At the northern edge of Sword King Mountain, there was a small village named Cliffside Watch.

Perched on the very edge of the colossal island that houses Sword King Mountain, Cliffside Watch Village offers breathtaking views of the seemingly endless waters below.

The village clings to the cliffs with sturdy, terraced dwellings built directly into the rock face. Wooden walkways and rope bridges connect the homes and provide pathways to the village's heart.

The villagers of Cliffside Watch are known for their ingenuity and rock climbing skills, establishing numerous lifts in order to fish in the lake below. Many of them are skilled lookouts, trained to detect dangerous monsters or other fish.

Fishing is a vital part of their way of life, as the lake teems with unique and exotic species found only in the shallow waters surrounding the island.

The villagers are adept sailors, venturing out to sea in small boats and returning with bountiful catches. The fish are not only a source of sustenance but also provide the materials for crafting tools and trinkets adorned with intricate seashell and coral designs.

Cliffside Watch Village maintains a close-knit community, with a strong sense of duty and camaraderie.

At night, the village takes on a magical appearance, as the homes are lit by lanterns and bioluminescent algae that grow on the cliff faces.

The gentle lullaby of waves crashing below complements the tranquil atmosphere, making Cliffside Watch a serene and captivating destination for those who venture to the edge of the world.

Visitors rarely come to this village as the main port to the island situated in Edge City on the other edge of the Mountain Island.

One afternoon, no different from any other, the elder of the village, a Qi Transformation cultivator at level 12, was teaching youths martial arts in the main alcove that acted as a gathering point for all.

He imparted to them the sole cultivation method within his knowledge, along with the trio of techniques that had been his salvation on numerous occasions during his six and a half decades of life.

This particular cultivation method harnessed the latent energy of the ocean's waves, harnessing the ebb and flow of tides as the driving force to establish a Qi circulation within the user's body, thus unlocking their dormant potential.

It didn't possess any extraordinary qualities, nor did it harbor any detrimental aspects. Instead, it stood as a middle-of-the-road Earth-grade cultivation technique.

For ordinary mortals who lacked alternative prospects on their path of cultivation, it presented an exceptional opportunity that most other villages couldn't even dream of.

Suddenly, amid the old man's teachings, the whole mountain shook.

The villagers all braced themselves and headed to the edge of their alcoves, to see what was going on. Then, as they were looking out at the sea, they saw something incredible.

An immortal flying in the skies!

Everyone was staring in awe, the children, their parents and every fisherman still out at sea. It wasn't everyday they were seeing such an individual in their part of the world.

The only one who wasn't surprised was the elder.

Infusing some of his Qi into his voice, he yelled out at the immortal.

"This humble fisherman greets his excellency Sun."

From all the way up there, the cultivator known as Sun Tao, quickly spotted the old fisherman and nodded at the man.

Even though he didn't imbue his voice with energy, the words that came out of his mouth were carried by the winds into everyone's ears. "Harkwater, how long has it been?"

"Five decades, your excellency."

"Fifty years already..." The cultivator sighed. "I have duties to attend to, as you know. But once this is over, I'll come over for a chat alright?"

"Certainly, your excellency." Bowed the old fishermen, Jonah Harkwater.

Then, all those present observed the esteemed cultivator as he gracefully gestured into the air, creating intricate seals.

Occasionally, he conjured a plethora of treasures and sent them hurtling into the bedrock of the mountain. Each impact caused the earth to quiver slightly and shook every bridge and rope connected to the hanging village.

Upon completing his task, he ascended gracefully above the village, perching himself on the cliffside to stand sentinel over the northern boundary of Sword King Mountain.

As the hours ticked by, the village elder issued orders for everyone to seek refuge within their homes. Nightfall approached, casting an eerie shadow over the entire mountain.

At that moment Ancestor Fang and the Sword King emerged, the entire Sword King Mountain trembled in response. The villagers held their breath, frozen in fear.

