The Seven Heavenly Herbs and Fallen Petal Powder were core ingredients of the herbal vessel needed to break through to the Blood Transformation stage.

  These ingredients were not only expensive; their availability was extremely limited. The man weighed the value of the decaying Ancient Stone Cauldron on his counter. The Cauldron was indeed valuable, but not worth that much.

  "You're exaggerating, young man!" The man laughed, a dry and forced laugh. "This Cauldron is cracked! It's a hot item that could attract other cultivators. I was being generous by offering Spiritual Stones. Seven Heavenly Herbs? Fallen Petal Powder? Those are ingredients for an almost impossible transformation!"

  Zhi Xuan shrugged indifferently. His eyes, the cold color of sapphire, exuded an unnerving composure. He did not need to explain why he needed those ingredients. He only needed to press at the right moment.

  "Do you think this Ancient Spiritual Blood Refining Cauldron is an artifact found in a pile of junk?" Zhi Xuan asked, his tone flat, but every word felt like cracking ice. "This Cauldron has refined Spiritual Blood for hundreds of years. Even with these cracks, it still holds purified death essence highly sought after by heretical cultivators. You are an apothecary; you know its value."

  Zhi Xuan then leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing into cold slits.

  "Or," he continued, his voice carrying a measured, icy threat, "I will sell it to Old Man Dun. I heard he not only sells forbidden artifacts but also pays cash at an appropriate price."

  The man's face changed. Old Man Dun was a black market dealer who defied Imperial regulations and was notorious for his ruthlessness.

  The herbal merchant did not want his reputation stained by losing this valuable artifact. Worse, if Old Man Dun acquired this cauldron and used it to concoct Forbidden Pills, it would attract the attention of higher Sects—or even the Empire.

  The man sighed deeply, a bitter defeat. He knew this young man could not be fooled. His demands were precise, targeting the needs of extreme cultivation.

  "You are bold," the man muttered, cursing inwardly. He turned and walked to the herbal shelf behind him, opening a silver drawer protected by a sealing formation.

  "One Sun Falling Leaf," the man said, dropping an orange-gold leaf onto the counter. The leaf emanated a warm, pure solar aura.

  "Seven Heavenly Herbs, and only half a bottle of Fallen Petal Powder. You must find the rest yourself. This is my final offer."

  Zhi Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Half a bottle was enough to stabilize and maximize the low-level batch of Blood Bone Pills he planned.

  "Agreed," Zhi Xuan replied, without wasting time.

  The man placed seven dried herbs that radiated a dense aura of life—Thousand Year Ginseng, Jade Dragon Root, Ice Jade Flower, and four other essential herbs. He then placed the bottle of Fallen Petal Powder that smelled sweet yet deadly.

  Zhi Xuan did not touch the herbs; he took out his Storage Pouch. The man lifted the ancient Stone Cauldron carefully and placed it in a secure corner.

  "You got what you needed," the man said, his tone returning to professional, but his eyes still held a trace of fear and strange respect. "Now, leave. Don't attract attention here."

  Zhi Xuan stepped out of the gloomy herbal shop, his precious Blood Transformation spoils safely stored in his Storage Pouch. The dense, afternoon light of Green Cloud City hit his face. He had won his first small battle in this center of power.

  Zhi Xuan wasted no time. He channeled his Divine Sense, wrapping it in a thin layer so it was not too conspicuous, and scanned the area around the shop. He was looking for a secluded place to concoct the pill, but his main attention was on the mysterious payer at the gate.

  He blended with the crowd, walking slowly among the stalls selling spiritual artifacts and protective talismans. The aura of the crowd in Green Cloud City was a spiritual labyrinth; tens of thousands of essence fluctuations overlapped, making it almost impossible to track a faint trace.

  Within his Sea of Consciousness, Ruo Xianxue snorted. ‘You are wasting time, Monkey. Someone has left their trace on that Spiritual Stone. It is a commonly used tactic. Hurry, find a secluded spot, make your pill.’

  ‘I will not leave an untangled thread,’ Zhi Xuan replied inwardly, his focus sharp. He closed his external senses, concentrating on the essence of the low-level spiritual stone he took from his robe pocket.

