With the icy tone of Zilin's voice, the gaze of the other cultivators shifted sharply. Zhao Elder and another middle-aged scholar stood motionless, their expressions unflinching—the scholar was precisely the senior from Miao Yin Sect who had often accompanied Zhuoruting. At this sight, Fan Lady and Zhuoruting both suddenly recalled something, their faces turning pale. Among them, Fan Lady's complexion was the worst, her demeanor increasingly agitated. "Who's been lurking there?" roared the red-flame elder suddenly from amid the clouds, and a series of lightning and fire bolts shot forth from the clouds, snaking like serpents toward a nearby spot. Where the space had previously been empty, the light dimmed, and a vast expanse of black mist burst forth, completely engulfing and extinguishing the lightning and fire. Then, a compact, slender young man materialized there. "Wu Chou!" whispered Han Li, who had quietly retreated to the very end of the line, his heart racing upon seeing the young man's appearance. At that moment, several other cultivators also recognized the young man and exclaimed in surprise. The members of Yinsha Sect grew pale, fixing intense glances on Wu Chou. Yet the leading middle-aged man's expression grew peculiar—while staring at Wu Chou, a subtle sense of alarm began to surface. "Ha! Truly no surprise—Master Chiho, the renowned Red Flame Elder, has managed to penetrate my concealed technique," Wu Chou glanced casually at the gathered crowd, his eyes fixed on Wu Yun. "Hmph!" A cold snort came from within the cloud, and no further sound followed—this caused Wu Chou's expression to darken. "Does it seem to you that this entire affair was orchestrated by your Jiyin Island?" asked Zhu Ruting, who had remained silent since noticing the anomaly. "Indeed! Everything here has been arranged by my lord. Our island's personnel have seized the goods from your Miao Yin Sect, and the two elders were deliberately framed to appear as having been involved with Yinsha Sect, as per my lord's instructions!" To everyone's surprise, Wu Chou showed no hesitation, merely sneering and then fully admitting everything, his eyes gliding lustfully over the purple-robed woman. The purple-robed woman maintained her usual cool composure, gazing steadily at Wu Chou without uttering a word. At that moment, Zhao the Elder, the scholar, and the other cultivators who had previously intervened suddenly fell silent and all flew to Wu Chou's side, forming a triangular standoff with the Purple Spirit Princess and the Yin Sha Sect cultivators. Though Princess Zhuo Ruying had already anticipated this development, she still felt a shift in her expression, her face growing serious. "Zhao Meng, our sect has always treated you well," she said, her voice rising in urgency. "How could you have done such a thing?" By the time the elders and cultivators reached Wu Chou's side, Lady Fan's face had turned pale as paper, and she could no longer contain herself, launching out in a loud appeal. To be honest, she had invested countless efforts in securing the support of Zhao Elder within the Miao Yin Sect, even going so far as to sacrifice her personal charm in order to win him over. Yet now, he had simply vanished without a word—leaving her both stunned and furious. "Master Fan, I truly did not wish to take this step. However, both I and Elder Meng have long been in a state of precariousness, entirely at the mercy of others—our actions are beyond our control," said Zhao Elder, his face flushing slightly as he spoke in a composed, matter-of-fact tone. To be clear, though I have many concubines, my principal wife has yet to be settled." Wuchou, gazing intently at the purple-robed woman whose face was veiled by magic, said with a lingering, admiring tone. "Very well!" replied the Zilin Immortal Maiden, her expression impassive—her words sent a shock through the other cultivators, including Han Li. Wuchou paused, then, with a look of growing doubt, asked again: "Are you truly serious, Madam Wang?" "Execute every cultivator who killed my mother on that day, and I shall marry you," said the Zilin Immortal Maiden, her voice now cold. Wuchou's joyful expression faded, and he furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "This condition is unacceptable! Many of those who attacked were close confidants of my family's ancestors. I simply do not have the authority to execute them. How about another condition, Madam Zilin?" The Zilin Immortal Maiden laughed coldly, then whispered a few words to her