Han Guilin sat at a small table in a cramped restaurant tucked inside a narrow alley. The owner, wanting to maximize his profit, had stuffed so many tables and chairs into the tiny space that patrons had to walk sideways to avoid knocking into other people's tables. The air was hot and thick, leaving every visitor slick with sweat. The room was poorly lit, making the small restaurant dark and cramped. The patrons were no better. Men shouted and laughed while drinking cheap, disgusting ale. Their boisterous voices occasionally rattled the table where Han Guilin sat patiently. From the back, the owner and the cook shouted angrily at each other, the owner urging the cook to move faster while the cook threatening to chop the owner's limbs off if he didn't shut up.

Han Guilin sipped the tea from his wooden mug and placed it on the table, where a lone snack waited. Just then, a rather large fellow brushed past. His rear pushed against Han Guilin's table while his front shoved another, earning an angry glare from the other patrons. The chubby fellow apologized and hurried to his friend's table, but this haste sent two of the chairs clattering to the floor, rattling Han Guilin's tea and snack. The man apologized. Han Guilin sipped his tea once again.

He waited, occasionally eating his food and glancing toward the entrance, hoping for an unusual arrival. He was patient. He had once waited three days and nights submerged in dark, deep water, while harrowing spirit beasts occasionally glanced at him, weighing whether he was worth the hunt. Back then, he had prayed for time to pass faster. Compared to that situation, this was practically paradise. He had no problem waiting. However, he would prefer that his benefactor—or one of his underlings—would soon arrive. After all, he carried sensitive information.

The little restaurant bustled with life. People came and went, drinking, eating, and relieving their stress. A while later, the restaurant was packed to the brim. All the tables were full, the cook's shouts intensified, and a server jumped nimbly from one table to the other to take orders. It was chaos and a mess. The restaurant was near a port, a market, and even an underwater mining operation. Moreover, he had to admit the food was good. It was the first time in days he had eaten a decent meal.

The owner shot him a glare, telling him to order more or leave, so Han Guilin ordered more tea and another snack. Between the sweaty workers and the sauna-like heat, he waited. Finally, someone arrived. A woman stood at the entrance, seemingly hesitant to enter. Her face was beautiful, and her white and pink dress, while modest, was clean and elegant. A fragrant, refreshing floral aroma suddenly enveloped the room, causing everyone inside to look up and silencing the commotion. She scanned the packed restaurant with beautiful brown eyes that soon met his. They stared at each other for a full second before she broke contact, turned, and walked away. The restaurant began buzzing about her, patrons asking who she was and when their little port town had gained such a beautiful young maiden. Han Guilin gulped down the rest of his tea, sat for a moment longer, then paid for his food and left the restaurant.

He walked down a dirt path leading to a nearby alleyway. There, beneath a shadow, stood the woman from the restaurant. When she saw him, she nodded. "Follow me."

Han Guilin nodded. "Yes."

They walked between houses, passing shops, homes, and an orphanage where children were exercising in the garden. After a while, the woman opened the door of a shabby hut on the outskirts of the city. He followed her inside, finding the interior abandoned, where rats scurried about and spiders had made every corner their territory. Then, they entered a room that had once been a bedroom. She crouched and sent qi into the ground. Instantly, a square hole materialized in front of her like a beast opening its mouth. When it settled, she turned her head. "We've almost arrived," she said, before jumping into the hole.

Han Guilin took several steps and stood before the square opening. The hole was so deep he couldn't see the bottom. A rushing sound indicated she was still falling, until finally, a soft thud echoed up. She had landed. Han Guilin then took a step and plunged into the darkness.

As he fell, wind rushed around him, and he kept his body tight to avoid hitting the walls. He understood the need for secrecy. After all, his benefactor was a big shot, and it would be bad if he was seen meeting a stranger like him, one who was once part of the Nether Lotus Sect. He was surprised, however, by the elaborate nature of the base he was heading toward. Constructing an underground base was always tricky, and it seemed this was where he would meet his benefactor.

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Soon, he landed. As his eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness, a shape became sharper. It was the woman he was following. Seeing that he had landed, she turned and continued walking, her steps echoing in the dark, deep tunnel.