  He channeled the Azure Holy Flame—not to burn, but to purify the Stone's essence. As soon as the Stone's essence was touched by the cold Soul flame, he caught the faint remnants of a trace. The trace felt very light, almost nonexistent, like a feather falling on snow.

  A trace of Gentleness.

  It was neither a trace of hostility nor ill intent. The trace felt like a very pure spiritual essence, possessing a soothing aura that could not be mistaken for a Devil or heretical cultivator. It felt like a soft touch of velvet.

  Zhi Xuan pursed his lips. This trace was too pure to be an outright trap. Whoever this person was, they had extraordinary control over their Essence and clearly possessed high, stable cultivation—a sharp contrast to himself.

  Zhi Xuan followed the trace. The trace did not lead to the main road or the Qinglong Stairs, but to a quieter side district, dominated by luxurious residences and herbal shops much more elegant than the one he had just visited.

  He finally arrived in front of a seemingly simple but elegant tea pavilion, made of white jade wood that emitted a faint sandalwood scent. Outside, there were two guardian lion statues made of Spiritual Crystal that radiated a high-level defensive aura.

  The pure spiritual trace ended at the entrance of the tea pavilion, before disappearing completely, as if intentionally erased.

  Zhi Xuan stood silently at the doorstep, staring at his reflection in the small fountain near the pavilion.

  "Who exactly paid for that spiritual stone," Zhi Xuan muttered, he raised his gaze to look into the pavilion, and found an old man wearing a light blue robe with a star-sky carving adorning the robe's shawl, sitting at a table in the tea pavilion, his back to Zhi Xuan.

  Zhi Xuan felt a subtle pull from the old man's aura; not an invitation, but a passive resonance. The old man exuded an aura so stable and pure, far above the Five Elements realm. The man was certainly a cultivator in the Soul Transformation realm or higher.

  Zhi Xuan stabilized his breath. He knew, in the cultivation world, a high-level cultivator would not sit in a public place like this without a purpose. This was an invitation, or worse, a test.

  He stepped inside, allowing the jade wooden sliding door to softly chime behind him. The gentle clinking sound of porcelain cups and the aroma of expensive snow dew spiritual tea filled the air.

  "Young Master," the old man's voice was calm and soft, like water flowing in a quiet river. The old man did not turn around. "You came all the way from the southern end; the smell of foul spiritual blood still clings to the hem of your robe. You must be tired, sit down."

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  Zhi Xuan froze for a moment, stopping his steps as the cultivator's aura enveloped him, as if the arrival of a god could make his steps feel heavy just by its spiritual fluctuation.

  The words, spoken in a gentle tone and without reproach, hit Zhi Xuan harder than a physical blow. It confirmed that the youth was not only detected, but his entire experience in Mist Chaser Village—including the foul spiritual blood and passive death essence—had been revealed.

  Zhi Xuan forced his black jade essence to spin, breaking the forced resonance from the old man's aura. He knew fighting an aura of Soul Transformation or higher directly was suicide, but surrendering without a fight meant sacrificing his Dao Heart.

  "The one who paid for the spiritual stone," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice returning cold, showing no sign of fear. He did not deny the smell of foul blood. "Of course, it was you, Senior. Selfless kindness is a rare commodity in this city filled with ambition."

  Zhi Xuan stepped forward, his steps remaining light despite the oppressive aura pressure. He chose a seat across the old man's table, sitting down gracefully, but alert. He refused to bow his head.

  The old man finally turned around. His face was smooth, without wrinkles, even though the Essence he emitted was thousands of years old. His eyes, the color of soft jade, radiated a calm wisdom. Indeed, the man was a cultivator in a very high realm, based on the tranquility and purity of his essence.

  "Sit down, Young Master," the man repeated, now pointing to the steaming porcelain teacup in front of Zhi Xuan's seat. "I am Yan Shen, just an old man from the Central Continent. Consider it a welcome fee to Green Cloud City."

  Zhi Xuan did not touch the teacup. His sapphire eyes moved from Yan Shen's calm face to the star-sky carving on his robe—a very ancient symbol, never seen in the barren Southern Continent. This man was not just a high-level cultivator; he was someone with Heavenly authority.

