Li Xun wanted to keep watching, but the water mirror Yan Shuiyue had left behind just couldn’t hold out any longer.

As ripples spread across the surface, the images dissolved into nothing. Li Xun let out a long breath, closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Then he opened them again and looked over toward Qin Wanru.

“Gu Zhixuan is terrifying.”

The words slipped from Qin Wanru’s vermilion lips, but then she gave a small, amused smile. “That’s what Master said about him back then. Only now, through Gu Yin, have I come to realize how true these words were.”

Li Xun nodded in agreement. Then something occurred to him, and he grinned. “My aunt-master is one of the Three Wanderers. Why isn’t she joining in the fun? If she wanted to take a seat on the ruling council, it’d be a piece of cake for her. No need to let Gu Zhixuan's faction monopolize all the power.”

“You little schemer,” Qin Wanru said with a mock-scolding tone.

She was all smiles, and her voice was soft and familiar, almost affectionate. “Never mind the fact that Master was badly hurt because of you; even if she were still in perfect shape, she and Gu Zhixuan are mortal enemies. There’s no way she’d ever stand beside him as an equal.”

Li Xun smirked to himself, amused that Qin Wanru had slipped up while playing her role. Still, he put on a half-convincing look of mild alarm, then asked in an offhand way, “That whole feud... I think I’ve heard bits and pieces. Was it because of the ‘Five Transcendent Attendants’? The Feather Attendant, right?”

Qin Wanru shot him a glance and replied coolly, “You know more than you let on. Yes, that’s exactly it. The grudge between Master and Gu Zhixuan started there. The so-called ‘Feather Attendant’ you mentioned... was Master’s younger sister. My mother.”

This time, Li Xun was genuinely stunned.

No matter what he might have been thinking, all Li Xun could do in the moment was apologize for what he’d just said.

Qin Wanru, on the other hand, seemed used to this kind of situation. She didn’t show any real displeasure; she just let out a quiet sigh. “I had hoped that with the united strength of the sects this time, we might finally be able to make a move. But things rarely go the way we want... If Master were here, none of this would be happening.”

Her eyes began to turn slightly red. Li Xun couldn’t tell how much of it was genuine, but the awkwardness was impossible to ignore.

Thankfully, Qin Wanru had excellent control over her emotions. The moment she slipped, she caught herself. She turned her face slightly to the side, forced a small smile, and said, “Forgive me for losing face like that. It’s just... this grudge, what happened to my mother, it’s a deep humiliation for both Master and me. Thinking of what she must be going through right now...”

She shook her head and didn’t go on, but just looking at her expression, even the dullest man would understand what she meant.

That bittersweet smile she forced through the sorrow tugged at something in Li Xun’s chest. Whatever bit of pretense he still had disappeared in that moment.

By now, there wasn’t much left for them to say. Qin Wanru took the chance to excuse herself.

“Things here have taken a turn. There’s no point in me staying. After another day or so of rest, I’ll be on my way.”

“Let me see you off!” Li Xun said quickly.

As soon as he said it, he realized it wasn’t exactly appropriate. Feeling the pain in his injuries, he gave an embarrassed laugh. “Guess I’m in no shape for that… but this Faceless Armor…”

“It’s no use to me anyway,” Qin Wanru said gently. “But in Junior Brother's hands, it’s different. So why not? Consider it a gift.”

There was definitely something left unsaid in her words; Li Xun could tell. She was clearly referring to his “dual identity.”

Ever since he had returned to Lianxia Mountain, he’d felt more and more like he couldn’t leave. That was a far cry from his original idea of just “coming back for a look.”

And the longer he stayed, the more likely it became that someone would uncover the truth.

He’d actually been thinking about using this chance to solidify his identity, and the Faceless Armor really could help with that.

With that in mind, he didn’t bother pretending to be modest. He smiled and thanked her.

Qin Wanru returned the smile, already seeming to have shaken off her earlier sadness.

