Star Martial Soaring Cloud

As Su Qinhe said this, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Wang Xiao—after all, the Xuanyuan family had been mentioned again, a topic that Wang Xiao was unwilling to discuss.

Upon learning that the Xuanyuan family had not sent anyone to the Demon Island, the entire cave fell into a deathly silence.

The crackling of burning wood and the rustling of the wind outside the cave sounded particularly jarring at that moment.

Because the Xuanyuan family was involved, Su Qinhe became cautious and handed over the initiative in this topic to Wang Xiao.

If he asks a question, she answers truthfully; if he doesn't ask, she never extends the question any further.

Wang Xiao was still in shock and couldn't come to his senses for a long time.

The Xuanyuan family is the royal family of the previous dynasty, and even now, it remains one of the most powerful forces in the Nine Provinces.

According to Su Qinhe, the Xuanyuan family already has the momentum to dominate the Central Plains. How could such a family easily give up the trip to the Demon Island because of the threat of one person and one sword?

Wang Xiao smiled wryly and said, "Oh? The Xuanyuan family didn't send anyone. Do they already think they can stand on equal footing with the top three powers? Are they deliberately using this method to demonstrate their power to the Great Qian Dynasty?"

Su Qinhe gently shook her head, her tone tinged with uncertainty: "I don't know. The information from Fengyuxuan couldn't find out why the Xuanyuan family was absent either. Perhaps they have more important matters to attend to; perhaps they truly disdain getting involved in this conflict."

Wang Xiao smiled and didn't ask any further questions.

Whether the Xuanyuan family comes or not is irrelevant to him—his purpose in coming to the island is solely for the Immortal Ephemeral Flower and to enter the Dragon Gate Divine Realm.

As for the grudges of the Xuanyuan family, he will go to Changbai Mountain one day to settle them one by one.

"Miss Su, so in that case, besides the Tianyi Sect, we also need to be wary of the Fengyu Pavilion, Haoqi Pavilion, and Xumi Sect in the East Coast; the Ziqi Mansion and Kunlun Cave Heaven in the West Wilderness; the Nishang Immortal Palace and Qingcheng Sword Mountain in the South Frontier; and the Yanyi Palace and Beiji Immortal Palace in the North Plains, is that right?"

"As for Fengyuxuan, you only need to keep an eye on Huaying Yanzixi. After all, only you and she have entered the island this time. The key to your competition lies in the number of Immortal Epiphyllum flowers, right?"

Upon hearing this, Su Qinhe nodded slowly, her expression gradually becoming solemn: "That's right. Based on the information from Fengyuxuan, we have compiled a list of the twelve strongest cultivators who entered the island this time. Although the ranking is not in any particular order, there is one person who, regardless of the criteria used by the elders of Fengyuxuan, has been ranked first without hesitation."

"Oh? Who is it?" Wang Xiao's curiosity was immediately piqued. To be so recognized by Feng Yuxuan, one's strength must be extremely formidable.

He subconsciously thought of Xiao He from the Haoqi Pavilion, but couldn't help but wonder to himself, "Could it be me?"

"Of course, when Fengyuxuan compiled this list, he didn't know that Brother Wang would also come to Demon Island." Su Qinhe's words instantly pulled Wang Xiao back to reality from his fantasy.

"What? I'm excluded? If Xiao He were in first place, it wouldn't matter. I could tie with him, so I'd be tied for first place!" Wang Xiao muttered to himself.

But Su Qinhe's next words shattered his last shred of hope: "It's Master Yuankong of the Sumeru Sect."

"What?!" Wang Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief, and he nearly dropped the grilled meat in his hands. "One-Cut Monk?"

He never imagined that the strongest person Su Qinhe mentioned would be that monk who made him both laugh and cry—that monk who slaughtered pigs and ate meat, was addicted to alcohol (although he stubbornly denied it, Wang Xiao didn't believe it at all), and was always being chased all over the place by Sun Heilei? How could he possibly be the strongest person to enter the island this time?

Admittedly, Wang Xiao was quite amazed by Master Yuankong's feat of slaying the three demons with three strikes, but he believed he could do it too.

Moreover, in Wang Xiao's opinion, Master Yuankong's way of attacking was really unseemly—using the dignified cover of Buddhism to launch a surprise attack, his actions were even more cunning than those of strange beasts and monsters.

Seeing his utterly astonished expression, Su Qinhe couldn't help but smile, "Brother Wang, don't underestimate Master Yuankong. He may seem eccentric and unrestrained, but he is actually unfathomable. Abbot Xuanchen of the Sumeru Sect once said that he is naturally gifted in Buddhism and specializes in the Sumeru Sect's unique technique, the 'Indestructible Vajra Body.' His physical body is extremely strong, and ordinary swords and supernatural powers cannot harm him in the slightest."

"Moreover, he is also skilled in swordsmanship. His swordsmanship is fierce and domineering, and also has the power of Buddhism to exorcise evil, making it extremely powerful."

