I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

"Who exactly is that senior?"

Manager Gu hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "This old man does not know his exact identity. But someone who can casually produce two million spirit stones and whose demands the Wind Spirit Merchant Guild dare not refuse... there are no more than twenty such people in the entire Southern Continent."

He paused, then lowered his voice.

"If you have the chance in the future, young master, you can inquire about a name—'Guest in the Clouds'."

A guest in the clouds.

Qin Yuan kept the name in his heart.

He put away the Wind Spirit Feather and the storage ring, thanked Steward Gu, and turned to leave.

It was already dark when we stepped out of the crystal tower.

The night in Wind Spirit City is even more bustling than the day. Shops lining the streets are adorned with all sorts of lanterns, illuminating the entire street as if it were daytime. Pedestrians continue to stream by, even more than during the day.

Qin Yuan walked with the crowd, but his mind was in deep thought.

I've got the Wind Spirit Feather.

The essence of the five elements has been refined and transformed.

The Soul of Mystic Ice is obtained.

He has collected seven of the nine materials. The remaining two—the Wind Spirit Feather and the Mystic Ice Soul—are now only missing the Mystic Ice Soul.

However, the Soul of Profound Ice can only be obtained by cooperating with Ling Shuanghua in the Ice and Fire Extremes Realm six months later.

In the past six months—

He needed to find a place to consolidate his cultivation, digest his gains, and also inquire about more information about "Cloud Guest" and the War God's Token.

Also, there was the secret letter seized from Li Wanhun.

The letter mentions "sacrifice," "the realm of ice and fire," and "the Southern Branch of the Netherworld Cult"...

All of these clues need to be investigated.

As Qin Yuan was thinking, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His divine sense detected something unusual.

Someone is following them.

And it wasn't just one person.

He continued walking without making a sound and turned into a quiet alley.

Four dark figures silently followed behind.

Qin Yuan stopped and turned around.

Four dark figures appeared simultaneously and surrounded him.

The leader was none other than Ye Wuhen of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

He wore a sinister smile.

"Fellow Daoist, we meet again."

Qin Yuan looked at him without saying a word.

The three people beside Ye Wuhen were all at the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm, and their auras were sharp, clearly indicating that they were experts from the Heavenly Sword Sect.

"I'm very interested in that token," Ye Wuhen said. "Fellow Daoist, name your price. Spirit stones, cultivation techniques, and favors are all negotiable."

Qin Yuan said calmly, "I've already said, I won't exchange."

Ye Wuhen's smile grew even colder.

"Don't want to exchange? Fine. Then let's try a different approach—you lend it to me for a few days to study, and I'll return it to you when I'm done."

As soon as he finished speaking, three mid-stage Void Refinement cultivators simultaneously released their pressure, locking Qin Yuan firmly in place.

Qin Yuan remained calm.

"The rules of Wind Spirit City forbid private duels within the city. Aren't you afraid of being expelled from the city?"

Ye Wuhen chuckled.

"Rules are rules, but people are flexible. As long as we do it cleanly, who will know we were the ones who did it?"

He took a step forward, and the pressure of the late-stage Void Refinement Realm surged towards Qin Yuan like a tidal wave.

"I'm asking you one last time: will you hand over the token or not?"

Qin Yuan looked at him.

Then he laughed.

The smile was faint, yet it sent a chill down Ye Wuhen's spine.

"What are you laughing at?"

Qin Yuan did not answer.

He simply raised his right hand, pointing his index finger at Ye Wuhen.

Ye Wuhen's pupils suddenly contracted.

He sensed a deadly threat!

But before he could react—

"stop."

A cold, clear voice rang out.

At the entrance of the alley, a figure in white slowly walked in.

She was a young woman, dressed in a long white dress, with an exquisitely beautiful face and a cool, aloof demeanor like the moon. Her steps were light, as if she were walking on clouds, and with each step, a delicate white lotus flower bloomed beneath her feet.

Peak of the Void Refinement Realm.

Moreover, it's not just an ordinary peak Void Refinement stage.

Ye Wuhen's expression changed drastically when he saw who it was.

"Miss Bai...?"

The woman in white did not look at him.

She simply looked at Qin Yuan, her gaze calm and serene.

"Fellow Daoist, my master wishes to see you."

Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Your master?"

The woman in white nodded slightly.

"That's the senior who bought the Wind Spirit Feather for you at the auction today."

Qin Yuan's heart stirred slightly.

A traveler in the clouds?

He retracted his fingers and said calmly, "Lead the way."

The woman in white turned and walked out of the alley.

Qin Yuan followed.

She didn't look at Ye Wuhen even once from beginning to end.

Ye Wuhen stood there, his face pale and ashen, but dared not make the slightest move.

He only let out a long breath after the two figures disappeared at the end of the alley.

"Walk!"

The four of them slunk away into the night.

The woman in white led Qin Yuan through several streets to an inconspicuous courtyard.

The courtyard was small and hidden deep in a quiet alley. There was no plaque hanging in front of the door, and you would not notice it at all if someone did not lead the way.

"please."

The woman in white pushed open the courtyard gate and stepped aside to let her pass.

Qin Yuan stepped inside.

The courtyard is a hidden paradise.

It looks ordinary from the outside, but inside it is an exquisite garden. There are small bridges and flowing water, rockeries and pavilions, and a few old plum trees exuding fragrance under the moonlight. A blue stone path winds through the garden, leading to a bamboo hut in the depths.

In front of the bamboo hut, an old man in gray stood with his hands behind his back.

"They're here."

His voice remained calm, yet carried an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

Qin Yuan stepped forward and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Thank you for your help today, senior."

The old man in gray turned around and looked at him.

In the moonlight, the old man's face was clearer than it had been at the auction. It was an extremely ordinary face, one that would easily go unnoticed in a crowd. But his eyes—

Those eyes were so deep.

It was so deep that it seemed to contain the entire starry sky.

"I didn't help you for nothing," the gray-robed old man said. "That token reminded me of some past events. Where did you get it?"

Qin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"Temple of War God".

The old man in gray's eyes flickered slightly.

"The Temple of War... You've been inside the Temple of War?"

"Yes."

"What did you get?"

Qin Yuan met his gaze.

"What would you like to know, senior?"

The old man in gray suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it carried a hint of appreciation.

"Good lad, you've got some awareness." He waved his hand. "Don't worry, I mean you no harm. If I did, you wouldn't be leaving Fengling City today."

He turned and walked towards the bamboo hut.

"Come in."

Qin Yuan hesitated for a moment, then followed.

The bamboo hut is simply furnished with a table and a couch, and a landscape painting on the wall depicting a solitary peak above a sea of ​​clouds.

The old man in gray sat down on the couch and gestured for Qin Yuan to sit opposite him.

The woman in white brought over two cups of tea and quietly withdrew.

The old man in gray picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Do you know what that token is?"

Qin Yuan said, "Fragments of the War God's Token."

"Good to know." The gray-robed elder nodded. "Then do you know how many complete War God Tokens there are?"

Nine.

"What happens after you collect them all?"

Qin Yuan shook his head.

The old man in gray looked at him with deep eyes.

"Collect all nine War God Tokens to unlock the Nine Heavens Palace. Within the Nine Heavens Palace lies the complete legacy of War God Xing, as well as countless treasures he obtained from conquering all the heavens and myriad realms."

Qin Yuan listened quietly.

"But there is one more thing that few people know," the gray-robed elder continued, "The Nine Heavens Palace not only holds the legacy of the God of War, but also seals a secret—about the ancient war, about the origin of the alien demons, about... the true crisis of this world."