“The Faceless Armor doesn’t just offer protection. It also lets you alter your appearance. It wouldn’t fool someone like Qingming, of course, but you probably know better than I do how to make the most of it. I’ll send you the activation incantation, and you can figure out the rest yourself."

Li Xun was genuinely pleased, but also a little suspicious. Wasn’t this all a bit too generous? Up to now, she hadn’t shown even the slightest hint of trying to hold leverage over him.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, she added, “That said... there is one matter on this side that’s proving a bit tricky. If Junior Brother has some free time, could you give me a hand?”

Fuck, the setup’s right here!

Li Xun instantly knew this wouldn’t be anything simple. But all he could do was play along like he had no choice, and quietly wait to hear what she wanted.

“It might sound a little complicated,” Qin Wanru continued, “but I heard you’re quite close with Zhong Yin. That might give us a chance.”

She acted as if she had no idea what kind of person she’d just mentioned, nor did she seem to notice the look of unease flashing across Li Xun’s face.

With a graceful motion, she brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and said casually, “Roughly a thousand years ago, our sect went through a period of chaos. Many important texts were lost during that time. Most notably, half of the Yin Charm Scripture...”

Li Xun gave a quiet “hm.” He remembered that technique well; it was the very one that had driven Yin Wanderer to betray the sect. It had left a deep impression on him.

Catching the look on his face, Qin Wanru smiled again. “If the Yin Charm Scripture had still been complete back then, Master never would’ve pushed so hard to force a breakthrough. Her personality wouldn’t have changed so drastically… and naturally, there never would’ve been a Yin Wanderer.”

She paused slightly, then added, “Recently, we received a reliable report. That missing half of the Yin Charm Scripture... has somehow ended up in Zhong Yin’s hands. You see where I’m going with this, don’t you, junior brother?”

Li Xun cursed inwardly. Of course he understood.

She made it sound so casual. But how many people in this world could actually walk away with anything from Zhong Yin? Then again, if what Li Xun suspected about his vague connection with Zhong Yin was true… maybe it wasn’t impossible.

Still, there was no way Qin Wanru knew about that “tacit understanding” between him and Zhong Yin, did she?

This was clearly her putting him on the spot, maybe even tossing out an outrageous ask just to see what she could get out of him.

As he racked his brain for a way to politely turn this down, Qin Wanru, perhaps aware of how unreasonable her request sounded, followed up smoothly:

“A copy would do.”

He froze for a moment, then could only offer a bitter smile. “You may not be aware, Senior Sister, but my position was secured only after my sect went through an incredible amount of trouble. Tugging on a tiger’s whiskers like this.. I’m afraid it’s not something I can decide on my own.”

The “sect” he referred to clearly wasn’t the Mingxin Sword Sect, but the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect.

Why on earth would they have anything to do with this?

But that excuse had served him well before, and he was more than happy to keep using it.

Unfortunately, Qin Wanru’s desire for the Yin Charm Scripture was clearly unwavering. Even though his explanation was perfectly reasonable, she wasn’t the least bit moved. She simply raised one finger.

“One month. I want an answer within a month.”

“What?” Li Xun blurted out. “That’s impossible!”

“Why impossible?” Qin Wanru asked calmly. “Surely a month is more than enough time for you to coordinate with your sect contacts there? Or... would you like me to give you a little help?”

Li Xun laughed coldly to himself, but outwardly he panicked, waving her off. “Please, Senior Sister, have some understanding! Someone like me, a Nether Seed, it wasn’t easy clawing my way to this position. Please don’t ruin me!”

A Nether Seed referred to those who used Nether Qi and Ghost-Spirit Reincarnation technique to infiltrate other sects as deep-cover insiders. In the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, it was a role with a very... complicated status.

What he said was half true, half false. But it was just believable enough that he didn’t need to worry about Qin Wanru seeing through it.

