"It has been a long time since we had concrete information about the condition of Jade Island, except for the recent news regarding the map," Su Yan explained.

Her demeanor was cold, yet she possessed the necessary leadership skills to explain things clearly to her team members.

"How long is 'a long time'?" Icaros questioned.

This time, Li Han answered. "Unlike other danger zones where one can find some form of fortune, Jade Island is different."

"How so?" Icaros asked, his expression suggesting he already had a guess, though he needed confirmation.

Even Nelly, who was sitting beside Su Yan, hadn't seemed interested in the conversation until now. After all, she was the one supposed to lead the remaining participants on their own mission. However, she now wore a look of genuine curiosity.

Icaros inferred that Su Yan had left the explanation to Li Han, not necessarily because he had more experience, but perhaps to let him take the lead this time.

"As you all may have guessed, unlike other danger zones that offer benefits for cultivators-beast cores, treasures, naturally formed heavenly materials, or magical items-Jade Island has none of that," Li Han continued. "It offers nothing but danger and vast deposits of ordinary jade, a material already abundant in the world and essentially worthless."

"As such, cultivators lost interest in the place. None, or extremely few, venture there anymore. Only mortals occupy that danger zone."

"Mortals?" Icaros frowned, clearly confused.

The other two girls seemed to know the mystery already. Nelly even revealed a proud expression, as if saying, 'Are you finally aware of your ignorance?' Even Su Yan allowed a faint smirk to appear on her face.

Li Han did not let Icaros dwell in his confusion for long. "Some mortals who found their way there chose to stay. Even though the environment is incredibly dangerous, it serves as a protective barrier against the horrors of the outside world. To them, it is a sanctuary-free from demonic beasts, wars, and the threats of powerful cultivators."

"As for how they survive... the main threats there are the hordes of Jade Monsters."

"Jade Monsters?" Icaros questioned.

"Yes," Li Han replied. "Using the island's huge deposits of jade, during certain times, the stone itself turns into living creatures of immense power that hunt humans. It is almost like a mechanism. The mortals memorize their patterns and strive to survive by outwitting them. Although the danger is ever-present, they manage to endure. Also, the island is quite difficult to enter, but we can find our way through."

Icaros breathed in deeply, taking in everything Li Han had just said. A thought brought a smile to his face regarding those mortals.

'Humans are quite resilient.'

'I guess I am stuck with this mission,' he thought. 'I just hope the abilities I have revealed so far are enough. Although I read that Jade Island is considered a weaker danger zone compared to others, a danger zone is still a danger zone.'

Icaros nodded to show his understanding. Li Han smiled back and said, "Since he has no more questions," he pointed at Icaros, "Su Yan will take command."

"We will arrive just outside Jade Island. Nelly will drop us off and proceed with her own mission. The three of us," he said, pointing to himself, Icaros, and Su Yan, "will complete our task and return to the Li Sect."

Everyone nodded, thinking it was a solid plan, though complex.

But just then, Icaros interrupted, making Li Han's face darken. "I still have a question."

Li Han tried to suppress his rising anger, his face turning slightly green. Nelly giggled silently at his misfortune, and even the cold beauty Su Yan allowed herself a faint smile.

"What is it, son?" Li Han asked, calming himself down and putting on the air of an elder.

However, Icaros was not one to be trifled with. "You old fart! Who's your son?"

"Old fart? I am not even that old!" Li Han hastily retorted, and the room exploded with stifled laughter.

Icaros couldn't help but smile as well.

Later, just before he drifted off, Icaros thought about the answer Li Han had given him after the banter.

He had explained that Spirit Realm cultivators were essentially Body Refinement cultivators who had gained access to manipulating Spirit Qi. That single difference made them entirely superior.

In the Body Refinement Realm, cultivators used the Spirit Qi in the environment to temper their bodies through the stages: Blood Refinement, Bone Refinement, and Flesh Refinement. This enhanced their physical prowess to superhuman levels, but nothing truly magical.

