Su Ming set down his teacup, his tone calm. "The snow was falling heavily, burying many things. Being able to return truly was a stroke of luck."

He did not elaborate on the horror of the tide of insects, did not mention Zhao Tiji's sacrifice, and certainly did not mention that heart-stopping tunnel breakout. Those memories were too heavy, unsuitable to be laid out in this quiet little courtyard.

Qingfeng and Mingyue exchanged a glance, both hearing Su Ming's unwillingness to speak further in his words.

"Returning is what matters," Qingfeng lowered his voice, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "I heard from a Senior Brother in the Stewards Hall that in a few days, the sect will hold the 'Passing of the Flame Memorial' in 'Soul Return Valley'."

"Passing of the Flame Memorial?" Su Ming's brow lifted slightly.

This was a ceremony recorded in the Cloud Hidden Sect's archives, yet one that was rarely activated.

"Mhm," Mingyue added from the side, her expression somewhat solemn. "The Passing of the Flame Memorial is the sect's highest-level mourning ceremony. According to ancestral teachings, it is only initiated when someone who has rendered great service to the sect perishes, or when over a hundred fellow disciples fall in a single battle. At that time, all disciples of inner sect rank and above, including the elders of each peak, must attend."

"I heard even a wisp of divine sense from the Grand Elders in seclusion will descend," Qingfeng sighed. "The sect hasn't made such a grand gesture in a long time. This Iron Wall Pass incident... sigh."

Su Ming silently rubbed the warm rim of his teacup.

Over a hundred fallen?

Far more than a hundred. It was an entire border defense army formation, thousands of vibrant lives, along with those two late Golden Core stage Elders Mo and Wu Miao, all turned to a handful of dust beneath the frozen soil of the Northern Border.

"The flame passes on, ever-renewing," Lin Yu's voice carried a trace of lament in the Consciousness Sea. "This ceremony is not just for mourning, but also to unite hearts and minds. With so many dead, if they don't make it grand and solemn, the hearts of the survivors will scatter, their sense of belonging to the sect will crumble."

Su Ming gave a slight nod.

This was indeed necessary. Those who died needed recognition, those who lived needed an explanation.

"By the way,"

Qingfeng suddenly remembered something, leaning forward, his expression turning somewhat mischievous. "Senior Brother Su, your promotion to True Disciple this time is a sure thing, a great joyous occasion. However..."

He deliberately drew out the last syllable, "Being a True Disciple isn't that easy either. According to sect rules, before promotion to True Disciple, one must still pass the 'Heart-Questioning Formation' trial."

Qingfeng grabbed a handful of melon seeds and cracked them. "When I was promoted to inner sect, I nearly pissed myself. That formation is downright eerie; it stirs up the things you fear most, the things you most want to hide. I almost blurted out about stealing and drinking Master's jar of century-old spirit wine."

As he spoke, he looked at Su Ming with a half-smile. "Senior Brother Su, you've had quite a few opportunities and secrets along your journey... right? You'll have to hold steady then, don't confess something like wetting the bed as a kid."

Su Ming gave a wry smile, but the mirth didn't reach his eyes.

Secrets?

His biggest secret was currently hiding inside the ring on his finger, and it was a remnant soul that could make snarky comments...

If revealed, it would be enough for him to rot away in the Enforcement Peak's prison.

"Don't listen to his nonsense,"

Mingyue glared at Qingfeng, then turned to Su Ming with a serious expression. "The Heart-Questioning Formation is personally presided over by the Enforcement Peak Master. It is indeed not to be underestimated. But its core purpose is not to pry into private matters; it's to confirm a disciple's loyalty to the sect and whether their inheritance harbors any hidden dangers."

She paused, her tone growing even more solemn. "The most crucial step is to make a Great Dao Oath within the formation—'In the future, I will never betray the sect.' If one harbors sinister intentions or is a spy from another faction, under the formation's influence, inner demons would instantly backlash."

"Personally presided over by the Enforcement Peak Master..." Su Ming repeated softly.

The image of that black-robed, murderous aura-shrouded big shot instantly surfaced in his mind.

