Chapter 732: Chapter 732

Cui Ji admitted defeat loudly, alarming those outside the main hall, who quickly rushed in.

As members of the Dongji Alliance, Cui Ji’s voluntary surrender meant that, in full view of the crowd, Qin Sang could not continue pressing the matter. He had no choice but to withdraw his astra and the flying yaksha.

Though the alliance was formed out of mutual interests and was far looser than a sect, it still operated under certain rules.

Without a deep blood feud, killing a manager of the Nine-Star Guild in broad daylight would invite questioning from the entire alliance.

"Take your people and get off the Five-Elemental Islands immediately," Qin Sang said coldly, not showing a shred of courtesy.

Cui Ji’s expression flickered. The sensation of sword qi pressing against him had left a lasting impression.

Amidst the various reactions and expressions around him, Cui Ji’s shame turned into fury. He barked at his subordinates from the Nine-Star Guild, "What are you standing there for? Go back and pack up! We're leaving!"

Qin Sang raised his hand. "Fellow Daoists, you're leaving in a hurry with so much cargo. Not only will it be cumbersome to move through the Demonic Sea, but it will also attract the attention of thieves. Since we are all part of the alliance, it is our duty to ease our comrades’ burdens. We’ll help transport the goods and deliver them to the Nine-Star Guild ourselves. That way, you can travel light."

"Y-You’ve gone too far!" Cui Ji’s face flushed red, lips trembling.

The way this heretic phrased things sounds pleasant enough, but once the food has entered the stomach, how could we expect him to spit it out?

By the time those goods reached the Nine-Star Guild, they would probably be a pile of worthless junk—absolutely disgusting.

Qin Sang had no interest in responding to Cui Ji. He turned instead to the others. "Everyone here is a manager of a major merchant guild, well-versed in the value of treasures. Let’s tally the goods together, bear witness to one another, and ensure everything is properly accounted for. What do you all say?"

The crowd glanced back and forth between Qin Sang and Cui Ji.

The hall was a mess, though the battle had ended quickly and left few traces. Only the deep pits left behind by the violet radiance remained. No one had yet figured out how Qin Sang had defeated Cui Ji, forcing him to surrender so abruptly.

Originally, they had believed that at last, someone had arrived who could rival Cui Ji. If the two fought evenly, the resulting power struggle would benefit everyone and give them room to maneuver.

But to their surprise, the outcome had been decided in a single battle. Cui Ji had not even had the chance to retaliate.

They had driven away a jackal only to welcome a tiger.

This was the result they feared most.

Some were already scheming, thinking to help Cui Ji negotiate, but no one dared voice those thoughts in front of Qin Sang.

From the moment he entered, Qin Sang had seized control of the situation, never allowing time for anyone to form alliances or build momentum. He was forcing them to make a decision now.

If anyone spoke for the Nine-Star Guild now, they would likely be the next to be driven out. If this man chose to be even more ruthless, he might not allow them to leave the island at all.

Besides, judging by his tone, he seemed willing to share the spoils. He did not appear as domineering as Cui Ji.

Everyone understood the reality. Circumstances held more power than individuals, and they knew what choice to make. They all voiced their support for Qin Sang, and some even swore oaths.

"Daoist Master Qingfeng is right. It is a long journey ahead, and rushing off with all these goods before the guild can arrange escorts will only invite thieves..."

"Rest assured, Daoist Cui. We guarantee not a single coin of the Nine-Star Guild’s belongings will go missing..."

Cui Ji was so furious he nearly coughed up blood, his face ashen.

But when he saw Qin Sang pressing one hand atop the head of his trusted subordinate, his eyes glowing icily from within the hood, devoid of any emotion, a chill suddenly gripped Cui Ji’s heart.

He had no doubt that if he dared say a single word of refusal, Qin Sang would strike him down on the spot.

All the fence-sitters had turned their coats. The situation was beyond salvaging.

What was more, Cui Ji had been trying to reconnect with the Purple Nether Orb all this time, only to discover that the spiritual essence of his life-bound astra had been severely damaged. It was impossible to recover it in the short term.

