Su Rumei stared at the list in her hands. It was densely packed with hundreds of materials, and the quantity required for each was staggering.

The sheer volume wasn’t particularly strange. The mysterious organization backing them was clearly powerful and comprised of many members; naturally, their logistical needs would be substantial.

The problem lay in the nature of the materials. Most of them were related to the soul, and not the kind used for standard cultivation or tempering.

On the contrary…

“Soul Refining Liquid, Soul Dissolving Stone, Yin Soul Wood, Soul Capturing Stone, Soul Summoning Grass…”

Shadow read the list over her shoulder, clicking his tongue with a meaningful expression. A hint of wariness surfaced in his eyes. “Aren’t these materials a bit… sinister?”

“Could this organization be planning to refine something wicked, like a Soul Refining Banner? Otherwise, why would they need such a massive quantity of soul-aspect resources?”

Su Rumei frowned, a seed of uncertainty taking root in her heart.

There was no helping it. This organization was elusive, appearing and vanishing like a dragon in the clouds. Within the entire Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, they only deigned to speak with Cheng Fushou.

Originally, Su Rumei held three parts suspicion, three parts caution, and four parts anticipation toward this force. But now, seeing this shopping list, her caution spiked.

These weren’t things an orthodox cultivator would touch. They looked like the shopping list of an Evil Cultivator.

However, after a long silence, Su Rumei shook her head.

“No matter what, their strength is undeniable. Since they are willing to cooperate with us—and as long as it brings us no harm—we will cooperate.”

She pushed the doubts from her mind.

Regardless of the organization’s origins or alignment, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion needed them. In the short term, they were the only lifeline available. The priority was survival. The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion had to stand tall again.

Over the next two days, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion remained eerily quiet.

They didn’t rush to sell their stock. They didn’t announce that their inventory had been replenished. Instead, they continued to play the part of a cornered beast, concealing their true strength.

Externally, they continued to purchase talismans at inflated prices. Behind closed doors, they lobbied their former partners, seemingly desperate to maintain relationships.

They did not neglect a single detail of their disguise.

Until the third day.

When the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s reserves surpassed two hundred thousand sheets, they finally stopped hiding.

They bared their fangs.

Two hundred thousand First-Grade Talismans.

All Perfect Dao Talismans.

On sale!

While the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in Cloud Firmament City launched its vengeance, the atmosphere at the Azure Mystic Sacred Land’s Ink Scroll Peak was entirely different.

A crowd of disciples gathered, their eyes filled with shock and adoration as they watched the figure in blue robes.

Jiang Xun.

“Three talismans! It’s only been a few days, and Martial Uncle Jiang has already mastered the technique of crafting three talismans simultaneously! This talent is terrifying!”

“It’s not just three! Look how effortlessly he moves. Three clearly isn’t his limit!”

“So strong! Truly too strong! We knew Martial Uncle Jiang possessed peerless cultivation aptitude, but who would have thought he would be so proficient in the Dao of Talismans as well?”

“The Dao of Talismans within the Azure Mystic Sacred Land is about to enter a golden age!”

The Ink Scroll Peak disciples watched Jiang Xun work with rapt attention, their faces glowing with excitement.

A few days ago, Jiang Xun had arrived at Ink Scroll Peak to address the sect’s plummeting talisman success rate. Although he hadn’t identified the core issue, his sheer talent had forcibly injected hope back into the disheartened disciples.

In just a few short days, he had gone from a novice with a superficial understanding to simultaneously refining three talismans with ease.

It was a miracle.

“Fifth Senior Sister! Fifth Senior Sister! Did you see that?”

Lu Qingyao, visiting from her own peak, was practically jumping with excitement. She grabbed the woman beside her. “That’s simultaneous crafting! Little Junior Brother’s talent is really… really… really strong!”

It wasn’t just the ordinary disciples who were captivated. Even Qin Meran, the Master of Ink Scroll Peak, couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

“Little Junior Brother’s talent truly inspires awe,” Qin Meran agreed softly. “If he decides to delve deeper into the Dao of Talismans, his future achievements will likely surpass anything I could hope to match.”

Hearing this, Lu Qingyao beamed. The praise was for her Little Junior Brother—the person she liked and trusted most in the world. As someone loyal, straightforward, and passionate, she felt his glory as if it were her own.