companion, Lady Fan, before turning her back on Wuchou entirely. At this sight, the fierce expression flashed across Wu Chou's otherwise unattractive face, yet as if he had suddenly recalled something, he forcibly suppressed his anger and turned his gaze toward the disciples of Yinsha Sect. "Uncle Sun! I didn't expect to see so many disciples after all these years—what a pleasant development!" Wu Chou said coldly. "Uncle?" The title startled everyone else. In Han Li's heart, a sudden pang of unease deepened into growing apprehension. Yet his awareness had already scanned the surroundings thoroughly, and he found no hidden threats. This left him hesitating—whether to immediately vanish or to assess the situation further. After all, he still hadn't fully clarified the matter of the "Heavenly Thunder Bamboo"—was it genuine or merely a fabrication? At that moment, the middle-aged man sneered, his face shifting between gloom and irritation: "I've been doing quite well! I never expected that, just after taking a few of my disciples out for a stroll, I'd be discovered by you all. It seems I've come to the wrong place this time." "Hehe! Brother Sun is truly joking. Who, after decades spent in the Eternal Mists, wouldn't want to stretch their legs? Besides, this visit of yours is likely primarily about the 'Xitian Pavilion,' isn't it? That fragment of the 'Xitian Map' taken by several of our senior brothers—have you kept it with you? It's been three centuries since the Pavilion first surfaced, and the timing couldn't be more propitious. However, if Brother Sun personally hands it over to me, I can certainly appeal to our family patriarch and see that you're spared. How does that sound?" Wu Chou gazed intently at the middle-aged man, his eyes blazing with eager ambition, and spoke with persuasive warmth. "Old fellow, you don't need to hide anymore—step forward and show yourself!" the middle-aged man said with sharp intensity. Hearing this, the cultivators, including Han Li, were startled and quickly scanned the surroundings. Could it be that the Elder of Extreme Yin was right here? Yet the scene remained calm and unremarkable, with no signs of anything unusual. Now the cultivators found themselves puzzled, turning once again to the middle-aged man and to Wu Chou. "What are you doing? How can I possibly—?" Wu Chou had initially been taken aback, but as he only half-finished his sentence, his expression suddenly stiffened, and a strange look began to emerge. He fixed this expression on the middle-aged man for a while, then broke into an eerie smile. "Indeed, indeed! No wonder he is one of my most cherished disciples—he has instantly recognized my identity." As he spoke, Wu Chou's face began to blur and distort. Soon, under the astonishment of the onlookers, he transformed into an elderly, slender figure with a similar build, yet with slightly narrowed eyes and an equally unattractive appearance. Now, Han Li and the others felt a cold sweat break out on their backs. "Attached! I always knew you wouldn't entrust such an important matter to a junior disciple—especially one who has come personally, though not in your true form." The middle-aged man stared anxiously at the elder, his voice calm yet tense. "Dear disciple, haven't you ever dared to challenge your master directly?" The newly appeared elder remained silent, yet from his abdomen erupted a piercing sound so sharp it caused everyone's eardrums to ache, prompting them all to step back involuntarily. "Hmph! Disciple? When you once attacked us, it was merely a matter of thought—anyone who resisted was even stripped of spirit and essence. How could you ever have treated us as disciples? We were just your slaves! Moreover, you're only employing the technique of body attachment now—your strength is at most one-third of your full potential. What is there to fear from me?" The middle-aged man spoke solemnly, then waved his hands, and instantly the ghostly head before him swelled dramatically, transforming into something far more terrifying. The Purple Spirit Princess and the other cultivators, Li Han and his companions, were stunned by this strange development, each displaying a different expression. The elder listened to the middle-aged man's words without anger, instead calmly remarked: "Indeed, back when there were over a hundred years ago, your statement would have been accurate. With only one-third of my cultivation level, it would have truly been difficult to capture you. But now…" At this point, he offered a sharp, biting smile.