Steward

Quheng Island. After entering the city, Qin Sang disguised his identity and made inquiries into secret matters. Before long, he locked onto a target. Even on a major island like Quheng Island, late Core Formation experts were exceedingly rare. Unless someone had been living in complete seclusion, it was impossible for no word of them to have leaked out. The man was named Luo Daotong. He did not cultivate on Quheng Island itself, but was instead the master of an island named Liangqiu Island, which matched the identity of Island Master Luo mentioned by the Hanhai Sect Master. Strangely, however, Qin Sang could not discover his background; on the surface, he appeared to be merely a rogue cultivator. The man obviously could not be a rogue cultivator; he had simply never revealed his sect or lineage. At the same time, Qin Sang also learned that Quheng Island had not one master, but two. They hailed respectively from the righteous and demonic factions, and both were powerful Nascent Soul Patriarchs. Both factions regarded Quheng Island as the main island of the Liefeng Archipelago, using it as their base to govern the archipelago. This created a balance of mutual restraint between the two island masters, but it had not caused any major upheavals or disputes. After all, the Liefeng Archipelago was far from being pacified or ready for the carving up of interests—especially the southernmost, most chaotic region, where neither the righteous nor demonic factions could extend their reach. With those external threats present, the two island masters had no choice but to maintain their cooperation. Otherwise, not only would they fail to reap any benefits, but they might also plunge the hard-won pacified areas back into chaos, leaving all their efforts wasted like scooping water with a bamboo basket. The Alliance Leader would not let them off lightly either. Despite spending considerable effort, Qin Sang could not find out which island master stood behind Luo Daotong. Qin Sang was no longer a naive newcomer to the cultivation world. He understood well that there was no clear boundary between the righteous and demonic factions; both were equally ambitious, and whoever triumphed was the righteous side. It was best to view them simply as two rival factions—one could not assume that the ambush on Senior Qingzhu was definitely the work of the demonic faction. He certainly did not dare to provoke the island masters of Quheng Island. To uncover the truth, he still had to start with Luo Daotong. Luo Daotong's cave dwelling was on Liangqiu Island, out in the open. Directly knocking on his door, however, was out of the question. Qin Sang believed that with powerful methods like the star conch, the Blood Filth Divine Light, and the two-headed hou, taking down this man would not be much of an issue if he caught him off guard. However, acting within the enemy's own lair carried far too many variables. Moreover, his opponent had a mysterious background and surely lacked no precious treasures. If Qin Sang slipped up or got dragged into a stalemate, giving the other party a chance to call for help, things would become disastrous. The distance between Liangqiu Island and Quheng Island was not far; a Nascent Soul Patriarch could arrive very quickly. When that happened, not only would Qin Sang fail to capture his target, but he would also get himself trapped. At the very least, he had to choose a time when the man left the island. Even if a single strike failed, he could still make a swift retreat. Such an opportunity would not come easily. Qin Sang sat in a tavern, pondering for a long time, and decided to find a cave dwelling to settle down first and proceed slowly. Leaving the tavern, Qin Sang circulated his movement technique and flew up the mountain. Quheng Island's best cave dwellings were located near the summit. Before long, he arrived at the place where cave dwellings were rented out. Halfway up the mountain stood several magnificent pavilions, their exteriors shimmering with the light of restrictive spells, with cultivators entering and leaving and streaks of light rising and falling from time to time. This place served as a dividing line: mortals were not permitted to enter any higher, as the upper reaches were filled with cultivators' cave dwellings. Qin Sang surveyed the area, looked at the signs on the pavilions, and finally selected one to walk inside. In the spacious hall sat more than a dozen sand tables, each containing an identical miniature mountain modeled after the shape of Quheng Island's main peak. The mountains were densely marked with glowing specks of various colors. Qin Sang understood at once that these points of light represented individual cave dwellings. At this moment, cultivators stood gathered around several of the sand tables. "Is Fellow Daoist here to rent a cave dwelling?" A young cultivator approached to greet him. Qin Sang focused his gaze and was surprised to find that the man was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator. "That is correct," Qin Sang nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "I have only just arrived and wish to find a place to stay. May I ask what these points of light mean? How does one go about renting a suitable cave dwelling?" The young cultivator looked Qin Sang up and down. "Pardon my presumption, but may I ask which island Fellow Daoist cultivated on previously? Do you possess a jade token?" Qin Sang's expression darkened. "What? Is a jade token required just to rent a cave dwelling? I am not a cultivator from the vicinity of Quheng Island; I hail from the south." Given the gravity of the situation, he did not want to reveal his identity. Furthermore, he had activated the Spirit Concealment Art to conceal his cultivation, appearing to outsiders as merely being in the early Foundation Establishment stage; unless he encountered someone with higher cultivation than his own, none could see through his disguise. A jade token was a unique identity token used exclusively on Quheng Island. The young cultivator looked enlightened. "Fellow Daoist misunderstands; that was not my meaning at all. Since Fellow Daoist came from the south, you must yearn for lawful order. With your cultivation, braving danger and crossing thousands of li of sea to reach this place is truly no easy feat." Qin Sang's expression softened slightly, and he sighed, "Indeed. I merely seek a haven where I can cultivate in peace. Taking risks was well worth it." "Well said, Fellow Daoist. Minor figures like us seek nothing more than stability." Sympathizing deeply with Qin Sang's words, the young cultivator suddenly pulled Qin Sang outside the pavilion and lowered his voice. "To be frank with you, Fellow Daoist, I had an experience very similar to yours. Being newly arrived, there are things you do not know. Renting a cave dwelling is actually not worth it. The cave dwellings on the island are far too expensive, and there is virtually no source of income. I suffered greatly back then—my savings were quickly drained dry, and I was nearly left out on the streets. If you intend to stay for the long term, take my advice and do not focus solely on the main island. I can point you toward a better path." At this point, the young cultivator paused slightly. Qin Sang understood instantly, having already guessed most of what he meant. Seeing that Qin Sang did not react while he put on an air of mystery, the young cultivator had no choice but to continue, "With your cultivation, Fellow Daoist, serving as a steward on a nearby minor island is more than sufficient. Not only do you get a cave dwelling, but you also earn spirit stones—why not do it? All it takes is a bit of your time, and stepping forward to fend off storms and sea beasts when they attack, protecting the mortals. Though spiritual energy is thinner on other islands, it is barely enough to sustain cultivation." Hearing the young cultivator say this, Qin Sang nodded inwardly. Scheming against Luo Daotong was not something that could be achieved overnight; finding a legitimate identity and lurking near Liangqiu Island was indeed a fine approach. "May I ask how one goes about becoming a steward? That is precisely what I desire; I would appreciate your guidance, Fellow Daoist." "Fellow Daoist could apply at the major islands, but first, you would have to wait until they recruit stewards, and second, you would have to compete with others, which is full of uncertainties." The young cultivator lowered his voice further: "I happen to know a senior who possesses some authority and can put in a good word, so long as it is not for one of the core major islands. However, that senior will not help for nothing, so..." As he spoke, the young cultivator rubbed his fingers together. Qin Sang laughed inwardly. He naturally did not care about a few spirit stones, as long as it got things done. Unafraid of being swindled, he retrieved a small pouch of spirit stones and handed it to the young cultivator, whose face immediately lit up with a broad smile.