Starting at the Nascent Soul stage, a rogue cultivator is incredibly poor.

Qingyouzi sat back on the bed, unconsciously rubbing her thumb and forefinger together, and then gently sniffing the air.

The air still carried the scent of the sea breeze, mixed with the faint, scorching heat emanating from the crimson trees in the courtyard, and...

"Is it just an illusion?"

He frowned and muttered to himself.

Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.

The rhythm was steady, yet subtly conveyed a sense of urgency.

Qingyouzi looked up at the doorway, scanned it with his divine sense, and identified the aura of the person who came out.

"Fellow Daoist Wen, please come in," he said calmly. "May I ask what brings you here to see me?"

The wooden door was pushed open.

Wen Tao strode in, his robes slightly disheveled, and a few wisps of moisture still clinging to his hair.

The two exchanged greetings, and he sat down opposite Qingyouzi, straightened his robes, and coughed lightly twice.

"Fellow Daoist, please take a look at this item."

He took out a jade talisman from his bosom and held it in his palm.

The jade talisman was about the size of a palm, pure white, with a faint spiritual light flowing across its surface and hidden runes embedded within.

Qingyouzi's gaze fell upon it, and he carefully probed it with his divine sense. The spiritual energy contained within the jade talisman was sharp and powerful, and it was by no means an ordinary object.

"This item..." Qing Youzi's eyes flickered slightly, "Could it be a ten-thousand-year-old spirit jade?"

He reached out to touch it.

"Hey—haha!" Wen Tao flipped his wrist and put the jade talisman back into his sleeve. "No, no, this is not some kind of spiritual jade."

"What is that?"

Wen Tao raised his eyes, his gaze suddenly turning cold as he stared intently at Qing Youzi.

"The power of this thing is beyond our comprehension." He lowered his voice, "Fellow Daoist...did you really not notice anything unusual just now?"

Qingyouzi's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly.

He quietly placed his hand on the storage bag and moved his body back half an inch.

"What do you mean by that, fellow Daoist?" Qing Youzi asked calmly. "Could it be that you've also sensed something? Are you doubting me?"

"Hahaha."

Wen Tao suddenly burst into laughter, put away the jade talisman, and waved his hand.

"Fellow Daoist, please don't be offended. I did indeed sense a powerful demonic aura just now, seemingly lingering near our island, which is why I came to investigate." He smiled warmly. "Since you are here, it should be none of your concern."

Qingyouzi tapped the table lightly with her index finger, her eyes lowered, and she pondered to herself.

"Demon aura?"

But what I felt... was clearly demonic energy.

These two are completely different. Did Wen Tao realize something was wrong, or...?

He raised his eyes and asked casually, "Did Fellow Daoist Wen go to see Fellow Daoist Canglan?"

Wen Tao was taken aback, then suddenly slapped his forehead and stood up.

"Oh, right! And Fellow Daoist Gu Canglan!" He looked at Qing Youzi, "How about... Fellow Daoist come with me to take a look? Just in case something really goes wrong."

Qingyouzi pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"I will do as my fellow Daoist says."

"please."

A moment later, the two arrived above Gu Canglan's residence.

The courtyard was quiet, the doors were tightly shut, and a protective array of light flowed within, isolating the inside from the outside.

Qingyouzi and Wentao exchanged a glance.

Wen Tao's lips moved slightly as he transmitted his voice: "Fellow Daoist Canglan, are you there? Fellow Daoist, are you there?"

The sound was like a stone sinking into the sea, with no response.

The two simultaneously released their divine senses, but when they touched the courtyard's array, they were both blocked by a flexible barrier and unable to penetrate it.

Qingyouzi frowned slightly.

A hint of doubt flashed in Wen Tao's eyes.

Just as the two were looking at each other, preparing to forcefully break through the formation to investigate.

With a creak, the courtyard gate opened.

Gu Canglan strode out, his robes slightly disheveled, his hair loose, and his face showing a hurried expression. Upon seeing the two people in the air, he quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"So it's you two fellow Daoists." He said apologetically, "I was just dealing with important matters and was delayed for a moment. Please forgive me."

Qingyouzi and Wentao landed.

Qingyouzi took a few steps slowly, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard. His divine sense also quietly spread out. There were remnants of pill fire energy in the courtyard, mixed with a faint demonic aura.

"Fellow Daoist, you jest," Qing Youzi said. "We were being presumptuous. We sensed an unusual aura just now and, concerned for your safety, came here. Since you are alright, we will not disturb you any longer."