"Trouble," Lin Yu clicked his tongue. "If it were a fully automated formation, it'd be easier to fool. But if someone's watching from the side, even a single skipped heartbeat could be detected by that old monster."

Su Ming picked up his teacup and took a sip, using the motion of lowering his head to conceal the gravity in his eyes.

"Thank you for the reminder."

When he looked up again, Su Ming's expression had returned to normal. He set down the teacup and took out two exquisite silk pouches from his robe, pushing them towards the two.

"I came back in a hurry this time and didn't bring any local specialties. These are small trinkets I made in my spare time at Gazing Star Cliff these past few days. A gift for your protection."

Curious, Qingfeng took his pouch and opened it.

Inside was a crescent-moon-shaped jade pendant. The material wasn't precious jade, but the stem of an orchid with silver spots, specially treated and compressed.

A faint, watery sheen flowed across the pendant's surface—the gentle luster unique to the "Water Refining Method."

"This is..." The moment Qingfeng grasped the pendant, a cool sensation shot from his palm straight to his forehead. The grogginess from his hangover and the "Deep Pool Burn" instantly dissipated by more than half. He felt as if standing on a winter snowfield, his mind crystal clear.

"Heart-Clearing Pendant?" The knowledgeable Mingyue exclaimed softly. "But this material... seems to be Silver-Spotted Heart-Clearing Orchid?"

Su Ming nodded. "I planted some at Gazing Star Cliff, using earth energy and star force to accelerate their growth. The effect is a bit better than ordinary Heart-Clearing Orchids. I also embedded a miniature 'Spirit-Settling Formation' inside. If you encounter illusions or feel unsettled, it can help stabilize your soul."

"This is hardly a 'small trinket'!" Qingfeng put away his playful grin, solemnly hanging the pendant at his waist. "Senior Brother Su, this thing could fetch at least a few hundred spirit stones in the market, and it's practically priceless. Those Shishus who are in long-term seclusion, afraid of cultivation deviation, covet this kind of thing the most."

"Homegrown, not worth much," Su Ming smiled.

This was indeed a token of his sincerity.

In this sect, there weren't many people with whom he could sit down and drink tea without any guard up. Although Qingfeng and Mingyue's cultivation wasn't high, they had shown him considerable kindness when he was insignificant. Su Ming remembered this friendship.

After chatting a bit more, seeing the sky darken and mist beginning to spread in the bamboo forest, Su Ming stood up to take his leave.

...

Leaving the Purple Bamboo Sea, Su Ming did not immediately mount his sword.

He walked slowly along the mountain path, the mountain breeze rustling his robes. The surroundings were quiet, only the occasional distant cry of a crane breaking the silence.

"Heart-Questioning Formation..."

These three words felt like a stone weighing on his heart.

"Master, is there any way?" Su Ming asked inwardly.

"A hundred percent certainty? Definitely not. That's the old monster from Enforcement Peak," Lin Yu's voice was lazy, yet tinged with a shrewdness. "However, we don't need to panic too much either."

"How so?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Haven't we experienced a Heart-Questioning Formation before? The principle of the Heart-Questioning Formation is, simply put, a lie detector plus hypnosis," Lin Yu analyzed. "It amplifies your emotional fluctuations through spiritual energy resonance. If you lie, your heartbeat, blood flow, soul fluctuations become abnormal, and the formation alerts."

Lin Yu began to show off his book knowledge. "This is high-level psychological manipulation. I'll give you special training these two days; we'll simulate it hundreds of times. When you enter the formation, I'll turtle up deep inside the ring's innermost seal. Even if that old man stares until his eyeballs pop out, he'll only see a 'mostly honest, slightly flawed' loyal disciple."

Listening to Lin Yu's string of unconventional theories, the tension in Su Ming's heart inexplicably eased somewhat.

"When the soldiers arrive, we'll deploy generals to block them; when the floodwaters come, we'll use earth to dam them."

Su Ming looked at the gradually brightening starlight in the distance and took a deep breath.

"Since there's no avoiding it, then I'll play my part in this act well."