The remainder of the journey was peaceful—surprisingly so. Perhaps due to its brevity, they encountered no troubles beyond Qing Chu's idiotic remarks.

  They arrived before the Qing Clan's entrance in no time. Today's guards greeted Instructor Huan and Qing Linxi with enthusiasm.

  Apparently—based on conversations during their travel—both were quite popular within the clan. Qing Xuanling had initially found this strange, but the odd one strange out to be her.

  Among Qing Clan youths, knowing renowned figures like Qing Huan and Qing Linxi was the norm. Only Qing Xuanling—who had devoted all her attention to cultivation and had no friends besides Qing Wentian—remained oblivious to such matters.

  Still, Qing Xuanling noticed the guards also regarded her with peculiar eyes. She usually got along well with clan guards, typically receiving warm glances—not the brilliant, admiring stares usually reserved for Instructor Huan and Qing Linxi.

  She immediately grew uncomfortable under those radiant gazes.

  She averted her eyes and quickly entered Qing Clan territory. Instructor Huan and the others swiftly followed.

  "Little Xuanling—slow down. We need to report this to the patriarch." Qing Linxi took her arm. "You must be present too!"

  Qing Xuanling forced a smile at the sudden physical contact but didn't pull away. She wanted to ask Qing Linxi about her body cultivation technique. Cultivating a good relationship early wouldn't hurt.

  With no other choice, she let Qing Linxi do as she pleased. Soon, they passed through the mortal district and entered the common cultivator zone. The strange looks directed at Qing Xuanling intensified.

  Even the others noticed—but said nothing. Reporting the mission took priority over gossip.

  They ignored the stares and reached the third layer of Qing Clan territory: the elders' and family branchs zone.

  The Qing Clan could be divided into two groups: cultivators born from mortals, and cultivators from family branches.

  The main difference between the two was obvious—one comprised mortal-born children who awakened spiritual roots, the other descendants of clan members with great contributions.

  Beyond resource allocation, there was no differential treatment—not since the Young Master began making decisions. He ensured both groups received as equal treatment as possible, greatly reducing hostility between both.

  Still, they weren't fully united. For instance, family branch youths received education within their own branches, rarely interacting with common clan members.

  'They're also the clan's primary source of experts. Only rare cases like Qing Wentian—who was born with a special physique despite mortal origins—have broken that norm in recent years. And even he received multiple adoption offers from them…'

  Qing Xuanling held no opinion about the family branches. She simply found them mysterious.

  As she pondered this, Instructor Huan led them toward the Green Heaven Palace—the site of clan meetings.

  It was a grand palace seemingly crafted by nature itself. Light green stone speckled with white cloud-like patterns formed a perfect palace shape despite showing no signs of human craftsmanship. It resembled a naturally formed rock formation brought to the clan.

  A guard stationed before the Green Heaven Palace snapped to attention upon seeing them. His eyes gleamed at Instructor Huan—but he still fulfilled his duty.

  "What business do you have at the Green Heaven Palace?!"

  The abrupt interrogation didn't faze Instructor Huan. He simply replied, "Please inform the patriarch that Qing Huan, along with five other clan members, has come to report on a mission involving demonic cultivators."

  The guard's eyes trembled—but he quickly entered the palace to report. A minute later, he emerged and opened the palace gates.

  Instructor Huan nodded in thanks and entered with the others. Soon, they found themselves walking down a long corridor lined with statues.

  The corridor seemed endless—no doors in sight, only two long rows of statues adding variation to the monotonous passage that remained identical no matter how far they walked.

  Though the statues were undeniably impressive—portraits of various individuals—Qing Xuanling could clearly sense emotions radiating from them: ferocity, righteousness, nonchalance.

  She grew quite interested in several statues she passed. Lost in contemplation, she didn't realize they'd reached the corridor's end—a massive door awaiting them.

  "Clan member Qing Huan requests entry to the ancestral meeting hall." His voice was strong and respectful.

  The others followed suit.

  "Clan member Qing Wan requests entry to the ancestral meeting hall."

  "Clan member Qing Ziyi requests entry to the ancestral meeting hall."

  "Clan mem—"

  Qing Xuanling was slightly startled—but quickly imitated them.