However, upon entering the Spirit Qi Realm, they unlocked their Dantian-the core where they could store Spirit Qi absorbed from nature or Spirit Stones.

They could use this stored Qi to enhance their physical stats-strength, durability, stamina, and speed-to truly god-like levels. Although this consumed their reserves, it was vital in battle. They could move at insane speeds, punch with devastating force, or reinforce their skin to resist damage. They could even release bursts of Qi to deflect weaker attacks, though maintaining these abilities came at the cost of their energy.

These features alone placed them in a league far above Body Refinement cultivators.

However, Li Han revealed that since the Li Sect focused on the Orthodox path of Qi mastery, they possessed secret techniques. These techniques allowed them to manifest special abilities at the cost of their Spirit Qi-like the energy wings Li Han had used earlier, or energy swords. This was why his energy attacks were purple; Spirit Qi, when condensed, was naturally blue, but the secret technique altered its appearance. The same applied to Su Yan and Nelly.

Another thing that interested Icaros was the use of magical treasures. Spirit Realm cultivators could infuse items with their Qi to unlock special abilities, such as Su Yan's flying handkerchief, which could grow or shrink in size and carry them through the air.

But what truly amazed Icaros-and left him feeling a little envious-was the last ability.

Divine Sense.

Spirit Realm cultivators awakened this ability. It was a manifestation of their mental and soul energy. They could use it to send messages directly into someone else's mind, allowing for secret conversations that others could not hear (though those with stronger Divine Sense could still eavesdrop). They could also inscribe messages onto Jade Slips for others to read later.

Even the magic treasures, like Su Yan's handkerchief, would return to her automatically because she had imprinted her Divine Sense into them. Some cultivators who specialized in this could even use it to attack invisibly, damaging the soul or mind directly-though such experts were rare, and those with strong wills could resist.

Compared to all this, Icaros felt lacking. It left him with a heavy doubt in his heart.

'Can I actually cultivate?'

Just as Icaros had that thought, he heard a faint chichi sound - the sharp hiss of something cutting through the air. This time, it was far faster, and it sounded as if whatever was moving could slice through solid matter as easily as tofu.

In the next instant, the floor beneath him split open from below, the crack racing through the walls and spreading further than he could see.

Icaros barely threw himself out of the way, and suddenly found himself face to face with the culprit.

It was a massive arc of energy - he recognised it instantly as spirit qi, from the terrifying pressure that made his skin prickle tight and its bright blue glow. Yet this power was unlike any he had felt before: it was razor-sharp, carrying an aura as keen as the finest sword blade.

He analysed all this in a split second, while his instincts drove him to fling himself across the room, narrowly avoiding the strike.

His hair stood on end as another arc sliced up behind him, sealing off the space he had just been in and leaving only a small patch of floor where he could scramble for safety.

But that refuge didn't last. Before he could catch his breath, the ground beneath him crumbled away, and he fell headlong into darkness.

Outside, the entire massive ship was being torn apart. The strange blue arcs of spirit qi crisscrossed through the structure, slicing through metal, wood, and flesh alike, reducing everything in their path to fragments.

Like a shower of meteors, the broken remains - and everyone and everything still aboard - crashed down into a vast body of water. Far in the distance, the outline of an island rose above the waves.

At the very peak of the destruction, a faint human figure could be seen floating high above the sea, one hand outstretched toward the wreckage.

Seeing his work done, the figure did not pause to search for survivors. He simply lowered his hand and turned away, the hilt of a sheathed sword clearly visible strapped to his back. Without a single glance back, he turned into a streak of light and shot toward the island, his hand slowly reaching for his sword as he flew.

Meanwhile, Icaros was falling fast. A large chunk of the shattered ship slammed into him from above, sending him plummeting even quicker toward the water.

He barely felt the impact, his body unharmed by the debris battering against him. Instead, his mind raced at lightning speed.

Should I use my full abilities now, or keep holding back, only showing what others have already seen me do?