The ensuing battle sent ripples of True Essence fluctuations throughout the vicinity, which were absorbed by an imperceptible barrier enveloping the village, extending to most of the northern coast.

In the distance, towering waves surged as the battle raged on, striking terror into the hearts of the villagers, who feared their lives might be claimed by the colossal tide.

Yet, in that dire moment, Sun soared forth and positioned himself directly before the towering waves. With a single slap, he cleaved the immense wave in two, shielding the village from the impending disaster.

The children erupted in joyous cheers, while their relieved parents wiped away the cold sweat that had formed on their brows.

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Among them, old man Harkwater remained unperturbed. He had once been rescued by his excellency Sun during his own youth in a similar perilous situation, and his trust in the man never wavered.

In the midst of the chaos, a cultivator emerged in the distance, making an audacious attempt to breach the territory of the Sword Sect.

Hovering serenely above the tumultuous seas, Sun Tao addressed the newcomer with calm and measured words. "I strongly advise you to reconsider, fellow cultivator."

In response, the intruder emitted a disdainful snicker and continued to charge forward, heedless of Sun Tao's well-intentioned warning.

Little did he know that this would be the final misstep of his life.

Sun Tao had once been a core disciple of the Sword Sect in his youth, a period that had transpired nearly 360 years ago.

Now, he held the esteemed position of an elder within the Eternal Palace, one of the select head elders of the sect, acting under the direct orders of the Sword King himself.

His cultivation prowess was nothing short of awe-inspiring, having reached the 8th level of Aperture Strengthening. Through a combination of remarkable treasures and fortuitous encounters, he could easily slay such a foe.

But, at sea like this, he could even go toe to toe with a First level Soul Shattering cultivator and extend the battle into a draw.

Consequently, this adversary, a mere 9th level Aperture Strengthening practitioner, appeared as insignificant as a buzzing fly in Sun Tao's eyes.

With a disappointed shake of his head at the stranger's audacity, Sun Tao reached within his storage ring and drew forth his cherished spear, and with a single mighty slash, a thin and extremely fast jet of water exploded forward in a straight line.

He had activated one of his core techniques, a skill he had personally devised two decades prior.

The waters below chanted in harmony with the appearance of the spear and technique combo and lent their powers to it as thousands of spears of water also formed.

It was like the waters of Serenity Lake answered the call of their master and would do anything to aid him.

Thereafter, nothing but the sound of tumultuous waves and the faint echoes of the mighty spear ripping through the air remained.

In the skies, the nameless cultivator stiffened and before he could even notice what had happened, his soul body separated in two perfect halves, descending into the seas and being shortly obliterated by the oncoming onslaught of water spears.

Originally, his soul had a glimpse of hope at escaping that single attack but unfortunately for this nameless cultivator, the seas were ruthless and it exploded into nothingness, returning directly into the wheel of samsara.

From the corpse, all that remained were two rings. Elder Sun gestured and they both flew from afar.

The spoils of war.

Through all this, not a single wave of true essence or water made it to Cliffside Watch.

Peace finally settled over the region by the following morning, with no further attempts to breach Elder Sun's territory.

Jonah Harkwater, the village elder, watched with respect as Elder Sun descended from his hovering chair and made his way toward the village's townhall where Jonah resided.

"This lowly one greets his excellency Sun," Jonah greeted with deference.

"It's been a while, how have you been?" Elder Sun replied casually.

Uncertain of how to respond to such a relaxed greeting, Jonah replied truthfully, "I've been well. The children are going to have a much better shot at life than I ever did, thanks to your benevolence."

Elder Sun seemed intrigued, and he requested, "Bring the children here. I wish to see their progress for myself."

Considering the early hour, Jonah cautiously inquired, "Do you want me to wake the children? It's still early, and most of them are probably sleeping for another hour or two."

Sun Tao took a moment to ponder Jonah's offer to wake the children and decided against it, opting for some time to catch up instead.

