He channeled his black jade essence to the maximum limit, using it not to fight, but to channel energy into his feet, forcing his stiff body to move. However, it felt like he was trying to move an ancient mountain. Zhu Qinglan's Will had bound the Space around him, not with Crude Law, but with Invisible Karmic Threads.

  "The promise," Zhu Qinglan said, her tone now closer, almost whispering beside Zhi Xuan's ear, as if she had transcended the bounds of physical distance in an instant. "The promise to become my Dao Protector."

  As those words hit Zhi Xuan's hearing, his body jerked violently, as if he had just been struck by a lightning bolt of will. His Heavenly Samsara Wheel trembled wildly in his Sea of Consciousness. He felt the Thick Karmic Bond, which he had long ignored, now activated by Zhu Qinglan's will, binding his Dao.

  Zhi Xuan, involuntarily, let out a low growl. His cold aura exploded, not the aura of Organ Transformation, but the foul ruthlessness of the Ancient Devil Law hiding within him. He turned abruptly, his sapphire eyes now adorned with faint red circles, radiating pure killing intent, directed straight at Zhu Qinglan.

  "That promise will be fulfilled when I surpass your Five Element realm, Holy Fairy!" Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice hoarse and sharp, filled with rage at this blatant manipulation. "Do not use the Law of Karma to force me!"

  That pure killing intent, released by an early-stage Organ Transformation cultivator, had enough weight to make the Five Element disciples around Zhu Qinglan flinch slightly, startled. The Intent did not originate from the mortal realm; it was the foul Devil Intent, the remnants of Ruo Xianxue's arrogance now unleashed.

  Wang Mao, who was nearby, felt that strange wave of Devil Law. His body shivered, not out of fear, but out of horror at the filthy foundation hidden within Zhi Xuan. Han Jue, on the other hand, smiled faintly, his eyes radiating deeper interest. Meanwhile, Su Baolian, who was behind, watched her brother anxiously.

  Zhu Qinglan did not flinch at all. The Devil Intent, which should have been able to shake the souls of ordinary Five Element realm cultivators, missed her as if she were merely a spring breeze. She remained standing gracefully, her light gray eyes meeting Zhi Xuan's wrath-filled sapphire eyes directly.

  "Oh?" Zhu Qinglan chuckled softly, her silver laugh returning. "So, you want to negotiate with destiny? You want to challenge the Law of Karma you carved yourself, Black-Haired Devil?"

  She stepped forward once more, now only an arm's length from Zhi Xuan. Her Five Element aura, which had been calm, suddenly radiated an irresistible majesty. It was a pure aura, but it carried the oppressive weight of a sacred mountain.

  "You promised to become my Dao Protector," Zhu Qinglan said, her voice serene, yet every word felt like thunder breaking Zhi Xuan's eardrums. "I have removed the Poison Sect and Young Master Gu for you. I have resolved the karma binding you, even though it was only a 'side mission' for me."

  She leaned in slightly, the pearls on her veil shimmering. "You may surpass my realm. I will wait for you. But right now, you are in the Thousand Heavens Sect, under the Hongmeng Empire. And I need you to perform a small task, Black-Haired Devil."

  "Task?" Zhi Xuan hissed, he managed to control his breathing. His Devilish ruthlessness was immediately sheathed, replaced by caution and cold calculation. Facing Zhu Qinglan, anger was a luxury. "What task?"

  "Simple," Zhu Qinglan replied, she raised her snow-white hand. Her palm faced upwards, as if asking for something. "Show me that broken Cauldron."

  Zhi Xuan flinched for the third time. Not due to Law pressure or Karmic threat, but due to the absolute acknowledgment. He frowned. How could Zhu Qinglan, the Holy Fairy of such a pure Ancient Clan, still remember the half-destroyed Cauldron he once bought from the Silver Moon Auction, which he had now reformed into the Divine Cauldron.