Two sides warred within him - one urging caution, the other screaming that enough was enough.

Before he could reach a decision, the remains of the ship, with Icaros amidst the wreckage, hit the sea.

The water boiled and churned violently for a minute, then slowly settled, swallowing every trace of the vessel until not even a scrap remained on the surface.

Icaros sank slowly into the dark depths, surrounded by twisted metal and the bodies of some of the other participants he had recognised. He looked around quickly, but there was no sign of his companions - Li Han, Su Yan, or Nelly.

Yet for the first time in a long while, he did not care about any of that. His eyes suddenly flared with an intense golden-yellow light, bright and distinct even through the water. With a roar that bubbled up through the sea, he shouted, "I am done hiding!"

In an instant, he shot upward at supersonic speed, breaking through the water's surface with a thunderous crash. He hovered there for a moment, eyes still glowing, staring down at the spot where the ship had vanished. After a few seconds, he turned his gaze toward the island ahead, his fists clenched tight.

Without hesitation, he shot forward, a golden streak of light cutting through the air as he closed the distance in mere moments.

Just as he neared the shore, a glowing barrier appeared - a dome of light clearly meant to keep intruders out. But Icaros was finished with holding back. He didn't slow down.

From his eyes, twin beams of golden-yellow energy burst forth - sharp, searing, and filled with crushing force. They struck the barrier head-on, and it didn't even slow him down. The light melted away like mist before fire, leaving a clear path. He flew through, the beams fading as he did, his face set in unyielding determination.

Once past the barrier, he slowed deliberately, floating gently downward until his feet touched the ground. His eyes still burned with that golden light, fueled by rage, years of suppressed power, and a new, clear purpose.

As soon as he landed, the landscape around him shifted. The mountains and rocks, all carved from glowing jade, reshaped themselves. Before long, the ground was swarming with figures - humanoid and monstrous, large and small, all formed entirely of polished jade. They had no flesh or blood, yet they moved with terrifying purpose and radiated immense power. Some were skeletal, others twisted beasts, but all closed in around him.

Icaros did not hesitate. He roared, and unleashed his eye beams again, sweeping them through the crowd. Wherever the golden light touched, jade crumbled, shattered, or melted away.

He didn't stop there. He lifted into the air, pushing his abilities to their absolute limit. With each movement came a thunderous boom. He darted between the monsters, throwing punches and kicks so powerful they tore their bodies apart - though the jade would begin to knit itself back together almost instantly.

But Icaros, lost in his fury, didn't care. His beams never stopped, slicing, burning, and blasting through everything in their path. He moved faster than they could react, his strength enough to overpower even the largest creatures. As he flew past a grotesque lion-like beast - far bigger than himself - he reached out, grabbed it by the leg, and swung it hard. Before it could recover, he snapped its neck mid-air, then aimed his beam straight down its throat. The golden light tore through its body from the inside out, blowing it into dust that would never reform.

Before the next wave could reach him, he turned his head in a wide arc, his laser sweeping through the horde and cutting them down in seconds.

It was clear now: his beams were even more effective at piercing and cutting than they were at just melting or burning, and nothing could withstand their explosive force.

The destruction went on for some time, until only one enemy remained - a huge bird-like creature that could fly. Icaros caught it mid-air, flew high into the clouds, and stared straight into its eyes as his beam burned through its skull and out the other side. With a sharp pull, he tore it clean in two.

Amidst the drifting jade dust, a grin spread across Icaros's face - wild, fierce, and bloodthirsty, the kind of expression he hadn't shown in years.

When the last of the monsters was gone, he shot forward again, a streak of golden light diving deep into the heart of the island.

Moments after he left, a young man was washed up onto the shore. He lay unconscious, his body covered in wounds, his grey robes torn and stained so badly they barely held together.

Around him, the ground bore clear marks of what had happened - scorch marks, deep gashes in the rock, and fine jade dust coating the sand. He lay there, alone, the only witness left to this tale of destruction.

Opening his eyes, the youth found himself on the shore of an island, with total destruction around him.

