"What's the matter?" Shuro asked. 

"John's disciple Leonard was found dead in a cave dwelling of an immortal family. The immortals from Solitary Moon Mountain came asking about this incident. John denied it and apparently, the immortals were very displeased. The Lord of the Mansion took the opportunity to request selecting talents from the secondary mansion to participate in the selection at York Old Lady's birthday feast along with John and other talented youths from the major families. The immortals agreed."  

Faithe gave a soft sigh, "If a talent like John's could also emerge from my secondary mansion, then there would be a 90% chance of escaping this calamity."

Upon hearing this, Shuro was slightly disappointed. 

The South Desolation River Lord's mansion was originally set up by him to frame John and sow discord between him and the Gu Yue immortals. From Faithe's words, it seemed the immortals were only slightly displeased and did not investigate further.

A fiery gaze shot over. Shuro looked up to see Faithe staring straight at him, her expression exceptionally vivid. 

"Previously I was still worried there would be no moldable talent found in the third generation of my mansion. Now I have absolutely no worries because there is you!"

In high spirits, Faithe embraced Shuro again, completely forgetting that her ample, erect and elastic bosom was sheer torture to a virile youth.

"Little Chuan, if you can be selected by the immortals, it would be a grand opportunity for you and also the destiny of my mansion. I knew from the beginning your father was hiding a big secret, it seems he left that secret for you, and that's how this opportunity came about."

A secret left behind by Father? Could it be that copper coin he rescued from the Nine-Dragon Sovereign?

Shuro understood. No wonder Faithe was not surprised by his cultivation advancement. Speaking of which, that copper coin contained the arcane talisman from the Tynche continent, how did he obtain it?

Shuro did not think deeply about it. His attention returned to the present. 

"To participate in the immortal selection at the birthday feast..."

All along, his plan was to deal with the crisis and avenge himself through Blanche. But he had forgotten, behind John stood the immortals, York Old Lady, and the entire main mansion. It would be very difficult to overturn John relying only on Blanche. 

Since that was the case, why not defeat him fair and square in front of everyone at the feast?

All under heaven, strength is supreme. 

By then, he could also rescue Blanche. No matter how much John argued, he would not be able to defend himself.

"Although the three chosen talents of Solitary Moon Mountain are all at the Great Spiritual Realm, and you are only at the Small Spiritual Realm, you are after all just fifteen. Such aptitude is definitely enough to catch the immortals' eyes. " Faithe spoke more excitedly as she pressed Shuro tightly to her abundantly curved chest, completely disregarding Shuro's blushing embarrassment: "You should know, that Solitary Moon Mountain is stimulated because of Marco."

"Auntie, let go of me first."  

Only then did Faithe realize her lapse in propriety due to excitement. Her face flushed as she hurriedly released her hold.

"Marco? The Tera legend? What happened to him?" Shuro took a deep breath and asked steadily without looking aside.

"You only know he is the Tera legend, but don't know how unlucky he was these past few years." Faithe's interest rose as she unreservedly told Shuro: "I only found out today that in the years Marco disappeared, he was constantly searching for immortals and the Way around Tera. You probably cannot imagine that the unworldly genius Marco was actually rejected from every immortal sect and clan because his talents were insufficient." 

"Then what happened?" Shuro asked.

"Then..." Faithe's expression was filled with admiration and envy: "Just today, he condensed Primal Energy in Caelius Capital. You should know, in the alchemical and martial path, at most one can reach the Realm of the Unbound. Only when innate qi becomes liquid and Primal Energy is condensed can one possibly embark on the immortal path and break through the Realm of the Unbound." 

It seems Marco finally took his advice.  

Shuro understood why Faithe was not surprised by his own cultivation advancement. He asked again, "How is Marco condensing Primal Energy related to provoking Solitary Moon Mountain immortals?"

"After Marco left the society, the first immortal sect he went to was Solitary Moon Mountain. I happened to overhear when the Lord of the Mansion spoke with York Old Lady. It's said Marco waited three days and nights outside Solitary Moon Mountain's gates before they finally sent someone out who directly rejected Marco on the spot, and spread the word that Marco's talents were insufficient. You can imagine what happened when Solitary Moon Mountain immortals personally went to visit Marco just now. How would the proud Tera legend choose Solitary Moon Mountain after being humiliated by them back then?"

