Yin Changli took out a rattan chair from his storage bracelet, placed it outside the Buddhist cave, and lay down to bask in the sun.

The northern desert sun was as fierce as the local customs, but only the early morning hours wouldn’t scorch one’s skin.

Yin Changli felt unwell, like someone just recovering from a long illness, or like a cold-blooded animal awakening from hibernation. A bone-deep coldness permeated his soul, desperately needing some warmth.

Meanwhile, Xiang Haikui, Bai Xingxian, and Lu Xiqiao crouched in the shade, continuing to watch him.

After he finished sunbathing and returned, the three shadows, whose legs had gone numb from crouching, supported each other as they stood up and continued to follow.

“Good morning, Senior Brother,” the young monks in the Buddhist cave greeted him one after another, then shifted their suspicious gazes to the three followers.

Yin Changli nodded slightly, silently returning to his room.

He meditated behind the desk all morning.

Ate a few bites of vegetarian food brought by the young monks.

Then took an afternoon nap.

Throughout it all, he remained perfectly composed despite being under constant observation.

Inside the City Lord’s mansion, Xiang Tianqing had practiced sword techniques, meditated, cultivated herbs, and even refined a furnace of elixirs.

After waking from a nap, she suddenly felt that she might have been a bit extreme yesterday.

She had accompanied her father for decades, receiving his love since childhood, while Little Kui had been orphaned and alone since the age of nine. If father now favored her a little more and gave her a treasured sword, it was only right.

Moreover, Little Kui had left her hometown to come here. Her desire to compete with Xiang Tianqing in everything, hoping to quickly establish herself in Yin Sha, was understandable.

Xiang Tianqing bit her red lips, thinking back and forth. She wondered what Little Kui thought about what she had said yesterday. If this created a rift between them, wouldn’t it make things difficult for Father when he emerged from seclusion?

Yet she couldn’t bring herself to apologize, as there was still a knot in her heart.

How could she ease the relationship?

After enduring until midday while leaning against the window, she went to find Meng Xilou: “Yesterday, Master Dao Chen and Little Sister Kui had a misunderstanding, and she stabbed him. The news has spread throughout the city, and many people are criticizing my sister.”

Meng Xilou put down the jade scroll in his hand and looked at her: “Isn’t Little Kui staying at the Buddhist cave to take care of him?”

“I’m afraid that’s not enough.” Knowing that Meng Xilou disliked social interactions, especially with Buddhist cultivators, Xiang Tianqing twisted her fingers, glancing at him furtively. “With Father absent, you represent him. Why don’t we visit the Master at the Buddhist cave?”

Meng Xilou tapped his fingers on the table, pondered for a while, then nodded: “Alright, after the sun sets.”

Xiang Tianqing sighed in relief, her smile blooming like flowers: “I knew Senior Brother was the best.”

Inside the Buddhist cave.

“His movements and demeanor are extremely similar to Senior Yin.” As Yin Changli took his afternoon nap, Xiang Haikui stood with her arms crossed beside his bedding. “But…”

The boss was always radiant and spirited, unlike now, when he completely resembled a retired official focused solely on health maintenance.

Bai Xingxian nodded silently.

Despite years of fleeing, facing hostility from all sides, and countless brushes with death, he had never seen his uncle show signs of fatigue in any situation.

The afternoon nap continued until evening, when Yin Changli awoke.

A triangular-folded talisman flew out of his storage bracelet on its own.

This was one of Dao Chen’s possessions.

It was a one-time communication talisman for long-distance exchanges.

Someone on the other end of the talisman was urgently contacting him. Yin Changli didn’t know who it was, and unsealing such a talisman seemed to require a specific incantation.

Lu Xiqiao recognized it at a glance: “That’s a talisman from my family!”

Yin Changli sat up, going with the flow: “It must be for you.”

Lu Xiqiao made a hand sign to unseal the talisman.

The talisman began to burn, transmitting a refined male voice: “Master, I trust you have been well.”

Lu Xiqiao mouthed to Xiang Haikui: “My father!”

Xiang Haikui nodded. It was the Lu family patriarch, Lu Zhengtu, the legendary wealthy magnate who controlled one-third of the Central States’ resources.

Yin Changli: “Are you inquiring about my progress in unsealing the Shen Yao?”

From the other end of the talisman: “That matter is not urgent. I received a message from Yin Sha’s City Lord Xiang Heng that my good-for-nothing second son has run off to the border. His elder brother and sister have already set out for Yin Sha, but the journey is long. Even with the fastest flying boat, it will take ten days. During this period, I hope the Master can look after him.”

His words were earnest, even somewhat humble.

Lu Xiqiao protested indignantly: “Father, is this necessary? I’m already at the sixth rank. Don’t I know how to get home? With you making such a fuss, those people in the royal capital will mock me again for not being weaned!”

The person on the other end of the talisman hadn’t expected his son to be present. After a moment of silence, his voice instantly changed from refined to scathing: “You little bastard, all you know is how to cause trouble for your old man!”

