The old man fell silent.
Wuchen stood to one side, his deeply lined face drawn tight.
He had followed the Vein Master for tens of thousands of years. He had lost count of how many times people had cradled the Supreme One Token and begged to study it.
But no one had ever dared take one look and immediately demand to be left alone with it.
This was not repairing a Command Token.
This was taking the last shred of hope the Vein Master had saved over tens of thousands of years and holding it in his own hands.
"Alliance Leader."
Wuchen spoke, his voice hoarse.
"You must not agree to this. Though this Command Token is ruined, it is still a relic of the Immortal Court, the root of the Purple-Gold Immortal Vein. Giving it to an outsider and leaving him alone with it—what if..."
"What if he swaps it?" the old man finished for him.
Zhou Xuan raised his eyes to meet the phantom's gaze, offering no argument.
"It's only natural for you to worry about that, Alliance Leader."
He spoke.
"Then how about this? We'll put the jade casket on the table, and Senior Wuchen will guard the door. I won't take half a step outside this secret chamber. Once a stick of incense has burned out, I'll bring the Command Token out just as it was, and you can inspect it in person."
"If you find it's been replaced, or anything is wrong—"
Zhou Xuan paused.
"My life will remain here in the Purple-Gold Immortal Vein. You may do with it as you please."
The courtyard fell silent again.
The old man's eyes, which could see through all things, fixed on him for a long time.
He wanted to find the slightest trace of guilt or