The Tianxuan Domain was neatly divided, with each of the two rival factions having control over exactly half.

Cloudveil City was situated at the southern border of the Jade Pure Sect’s territory, dangerously close to several mid-tier demonic forces.

Because of its perilous location and the constant threat of attacks, mortals naturally avoided the place.

Only cultivators chose to visit.

Over time, Cloudveil City had transformed into a city exclusive to cultivators—a neutral ground where rogue and sect cultivators alike gathered to trade resources, hunt for intelligence, or simply seek entertainment.

The arrival of a lone traveler among the bustling crowd did not attract much scrutiny.

At most, a few passersby raised their eyebrows, sighing at the man’s striking appearance and the unfathomable bearing he carried himself with.

Chen Xuan ignored their stares.

Though he had altered his facial features to conceal his true identity, the natural demeanor he exuded was still enough to turn heads.

As for the idea of wearing a mask and hiding himself completely? That would defeat the very purpose of his visit.

In a city like this, a masked cultivator practically screamed that they had something to hide.

Doing so might seem smart at first glance, but it was really just a way to invite trouble.

Chen Xuan did not linger at the gates. After tossing a Spirit Stone to the Foundation Establishment guard, he moved toward the city center.

Shortly after, he came to a halt before a grand, three-story pavilion decorated with glowing lamps and vibrant ribbons.

’Myriad Weapon Pavilion.’

He cast a thoughtful glance at the plaque above the entrance before stepping inside.

The interior was many times larger than the exterior suggested, likely expanded through arrays or powerful spells.

Elegant glass displays lined the walls, showcasing precious items. Treasures, pills, and other exotic resources were displayed openly.

The rest of the hall was divided into smaller, private booths, each staffed with a clerk.

Some of them were already servicing cultivators.

Chen Xuan observed the scene without changing expression.

A younger cultivator might have been awed by the sheer wealth on display or intimidated by the overlapping auras of the powerful cultivators.

But Chen Xuan had lived in this world for nearly a century and had long since seen almost everything.

A fancy little shop was hardly enough to impress him.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan ignored everything else and strolled toward one of the open booths.

Perhaps by coincidence, but the clerk behind the desk happened to be a striking, well-endowed woman with a bright smile on her lips.

Her eyes lit up as he approached her, her gaze sweeping over him with intensity.

"Hello, honored guest! How may I assist you today?" she said, leaning forward slightly while her smile deepened.

"The Myriad Weapon Pavilion spans the entire Tianxuan Domain.

"Don’t let the name fool you. Pills, arrays, rare herbs, and artifacts. If it exists and you want it, we can find it!" she said confidently.

Chen Xuan stared at her inviting smile and the "assets" she seemed quite intent on displaying and felt utterly speechless.

He knew his own charm, but he wasn’t delusional enough to think a seasoned clerk had fallen in love at first sight.

Clearly, this woman had set her sights on his wealth!

Seeing him, a lone, handsome cultivator with an extraordinary temperament, she must have labelled him a fat sheep!

In fact, Spirit Stones were practically shining in her blue eyes already.

Unfortunately for her, those dreams were about to be crushed.

"Cough, cough," Chen Xuan cleared his throat and pulled a black token out of his spatial ring before setting it firmly on the desk.

His actions caught the clerk off guard. She had been about to deliver a standard sales pitch, but the moment her eyes fell upon the token, her posture stiffened.

After taking a closer look at the token and confirming its authenticity, the frivolous air around her vanished entirely.

"I did not realize Your Excellency was an esteemed Envoy. Please forgive my earlier disrespect," she said, bowing deeply. Turning around, she gestured toward a nearby staircase.

"Please follow me, sir. This is not an appropriate place to discuss," she glanced cautiously at the surroundings, leading Chen Xuan onto the third floor.

--

A short while later, Chen Xuan sat in a private room on the top floor.

He held a cup of tea, secretly circulating his Spiritual Energy to check for poison before taking a sip.

After savoring its bittersweet taste, he looked up at the fidgeting clerk and slid a piece of paper across the table.

"This is a list of medicinal materials. I’ll only be in the city for a few hours," he stated. "I need you to gather at least half of the items marked on this list within that time."

The clerk took the list and focused on it. After a brief pause, she nodded solemnly.

Chen Xuan tapped his fingers against the table and continued:

"While the pavilion works on that, tell me: what do you know about the war? Has there been any significant news recently?"

The female clerk was caught off guard but recovered quickly.

Intelligence was one of the few things that the Myriad Weapon Pavilion did not provide.

However, she knew the man before her was one of the Pavilion’s thirteen Envoys. He was most likely a Core Formation cultivator, and there was even a chance he was a Nascent Soul expert.

She knew better than to refuse his request.

"Reporting to the Envoy, the progress of the war remains a high-level secret," she began, "but some news has become public knowledge."

"For instance, the Supreme Sword Sect recently launched a massive raid on the Blood Devil Sect. While they didn’t manage to wipe them out entirely, they forced the majority of their members to retreat deep into demonic territory."

A flash of genuine admiration crossed the woman’s face, as if she really wished to have been there to witness this scene.

Though not a member of the Supreme Sword Sect, she was still a righteous cultivator and harbored a deep-seated grudge against the demonic faction.

"There are also reports that the Thousand-Gu Monster was assassinated a few days ago," she soon continued, "His death triggered a riot among the poison insects he controlled, which caused absolute chaos on the western battlefield."

"There’s also..."

The woman provided a concise yet valuable report, mixing common rumors with pieces of information she had gathered on her own.

Chen Xuan listened mostly in silence, nodding occasionally as encouragement.

He didn’t interrupt, regardless of whether he had heard of these before or not.

By the time the clerk finished, nearly half an hour had passed.

"Enough. You may leave," Chen Xuan said with a dismissive wave.

"I’ll remain in the pavilion for the next two hours. Make sure the materials are ready by then."

Without waiting for her reply, he rose and headed toward one of the pavilion’s private cultivation rooms.

The clerk did not utter a word throughout the exchange. She simply bowed low as he left, then hurried off to fulfill his orders.