Two hours later, at the gate of the residence.

“Shall we toast to a pleasant cooperation in advance?” Gu Xiu said with a faint smile.

Shang Zhongqing frowned. “I hope you keep your word.”

“There is no need for Fellow Daoist Shang to worry about that. When the time comes, I will naturally seek you out.”

Gu Xiu chuckled, then turned and left with Cheng Fushou.

Watching his retreating figure, Shang Zhongqing’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. Waves of killing intent surfaced repeatedly, surging and receding. He seemed torn, hesitating over whether to silence Gu Xiu right here and now.

“My lord,” Kuang Jingming asked from the side, “should we have someone tail him?”

“How many times have we tried before?”

“This…”

“Since we haven’t succeeded even once, there is no need to continue.”

Shang Zhongqing shook his head, finally allowing the thick killing intent enveloping him to disperse. He turned and entered the house, taking the main seat to ponder deeply.

Kuang Jingming stood silently to one side, not uttering a word, like a loyal inner court minister attending his sovereign.

After a full half hour of silence, Shang Zhongqing sighed.

“Cease the investigation into this faction.”

“My lord?” Kuang Jingming was surprised.

“This faction is even stronger than we imagined. If they are unwilling to be found, no matter how much we investigate, we won’t find the slightest clue. There is no need to waste any more effort.”

Shang Zhongqing shook his head as he spoke, his tone carrying a heavy hint of weariness and helplessness.

Indeed, he was helpless.

During the past two hours, he had discussed many things with Gu Xiu. The more they talked, the more fearful he became.

The power behind this person was utterly terrifying!

The most terrifying part wasn’t that they could produce so many Perfect Dao Talismans, nor that they seemed to command thousands of talisman masters, nor even that his own Lingbao Pavilion couldn’t find a single trace of their existence.

The truly terrifying thing was that this faction seemed to possess special investigative methods capable of uncovering secrets unknown to anyone else!

Not only did the other party know his true identity and that he was trapped in Cloud Firmament City, but they also knew his lifespan was nearing its end and were aware of many of his private plans and schemes.

The more they talked, the more shocked he became. More than once during their conversation, the urge to kill Gu Xiu on the spot to protect his secrets had nearly overwhelmed him.

But… he didn’t dare.

Against a mysterious faction capable of effortlessly excavating his deepest secrets, even Shang Zhongqing couldn’t predict the consequences if he actually made a move against their representative.

As for investigating them? Don’t be ridiculous.

He had found out nothing about them, while they had investigated him down to his bones. That in itself was a crushing superiority.

“Just now, I reached an agreement with that person. From now on, our Lingbao Pavilion will also begin trading talismans with them. You will be in charge when the time comes,” Shang Zhongqing stated.

“My lord has settled it?”

“Mmm.”

Kuang Jingming’s eyes immediately lit up.

With this matter settled, Lingbao Pavilion’s business could stabilize. As long as the business stabilized, it could guarantee the massive flow of resources needed for his lord’s recovery. This was excellent news!

However, looking at Shang Zhongqing’s grim expression, Kuang Jingming suddenly sensed something amiss. “Is there a problem with the trade?”

“They don’t want spirit stones for payment; they want materials.”

“Only materials?”

“Yes.” Shang Zhongqing took out a list and handed it over.

Kuang Jingming examined it carefully for a while, then asked in surprise, “What are these materials for?”

The list was densely packed with a vast array of items—everything was there.

Materials for artifact forging, formation arrays, alchemy…

The types were extremely varied and numerous; many items were required in significant quantities. Among them were some rare treasures, but there seemed to be no logical connection between them whatsoever.

It was impossible to discern their true purpose.

“If my guess is correct,” Shang Zhongqing said with resignation, “they must be planning something big. The reason they are cooperating with us is likely to disperse their acquisitions, preventing any single party from deducing their true purpose based on the materials they need.”

He paused, his eyes narrowing. “In fact, the other party probably had their eyes on us from the very beginning, back when they started cooperating with the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. They’ve been setting a trap all along, waiting for us to take the bait.”

This was something he had realized shortly after meeting Gu Xiu. The other party had never actually refused cooperation with his Lingbao Pavilion; they just hadn’t taken the initiative.

Put differently, the other party had planned to scheme against him from the start.

Such a realization was infuriating, yet it left one feeling helpless.

“Is that all? But they should have plenty of people themselves. If they really don’t want others to see their purpose, wouldn’t it be more effective to send people out to buy a few materials each?” Kuang Jingming found it strange.

Shang Zhongqing shook his head with a bitter smile. “Who knows? Perhaps they want us to think they are short-handed.”

“This…” Kuang Jingming frowned in thought.

Suddenly, Shang Zhongqing spoke again, his voice calm but heavy.

“I also gave them my Golden Feather Soul Pill.”

At these words, Kuang Jingming froze.

His eyes widened sharply. “My lord! You… how could you give that away?”

