"Sect Master, I've broken through!" Bai Yiran said joyfully.
Fifth-tier Primordial Force: Primordial Ice and Snow.
She'd finally mastered it completely.
Yun Jin nodded. "Your spiritual cultivation's already reached a limit. From now on, focus more on comprehending the Primordial Force. Now that you've grasped the Primordial Ice and Snow, no one in the East Sea should be able to challenge you. But remember, don't provoke the Sea Emperor of the Central Sea.
According to the sea beasts from the Mo Sea Dragon Palace, that Sea Emperor doesn't just command the Primordial Water. He's also mastered a third-tier Primordial Force, the Primordial Halberd. You're nowhere near his level yet."
Bai Yiran's expression turned serious.
The sea beasts of the East Sea might not be as strong individually as humans, but as a collective, their overall strength was several times greater. With such vast numbers, it was natural that they'd have more top-tier powerhouses than the human race.
One third-tier Primordial Force, one fourth-tier—this Sea Emperor's power was comparable to Ji Wusi's.
"You don't need to worry," Yun Jin said calmly. "Between the Central Sea and the Four Seas lies the Sea of Whirlpools. It's endless, filled with hidden currents and vortexes. Even the Sea Emperor would face near-certain death trying to cross it. The Sea of Whirlpools is peculiar—it calms once every ten years, the currents and vortexes disappearing for a single year. Only during that time can beasts from the five seas travel freely between them.
There's still one year left before that happens. I'll leave the East Sea to you for now. Do your best to strengthen and develop this region."
"Yes, Sect Master!" Bai Yiran answered, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.
This region had been conquered by the Sect Master, but it was far from truly stabilized or developed. Now that Yun Jin had entrusted her with this responsibility, Bai Yiran was determined to make the East Sea Branch flourish and prove herself worthy of that trust.
As they chatted, something suddenly changed on Su Lingling's side. A soft light shimmered around her body, and her already delicate features seemed to glow with even more life.
Yun Jin smiled in satisfaction.
Su Lingling had entered enlightenment.
"Have someone guard her while she cultivates," Yun Jin instructed. "She'll probably emerge in ten days or half a month."
"Understood," Bai Yiran replied at once.
She looked at Yun Jin and asked, "Sect Master, are you planning to return to the sect?"
Yun Jin nodded. "Now that I've mastered the Primordial Water, staying here won't benefit me further. It's been four months since I left, so it's about time I checked on the sect's condition."
"When I left, everything in the sect was peaceful," Bai Yiran reported quickly.
Yun Jin nodded again and was just about to speak when her message token suddenly lit up.
She took one glance at it, and her expression changed instantly.
"I'll leave things to you," she said in a hurry, then pressed the teleportation button without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from the East Sea and appeared in the Mission Hall.
Bai Yiran froze, her heart tightening slightly. The Sect Master's reaction was so urgent—had something happened back at the sect?
But whatever it was, since Yun Jin had returned personally, it'd surely be handled. For now, Bai Yiran's top priority was to build up the East Sea Branch.
In the Mission Hall, Yun Jin's figure materialized in the center of the room.
At once, a cascade of system notifications rang out.
[Gained massive Luck Value.]
[Gained massive Faith Value.]
[Obtained rare East Sea treasure: Sun Coral.]
[Obtained artifact: Vajra Trident.]
[Obtained…
The reward announcements continued for over two minutes.
[Task completer has finished the first SS-ranked mission. Extra reward: Formation Scroll. This scroll can create a permanent teleportation array at any chosen location. Arrays created through this method cannot be destroyed.]
Yun Jin's brows lifted slightly.
Creating teleportation arrays wasn't rare.
But this wording…
The system was usually cautious with its descriptions and rarely used absolute terms. Yet this time, it had said the array "cannot be destroyed."
There were no conditions, no exceptions.
That meant…
Even immortals couldn't destroy it? Even gods couldn't destroy it? Even Supremes couldn't destroy it?
If that was really the case, then this reward was absurdly powerful.
Yun Jin's mind immediately raced through countless possibilities, calculating all sorts of "creative" ways to exploit such a permanent teleportation array. After going through several hundred wild ideas in a single instant, she decided to store the scroll away for now.
A treasure that powerful had to be used wisely.
"Yuan Yuan, sense Bai Yiran's location and set up a channel between the East Sea and Wushuang Sect," Yun Jin commanded through her mind.
Yuan Yuan acknowledged and quickly got to work. Soon, he was busy establishing the two-way link.
From now on, Wushuang Sect disciples could travel directly to the East Sea through the portal, without taking any missions.
"Sect Master." Qin Ping hurried over once Yun Jin was done.
Yun Jin nodded at him. "You mentioned earlier that something strange happened? The disciples sent to the Nanlan Continent haven't returned yet?"
Qin Ping nodded. "That's right. Everything was fine for the first month, but the last group that went to Nanlan Continent hasn't returned. Not a single one. I suspect something happened there."
Yun Jin stayed calm. "Their status panels still look normal. No injuries or abnormalities."
Qin Ping let out a small sigh of relief. "That's good. Still, Sect Master, I can't shake the feeling that something's gone wrong over there."
He continued seriously, "Ever since Yu Songnian and his team took that A-rank mission, every disciple sent to Nanlan Continent afterward has vanished. You once told us Yu Songnian has foreign blood. I'm worried whatever's happening there has something to do with him, so I reported it right away."
Yue Zhao, Si Wanning, and Yu Songnian—those three were all on Nanlan Continent now, and none of them had sent a single message back.
Qin Ping knew exactly how important they were to Yun Jin, so he didn't dare delay. He'd even considered going there himself, but with the sect's top combat power so limited, and Yun Jin's strict order for him to stay and guard the sect, he couldn't act recklessly.
Yun Jin's expression grew grave.
Her senior brother, senior sister, and third senior brother—they'd all entered Nanlan Continent. A quick glance at their mission logs told her everything. They'd gone there to help Yu Songnian resolve his bloodline issue.
"The Stone Clan, one of the Ten Great Races of Nanlan Continent…" Yun Jin muttered coldly, her eyes flashing with icy light. "You'd better not do anything foolish."