Qingming had a different opinion. “Gu Zhixuan and that old Kunpeng demon both have power that touches the very fabric of heaven and earth. I’d be surprised if they didn’t sense something strange. Even I… these past few months, I’ve felt restless and uneasy. I thought it was just a minor tribulation, but now…”

He shook his head and didn’t continue. Around him, the other immortal masters lowered their heads, their faces heavy with gloom.

Then, suddenly, Qingming struck the ground hard with his palm, the sharp sound snapping through the air. The others jerked their heads up, startled.

“What’s with those faces?” His voice was calm as ever, but his tone cut like metal. “You look like you’re mourning the dead.

“Let’s set aside whether it’s even true. Suppose it is, Sixth Junior Brother’s glorious ascension and attainment of the Great Dao is a moment any sect would revere with ancestral offerings and joyous celebration. So what’s with the long faces? You upset? Or are you just scared? Clinging to what’s familiar?”

No one dared say a word. Qingming’s sudden outburst had them all frozen in place, silent under his cold rebuke.

“Well, isn’t that something,” he went on, voice sharp. “Seems like over the last thousand years, Sixth Junior Brother’s been spoiling all of you!

“Sure, while he was around, you could come crawling back after losing face out in the world, and he’d stand up for you. Out there, whether you were dealing with major sects or lone rogue cultivators, even demons; they all had to think twice, give you some respect, because of who your brother was.

“And now that he’s gone, you’re lost? No more protector to lean on, and suddenly you’re all nervous? Mingde, how about you say something?”

'First Heaven Sword' Mingde was the most hot-tempered of the Seven Swords of Lianxia. He was known for his blunt, rough nature. As soon as Qingming called him out, his bronze-toned face turned red-purple with anger, blood rushing to his head. In that moment, he didn’t care much for status or seniority.

“So the Sect Leader’s saying I’ve been leaning on Sixth Martial Uncle’s name?” he shot back. “I’ve been out roaming and cultivating for centuries. What I rely on is the sword in my hand and the fire in my chest! Sure, sometimes the demons were too strong to handle at first, but when that happened, I came back, trained harder, and went out again to finish the fight! I’ve got my pride too. Since when did I ever need Sixth Martial Uncle to show up and fight my battles for me?”

Qingming gave a faint smile and didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to Ming Ji. “And you?”

Ming Ji, now completely composed again, gave a bright smile. “I've been cultivating for nearly seven hundred years. I’ve slain more demons than I can count, escaped death more times than I care to remember; but I’ve never once needed to trouble Sixth Martial Uncle for help.”

Qingming nodded, then turned to Mingru. One by one, he questioned each of the nine second-generation disciples in the room. The stories they shared were brief, often just a few words in passing, but together they painted a vivid picture that stirred the blood and left the heart pounding.

So that’s what he’s doing. Li Xun figured out Qingming’s intent halfway through. He couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed.

With just this one move, Qingming had turned the scattered, disheartened energy in the room into something sharp and focused again. It was masterful.

Still, no matter how roused their spirits were now, Zhong Yin’s ascension seemed all but certain. The real challenge would be dealing with the power shifts his departure would trigger; not just within the sect, but across the entire Tongxuan Realm. That was what truly needed their attention now.

Li Xun looked around at the flushed faces around him. He couldn’t help but find it a little funny… and strangely comforting. Maybe this kind of atmosphere wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Just then, from outside, Wenhai’s respectful voice came through:

“Mistress Tianzhi requests the Sect Leader’s presence at the Radiant Pole Hall for a meeting…”

He paused, then lowered his voice slightly: “Gu Yin, Sect Leader of the Miaohua Sect, has come to visit.”

Silence fell again inside the room.

Just moments ago, the room had been packed wall to wall. Now it was completely empty, and Li Xun felt a bit out of place in the sudden quiet.

Still, compared to that, the real strain was this: enemies who’d just been locked in life-and-death battle now showing up for polite visits. That kind of bizarre behavior was far more agonizing for someone as curious as he was.

Wu Lingquan and the others had all gone to the Radiant Pole Hall because of this matter, leaving only Qi Bi behind to look after him.

That was what gave Li Xun a headache.

If he had the choice, he’d rather be alone, to take some time and really think through what Gu Yin’s sudden visit meant, and what ripple effects Zhong Yin’s ascension would have on the sect… and the entire cultivation world.

To be fair, Qi Bi wasn’t much of a talker. When they were together, they spent more time in silence than conversation.

But she was also, unavoidably, a stunning woman. Especially when she was fully focused on something, free of distractions or guarded thoughts. That gentle concentration she carried could pull a man’s eyes in and refuse to let go.

