Suddenly, schools of fish surged from all directions, some as large as sea vessels, others as small as palms. They moved in dense, layered formations, filling the sea as far as the eye could see with a dark mass of life.
They swam and weaved beneath the island, causing the entire landmass to move forward like an awakened fish, rapidly gliding ahead.
In the blink of an eye, Shen Gui Island, which had been pursuing them, fell behind, growing ever more distant until it eventually became a mere line.
Cheers erupted once more above the island.
Mo Qi and Yu Sheng stood up, basking in the adoring gazes of thousands.
At this point, everyone discovered that Yu Sheng was a Merman, but no one disdained her for it.
On the contrary, everyone felt that the maiden was radiating brilliance.
Mo Qi also suddenly felt that this maiden was not as fragile as she appeared.
On Shen Gui Island, Turtle Ancestor, who had witnessed everything, was greatly shocked. He summoned Turtle Eighty Thousand and Turtle Nine Thousand and ordered, "You two, scout ahead and find out who is commanding that island. If possible, kill their leader."
As Turtle Eighty Thousand and Turtle Nine Thousand prepared to obey, Turtle Ancestor paused and said, "Forget it, I'll go myself."
With that, he leaped up and flew out.
As soon as he left the great hall, he felt a stinging pain, a burning sensation. Looking down, he saw smoke rising from his body, as if the sun were melting him.
Turtle Ancestor immediately retreated into the hall, and the stinging sensation ceased, as did the smoke.
Still unconvinced, Turtle Ancestor ventured out of the hall again, his body smoking once more. He retreated into the hall, and the smoking stopped.
After several repetitions, Turtle Eighty Thousand, who had come out of the hall, discerned the problem and said, "Turtle Ancestor, we just annihilated the Bai He Sect. Could you have been afflicted by their curse?"
Turtle Ancestor pondered for a moment and said with annoyance, "What kind of cursed technique is this that can affect me? How can it be broken?"
Turtle Eighty Thousand replied, "There are two ways. One is to find the person who cast the spell and have them lift the curse. The second is to kill that person, and the curse will break on its own. Alternatively, with your cultivation, you could simply outlive them. Once they die, the curse will be lifted."
Turtle Ancestor asked, "Were there any survivors when we destroyed the Bai He Sect?"
Turtle Eighty Thousand replied somewhat guiltily, "There was one who slipped through the net..."
"Issue a wide-ranging kill order for this person. They must be hunted to the ends of the earth," Turtle Ancestor commanded.
"As you command!" Turtle Eighty Thousand accepted the order and left.
Turtle Nine Thousand asked, "Turtle Ancestor, what about that island ahead, Jing Xing Island?"
Turtle Ancestor sighed, "Let it be. It's just a small island, it won't affect the overall situation. We'll change course and annex other islands."
A moment later, a scout from Jing Xing Island returned with a report: Shen Gui Island had changed direction and was no longer pursuing Jing Xing Island.
Cheers erupted across the island.
With no pursuers behind them, there was no need to rush. Shen Wushuang recalled the excess personnel from the sky, leaving only the beast tamers and their demonic beasts.
The schools of fish below continued to help push the island with all their might, and the island's drifting speed did not slow significantly.
Everyone looked at Mo Qi with newfound respect and gratitude.
Jing Xing Island was likely the only island to have escaped the clutches of Shen Gui Island since its rampage in the Hongmeng South Sea.
This victory was of milestone significance.
The victory was unconventional and unexpected.
Before this, no one had ever thought of winning in such a manner.
Or rather, they dared not even imagine it!
But all of this had changed with Mo Qi's arrival!
At this very moment, in everyone's eyes, Mo Qi was almost a divine being.
Suddenly appearing from the heavens and single-handedly turning the tide – wasn't this a god?
Many regretted their previous offenses.
Wang Daoxuan and Peng Hechang were among them.
They walked side-by-side to Mo Qi, carrying branches as a symbol of their apology, expressing their sincere regrets with tears, making Mo Qi feel somewhat embarrassed.
Shen Wushuang suddenly felt incapable of leading his brethren. Compared to Mo Qi in cultivation and crisis management, he felt deeply ashamed.
Therefore, he proposed to abdicate and invited Mo Qi to become the sect leader of Tian Tong Gate.
The people below echoed his sentiments, expressing their acceptance of the new sect leader.
Mo Qi had no intention of becoming a sect leader, but upon careful consideration, he realized that becoming the sect leader would facilitate his mission!
More people meant easier work!
The immediate crisis of the Southern Continent's Nine Divine Realm barrier seemed to have been resolved. However, as long as Shen Gui Island continued its rampage, it would remain a threat and a hidden danger.
Only by uniting as many forces as possible in the Hongmeng South Sea to confront and defeat it could this threat be eliminated.
Mo Qi thought for a moment and said, feigning reluctance, "Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I will reluctantly accept the position of sect leader." He then turned to Shen Wushuang and said, "However, you must be the deputy sect leader. And I must state clearly that I am only the nominal leader; all sect affairs will still be handled by you. When my presence is required, I will not shirk my duty."