And sure enough, she bought it. She made no move to dig deeper or try to reach out to his so-called “superiors.” She’d only been bluffing.

Seeing that things were going smoothly, she gave a little smile and asked again, “So are you saying yes, or not?”

Li Xun nodded while pulling a bitter face. “Senior sister, you don’t understand the situation up on the mountain. Immortal Master Zhong Yin keeps to himself. Even if I’m lucky enough to be in his good graces and can go to Zuwang Peak now and then, there’s no way I could just go rummaging through his collection. That man’s eyes… I already go out of my way to avoid them. How could I possibly dare to run straight into him?”

“Then wait until Zhong Yin isn’t around,” Qin Wanru said lightly. Li Xun froze and looked at her.

Meeting his gaze, she smiled calmly. “What’s so surprising? You and that little girl  Yan never watch your mouths. If someone happened to overhear, well, that’s not my fault.”

Not even a pig would buy that.

By now, Li Xun had figured it out. She must’ve been keeping tabs on him this whole time. Otherwise, there’s no way she would’ve shown up with such perfect timing to ‘save’ him.

The thoughts swirled in his head, and for a moment, he said nothing.

Qin Wanru rose gracefully to her feet and said with a faint smile, “You don’t need to bring the whole manuscript at once. Even if you can pass along a page or two over the next six months, that still counts for something. Master’s still upset with you, you know. If you show a little effort, at least there’ll be something to say in your defense when you see her again.”

Li Xun’s face was a jumble of awkwardness, fear, and unwillingness. His expression couldn’t have been more telling.

She was clearly satisfied with what she saw. Smiling, she turned to go.

Li Xun stared after her. In the end, he let out a sigh and muttered weakly, “How do I get in touch with you a month from now?”

…

Watching Qin Wanru’s figure disappear through the doorway, Li Xun let out a cold smile.

Her skill at manipulating the mind was impressive, no doubt about that. But she’d never guess that he had his own plans, and that he wasn’t nearly as cornered as she thought.

As long as he had “Yin Wanderer”… as long as Zhong Yin—

But the thought of Zhong Yin’s mysterious attitude made Li Xun’s heart sink.

Almost all his leverage right now came from Zhong Yin. If Zhong Yin wasn’t what he seemed, if he didn’t live up to Li Xun’s expectations, then the only thing left would be to rely on his two puppets and run as far as he possibly could.

Voices drifted in from outside. Qin Wanru was talking to Qi Bi, who had just come back with water.

They were chatting politely at the door. From the sound of it, Qi Bi was even using the respectful tone of a disciple. Clearly, in her eyes, Qin Wanru’s grace and presence could rival that of her own master, Mingru.

And to be fair, she wasn’t wrong. But if Qi Bi knew that the woman she was speaking to so cordially was quietly plotting against her sect… what would she think then?

He waited silently for a moment. Then Qi Bi stepped in, cradling a water jug. When she saw the way Li Xun was looking at her, a hint of pink rose to her cheeks.

“Did I keep you waiting? Sorry, the Radiant Pool Hall was…”

“Pretty lively, huh?”

Li Xun smiled as he took the cup from her hand. With practiced ease, he poured the chilled water down his throat. The moment it touched his tongue it was icy cold, swirling briefly in his chest and belly; then bloomed into a gentle warmth that spread from within. This was no ordinary water, that much was clear.

He exhaled to warm his hands, then asked, “Gu Yin already left?”

Qi Bi looked at him, surprised. “How did you know?”

“Junior Sister Yan’s water-mirror technique, obviously,” Li Xun replied lazily. “But she rushed off in such a panic halfway through, I only caught part of what was happening in the hall. Talk about frustrating.”

Qi Bi burst out laughing. “Look at you, so shameless. You were just sweet-talking Junior Sister Yan earlier, too. Where’d you even learn to talk like that? Don’t tell me you speak the same way to Chief Archivist Qin?”

She meant nothing by it, but Li Xun picked up on it right away.