Li Xun let out a slow, uneven breath, suddenly a little uncomfortable.

He’d never been someone overly distracted by women. Sure, during those two years in the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, under Madame Yan’s “deliberate indulgence,” he’d done more than a few things. But he still liked to think he had decent control over his desires. Most of it, he told himself, had been for the sake of strengthening his cultivation.

Was it just that he hadn’t “tasted meat” in a few months and was starting to miss it?

His gaze drifted, a little absentmindedly, to the pale curve of skin at the back of Qi Bi’s neck.

Lately, whenever he looked at her, his mind would always wander to that bastard Shan Zhi and then straight to the “view” from that night.

All of a sudden, he noticed a subtle shift in Qi Bi’s expression.

He was startled, thinking for a moment that she’d caught him staring. But he quickly realized that wasn’t it. Qi Bi’s attention had clearly shifted to something outside the door.

She had tilted her head slightly, brows drawn together, as if she were listening closely to something. He noticed her fingers had already brushed the hilt of her sword.

The door to the quiet room slid open without a sound. And at the same moment, Qi Bi’s blade slid halfway from its sheath with a low whisper.

Li Xun couldn’t see what was happening outside. He thought about propping himself up to look, but the pain quickly convinced him otherwise. Instead, he quieted his mind and discreetly activated the protective function of his Jade Bixie.

The room went utterly still. Even the sound of breathing seemed to disappear.

Then, breaking the silence, Qi Bi let out a surprised exclamation. “Junior Sister Yan? What are you doing here?”

“There is someone in here!” came a familiar voice. A moment later, a lively, charming face popped into view. And even Li Xun had to blink in surprise.

He knew that face. It was quite unforgettable.

“Senior Sister Yan?”

The pretty visitor was none other than Yan Shuiyue, a top disciple of the Water Mirror Sect; the same young woman who had leaked to him the news of Zhong Yin’s impending ascension.

She was still dressed in her usual boyish outfit, gold-painted folding fan in hand, looking completely unbothered by the freezing cold outside. Like some aristocratic playboy straight out of the mortal realm, she flaunted her swagger with the kind of flair that stood out even more in a realm of serious cultivators.

“You two have met?” Qi Bi looked even more surprised from the side. “You call her Senior Sister?”

Qi Bi’s gaze flicked between the two of them. Then, seeing the mock-proud look on Yan Shuiyue’s face, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Junior Brother Xun, you’re usually pretty sharp. How’d you end up so thoroughly fooled this time?”

“Huh?”

“Senior Sister Qi!”

Yan Shuiyue gave a mock-scolding huff, cutting her off; but it was too late. The truth was out.

She snapped open her folding fan, then closed it again with a crisp click. Her charming, delicate face was tinged with a faint flush. “He called me that on his own. I never tricked him.”

As Li Xun’s eyes gradually widened in realization, Qi Bi covered her mouth with a laugh. “Junior Brother Xun, looks like this time, you got to play the ‘senior’ for once! You might just be past your coming-of-age (20), but Junior Sister Yan here is right in the bloom of sixteen. That makes you a good three or four years older!”

“How’s that possible?” Li Xun was genuinely thrown.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t believe someone younger than him existed in the Tongxuan Realm. What he couldn’t wrap his head around was how a kid from the Water Mirror Sect could actually calculate the exact moment of Zhong Yin’s ascension!

Compared to her, had all the immortal masters in his sect just wasted their years?

Qi Bi had no idea what he was thinking. She just kept smiling softly as she added, “You probably didn’t know, but Junior Sister Yan is considered a rare prodigy in the Water Mirror Sect. By the age of twelve, she had already mastered the sect’s divine…”

Yan Shuiyue clapped her fan against her palm with a snap, cutting the praise short.

“Senior Sister Qi, enough with that,” she said with a giggle. “Talking like that in front of him makes me feel like I’m showing off in front of an expert. Isn’t that right, Junior Brother Xun?”

Li Xun couldn’t help but laugh. How could he be afraid of this little girl?

“Honestly,” he replied with a grin, “Senior Sister Qi didn’t even need to introduce you. I could already tell just by watching. Definitely a rising star of the Water Mirror Sect. Your foundational algorithm work is on a whole different level, huh, Senior Sister Yan?”

He stretched out that last part in a mocking little sing-song, making Yan Shuiyue grit her teeth. But she recovered quickly and sat down beside him with a sweet, unbothered smile.

Li Xun found it odd. “Why didn’t you go to the Radiant Pole Hall? What are you doing here?”

With a dramatic flick of her fan, Yan Shuiyue struck a scholarly pose, shaking her head as if reciting some great verse. “Gu Yin’s very interesting, sure. But at the moment, I find you a little more intriguing.”

