FRGNM -Chapter 154 Death Island

The corners of the King of Eastern Capital’s lips curved upward as he chuckled softly. “Ruoxi, there’s no one else here right now. Let’s speak freely.”

He raised his hand, and the red mark on his arm was revealed.

Only then did Ling Ruoxi relax. Frowning, she asked, “Why did you bring me here? Aren’t you afraid Baili Wushuang will become suspicious? We should minimize our chances of meeting.”

“For now, there’s no need,” he replied calmly. “Because before long, the two of us will be going somewhere else.”

With a flick of his hand, he moved aside the xuan paper on the table, revealing the map beneath it.

Even Ling Ruoxi couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath. The map depicted nothing more than a stretch of sea, yet the aura it conveyed was chilling. For some reason, it reminded her of the strange, heavy presence within Luo Mingyu’s body—dense, oppressive, and filled with the aura of death.

Smiling faintly, the King of Eastern Capital pointed to a small island on the map. “This is where we’re going.”

“Where is this place? Why are we going there?” Ling Ruoxi frowned.

Sitting down, he explained, “I told you not to approach the Wújí Realm. Your aura disturbed what’s imprisoned there—that’s what caused yesterday’s incident. I found an excuse to take you to Death Island for training. First, to observe the external environment there and see if it can help you break the Three Talents Formation. Second, to avoid Baili Wushuang’s attention and reduce her scrutiny of you. And third…”

He tapped the map lightly and smiled. “To improve your strength. With your current cultivation, to be honest—even relying on the Hetian Jade and possessing Purple Sovereign Dou Qi—you’re actually weaker than a Blue-grade Dou Qi practitioner. At best, you can only intimidate others. Do you know what your biggest flaw is?”

“I can’t maintain Dou Qi for long,” Ling Ruoxi answered quietly.

It was indeed a fatal flaw. She had realized it the moment she obtained the Hetian Jade. Even when she managed to gather Dou Qi, she could only maintain it for an hour.

In other words, once that hour passed, her Dou Qi would vanish, and the Hetian Jade would enter its self-repair phase. If the fight wasn’t over within that hour, she would lose.

“Exactly—no long-term cohesion. But on Death Island, that problem won’t exist.”

A wicked smile appeared as he set aside the towel, letting his black hair cascade over his shoulders. His lips curved into a faint smile.

Light flashed in Ling Ruoxi’s eyes, anticipation rising. “Does that mean…?”

He nodded. “That’s right. On Death Island, you won’t be able to gather Dou Qi at all.”

It felt like a thunderbolt had struck Ling Ruoxi. Her entire body went numb. How was that possible? Even in the desert—where gathering Dou Qi was notoriously difficult—she could still do it. Why now…?

“Do you know why it’s called Death Island?” He raised a brow, then stood up. His black hair fell like a waterfall over his shoulders as he casually stripped off his red robe and tossed it aside.

Ling Ruoxi’s mind wavered. She had to admit—the King of Eastern Capital possessed a body that was the pinnacle of masculinity. Red trousers hugged his waist, revealing perfectly sculpted abs, and the muscles of his back formed smooth, captivating lines.

Just as men admired beautiful women, even Ling Ruoxi couldn’t deny her appreciation for such a physique.

He smiled knowingly, resting his chin on one hand. “That’s because Death Island lies beyond the laws of this continent. There, no Dou Qi practitioner can properly gather Dou Qi. Or rather—anyone who enters Death Island can only gather one-tenth of what they normally could. In other words, even a Purple Sovereign’s strength would drop to one-tenth. For Dou Qi practitioners, being unable to gather qi is a hundred times more terrifying than losing it temporarily.”

“So that’s why it’s called Death Island!” Ling Ruoxi’s eyes lit up.

If she could maintain Dou Qi for one hour there, then once she left Death Island, she’d be able to maintain it for ten hours!

He shook his head lightly. “That’s partly right, but not entirely. It’s not just because Dou Qi can’t be gathered. There are also magical beasts.”

“The beasts there are terrifyingly powerful—ancient monsters beyond reason. Even the weakest beast on Death Island would be enough to kill a high-level beast on our continent. Without Dou Qi, surrounded by powerful beasts—do you still want to go?”

A wicked grin spread across his face as he watched her.

His long fingers tapped the table, eyes gleaming as though he already knew her answer.