As Faithe spoke, her expression was complex, showing admiration, regret, and a hint of sadness.  

"Solitary Moon Mountain lost face when rejected by Marco, they will definitely try to find a talent to match the Tera legend." Deeply glancing at Shuro, a trace of slyness flashed through Faithe's eyes: "Yesterday morning when I came to see you, I happened to see Pang Guan sneaking into the back garden. I found it strange and originally wanted to investigate Pang Guan, but didn't see him appear again after that night."

"I never imagined you actually killed Pang Guan. A fifteen-year-old at the Small Spiritual Realm defeating opponents at the same level, and just now forcing me, your auntie, to be completely helpless. You really hid yourself deeply." 

"Auntie praises too much." Shuro saw Faithe about to embrace him again in excitement and hurriedly dodged.

"But I'll have to trouble you to endure a few more days." Faithe's face reddened as she coughed and said, "To avoid John becoming wary, this trump card of yours will have to wait until the final moment to reveal itself. A few days before the feast starts, I will arrange for someone to secretly bring you into the main mansion to participate." 

"Auntie has thought it through thoroughly."

After discussing matters of the feast with Faithe, Shuro saw her off. Through the iron window, Shuro saw Lewis sitting in meditation under the withered tree, but no sign of Lee.

"That guy Lee, he's so slow even when asked to do simple tasks."

"My demonic compassion... comprehending this nameless martial art, could it be related to my state of mind at the time?"

Shuro had already vaguely understood something from the nameless martial art, with philosophical meaning contained in the first technique, but as feelings of warmth rose in Shuro when Faithe's identity was exposed, his comprehension also ceased.

"Even an unparalleled beauty like the Nine-Dragon Sovereign spent ten days and nights before enlightening the first move of the twelve arcane techniques of the Heavenly Sword. I gained something on the first day, what more do I have to ask for."  

Shuro was able to take things philosophically. Sitting cross-legged, he circulated his inner qi and continued expanding his Destiny.

Yet Shuro did not know that not long after Faithe left the secondary mansion, she was being watched. 

At night, the water-like hue, on a street corner outside the secondary mansion's eighteen li alley, two silhouettes stood.

"Among the secondary mansion, she is the most suspicious with the strangest movements, and only she has this kind of boldness. It appears the deaths of those two fools Pang Guan and Leonard are not unrelated to our young miss."  

The youth was dressed in snowy white robes, his face like the full moon, brows like star swords, graceful and carefree, the very image of a handsome gentleman. 

"Thanks to the Third Young Master's ingenious planning finding this clue, otherwise we really would have been fooled by Faithe." 

The short elderly man at the side chimed in. His eyes faintly flashed with electricity, shockingly at the half-step Realm of the Unbound. When standing next to John, he was stooped and fawning, the very image of a servant.

"But there are some points I still don't understand. First, how did she find out about the River Lord's cave dwelling? Second, her expertise lies in thunder spells, yet Leonard was killed by water art. Third, even if she killed all my disciples, how would that change anything? She is not some brainless busty woman."  

John spoke gently, his brows relaxed, exuding the very air of a humble gentleman.

"Everything is under the young master's control. In this old slave's opinion, Faithe is also desperately taking chances." The old man flattered. 

"Let's not make absolute statements." John smiled and waved his hand, a trace of vigilance flashed through his tranquil eyes: "At the very least, the emergence of that Marco exceeded my control. But it can't be helped, who would have thought Marco's destiny could defy the heavens to this extent, with all the immortals of the South claiming he has no affinity with the immortal path, yet he stubbornly carved out his own immortal opportunity! A figure of this level truly lives up to being the Tera legend... my rival."  

"But I heard the reason Marco was able to comprehend the immortal opportunity was due to guidance from someone claiming to be Master Chuan." 

"Do you really believe that?" John glanced at the old man, and a trace of disdain flashed by as he smiled, "Leo, you underestimate Marco's intelligence too much. Being able to become the Tera legend, how can he be reckless and bold? If the southern immortals knew Marco relied solely on himself to break through their prophecy, they would definitely lose face. But with the addition of a mysterious Master Chuan guiding him, it would look much better."

