Yun Xi took an unconscious step back as she watched Mo Yu Zhēnjūn laugh with delight. For some reason, her heart felt a little uneasy.
After admiring the jade key for a while, Mo Yuwan waved her sleeve and returned it to Yun Xi with a beaming smile. "I've seen enough of the jade key. You may put it away now."
Yun Xi hadn't expected Mo Yu Zhēnjūn to return the key so readily. She paused for a moment to confirm there were no tricks, then finally waved her sleeve and sent the jade key back into her storage.
She bowed and asked, "Zhēnjūn, may I ask what 'Ziji' represents?"
Mo Yu Zhēnjūn smiled with narrowed eyes as she explained.
"The Ziji Jade Key means that every place within the Yixian Gate will open to you—of course, only if you pass the trials.
The fact that your key transformed into Ziji proves that your talent is outstanding. You should have no issue passing the assessments and becoming the rightful inheritor of the Yixian Gate. Once that happens, you'll also be the one responsible for refining the body-tempering potions I need to advance to Divine Transformation."
As she listened, Yun Xi silently sorted out the implications of the Ziji Jade Key.
First of all, this key was clearly left behind as a backup by the Yixian Gate to ensure its legacy would not be severed. In order to prevent the Mo Yu Clan from monopolizing the inheritance, they were only entrusted with half the key. The other half had likely been taken from the sect by a disciple and hidden somewhere, as directed by the Sect Master.
Second, the key could only be fused and activated by burning it with an exotic flame. And anyone capable of subduing such a flame was already a prodigy, meaning their aptitude would meet the sect's standards. Yun Xi also knew that exotic flames held significant power in both pill and medicine refinement, so this requirement also served as a trial, excluding unqualified candidates.
Third, the function of the Ziji Jade Key itself was clear. Since she was the one who refined it, she was now its rightful controller. That made her a recognized inheritor of the Yixian Gate. If she were not the one to use the key to unlock the sect hidden underground, the Yixian Gate would self-destruct completely. It was a strategy that ensured no one could seize its treasures without fulfilling its conditions.
Of course, outsiders might immediately spot a loophole. If the Ziji Jade Key could not be forcibly taken, what about simply controlling the key's wielder and using her like a puppet?
But Yun Xi quickly dismissed that idea. She wasn't some rootless loose cultivator. More importantly, her spiritual sense was far stronger than her current body—no ordinary cultivator could overpower her mind. At the very least, they would need Divine Transformation level strength. And even if someone tried to suppress her by force, she could retreat into her spatial realm. She would never let herself become someone else's pawn.
With that in mind, Yun Xi was more convinced than ever that she was the rightful bearer of the Ziji Jade Key. The Yixian Gate had thought of everything, and she couldn't help but wonder which powerful expert had laid out such a detailed plan.
Mo Yuwan noticed the serious look on Yun Xi's face and chuckled.
"What's wrong? Do you still have doubts?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Yun Xi bowed again.
"I have no other questions, Zhēnjūn. But from what I know, there's more than one faction eyeing this treasure. If the three Golden Core cultivators who pursued the Haoran Sect disciples weren't under your command, then someone else is involved."
Mo Yu Zhēnjūn smiled faintly.
"I'm aware. That's why I shut down Yuxing City's teleportation hall. It wasn't aimed at you. I only wanted to stop the news from spreading any further. Since the treasure is here in Yuxing City, anyone with a treasure map will return eventually."
"I understand. Then when shall we open the treasure vault?" Yun Xi asked directly.
"First, you need to bind the Ziji Jade Key with a drop of your blood. It will guide you to the real entrance. As for what lies beyond... I cannot say. What I can promise is that you will be able to enter the underground palace safely. After that, it's up to your own ability."
"Yes, I understand."
Yun Xi bowed once more. Then she and her companions left the reception hall, escorted by the Golden Core stage guard back to their guest residence.
The four entered Yun Xi's room without needing to say a word. Clearly, they had something to discuss.
This time, Yun Xi activated her own fourth-grade formation plate—the compensation from the Shuangshan City incident.
Once the formation was set, Zhang Lingrui immediately voiced his concern.
"Can we really trust what Mo Yu Zhēnjūn said? What if she turns hostile once the entrance opens?"
Before Yun Xi could answer, Cao Yi shook his head.
"Unlikely. Didn't she say it herself? She needs Junior Sister Wei to refine the body-tempering potion for her Divine Transformation breakthrough. Even if it's just for the sake of ascension, she won't let anything happen to her.
Besides, Junior Sister has an exotic flame and knows how to refine pills. If she can refine pills, she can definitely learn to refine medicine too.
Wei Yunxi is currently at the early peak of the Golden Core stage. But don't forget—she's only sixteen years old. Forming a Nascent Soul is just a matter of time. A future alchemy master of her level, Mo Yu Zhēnjūn would absolutely consider worth protecting. So long as we're in Yuxing City, I don't think we're in danger."
Yun Xi smiled sweetly, dimples forming on her cheeks.
"Senior Brother Cao, you're flattering me."
Zhang Lingrui gave a light cough.
"Senior Brother Cao has a point. Junior Sister Wei is always so calm and decisive that we often forget how young she is. We might be safe inside Yuxing City, or at least until she inherits the Yixian Gate legacy. But what about afterward? What about those lurking in the shadows who are eyeing this opportunity?
Killing for treasure is not unheard of. I'm just worried that we won't be able to protect her when the time comes."
Lin Keyang nodded in agreement.
"I share Senior Brother Zhang's concerns. We don't even know which factions are involved in all this. Friend or foe, it's impossible to tell. Whether we can handle it is still uncertain."
Yun Xi thought for a moment, then said, "Zhao Jinmu and the others should have informed the Sect Master by now. Martial Uncle will likely make arrangements. The only thing I'm worried about now is interference from evil cultivators."
Cao Yi, Zhang Lingrui, and Lin Keyang all nodded in unison. The events in Xiaohe City were still fresh in their minds. Xiao He had been rescued. The Xiao Clan was annihilated. The only thing they were certain of when they left was that evil cultivators were behind it, but the mastermind was still at large.
Yun Xi rubbed her face. Her gut told her that the treasure had already attracted the attention of evil cultivators. How deeply they were involved, she couldn't be sure. But the legacy of an entire sect was more than enough to tempt any cultivator into taking a risk.
What Yun Xi would only realize later, after she became the Yixian Gate's successor, was the true reason behind the sect's downfall, and what the evil cultivators were really after. That realization would make her a prime target in their eyes.
Back in the present, Yun Xi patted her cheeks and said,
"Senior Brothers, let's focus on what's in front of us. I'll refine the Ziji Jade Key first. You all should prepare to enter the underground palace with me. Besides the Yixian Gate's legacy, there's the entire sect's treasury waiting to be claimed. This kind of opportunity is not to be missed.
Mo Yu Zhēnjūn may have said she shut down the teleportation hall to prevent the news from spreading, but let's not forget, she's also eyeing the Yixian Gate's treasures. If she gets the meat, we should at least get some soup. Otherwise, I'd be taking all the risk for nothing."
Cao Yi and the others agreed with her wholeheartedly. Once their strategy was decided, each of them went to make their preparations.
Meanwhile, things were far less smooth for Lin Sheng's party, who had returned to the sect.