by Ye Mo, and his sworn revenge remained unfulfilled.

Meng Hanan felt sadness. Meng Qi's departure with Ye Mo implied she'd discovered the spirit sense mark. Meng Hanan wondered how disappointed Meng Qi would be upon realizing this deception. She knew, even if they reunited, their relationship would never be the same.

Meanwhile, the Blue Moon had been leaving the Three Seas for over ten days, accelerating steadily. Meng Qi sensed the increasing speed and rejoiced at seeking Ye Mo's aid. Otherwise, even Yong Wuzi's death wouldn't have ensured her safety. If her master hadn't suspected her, she wouldn't have implanted the spirit sense mark.

Since Ye Mo's departure, he'd been studying the blue ore alongside his cultivation. Even with his knowledge, its nature remained a mystery.

Half a month later, Meng Qi requested, "Martial Brother Ye, I have a request."

Ye Mo smiled. "I know what you want, but there's no rush. We've traveled far, but it's still not safe. In another half-month, I'll find a place to set up a spirit-gathering formation for you. We've shared hardship; we're friends. I'll help."

Overjoyed, Meng Qi bowed. "Thank you, Martial Brother Ye. It's my honor to be your friend."

Half a month later, on a barren island in the Heartless Sea, Ye Mo deployed an extreme-grade spirit range, erected a stealth spirit formation to conceal the spirit energy, and then set up a spirit-gathering formation.

Meng Qi felt the incredibly dense spirit energy; it was so potent that she felt her cultivation level was rising without any effort.

She breathed deeply and bowed to Ye Mo. “We may never see each other again, but Martial Brother Ye will always be Meng Qi's big brother. Please accept my bow. Without you, I might never have returned home.”

Upon realizing the spirit sense mark, Meng Qi understood her past naiveté. She might have been traded away by the Sea Cultivator Alliance before reaching higher cultivation levels.

Ye Mo waved his hand. “Hurry and use your rune. This is the Heartless Sea, and while my stealth formation is good, high-level spirit beasts attracted by this dense spirit energy would be problematic.”

“Yes, I'll be leaving. Take care, Brother Ye,” Meng Qi said.

She retrieved a golden rune from her dantian and imbued it with essence blood.

The golden rune activated, transforming into a golden whirlpool that enveloped Meng Qi. Spirit energy surged and was rapidly drawn away. Ye Mo was shocked; the rune was incredibly taxing on spirit energy. Without an extreme-grade spirit range, he likely couldn't have used it.

Even at higher cultivation levels, without a top-grade spirit range and a level-nine spirit-gathering formation, she wouldn't be able to use this space travel rune. Meng Qi realized this as well, witnessing the rune's energy consumption. She was grateful for meeting Ye Mo, a level-nine formation grandmaster.

Though she wanted to thank him further, the golden circle spun faster, whisking her away.

With a thud, the volatile spirit energy caused the stealth spirit formation to explode, scattering the dense energy. Ye Mo swiftly retrieved his formation flags and his extreme-grade spirit range, storing it within his Golden Page World.

As he did so, two figures landed on the island. Ye Mo was astounded by their speed. He'd just removed the spirit range, and they were already here.

“Such dense spirit chi…” one person remarked, while the other remained silent.

Ye Mo saw two cultivators: one a Cauldron Filling state level eight, the other a Disaster Transformation state level one. He realized they were merely passing by, the Cauldron Filling state cultivator fleeing, pursued by the Disaster Transformation state cultivator.

The Cauldron Filling state cultivator was of medium build, with a bronze complexion. His hair was short, but he wielded a thick, middle-grade cultivation artifact sword.

The Disaster Transformation state cultivator sported a small mustache, reminding Ye Mo of Dongfang Xi from Earth. He immediately disliked the man. The Disaster Transformation cultivator, however, fixed his gaze on Ye Mo.

Ye Mo frowned, cursing his luck; he knew this encounter wouldn't end well.

The Disaster Transformation state cultivator frowned. “What was here before? Did you take it? Why is the spirit energy dissipating?”

Ye Mo, facing a Disaster Transformation state level one cultivator—someone he couldn't defeat, but could possibly outrun—said calmly, “Whatever was here is none of your concern.”

“How dare you, a mere Body Condensation state cultivator, speak to me like that!” The Disaster Transformation state cultivator unleashed a red ray, striking Ye Mo before he could even react.

Ye Mo was enraged. In the cultivation realm, power was absolute. He summoned Zi Xu and attacked, forgoing Illusion Cloud and unleashing all his cultivation essence. He sensed that the Disaster Transformation state cultivator hadn't used his full power either.

The red and purple rays clashed, scattering. Ye Mo was flung several hundred meters, his cultivation essence surging, nearly causing him to vomit blood.