What?

Qin Meran was stunned. She understood exactly what this meant.

The leader of the Four Seas Gang, Yu Sihai, had been appointed as a Sect Elder. This appointment came after her Master had performed a Soul Search on him. This implied only one thing: Yu Sihai had gained her Master’s approval!

But… how was this possible?

“Although I don’t know the details, I heard Master say that Yu Sihai’s soul was severely damaged. Part of his memory was sealed with a restriction, making it impossible to pry into. Forcibly searching it would yield nothing and would only scatter his soul.”

“However, the unsealed memories were enough for Master to see the truth about the Earth Cloud Sprout. So…”

Xu Wanqing’s words echoed in her ears, but Qin Meran felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss. Her entire body went cold.

She didn’t know the specifics, but she was smart enough to draw a conclusion from these few words.

The conclusion was simple. The filth thrown onto her… was now impossible to wash off!

“Senior Sister, I’ve been wronged. Even you… don’t you believe me?” Qin Meran asked, her voice hollow and dejected.

“This…” Xu Wanqing’s face was filled with difficulty.

But Qin Meran had already read the answer in her hesitation. Even she didn’t believe her!

Qin Meran said nothing more. She turned and left, her spirit crushed.

She knew the best way to resolve her situation.

Soul Search!

Let her Master perform a Soul Search on her! She hadn’t done it; the truth would be revealed instantly. Her memories were the ultimate proof.

But… previously, when she was unconscious in Cloud Firmament City, her soul had been inexplicably damaged. It felt as if she had been Soul Searched then. That incident had plunged her into a state of constant internal conflict, eventually birthing an Inner Demon!

If she were to undergo another Soul Search now, she would completely lose control over that Inner Demon!

Even though her Master, Guan Xuelan, was a Supreme Being with myriad methods—perhaps capable of searching without harming her soul or empowering the demon—Qin Meran couldn’t help but doubt. The image of He Mengyun, existing as neither human nor ghost, haunted her.

So, what should she do? How could she clear her name of this immense injustice?

“That’s it!”

Suddenly, Qin Meran’s eyes lit up. A solution formed in her mind.

“Eldest Senior Sister!”

“Eldest Senior Sister has the Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror. She can consume her lifespan to view the past. She can use the mirror to clear my name!”

Without hesitation, Qin Meran flew towards the Heaven-Asking Pavilion. This was her only hope.

However… when she hurriedly arrived at the pavilion, before she could even step through the door, Nian Zhaoxi’s calm, indifferent voice floated out.

“Junior Sister, please return.”

“Senior Sister! Do you also think I took the Earth Cloud Sprout?” Qin Meran cried out anxiously.

“Not that.”

“Then why…”

“I simply do not wish to perform a divination for you.”

“Why?” Qin Meran asked, incredulous.

Nian Zhaoxi’s voice remained flat. “I am dying. My lifespan is short. I just want to quietly await my retribution. I don’t want to sacrifice my life for nothing anymore.”

“Wh… what?” Qin Meran couldn’t believe her ears.

These words… coming from Eldest Senior Sister? Wasn’t she the one in the Sect who cared least about her lifespan? And now… she was refusing to help for the sake of living a little longer?

“Junior Sister, does this scene feel familiar to you?”

“Familiar?”

“It seems you have forgotten. Let me remind you of a phrase you once said to someone.”

“What phrase?” Qin Meran was bewildered.

Nian Zhaoxi spoke softly, “Without enduring the bone-chilling cold, how can one smell the fragrance of plum blossoms?”

Qin Meran froze.

She… had indeed said that!

“Back then, Gu Xiu suffered injustices and slander more than once. If I recall correctly, he came to you, hoping you would help him seek justice.”

“And you responded with that sentence. You told him to endure the piercing cold. You told him to bear even the greatest grievances.”

“The trouble you face now, Junior Sister, is not even a ten-thousandth of what Gu Xiu endured back then.”

“I imagine…”

“Junior Sister, surely you can encourage yourself with those same words and eventually find that fragrant plum blossom, no?”

Nian Zhaoxi’s clear, cold voice left Qin Meran rigid. She shouted in defense, “I’m completely different from him! I am truly wronged!”

“Is that so?” Nian Zhaoxi retorted.

Qin Meran stood frozen, unable to argue.

She was now in the same position—unjustly accused, with no one to believe her!

Nian Zhaoxi’s indifferent voice drifted out again. “Junior Sister, you gave Gu Xiu a sentence back then. Now, I will give you one.”

“Do not say karma is unseen; it falls on descendants afar or oneself near.”

“Junior Sister, please go back.”

“I hope you will take care of yourself.”

…

Falling Rain Valley, Core Area.