"It's just that he has a carefree personality, dislikes constraints, and even less likes to deliberately show off his strength. According to the information from Fengyuxuan, Master Yuankong's cultivation has already reached the peak of the Fish Leap Realm, and he is only one step away from the Dragon Gate Divine Realm."

Wang Xiao was dumbfounded. He never expected that the seemingly unreliable monk would have such a powerful background.

Recalling Yuan Kong's disheveled appearance as he devoured dog meat by the campfire, he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion—this monk truly understood the art of concealing his flaws.

However, thinking about it this way, it is indeed a bit of a pity.

If I had known that Yuan Kong was this strong, I should have fought him back then and had a proper spar.

The thought of having inadvertently missed out on such a formidable opponent filled Wang Xiao with regret.

"It seems that appearances can indeed be deceiving, and one cannot judge a book by its cover."

Su Qinhe nodded slightly and continued, "Besides Master Yuankong, the other eleven experts are not to be underestimated either. I will tell you about them one by one, Brother Wang."

"The second is Ling Cheng of Qingcheng Sword Mountain. Qingcheng Sword Mountain is founded on the way of the sword, and its swordsmanship is exquisite. Ling Cheng is the most outstanding young generation of Qingcheng Sword Mountain, and he specializes in Qingcheng Sword Mountain's unique skill, the 'Ten Steps Sword Technique'. It is said that this sword technique was left by a sword immortal. The sword speed is as fast as thunder, the sword energy is sharp and unparalleled, and it can also condense a sword domain, making its combat power astonishing."

"The third is Xiao He from the Haoqi Pavilion in Dongbin. The Haoqi Pavilion is founded on righteousness and its techniques are upright and unyielding. As the leading figure of the younger generation of the Haoqi Pavilion, Xiao He specializes in the Haoran Sword Technique and is wielding a Haoqi Sword. Its sword energy contains a strong sense of righteousness and is specifically designed to counter evil and treacherous techniques."

"The fourth is Ye Wuhen of Yanyi Palace. His skills are strange and domineering. He is most skilled in assassination. His movements are elusive and unpredictable. He can conceal his aura and kill people invisibly. He is extremely dangerous."

"The fifth and sixth are the two beauties of the Arctic Immortal Palace—Feng Rujing and Lin Shisan. The two cultivate the 'Frosty Cold' together, and every move they make contains a bone-chilling cold. They can freeze the enemy's vital energy and also freeze the enemy's body. Their teamwork is excellent, and their combat power should not be underestimated."

"The seventh is Wuchen from the Purple Qi Palace in the Western Wilderness. His cultivation method is centered on purple qi, and he is most skilled in sword control. He mainly cultivates 'Purple Qi Comes from the East' and is a famous swordsman in the Nine Provinces. His swordsmanship is exquisite and unparalleled, with both offense and defense. His strength is unfathomable. What is even more rare is that he also has considerable array formation skills."

"Next up are Yan Zixi from Fengyuxuan and me. Zixi is my rival. She specializes in the 'Hundred Flowers Technique' and is skilled with a jade hairpin called the 'Hundred Flowers Hairpin.' She can control hundreds of flowers, releasing poisonous pollen to confuse enemies, and she can also condense flower energy to form a strong defensive barrier."

"The tenth is a rogue cultivator named Leng Xuan, whose sect or school is unknown. He is skilled at wielding an ice blade and is adept at condensing the power of ice and snow. He is cold and taciturn, rarely smiles, and his attacks are ruthless and decisive, never showing mercy."

"The eleventh is Yun Qingyao from the Rainbow Palace in the Southern Frontier. Her skills are graceful and agile, and she is most skilled in illusion. She is adept at using a colorful ribbon, which can be used to attack enemies as well as to protect herself. Her illusion skills are so advanced that they can make people addicted to them and unable to extricate themselves."

"The twelfth is not a fixed individual, but rather the various demon generals of Kunlun Cave Heaven. All the cultivators of Kunlun Cave Heaven are of demon race origin, and it is said that they have sent at least three demon generals to the island this time. However, Kunlun Cave Heaven is isolated from the world and extremely mysterious, so Fengyuxuan has not been able to collect much specific information about these demon generals."

After finishing her speech in one breath, Su Qinhe picked up the glass of water beside her, took a small sip, and relieved her dry mouth and throat.

Wang Xiao nodded slowly, memorizing all this information. It seemed that this trip to the Demon Island would be anything but peaceful; in fact, it was fraught with danger.

He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Miss Su, do you know what treasures related to the Five Elements are found on this Demon Island?"

Upon hearing this, Su Qinhe gently shook her head: "I haven't paid much attention to treasures related to the Five Elements, and the information from Fengyuxuan doesn't contain much about the Five Elements treasures of Demon Island. However, after we leave Demon Island, I can keep an eye out for you, Brother Wang, and use Fengyuxuan's intelligence network to investigate carefully."