  "Cl—clan member Qing Xuanling requests entry to the ancestral meeting hall."

  Silence filled the corridor for a moment before they received a response.

  "You may enter."

  The patriarch Qing Yunkang's characteristically solemn voice sounded from behind the great door, which began opening on its own. Instructor Huan and the others entered with solemn expressions. Qing Xuanling hurried after them, her heart pounding rapidly.

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  This would be her first direct encounter with the clan chief.

  The chamber beyond the great door was spacious—so vast that even with the large rectangular table at its center, it felt somewhat empty.

  Qing Yunkang—with his fierce red hair and scar-covered face—sat in the main seat, gazing directly at them. The Young Master, Qing Yenglan, stood at his side.

  "The presence of demonic cultivators on this mission was quite probable, Qing Huan." Qing Yunkang's authoritative voice befit a clan patriarch. "Why trouble me with such expected news?"

  Everyone except Instructor Huan and the Young Master swallowed hard. Qing Yunkang's voice resonated powerfully against the walls—a commanding presence that demanded absolute honesty.

  "Certainly, as you said, Patriarch—the presence of a demonic cultivator was expected." Instructor Huan frowned. "The problem is there wasn't just one—but five—along with a carefully prepared trap!"

  Qing Yunkang's eyes narrowed, his thoughts racing as he instantly grasped the situation's gravity. He fell silent for several seconds, analyzing everything before finally asking:

  "Did you discover who's behind this?" Qing Yunkang grimaced. "We were clearly the target—so it can only be the Mo Clan or the Ink Sword Sect. They've been closely watching us since suspecting we've been concealing our strength."

  Instructor Huan nodded, his brow furrowed. "I suspected them too—but extracted nothing from the demonic cultivators. They were too strong, their techniques extremely mysterious and heretical. I nearly died facing just one."

  The Young Master interjected, eyebrows raised. "You had Qing Linxi and Qing Ziyi with you—and still struggled? That's concerning!"

  "Those demonic cultivators devised an extremely careful plan exploiting our weaknesses. In fact—if not for one variable—I wouldn't be standing here…" Instructor Huan smiled wryly, glancing sideways at Qing Xuanling.

  The other mission members nodded in agreement—except Qing Chu. They too believed Instructor Huan's survival hinged on Qing Xuanling—the little prodigy.

  These subtle glances filled Qing Yunkang's and the Young Master's eyes with interest.

  Qing Yunkang stroked his chin while examining Qing Xuanling from head to toe. "Isn't this the girl with complete spiritual roots you've kept supporting, Yenglan? I remember her clearly! Because of her, your eye for talent has been criticized by some snakes in the clan!"

  Everyone's expressions—especially Qing Xuanling's—hardened. An uncomfortable silence filled the hall…

  Qing Yunkang only realized the situation when no one responded for a long moment.

  "Eh? Ah—damn, I must've said something pretty bad… Oh well, never mind!" Qing Yunkang burst into laughter. "Anyway—based on what Instructor Huan said, your eye for talent remains as sharp as ever, Yenglan!"

  The Young Master smiled wryly. "Master—please stay silent next time if you're going to say something like that… Sigh—though you're right. My eye has always remained sharp. Elder Brother Huan, could you explain the mission details thoroughly?"

  Once his initial shock passed, Instructor Huan nodded and meticulously recounted every step of the mission: their arrival at the mortal village, the strange circumstances they noticed, their separation, and the appearance of puppets children alongside Zi Moyan.

  He eloquently described the battle, allowing listeners to vividly imagine the struggle in their minds.

  He finally reached the part where Qing Xuanling first severed Zi Moyan's arm—a detail he hadn't yet shared with anyone, not even his mission companions.

  "At that moment, Zi Moyan was controlling a puppet child via telekinesis, attempting to make it explode near me. That's when Ling'er suddenly appeared—sword raised, ready to strike."

  "The puppet child was about to reach me, so Zi Moyan must have decided he'd rather take the girl's seemingly weak attack and wound me. What neither of us expected was that Ling'er attempted to imitate part of my spear technique—somehow condensing her sharp Qi!"

