By the afternoon of the third day, Xia Chengyan found himself wandering past the hallway again. He stared at the barrier ripples still sealing the door, his expression blank.

He was beginning to question reality.

Three days.

Straight.

This… this is just inhuman.

Just as his worldview was about to be shattered and rebuilt from scratch—

Click.

The door to Lin Yinyin’s cabin finally opened.

Zhang Xian stepped out. Far from looking exhausted, his complexion was ruddy and glowing with health. His aura brimmed with vitality, as if he had just bathed in a spiritual spring. Even the lingering weakness from using [Shadowflame] had been completely washed away.

He immediately spotted Xia Chengyan standing in the corridor, looking a bit shell-shocked.

Zhang Xian flashed a warm, enthusiastic smile. “Yo, Brother Xia. Fancy meeting you here.”

Xia Chengyan snapped back to reality. The look he gave Zhang Xian wasn’t just friendly anymore; it was the kind of awe one felt when gazing up at a towering, insurmountable mountain.

He immediately adopted a humble posture, cupping his hands with profound respect. “Ah, Brother Zhang! What a coincidence! This Little Brother actually had some… cultivation questions I was hoping to ask you. Do you have a moment?”

Zhang Xian paused.

Little Brother?

The man standing before him was a Nascent Soul prodigy fresh from the Central Continent, the Crown Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty. He was nobility among nobility. Yet here he was, bowing and scraping like a junior disciple?

What is this guy plotting? Zhang Xian wondered, eyeing him suspiciously.

Still, he politely invited Xia Chengyan into his cabin.

Once seated, Xia Chengyan started with the usual pleasantries, thanking Zhang Xian profusely for the earlier gifts of Spirit Stones and resources.

After the polite small talk, the Prince coughed dryly, shifting nervously in his seat.

“Actually, Brother Zhang, I didn’t just come here to say thanks. This Little Brother… cough… Xia has a personal matter I need your expert advice on.”

“Oh?” Zhang Xian raised an eyebrow. “Speak freely, Brother Xia.”

Xia Chengyan rubbed his hands together, leaning in with a look of man-to-man conspiracy.

“It’s about… well, Brother Zhang, how did you, uh, handle three different beauties at once? That kind of harem blessing isn’t easy to manage. Do you have a secret technique? Could you give me some pointers?”

Zhang Xian nearly choked on his tea.

He stared at the Crown Prince. This guy—powerful, wealthy, talented—had camped outside his door for three days just to ask that?

Zhang Xian’s mouth twitched. He looked into Xia Chengyan’s eyes, seeing nothing but pure, unadulterated thirst for knowledge.

He held the silence for a long moment, then spat out two words.

“Sincerity.”

Xia Chengyan blinked. “…”

The anticipation on his face froze. “Uh… Brother Zhang? That’s it? Nothing else?”

Zhang Xian stroked his chin, his expression turning solemn. “Money. Or rather, Spirit Stones. Treasures. Wealth.”

“Money? That’s the secret?” Xia Chengyan looked disappointed. “My old man is the Emperor. I’m not lacking in Spirit Stones or treasures. I have VIP black cards for every major auction house in the Central Continent! And as for sincerity, I have that too. I treat her better than anyone.”

Zhang Xian looked at him and shook his head slowly, wearing a profound expression.

“No. You don’t get it.”

“Huh?” Xia Chengyan looked lost.

“Your lady, Lin Xiaozhu. She’s the niece of Sword God Lin, the leader of the Heavenly Abyss Alliance, correct?” Zhang Xian explained leisurely. “In terms of background, she’s not below you. In terms of cultivation, she’s your equal. Anything you have, she probably has too—maybe even more.”

“When the two parties are perfectly matched in status and wealth, your money loses its power. It’s not a flex to her.”

Xia Chengyan fell into deep thought, nodding slowly.

“When you cannot establish absolute economic dominance,” Zhang Xian continued, “you have to invest more heavily in sincerity.” He smirked, teasing him. “But from what I can see, Miss Lin is already quite fond of you. What’s the rush?”

Called out, Xia Chengyan flushed slightly. “Brother Zhang has keen eyes! Xiaozhu treats me well, it’s just…”

He sighed. “I feel like there’s still a thin layer of paper between us. We haven’t defined the relationship. It makes me feel… unsure.”