“I’ve said it before: Jiang Xun is amazing! Whether it’s his aptitude or his comprehension of The Six Paths, he is a rare gem in this world!”

“Fifth Senior Sister, you might not know this, but I briefly taught Jiang Xun some beast-taming techniques before. Guess what happened?”

“Three days!” Lu Qingyao held up three fingers, her eyes sparkling. “He spent only three days going from knowing nothing to reaching the beginner level! That’s progress that takes most disciples months, even years!”

“Huh? Fifth Senior Sister… what are you thinking about?”

Lu Qingyao stopped her boasting. She noticed that Qin Meran seemed distracted, her gaze unfocused.

“No… I… I just…” Qin Meran pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before whispering, “I just remembered… five hundred years ago, when Gu Xiu first started learning about talismans… he also seemed to display very strong talent.”

The moment the name was spoken, Lu Qingyao’s expression twisted into disgust.

“Senior Sister! Why are you mentioning that traitor?”

“I… I just felt moved by the scene,” Qin Meran shook her head, trying to explain.

“Being ‘moved by the scene’ shouldn’t make you think of that kind of person!” Lu Qingyao scolded her. “Senior Sister… have you forgotten? A few years ago, when Gu Xiu came to your Ink Scroll Peak… you were ashamed to even mention he was your Junior Brother.”

“When those disciples teased and bullied Gu Xiu back then… you even discussed it with me. Why would you think of him now?”

Qin Meran froze. A heavy weight suddenly settled in her chest.

She remembered.

Three years ago, Gu Xiu had returned from the Forbidden Realm, his cultivation completely ruined. Their Master, Guan Xuelan, hadn’t given up on him immediately. Instead, she had sent Gu Xiu to learn techniques from The Six Paths, hoping to give him some purpose in life.

During that period, Gu Xiu had spent time following each of his Senior Sisters—except Nian Zhaoxi.

He had stayed at Ink Scroll Peak for a while.

But Qin Meran’s attitude toward him back then couldn’t be described as ‘good’. It wasn’t even ‘neutral’.

It was cruel.

When Gu Xiu first arrived to learn, Qin Meran had given him a strict ultimatum: “You must hide your identity. You cannot tell anyone you are my Junior Brother. If they know who you are, they will treat you differently, and you won’t truly learn anything.”

She had sternly warned him not to reveal that he was the Eighth Personal Disciple of the Azure Mystic Sacred Land. He was forbidden from acknowledging her—the Peak Master—as his Senior Sister.

Gu Xiu had agreed.

He joined Ink Scroll Peak disguised as an ordinary disciple. He kept his promise faithfully, never revealing his connection to Qin Meran, even after he eventually left the peak.

But the world of cultivation is not a utopia. Sects are not harmonious families.

The strong prey on the weak. Who has the talent? Who has the background? Who has the bigger fist?

These are the eternal truths.

Gu Xiu, appearing as an ordinary mortal with no background, no cultivation base, and no apparent aptitude, was treated exactly as one would expect.

He was bullied relentlessly by the Ink Scroll Peak disciples.

Some even used him as a target for their talisman experiments, playing tricks on him for their amusement. Although it was never life-threatening, for a former Personal Disciple who had once stood above them, it was an immense, crushing humiliation.

“Fifth Senior Sister… if I remember correctly… Gu Xiu suffered bullying from your disciples more than once back then. You were always aware of it.”

Lu Qingyao looked at her sister, her voice tinged with confusion.

“You even told me back then: ‘Gu Xiu is just a cripple now. He needs to suffer enough hardships before he realizes he is nothing but an insignificant speck of dust. Only when his spirit is broken will he completely abandon those unrealistic fantasies of cultivation.'”

“I’ve always regarded those words as wise counsel.”

Lu Qingyao tilted her head, scrutinizing Qin Meran’s pale face.

“Now, Fifth Senior Sister… you couldn’t possibly be…”

“…Regretting it?”

Regret.

When the word surfaced in her heart, Qin Meran trembled almost imperceptibly.

Facing Lu Qingyao’s innocent, curious gaze, Qin Meran pursed her lips tightly.

“I…”

She took a breath and hardened her expression.

“Of course I don’t regret it!”