Amidst the silence created around him, Zhi Xuan focused his divine sense on the Dragon Decree Board. Thousands of lines of ancient writing flashed, most of them mundane tasks: escorting Sect Elders to mortal cities, clearing spiritual beast nests in remote mountains, or retrieving rare herbs from dangerous territories.

  Zhi Xuan ignored these missions. He needed a mission that would take him to a challenging environment, a place where he could practice the newly acquired Heaven-Grade Martial Art, the Third Heaven Thunder Slash, without causing unnecessary commotion in the Thousand Heavens Sect. He needed a quiet and isolated battlefield.

  Just as Zhi Xuan's divine sense focused on the core of the jade slab, a line of ancient writing caught his attention. The line, inscribed in faint golden ink, radiated a fluctuation slightly older and more dangerous than the other missions.

  A mission that required him to go to a former Ancient City from the Primordial era, where something trapped the soul of every cultivator who came. It was said that ancient spirits inhabited the city, drawing in anyone who set foot on the ground.

  The decree stated that no one was allowed to touch the ground and must remain airborne. For what reason was not further explained, only saying that there was a Taiyin Holy Pool there. This made Zhi Xuan's eyes widen for a moment because he had personally seen and even felt the powerful yet draining Taiyin essence before.

  Moreover, Xiao Die as the heavenly moth was found by Zhi Xuan in an area adjacent to the Taiyin Holy Pool. This was a golden opportunity that was not just a great risk, but a chance to once again navigate the Taiyin Holy Water.

  The mission required every disciple to set up a Thousand Heavens Sect formation there, so that the Sect Formation would draw pure essence from the Taiyin. Zhi Xuan could also hear whispers behind him, discussing many Seniors who failed but also not a few who succeeded.

  "I heard, the Taiyin Holy Pool in the Ancient City is the purest of all other Holy Pools." one of the sky-blue robed disciples in the corner of the room said, his eyes radiating a conspiracy story, fabricated or not. "And guess what? No one is allowed to set foot there, I mean why can they only fly but not step on the ground?"

  “Maybe the ground there is too sacred?” another disciple countered, who seemed to prefer a simple explanation, though his eyes radiated doubt.

  “Sacred? Perhaps,” the first disciple cut in, his voice containing a deeper tone of conspiracy. “Or maybe… because beneath the ground of that Ancient City something is alive. Something that will drain the life essence of anyone who dares to touch it. Isn't there a legend that the Taiyin Holy Pool is the eye of a sleeping Underground Dragon?”

  “A sleeping Underground Dragon? Don't be ridiculous, Senior Brother,” the second disciple refuted, although he was whispering and glancing around nervously. “That's just a mortal tale created to scare young cultivators. The Thousand Heavens Sect would not send us to a Dragon's lair.”

  “But remember, someone said Daoist Senior Xing failed that mission last year,” the first disciple countered, his voice now even lower. “He was a Peak Consciousness Transformation cultivator. He returned with his Dao almost collapsing, and he swore he heard the crying of souls from underground. He insisted that the city was a prison, not an abandoned city.”

  The whispers seeped into Zhi Xuan's ears, but he ignored them. Mortal horror whispers about dragons or ancient spirits did not hold his interest. What was appealing was the Taiyin Holy Pool. He had personally felt the power of the Taiyin essence in the past, an extremely pure and cold Yin essence, perfect for purifying and condensing the soul.

  A familiar feeling about Taiyin gripped him, how he was once supported by Taiyin but also eroded by Taiyin. Now, he had reached Consciousness Transformation and his essence and spiritual blood were no longer easily contaminated by Taiyin.

  Five hundred High-Grade Spiritual Stones and one Pure Yin Essence Crystal were a substantial reward for a mid-grade mission, a clear indication of the danger at the location. However, what caught Zhi Xuan's attention was not the reward, but the opportunity to return to the familiar Taiyin battlefield.

  On his shoulder, Xiao Die, the Thousand Feathered Moth, suddenly became restless. It flapped its soft rainbow wings on Zhi Xuan's shoulder, the chirp it emitted felt anxious, a resonance with the Taiyin Holy Pool, which was the place where it once nearly lost its life and was confined there.

  "Another Taiyin Holy Pool," Zhi Xuan murmured in his heart, a cold smile twisting his lips. He channeled a soothing will to Xiao Die. "Do not be afraid, Xiao Die. We have been through it before. This time, Taiyin will not be able to erode us."

  Zhi Xuan shifted his gaze from Xiao Die, back to the Dragon Decree Board. His slender index finger touched the captivating line of golden writing, and his divine sense fluctuation registered him for the mission. A jade scroll immediately shot out from the stone slab, floating before him.

  He took the jade scroll, and his divine sense quickly absorbed its contents. Besides detailed instructions on the formation to be set up and the precise location of the Taiyin Holy Pool, there was also a stern warning about the danger of that Primordial Ancient City.

  "Mission confirmed," a cold voice said from behind the jade slab, there was no figure there, only a mechanism controlled by the Great Formation. "You have one month to complete this mission. Failure will result in a reduction of Sect contribution points and a review of disciple status."

