Alert! The Dragon Lord has emerged from seclusion!

"But the investigation of hidden agents is still ongoing."

"Furthermore," she paused, "the higher-ups of various factions hope you can come forward and explain the matter concerning the fragments of the Heavenly Dao and the seeds of chaos."

Lin Chen understood.

Such a significant matter certainly requires an explanation to the entire cultivation world.

"Then let's go back."

The seven packed their belongings and took one last look at the temporary cave dwelling where they had lived for two months, as well as the now deserted Kunlun Heavenly Prison.

The ice pool remained pitch black, but it no longer emitted the chilling radiation.

The seven stone halls stand silently, as if still waiting for their master to return.

When we left Kunlun Heavenly Prison, the snow had just stopped.

Seven figures trudged through the unmelted snow, walking amidst the vast glaciers.

Lin Chen walked at the front, the chaotic energy naturally flowing around him, impervious to wind and snow, and even the snow under his feet automatically parted to form a path.

The Ice Heart Pendant around his neck pressed against his skin, sending a cool sensation through him, as if his master, Bai Bingli, were silently by his side.

"Finally, we're going back."

Ye Qingcheng took a deep breath of the crisp, cold air. The Frost Soul Sword emitted a soft hum in the scabbard on her back, resonating with her Frosty Yin Qi.

"After spending two months in the Heavenly Prison, I've almost forgotten what the outside world looks like."

Su Qingxue walked beside her, her icy blue eyes sweeping over the distant, snow-capped peaks: "The outside world may not be peaceful. Although the Heavenly Alliance has collapsed, its spies have not been eliminated, and the intentions of various factions are difficult to fathom."

Her profound Yin energy was even purer and more restrained than it had been two months ago, and within a three-zhang radius around her, the falling snowflakes became slow and regular in their trajectory.

Shen Qingqiu, who was writing something in his notebook, looked up and adjusted his glasses upon hearing this: "Information from Xiaoyao Valley indicates that various factions have been making frequent moves in the past three months."

"Longhu Mountain, Shu Mountain, and Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea are all conducting internal investigations, and it is said that several Tiandao Alliance spies who have been lying in wait for many years have been uncovered."

"What about Miao territory and northern Xinjiang?" Mu Qingyao asked with concern.

Her Gu spirit light established a faint connection with the few cold-resistant plants lurking under the ice and snow along the way, constantly sensing the environment.

"Under the leadership of Sect Master Lan Fenghuang, the Miao Jiang Gu Sect has wiped out the remaining forces around Luoyue Town."

Shen Qingqiu flipped through his notes. "The shamanistic religion in the northern frontier is relatively closed off, but the High Priest Saru sent a message saying that they have confirmed the purity of the religion through ancestral spirit rituals."

Holding her drawing board, Chu Ling'er suddenly whispered, "I sense... the presence of 'people' thirty miles ahead."

"Many, at least twenty, with... well-intentioned wariness?"

My perception of psychic powers is now sharper and more precise than before.

Lin Chen continued walking: "It's the support team from Xiaoyao Valley. Ling Feng should be among them."

Sure enough, half an hour later, a group of more than twenty people came into view at the glacier pass ahead.

The leader was none other than Ling Feng.

He stood tall and straight in the snow, dressed in the standard silver armor of the Ice Guard and a white cloak over his shoulders, like a javelin.

Upon seeing Lin Chen and the others, a look of relief flashed in his eyes, and he quickly stepped forward.

"Young Master!" Ling Feng clasped his hands in greeting, his gaze quickly sweeping over Lin Chen and the six women. "The three elders have ordered me to wait here for half a month."

"Seeing everyone return safely, Ling Feng... feels at ease."

Twenty ice guards behind him bowed in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, their cloaks fluttering in the cold wind.

These are all elites of the Free and Unfettered Valley, with the lowest cultivation level being mid-Foundation Establishment, and three of them being captains at the early Golden Core stage.

Such a lineup not only provides support but also carries sufficient deterrence—clearly, the valley is not optimistic about the external situation.