Ling Ruoxi clenched her fists tightly. “What do you think? You didn’t need to ask that.”

“I just wanted to hear it from you. Do you want to go? Are you willing? Once you go, there’s no turning back.”

“I’m going.”

Inside the grand hall, a woman reclined against her throne, a sinister smile on her lips. Her fair fingers gently traced a handsome face as she laughed softly. “Oh? You want to take her to Death Island? Do you know that place is a forbidden zone of Qiongyu Immortal Island?”

“I don’t like repeating myself,” the King of Eastern Capital replied coolly. He turned his head slightly, letting her fingers glide across his cheek, yet his gaze remained cold and detached.

Baili Wushuang chuckled and waved her sleeve. “Very well. Since you’re going to Death Island, I’ll allow it. Ling’er has always been careless—having you there puts my mind at ease. Take Ling’er with you for training.”

“Ling’er is of noble birth and spoiled by nature,” he replied flatly.

“If she refuses to listen on Death Island, whatever consequences follow are not my responsibility.”

“Nonsense! Brother Yi, I’m going!” A white-clad figure appeared, pushing aside the curtain. She pouted as she looked at him. “If I get scared by the beasts, I’ll just come back!”

He chuckled and placed a hand on Ling Ruoxi’s head. “I’m worried you’ll end up worse than this girl. If you die on the island, you might not even know why.”

“Brother Yi!” Baili Ling frowned, shocked that he’d compare her to that ugly girl.

Baili Wushuang didn’t object. Raising a brow, she smiled. “That’s right. Ling’er has been pampered all her life. Let her experience hardship. I hope she won’t give up halfway.”

North of Qiongyu Immortal Island lay Death Island—true to its name, suffused with dread. Heavy black clouds churned overhead as thunder and lightning raged, striking the forest below. In moments, eerie woods ignited in blazing flames. Roars of countless beasts echoed, the aura of death shattering into pure slaughter, as though the island were bathed in blood-red light.

“My Dou Qi…” Baili Ling froze aboard the boat.

The closer they drew to Death Island, the more unsettled she felt. Though they were still a thousand meters away, she found she could no longer use her Dou Qi properly.

No matter how hard she tried, only a faint trace emerged.

“This is the miasma surrounding Death Island—a warning to Dou Qi practitioners not to enter lightly,” the King of Eastern Capital said calmly, his purple qi still enveloping the boat. “If you regret it now, there’s still time.”

Her face turned pale. Baili Ling glared at him, then turned to look at Ling Ruoxi sitting opposite. Her lungs felt ready to burst. What could be more terrifying than losing one’s Dou Qi?

Yet the ugly woman showed no reaction at all.

A block of wood, she thought bitterly. She probably hasn’t even noticed her qi’s gone.

Ling Ruoxi sat calmly, eyes fixed ahead. Just as she’d expected, even before reaching Death Island, the atmosphere suppressed all energy. Without relying on the Hetian Jade, she had no Dou Qi anyway—so this felt no different from normal.

But…

Something on that island pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe—as though a massive stone weighed on her chest.

Her dark eyes stared at Death Island. It felt as though something was calling to her, though she couldn’t explain why.

“Regret? I don’t regret anything! I think it’s fine—just fine—ah!”

A massive wave struck the boat, making it rock violently. Baili Ling screamed, clutching the railing in terror.

The closer they came, the heavier the pressure grew. Even the seawater turned murky, emitting ominous sounds that sent chills down the spine.

“Careful,” the King of Eastern Capital murmured, eyes flashing. He placed a hand on Baili Ling’s shoulder.

Before Ling Ruoxi could react, the boat shuddered violently. The sea parted, and a massive head emerged from the depths.

It was an ugly black serpent, its scales riddled with pits as though gouged out. Its ashen eyes gleamed dully, and sticky mucus oozed from its body, reeking of decay.

Baili Ling screamed, her pampered upbringing leaving her utterly unprepared for such a sight. Her face drained of all color.

The King of Eastern Capital sneered. “This is the difference. Just a gatekeeper beast, and you’re already this scared?”

“I-I’m not scared!” Baili Ling stammered, though her pale face betrayed her words.

With a sweep of his hand, purple qi tore through the barrier ahead. Standing tall on the boat, he said calmly, “Xiao Hei, we’ve come to train inside. Please open the barrier and let us pass.”