"Who’s raising the dead at the Third Watch of the Night?"

"Martial Uncle, the Sect Leader has summoned you. He asks that you proceed to the Celestial Craft Hall immediately for a discussion."

"My apologies, Martial Uncle."

Fu Li’s Adam’s apple bobbed a few times before he managed to squeeze out the words, "The council lamps are lit in the Celestial Craft Hall. The Sect Leader ordered the Weapon Casting Hall to send someone for a discussion, and right now... you’re the most qualified person we have..."

Xu Yunfan felt a sense of resignation. The Weapon Casting Hall had many veteran Weapon Forgers, but the vast majority of them were completely engrossed in their craft and wouldn’t bother with such affairs.

Xu Yunfan thought back on the dozen or so Inner Sect Disciples in the Weapon Casting Hall.

...

’It really does have to be me.’

Besides, he was the True Disciple of Zhan Yan, the Weapon Casting Hall Master. With both Zhan Yan and Fu Jin absent, it was naturally up to him to shoulder the responsibility.

After sending Fu Li on his way, Xu Yunfan dressed, strapped the Thunderfire Qilin Hammer to his back, and listened to the clasps lock one by one around the hammer’s handle. He then adjusted the Profound Steel Mechanism Box on his back and chest, making sure it was perfectly secure before hurrying toward the Celestial Craft Hall in the center of Celestial Craft City.

Upon arriving at the Celestial Craft Hall, Xu Yunfan discovered that aside from himself, representatives from the other three major divisions had already gathered. Even the Foreign Affairs Hall and the Hidden Blade Pavilion had sent whomever was currently in charge.

A smile couldn’t help but appear on Hong Baichuan’s face the moment Xu Yunfan stepped into the hall.

"You’re here. Find a seat."

Mo Han gave him a slight nod, his perpetually gloomy expression softening into a rare, pleasant look—a courtesy he didn’t even extend to Mo Shisan.

These were all his seniors, so Xu Yunfan naturally bowed to each of them in turn. Spotting the plaque for the Weapon Casting Hall, he dropped into his seat.

Hong Baichuan’s gaze swept over the representatives from the six divisions present, as well as a few unperturbed Elders sitting off to the side.

Xu Yunfan furtively counted. Fewer than twenty people were sparsely seated behind the six long tables. Before the great battle in Cangzhou, this hall had been so packed you could knock over three Elders just by turning around.

Now, only three Elders remained, sitting solemnly on their chairs not far away.

"Is everyone here?"

Hong Baichuan tapped the Black Jade tabletop, the sound vibrating through the hall and shaking dust from the beams and pillars.

He scanned the room again, confirming that of the former Nine Peaks and Six Ministries, only this sparse handful of people remained. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

"Since everyone’s here, and we all know each other well, I’ll skip the pleasantries."

Hong Baichuan paused, his expression growing grave. "Qi Huan is dead."

Hearing this news, Xu Yunfan’s expression flickered. The last time he had seen Qi Huan was when Qi Huan and Pei Yan, the representative from the Sword Pavilion, were heading to the Profound Daoist Sect for the Various Sects Martial Arts Performance. At the time, Hong Baichuan had personally asked if Xu Yunfan was willing to go.

After Xu Yunfan flatly refused, Qi Huan was sent to participate instead. To show how seriously they were taking the event, the Celestial Craft Cave even dispatched a team led by an Elder who was a Blood Exchange Realm master.

After the battle in Cangzhou, where the Celestial Craft Cave had lost two of its five great Elders, their manpower was already stretched thin.

Xu Yunfan scanned the room, observing the changes in everyone’s expressions.

Most showed surprise and astonishment, but no one seemed particularly angry.

The acting steward from the Foreign Affairs Hall, however, had a dazed expression, and his face was grim. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Qi Huan had been the face of the Hidden Blade Pavilion. With him dead, the Pavilion was left with just a handful of members. In the future, the Hidden Blade Pavilion would likely be restructured, perhaps even merged with another hall or department.

Finally, Wan Chen, the Hall Master of the Celestial Craft Department, rubbed his nose and asked, "Was he killed during the Various Sects Martial Arts Performance?"