  "A welcome fee for what, Senior?" Zhi Xuan asked, his tone demanding. "In the cosmos, every good deed has a price. If you see my condition, carrying the smell of foul spiritual blood, you must understand the danger I face. Why expose yourself for a trivial First Ember cultivator?"

  Ruo Xianxue was silent within the Sea of Consciousness, but Zhi Xuan could feel a faint anxiety from the Red Stone. Ruo Xianxue was unable to scan this old man's realm. Yan Shen smiled faintly, a smile that did not reach his eyes. He sipped his tea, his voice filled with an all-encompassing tranquility.

  "A good question, Young Master. And yes, I do understand. I can sense the Devil Seed pulsating in your Sea of Consciousness, the foul Taiyin aura in your soul, and—" Yan Shen paused briefly, his jade-like eyes scanning Zhi Xuan with unmatched intensity— "also something so old that I cannot see what it is."

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw. This man not only knew; he saw everything, even things that a Five Elements cultivator could not detect. The Devil Seed, the Taiyin aura, and something ancient—all revealed. Yan Shen truly had an unexpected realm.

  "Do not worry, Young Master. I have no ill intent," Yan Shen continued, setting aside his teacup. "On the contrary, I feel you are something interesting. You are something full of mystery."

  The words hung in the air, full of mystery. Zhi Xuan did not falter. He maintained his cold expression. "What do you want, Senior? This chance encounter in Green Cloud City must have a purpose."

  Yan Shen looked at Zhi Xuan, his smile now slightly more sincere, but still containing layers of a riddle. "Purpose? Perhaps I am simply bored, Young Master. Or perhaps—" he tilted his head slightly—"I am looking for a different kind of 'dragon seed'."

  "Dragon seed?" Zhi Xuan repeated. "The Thousand Heavens Sect envoy will arrive in three months. If you want to find a dragon seed, you should go to the Qinglong Stairs."

  "Thousand Heavens Sect," Yan Shen snorted softly, as if the name were just a small joke. "They seek perfection on the surface, the glittering, the easily managed. I seek the other. I seek the broken, the foul, but the one capable of growing its own Dao from the ashes."

  Yan Shen's eyes glowed with a soft yet deep light. "I see potential in you, Young Master. The potential to surpass. But your path is very dangerous. That Devil Seed—it will devour you if you don't have the right guidance."

  Zhi Xuan pondered. This man was offering guidance. Guidance from a Soul Transformation level cultivator or higher—something invaluable. However, all guidance comes with a price, and Yan Shen clearly saw Zhi Xuan as an interesting project.

  Zhi Xuan allowed the silence to hang. He weighed every word spoken by Yan Shen, a high-realm cultivator capable of scanning the Devil Seed, the Taiyin aura, even something so old and hidden—most likely the Ancient Devil Monument—in his Sea of Consciousness.

  "Guidance," Zhi Xuan repeated, his voice calm, but with an inner layer of cold steel. "Guidance always comes with servitude. Do you wish me to be your disciple, Senior?"

  Yan Shen laughed lightly, a laugh full of warmth, but which did not remove his layer of Heavenly authority.

  "Servitude? I am too old to educate disciples, Young Master. I seek a peer, not a servant. And more importantly, your Dao Heart is too strong to be bent by someone else's command. I do not wish to break your will."

  Yan Shen placed his elbow on the table, his gaze piercing Zhi Xuan. "I only offer knowledge, Young Master. Knowledge you can use to suppress the Devil and purify your heritage. Knowledge about cultivation paths that surpass ordinary formations. Knowledge you will never find in sects that seek glittering disciples."

  Zhi Xuan felt a pull. This was what he was looking for. Not a cage, but a roadmap. Ruo Xianxue, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up with a quick warning tone.

  ‘Monkey, he is too open. He is not a Devil, but he is far more dangerous than an ordinary cultivator. Whatever he offers, it must have a very thick karmic string attached.’

  Zhi Xuan nodded inwardly, agreeing with Ruo Xianxue. Yan Shen was the embodiment of pure risk. However, Zhi Xuan knew that to surpass, he had to take risks.

