He straightened his robes and said respectfully, "Fang Cheng of Demon Lion Peak requests an audience with the Supreme Elder."

A moment later, a gentle voice came from within the Daoist Palace. "Come in."

Fang Cheng stepped slowly into the hall.

In the center of the vast Daoist Palace hall, a black lotus formed from a mass of pitch-black Demonic Qi rotated slowly. A figure sat cross-legged upon it, shrouded in a hazy, indistinct Demonic Light that made their features impossible to discern.

But the aura emanating from this person was as deep as an abyss, vast and boundless. Even for someone as worldly and knowledgeable as Fang Cheng had become, he couldn’t help but be filled with reverence in this presence.

This was the most powerful cultivator within a ten-thousand-li radius of the Abyssal Marsh, the Supreme Elder of the Yinluo Sect: Su Miao.

This legendary Supreme Elder spoke in a calm, gentle tone. He had no airs about him whatsoever, exuding a sense of warmth.

One could guess his personality just from the nickname he had given Sun Fuguo: the Si Hu Studio Master of Demon Lion Peak.

He was heard saying apologetically, "I was already injured, and a few days ago, I fought Xu Tianci from the Flame God Palace, which only made things worse. I’m currently using a Secret Technique to heal, so I can’t properly show my face. My young friend, I hope you don’t mind."

Fang Cheng bowed deeply and said solemnly, "This Disciple wouldn’t dare."

Su Miao sized him up for a moment, then laughed. "Don’t be as stiff as your master. Speaking of which, although your master was my Daoist Child, I see him as no different from my own disciple. In terms of seniority, you should call me Grandmaster."

Fang Cheng replied at once, "This Disciple greets Grandmaster."

Su Miao nodded and sighed. "I’ve grown accustomed to a life of leisure and have never been skilled at managing the sect’s affairs. That’s how we’ve come to be so thoroughly humiliated. If not for your intervention this time, I truly don’t know how we would have resolved the situation."

Fang Cheng said, "Our fates are intertwined. When the sect is in peril, every Disciple must do their utmost to defend it. This was merely my duty."

Su Miao waved his hand. "You have a point, but I have always been fair. You have rendered a great service this time, so I will reward you generously on behalf of the sect."

With that, he flicked his finger, and a streak of light landed on the Identity Token at Fang Cheng’s waist.

The Token flashed, and in an instant, one million Merit Points appeared on it!

Su Miao said with a chuckle, "I don’t know what you like, so I’ll give you a million Merit Points to start. You can go to the Merit Hall and exchange them for whatever you want. And if our Sect Treasure Vault doesn’t have it, you can post a bounty for other Elders and Disciples to find it for you."

"Thank you, Grandmaster." Fang Cheng took a deep breath and bowed in gratitude.

Su Miao smiled. "Don’t be so quick to thank me; there’s more to come... Hmm, I’ve placed a mark on your Identity Token. From now on, you have unrestricted access to all the legacy Secret Techniques in the Scripture Pavilion."

"In addition, there are three more items."

As he spoke, Su Miao waved his wide sleeve, and three clusters of spiritual light materialized out of thin air.

The first cluster of light revealed a Flying Sword.

The sword was three feet, three inches long, its entire body a shadowy black. Its design was ancient and unadorned, yet an endless Demonic Light flickered into and out of existence along the blade, dazzling to behold.

The sword gave off a peculiar sensation. One moment it felt as light as a feather, the next as heavy as a mountain. It was utterly profound.

’A Tier Three Flying Sword?’

Just a glance at the blade’s edge gave Fang Cheng the distinct illusion of being cut.

Su Miao nodded. "This sword is named Youhong. It was the Lifebound Flying Sword of one of our sect’s Supreme Elders from a thousand years ago. From now on, you are its master. I hope you will do it justice."

He then gestured toward the second cluster of spiritual light, where a snow-white, fist-sized sphere of bone rested.

"This is a White Bone Relic, Tier Three, Lower Grade. It, too, was refined by a sect ancestor. Take it for your protection."

Within the third cluster of spiritual light was an intricate, miniature wooden palace.

Su Miao said, "I obtained this treasure from some Ancient Ruins in my youth. It’s a Pocket World Spiritual Building, which means it contains its own pocket dimension. Inside, there are a hundred mu of high-quality Spirit Fields suitable for growing all kinds of Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine. I’ve left two Top-Grade Spirit Stones inside—enough to power it for a century. You can take it back with you and explore it on your own."

...