Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Today she was wearing a moon-white robe, her hair was neatly tied up, and her face was as cold and aloof as frost.

But upon entering, his gaze swept over the table laden with spiritual food, and a slight smile curved his lips.

"Junior Brother Lin, it's been a long time."

Lin Zhao stood up and gestured for him to proceed.

"Senior Sister Su, please have a seat."

Su Qianxue sat down, her gaze sweeping over the table full of spiritual food, and raised an eyebrow.

"You're very kind, Junior Brother, to prepare this meal."

Lin Zhao poured her a cup of spiritual tea: "I made a promise with you before the beast tide that I would treat you to dishes from the Hundred Flavors Spiritual Cuisine Restaurant. Now, as the host, I'm making up for it."

Su Qianxue picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said nothing.

Outside the window, the lights of the market town stretched out in a continuous expanse, with occasional flashes of light tracing faint paths across the night sky.

Lin Zhao snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Su Qianxue.

She was looking at him too, her gaze calm.

The two looked at each other for a moment before Su Qianxue spoke first: "Junior Brother Lin, you didn't just invite me here to catch up, did you?"

Lin Zhao nodded: "There are indeed two things."

"First, what is your real purpose in coming here this time?"

Is this your personal decision, or is it that the higher-ups of Xuanchen Valley, who are at the Core Formation stage, truly intend to intervene in the affairs of the Zixuan Dynasty?

Su Qianxue remained silent for a while.

She picked up her teacup and took another sip, her gaze fixed on the view outside the window, as if she were organizing her thoughts.

"This is just our personal opinion," she finally said. "The rumors about the Zheng family patriarch are spreading too far."

My senior brother, as you should have noticed—he's been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for quite some time, just one step away from Core Formation. He's here this time to see if there's any chance.

Lin Zhao nodded.

This answer was exactly what he expected, and it made him secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

If the high-ranking Core Formation cultivators of Xuanchen Valley were to personally intervene, the Foundation Establishment cultivators would definitely not get a share of the third-tier resources and spiritual items of the Zixuan Dynasty.

In the end, it will simply end in negotiations between Core Formation cultivators, just like the third-tier spiritual items at the Tongming Immortal City auction—they were predetermined beforehand, and the auction was just a formality.

Fortunately, it didn't come to that.

Su Qianxue looked at his expression and suddenly smiled.

"Junior brother, are you relieved?"

Lin Zhao did not deny it.

Su Qianxue picked up her teacup, twirled it in her hand, and said casually, "However, I heard a rumor, Junior Brother, don't take it seriously."

"What news?"

"The founding ancestor of the Zixuan Dynasty is said to have been born in the Chengtian Dynasty and was a descendant of a prince."

Su Qianxue looked at him, "Although a thousand years have passed and their connection with the main lineage has long been severed, who knows?"

"What if the Chengtian Imperial Dynasty ever remembers that there's a branch here..."

Lin Zhao's heart stirred.

The reign of Emperor Chengtian.

Within the Tongming Domain, there are nearly twenty dynasties among the mortals, the largest of which is the Chengtian Dynasty.

It is said that the country has existed for three thousand years, and that its fate is entirely supported by the national treasure bestowed upon it by the immortal city.

However, the dynasty has nearly fifty Core Formation Realm experts within its borders, making it a first-rate and powerful force.

To be honest, the Zixuan Dynasty was indeed within the sphere of influence of the Chengtian Dynasty—although they were far apart, they might actually have some connection if we trace their lineage back.

Su Qianxue continued, "Perhaps the Core Formation elders of the sects are unwilling to personally intervene because of this concern."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was already clear: Core Formation cultivators couldn't participate, but Foundation Establishment cultivators could!

Lin Zhao picked up her teacup, concealing a slight smile from the corner of her mouth.

Su Qianxue thought that Xuanchen Valley's Core Formation was due to its fear of the Chengtian Dynasty, but she still didn't have a deep enough understanding of the overall situation in Tongming Domain.

The real reason lies in the subtle relationship between Tongming Immortal City and Taixu Pavilion.

The current situation in Tongming Domain is delicate precisely because of this.

On one side is the powerful and well-established fourth generation of the Tongming lineage—Tongming Zhenjun—who is stationed in the Immortal City, with more than forty Core Formation Real Persons under his command. His power is stable and thriving.

On one side is the still powerful but nearing the end of his life—the Taixu True Monarch, who founded the Taixu Pavilion, which boasts twenty-six Core Formation sects and is renowned throughout the Tongming Domain. However, he himself has lived for far too long and has yet to find a suitable successor. Once he passes away, whether the Taixu Pavilion can continue to exist is an unknown.

On the surface, both sides remained calm, but neither dared to make any rash moves.

What if the confrontation between the Tongming and Taixu lineages is triggered because of the Zheng family's Core Formation Ancestor...

Xuan Chen Valley didn't want to gamble on that possibility.

Even if the chance is only one in ten thousand.

This is the real reason why they don't get involved themselves.

Lin Zhao glanced at Su Qianxue but didn't say anything.

After Su Qianxue finished speaking, she put down her teacup and turned her gaze back to Lin Zhao's face.

"I've answered your question, junior brother." She paused, then added, "Now, senior sister has a question for you, and I hope you'll answer it truthfully."

Lin Zhao nodded: "Go ahead and ask."

"Junior brother is also plotting to acquire a third-tier spiritual artifact for the Purple Profound Dynasty?"

Lin Zhao remained silent.

This is a difficult question to answer.

Instead of answering directly, he asked, "If I say yes, what does Senior Sister plan to do?"

Su Qianxue said without hesitation, "I'll complete this transaction, earn some spirit stones, and leave. I won't delay my junior brother's chance to obtain a third-tier spirit item."

Lin Zhao was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Senior sister is still the same as ever, running away without a second thought, and saying it with such self-righteousness..."

Su Qianxue laughed too, a hint of self-deprecation in her smile: "That's called knowing your place. Senior sister knows her own worth, unlike junior brother who comes from a holy sect and has a powerful background. A third-tier spiritual item is not something I should be scheming for right now."

Lin Zhao understood.

Not the current her.

That means that once she has enough strength, she will definitely take action even if there is only the slightest chance of forming her core.

He nodded to himself.

This is also what he admires about her—she knows her goals, understands her own abilities, and then takes steps forward one by one.

They have vision, courage, and determination, and seize every possible opportunity to move up the ladder.

Moreover, there was another layer of meaning in her words.

She was reminding him.

No matter how strong Lin Zhao's combat power is, like Su Qianxue, he is currently only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

The gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation remains enormous.

This pool is too deep; if you really wade in, you might not be able to get out at any time.

Lin Zhao picked up the teacup and took a sip.

After this conversation, the slight sense of distance between the two faded considerably.

He put down his teacup and said, "Since Senior Sister has said so, then I'll be frank—I don't intend to wade into this murky water, at least not for the next few years."

Su Qianxue raised an eyebrow slightly: "Could you be more specific?"

Lin Zhao shook her head: "I have some guesses, but it's not convenient to say yet."

Su Qianxue stared at him for a moment, her brows furrowing more and more tightly.

The private room quieted down.

The hustle and bustle of the market drifted in from outside the window, faint and indistinct, as if veiled by a thin mist.

Su Qianxue suddenly spoke, her voice very low: "Junior brother, do you mean... this current situation is a trap set up by that Zheng family patriarch?"

Lin Zhao neither denied nor admitted it.

Su Qianxue gasped.

She leaned back in her chair and said with a wry smile, "I kind of regret coming to the Purple Mystery Dynasty."

Lin Zhao teased, "It's a bit late for you to say this now, Senior Sister."