Luo Yewang watched as the unfamiliar cultivator left, filled with a sense of the bizarre. The unfamiliar cultivator was strange, the unfamiliar female cultivator was strange, and even their own perceptions became strange.

"I still think we should go back and take another look?" Ying Daoist said weakly, feeling somewhat uneasy.

The couple returned to the stele, only to find that it was now deserted except for the two of them, including those few tourists, and the cross-legged slim female cultivator had disappeared too.

They located the spot where they had sensed a line of text before, but found the stele empty of any markings—neither visible to the eye nor detectable by divine sense, and even their Dao Realm perception saw nothing.

Was it because of the distance? Or a problem with direction?

The couple circled around the stele from near to far, and even when they returned to the spot where the unfamiliar cultivator had stood, they couldn't sense a thing.

That line of text, did it just vanish into thin air?

Luo Yewang wasn't as proficient in the Dao Realm as his wife; after all, he was from the Sword Sect and was rather rough in this area compared to his wife from the Chu Sect.

"Could it be that the unfamiliar cultivator used great magic power to manipulate the Five Elements, deliberately setting an Enchanting Soul Formation before us?"

Ying Daoist thought for a long time, then shook her head, "I don't think so. This isn't something a Golden Core cultivator could manage, and we were so close to him, we didn't notice any tricks… or maybe it was that female cultivator?"

Luo Yewang suddenly realized, "So that's why he was standing there, not because he was looking at people, but because he was looking at the text. But, do they know each other? A secret code? Why did that guy seem clueless, and even asked us?"

The couple exchanged glances, bewildered, unable to understand.

According to their travel plan, after visiting the Heavenly Heart Pavilion, they would continue south and then take a loop over the ocean. However, seeing Ying Daoist's hopeful expression, Luo Yewang yielded to his daoist couple's inclination.

"Alright, let's stay in Sui Mo City for a few more days, but we're only looking, not getting involved…"

This was somewhat self-deceptive, in the Cultivation World, is it possible to observe yet remain uninvolved?

"Also, that male cultivator is very strong; although he appeared restrained, patient, and polite, that doesn't mean he is someone to be trifled with. Ying Mei, you can't treat him with the previous attitude. This Cultivation World is large, the waters are deep, and we are nothing more than insignificant parts of it. This time he was friendly to us, but it doesn't mean he always will be, you should stop your little tricks."

Ying Daoist nodded; how could she not understand this truth? Her attitude was only a kind of probing, but unfortunately, the unfamiliar cultivator didn't take the bait.

......

In one of the stilt wooden houses of the Heavenly Heart Pavilion, Qiu Shi Daoist received a special guest—an officially registered disciple of Heavenly Heart Pavilion who hadn't returned for nearly a century, a person who doesn't actually exist.

By now, he understood clearly that this person must be a renowned figure on the continent, but who exactly, he couldn't discern from the cultivation technique.

The last time he met the person, they were at the Tongtian Natural Realm, now commonly referred to as Foundation Establishment Late Stage, while he was then at Golden Core Mid Stage, a vast difference; nearly a century had passed, and he was now at Golden Core Late Stage, just one step away from Great Perfection, yet this mysterious figure had also reached the same Golden Core Late Stage.

It really made one sigh; the feeling of being pursued to the point of one's heels aching was exasperating, but in these waves of fate, everything seemed so justified.

"Hao Ren, how long has it been since we last met? It's hard for you to think of returning to see me. So, is there anything you need?"

Hou Niao offered tea as a gesture of respect, "I was just passing by, so I came to see you, senior brother. There's nothing special, just the uncertain future of the continent has me puzzled, and I want to ask for your guidance, which would greatly aid my cultivation."

Qiu Shi Daoist smiled and shook his head, "I'm afraid I must disappoint you. The Heavenly Heart Pavilion, as you well know, is just an empty shell, engaged in inexplicable dealings, pretending to be mysterious, and putting on airs.

Even the celestial visitors from the Upper Realm are unclear about the continent's future, so how could we know?"

Hou Niao expected him to say this, but didn't give up, "Yes, celestial visitors may not know, but the Heavenly Heart Pavilion has the ability to draw these celestial visitors into Jinxiu. I know you will deny it, but don't you think this is all too coincidental?"

Qiu Shi sighed, "Hao Ren, my junior brother, I'm aware that there are always rumors circulating on the continent, as if the Heavenly Heart Pavilion is manipulating things behind the scenes. However, such a significant matter, our Heavenly Heart Pavilion wouldn't dare shoulder the blame.

Celestial visitors must descend, if not here, then elsewhere. The Heavenly Heart Pavilion is just coincidentally placed. But if you ask us why, I'll speak frankly to you, my confidant words, I truly don't know. The hundreds in Heavenly Heart Pavilion, none know."

Hou Niao knew of course that he didn't know, as most in Heavenly Heart Pavilion are but puppets, unaware of their own actions.

"Oh, by chance I saw a new construction in the pavilion, a stele, seemingly the Sealing Infant Tablet famed outside. What is going on, is this something to be used for ranking and amusement, which may not bode well for the stability of the cultivation world on the continent?"

Qiu Shi sighed, "Junior brother, you may not know this, each Daoist lineage in Jinxiu has its own way to survive, each different; like us, Heavenly Heart Pavilion, how do we survive? No strength, no territory, no legacy, so what do we rely on to survive?

We survive on reputation! The continent needs a neutral Daoist system, uninvolved with cultivation disputes, to handle things that others cannot, like, ranking?"

Took a sip of water, "Ranking isn't the goal, the goal is to maintain the attention of Heavenly Heart Pavilion on the continent. The louder our reputation, the safer we are, the less anyone dares to target us, so how to capture the continent's hotspots is something we must focus on.

Is there anything more attention-grabbing in the cultivation world now than Heaven Creation? Hence, we can only try all means to lean in this direction, using any method. Previously it was ranking Constellation True Inheritors, now it's ranking the Sealing Infant List, essentially the same thing.

You ask me about Jinxiu's future, among ourselves I must honestly say, I don't know; if it were someone else asking, I'd have to act mysterious, pretend to know something yet deliberately not telling them, in essence, making them believe I know, but knowing I truly don't…"

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