Before the Great Battle (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader Jingzhe Z!)

All right.

Things had reached the point where only action could settle them!

But Xu Yuan didn't mind. He was even a little excited.

—His spiritual power at the fourth layer of Qi Refining wasn't enough, the Underworld needed exploring, and he still had to practice the Bluefall Yellow Springs Art!

He had to get his hands on a note!

Across from him,

Xia Yin finally steadied himself and said slowly,

"There's no medicine in this world for regret."

"Those who refused to fall in line all ended up as casting materials for the organization—without exception."

"You can choose whether to be casting material or the caster, Xu Yuan."

"I hope you make your decision soon."

"This is a parting gift. Hold on to it. Don't lose it—it's quite precious."

With that, he set a box down before Xu Yuan.

"What's inside?"

Xu Yuan asked.

"After your father was trapped, his right-hand man was no longer of any use to the organization—"

“But we kept his Severed Head.”

Xia Yin gave him a meaningful look, then turned and left.

The cultivators vanished into the crowd with him.

Amid the tide of people,

Xia Yin walked and pondered.

He had never expected—

The last person in the Netherworld Passage lineage was so shrewd.

Before Xu Yuan reached Path Entry, Xia Yin could have had Tongbao deal with him directly.

At most, it would have counted as a public-security incident.

But now Xu Yuan was a Qi Refiner.

And he was on the White List.

That made him perfect bait for hooking a big fish from the Nine Luminaries.

The terms Xia Yin had offered were tempting enough.

Who would have thought Xu Yuan could be hunted by the Scorpion Demon Envoy and still remain this stubborn?

He hadn't given an inch.