  Zhi Xuan nodded, ignoring the warning. One month. That was more than enough. With his stable foundation and the newly acquired Third Heaven Thunder Slash, this mission would be a perfect training ground. He turned, ignoring the curious stares of the disciples. His steps were calm and measured as he walked out of the Mission Hall. His sky-blue robe fluttered softly, contrasting with the faint aura of darkness that still enveloped him.

  "Taiyin," Ruo Xianxue muttered, his voice containing a deep ancient tone, far beyond the previous boredom and annoyance. "Another Taiyin Holy Pool. Such a pure Yin source. Monkey, you chose a very stupid mission… or a very clever one."

  "What is it, Great Saint?" Zhi Xuan asked in his mind, his tone flat. "Do you have a bad feeling about this place?"

  "Bad feeling?" Ruo Xianxue snorted. "I am a Great Saint who once navigated the Taiyin River in the Nine Heavens. Bad feelings are for mortals. I only sense resonance. A deep resonance. Pure Taiyin is indeed alluring. But a place that traps the souls of cultivators, that forbids contact with the ground… that is not ordinary Taiyin."

  Zhi Xuan stopped walking, his calm steps halted momentarily at the Mission Hall exit threshold. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine, not from the cold Sect air, but from the resonance of Ruo Xianxue's words. He stepped aside briefly onto the terrace and stood staring at the clear sky.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "What do you mean by that, Great Saint?" Zhi Xuan asked back. "Is it not the same Taiyin we encountered in the pocket world of the Jade Immortal School?"

  “The Taiyin you encountered was a trace, Monkey,” Ruo Xianxue countered, his voice in the Consciousness Realm no longer sounding amused, but carrying the weight of cold majesty. “The Taiyin you encountered was the remnant of a Pool that once existed. It was merely a suppression on a Formation. But this one… Primordial Ancient City. Taiyin Holy Pool. The prohibition to touch the ground.”

  The Ancient Devil paused for a moment, his voice now like the creaking of rusty cosmic chains. “You must understand one thing, Zhi Xuan. Taiyin is Extreme Yin. It gives birth to souls and purifies them. But if the Pool is located in a place that forbids contact with the Earth, it means there is a conflict between the Yin of Heaven and the Yin of Earth. Or worse; there is an Ancient Being that refuses to be cleansed by Taiyin.”

  Zhi Xuan stood straight on the Mission Hall terrace, illuminated by the sun's light that felt bland next to his aura. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the mountain wind strike his sky-blue robe. In his Sea of Consciousness, he processed the Great Saint's words, which carried the weight of ancient era knowledge.

  "Ancient Being that refuses to be cleansed by Taiyin," Zhi Xuan repeated, his voice in his mind flat, but a sharp tension shrouded his thoughts. He was not afraid of danger, but he respected entities that surpassed mortal logic. "However, some disciples have successfully brought back Taiyin Holy Water from there. Should… Should we go ask for guidance first for this mission?"

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes, and his sapphire gaze encircled by red rings stared straight at the towering Jade Immortal Peak in the distance. A new cruel and ironic plan appeared in his mind. He had just been bound by the Binding Decree to receive Dao pointers from Holy Fairy Zhu every five days. Now, he would reverse that will.

  "This is the fourth day," Zhi Xuan muttered to himself, realizing the time that had passed since the Earth Law Palm slap incident. Tomorrow was the fifth day, the day he had to visit Holy Fairy Zhu. "I will use that Dao pointer, not for the Third Heaven Thunder Slash, but for information about Taiyin."

  Zhi Xuan sneered coldly, a sneer that did not reach his eyes, but merely carved a sharp line on his lips. An impulsive yet calculating thought crossed his mind, a thought that was entirely not wrong since he was asking for guidance, although he would only end up getting a sharp glare.

  "I will visit Zhu Qinglan today as well," Zhi Xuan decided. "Preempting the Decree. I will show her that I am not afraid of her binding 'punishment', but I will exploit it."

  He turned from the terrace, channeling his divine sense to summon the Seven Star Boat. A flying artifact made from Star Burial Forest Pine immediately whizzed out from his storage bag, radiating an aura of speed and faded stars.

  "I cannot let Mei and Ling'er return and report that I have wasted time," Zhi Xuan muttered. He jumped onto the Seven Star Boat. The Thousand Feathered Moth on his shoulder, Xiao Die, flapped its soft rainbow wings, as if agreeing with the sudden change in its master's plan.

  The Seven Star Boat shot out. Its speed cut through the air, leaving a trail of fading starlight behind it. No disciple in the Mission Hall dared to comment. They only saw the Black-Haired Devil shooting towards Jade Immortal Peak, as if he had not been slapped out of there less than four days ago.

  As the Seven Star Boat approached Jade Immortal Peak, Zhi Xuan felt countless pure Water Laws swirling around its peak, a natural shield radiating a suffocating calmness. Zhu Qinglan must have sensed his arrival. Zhi Xuan stopped his boat right at the Peak Formation boundary, he dared not step in without permission, not after the Earth Law Palm slap incident. He jumped down, the Seven Star Boat immediately whizzed and disappeared back into his jade ring.

