Den of Villains

The major figures departed from Black Island, and news of Lu Caiwei becoming the Holy Maiden spread, signaling changes in the East Sea's landscape.

The tremors began to ripple outward, with undercurrents stirring among the islands.

Such grand events were beyond the knowledge of ordinary folk.

The outer islands remained as tranquil as ever.

On one such island, a streak of light came to a halt by the shore.

As the radiance faded,

Yi Feng's figure emerged, riding his giant snail, his eyes brimming with curiosity as he surveyed his surroundings.

The evening sun cast its golden glow on the shore, the sand shimmering brilliantly, painting a breathtaking scene. Yet, not a soul was in sight, lending the place an almost desolate air.

The vast stretch of beach held only a stone tablet inscribed with the words "Sunshine Island."

Yi Feng frowned slightly and glanced down at Manman.

"This name doesn’t sound like a den of villains. Forget villains—I haven’t even seen a single person here. Are you sure we didn’t take a wrong turn?"

Manman tilted his antennae and blew bubbles, his expression utterly indifferent.

Seeing his deadpan look, Yi Feng gave up on questioning further.

Storing Manman back into his ring, he soared into the sky alone, hovering above the clouds to take in the island’s full panorama.

Spanning roughly a thousand miles, the scenery was nothing short of spectacular.

Lush forests and rolling mountains stretched endlessly, dotted with countless lakes and teeming with birds and beasts.

But the most striking sight was the bustling city at the island’s heart, gleaming like a pearl even from hundreds of miles away.

In the sky,

cultivators from all directions flew toward the city.

On the ground, smaller settlements orbited the central hub like stars.

Gazing at the prosperous city, Yi Feng’s eyes sparkled with hope.

"So everyone’s in the city—no wonder it’s empty here! That place looks lively. Time to gather some intel!"

With that, Yi Feng accelerated his flight.

Soon, he arrived at the towering western gate, descending to blend into the crowd.

Stepping through the gate,

he was greeted by rows of tall buildings lining the streets, with exotic mounts and rare beasts parading past—a sight befitting a royal capital.

It was hard to believe that such a thriving city existed on a small island tens of thousands of miles from the mainland.

Exceeding his expectations, Yi Feng grew even more eager.

Striding forward, he headed straight for a bustling tavern by the roadside.

With the waiter’s enthusiastic welcome,

Yi Feng settled into a corner of the hall, nibbling on snacks and sipping wine.

The food was secondary—his real goal was to gather information about Sunshine Island. Taverns, being melting pots of all sorts, were the perfect place for rumors.

Before long,

murmurs rose from the neighboring table.

"Did you hear? At the auction a few days ago, Liu Zhengfeng caused a scene and nearly snatched a treasure!"

"No way!"

"That old fool Liu Zhengfeng just broke into the Heavenly Rank and already thinks he’s invincible? He dared disrupt the auction? That’s suicide!"

"Exactly! He had no sense of his own limits. The experts from the Treasure Pavilion swarmed him, and he was dead on the spot!"

"Tsk. Greed kills, just like hunger drives birds to their doom."

Yi Feng paused mid-bite, his eyes gleaming.

An auction house that could trade treasures in a place like this and casually execute Heavenly Rank experts—sounded impressive.

Maybe he could give it a shot too?

As he pondered, the conversation continued.

"Eh, good riddance. Just another worthless fool."

"Senior Brother Fang speaks true! Trash like him, weak and brainless, daring to covet the auction’s treasures? He had it coming!"

"If it were me, I’d never be so reckless. Disguise myself as a Treasure Pavilion member, swipe the goods, and vanish—who’d catch me?"

"Honestly, if there’s a real treasure, why not invite a few experts to help us rob it? Sounds like a plan!"

"Right, right! Ambushing the transport is a classic move."

"Ha! Didn’t expect Brother Liu to be so well-versed in this!"

"Ah, I’m hardly a match for Senior Brother Fang’s wisdom!"

...

Their discussion veered further off course, openly exchanging robbery tactics with casual humility—as if discussing poetry rather than crime.

Yi Feng’s face darkened.

Since when was robbery this normalized?

Theft, ambushes—all spoken so matter-of-factly. The sheer audacity of these "Sunshine" folks was staggering.

Glancing around discreetly,

he noticed the other patrons eating undisturbed, some even smirking as if such talk was routine.

After this eye-opening experience, Yi Feng’s worldview was thoroughly refreshed.

Damn.

Robbery was as casual as drinking water here—a true den of villains!

This island lived up to its reputation.

Having confirmed his suspicions, Yi Feng felt a strange relief, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

If others could rob and get killed,

why couldn’t he?

This auction was a must-crash!

With luck, he might run into some overpowered expert and finally achieve his dream of an early funeral!

No risk, all reward—worth a try!

The more he thought, the more excited he grew, waving the waiter over.

"When’s the next auction?"

The waiter grinned obsequiously, oozing practiced charm.

"Your insight is impeccable, sir!"

"The auction is hosted by the Treasure Pavilion, held twice monthly without fail. The next one’s in two days!"

His reply was crisp, devoid of unnecessary questions.

Clearly accustomed to dealing with villains, the waiter treated Yi Feng as one, his every move cautious.

Yi Feng frowned slightly.

Two more days.

Well, since he was here, he might as well wait.

Nodding, he pressed on.

"Got any rooms here? The cheaper the better—just need two nights."

The waiter blinked, then offered a tentative smile.

"Our low-tier rooms cost ten spirit crystals per night. Will that suit you, sir?"

Ten?!

Yi Feng’s heart ached at the rip-off, barely stifling a curse.

But with his grand death plan in motion, he swallowed his pride. This dive clearly lacked worthy opponents anyway—no point making a fuss.

Rubbing his nose, he opted for tactical bargaining.

"Got anything for one?"

The waiter choked, eyes bulging.

After a long stare-off,

the waiter’s cheek twitched as he forced a smile.

"Uh…"

"Y-yes! There’s a room in the backyard for one spirit crystal, but you’ll have to share. Will that do, sir?"

Yi Feng nodded, satisfied.

"Perfect. Lead the way."

He’d slept rough plenty of times—a roof was a luxury. This wasn’t stinginess, just outsmarting a villain-infested scam. A small victory in life’s chess game!

The waiter, thoroughly defeated, led him with a strained smile.

Passing through the hall, they entered a courtyard.

Following directions, Yi Feng trudged through a side gate to a cluster of shabby huts. The smallest, though dilapidated, seemed tidy—and oddly occupied.

The moment Yi Feng pushed the door open,

he froze.

A man hung from the ceiling.