Shen Wushuang was overjoyed upon hearing this. This was the best outcome, as it meant the sect had gained a powerful backer, and his authority remained undiminished.
The others also expressed their agreement. After a simple ceremony, Mo Qi was rather hastily inaugurated as the sect leader of Tian Tong Gate.
Mo Qi then settled down on Jing Xing Island for the time being.
Mo Qi and Yu Sheng were assigned separate rooms, while everyone else shared rooms in groups of a few.
When he had free time, Mo Qi suddenly remembered the person he had imprisoned in his Five-Colored Pagoda and released the maiden.
The black-clothed maiden, having been confined for so long, had become much more docile. Mo Qi's offer to let her go made her somewhat incredulous.
But where else could she find a foothold in the current Hongmeng South Sea?
If he let her go, she wouldn't know where to go.
In the end, the black-clothed maiden remained on Jing Xing Island.
She quickly became good friends with Yu Sheng.
Later, Mo Qi learned that her name was Su Yu'er!
Seeing that Su Yu'er's cultivation was also outstanding, Shen Wushuang invited her to serve as a hall master. However, Su Yu'er had no interest in sect affairs and flatly refused.
Su Yu'er was solely devoted to cultivation, spending her days shut away in her room, practicing diligently and remaining detached from worldly affairs.
One day, she emerged from her room with a look of urgency and walked directly to Mo Qi.
She looked at Mo Qi for a moment, hesitating to speak.
Seeing her flustered appearance, Mo Qi was certain she had something on her mind. Could she be attracted to me?
"Is something the matter, Miss Su?" Mo Qi asked with a smile, adopting a superior air.
"I feel I am about to undergo tribulation, but I have no protector. I don't know what to do. If I give up, I will be stuck at my current realm forever. If I force myself to undergo tribulation, I might be utterly destroyed," Su Yu'er said after a long pause.
This was indeed a difficult dilemma!
Undergoing tribulation meant enduring lightning and fire attacks from the heavens, a fight for survival.
Furthermore, if someone with malicious intent took advantage of the situation, they could not only steal a lifetime of cultivation but also cause one's complete annihilation.
Thus, undergoing tribulation meant becoming an immortal upon success or turning to dust upon failure!
Generally, those undergoing tribulation would seek someone at least at the Human Immortal realm to act as their protector.
There was no need to invite someone of too high a cultivation level, as those who would target you during tribulation were typically cultivators at the Human Immortal or Tribulation stage. Those with higher cultivation levels would not bother with you.
Conversely, those with lower cultivation levels would not be able to contend with your opponents.
Moreover, besides fending off unpredictable external enemies, the protector also had to provide assistance when the tribulator could not withstand the heavenly lightning and fire.
Therefore, individuals with low cultivation were also unsuitable as protectors.
However, the minimum requirement was Human Immortal cultivation.
Su Yu'er scanned the entire Jing Xing Island, but where could she find anyone with even the slightest trace of Human Immortal cultivation?
Hence, she was filled with anxiety and melancholy!
At this moment, Yu Sheng also overheard her words and walked over, saying, "It's best not to force yourself with such matters. Just give up. It doesn't matter if your cultivation doesn't improve; at least your life is intact. Don't take risks for unattainable goals, or you'll regret it too late."
Although her words were blunt, Su Yu'er understood that Yu Sheng meant well, and her reasoning was sound. Thus, she nodded in agreement, "Then it seems I have no choice but to do so."
Mo Qi, however, shook his head, "How can you give up? This is a lifetime's effort, a stumbling block on the path forward. If it were me, I would try even if the odds were nine deaths to one life."
Su Yu'er and Yu Sheng were stunned!
Mo Qi then smiled, "You came to me, didn't you, hoping I would protect you? Why, have you suddenly lost faith in me?"
Su Yu'er was truly conflicted. If you said he was highly cultivated, he was only at the Tribulation stage, completely failing to meet the basic requirements. If you said he was of low cultivation, he had still subdued someone like Cang Shan, who was at the Human Immortal level.
At this point, Mo Qi also said, "Didn't you see that day? I even subdued Cang Shan."
Su Yu'er snorted, "You know yourself that subduing Cang Shan involved a lot of trickery. If it were a straightforward fight, you would have no chance of winning."
Mo Qi shrugged, "Then it's up to you. I've said what I needed to say. If you still insist on your own way, and something happens later, it would be my fault for urging you to your death."
Silence filled the air!
Mo Qi turned and left!
Su Yu'er sighed, "Then I'll try. It's a case of trying to save a dying horse."
Saving a dying horse? Mo Qi felt uneasy, but regardless, he felt immense pressure.
However, he could not bear this pressure alone. Thus, he informed Shen Wushuang of the matter, asking him to make arrangements and set up security.
This not only resolved some of the security issues but also prevented the emergence of "unscrupulous individuals" within Tian Tong Gate.
There were too many people from various walks of life here, with all sorts of backgrounds. One could guard against Zhang San, but not Li Si.
But he only needed to keep an eye on Shen Wushuang.