Holding his head, he slowly sat up, before examining his surroundings, his eyes taking in everything they could.

Trying to suppress his slight headache, he decided that he had somehow arrived at Jade Island after so many accidents.

"Huh," he made a sound, as he felt all over his body, which was covered by tattered grey robes.

One would have thought that with his condition, he would be in a grim mood. Instead, he burst out laughing like a madman.

"Yes! Finally, I've reached the limit of the Body Refinement Realm," he said out loud, with a grin on his face that looked as though it might split his lips.

His thoughts raced in excitement: I guess through all these disasters I've gone through and survived, I've become stronger. The attacks from the Battle Force Sect and the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect, our ship being destroyed by an expert, and even that grueling escape...

"This time around," he said out loud with a smirk on his face, "I guess I am compatible with that mysterious secret technique I found. I can now truly grow strong."

As if mentally unstable, the youth laughed for a long time before making his way out of the destroyed area - by now, his wounds had clearly healed in some unknown way.

As he walked through the ruined land, seeing scorch marks covering the ground, trees sliced clean through, and the obvious traces of a fierce battle, he couldn't help but wonder: Who fought here? And why am I the only one on this shore? There isn't a single survivor in sight...

Unless they all managed to escape already... Maybe Senior Li Han and the other elders made it out, or even that strange participant - Icaros. He was surprisingly strong, after all. But if they survived, why didn't they come looking for me?

Unable to find any answer, he stopped thinking to avoid a splitting headache, and only came to one conclusion: The expert who destroyed their ship was most likely responsible for all the destruction around.

After two hours of searching for any sign of people on the island, and with only an hour left before sunset, the youth finally spotted traces of human activity. He moved faster - his stomach had begun to rumble loudly, and he was desperate to find both people and food.

He followed the tracks until, sure enough, he came upon the legendary mortal village - said to exist deep within one of the world's most dangerous zones.

It was nothing grand, not what one would have expected after surviving the deadly dangers of Jade Island.

It looked almost like a ghost town, with no proper entrance.

Except for one single spot - the only place in the entire town where there were people. A small group of adults and children were gathered together there, seemingly busy with something or about to set off somewhere. Apart from them, the whole settlement was empty. The town felt strangely silent and eerie.

From a distance, the youth spotted the group near the buildings. At first, his expression showed shock - but it quickly turned into disdainful laughter.

It turned out that among them were seven adults, two of them women. Before he knew it, they had surrounded him, all aiming high-powered long rifles straight at him.

"Who are you? You are not from this village," one of the adults asked, his face showing clear intent to shoot at any moment.

The youth just grinned and tightened his fists, clearly intending to take them all on.

"Identify yourself, or we will shoot," another said - his voice sounded a little nervous, but his aim never wavered.

The youth replied casually, "Drop your so-called guns, and then we can talk."

The group couldn't help but hesitate - but they soon overcame that hesitation, as if something was making them act with extreme caution and urgency.

The youth clenched his fists tighter, bent his knees, ready to explode into motion, a predatory grin spreading across his lips. Meanwhile, the men surrounding him were clearly experienced fighters; they stayed sharp and alert, ready to strike at his vital spots the moment he moved.

The atmosphere was tense, and just as the group was about to open fire, an aged, calm voice cut through the silence.

"Hold your fire!"

The youth looked toward the voice and saw a fairly old man who had just come out from among the group.

The trained and experienced men did not take their eyes off the youth; they slowly stepped back, keeping their weapons aimed steadily at him.

The aged man walked steadily and carefully to stand between them. Looking straight at the youth, he said, "I guess you're a cultivator from the outside world."

"Not that dumb," the youth replied bluntly, relaxing his stance just slightly. Seeing this, the men slowly lowered their guns.

"I don't know how you got here," the aged man continued, trying to propose something, but the youth cut him off before he could finish.

"I managed fine on my own," the youth said, clearly unwilling to reveal anything to the old man.