  He became wary, he knew Zhu Qinglan was asking about the Cauldron with the eclipse pattern. Meanwhile, Zhu Qinglan, the girl was very curious and wanted to see what kind of Cauldron it was that Zhi Xuan spent three hundred thousand spiritual jade coins to buy the rubbish item along with the Dilapidated Coffin.

  "What Cauldron are you speaking of, Holy Fairy Zhu?" Zhi Xuan countered, his voice returning to a cold and calm tone, maintaining a fragile arrogance. He tried to deny it, although he knew his denial would be futile.

  Zhu Qinglan tilted her head slightly, the pearls on her veil jingling softly. Her small silver laugh returned, but this time, the laughter felt cold and piercing, as if carving the fact into Zhi Xuan's mind.

  "You dare lie to me?" Zhu Qinglan said, her tone containing no anger, but pure disappointment, like a woman disappointed in an auction seller who lied about a valuable item. "A Cauldron originating from the Devil Fire Abyss must have something interesting behind it."

  She stepped closer, her aura like a pure sacred mountain felt oppressive, pressing every layer of Zhi Xuan's mental defense. "Of course, I remember. The broken Cauldron with the eclipse pattern on its surface. The Cauldron you bought along with the dilapidated coffin. The Cauldron that made you chased by Gu's guards."

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw, his defeat was absolute. Zhu Qinglan not only still remembered everything he had at that time, but even after decades, the girl still remembered it well. For a moment, Zhi Xuan's pale face was visible, he wanted to immediately run away from this place and avoid this predator in the guise of a beautiful woman.

  "Why do you need that Cauldron?" Zhi Xuan hissed, he no longer denied it. The killing intent he had just released was now fully controlled, replaced by tense calculation. He knew that the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron was the biggest secret after the Ancient Devil Monument and Xiao Die.

  "I do not need it," Zhu Qinglan replied calmly. Her tone was filled with soothing honesty, but to Zhi Xuan, it felt like poison released with elegance. "I merely want to see it. It is an Artifact that interests me. And as the one who resolved your karma in Shoutuo City, I have the right to ask for a small, insignificant compensation, Black-Haired Devil."

  "No," Zhi Xuan said firmly, his finality feeling like the climax of this tense conversation. He took a step back, shivering momentarily. "I ask the Holy Fairy to keep her distance from me."

  Zhi Xuan's backward step, driven by cold and measured rejection, seemed to break the thin membrane of tranquility on the crystal bridge. It was a declaration of defiance—an Organ Transformation cultivator rejecting the absolute command of a Holy Fairy of an Ancient Clan at the Five Element realm.

  "I do not mean to be presumptuous," Zhi Xuan continued, bowing slightly to give the impression of respect. "It is just that someone as majestic as you should be with a flock of Sky Dragons, not a Mud Worm like me."

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  He felt the sharp and judging gaze of the senior disciples, especially the man in the white robe beside Zhu Qinglan. Zhi Xuan knew he had just signed a decree of social death in the Thousand Heavens Sect. However, protecting the secret of the Divine Cauldron was far more important than mortal reputation.

  Zhu Qinglan's silver laugh returned, but this time, the laughter was no longer cold, but filled with a hint of genuine amusement. It was the joy of a predator who had cornered her most slippery prey.

  "Remarkable," Zhu Qinglan said, her voice containing a rare note of admiration. She no longer pressured Zhi Xuan with her Five Element aura, but she created a more dangerous atmosphere—cold confidence. "You have transcended mortal reluctance, Black-Haired Devil. You refuse compensation, even after I reminded you of the karma."

  She stepped back, returning to her calm, graceful posture, as if the emotional scene that had just occurred was merely a dance she created to entertain herself. The aura of pressure binding Zhi Xuan instantly lifted, making him feel as if the weight of a thousand mountains had just been lifted from his body.

  The man in the white robe beside her, who witnessed the debate between an early-stage Organ Transformation cultivator and Holy Fairy Zhu with wide eyes, whispered: "Holy Fairy, is he... Did he really refuse your request? Who is he?"

