Zhang Xian sat alone in the quiet room, struggling to calm his racing mind. He focused entirely on regulating his breathing, guiding the medicinal power of the pills through his battered meridians.

The energy surged like a river, repairing the internal ravages caused by forcibly activating the [Shadow Flame]. He attempted to cycle his own spiritual power, but a sensation like a thousand needles stabbing his core made him wince.

Tsk. I pushed it too far, he sighed inwardly. I likely won’t be able to circulate energy for combat for at least a month.

A moment later, the heavy wooden door creaked open. Xia Xuanyin and Elder Wang Ya strode in, their steps hurried, with Lin Yinyin trailing close behind.

“Zhang Xian!” Xia Xuanyin’s brows locked together the moment he saw the young man’s pale complexion and soot-stained robes. “How severe are the injuries?”

“Yinyin said you had urgent intelligence?” Wang Ya added, his voice laced with concern.

“Your Majesty, Head Seat Wang Ya… I’m fine. Just need some time to breathe.” Zhang Xian waved a hand dismissively, signaling he was still in one piece. He glanced at Lin Yinyin. “Where is Master?”

“Master has been in deep seclusion since the day you left,” Lin Yinyin replied softly.

Zhang Xian nodded. Li Fuxi’s recent upgrade to a dual Heavenly Spirit Root likely required time to consolidate new insights. It was better not to disturb her.

Without wasting time, Zhang Xian gave a concise, unembellished account of the events: the ambush at the Cloud Raiment City teleportation array, the trap set by the three factions, and the desperate escape.

Xia Xuanyin and Wang Ya listened, their expressions darkening with every word.

“Too reckless,” Xia Xuanyin scolded, his voice low and heavy. “You knew the demons were likely watching in the shadows, yet you deliberately used the array to bait them?”

“I had calculated the risks. If I took a flying vessel, I feared dragging Yun He and Yun Wanqing into the crossfire,” Zhang Xian explained. “Their target was me. This was the only way to draw the fire away from the sect.”

Wang Ya sighed, shaking his head. “You reckless brat… By your account, the enemy forces are likely still in the spatial tunnel. They probably haven’t even landed yet.”

Zhang Xian nodded. Then, the exhaustion vanished from his face, replaced by a razor-sharp seriousness.

“Your Majesty, Head Seat Wang Ya. I called you here for something far more critical. I have obtained the exact coordinates of the [Demon Nest].”

“What?”

The two seniors exclaimed in unison, their eyes erupting with incredulous light.

Zhang Xian organized the fragmented memories he had ripped from Jian Chen’s fading soul. Adopting the tone of a detached observer, he laid out the enemy’s hierarchy.

“The demons have relocated the [Demon Nest] to a concealed minor world. It is currently controlled by three Nascent Soul entities. First, the mysterious Black Venerable—suspected to be the leader and the host of the Entity of [Desire]. Second, the White Venerable, Xuan Zhou. And third…”

Zhang Xian paused for effect. “The notorious puppet master from the Central Continent, Daoist Qianji.”

As Lin Yinyin listened, a chill crept up her spine. She stared at Zhang Xian, her eyes widening in shock.

How does Brother know these details so specifically? The internal hierarchy, the names… unless…

A terrifying thought flashed through her mind. Soul Searching Technique.

The quiet room fell into a deathly silence.

Xia Xuanyin and Wang Ya digested this earth-shattering intelligence. Their minds were churning like a storm-tossed sea. Yet, with the tacit understanding of seasoned leaders, neither asked about the source of the information.

After a long silence, Xia Xuanyin spoke slowly. “If this is true, this Demon Nest has become a malignant tumor on the heart of the region. It must be excised immediately.”

“We must act sooner rather than later,” Zhang Xian urged. “We have a window before they relocate again. We can catch them with their pants down.”

“Daoist Qianji…” Wang Ya mused, stroking his beard. “I have heard of him. He committed heinous crimes in the Central Continent. He is a master of concealment and puppetry—extremely troublesome. When Hu Yanqing of the Guiyuan Sect claimed he was here to capture a fugitive, I thought it was a mere pretext. It seems he wasn’t lying.”

