Yin Wujou kept watch all night.
The night at the Ziwei Sect was much quieter than he had imagined. There was none of Demon Domain lingering, bloody stench of the Demon Realm, no ominous Heavenly Screen or oppressive Demonic Qi. The night here was clean and bright, with countless stars overhead, and the wind carried the scent of bamboo leaves and earth. He sat in a chair with his eyes half-closed, but his divine sense constantly enveloped the entire room, clearly noticing even the stray cat passing by outside crushing a dry twig.
As dawn broke, he got up and cooked porridge again. He searched the entire house; on the kitchen counter were only a few simple grains of rice and dried fruit, showing that the homeowner didn't care much about food. As he cooked the porridge, he thought, "This person lives like this; no wonder he's carried a secret for three hundred years and still thinks it's perfectly normal."
When the porridge was cooked and brought in, Snow Empress was already awake, leaning against the headboard, slowly circulating the remaining Spiritual Power in her body. Her face had regained some color, unlike yesterday when she was as white as a sheet. Seeing Yin Wujou bring in the porridge, she nodded slightly in acknowledgment, took it, and drank it in small sips.
"I need to return to the main peak today," Snow Empress said after finishing her porridge. "I need to give the Council of Elders an explanation; the news of my master's passing can't be kept secret for long."
Yin Wujou leaned against the doorframe. "Are you sure you can handle those old fogies in the Council of Elders like this?"
"I have to be able to, even if I can't." Snow Empress placed the bowl on the bedside table and reached for the jade pendant on the table. "With my master's Spiritual Power as a foundation, I can recover half of my combat strength in three days. That should be enough to cover up my excuses."
Yin Wujou watched as she clutched the jade pendant in her hand, channeling Spiritual Power into her meridians. Her complexion gradually regained some luster, but he didn't object. It was her decision, and he wouldn't stop her if she decided to do it. He simply said, "I'll go with you."
The Snow Empress looked up at him. "It's not quite appropriate for a Demon Venerable like you to swagger into the main hall of the Ziwei Sect."
"I can swagger in as ' Yin Wujou ' without any problem." He raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, there aren't many people in your Ziwei Sect who recognize my face. If they do, I'll just say I'm your newly recruited follower."
Snow Empress was amused by his self-righteous tone and shook her head helplessly, but ultimately did not object.
In the afternoon, the two left the small courtyard behind the mountain and headed towards the main peak along the bluestone mountain path. The main peak of the Ziwei Sect was majestic and towering, with ancient pines planted on both sides of the mountain path, their branches twisting like dragons. Occasionally, disciples would fly by on their swords, landing and bowing to the Snow Empress upon seeing her. The Snow Empress would only nod in acknowledgment, her steps uninterrupted. Yin Wujou followed half a step behind her, concealing his demonic Demonic Qi, and indeed looked like a taciturn guard. However, his eyes subtly scanned every sentry post and every area covered by spiritual sense, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the Ziwei Sect's defense system.
Inside the main hall, all five elders had arrived. Seated at the head of the table was the First Elder, Xuanheng, with white hair and beard, and a gaunt face. His eyes, which had seen much of life's vicissitudes, narrowed slightly when the Snow Empress stepped across the threshold. The other four elders stood on either side, their expressions varied—some worried, some suspicious, and some with hidden sharpness.
" Snow Empress," Xuanheng spoke, his voice calm and unhurried, " Perfected Qingxuan left the Ziwei Sect last night, his whereabouts unknown. Could you tell us what happened?"
The Snow Empress stood in the center of the hall, her back straight, her face pale but her bearing undiminished. She glanced at the five elders present, then spoke, her voice clear and crisp. "Last night, Master entrusted the other two fragments of the Source of Chaos to me. I have already placed thirty-three layers of seals on the Eye of Chaos, and this affliction has been temporarily quelled. Master has now resolved her obsession and has gone on a journey. From now on, I will temporarily take over the affairs of the Ziwei Sect."
Her words contained a wealth of information, causing the five elders' expressions to change simultaneously. The Second Elder Daoheng, abruptly stood up. "The fragments of the Source of Chaos are in your hands? Those three hundred years...?"
"The events of the past three hundred years are known to you elders better than I am." The Snow Empress's gaze swept over each of their faces without flinching. "Where those three fragments were hidden, who guarded them, and why they were hidden separately instead of being completely destroyed—I believe everyone here knows the answer. Today I will not pursue the past, but from now on— the Source of Chaos will be under my protection, and no one may covet it again."
With a flick of her right hand, a jet-black stone appeared in her palm, its surface shimmering with a faint, dark golden luster. The temperature inside the hall plummeted, and a chilling aura emanated from the stone. Even though it was sealed away by layers of seals, it still caused several elders in the hall to involuntarily take a half-step back.
The First Elder, Xuanheng, stared at the stone for a long time, his wrinkles seeming to deepen suddenly. He slowly sat down, raising his hand to rub his temples. "Senior Brother Qingxuan... in the end, he still chose this path."
The Snow Empress retrieved the Source of Chaos into her bosom, her tone calm. "The seal on the Source of Chaos was completed by me and others. It has thirty-three layers of seal, each with its own unique variations, and none can be missing. Even if someone obtains this stone, if they forcibly break the seal without knowing the complete method, it will only trigger a backlash of Power of Chaos, leveling the surrounding thousand miles to the ground. Therefore—" She looked at Xuanheng, "Elder, you can rest assured, there are currently only two people in this world capable of breaking this seal."
"Who is the other one?" the Third Elder couldn't help but ask.
Snow Empress did not answer. Behind her, Yin Wujou stood in the shadows with his eyes lowered, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips.
A moment of silence fell over the hall. Xuanheng sighed deeply, "Very well. Since Senior Brother Qingxuan has made his decision, we have nothing more to say. Snow Empress, you are still injured; go back and rest today. Now that the Source of Chaos has been sealed, the entire Ziwei Sect can rest assured for the time being. However..." He paused, "... your 'follower' has a rather peculiar aura."
Yin Wujou raised his eyelids, meeting Xuanheng's scrutinizing gaze without flinching.
Snow Empress stepped aside, blocking Yin Wujou's path. "He is an assistant I recruited outside. We owe a great deal to him in sealing the Source of Chaos this time. Elder, there's no need to worry."
Xuanheng glanced at Yin Wujou again, a deep scrutiny flashing in his old eyes, but ultimately he didn't press further, simply waving his hand. "Go."
It was already dark when they came out of the main hall. The evening clouds hung low, and a thin mist rose from the mountains, shrouding the distant peaks in shadow. Snow Empress's steps faltered slightly as she stepped out of the hall, and Yin Wujou reached out and supported her elbow without saying a word, holding her for a moment before letting go.
"Can't hold on any longer?" he asked in a low voice.
"I can still walk." Snow Empress took a deep breath, steadied herself, and walked down the stone steps one by one. Yin Wujou followed beside her, and the two walked silently along the long blue stone mountain path. Occasionally, disciples would pass by in the thin mist, bowing and greeting her. Snow Empress nodded in return to each one, her steps never faltering. It wasn't until she turned the last bend in the mountain and entered the bamboo forest path behind the mountain, where there was no one else around, that she suddenly leaned against a bamboo stalk, her chest heaving violently, and a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from her forehead.