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

Qingyouzi turned slightly to the side, her gaze falling on Xu Changxing, her expression calm and revealing little emotion.

"Oh, right."

He spoke casually.

"I wonder why Fellow Daoist Xu has appeared in this remote place? Could it be... that Xuanxian City has made some major move recently?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Changxing dared not be negligent.

He first glanced unconsciously in the direction of Xuanxian City, then looked worriedly into the depths of the Northern Plains and sighed.

"Alas, Fellow Daoist Qingyou, could it be... that you truly are unaware of the resurgence of the ancient demons?"

His tone was somewhat solemn and tinged with lingering fear.

"I was ordered to come here to establish an outpost, investigate the demonic trail, and guard this vital road connecting to the Northern Plains. Who would have thought that I would find this place had already been corrupted by the aura of ancient demons so soon after I arrived, and that many cultivators had been poisoned and turned into puppets who only knew how to kill."

He pointed to the devastated valley and the huge scorched crater below.

"When I led my men to clear the outer perimeter, I alerted the demon lord entrenched here, forcing me to fight his puppets. I initially thought they were just low-level cultivators under his control, but unexpectedly... there was a ferocious being possessed by an ancient demon, whose strength was comparable to the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm!"

Xu Changxing still looked shaken.

"If it weren't for your timely appearance and astonishing supernatural powers, we would probably be buried here today..."

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced quickly at Qing Youzi, his expression filled with trepidation, a mixture of fear and the terrifying power displayed by the person before him.

After a moment's hesitation, Xu Changxing cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone now more sincere:

"Fellow Daoist Qingyou, we and our fellow disciples will never forget your life-saving grace today. In the future, in Xuanxian City, if you ever need anything, as long as it does not violate morality or damage the city gate, I will do my best to help you to repay this kindness."

Qingyouzi looked at the faint outline of Xuanxian City in the distance, then looked away and landed on Xu Changxing's face, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Xu, you flatter me. Back in Xuanxian City, I have always remembered your heartfelt words that concerned the situation and reminded me of the situation."

His tone was calm, making it impossible to tell whether it was just politeness or something else entirely.

"A little help is nothing to boast about."

He then changed the subject, returning to the main point:

"The resurgence of the ancient demons is a matter of great importance. But what is the current response within Xuanxian City? What new developments have occurred in the situation? And what are the recent movements of the other two major powers?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Changxing composed himself slightly, stood with his hands behind his back, looked up at the somewhat gloomy sky, and slowly spoke:

"Now... the situation between the three major powers is no longer what it used to be. To be more precise, it is now a situation where two major powers stand side by side."

He paused, then continued:

"The Myriad Immortals Dynasty is now merely a name without substance. Most of its territory and remaining power have been taken over by my Xuanxian City and the Guixian Sect in a joint effort... well, they have. It is said that behind this matter, there is the work of a reclusive Nascent Soul cultivator, but the specific details are beyond the knowledge of us Nascent Soul cultivators."

Xu Changxing's tone carried a hint of emotion:

"Speaking of which, long before this Ancient Demon Chaos, my Xuanxian City and Guixian Sect had already reached a tacit understanding and secretly made plans to plot against the Wanxian Dynasty. At that time, the Nascent Soul Ancestors were detached from worldly affairs and would not interfere in the mundane struggles between our sects and cities."

"The original plan was for the two factions to maintain a competitive or even hostile stance on the surface, while secretly supporting the reformist and conservative factions within the Wanxian Dynasty respectively, inciting internal strife and depleting its resources. Once they were both severely weakened, we would step in to clean up the mess and reap all the benefits without bloodshed."

He shook his head and sighed:

"Who would have thought that man proposes, God disposes. The sudden resurgence of the Northern Plains Ancient Demon, with signs of impending calamity, alarmed the Nascent Soul Ancestors who had long since retired from worldly affairs. Their personal intervention directly facilitated the merger of the two sects. This saved them from countless calculations and twists and turns, but it also made the situation even more complicated and unpredictable."

Indeed, life is unpredictable.

Qingyouzi listened quietly, a slight stirring in her heart.

So that's how it is. The waters between Xuanxian City and Guixian Sect are much deeper than he imagined. Even without the chaos of the ancient demons and the intervention of the Nascent Soul stage, the Myriad Immortals Dynasty would probably have already been targeted by these two behemoths and would have been doomed. The so-called internal strife of the dynasty and the conflict between sects actually concealed such intricate calculations.

He looked down at his right hand hanging by his side. In his palm, a wisp of dark red malevolent energy flowed silently like a living thing before disappearing.

Thoughts raced through my mind:

"That old monster Xuan Yizi doesn't dare to step forward personally, mostly because he's wary of these reclusive Nascent Soul cultivators. Therefore, he needs a 'pawn' to accomplish things that might expose his existence or intentions..."

"As for me, I inherited his array formation, and I happen to have the 'trouble' of ancient demonic energy. My strength is decent, my background is relatively 'clean,' and I have had some interaction with him... so I am a suitable candidate."

"Perhaps from our encounter at the ruins many years ago, or even earlier... something was already part of his plan. Including my obtaining his array formation insights, my encounter with the ancient demon, my entrapment in the danger of the evil aura, and even my reunion with Xu Changxing today..."

Qingyouzi felt as if an invisible net had been quietly woven in the past, and that she was now inside it.

He shook his head gently, temporarily suppressing these chaotic thoughts.

"Oh, right."

Xu Changxing's voice pulled him back to reality.

"I wonder what Fellow Daoist Qingyou's plans are next? The world is in turmoil, ancient demons have resurfaced, and various forces are stirring up trouble. It is by no means a safe place. Fellow Daoist's cultivation is profound. If you do not have a clear destination for the time being, why not... come with me back to Xuanxian City for temporary refuge? The city is now home to many experts, has abundant resources, and is safer."

Qingyouzi's gaze shifted slightly as she looked at Xu Changxing.

This person's ability to establish himself in Xuanxian City and become a Supreme Elder suggests he is no ordinary individual. His invitation at this moment is likely motivated by a desire to repay a debt of gratitude and win him over, but also by a desire to leverage his influence and increase his own standing within the city.

But thinking about it the other way around...

As a powerful elder of Xuanxian City, Xu Changxing must have excellent information channels.

If I want to find materials to improve the quality of my magic weapon, or find out more accurate information about the Spirit Consciousness Fruit, or even learn about the latest situation overseas, he might be able to save me a lot of trouble.

More importantly, if he were to decide to lay low for the time being, or even consider going to a relatively safe overseas location, the large long-distance teleportation array possessed by Xuanxian City would be almost the only way through. With Xu Changxing's connection, things would be much easier.

In the blink of an eye, Qingyouzi had already made up his mind.

He met Xu Changxing's expectant gaze and spoke slowly, his tone revealing little about his stance:

"Xuanxian City... that's a place to go. I happen to have some trivial matters to attend to, so I might need to stay in the city for a while."