The Golden Feather Soul Pill could be used to forge supreme soul artifacts or heal devastating soul injuries. It could only be obtained by slaying a Golden-Feathered Roc—a creature exceedingly rare in the world, its traces sighted perhaps only once or twice over several centuries.

This meant the Golden Feather Soul Pill was priceless, an exceptionally rare treasure!

When Shang Zhongqing was born, a Golden-Feathered Roc had descended from the heavens and grown up alongside him. But during that calamity years ago, Shang Zhongqing’s Golden-Feathered Roc died fighting to protect him, leaving behind only one Golden Feather Soul Pill.

For Shang Zhongqing, this pill wasn’t just a treasure; it was a memento of his companion.

Kuang Jingming never expected that Shang Zhongqing, who treasured it so dearly, would actually part with it.

But then, he saw Shang Zhongqing press his lips together and deliver news that made Kuang Jingming instantly fall silent.

“He promised me…”

“That when the time comes, he will help me break free from the shackles of this Cloud Firmament City!”

On the other side of the city, inside the Listening-to-Rain Pavilion.

Gu Xiu was carefully placing the Golden Feather Soul Pill into a jade box inscribed with supreme-grade sealing restrictions.

Immediately after, Gu Xiu took out a book and drew a line through the entry for ‘Golden Feather Soul Pill.’

A closer look at this book revealed that more than half of its contents had already been crossed out.

As a rogue cultivator, everything depended on oneself.

Similarly, as a rogue cultivator, surviving in this world required a hundred times more caution, a thousand times more prudence.

Even if it was an acquaintance from five hundred years ago…

If it was unnecessary, there was no need for recognition.

Not only because Gu Xiu couldn’t help Shang Zhongqing much right now even if they recognized each other.

There was another reason: Shang Zhongqing, at this moment, probably didn’t wish for an old friend to see what he had become.

Since fate had brought them together again, why insist on formal recognition?

Taking another look at the few remaining materials listed, Gu Xiu put away both the jade box and the book.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and took out his talisman-making materials.

Now that cooperation with the Lingbao Pavilion was secured, naturally, he needed to craft even more talismans.

As usual, the myriad rhymes manifested.

As usual, the Heavenly Dao Rhyme autonomously drew the talismans.

But this time, it was different.

At least Gu Xiu didn’t have to busy himself cleaning up the finished products anymore, because there was now a little black monkey.

This little fellow, newly arrived, seemed eager to prove its worth.

While Gu Xiu crafted talismans, the creature didn’t disturb him; it just leaped about excitedly, frantically helping Gu Xiu tidy up and stack the completed talismans.

However, it was, after all, just a young monkey born not long ago.

Though clever and lively, it was still a living being and would get tired—especially since Gu Xiu’s talisman production speed was somewhat… unbelievable.

After working frantically for a while, the little black monkey began to show signs of fatigue. It couldn’t manage the sheer volume alone.

Gu Xiu found it amusing and told it to rest if it was tired; he would handle the rest.

He hadn’t expected this little black monkey—clearly just an animal—to have such a stubborn temper.

It gritted its teeth and persisted until it physically couldn’t move.

Then, it actually set its sights on the three Soul-Tracking Puppets that obeyed its every command!

Chirp, chirp!

With two sharp sounds and a solid flick on each puppet’s head, those three Soul-Tracking Puppets actually began to move!

They joined the talisman-collecting army!

Even someone as experienced as Gu Xiu couldn’t help but stare in astonishment at this sight.

The little black monkey being clever wasn’t strange.

But these three Soul-Tracking Puppets of He Mengyun’s were among the top-tier existences in the Puppet Path!

The function of such puppets, from their inception, had only ever been one thing: Tracking!

Their tracking ability was extremely strong.

But similarly, for most puppets, the more outstanding one particular ability is, the worse they tend to be in other aspects.

At least these three Soul-Tracking Puppets—aside from strong tracking and defense—normally couldn’t possibly be commanded to do anything else!

Yet here and now, under the little black monkey Haiji’s direction, these three Soul-Tracking Puppets seemed to possess genuine intelligence!

Each transformed from a noble, specialized tracking tool into a clear-eyed yet simple-minded universal little helper!

Their main feature: Highly useful!

Their main feature: Willing and tireless!

They worked frantically for several hours straight without pausing for breath!

They only needed two spirit stones tossed their way occasionally when their energy consumption got too high; immediately, each would become lively and vigorous again!

Eventually, the little monkey simply rode on one puppet’s back, munching on a spirit fruit while watching them work busily like an overseer.

This scene broadened Gu Xiu’s horizons immensely.

Simultaneously, an idea began to take root in his heart.

After all, he was just a lone rogue cultivator; many matters required his personal attention.

He wanted help, but many of his secrets couldn’t be seen by outsiders. Even trustworthy individuals couldn’t guarantee immunity from potential Soul Searches by powerful beings someday…

But…

What if he used the little black monkey Haiji’s power to assemble… a team of puppet servants?

Puppets… are not afraid of Soul Search!