"The young master sees far." Leo marveled, this was not the first time he had heard the term "South", but each time still couldn't help secretly admiring how the worldly knowledge of his young master exceeded mundane people.

"Now that a Marco has emerged, the immortal sects of the South will surely be unable to sit still. Although Solitary Moon Mountain is also an immortal sect, in the end, it is only a sect in my Tera region, and Tera itself is but a small nation in the South. If even more powerful immortals can be drawn here, it would be an opportunity not just for Marco, but for myself as well." 

As he spoke, a flicker of faint electricity flashed through John's long narrow eyes, causing the old man to feel shock in his heart.  

Others all thought the Third Young Master was only at the Great Spiritual Realm. Only a scant few knew that the Third Young Master had just broken through to the half-step Realm of the Unbound two months ago. Reaching Small Spiritual Realm at seventeen, Great Spiritual Realm at twenty, and half-step Realm of the Unbound at twenty-five. This kind of monstrous cultivation speed, while not comparable to the Tera legend Marco, was still quite close.

In Leo's eyes, relying on the Third Young Master's own cultivation level, plus the assistance of Solitary Moon Mountain immortals, subduing the secondary mansion before he entered the immortal sect was practically guaranteed, without any suspense at all.

This was an inescapable predicament without any rivals or contingencies. 

Yet the Third Young Master was still so prudent, causing Leo to admire him profoundly.  

"Young Master, how shall we deal with this Faithe?" His gaze fell upon that tall and graceful figure, and Leo felt a heat in his lower abdomen. He couldn't help licking his lips.

"Capture her first." John's gaze fluctuated unpredictably as he coldly laughed, "I still have many questions to ask our young miss." 

"Remember to take her alive and keep her safe."

"Yes!" Leo was somewhat disappointed but did not dare defy the Third Young Master's order. In a flash, he disappeared around the street corner.

When Lee arrived at the Green Pear Convent, snowflakes were drifting down from the sky.  

The moonlit night was cold. Before the convent, kneeled densely packed pilgrims seeking immortality. Among them were old men in their seventies and eighties, children with hair buns, raggedly dressed poor folk, and richly clothed wealthy people. There were even some martial artists with swords on their backs. 

A quick count showed over a thousand people gathered before the convent, silently kneeling as if in an eerie fox spirit legend.

Standing outside the vast crowd, Lee stared fixedly at the round pear wood gate of the convent, breathing heavily.

After leaving the River Lord's cave dwelling in the day, Shuro had told Lee to buy some strange items in the southern market when he first returned to the secondary mansion. Lee followed Shuro's instructions and bought those items in the southern market. On the way back to the secondary mansion, Lee fell deep in thought.

The few stalks of herbs in his arms were translucent and crystalline, with a pleasant and not cloying fragrance that invigorated the spirit upon smelling them. Undoubtedly, they were immortal herbs not of the mundane world, gathered from the River Lord's cave dwelling. Yet Shuro's evaluation of these herbs was merely "passable". Lee secretly sneered, clearly, Shuro did not recognize these immortal herbs and was afraid of losing face before him, so pretended to be profound and unfathomable.  

That entire journey took over half a day. By the time the secondary mansion was half a street away, Lee finally made up his mind.

His original reason for relying on Shuro was to get close to the immortals and have them restore his cultivation. Now with immortal herbs from the River Lord's cave dwelling in hand, they were on the path to advancement. What need was there to continue staying by Shuro's side when the latter was but an outer disciple of the immortals?

Glancing at the crowd, Lee coldly sneered and swaggered up to the convent's gates, forcefully pulling on the crimson cord below the old pear tree. 

Dang!

The bell rang and the Tera Dynasty pilgrims seeking immortality before the Green Pear Convent universally lifted their heads, looking at Lee in shock and bewilderment.

Dang! 

Dang!

After three rings, the convent's great gates slowly creaked open a sliver.

A young Daoist dressed in white yawned loudly, rubbing his eyes as he stuck his head out of the crack to look at Lee. His gaze instantly transformed, aloof and disdainful, full of coldness.

"How bold! A vulgar mortal actually dares disturb the immortals' cultivation!"

That shout from the young Daoist was like the roar of a tiger, containing almost Great Core Realm power.  

Lee was secretly shocked. The previously dazed crowd before the convent also instantly sobered up.