On the great scale of the Northern Sea cultivation world, Red Tide Harbor was little more than a tiny speck of dust. It was an obscure maritime transit point, with its land no more than a dozen li across. Such a place could not support any major force. Yet to assume it was deserted would be a mistake. There were tens of thousands of mortals and dozens of low-tier cultivators living there. They provided food, water, cargo handling, and storage for passing merchant ships. As a hub for north-south travel, it was also a hub for news; all sorts of information flowed freely through the harbor. 

Several Qi Refinement cultivators were chatting loudly in a tavern.

"I heard the battle on Coldlight Island was just insane. Four Sages went all out, and Jadecold City was wrecked almost immediately. They kept moving around,...