Such things were common. The Various Sects Martial Arts Performance was inherently risky. In the Mortal World, countless people fought in arena duels every year, and casualties were innumerable.

Hong Baichuan shook his head slightly. "According to the latest intelligence, Qi Huan placed in the top sixteen of the competition and earned the right to enter the Profound Daoist Secret Realm. He died inside the Secret Realm."

Mo Han suddenly coughed. "Old Hong, stop keeping us in suspense. How did Qi Huan die? Isn’t the Profound Daoist Secret Realm supposed to be so safe you couldn’t even crush an ant? Even if we’re a minor sect, the Profound Daoist Sect wouldn’t just ignore us, would they?"

A strange expression appeared on Hong Baichuan’s face.

"The Profound Daoist Sect sent a letter. They said the Profound Daoist Secret Realm is indeed a place rich with Primordial Spirit. Not so safe you couldn’t crush an ant, but still... Not long after everyone entered, half the sky in the Secret Realm collapsed. Anyone without a Divine Weapon for protection vanished without a trace. According to those who managed to escape, it seems many Demon Fiends appeared inside."

Hearing this, the people in the hall all exchanged glances. Finally, Wan Chen let out a short laugh, a gloating tone in his voice. "Ha! I knew the Profound Daoist Sect was being too generous, opening up their Secret Realm just because the Primordial Spirit was rising. So they were just treating us like gullible fools."

Zhu Xu, who rarely spoke, now opened his mouth. "Qi Huan was a disciple of our Celestial Craft Cave, after all. His talent was remarkable, and he grew up within the sect. He was the most qualified person to one day take over the Hidden Blade Pavilion."

Beside him, Wan Chen opened his mouth as if to say something, but then seemed to think better of it. Mumbling under his breath, he turned his head and said no more.

Xu Yunfan sat to the side with his arms crossed, his mind wandering far away, not uttering a single word.

’He didn’t want any part in these matters. It was the middle of the night, and all he wanted was to go back to sleep and meet that fierce woman in his dreams.’

After some discussion, it was clear they weren’t reaching a consensus. Finally, Hong Baichuan had to make the call. "We need to see him, dead or alive. The Celestial Craft Cave may not be as powerful as the Profound Daoist Sect, but we still need to show our stance..."

At this, Hong Baichuan’s gaze swept over the people below.

"I know you all hold a grudge against Qi Huan because of the incident with Bao Yan, but he still grew up in our sect. As his elders, you watched him every step of the way."

As soon as he said this, the indifferent expressions on everyone’s faces vanished.

Mo Han pondered for a moment, then said, "We should send someone to negotiate. Isn’t the Sixth Elder still at the Profound Daoist Sect? We should send him a message and have him press for answers as soon as possible."

...

-----------------

The meeting was incredibly boring. They argued for a good while just to decide on who to send. By the time Xu Yunfan walked out of the hall, the moon was high in the sky, and nearly an Hour had passed.

’He wanted absolutely nothing to do with this sort of thing in the future. In his eyes, it was all just a bunch of trivial nonsense.’

’Hong Baichuan was usually tolerable, but once a meeting started, he’d drone on and on with useless talk that dragged everything out.’

’There had even been a suggestion to send him to the Profound Daoist Sect, but Xu Yunfan naturally refused. He was perfectly content staying inside the Celestial Craft Cave and had no desire to go out.’

’Honestly, he hadn’t even budged when his master, Zhan Yan, got trapped on Divine Weapon Ridge. He wouldn’t leave unless he had absolutely no other choice, so why would he bestir himself for someone like Qi Huan?’

Xu Yunfan lay down again, calmed his mind, and quickly fell asleep.

An unknown amount of time passed before the Extreme Dao Relic Shell on Xu Yunfan’s chest suddenly began to emit a faint, pearlescent glow. The woman’s husk, which had been drawn tight like soft armor, started to unfurl like a newborn’s cocoon.

As the husk writhed, it revealed a luster that a thousand years had failed to diminish. Its texture, like the finest white jade, revealed translucent patterns under the moonlight.

Every inch of it flowed with the texture of silk moistened by the misty rains of Jiangnan, so smooth that even the sharpest blade could not catch the slightest snag upon it.