Xia Xuanyin nodded decisively. “I have already sent a distress signal to the Central Continent. Reinforcements from the Heavenly Abyss Alliance are en route. They should arrive within days. The moment they touch down, we will mobilize our forces and strike the Demon Nest directly.”

His gaze swept over the room, sharp as a blade. “Until then, this information must be kept absolutely confidential. We cannot afford to beat the grass and startle the snake.”

Everyone nodded solemnly.

“Head Seat Wang Ya,” Zhang Xian said, shifting the topic. “One more favor. Yun Wanqing and the others will arrive shortly. I fear they will panic if they cannot reach me upon landing. Could you intercept them and let them know I’ve arrived safely in the Southern Capital?”

“Rest assured, consider it done.” Wang Ya agreed solemnly. He stood up, his robes snapping. “There is no time to lose. I will depart immediately. By the time I reach the coordinates, their transfer should be complete.”

Wang Ya hurried out. Xia Xuanyin also stood, walking over to loom over Zhang Xian. His gaze was profound, filled with complex emotions.

“Zhang Xian. The intelligence you brought back is worth a kingdom. On behalf of the hundreds of millions of lives in the Southern Region… I thank you.”

The Emperor paused, his tone shifting to carry a subtle, heavy warning.

“To fight monsters, one must sometimes use monstrous methods. I understand this. However, demonic techniques are insidious, and their consequences are endless. You must guard your original heart. Do not let the abyss stare back.”

Zhang Xian’s heart tightened. The Emperor knew.

He met Xia Xuanyin’s gaze without flinching. “Your Majesty need not worry. I know my limits.”

Xia Xuanyin looked at him deeply for a moment longer, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The heavy door clicked shut, leaving only Zhang Xian and Lin Yinyin in the room.

The tension instantly evaporated. Lin Yinyin scooted closer, her small face a mixture of lingering fear and heartache.

“You lecherous Big Brother,” she sniffed, wiping her eyes. “You really are considerate toward Sect Master Yun. Willing to risk your life just to keep her safe?”

Zhang Xian smirked. “What? Jealous?”

“No!” Lin Yinyin denied it, though her face was full of grievance. She held out the fragments of the white jade in her palm. “I just feel bad for the [United Heart Winged Pendant]. My only chance to save you… gone just like that.”

Seeing her pitiful expression, Zhang Xian couldn’t help but laugh. With a sleight of hand, he pulled another pair of identical pendants from his storage ring and dangled them before her.

“Here. Stop crying. I have fresh ones.”

Lin Yinyin stared at the brand-new jade pendants, her eyes popping wide.

“Ah? How do you have more?” She looked up, glaring at him with sudden realization. “Brother! Are these… mass-produced?”

“Well…”

“Ah! So Yun Wanqing and Master probably have them too, right?” She jumped up, hands on her hips, her sadness replaced by indignation. “Wow! And here I was, weeping like a fool! You big liar! You scumbag!”

Exposed, Zhang Xian raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, hey! Yinyin, listen! Didn’t I think of you first? As soon as danger struck, I teleported to your room, didn’t I?”

“Pah!” Lin Yinyin’s face flushed red. “I know you! You just didn’t want Master and the others to know you have a stockpile of these things! You’re afraid they’ll know your true colors—a two-timing rogue! You just think I’m easy to bully!”

She pounced, her small hands going for a pinch.

“Ah! Yinyin, have mercy!”

Meanwhile, halfway across the region.

Yun Wanqing stood trembling, her hand hovering over her own [United Heart Winged Pendant], ready to crush it and warp into the unknown.

“Wait!”

A voice broke the sound barrier as Wang Ya descended from the sky. “Zhang Xian is alive, Sect Master Yun. There is no need to worry.”

Yun Wanqing spun around violently. “Really?”

Wang Ya looked at her—tears brimming in her eyes, her face a mask of panic and terror. He let out a silent sigh.

“He arrived in the Southern Capital a step ahead of us,” Wang Ya said, keeping his voice steady. “He sustained some minor injuries and is recuperating, but he is safe. We can discuss the details later. For now, board the flying vessel.”

Only then did the invisible wire pulling at Yun Wanqing’s heart finally snap, leaving her weak with relief.