Lu Xiqiao pouted: “You’re so hard to please. When I stay at home, you say seeing me annoys you. When I go out to do something significant, you say I’m causing trouble.”

From the talisman: “You, doing something significant? More like significant trouble is doing you!”

Lu Xiqiao lost face: “Watch what you say, there are others present.”

The person on the other end assumed the “others” he mentioned were Dao Chen, not thinking further, since Dao Chen wouldn’t likely connect the talisman in the presence of many people.

He gave a cold laugh, then asked: “By the way, since you’re in Yin Sha, do you know anything about a young man from Yin Sha who came to the royal capital, called ‘Jing Ran’? What’s his background?”

Xiang Haikui, who had been secretly laughing, heard her senior’s name and her heart immediately tightened.

Based on the timing, her senior shouldn’t have reached the royal capital yet.

Yin Changli noticed that she had suddenly become serious. Her posture changed from lazily leaning against the wall to standing ramrod straight, her head raised, looking toward the burning talisman in mid-air, her gaze filled with anxiety and anticipation.

It seemed this was her beloved.

Jing Ran?

Yin Changli silently repeated the name twice. He had no impression of it but made a mental note.

Lu Xiqiao was about to reply that he didn’t know, but seeing Xiang Haikui’s expression, he immediately changed his answer: “What about that young man? Why does Father suddenly mention him?”

From the talisman: “That young man is extraordinary. On his way from Yin Sha to the royal capital, he passed through Xiaofeng Town…”

During the interval between changing flying boats, he was playing chess with an old man by the river in town.

Although he lost, the old man took a liking to him and accepted him as a disciple.

This old man was none other than the Supreme Elder of the Sword Dao Academy at the Jin Ling Academy in the royal capital, Jing Wenxiu.

As Xiang Haikui listened, pink bubbles of excitement bubbled up in her heart. If it had been anyone else, she would have rolled her eyes and sneered, “What’s so impressive? Nothing but a protagonist who’s been given the script and halo, playing with cheat codes.”

But it was different with her senior—he was the real deal, achieving through his merit.

Wait a moment.

Wasn’t that nominal Supreme Elder of Jin Ling’s Sword Dao Academy the same person who would later be invited to exorcise demons when her father turned demonic?

Jing Wenxiu, one of the Three Sword Masters of the current age, and Xiang Tianqing’s future master.

Xiang Haikui’s joy immediately diminished, deflating.

But then she heard the talisman continue: “I’ve heard he has no family background, and the various families in the royal capital are already preparing to form alliances through marriage. However, judging by his attitude, is he Xiang Heng’s intended son-in-law?”

Xiang Haikui blinked her eyes. Was her senior using her as a shield to avoid getting involved in disputes?

As the talisman finished burning and the connection was cut off, she was still pondering this matter.

The smell of the burning talisman was very similar to the scent of firecrackers after they’d been set off. Yin Changli wrinkled his nose.

His divine consciousness searched through the storage bracelet for a moment, finding a bathtub.

He opened the bamboo tube and tossed it in, and like a water pipe, it began gurgling, filling the tub with water.

“Miss Xiang.” Yin Changli extended his hand and stirred the water, his palm releasing inner strength to warm the water. “This humble monk is preparing to bathe. Do you still intend to watch without blinking?”

Since she had never seen the boss bathe before, she could leave Bai Xingxian to keep watch. Xiang Haikui was originally planning to leave, but his last words sounded somewhat defiant and challenging.

So she hesitated, not moving.

Not being his flesh, Yin Changli didn’t care at all. He proceeded to untie his sash, removing his monk’s robe, and with an expressionless face, took off his inner garment as well, exposing his upper body.

Before he could remove his pants, Xiang Haikui’s face couldn’t maintain its thickness after all, and she turned to leave.

After entering the water, Yin Changli closed his eyes. The feeling of being surrounded by water was actually warmer than basking in the sun.

It inadvertently made him recall the seaweed that had lifted him after he had fallen into the sea of death.

Xiang Haikui waited outside the door for two hours. Even after night fell, she didn’t see him come out. She thought to herself, Bathing for so long, aren’t you afraid your skin will wrinkle?

Bored, she walked along the corridor toward the exit, wanting to admire the desert moonlight.

At this time, the three small monsters lined up, hopping and jumping to the outside of the Buddhist cave.

Just as they were about to enter, they were repelled by an invisible force, rolling several times on the ground.

They continued to jump, only to be bounced back again.

They couldn’t enter.

“The mental force in this Buddhist cave is very strong,” Luo Yunxiu and Liu Yixing, following behind the three small monsters, exclaimed.

The small monsters were creatures of the Underworld, afraid of Buddhist light.

Not only could the small monsters not enter, but even the two of them, having dwelled in the Underworld for a long time, couldn’t approach immediately.

“Yin Changli is hiding in there,” Liu Yixing revealed with a confident smile.

They had checked all the people who had fought in the desert, and only a few remained in the Buddhist cave.

And the Buddhist cave was the most suitable place for Yin Changli to hide from pursuit.

“The problem is, how can we get in?” Luo Yunxiu frowned slightly. “Should we forcibly tear it down?”