Unfazed, the aged man replied with a smirk, "No matter how strong you are, we will find out everything soon enough. It doesn't matter - what matters is that you need our information and cooperation to achieve whatever goal you have here, and we need your power."

The youth stayed silent for a few seconds, as if thinking it through, before shrugging and saying, "I guess I will agree - but not without first testing these weapons that mortals hold in such high regard."

With that, and without any warning, the youth dashed forward at incredible speed, closing in on the nearest man. Before the man could even adjust his aim or fire, the youth had already grabbed his rifle.

The others reacted instantly and tried to shoot, but the youth was already one step ahead - he pulled the man in front of him as a human shield, making the others hesitate, afraid to shoot and kill their own companion.

"Interesting," the youth thought, before gripping the rifle and bending it completely out of shape with his bare hands.

The man struggled and fought back, but against the youth's strength, it was completely useless. Not wasting any time, the youth slammed his forehead hard into the man's, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Still moving fast, the youth effortlessly threw the unconscious man straight at another shooter. The man had to jump aside to avoid being hit, and in doing so, missed his chance to fire. That split second was all the youth needed - he charged forward at extraordinary speed, keeping right behind the flying body.

The other shooters dared not fire, terrified of hitting their own man.

He was almost upon his next target when the man finally managed to aim and shoot, panic written clearly across his face.

But the youth had already predicted his movement. He weaved smoothly under the bullets and closed the short distance in the blink of an eye. At the same time, he grabbed the rifle and shoved it hard toward the others to scare them off.

It worked - they hurriedly scrambled for cover. With a light, quick punch, he knocked that man out cold.

Without pausing, he turned toward the rest of the group, his feet moving swiftly and lightly, eyes locked firmly on his targets.

The man he was after saw that his companions were slow to give him cover, and tried to defend himself by firing wildly at the youth. But the youth dodged every shot - partly by his speed, partly by predicting his opponent's movements - while closing in fast.

His feet moved gracefully, his body ready to strike - but just halfway to his target, most of the shooters had regained their composure and opened fire all at once.

Suddenly, the youth was overwhelmed; no matter how agile he was, he could not match the speed of bullets.

He was soon completely surrounded by concentrated gunfire, and thick smoke obscured his figure.

When the shooting finally stopped, the shooters waited to see the result - but a cold chill ran down their spines as the youth, who they expected to be riddled with holes, suddenly burst out laughing loudly.

They looked closely: his already tattered robes were even more torn, soaked through with his own blood, and dotted with the metallic shine of bullets stuck fast in his skin.

Laughing like a madman, the youth reached up and pulled out one of the bullets, which was covered in blood. From the torn skin around it, it was clear the bullet had pierced the surface, but had been unable to go any deeper.

"Today I will teach you mortals the true terrors of facing a cultivator!" he snarled, baring his bloodied teeth at the terrified group - but just as he was about to attack again...

A sharp whirring sound cut through the air. Before he could even react, the rocket hit him directly, and a massive explosion slammed him straight into the wall of a nearby building, burying him in smoke and debris.

The shooters quickly turned toward the source of the blast - and there he was: the aged man, now standing on the roof, holding an RPG launcher that was still smoking from the barrel, a smirk on his face.

"Captain!" they all acknowledged him in unison.

The aged man jumped down from the roof and walked toward where the youth was embedded in the wall.

When he reached him, most of the youth's skin was badly burnt and stained red with blood from his injuries.

His eyes no longer held their usual sharpness and vitality - it was clear the RPG had significantly damaged him.

"Oh, you're right - mortals aren't a match for cultivators, but we can still put up a fight against Body Refinement Realm cultivators like you," the man said, as he examined the youth's condition.

He continued as he began pulling the youth's bloodied body free from the wall: "I hope you can now see reason and agree to work with us once you've recovered."

The youth struggled to stand, but his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground. Gritting his teeth and holding back the pain, he managed to keep a satisfied grin on his face as he replied:

"I guess your weapons do live up to the hype."