White lowered her head, clearly struggling with her emotions. After a long pause, she suddenly pulled out the storage bag Lauren had previously given her.

  “Sister… can I sell these to you?”

  Lauren blinked, confused.

  White continued awkwardly, “I don’t know how to refine pills, and these spiritual herbs are useless to me. I know I could exchange them for spirit stones outside… but I don’t understand the prices. I’m afraid someone will scam me.”

  Lauren felt a flicker of understanding.

  Humanoid demon beasts often gathered spiritual herbs to trade within human territories. After exchanging them for spirit stones, they would purchase pills, talismans, and cultivation resources.

  But beasts newly adapting to human society were notoriously na?ve. Being cheated was almost a rite of passage.

  Especially someone like White… who was painfully easy to fool.

  Lauren thought for a moment before speaking.

  “I’m not familiar with market prices either. How about this—I’ll prepare a jade slip for you. Take it to my grandfather. If you need anything, he’ll help you.”

  White’s face brightened instantly.

  “Really? Thank you, Sister!”

  Lauren carefully engraved her message into a jade pendant, embedding a detailed map leading to the Evercrest family estate.

  She then handed White two Thousand Mile Talismans along with several Explosive Spirit Talismans.

  “Keep these for protection,” Lauren said seriously. “If anyone tries to capture you, use one of the Thousand Mile Talismans to escape immediately. The other ones are what I used before. Handle them carefully… and don’t blow yourself to pieces. Understood?”

  White nodded obediently. “I understand, Sister.”

  “Good. Then go.”

  White’s combat experience was limited, but her natural speed made escape far easier. Most cultivators wouldn’t be able to catch her anyway.

  The extra Thousand Mile Talismans were simply insurance—just in case things went horribly wrong.

  After White left, Lauren contacted Dante through their communication token. She needed to warn him that once she entered the fifth level tomorrow, communication would likely become impossible.

  “I’m heading into the fifth level,” she said calmly. “If you can’t reach me tomorrow, don’t panic.”

  On the other end, Dante’s chest tightened.

  The fifth level?

  “Are you going in with that white bird?” he asked quickly.

  “No. I’m going alone. Her cultivation is still too low, so I sent her back.”

  Alone?!

  “That’s insane,” Dante said immediately. “Don’t go by yourself. It’s too dangerous.”

  “My master assigned this mission,” Lauren replied quietly. “I don’t have a choice.”

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  Dante fell silent. If it was a task personally assigned by the Immortal Venerable…

  “…Where are you right now?”

  Lauren deliberately withheld her location. Dante was only at the early Nascent Soul stage. If he tried to follow her, he would only put himself in danger.

  Traveling alone gave her the freedom to escape if necessary. Bringing companions would only restrict her movements.

  “I’m already at the entrance,” she said firmly. “I’m going in immediately. Don’t come.”

  Before he could argue further, she severed the connection and stepped directly into the fifth level.

  Everyone gathered around Dante anxiously.

  “Well?” someone asked. “What happened?”

  Dante exhaled slowly. “She went in… alone.”

  “Alone?!”

  “Yes. She said the Immortal Drake gave her a mission she has to complete.”

  A wave of shocked murmurs spread through the group.

  “That Immortal Drake is ruthless,” someone muttered. “Miss Lauren is only at early Nascent Soul, and he’s sending her into the fifth level?”

  “What if something happens to her?”

  “She survived the fourth level by herself,” another person argued. “Maybe she really can finish the mission.”

  “Besides, the Immortal Venerable must’ve given her powerful protective treasures. He wouldn’t send his disciple to die.”

  “…Hard to say,” someone said quietly. “Just look at the other disciples under that Immortal Venerable…”

  Their voice faded awkwardly into silence.

  The atmosphere instantly grew tense again.

  “Dante,” one of them asked, “what should we do?”

  Dante thought for a long moment before answering.

  “We contact our senior disciples who’ve reached Spirit Severing. We don’t enter the fifth level ourselves. We’d only slow her down.”

  ......

  Meanwhile, Lauren quietly selected a shorter route that appeared relatively safe.

  Using Hidden Breath Talismans and Hidden Spirit Talismans, she avoided countless roaming demonic beasts.

  Her mission wasn’t hunting or treasure gathering.

  It was escorting Edmund so he could complete the task assigned by her master.

  She proceeded with extreme caution, deliberately avoiding unnecessary battles.

  The first day passed relatively smoothly.

  She was only discovered once—by a bizarre beast with an unnaturally sharp sense of smell. Lauren killed it swiftly before it could alert other predators and safely endured the night.

  After pitching her tent and lighting a lantern, she immediately resumed drawing talismans.

  Useful or not, she wanted as many as possible.

  .....

  The second day remained stable.

  Elite seventh-tier demonic beasts typically guarded fixed territories. As long as she carefully skirted around their domains, she could avoid confrontation.

  Sixth-tier beasts were undeniably powerful, but they weren’t invincible.

  With enough Explosive Spirit Talismans, Lauren could simply overwhelm them through sheer destructive force.

  That night, she continued her preparations.

  She had lost count of how many talismans she’d drawn, yet she still couldn’t break through to becoming a seventh-grade Talisman Master.

  It wasn’t a matter of skill. Her craftsmanship was more than adequate.

  Her cultivation level was the bottleneck.

  To advance further, she needed stronger spiritual foundations.

  Late that night, however, an unexpected visitor arrived.

  A calm male voice called from outside her tent.

  “Fellow Daoist… may I share your tent for the night?”

  Lauren paused mid-stroke, her brush hovering above the talisman paper. Looking for company in the middle of the night?

  “No disrespect intended.”

  Lauren was about to respond again when Edmund suddenly stopped her through spiritual transmission.

  “Quiet. Don’t say anything. I’ll handle this.”

  A moment later, Edmund’s voice drifted from within the tent, deep and imposing, carrying a chilling authority.

  “I am accustomed to traveling alone. I do not share accommodations.”

  The presence in his voice was heavy enough to make even seasoned cultivators uneasy.

  Outside, the stranger immediately bowed toward the tent.

  “My apologies for disturbing you, senior.”

  Lauren then heard retreating footsteps fading into the distance.

  Lauren exhaled slowly in relief. She couldn’t travel with anyone else.

  Anyone reckless enough to wander around at night in this place was at least at the Spirit Severing stage.

  She, on the other hand, was only an early Nascent Soul cultivator—and she was carrying a ridiculous number of treasures. Anyone who didn’t kill her on sight would be a complete idiot.

  Pushing the thought aside, Lauren resumed drawing talismans.

  Not long after, the cultivator who had left earlier returned.

  “Something’s off… something’s definitely off…”

  From outside the tent, he stared at the shadow cast by the lantern light. The silhouette was clearly feminine, yet earlier he had heard a man’s voice from inside.

  She was disguising herself.

  It had to be that young female Nascent Soul cultivator he’d noticed during the day.

  A Nascent Soul cultivator daring to enter the fifth level alone could only mean one thing—she was likely a disciple of some terrifying powerhouse and was loaded with life-saving treasures. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have the guts.

  The realization made greed flare violently in his chest.

  Activating his Hidden Breath Talisman, he began creeping toward the tent with cautious steps.