  He stood at the threshold of the Formation, his posture calm and cold. Not long after, the Water Law curtain rippled, and a servant figure appeared. It was Mei, whose eyes radiated genuine surprise, but she quickly sheathed it in strict formality.

  “Young Master Zhi Xuan,” Mei said, bowing deeply. “Holy Fairy Zhu was not expecting your visit today. Today is the fourth day; the meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.”

  Zhi Xuan sighed, his breath exited as a sharp mist that immediately dispersed. He ignored Mei's surprised tone. He knew he had succeeded in disrupting Zhu Qinglan's composure, and that was his initial goal.

  “Please convey to Holy Fairy Zhu,” Zhi Xuan countered, his voice flat and cold. He did not use a begging tone; he used a tone of claiming his right. “I have just acquired my first mission, and I require her Dao guidance today as well. This is part of the Dao pointers she promised as part of the compensation.”

  Mei was silent for a moment. Her Late Organ Transformation eyes radiated quick thinking. She understood Zhi Xuan's cunning. The Black-Haired Devil was reversing the Binding Decree, using the Dao pointers that were supposed to be a punishment as a service he demanded.

  “Wait a moment, Young Master Zhi Xuan,” Mei said, her tone no longer surprised, but wary. She turned and immediately disappeared behind the ripple of the Water Law curtain, rushing to report.

  Zhi Xuan stood at the threshold of the Jade Immortal Peak Formation. He waited, his posture as calm as a sheathed sword. He did not have to wait long. The water curtain rippled again, and this time, Mei returned, followed by Ling’er. Between them, a graceful figure appeared—Holy Fairy Zhu Qinglan.

  Zhu Qinglan wore a different silk robe, a deep blue with delicate silver water embroidery, radiating a calm yet authoritative water aura. She was not wearing a veil. Her incomparably beautiful face now radiated genuine surprise, mixed with suppressed anger and sharp curiosity. She was clearly just called from her cultivation.

  She stood behind the Formation curtain, separating herself from Zhi Xuan. That distance was a re-affirmation of the boundary of honor he had just violated.

  “Zhi Xuan,” Zhu Qinglan said, her voice calm, but with a cold layer that could freeze a river. “You violate the Decree. Your visit is scheduled for tomorrow. What makes you so impatient and dare to violate the tranquility of Jade Immortal Peak today?”

  Zhi Xuan bowed slightly, a quick formal gesture of respect. He ignored Zhu Qinglan's cold tone.

  “Holy Fairy Zhu,” Zhi Xuan countered, his voice flat, but a layer of steel wrapped around it. “I come today not out of impatience, but out of duty. After stabilizing my foundation with the very valuable Heaven's Breath Grass you provided, I immediately took my first mission to cover my tracks before the Great Emperor's mission.”

  He did not touch on the matter of the embrace or the slap. He only focused on logic and duty, an attempt to reverse the narrative from a personal conflict to a pressing sect matter.

  “First mission?” Zhu Qinglan narrowed her ocean eyes, the surprise on her face now replaced by sharp analysis. She had seen Zhi Xuan move fast, but did not expect him to take a mission this quickly. “What kind of mission demands a Dao pointer today as well? Haven't you just received a Heaven-Grade Martial Art that is more than enough to face any Consciousness Transformation mission?”

  “Mission to the Primordial Ancient City,” Zhi Xuan countered. He saw a subtle change in Zhu Qinglan's eyes, a flash of acknowledgment that could not be hidden. “A mission to set up the Sect Formation near the Taiyin Holy Pool.”

  The name Taiyin Holy Pool echoed in the cold air of Jade Immortal Peak. Zhu Qinglan's expression, which had been calm, now radiated deep unease. She stepped back half a step, the water aura around her swirling faster, showing her internal anxiety.

  “Primordial Ancient City? Why did you take that mission, Zhi Xuan?” Zhu Qinglan hissed, her voice low and full of danger. “That mission is a trap created by an Ancient Formation. It is not physical danger that threatens, but danger to the Dao Will. And, the Annual Disciple Celebration is in six days!”

  Zhi Xuan maintained his calm and cold posture at the Formation threshold. He had read Zhu Qinglan's reaction perfectly. The Holy Fairy's unease was confirmation of everything Ruo Xianxue had whispered. The mission to the Primordial Ancient City was not merely a mid-grade task; it was a test of will, an arena built on dangerous ruins.

  “A trap?” Zhi Xuan countered, his tone flat and indifferent, as if he was just commenting on the price of Spiritual Stones. “Precisely because it is a trap, the mission is worth taking, Holy Fairy Zhu. If I want to carve a Dao that is capable of challenging Heaven and Earth, I cannot avoid Ancient Formations, or the Dao will traps created by ancestors.”

  He stepped forward slightly, emphasizing his claim without violating the Formation boundary. “I need a quiet battlefield to test the Third Heaven Thunder Slash you gave me, and at the same time challenge my own Dao will. Haven't you yourself wished for me to become an unparalleled Dao Protector?”