After sharing a few pleasantries, the old ancestor's expression grew solemn as she fixed her gaze on Mo Jian.

"Kid, tell me how you defeat the evil sects," she said in a low voice, her eyes never leaving him.

Mo Jian's calm demeanor did not falter under her piercing gaze. He remained poised and confident. "It's simple. We're prepared."

Prepared?

The old ancestor furrowed her brow, unwilling to buy the idea. How could they be prepared for a sudden attack by the evil sects? It wasn't as if they had been forewarned before the surprise assault.

Mo Jian anticipated her thoughts but kept speaking. "Unlike the central region, which has not yet been attacked by the evil sects, the Western Region has spent decades battling vengeful spirits."

"We understand what is at stake, and we have prepared for it. Moreover, a few months ago, we uncovered an evil sect here in the southern region, colluding with the central region."

"All of this has prepared us for the worst, and from what we see, our decision appears to have been the right one."

Listening to him, the old ancestor relaxed into her seat. She knew he was telling the truth. The central region—and, most importantly, the ancient clans—had been complacent about the threat of the evil sects.

If they had remained vigilant, they would not have been pushed to a corner so quickly.

Now she understood how the Southern Region and Western Region managed to withstand the evil sect attack so swiftly. It was time to move on to the reason for her arrival.

"How do you plan to help us?" she asked slowly.

Others might underestimate Mo Jian and the Thousand Wealth Chamber, but from what she had seen, she knew the young man was not to be trifled with. He had already created one miracle after another, and her instinct told her he could perform another.

Mo Jian did not respond immediately. He slowly reached for his teacup and took a sip.

Qiu Yan gripped the hem of her robe tightly. The survival of the central region depended on him, and she was frightened by what he might decide.

She had vouched for him, placed her trust in him, and now she could not help but feel panicked.

From the corner of his eye, he could sense her nervousness, but his expression remained unmoved. Business was business. He would not mix personal relationships with business.

"How do you want me to help you?"

Rather than giving a direct answer, he shot back with a question.

The old ancestor remained calm, her gaze locked on Mo Jian. "I don't know the extent of your power, but any help will be appreciated."

"Remember, if the central region falls, everything you have built would crumble beneath the evil claw of the evil cultivators."

To her and to everyone from the central region, this was a cold, hard truth. The central region was the heart of the continent, and if it fell, every other region would follow.

So, they believed.

But they were mistaken.

Mo Jian had already prepared for the worst.

How could he depend on the fate of his life and death to someone else?

"I don't care if the central region falls or not," he said matter-of-factly, leaving Qiu Yan and the ancestor speechless.

Looking at his face, they realized Mo Jian was not bragging. He was dead serious.

What's happening? Is there a powerhouse backing him that I do not know? the old ancestor wondered, glancing at Qiu Yan from the corner of her eye.

Watching her shock, she realized Qiu Yan was also confused. This meant there was more to Mo Jian than they knew.

Mo Jian understood their shock. This was confidence they had never expected from him.

"Although I don't care if the central region falls or not, I'll still help where I can, but it won't be for free." His voice was clear and serious.

"Of course, it won't be free," the old ancestor replied quickly, breathing a sigh of relief.

Mo Jian was their last hope, and if he chose not to help, there would be nothing they could do.

As for forcing him with her power, she did not consider that option. He was not obliged to save them or share his resources, so why would she force him?

From his expression, she could tell he was not afraid of her. That in itself was perplexing.

Still, she maintained her calm, hoping for the best.

Mo Jian looked at the calm ancestor and felt pleased by her reaction. He had expected them to try to coerce him and was prepared to reject them. But now—

Everything could be discussed.

Whoosh!

An armor appeared in his hand. "With this, everything changes," he said, and handed the armor to her.

Receiving the armor, the old ancestor noticed the various intricate runes engraved on it. The runes were dense, and all of them were Tier-2, which stunned her briefly.

"That is the Stoneheart Armor," Mo Jian explained. "The armor augments a cultivator's strength, giving them the power to fight three levels above their current one."

"What?!"

"Is this true?" the old ancestor exclaimed, widening her eyes in disbelief.

How could such a magical artifact exist?

Even in ancient times, there had been no record of artifacts so earth-shattering.

"Why would I deceive you?" He shook his head, understanding their shock.

"Kid, I know you wouldn't deceive me…" Her voice trailed off, gazing at the armor in a daze.

Mo Jian nodded and continued. "For those in the Golden Core realm, the augmentation varies depending on their power. But at the least, it could augment their strength by one level."

"That is enough," the old ancestor replied with a bright voice.

Whoosh!

Mo Jian drew a weapon from his storage pouch and handed it to the old ancestor. "Also, with this weapon, any weapon below a Low Tier-2 weapon will render useless."

Huh!

The old ancestor and Qiu Yan gasped in disbelief. They had never anticipated such an overwhelming result from Mo Jian.

Although she had come to seek assistance, she still harbored doubts. A force without a Nascent Soul powerhouse was still an ant in comparison to them.

But now she realized how wrong she had been.

With all these artifacts at their disposal, if they still failed to defeat the evil sects, they might as well surrender willingly.