The Division of the Sage

When Yi Feng arrived at the Sword Valley, a large ship flying a red flag was sailing at full speed.

In the Heavenly Domain, the red flag symbolized power and authority.

Among all the flags flown by ships, it represented the highest rank—white, green, blue, purple, and then red. In the entire Heavenly Domain, only the Heaven and Earth Island had the privilege of hoisting red flags on their vessels.

Wherever this ship from Heaven and Earth Island passed, all other ships made way for it.

"A red flag—a ship from Heaven and Earth Island! What a rare sight!"

"It seems to be in quite a hurry. I wonder what major event has occurred."

"Indeed, the Heavenly Domain has been restless lately."

Many passing ships buzzed with excited and curious discussions.

This phenomenon wasn’t limited to just one location. Across multiple stretches of the sea, ships bearing Heaven and Earth Island’s red flags could be seen.

All of them were heading toward Heaven and Earth Island.

Heaven and Earth Island—the largest power in the Heavenly Domain, with a legacy spanning over a hundred thousand years.

Aside from its profound heritage, it was also home to a living Saint.

Of course, this Saint was different from the one who had emerged in the Nine Realms.

The Saint of the Nine Realms was chosen by the Heavenly Dao—a favorite of the heavens, infused with the power of the Dao. Every word and action of such a Saint could influence an entire world, and their awakening was often accompanied by grand celestial phenomena.

Some fortunate individuals might even ascend to sainthood in a single day, bypassing the arduous cultivation process entirely.

For instance, in the history of Yunxing, there was once a renowned figure named Zhou Dajia.

Originally a celebrated physician, he lived during a time of war and chaos. Realizing the limitations of medicine in saving lives, he abandoned medicine for literature.

His groundbreaking writings shook the world, transforming the minds of countless people.

From an ordinary mortal, he became a Literary Saint in a single day, leaving an indelible mark on Yunxing’s history.

Such Saints were known as True Saints.

The Saint of Heaven and Earth Island, however, had reached sainthood through relentless cultivation after attaining the Dao-verification realm.

Such Saints lacked the ability to influence the world itself and were thus called False Saints—vastly inferior to True Saints.

But whether True or False, a Saint was still a Saint.

There was no distinction between innate and acquired sainthood.

Thus, even though Heaven and Earth Island’s Saint was merely a False Saint, to the world, they remained an unimaginably terrifying existence.

Despite being such a colossal power, Heaven and Earth Island was not as large as one might expect.

In fact, it was roughly the same size as the Moonlit Breeze Island.

Outwardly, it appeared no different from an ordinary island—utterly unremarkable.

Were it not for the red-flagged ships docked at its harbor, no one would have guessed that a Saint resided there.

At this moment, seven or eight ships moored at Heaven and Earth Island’s port.

These were the very ships that had stirred a commotion across the Heavenly Domain.

Once docked, numerous figures disembarked—

A spirited young man in white robes, a middle-aged man with an imposing aura, an enchanting and graceful woman, and several stunningly beautiful ladies…

Each of them was a renowned figure in the Heavenly Domain.

For example, the young man in white, Qin Nan, was the Heavenly Domain’s top genius. Despite his youth, he had already reached the Dao-verification realm and was widely acknowledged as the most likely among the younger generation to ascend to sainthood.

Meanwhile, the tall and breathtakingly beautiful Qin Zhiyu ranked among the top three of the younger generation. Beyond her talent, her beauty had earned her the title of "Heavenly Fairy"—a distinction far more prestigious than the hollow titles bestowed by lesser islands or regions. She was truly a prodigy blessed with both grace and power.

Between the two of them, Heaven and Earth Island claimed two of the top three spots among the Heavenly Domain’s younger generation.

Such was the prestige of the Heavenly Domain’s foremost island.

The others were also high-ranking figures of Heaven and Earth Island—individuals whose mere presence could send tremors through the Heavenly Domain.

Seeing their return, Steward Qin hurried to greet them.

"Steward Qin, why has the Island Lord summoned us back so urgently? What has happened?" one of the middle-aged men asked anxiously, voicing the question on everyone’s minds.

Not only had they been summoned, but they were also ordered to return at full speed—an unprecedented command.

"Ah, my lords, it wasn’t the Island Lord who summoned you! It was the Ancestor himself!" Steward Qin hastily explained.

"What? The Ancestor summoned us?"

At these words, even these seasoned figures were struck speechless.

This was the Ancestor—the legendary Saint.

Though they knew of his existence, none of the younger generation had ever laid eyes on him.

"To think the Ancestor himself would summon us… What could have happened?" The young man in white suppressed his excitement and pressed for answers.

"My dear young master, how would a mere steward like me know such things? Please, don’t delay—head to the grand hall at once. The Island Lord is already waiting for you."

Steward Qin urged them onward.

Without wasting another moment, the group hurried toward the Heaven and Earth Grand Hall.

Inside the hall, a middle-aged man in a blue robe stood waiting.

His aura was profound, his face dignified and imposing, yet today, even his usual composure was tinged with urgency.

"Greetings, Island Lord."

The returning group finally arrived and bowed.

"No time for formalities. Did Steward Qin inform you?" Island Lord Qin Yi asked hurriedly.

"We have been briefed," they replied.

"Then let’s not waste another moment. Follow me to see the Ancestor."

Qin Yi’s expression was tense as he led the way.

The others followed in nervous silence, especially those meeting the legendary Ancestor for the first time.

Deep within the hall, after passing through several layers of formations, they reached a seemingly bottomless passage.