The Great Onmyoji

[At the bottom of the Pu River, a metal box lay submerged. Inside it was a treasure map from the previous dynasty, showing the location of a treasure overseas...]

[Eight hours later, a meeting would take place at the Yuan'an Hotel in the western district of Magic City. Its purpose was to transfer a five-hundred-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus, obtained from the Northern Heavenly Mountain in Xia Kingdom, to Fusang Kingdom...]

[Five thousand meters beneath the suburbs of Magic City...]

The Gray Mirror's surface roiled faintly, and one answer after another appeared.

"A treasure map? And it's overseas?"

Su Yuan had no plans to leave the country for now.

He could try going there when he had the chance in the future.

As for the treasure map, Su Yuan had no intention of diving into the middle of the Pu River to retrieve it.

It wasn't that it was dangerous. There was simply no need.

He could just ask the Grey Mirror what exactly the treasure map recorded.

A real treasure map might be damaged or contain errors, but the Grey Mirror was absolutely accurate.

"A five-hundred-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus?"

Su Yuan's expression turned slightly solemn.

Any ancient or aged medicinal herb underwent a qualitative transformation once it had grown for over a century.

And this one was five hundred years old.

What was more, the Tianshan Snow Lotus was an exceedingly rare ancient herb that grew in the snow-covered Northern Heavenly Mountain, where conditions were far harsher than in the Southern Frontier Hundred Thousand Mountains.

In the Southern Frontier Hundred Thousand Mountains, you only had to deal with venomous insects, snakes, ants, wild beasts, or other human powerhouses.

But in the Northern Heavenly Mountain, you had to face the true might of nature.

"What use would this five-hundred-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus be to me?"

Su Yuan asked at once.

[The Tianshan Snow Lotus contains pure life force and soul force. When taken correctly, it can promote evolution in three dimensions: the body, the soul, and potential. It is one of the best ancient herbs currently available on this planet to aid in advancing to a Level 1 Lifeform...]

The Grey Mirror answered.

"An ancient herb that's one of the best aids for advancing to a Level 1 Lifeform..."

Su Yuan fell into thought.

Over a week ago, he had already learned from the Grey Mirror the detailed process for advancing to a Level 1 Lifeform.

That included the ancient herbs, powerful medicines, and other external aids he would need.

However, that information and method had been based on Su Yuan's strength at the time, over a week ago.

Back then, he had been weak—far too weak—and had no ability to pursue better ancient herbs or powerful medicines.

"I want to know the details of this meeting and the Tianshan Snow Lotus..."

Su Yuan looked at the Grey Mirror and asked.

The gray surface rippled.

[Eight days ago, a mountaineering enthusiast discovered a nearly mature Tianshan Snow Lotus by chance while climbing the Northern Heavenly Mountain. Word of it spread quickly, and the Xia Kingdom authorities immediately sealed off the area.]

[Before the authorities could seal it off, however, a Fusang national who was also climbing the mountain happened to learn of the discovery. He was a member of the Chizuru Family of Fusang Kingdom, and immediately reported the matter to his family.]

[Knowing how valuable the Tianshan Snow Lotus was, the Chizuru Family used every means at its disposal to take it before the Xia Kingdom's official investigation team arrived.]

[The Xia Kingdom authorities sealed all routes from the Northern Heavenly Mountain to Fusang Kingdom. With no other choice, the Chizuru Family planned to use Magic City as a stopover to transport the snow lotus back to Fusang Kingdom...]

The Gray Mirror's surface displayed one line of text after another, laying out the whole story.

"So they're thieves..."

A smile appeared on Su Yuan's face.

"What does the Chizuru Family want the Tianshan Snow Lotus for?"

Su Yuan thought for a moment, then asked.

[The Chizuru Family's strongest member, Chizuru Shin, injured his own origins while trying to advance to the Great Onmyoji realm. He needs the Tianshan Snow Lotus to heal...]

"The Great Onmyoji..."

Su Yuan's expression turned peculiar.

The Great Onmyoji of Fusang Kingdom was equivalent to the Grandmaster of Baodan in Xia Kingdom—in other words, a Level 1 Lifeform.

However, compared with a Grandmaster of Baodan in Xia Kingdom, who cultivated both the body and the soul, the Great Onmyoji of Fusang Kingdom cultivated only the soul.

Evolution of life required the body and soul to be cultivated together, at the very least.

Even if someone could forcibly transform into a Level 1 Lifeform through the soul alone, it would leave them with countless hidden dangers. Injuring their origins was the least of them.

After thinking for a moment,

Su Yuan looked at the Grey Mirror and asked again, "Make me a plan to obtain the Tianshan Snow Lotus safely, without any hidden risks or causing a commotion..."

The Tianshan Snow Lotus belonged to Xia Kingdom in the first place, so Su Yuan wouldn't be robbing anyone.

The gray surface shimmered faintly, and a plan perfectly suited to Su Yuan's requirements quickly appeared.

An hour later,

Su Yuan left the Jinshan Villa District.

Thirty-three minutes later,

Su Yuan arrived in the western district of Magic City, just a few dozen meters from the Yuan'an Hotel where the Fusang nationals were due to meet.

Su Yuan had already changed his appearance. His eyes were narrow, and his aura was cold.

He watched the Yuan'an Hotel from a distance. Fifty-seven seconds later, he strode toward it.

At that moment, no guests were entering or leaving the hotel. The front desk clerk had briefly stepped away to use the restroom.

As for the hotel's security cameras, Su Yuan had already hacked into them and disabled them.

And so, without anyone noticing, Su Yuan entered the Yuan'an Hotel.

Once inside, Su Yuan didn't take the elevator. Instead, he used the stairwell to reach the hotel's sixth floor.

The Yuan'an Hotel was one of the larger hotels in Magic City, with thirty-six rooms on each floor.

Su Yuan glanced around, then slipped silently into Room 6009.

Room 6009 was in a corner on the sixth floor, with no other rooms to either side. It was almost like a private suite.

It was also close to the elevator, clearly visible as soon as you stepped out.

Su Yuan hadn't booked Room 6009. He knew it would remain unoccupied throughout the following day.

"Now I just have to wait."

Su Yuan thought to himself.

According to the Grey Mirror's plan, a little over six hours later, three members of the Chizuru Family from Fusang Kingdom would enter the hotel and check into Room 6006 on the sixth floor.

They would wait there for the Fusang national who had fled south from the Northern Heavenly Mountain with the Tianshan Snow Lotus.

The fugitive was being pursued by the Xia Kingdom authorities. His identity, physical build, appearance, and voice had all been identified, leaving him no way to escape the country.

So he could only hand the Tianshan Snow Lotus over to the three Chizuru Family members there. Since their identities were clean, they could then take the snow lotus back to Fusang Kingdom.

That was the Chizuru Family's plan.

Inside Room 6009, Su Yuan stood by the window, looking down at the street outside.

A quiet street ran below the window, with few people passing by.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, six hours and ten minutes had passed.

Su Yuan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

"They're here."

Su Yuan checked the time. He could faintly feel the slight vibration of the elevator doors opening.

"They're cautious, all right."

Su Yuan smiled faintly.

He had sensed only the faint vibration of the elevator. There were no footsteps at all. Clearly, the three Chizuru Family members who had come to meet the fugitive were being extremely careful, not daring to make the slightest sound.