Deng Rusong turned around in shock. "Hero Shangguan, what do you mean? How could you possibly know my inner thoughts?"

"The power of an Ultimate Grandmaster works like this. You wouldn't understand since you're not one. Now tell me how you plan to appease my wrath!"

Deng Rusong's expression turned grave, fully realizing this was a deliberate provocation that couldn't be reasoned with. He furrowed his brows and tentatively asked, "Hero Shangguan, what do you suggest?"

Deng Rusong had already prepared himself for significant losses.

"Your Danxia Sect doesn't have much to offer. Just compensate me with your local specialties!"

Clenching his teeth, Deng Rusong said, "Hero Shangguan, name your price!"

Slowly extending one finger, you said fiercely, "One thousand sixth-grade Essence Pills!!"

"Ah?" Deng Rusong was stunned—the demand was surprisingly low. If not for your ability to fly, he would have suspected you were begging.

In the Danxia Sect's warehouses, sixth-grade Essence Pills might not form literal mountains, but they certainly piled up in small hills. Your request was truly insignificant, making Deng Rusong uneasy. "Hero Shangguan, perhaps you'd like to take some other local specialties too?"

You raised an eyebrow. "Oh ho~ Sect Leader Deng is quite understanding. Might as well throw in some seventh and eighth-grade pills too!"

Finally feeling more at ease, Deng Rusong immediately went to retrieve the pills for you. After roughly estimating the value of the large bag of pills, you nodded. "Sect Leader Deng knows what's good. I'll be back!"

Deng Rusong could only echo, "Do visit often!"

With a sly grin, you shot into the sky again. From high above, you dropped a thick roll of silver notes—slightly more than the raw material value of those pills. The notes landed precisely in Deng Rusong's hand as your voice carried from the horizon: "I, Shangguan Gousheng, have lived with clean hands and never owe anyone anything!"

Clutching the silver notes, Deng Rusong watched your distant figure with mixed emotions. After a long while, he murmured, "This only covers material costs... no processing fees included, Mister Clean Hands!"

After cautiously circling several times, you finally returned to your manor. Today had given you full appreciation of the Nuo Opera Masks' power—and this was just the first mask, with two even more powerful ones remaining.

You resolved to accelerate your Earth Source collection. Your current strength now allowed you to gather more sources. Two days later, you departed He Manor.

Using Shangguan Gousheng's identity and appearance, you began traveling through several prefectures near Liuzhou. You visited six Ultimate Grandmasters with strong Earth affinity nearby who could detect approximate times and locations of Earth Source appearances.

Some belonged to the Five Great Sects while others led independent sects across different factions. You made it clear you wanted to be the first to purchase information about Earth Source appearances. This was common practice among Ultimate Grandmasters—higher prices bought earlier alerts.

To demonstrate your capability, you gifted each a seventh-grade pill. But one Ultimate Grandmaster proved uncooperative, so you made sure he properly understood your strength. Bruised and battered, he happily accepted your "gift" and even wished you a happy new year. When you pointed out the new year had long passed, he cheerfully offered belated greetings wishing you happiness in your twilight years.

Being polite, you returned the favor by wishing him longevity—until death. Through these six contacts, you learned each could only scan limited areas. The strongest among them was Qi Xuan, a Pure Yang Sect elder from the Five Great Sects, capable of covering nearly an entire prefecture (Great Qian had forty-eight). Others could only scan a dozen or few counties at most.

Thus scattered Earth Sources rarely attracted many competing Grandmasters—unless appearing in concentrations like at Yajiangkou. Now you arrived at the Pure Yang Sect.

In their premium reception room, Qi Xuan poured you tea. "Brother Shangguan seems unfamiliar—a recent addition to our Ultimate ranks?" Playing Shangguan Gousheng's bold persona, you laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Indeed, I only stumbled into this rank half a year ago!"

"With such generosity, Brother Shangguan must hail from a prominent sect?" Qi Xuan inquired. Your laughter boomed. "Just a minor sect with only one Ultimate—myself."

"Brother Shangguan needn't be guarded. I merely wish to know how to contact you with Earth Source information." After brief consideration, you replied, "Brother Qi Xuan, just send messages to the Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams in Maoxian County, Liuzhou."

"Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams?" Qi Xuan looked puzzled. "Forgive my ignorance—I've never heard of it." No wonder—you'd just invented it moments ago. But by day's end, you'd officially register it for message deliveries.

After more small talk, you departed for Maoxian County—where recent conflicts over Nuo Opera Masks' Earth Source had occurred. There you found a sect undergoing bankruptcy liquidation. Many assumed running sects was profitable, but failures outnumbered successes.

The sect's most valuable asset was its hundred-acre mountain property now being fire-sold. You acquired it dirt-cheap, complete with ready-built halls, plaza, and facilities—move-in ready. Commissioning a grand gilded plaque inscribed with vigorous "Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams" calligraphy, you replaced the old sign.

The golden characters shimmered brilliantly under sunlight, revitalizing the entire compound. Your Palace had successfully reverse-merged into this shell corporation. It would serve as your second base for Earth Source intelligence and enriching Shangguan Gousheng's backstory.

Thus you officially became the Palace's princess—no, palace master. One month later, you brought three new recruits to the Palace. These rare talents—all victims of persecution who'd faced mortal danger—were hard to find.

Take Sang Yi, Marrow Washing late-stage cultivator. He'd had a beautiful wife stolen by a young master from a powerful family. After arduous training, Sang Yi rescued her—only for her to declare affection for the young master, begging Sang Yi to leave lest the master misunderstand.

As Sang Yi's dao heart shattered in despair, the young master arrived with experts—not to kill him. "I only fancy married women," the master explained. "If you die, the flavor's ruined." He instructed Sang Yi to take his wife home peacefully, promising only monthly secret visits—three to five times maximum—with assurances Sang Yi would never notice. When the wife coquettishly scolded the master for being "such a naughty playboy," Sang Yi—feeling out of place for not being perverse enough—saw red and attacked in rage.