Then, she changed the subject and asked, "Brother Wang, you've been on the island for a while now. Have you noticed anything strange about this Demon Island?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiao fell into deep thought.

He carefully recalled what he had seen and heard since entering the island, and his brows gradually furrowed: "I feel that this Demon Island must have a very deep connection with Kyushu. Many of the strange beasts on the island are exactly the same as those described in the Kyushu Classic of Mountains and Seas, such as Yingzhao, Xiqu, Qiongqi and so on. But I always feel that there is something wrong with these strange beasts, but I can't figure out what is strange about them."

"It's their consciousness," Su Qinhe said slowly, her tone filled with certainty. "The beasts of Demon Island, though powerful, are not very clear-headed, and their intelligence is far inferior to that of beasts of the same level in Kyushu. Logically speaking, the stronger the beast, the higher its intelligence should be, but on this Demon Island, we are often the ones who discover their tracks first, rather than being the ones who detect them first."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiao's eyes lit up, and all his doubts vanished instantly.

He had always felt that something was wrong with the Demon Island, but now he finally understood.

He recalled that when he was in Lishan, he had just stepped into Xiqu's territory when he was discovered by the other party and was chased in a sorry state. But on this Demon Island, such a situation had never occurred.

Why is that?

Could it be that the restrictions on the Demon Island not only limit the cultivation of cultivators, but also suppress the spiritual senses and consciousness of strange beasts?

Su Qinhe looked at Wang Xiao and said seriously, "Haven't you been looking for treasures related to the Five Elements? Perhaps we can start with these strange beasts. Strange beasts with Five Elements attributes often condense corresponding Five Elements inner cores within their bodies. These inner cores are themselves remarkable Five Elements treasures, which can not only help cultivators improve their Five Elements attribute energy, but also assist cultivators in condensing Five Elements divine abilities."

"For example, fire-attribute beasts will condense a fire spirit core within their bodies; water-attribute beasts will condense a water spirit core; and beasts of the metal, wood, and earth attributes will condense corresponding metal spirit, wood spirit, and earth spirit cores."

"Their consciousness is not strong enough, and their intelligence is relatively low. So, brother, have you ever considered that it's not impossible to kill these seemingly powerful beasts on this demon island? As long as we find their weaknesses, we'll have a chance to kill them and seize their inner cores."

Wang Xiao was overjoyed upon hearing this, and a burning light flashed in his eyes.

He had been struggling to find any trace of the Five Elements Treasures, but now that Su Qinhe had said this, he suddenly had a clear direction in his mind.

The Demon Island is home to many strange beasts, among which there must be many with the attributes of the Five Elements. This is his best opportunity to obtain the Five Elements Treasures.

"Thank you, Miss Su! If it weren't for your guidance, I don't know how much more time I would have wasted in finding the Five Elements Treasures."

"Brother Wang, there's no need to be so polite." Su Qinhe smiled gently, her tone mild. "We are allies now, so it's only right that we support and look after each other. Moreover, finding the Five Elements Treasures will greatly benefit your strength, and it will also increase our chances of winning when we join forces to seize the Immortal Ephemeral Flower in the future."

The two chatted casually, from the strange beasts of the Demon Island to the major powers of Kyushu, from cultivation techniques and secret arts to their past experiences. Before they knew it, the night had deepened.

"Miss Su, it's late, you should rest early." Wang Xiao stood up and said gently, "I'll go keep watch at the cave entrance to prevent any strange beasts or cultivators from other forces from coming to attack."

Su Qinhe paused slightly, looked up at Wang Xiao, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes: "This... isn't a good idea. How about we each find a place to rest inside the cave, so we can look after each other?"

"It's alright." Wang Xiao shook his head, his tone firm. "The Demon Island is fraught with danger, so it's always good to be cautious. You are a woman, and your body is naturally weak. You were injured earlier, so you need to rest well and recuperate."

Looking into his determined eyes, Su Qinhe knew she couldn't persuade him, and a warmth suddenly welled up in her heart.

She knew that Wang Xiao, though seemingly carefree and unrestrained, was actually very thoughtful.

She hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and whispered, "Okay, then you must be very careful. If there's any movement, notify me immediately."

"Okay, I understand." Wang Xiao smiled, nodded, then turned around and strode out of the cave.

Outside the cave, the bright moonlight spilled across the mountains and forests, casting a faint silver glow; the cool night breeze carried the fragrance of the mountain grasses and trees, gently rustling the branches and leaves.

Wang Xiao leaped onto the branch of a large tree, sat cross-legged, slowly circulated his vital energy, and spread out all his spiritual senses, vigilantly sensing all the movements around him, refusing to relax even for a moment.

Inside the cave, the campfire still flickered, warm and cozy; outside the cave, the boy sat upright on a branch, his posture as straight as a pine tree.