As he walked, he decided to strike up a conversation. "My name is Han Guilin."

"I know," she answered, but kept walking. "I've heard that you're an important informant."

"Well, I was indeed deep in enemy territory," he answered. "Han Guilin is my real name, by the way."

At that, she nodded. "I see. A spy within the Han clan. It must have been a dangerous job."

"It was indeed very dangerous. However, it seems my usefulness has diminished, considering the Han clan is now utterly destroyed."

After he met with his benefactor and conveyed the information he had regarding the true purpose of the Nether Lotus Sect's expansion, he would need to forge a new identity. Whether the Nether Lotus Sect was crushed or not, the name Han would bring trouble and enmity. Moreover, while he was truly a spy, the record of him as a Nether Lotus Sect disciple and a Han clan member existed. If people knew he was still alive, he would be hunted. That, however, was a problem for his future self.

He and the woman, Chen Huan, began to chat about this and that. From the way she talked, Han Guilin suspected that Chen Huan also worked to gather information, and she mentioned quite a few interesting things happening around the Mirror Tide Empire. The big news was the death of a general and the revelation that he was a serial killer, as well as the spreading news about the Purple Moon Sect disciple who had killed him. The result was general unrest and division in the Heavenly Court, with one faction intending a coup while the other remained loyal to the empire. The other news she shared was the death of a woman titled the Soft Oracle by a man named Lan Haishen. He was a violent man, and while the Mirror Tide Emperor was still reaching out to him for help against the Nether Lotus Sect, he was also branded a threat because of his violent tendencies. There were also rumors of heaven-defying treasures, a secret organization running underground, a black, shadow-like octopus that was specifically stealing from cabbage vendors, and many other things. Despite her cool expression, Chen Huan was quite the chatterbox.

He, in turn, shared information about the Nether Lotus Sect: where it was located, its structure, the hierarchy, and the elders and disciples to be wary of. However, the information he gave was superficial. He decided to save the most critical details for the ears of his benefactor alone, which earned a nod from her. It seemed she had been conducting a small test.

Soon, they emerged from the tunnel of utter darkness into a brightly lit room where the road split into three paths. Chen Huan chose the right path, and he followed. The walk from there was short, and soon, he arrived before a double door carved from black stone. It was simple and without any decoration whatsoever, and she pushed it open with no trouble.

Han Guilin entered and found himself in a small throne room. The room was small, only a few dozen steps from the door to the throne. There were no ornate decorations, no furniture, nothing aside from the throne that stood atop a small set of stairs. Of course, while the room was bare, the most important thing was the man who sat on the throne. His very appearance seemed to brighten the stark room. His benefactor was a man who looked to have barely passed twenty. His hair was the color of gold, his eyes were red, and his wide smile was friendly and dignified. He wore a red robe with a dragon embossed on it, and he sat on his throne, sustaining his jaw with one hand, leaning to the side.

Han Guilin had met his benefactor many times. He knew the man was striking in appearance, but he could also be as mysterious as he wanted. The truth was, Han Guilin didn't actually know his benefactor's true position within the Mirror Tide Empire, though he suspected it was quite lofty. Upon seeing him now, his eyes widened as realization struck him like lightning. Of course. It all made sense.

Han Guilin instantly dropped to his knees and kowtowed. His benefactor was the Emperor of the Mirror Tide Empire.

After greeting the emperor, he was ordered to rise.

"Long time no see, Han Guilin," he smiled. "Now, while I want to chat with you, unfortunately I am quite busy. So, let's begin your report."

"Yes," Han Guilin answered. He wanted his report to be as detailed as possible and considered explaining everything from the very beginning. In the end, however, he decided to convey the most important information he had first. "Your Majesty, the Nether Lotus Sect's end goal is not conquest. It is true that they are trying to expand their control and their territory. Their disciples are even currently waging wars in several key locations. But all of this is not their true goal. No, the true goal of the Nether Lotus Sect, or rather, its Patriarch, Ye Xuanming, his son, Ye Xuanhan, and an elder from the Purple Moon Sect, Wen Zhui, is a place they call the Weeping Jade Ruins, and the key to open it."

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