Gu Canglan's expression relaxed slightly, and he smiled:

"Thank you both for your concern. To be honest, I recently exchanged my battle merits for a fourth-tier demon core. I intended to refine a batch of auxiliary pills, but I messed up the heat and the pill's energy leaked out, which caused you all to misunderstand."

As he spoke, he took out a blue demon core from his storage bag.

The demon core was the size of a fist, with a flowing halo on its surface, and it exuded the unique pressure of a fourth-order demon beast, making it undoubtedly a fourth-order water-attribute demon core.

Gu Canglan shook it for a moment, then quickly put it back into the bag.

"It was my oversight."

Qingyouzi and Wentao nodded slightly.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Qingyouzi and Wentao took their leave.

Wen Tao stopped outside Qingyouzi's courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Qingyou," he said in a low voice, "do you see anything suspicious about Fellow Daoist Canglan?"

Qingyouzi shook her head.

"He has a demon core as proof, and what he said makes sense. Perhaps it really was a mistake in alchemy."

Wen Tao pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"In extraordinary times, it's easy to be suspicious. Lately, the frequent attacks by demonic beasts have made me overly sensitive." He cupped his hands in greeting. "I've troubled you to accompany me on this trip. Since there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

He stroked his beard, as if deep in thought, then transformed into a streak of blue light and vanished.

Qingyouzi stood there, gazing in the direction where Wen Tao had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.

Then, he turned to look at the mountain peak where the Ancient Canglan Courtyard was located, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The sea breeze blew by, carrying a salty, damp scent, and also brought... a very faint, almost imperceptible, unusual feeling.

Qingyouzi turned and entered the courtyard, closing the gate behind her.

An underwater chamber.

The Crimson Scale Demon tilted its head back and drank the wine, the liquid flowing down its neck scales and dripping onto the stone ground.

"Brother Canglan, how did it go?" he asked with a grin. "Did you manage to fool them?"

Gu Canglan's face was gloomy. Suddenly, he raised his hand and used his magic to shatter the wine jar in the great demon's hand!

With a "bang," fragments scattered everywhere.

"Still drinking?" Gu Canglan's voice was icy. "That wisp of demonic energy you leaked almost ruined my plans! If I hadn't been prepared and covered it up with a fourth-tier demon core, I might be in big trouble today!"

The great demon paused for a moment, then sneered and turned his face away.

"Alright, alright, I got it..."

Gu Canglan ignored him and turned to walk in front of the floating, boundless sea phantom image.

The image showed shifting light and shadow, marking various islands, defensive lines, and cultivator outposts. His gaze fell on one particular island, the one where Qingyouzi was located.

"They've already become suspicious," Gu Canglan muttered to himself, "but... it doesn't matter anymore."

He pointed to another spot on the map, an area marked by thick black fog in the interior of the Southern Xuan Continent.

"Mo Zhou Shan... is about to be born."

A fervent glint flashed in Gu Canglan's eyes.

"According to my informants, those old fogies from Celestial City have already gone to the depths of the Boundless Sea to investigate the 'anomaly,' following the predictions of the Celestial Mystery Elder." He sneered, "By the time they discover that it was merely a diversionary tactic...Mo Zhou Mountain will be in our hands!"

He turned around and looked at the great demon.

"At that time, the high-end combat forces of the Southern Xuan Continent will be tied down, leaving the coastal defense line vulnerable. With our combined efforts from within and without, these islands... will be within our grasp."

The great demon was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Will your uncle... the Second Elder of Heavenly Immortal City, stand idly by?"

Gu Canglan smiled.

His smile carried a hint of sarcasm and a touch of coldness.

"My dear uncle..." he whispered, "you'll understand me, won't you?"

"Between Nanxuan and Beiting, one side will eventually prevail. Now that Beiting is powerful, my choice is merely to preserve a bloodline for the Gu family..."

The great demon stared at him for a long time, then finally turned his head away and muttered to himself:

"ridiculous."

The sound was very soft, yet it echoed softly in the secluded room.

Gu Canglan seemed not to hear.

He looked at the illusory image again, and with a flick of his finger, connected the island where Qingyouzi was located with Mount Mozhou in a straight line.

"Six months..."

"Just wait another six months."

The secret room was dark, with only the light from the illusory image illuminating half of his profile.

His eyes burned with ambition, like flames.