"You've worked hard." Lin Chen reached out to help him up. "How's the situation in the valley?"

Ling Feng straightened up and stepped aside to lead the way: "Please, young mistress and ladies, board the flying boat first. We'll discuss everything on the way."

Three medium-sized airships were moored on the open ground behind the pass.

The boat has a streamlined shape and is made of Kunlun cold iron and spirit wood. Its surface is engraved with complex wind-controlling and defensive runes, which gleam with a faint silver-blue luster in the snow.

The group boarded the largest flying boat in the center.

The cabin was warm and cozy, with seats upholstered in soft animal hides, and hot tea and snacks laid out on the table.

The airship slowly rose into the air, changed direction, and sped off towards the southeast.

Inside the cabin, Ling Feng began his report:

"In the two months since the young master entered seclusion in Kunlun, three major events have occurred in the cultivation world."

"First, Zhang Qingyuan, the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, together with Shushan, Putuo in the South China Sea, the Northern Frontier Witchcraft Sect, the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom, the Miao Jiang Gu Sect, and my Xiaoyao Valley, have officially formed the 'Seven Star Alliance' with the aim of completely eliminating the remnants of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and establishing a new intelligence-sharing and crisis response mechanism. Celestial Master Zhang will temporarily serve as the leader of the alliance, and the three Supreme Elders will serve as the deputy leaders."

"Secondly, during the investigation, the various factions discovered a total of 47 spies of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, including mid-level managers from various factions and even an elder from Mount Shu. These individuals either committed suicide or were captured, and are currently undergoing joint interrogation."

Ling Feng paused, his tone becoming more serious: "The third matter... concerns the young master."

Lin Chen picked up his teacup: "Speak."

"The news of Young Master's solo battle against Jiang Wuyai in Guixu, awakening of the Chaos Dao Body, and resolution of the Heavenly Dao fragments has been spread to a limited extent through the high-ranking members of various sects." Ling Feng carefully chose his words. "Currently, the evaluation of Young Master in the cultivation world is... polarized."

One faction views the young master as the chosen one destined to save the cultivation world from peril, and reveres him to the highest degree; the other faction, however…

He glanced at Lin Chen's expression. "They are wary of your power, especially your unprecedented Chaos Dao Body. They worry that... you will become the next Jiang Wuyai."

Ye Qingcheng scoffed, "A bunch of ingrates! Without Lin Chen, they would have been played to death by the Heavenly Dao Alliance long ago!"

Su Qingxue pressed her hand down and calmly asked, "Which specific sects are wary of you?"

"Mainly a few second-rate sects and some independent cultivator alliances," Ling Feng said.

"Among the top sects, Longhu Mountain, Shu Mountain, and Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea have clearly supported the young master."

"The witchcraft cults of northern Xinjiang and the Gu sects of Miao Xinjiang remain neutral but are inclined to support them."

"The attitude of the Buddhist kingdom in the Western Regions is ambiguous, but the Living Buddha Tenzin personally has a good impression of the young master."

Shen Qingqiu adjusted his glasses: "That's human nature. When faced with a power that is incomprehensible and far stronger than oneself, fear is an instinctive reaction."

"What do the three elders think?" Lin Chen asked.

Ling Feng respectfully replied, "The three elders said that everything will be decided after Young Master returns to the valley. However, they asked me to convey a message to Young Master—"

He mimicked the tone of Master Xuanbing, stroking a non-existent beard: "What's meant to be yours will come to you; what's not meant to be yours, don't force it."

"But if it's yours, you don't have to give it up."

Lin Chen smiled: "The masters are still the same as always."

He gazed at the rapidly receding sea of ​​clouds outside the window, and after a moment of silence, said, "Then let's go back to the valley first. Some things really need to be clarified face to face."

The airship weaved through the clouds at an extremely high speed.

Qin Yurou carefully took out the Soul-Nourishing Wood that she carried with her. The silver light on the surface of the puppet was stable and gentle.

She said softly, "Sister Yunyi is in good condition; her soul is steadily condensing."