He had not even managed to see what that flash of red light had been.

Cui Ji had never encountered such a vile and sinister method of contaminating an astra before.

He ground his silver teeth until they nearly cracked, but could only swallow the humiliation. He ordered his men to carry away his injured subordinate and left without so much as a backward glance.

An hour later, Qin Sang and the other merchant guild managers finally departed. On the surface, everyone seemed to be getting along, chatting and laughing as though they were on friendly terms.

But as soon as they turned their backs, they cursed Qin Sang as a shameless heretic cultivator, no better than Cui Ji. Then, with eager faces, they followed the Wang Sisters to ransack the Nine-Star Guild’s estate.

As for the arrangement Cui Ji had left behind, Qin Sang had never intended to alter it. Now that he had swallowed the Nine-Star Guild, he was the one calling the shots on the Five-Elemental Islands. There was no way he would let such a juicy piece of meat slip past his lips.

Of course, he was still more reasonable than Cui Ji. He would not squeeze the other merchant guilds too hard. Instead, he willingly shared a portion of the profits to keep them appeased.

He had the Wang Sisters lead a group to inventory the Nine-Star Guild’s assets, while he made his way alone toward the shop.

By this time, he had already put the Nine-Star Guild behind him. Holding the nautical chart in hand, he had begun searching for a suitable cultivation site near the Five-Elemental Islands.

The reason he had been able to cut through the Nine-Star Guild’s troubles so decisively and drive out Cui Ji ultimately came down to one thing: He was strong enough and had the confidence to back it up.

He would never lose sight of what mattered most or allow himself to be entangled by the affairs of the merchant guild.

The Wang Sisters were more than enough to handle it.

The area surrounding the Five-Elemental Islands was swarming with demonic beasts, often appearing in packs. While there were not as many Core Formation Realm beasts here as in the Thousand-Demon Sea, Qin Sang still found no suitable place for himself on the nautical chart. He would have to leave the island and search slowly.

He stepped into the shop.

At some point, the old man had returned. After closing the door, he walked up to Qin Sang and whispered, "Daoist Master, I had someone keep an eye on the Nine-Star Guild’s movements. Their group split into three parties. Cui Ji and his trusted lieutenant mysteriously disappeared. We don’t know which group they slipped into."

"He’s quick to react, I’ll give him that."

Qin Sang sneered and then said after a pause, "Forget it. Just have our people stay alert. As long as we don’t leave the Five-Elemental Islands recklessly, I doubt the Nine-Star Guild will dare act up here. Make sure to send a message to Elder Zhou and report today’s events in full detail. From now on, matters within the merchant guild will be handled by Daoist Wang. You’ll assist her. Unless there's a life-and-death crisis, do not disturb me."

"Yes, understood," the old man replied, his tone even more respectful than before.

He was inwardly thrilled. Now that the Qiongyu Merchant Guild had replaced the Nine-Star Guild, his own status would surely rise along with it.

After giving his instructions, Qin Sang returned to the cave dwelling arranged for him by the merchant guild to enter secluded cultivation.

He remained stationed on the Five-Elemental Islands for several months, intentionally befriending powerful cultivators there and helping the Wang sisters stabilize the situation. Once the Qiongyu Merchant Guild had firmly established its footing, he quietly left the island.

With the aid of the Primordial Unity Rings, Qin Sang searched far and wide and eventually found a suitable island. After contacting the Wang Sisters, he opened a cave dwelling there.

On the Five-Elemental Islands, there were people who feared him and subordinates who served him. But here, every time he opened his eyes, all he saw was the boundless Demonic Sea, riddled with danger. His so-called cave dwelling was nothing more than a cavern carved open by his sword.

Even so, compared to the scheming and political games on the Five-Elemental Islands, Qin Sang preferred the freedom he found out here.

He summoned the Sky-Eyed Butterfly and discovered that not only had the lightning cocoon remained intact, it had even grown thicker. There was no telling how much longer it would take before the butterfly awakened.