Zhang Xian nodded with an ‘I got you’ look. “I understand. But I suspect you want to do more than just break the ice and define the relationship, right? Perhaps His Highness wants to take things… physically further?”

“Pfft—!”

Xia Chengyan sprayed his tea all over the floor.

He coughed violently, face turning beet red. “It’s—it’s not that I’m desperate for that! Just curious! Purely for academic reference!”

Zhang Xian burst out laughing, finally letting the poor guy off the hook.

For the next hour, the two men engaged in a deep, philosophical exchange on “How to woo a woman who likes you but hasn’t made it official yet.”

Drawing from his vast experience—which mostly consisted of being shameless and throwing money at problems—Zhang Xian offered a treasure trove of advice. Xia Chengyan listened with rapt attention, nodding repeatedly, his eyes shining as if a new world had opened before him.

“So that’s how it is!”

“Brilliant!”

“I’ve learned so much!”

The Crown Prince looked like he had just received an enlightenment transmission from a sage.

Satisfied, Xia Chengyan stood up to leave. “Brother Zhang, you truly are wise. This method is absolutely badass. I think I can finally nail this situation.”

Zhang Xian paused.

Badass? Nail it?

Those words—Niubi and Gaoding—popped out of the Prince’s mouth naturally.

Suspicion flared in Zhang Xian’s heart again.

Is he a fellow transmigrator?

But something felt off. The slang usage was slightly stiff, like someone using borrowed words rather than native slang.

He hesitated for a second, then asked casually, “Brother Xia, your way of speaking is quite unique. Those terms you used… I rarely hear them in the Southern Region. Where does that dialect come from?”

“Oh, this?” Xia Chengyan waved his hand dismissively. “It was a huge trend in the Central Continent years ago. It’s called ‘Vernacular’ or ‘Strongman Slang’ (Qiang Zhe Yu). Legend has it that a maverick Senior pioneered it. It emphasizes being direct, punchy, and grounded!”

“It sort of fell out of fashion later, but I like it. It sounds cool and feels satisfying to say. Holy sh*t, Awesome—it just rolls off the tongue. There are still some people in the Central Continent who use it, but not many.”

Zhang Xian nodded, keeping his face impassive.

I knew it.

Another footprint left by a transmigrator predecessor. That Senior must have been quite influential in the Central Continent to start an entire linguistic subculture.

Remembering how his System progress bar surged after he crippled Yang Poxiao, Zhang Xian reminded himself to be cautious. He absolutely could not expose his origins.

“I see. Fascinating,” Zhang Xian said with a polite smile, seeing his guest out.

Once Xia Chengyan was gone, Zhang Xian’s expression sobered.

He checked the time. He and Lin Yinyin had spent three days comprehending the [Joyous Zen] manual. That meant they were only one day away from the Demon Nest.

The fun and games were over. The war was about to begin.

He sat down cross-legged and began his final inventory check.

First, his gear: A full set of lower-grade Spirit Treasures, various Earth-grade talismans, and pills. He was balanced for both offense and defense. He also had his favorite tactic—detonating Spirit Treasures like grenades. Against Golden Core cultivators, it was devastating. Against Nascent Soul enemies? Limited utility, unless they stood still and let him blow them up.

Next, his trump cards: The [Void-Piercing Shuttle] for escape, and the [Nine Nether Tribulation Puppet] for combat. These were his lifeline.

Finally, his own strength.

Golden Core Fifth Layer. Top-grade Wood Spiritual Root. His other four roots were slightly weaker, but having integrated them, he could now utilize wind and thunder attribute abilities proficiently.

Currently, his deadliest technique was the [Shadowflame] he had stolen from Yang Poxiao. However, it was a double-edged sword. It was a one-shot nuke for a decisive moment; using it would leave him drained and vulnerable.

He had absorbed some of Yang Poxiao’s memories and knew that the man’s Top-grade Fire Root and [Shadowflame] had been exchanged from a System.

Zhang Xian sighed. He had been “returning” wealth for so long, yet he still hadn’t received a reward of that specific high-grade caliber.

Well, he thought, eyes narrowing. Maybe this war will change that.