“Absolutely not,” Liu Yixing waved his hand. “Remember the rules: when we come out on business, unless necessary, we must not disrupt the human realm.”

Luo Yunxiu wasn’t convinced, thinking: How pedantic now that you’re older.

Liu Yixing knew what she was thinking and thought: Young people don’t understand.

With the Buddhist cave’s mental force being so formidable, it must come from a Buddhist master from the upper realm. Destroying this Buddhist cave would be equivalent to destroying his faith, and he would surely seek revenge.

Luo Yunxiu: “Then what do we do?”

“I’m thinking of a solution.” Liu Yixing pondered, then said, “I’ve got it.”

He grabbed a handful of yellow sand from the ground, then floated in mid-air, looking down.

After muttering incantations, he threw the sand: “Scatter!”

The yellow sand transformed into golden powder, spreading and enveloping the entire Buddhist cave.

The Buddhist cave seemed to disappear from the surface, leaving only the silhouettes of people inside. Though blurry, their movements could be observed.

For instance, a thin girl with a sword case on her back, walking out alone.

For instance, the young monks scattered in corners, some reciting scriptures, others secretly eating chicken legs.

Naturally, Liu Yixing and Luo Yunxiu noticed Yin Changli’s room.

Two men watching a monk bathe?

Luo Yunxiu twitched the corner of her mouth: “It should be among these few.”

Liu Yixing nodded, suddenly forming a hand seal. From his fingertips flew a faint vortex, like ripples on water’s surface, transmitting toward that room: “Tell me your names.”

He was using soul-capturing techniques, and this was a grand manifestation of this art.

Each use would deplete half of his spiritual energy.

Today, even though Yin Changli was at his last gasp, as a former colleague, Liu Yixing had witnessed this man’s killing technique of slaying three Heavenly Generals with one sword and causing 100,000 pursuing troops to be defeated by his sole power. He dared not underestimate him.

Glancing at Luo Yunxiu beside him, she wore an expression that seemed to say, “Is it necessary to use such a powerful technique against a dying man?”

He sighed helplessly. Women, no matter how many times you tell them how ferocious and merciless an opponent is, they always focus on the opponent’s face.

In the room of the Buddhist cave, the air seemed to be emptied for a moment.

Lu Xiqiao was the first to feel a tightness in his chest, unable to breathe, as if extremely exhausted. A seductively compelling voice asked him: What is your name?

He immediately answered: Lu Xiqiao.

Then it was Bai Xingxian’s turn.

When it came to Yin Changli, he knew something was wrong, but having just possessed a body, his soul couldn’t resist, and he answered as well.

After answering, Luo Yunxiu was very puzzled: “Wasn’t this monk called Dao Chen?”

What kind of strange name was “Fool”?

Liu Yixing was equally confused as he withdrew his technique: “No matter what his real name is, he’s not the person we’re after.”

That left only one person.

Both of them looked toward Xiang Haikui, who was about to walk out of the Buddhist cave.

Xiang Haikui walked out of the Buddhist cave, yawning. Just as she stretched, Tian Kuang behind her frantically crashed against the sword case.

This was a danger warning.

With her back to the Buddhist cave and wasteland on three sides, if enemies were nearby, she shouldn’t have failed to detect them with her wind-tracking and qi-observing techniques.

But Tian Kuang wouldn’t be wrong. Xiang Haikui’s expression turned solemn. She opened the case, drew her sword, swung her arm, and the sword tip drew an arc of light in front of her: “Who’s there!”

Under the sword light, the three small monsters suddenly appeared.

Not knowing what kind of creatures they were, and seeing them circling around her with saliva flying, Xiang Haikui was startled.

“Get lost!” Xiang Haikui shouted angrily, swinging her sword to drive them away.

They seemed to greatly fear Tian Kuang’s sword energy, but couldn’t control their appetites, trying to attack her whenever they got the chance.

“If you don’t leave, don’t blame me for being merciless!” These monsters were agile and would bounce back like cotton when struck.

Moreover, Xiang Haikui vaguely discovered that they didn’t want to eat her, but the little black snake in the jar at her waist. So she kept her back against the wall, not allowing them to get behind her, protecting the little black snake.

“It’s him!” Upon seeing this scene, Luo Yunxiu couldn’t hide her joy. She descended and revealed herself: “Senior, long time no see.”

Xiang Haikui, who was driving away the small monsters, looked up and saw Luo Yunxiu. Her heart skipped another beat.

She had seen this woman before when fighting hyenas in the Rapids Valley and knew her identity—she was a high official from the Underworld who was hunting down her boss.

But who was this woman calling “Senior”?

Luo Yunxiu gracefully curtseyed to her, her eyes flitting, her expression full of affection: “In the short time we haven’t seen each other, how come you’ve changed into the shell of a female sword cultivator? I thought this shell was far from matching your celestial beauty.”

Xiang Haikui was getting annoyed, and Tian Kuang’s sword intent began to rise slowly.

She swung her sword once, sweeping back the small monsters, and looked at her as if at an idiot: “Sister, are you putting on a one-person opera here?”