78: Chapter 78 All the backup plans have been completed.

After bidding farewell to Jiang Zhiqiu, Shen Yi returned to the Construction and Maintenance Department.

The night wind carried the sound of the City Defense Army's horn as they changed guards, adding a touch of solemnity to the deathly silent commandery city.

Just as he arrived at the main gate, a figure had already been waiting for a long time.

The newcomer wore a faded, washed-out martial outfit and had an upright posture; it was Xu Mingxuan.

"Brother Ren," Xu Mingxuan said, cupping his hands and stepping aside to lead the way.

The two arrived at the small courtyard of the Construction and Maintenance Department. The soundproofing array was activated, and all other officials had been dismissed.

Shen Yi's brow twitched.

Again?

But this suited his intentions perfectly.

"The situation in Langya Prefecture is urgent; this matter must be reported to the Sword Sect. Junior Brother, please act immediately, I..."

Xu Mingxuan lowered his voice, wanting to explain further.

Shen Yi, however, picked his ear with a nonchalant expression.

"Let's speak frankly."

"Prefect Gao."

As soon as he spoke, a gentle breeze swept through the small courtyard.

An elderly man with white hair and beard and a gaunt face stood with his hands behind his back, appearing out of thin air behind Shen Yi.

There was not the slightest fluctuation of spiritual power from the old man; he looked no different from an ordinary mortal elder.

But Shen Yi could clearly sense that within that seemingly frail body lay a terrifying power capable of burning mountains and boiling seas.

"Junior Ren Wuchang greets True Lord Mingxuan," Shen Yi turned around and bowed, neither humble nor arrogant.

True Lord Mingxuan lowered his gaze, his cloudy old eyes falling on Shen Yi as if they could pierce through all illusions.

"Biyang Sword Sect, Ren Wuchang?"

He spoke slowly, each word carrying an invisible pressure.

Xu Mingxuan stood to the side with a cold expression, hands behind his back.

Shen Yi calmly met the other's scrutiny. "What? Does the True Lord no longer wish to enter the Sword Sect?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the air suddenly froze.

"Heh, as expected of a sword seed of jade, you certainly have some nerve."

"Tell me, how did you see through this Incarnation of mine?"

True Lord Mingxuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and the surrounding temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

Shen Yi, however, seemed not to feel the impending pressure and continued:

"However, my Revered Master is Immortal Master Xu Cheng, and he is a close friend of the current Grand True Man Zixu of the Sword Sect."

"I have come this time precisely by the order of Grand True Man Zixu to meet Prefect Gao."

"Being able to see through your Incarnation, True Lord, was naturally due to the information provided by the Immortal Master."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand and took out a jade medallion.

The jade medallion was simple and warm; the character 'Xu' was engraved on the front, while the back featured intricate cloud patterns.

It was indeed Immortal Master Xu Cheng's identity token.

True Lord Mingxuan stared fixedly at the jade medallion.

There was no mistake; this was definitely a token of the Sword Sect!

To be able to hold such an item, this young man's identity was certainly not simple.

True Lord Mingxuan's thoughts raced, and he instantly understood the key point.

To hold an Immortal Master's token, he must be a Core Disciple of the Sword Sect's Inner Sect.

At this, his attitude softened considerably.

Shen Yi put away the token and changed the subject. "Besides gathering external intelligence, I have come this time to make a deal with you, True Lord."

"A deal?" True Lord Mingxuan looked at him playfully. "A Junior of the Mortal Transformation Realm wants to make a deal with me?"

"You—and even the Immortal Master behind you—do not have enough weight."

"My cultivation is shallow, and the Immortal Master also knows that I lack the qualifications to trade with you, True Lord," Shen Yi smiled faintly.

"But my Sword Sect does."

He paused and said word by word:

"A nascent soul dao fruit—is that enough weight?"

Boom!

The four words 'nascent soul dao fruit' exploded like a thunderclap in the minds of True Lord Mingxuan and Xu Mingxuan.

Xu Mingxuan turned pale with horror, nearly unable to stand.

The fifth realm of the old immortal dao, Soul Transformation!

True Lord Mingxuan's pupils shook violently. His mental state, cultivated over thousands of years, nearly collapsed. A majestic Aura rose uncontrollably into the sky, crushing the stone tables and benches in the courtyard into powder.

"What do you know?!"

He took a step forward, closing in on Shen Yi.

The Aura of the Guizang Realm was like a withered palm, seizing Shen Yi's neck.

Violent magic power surged into Shen Yi's body, as if it could tear him apart at any moment.

But Shen Yi remained unfazed, simply looking at him calmly.

"Lord True Lord, I'm sure you can see that this body is not my true self."

Shen Yi nonchalantly stated the fact that he was a paper figures Clone.

Even if Gao Sheng captured him now and performed a soul search on Shen Yi, he would gain nothing.

Even if Gao Sheng used divination to calculate the location of Shen Moyan's original body, it would be difficult to teleport to Feiguang Prefecture in such a short time.

"If this is your attitude, then this immense Opportunity will have nothing to do with you."

True Lord Mingxuan's expression froze.

"My apologies."

True Lord Mingxuan withdrew his Aura, but his gaze remained fixed on Shen Yi.

"Wild Goose Formation True Monarch—I wonder if Prefect Gao knows of such a person."

Shen Yi dropped another bombshell.

"After resigning from the Holy Court's Formation Strategy Hall, he did not vanish. Instead, he has been planning something earth-shattering."

"He intends to use the billions of living beings in Langya Prefecture as sacrifices to refine the remains of Kuafu, aiding him in breaking through to the Soul Transformation Realm!"

True Lord Mingxuan's face became extremely unsightly.

He had vaguely discovered some of this information through his own channels, but he hadn't expected the Sword Sect to be paying attention as well, and with such detail and accuracy.

Zheng Quan is plotting for Soul Transformation!

Once this news is confirmed, it will be enough to shake the entire Langya Prefecture.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because the Sword Sect has already calculated all of this," Shen Yi's tone was full of confidence.

"And because I know that you, True Lord, are also planning for your own path."

He looked at Xu Mingxuan and said meaningfully, "For example, those fire melting pearls."

Xu Mingxuan's body suddenly stiffened.

The fire melting pearls were his trump card, his preparation for seizing the nascent soul dao fruit. Only heaven, earth, and his original body knew of this; no third person was aware!

"How... how did he know?"

"Furthermore, Lord True Lord, you possess the Wu Clan Bloodline and are targeted everywhere within the system."

"Staying in a small commandery for a thousand years must be very difficult, isn't it?" Shen Yi's lips curled slightly.

A massive wave surged within True Lord Mingxuan's heart.

"What do you want?"

The other party's eloquent words made him suddenly realize that he had always been a marginal figure in this game.

"It's very simple."

Shen Moyan finally bared his fangs.

"I need the True Lord to do something for me."

"Once it is done, I—and the Grand True Man Zixu behind me—can not only recommend you to join my Biyang Sword Sect and obtain the supreme sword Dao Legacy, escaping the predicament of being restricted everywhere by the Holy Court..."

"...but also lend you a helping hand to get a share of that Soul Transformation Opportunity!"

Hearing this, True Lord Mingxuan's expression turned somber.

This was very likely a trap, but the temptation was too great.

"What do you want me to do?"

After some consideration, he relented.

"When the time comes, I need the True Lord to help me capture someone."

"Who?"

Shen Yi slowly uttered a name.

"Luo Changting of the Six Hells Demonic Sect."