A chill ran through him, though he kept his smile. “Not a chance. She’s my elder, and she saved my life. Twice, actually. And now she’s even taken the time to check in on me. I can barely get a word out in front of her. Sweet-talking? I wouldn’t dare.”

Qi Bi smiled, but her face turned a bit more serious. “Good. Because honestly, the moment I saw her just now, I started feeling a little uneasy…”

She looked at him, her expression solemn. “Normally I wouldn’t speak ill of someone behind their back. But you’re still young, and you don’t yet understand how the world works. Our sect isn’t the only voice that matters out there.

“Chief Archivist Qin is kind and has helped you, no question. But their sect… their views on men and women are, well, a bit unusual. Things that seem perfectly normal to them might be completely scandalous to us. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Li Xun wasn’t surprised that Qi Bi was worried. What did surprise him was how calmly and clearly she could lay it all out.

Seeing how serious she looked, he suddenly felt like teasing her. He widened his eyes and asked, playing dumb, “Different views…?”

Qi Bi was instantly stumped. Was she really supposed to explain the ins and outs of the Yin-Yang Sect’s dual cultivation practices?

Luckily, voices rose outside just then; it was Wu Lingquan and the others returning from the meeting at Radiant Pool Hall, sparing Qi Bi from the awkward moment.

Li Xun didn’t push it further. He let out a chuckle and let the subject drop.

...

The five days passed quickly. Just as Qin Wanru had predicted before leaving, the situation at the North Pole had taken a sharp turn.

The combined strength of the ten major sects had actually been pushed back by the Rogue Cultivators’ Alliance. It sounded unbelievable at first. But considering the sheer number of over a million rogue cultivators, it began to make sense.

It was true: among the rogue cultivators and even the demons, there were some who genuinely pursued the Dao. Take the Winged Flying Tiger of the Seven Demons, for example. He had gone fully vegetarian in pursuit of Buddhist enlightenment and had even willingly become a humble guardian at the Western Zen Sect.

Still, when you’re talking about a million people, even if only half of them were truly wicked, that’s five hundred thousand.

On any normal day, these people were spread thin across the entire Tongxuan Realm; you could travel tens of thousands of miles without running into one. But once they were brought together, their strength was impossible to ignore.

And at the worst possible time, two key allies. The Water Mirror Sect and the Yin-Yang Sect, who’d only agreed to “offer help in passing,” had both withdrawn. That left only nine major sects with a few hundred disciples, facing down thousands upon thousands of rogue cultivators and demons from across the sea. However much they tried to act fearless, it was hard to believe they weren’t feeling the pressure.

Li Xun spent a lot of his time during recovery going over these matters in his head. It helped pass the boredom.

Thanks to the heavy use of high-grade spiritual medicine, his injuries had healed at an astonishing rate, far faster than any normal person’s. By now, aside from a dull ache where the ribs in his chest had been broken, there was barely any sign he’d ever been hurt.

Only the burn on his face, left by the poison flame, remained. He’d been deliberately neglecting its recovery, letting it heal slowly. So even now, he still wore the Faceless Armor.

For some reason, though, Li Xun felt unsettled today.

Cultivators, especially those who had reached a certain level, were particularly wary of feelings like this. Li Xun was no exception.

Restless, he paced around the room several times, but couldn’t put a finger on what was bothering him. In the end, he stepped outside to get some air and clear his head.

Though the sky was still bright, it was already evening. Most people had retreated to their rooms to cultivate or rest, and he didn’t run into anyone along the way.

Before he realized it, Li Xun had wandered out of the city and made his way to the sea. He strolled slowly along the coastline, and little by little, his mood began to settle.

Maybe that was why he let his guard down and missed the subtle changes in his surroundings, until a splash came from nearby, snapping him out of his daze.

He turned toward the sound, but saw nothing. Frowning slightly, he was about to turn back when his neck suddenly stiffened.

Killing intent! A very familiar killing intent!