“There’s actually a place like this hidden within Falling Rain Valley?”

“Unbelievable! For five hundred years, our Sect has had absolutely no intelligence on this!”

“Is this… an Immortal’s dwelling?”

Amidst a series of gasps, the group, having endured six days of wind and rain, stopped to marvel at the sight before them.

For over five centuries, the Five Sects and Three Clans had investigated Falling Rain Valley thoroughly. However, due to the numerous formations and restrictions in the forest, many areas remained unexplored.

Who would have thought that in this valley of perpetual drizzle, such a magnificent mansion would be hidden?

Yes. A mansion!

Before them stood a colossal, imposing estate. The main gate alone was a full ten zhang high. Standing before it, the cultivators felt as insignificant as ants.

It was like a heavenly gate!

“There are restrictions on this.” Someone tried to push the gate but found layers of restrictive force preventing it.

“The patterns on this door are powerful Formation runes.”

“The threshold too!”

“Could this really be an Immortal’s home? Who else could live in such a place?”

While the crowd exclaimed in wonder, Fan Yangtai of the Golden Blade Sect curled his lip and looked at Bian Yifei. “Don’t waste time. Let’s enter quickly.”

“Right. I feel something is off about the valley. The rain seems to be lightening,” Sha Zhaoyu agreed.

From their reactions, it was clear they had discovered this mansion earlier.

“Alright!” Bian Yifei nodded without delay. He immediately arranged personnel to begin breaking the formation.

Along the way, the Azure Mystic Sacred Land had employed many methods to bypass restrictions. This time was no exception. Twenty people worked in unison, channeling their power to light the two lanterns in front of the gate.

Clang! Rumble…

A series of dull, heavy sounds echoed. Slowly, the giant gate swung open.

Everyone craned their necks to look inside.

They saw a massive courtyard. Towering ancient trees stood sentinel around an emerald-green lake. A covered bridge led to a central pavilion, where a chessboard and an ancient zither rested. Further back, along jade-like corridors, passages led to various inner courtyards.

This was an elegantly laid-out, exquisite residence. At first glance, it seemed like a wealthy mortal’s estate, but its scale was ten times larger. It was clearly not meant for mortals.

More importantly…

“That’s Falling Jade Grass!”

“This… this is Supreme Clarity Flower!”

“There are even Heart-Nourishing Orchids here! A single stalk is worth a hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and there’s a whole patch…”

“It’s not just the quantity—these spirit herbs are ancient. The… the worst one here is at least a sixth-grade spirit herb!”

“…”

Upon entering the courtyard, gasps of shock erupted.

The front courtyard was filled with casually planted vegetation, all of which were rare and precious spirit herbs of immense age and quality!

Someone stepped forward to pick a herb, but a powerful restrictive force immediately repelled them. Unwilling to give up, they tried various methods, but gained nothing.

“Don’t dream. The restrictions of this mansion are integrated naturally. Even the strongest Formation Master cannot break them. If not for that, do you think these herbs would have survived for five hundred years?” Sha Zhaoyu sneered.

“So we can only look?” someone asked indignantly.

“Unless you obtain the control plate and become the master of this place, external force is useless. Even if an Immortal descended and forcibly destroyed the formation, everything within would be annihilated,” Chi You of the White Qilin Sect explained with a frown.

“Tsk tsk, Fellow Daoist Chi is indeed a prodigy. Understanding this without ever having been here—truly impressive!” Niu Xifang praised, batting her eyelashes at him.

Chi You shrank back instinctively, glancing at the grim-faced Qi Keping before falling silent.

“Enough, don’t waste time!” an Azure Mystic disciple barked. “We’ve already investigated this place thoroughly. The control plate is in the rear courtyard.”

“We called you here to help break the rear courtyard’s restrictions. Once we do, we obtain the plate and become the masters of this estate.”

The Azure Mystic group led the way forward, and the others followed obediently.

As they ventured deeper, anticipation grew. The treasures here were simply too numerous. Any random weed was a precious herb; any ornamental stone was rare crafting material.

If one could become the master of this place… wouldn’t they claim all these opportunities?

Such resources could elevate a Sect to a higher tier!

Even Wan Xiaobei was not immune to this greed.

Gu Xiu, disguised as Ding Daoan, remained impassive. Mixed in with the Azure Mystic team, his gaze didn’t linger on the treasures.

He knew the truth. These treasures would all be reduced to ashes. The real prize was something else entirely.

However, even Gu Xiu hadn’t anticipated one thing.

As they left the front courtyard and arrived at the rear gate, a figure in jade-green robes—who should not have been there—appeared on the lake pavilion.

Once again, she glanced at his retreating back.

A murmur, carried by the wind and rain, drifted through the air.

“He has finally… come.”