  Zhu Qinglan ignored the question. Her light gray eyes now returned to a profound boredom, as if the game was over and the prey had returned to its cage.

  "Very well," Zhu Qinglan said. Her tone was flat again. "I will not ask for the Cauldron again. It is yours, and I respect your secrecy."

  Zhi Xuan, who had just managed to regain his breath, looked at her suspiciously. He knew how slippery Zhu Qinglan was. Her pure grace often covered a very sharp and calculating mind. It was impossible for her to back down just because of a refusal.

  "Then?" Zhi Xuan countered, his voice calm, yet he suppressed the trembling in his heart. "What do you want now, Holy Fairy Zhu?"

  Zhu Qinglan smiled faintly behind her pearl veil, a smile that reached her eyes, but did not touch the clarity of her essence.

  "I want nothing now," she replied, her voice soft, as if she was announcing pleasant spring weather. "But, I have one request. Ten days from now, there will be the Annual Disciple Celebration. I hope you will be there."

  Her gentle laugh sounded again, and this time, it was an inviting sound, but in Zhi Xuan's ears, it sounded like a flute played by a ghost. He knew that Zhu Qinglan's seemingly harmless request—just attending a celebration—was actually a much more complicated trap than simply asking for an Artifact.

  "Annual Disciple Celebration?" Zhi Xuan repeated, his eyebrows slightly raised, his expression radiating the caution of an old fox. "For what reason, Holy Fairy?"

  Zhu Qinglan shrugged her slender shoulders, a very mortal movement for someone of the majestic Five Element realm. "No special reason. Just want to ensure that this newly arrived 'variable' is properly integrated. Besides," she glanced briefly at Fei Sheng and Feng Yi, then back to Zhi Xuan, "I think the other Southern Continent geniuses also deserve a proper welcome."

  She turned, as if the discussion was over, ignoring the still-stiff Zhi Xuan. The handsome man in the white robe beside her immediately nodded, his Path of Truth aura returning to stability, as if he had just witnessed a confusing drama.

  "Let us go, Holy Fairy," the man whispered, his gaze cold as he passed Zhi Xuan. "Do not waste your time on... an unimportant junior."

  Zhu Qinglan ignored the man, but she walked away gracefully, her steps light and calm. The pearls on her hairpin softly jingled, and her pure Five Element aura enveloped her back, making her look like a goddess leaving the stage.

  Zhi Xuan remained standing in the middle of the crystal bridge, his stiff body slowly relaxing. He felt the gaze of hundreds of passing senior disciples, their looks filled with curiosity, suspicion, and judgment. He knew the title Black-Haired Devil spoken by Holy Fairy Zhu had clung to him like foul ink since he was in the Dragon Fang Arena.

  "Damn it!" Zhi Xuan hissed in his mind. He cursed Zhu Qinglan, cursed her thick karmic promise, and cursed his bad luck. He came to the Thousand Heavens Sect to cultivate, not to be entertainment for an Ancient Clan Holy Fairy.

  He took a deep breath, his Black Jade essence spinning wildly, trying to cleanse the remnants of the Will pressure still clinging to his skin. It felt like he had just survived a Law trap that almost tore his Sea of Consciousness.

  "Beautiful women are always dangerous," Zhi Xuan muttered, his voice hoarse. He clenched his jaw, his expression returning to cold and sharp, sheathing the panic he had just shown.

  "You heard that, Monkey? The Annual Disciple Celebration. That is a trap wrapped in jade silk. She does not want your Cauldron. She wants to play with you," Ruo Xianxue hissed, his tone now filled with cold satisfaction. The Ancient Devil found amusement in Zhi Xuan's suffering.

  Zhi Xuan ignored the taunt. He looked forward again, towards the Consciousness Transformation Elder who was waiting with a flat face, and towards Han Jue, who was now staring at him with a thinner and more piercing smile.