  Everyone's eyes widened upon hearing this. 'Battlefield enlightenment after witnessing a technique!'

  Even Qing Linxi and the others were stunned. Though they'd heard fragments before, they hadn't expected Qing Xuanling's enlightenment stemmed from Instructor Huan's technique.

  That meant she'd conceived something entirely new for the first time—and actually executed it!

  They'd initially assumed Qing Xuanling already had some concept of condensing sharp Qi, and that the life-or-death situation triggered an epiphany—not that she'd learned something entirely novel from nothing!

  That was absolutely monstrous!

  But the next part of Instructor Huan's report shocked them further. He described how Zi Moyan transformed into a monster and nearly killed him before Qing Xuanling suddenly intervened.

  "That girl appeared unexpectedly—to my surprise—with sharp Qi far more condensed than before! The brat actually detected flaws in her initial method of condensing sharp Qi and drastically improved it! With that, severing the tentacles became simple…"

  Again, everyone's expressions filled with shock as they stared at Qing Xuanling in disbelief. This girl was truly abnormal!

  Qing Yunkang looked at Qing Xuanling with slightly parted lips before turning to the Young Master. "Yenglan—if anyone else dares doubt your eye for talent, tell me—I'll kill them myself! You're a damn god at unearthing hidden gems!"

  Even the Young Master appeared somewhat dazed as he regarded Qing Xuanling. His dark eyes were profound as gears turned rapidly in his mind.

  'First-tier talent! Her destiny has been strange since I first saw her—preventing me from knowing precisely whether she was a good investment! But it seems I didn't err in betting on her! Who would've thought she'd be a protagonist with trash talent but godlike comprehension!'

  The Young Master was excited. Unlike Qing Yunkang—who paid little attention to minor matters—he knew the Alchemy Hall master was currently searching for Qing Xuanling while proclaiming her the clan's greatest alchemical genius.

  Qing Xuanling had already demonstrated that she possessed a golden finger or a divine comprehension!

  The Young Master had to resist the impulse to snatch Qing Xuanling and place her directly under his command, showering her with maximum resources.

  But he had to maintain dignity before Qing Yunkang and the others. He smiled faintly, barely containing his excitement.

  "Elder Brother Huan's report was quite clear. There are serious matters to address—but I believe we should first proceed to the… rewards." His smile deepened. "It's clear they cannot remain the same as before."

  Instructor Huan's and the others' eyes—especially Qing Xuanling's—shone with excitement as they eagerly looked toward the Young Master.

  Qing Yunkang frowned and opened his mouth to announce the rewards—as befit his role as patriarch—but the Young Master spoke first. He smiled sincerely, ignoring Qing Yunkang's astonished gaze.

  "The danger you all faced was immense—far greater than anything encountered in clan missions over the past decade." The Young Master tilted his head as if trying to recall something. "Mmm… As I remember, the greatest reward given for a mission in the past decade was a custom high-grade artifact for all mission members…"

  He smiled as he tapped his palm with a fist. "Therefore, this time's reward should be a custom high-grade artifact and one thousand contribution points for everyone!"

  Qing Xuanling's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. High-grade artifact and one thousand contribution points!

  She'd never expected such generous rewards! Beyond the obviously marvelous high-grade artifact, contribution points were extremely valuable within the clan—usable to purchase all sorts of special goods.

  Each point held the value of five spirit stones! Though not directly exchangeable for spirit stones, that still amounted to five thousand spirit stones in value—the greatest wealth Qing Xuanling had ever possessed in her life!

  She wasn't the only one stunned by the generous reward.

  Qing Yunkang looked at the Young Master while rapidly sending a voice transmission: "Y-Yenglan?! Aren't you being too generous? I believe this is the best reward ever given to Qi Refinement cultivators in the past century!"

  The Young Master understood Qing Yunkang's surprise—but offered no explanation. He simply dismissed Qing Xuanling and the others.

  "Go tomorrow to the clan's Forging Hall. I'll have the clan's best refiners prepared to take your orders." He smiled brilliantly. "And Qing Xuanling—you may be summoned in the coming days. Stay alert."

  Qing Xuanling nodded without fully comprehending—still exhilarated by the magnificent rewards.