  "What must I pay for that knowledge, Senior?" Zhi Xuan asked, ignoring the steaming teacup in front of him.

  Yan Shen smiled, his eyes radiating genuine pleasure. "You have good instincts. I am not interested in spiritual stones, artifacts, or servitude. I only want you to arrive at the Thousand Heavens Sect."

  Zhi Xuan frowned. That was a strange request. If Yan Shen was such a powerful cultivator and possessed Heavenly authority, he could simply throw Zhi Xuan directly into the gate of the Thousand Heavens Sect effortlessly.

  "What do you mean, Senior?" Zhi Xuan asked, his tone cold and suspicious. "If you have the power to see something within me, bringing me to the Thousand Heavens Sect should be as easy as waving a hand."

  Yan Shen laughed again, this time a soothing and expansive laugh, like the undisturbed sky. "Young Master, you misunderstand. A dragon that is flown, will only decay. However, a dragon that attempts to fly with its own wings, is the sublime will of heaven."

  Yan Shen took his teacup, sipping the warm liquid calmly. His jade-like eyes no longer radiated a sharp scan, but only peaceful expectation.

  "I seek the foul but unbroken, Young Master," Yan Shen continued. "Your path is full of blood, yet you have a will and something interesting within you. I will give you a path, but how you step onto that path, depends on your will."

  Zhi Xuan stared at the old man intently, suspicion still churning in his heart. Yan Shen's desire to see him arrive at the Thousand Heavens Sect without direct intervention felt like a complex riddle. This was not merely a test, but a game played by a power far beyond his comprehension.

  "A path," Zhi Xuan repeated, trying to understand the implications. "What kind of path will you give, Senior?"

  Yan Shen shifted his gaze out the window, looking at the towering jade mountains behind the city. "There will be three tests to enter the Thousand Heavens Sect. Usually, they will test natural talent, Dao comprehension, and combat power. But for you, Young Master, there will be a fourth test."

  Zhi Xuan snorted softly. "A fourth test? For what? Isn't that unfair?"

  "Fair?" Yan Shen chuckled, the laughter containing no mockery, but deep irony. "This world is never fair, Young Master. That fourth test is to ensure that you are a dragon that can fly from the ashes, not just burnt garbage."

  Yan Shen looked back at Zhi Xuan, his gaze now serious. "Your fourth test will come from within the sect itself. I will give you a scroll. This scroll does not contain cultivation techniques or combat spells. It contains Knowledge of the Fifteen Ancient Devil Purifying Formations."

  Zhi Xuan's eyes widened slightly. Devil Purification? That was something directly related to his Devil Seed and Taiyin heritage.

  "Fifteen Ancient Devil Purifying Formations," Zhi Xuan murmured, his voice hoarse. "Why are you giving this to me?"

  "Because," Yan Shen replied, his voice calm, "only by purifying your own Devil can you surpass. The Thousand Heavens Sect, with all its grandeur, does not possess this knowledge. They fear the Devil, they annihilate it, but they do not understand how to purify it. This scroll will be your advantage, as well as your test."

  Yan Shen extended his hand, and from within his robe sleeve, an ancient white jade scroll appeared, radiating an aura of infinite wisdom. The scroll felt cold in Zhi Xuan's hand as he took it.

  "Study it, Young Master. With this knowledge, you can purify your foul Spiritual Blood and suppress the Devil Seed. However, you must be careful. The more you purify the Devil, the more it will demand you. This is a solitary and dangerous path. Only a true dragon can walk upon it."

  "And if I succeed," Zhi Xuan asked, "what do you expect from me?"

  Yan Shen smiled, the mysterious smile returning to his face. "If you succeed, Young Master, you will become one who can reach his own peak; you will also become one who can face his own heavenly karma and destiny. I expect nothing but for you to live out your own destiny, and to see how you will carve your Heavenly Dao."

  "And if I fail?"

  "Then you will become the perfect vessel for the Devil, and your destiny will end in the hands of the devil itself," Yan Shen answered, without emotion, as if it were an inevitable fact.