  Fei Sheng, whose face was still pale, grabbed Zhi Xuan's arm. "Brother Zhi Xuan! What... what just happened? Why did Holy Fairy Zhu... why did she recognize you as the Black-Haired Devil? What happened in Shoutuo City?"

  Zhi Xuan pulled his arm away with a quick and cold motion. "Nothing important, Brother Fei. It is merely an insignificant past matter. Holy Fairy Zhu has such a sharp mind, she remembers every earthworm she has ever stepped on. Do not think about it."

  "Earthworm?" Wang Mao, standing tall, finally spoke up, his tone filled with burning rage at feeling humiliated. He had just been passed by Zhu Qinglan, and now Zhi Xuan's nickname felt like a personal insult. "Are you insulting yourself? Or are you insulting us, because we stood near you?"

  Zhi Xuan turned towards Wang Mao, his gaze as cold as newly formed ice. There was no guilt, no apology, only measured ruthlessness. He knew Wang Mao was looking for an outlet for the sense of shame he had just felt, the shame of being ignored by the Holy Fairy.

  "What you heard, Senior Wang," Zhi Xuan countered, his voice flat and low, "is what you want to hear. I insult no one but my past self. If you feel humiliated by my position, feel free to stay away. I will not force you to stand near this 'mud worm'."

  Wang Mao clenched his jaw, his volcano-like aura turbulent, but he did not dare release his anger on the spiritual platform of the Thousand Heavens Sect. Especially after witnessing how Holy Fairy Zhu easily subdued the Five Element pressure of her senior disciple.

  Han Jue, standing slightly ahead, turned fully, his smile now gone, replaced by an expression of deep sharpness. He observed the interaction, processing not only the words but also the karmic essence that had just been radiated.

  "Enough," Han Jue said, his voice not loud, but containing the irresistible weight of the Golden Dragon Law. It was the weight of a Will that was calming, yet absolute. "We are in the Thousand Heavens Sect. Focus on cultivation. Past matters belong to the past. Today, we have new challenges."

  Han Jue looked at Zhi Xuan, an icy cold flash crossed his eyes. "Brother Zhi Xuan. The Three Heavens Jade Refinement Pond awaits. Perhaps, this is your chance to show whether that 'mud worm' foundation is truly as strong as your Ancient Beast claims."

  Zhi Xuan met Han Jue's gaze coldly. He understood that Han Jue's words were both a warning and an invitation. A warning not to forget the weight of his low realm, and an invitation to enter the bloodless arena of combat that was about to occur.

  "Of course, Senior Han," Zhi Xuan countered, his voice returning to a flat formal tone, hiding the storm of emotions he had just experienced. "The Refinement Pond will show which is pure Jade, and which is merely ordinary stone. I have never relied on the Ancient Beast, only on the Dao I carved myself."

  He moved his feet, his steps now stable again, filled with cold and measured intent. Zhu Qinglan was gone, and now he had to face a more structured and immediate threat: the geniuses of the Thousand Heavens Sect, and the critical eyes that had witnessed his shame.

  The Elder leading the group sighed, his expression remaining flat, but there was a thin trace of annoyance in his eyes. This debate, involving the great name of the Ancient Zhu Clan, was clearly an unpleasant beginning for this group of new disciples.

  "Follow me," the Elder commanded, his voice returning to weighty and absolute. "The Three Heavens Jade Refinement Pond is on the main spiritual peak. Only those who have completed the selection are allowed to enter. Time is essence here. Do not waste time on mortal matters."

  The group of ten geniuses resumed their journey across the crystal bridge. The ensuing silence was now far heavier than before, filled with the unresolved tension between Zhi Xuan, Wang Mao, and Han Jue, as well as the hanging questions about Zhi Xuan's relationship with Holy Fairy Zhu.

  Zhi Xuan walked in the back, ensuring he maintained a safe distance from Han Jue and Wang Mao. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing his Black Jade essence to spin, purifying his thoughts and calming his Wood Heart. He had to temper the Earth Spleen immediately.