He then handed Jonah a storage ring, suggesting, "We can use this time to catch up. Oh, and here, use this on your next trip to Edge City to purchase sufficient supplies for the children's cultivation."

Jonah was taken aback as Elder Sun casually handed him a storage ring worth hundreds of silver coins. He peeked inside, only to find a small pile of various tier 1 and tier 2 materials, including ores, herbs, and meats.

It was a priceless gift, and Jonah felt overwhelmed by the generosity. "Your excellency is too generous; I cannot accept this!" he protested, bowing deeply and attempting to return the storage ring.

Elder Sun waved his concerns away and gestured for Jonah to sit. He conjured a pair of chairs and a small coffee table, along with hot tea. "Rise, and let's chat over tea. Have I ever told you why I came here fifty years ago?" Elder Sun inquired, taking a seat.

Jonah complied and sat next to Elder Sun, shaking his head to indicate that they had never discussed this subject before.

As he poured two cups of tea, Elder Sun began to recount his tale. "Once upon a time, I too was a child—an orphan loved by the seas. From a very young age, without a single cultivation method, I was able to naturally absorb Qi from the surrounding waves."

After taking a sip of the fragrant tea, he sighed with a reminiscent smile on his lips. "Then, one day, as I was fighting with a Gorge Skewer out at sea, I was fatally injured by a Golden Ghost Fish. But, from this perilous encounter, a miracle happened when a passing Sea Formation inner sect disciple saw me and saved my life."

Pausing to reflect for a moment, he continued, "To save my life, this unknown cultivator brought me back to the outer sect for treatment. When they saw how quickly I was recovering and how much Qi I was naturally absorbing, I was immediately made an outer sect disciple and taken to the sect's elders to select a cultivation technique that suited me."

"Like any young cultivator, I trained diligently. However, it soon became evident that my talent was extraordinary. In just a few years, I had grown into a Sea Formation cultivator at the tender age of 19, becoming the youngest since the Lo family’s ancestor himself."

"As I matured, I learned that I possessed something extremely rare—a Bloodline. In my youth, I assumed that everyone had one, but as you know, we do not discuss our status windows with others, so I kept this to myself," Elder Sun concluded, his eyes filled with the memories of his past.

"This Bloodline is inherited from one's parents and has an exceedingly rare likelihood of being passed down to their offspring, rendering it exceptionally uncommon."

Upon uttering these words, Sun Tao halted and fixed his gaze upon Jonah, who was savoring his tea. "My bloodline is known as the Sea's Protector, and it originated right here, in Cliffside Watch."

Jonah came close to spilling his tea upon hearing the astounding revelation that Elder Sun was born in this very village!

"So, fifty years ago, I arrived here after assuming the role as one of the Head Elders of the Sword Sect, as I do every fifty years... in search of any traces of this bloodline and saved your life, just like that cultivator had done for me so many years ago."

"Now, my visit here is a bit earlier than usual due to the recent breakthrough of the Sect Master, but I came here once more in search of signs of my bloodline." Just as he was finishing his sentence, almost as if he had intentionally paused there, a young man appeared from the nearby suspended bridge.

Sun Tao was an exceptionally rare individual who developed divine sense in the Aperture Strengthening stage, the only one on Sword King Mountain.

So, naturally, he had long detected the presence of the young man and the water-qi that perpetually enveloped him.

Upon seeing the youth, he couldn't help but smile as he turned to Jonah. "An orphan, I presume?"

The village elder quickly nodded, failing to make the connection.

An hour later, Sun Tao departed from Cliffside Watch, accompanied by the young man on a flying treasure he always kept in his possession.

He had taken on a disciple of his own, or rather, a son.

This young man was destined for great heights in the future, even if he was barely 9 years old and hadn't truly started to cultivate.

His name was Haiyang, no surname.

Starting today however, he'd be known as Sun Haiyang.