She clearly didn’t notice her slip of the tongue.

Li Xun burst out laughing. “You know what? Your fan really needs a peony painted on it.”

“Huh?”

“With that peony on there, you’d be the perfect image of a freshly minted, peach-fuzzed little flower thief. Oh wait; make that reverse flower thief.”

Yan Shuiyue gripped her fan so hard it looked ready to splinter. But in the end, she just gave him a glare… and then started laughing too.

Off to the side, Qi Bi reached over and tapped him lightly on the forehead and scolded. “Junior Brother Xun, what are you even saying? You finally meet a fellow cultivator your own age and you're already getting slick with her?"

Li Xun behaved for once and raised his one good left hand, making a little cupped salute in the air as an apology.

Yan Shuiyue couldn’t help but laugh. She flicked open her fan out of habit, then suddenly realized it wasn’t appropriate, gave a playful huff, and threw it with a snap. Smack! It hit Li Xun square in the face.

Li Xun cried out in pain, but his face was clearly covered by a mask, so it was obvious he was just putting on a show.

Qi Bi watched the two of them goofing around and smiled in spite of herself.

After thinking for a moment, she said with a grin, “You two keep chatting. I’ll go fetch some water. They say the spring at the heart of Nightless City is refreshingly cold and famous even in the Tongxuan Realm!”

With that, she stood and walked out, clearly giving them a chance to talk in private. The two of them were sharp enough to catch on right away.

Still, they did have something else to talk about, and it might be easier without Qi Bi around.

After she stepped out, Yan Shuiyue snatched her fan back with an annoyed look, but just twirled it between her fingers without saying anything. The room fell silent.

Li Xun took the opportunity to get a good look at this very unusual girl.

From what he could tell, she wasn’t particularly scheming, but she was smart. More than that, the way she saw and handled things was completely different from most people.

At the very least, Li Xun had never seen a girl who would barge into someone’s room like that, all for a young man she’d only just met, without a second thought about how it might look.

Eventually, it was Li Xun who broke the silence. He smiled. “Junior Sister Yan, I really crossed the line just now. I hope you’re not mad. Actually, I should be thanking you.”

By the end of his sentence, Li Xun’s tone had turned noticeably serious.

Yan Shuiyue was sharp as ever and instantly understood what he meant. She accepted it with a bright smile, not bothering with false modesty.

It was clear that Li Xun had lowered his stance just enough to put her in a good mood.

Sensing the shift, Li Xun seized the moment and turned the situation around with a smile. “Junior Sister Yan, I really appreciate you coming to visit. You have no idea how much I’ve been dying to check out the excitement over at the Radiant Pole Hall.

“I’ve heard so much about 'Seven Kill Strings' Gu Yin, but I’ve never actually seen her in person.

“Hiding out here all bored and curious. It’s been driving me a little crazy. Having a junior sister here to chat with me is the best thing that could’ve happened.”

Yan Shuiyue gave a soft laugh, her eyes glinting as they shifted playfully. “Just for that comment, I think I should help you. Of course, getting you into the Radiant Pole Hall probably isn’t happening. But... I can show you what’s going on in there!”

Li Xun’s eyes lit up. “Wait, are you talking about your sect’s legendary Water Mirror technique?”

Yan Shuiyue tapped her palm with her fan, chin held high. “That’s right. The Water Mirror technique can reveal scenes from miles away, crystal clear. Showing you what’s happening in the hall is no problem at all. However…”

She let out a mischievous giggle, clearly up to something. “I am still young, and using the technique takes a lot out of me. You’re not expecting me to do it for free, are you?”

Of course Li Xun could guess what she was thinking. He chuckled and said, “Junior Sister Yan, that seems fair enough. If you’ve got a request, go ahead and tell me. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t say no.”

Her sparkled as they glanced over the mask covering his face.

Then she gave it a tap with her folded fan before smiling sweetly. “You’re really something, you know that?

“I’ve never met anyone who can switch moods as fast as you do. And yet here you are, still hiding behind that thing. Let me take a look, and I’ll show you what you want to see.”

Li Xun blinked in surprise, then broke into a laugh.

He’d only put the mask on as a precaution. And to do Qin Wanru a small favor. Taking it off wasn’t really a big deal.

He agreed without hesitation and was just about to take it off  when a sudden knock came at the door.

“Senior Sister Qi?” Yan Shuiyue called out.

Li Xun gave a subtle shake of his head and raised his voice. “Come in.”

As the door opened, a cool breeze drifted in, carrying with it a faint, familiar fragrance.

The moment he caught the scent and saw the surprise on Yan Shuiyue’s face, Li Xun didn’t need to look. He already knew exactly who it was.