Outside Bing Xuan's room, the Patriarch stood watching the Demonic Child as it hovered around him, grinning.
"You really are a good boy, Feng Xuan... If not for you, this body would never have reached such strength. I have always known that you realize the clan's interests lie in your hands. Despite everything, you have become the first Family Head to develop his Demonic Child to this extent."
The Demonic Child giggled and laughed, staring into Feng Xuan's dark, hollow eyes as he walked through the corridors.
"You sacrificed the love of your life and betrayed her dozens of times... You've always been such a 'good man' for me. Not only that, but you married a beggar from the streets filled with hatred and made her your concubine. She nearly killed your father, and worse, she killed the love of your life too... My God, what power can truly drive a man to do!"
Every time the Demonic Child emerged, it would recount these gruesome details, reminding him of how weak and talentless he truly was—that without this entity, he would be a mere nobody with no authority.
"Say whatever you want..." Feng Xuan muttered.
The Demonic Child's smile turned icy. "I am nearing completion, approaching my final form. Once that happens, nothing will be able to stop us. The Xuan family will rule not only the Jian Province, but Lin and Tian as well. All I need is the soul of that woman with the Blue Flame Aura. Her soul... if I consume that pure spirit, I will become invincible. Oops, my apologies—we will become invincible."
The last time they faced that woman (Ni Ni Layan), she wasn't even at full strength, yet she managed to clash with and injure elders of the Golden Core Realm.
"How in the hell can we do that?" Feng Xuan asked.
The Demonic Child wagged a finger. "I only need her to be restrained for a single moment. I will do the rest. The future of the Xuan family depends on you... Kekeke!"
The Demonic Child vanished, retreating back into his chest. Feng Xuan continued walking until he reached Morse's old room. Even after her death, he could still smell her scent lingering in the air.
"You should have listened to everyone's advice and abandoned me... and here I am, nothing but a puppet in someone else's hands."
Feng Xuan looked at a cluster of flowers beside the room. When he tried to touch them, it was as if they recoiled from him.
"Don't worry... when I rule the Linyun Territory, I will find a way to bring you back to life."
While Feng Xuan stood by the purple flowers... elsewhere... morning broke.
The following day, Ni Ni Layan rose from the bed, her form radiant after replenishing her essence and healing most of her injuries. She could feel that Morse, sleeping beside her, was also improving; his breathing was steady, and his heartbeat had returned to a regular rhythm.
She dressed in suitable attire and stepped out of Chen Ming's house, noticing he had already gone out.
"There you are..."
Ni Ni Layan retrieved the egg she had taken from the cave from Morse's spiritual ring. She infused it with a burst of Yin energy before returning it to the ring. Then, she picked up a piece of paper with an address written on it.
As she stepped outside and looked at the destination, a flicker of embarrassment crossed her face. The address, written clearly for her, was for the "Zixuan Official Uniform Store."
It seemed logical enough; those preparing for the annual sect entrance exams bought their gear there. Chen Ming had recommended this place to her the night before, claiming it was where he personally bought his uniform when he applied to his sect.
Ni Ni Layan arrived on foot to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. When she spotted the wooden sign, she entered. Even in a simple shop, her presence was luminous; she looked like a high-born noblewoman who had walked into the wrong establishment by mistake.
She scanned the grey uniforms hanging on the racks while everyone in the shop stared at her in awe. A young female clerk approached her, assuming—quite logically—that this lady in luxurious silks was lost.
"My Lady... the Tangji Luxury Boutique is on the next street. May I help you find something?"
The Phoenix hadn't realized that the clothes Morse had given her to replace her tattered rags were actually high-quality garments. To her, they were nothing compared to what she had owned in her past life, but to these people, they were the height of luxury.
"No... I am certain I am in the right place. Is this not the Zixuan Store?"
The clerk nodded in surprise. She had briefly doubted the woman's nobility, but her aura and dignified manner were unmistakable. Even as a mortal, the clerk could sense the powerful cultivation aura radiating from Ni Ni Layan.
"Yes, you are in the right place..."
The Phoenix tried to be friendly and offered a smile, but her awkward attempt at warmth looked more like a grimace of annoyance with her surroundings.
"My Lady, please, give this servant your orders and I shall fulfill them... I can guide you to the Spiritual Garments section."
Ni Ni Layan looked at the dull, grey uniforms and pointed. "What about those?"
The clerk was stunned, doubting her own ears as she looked at the faded garments intended for the poor or low-level disciples.
"That... that is a basic training uniform, My Lady. It is unworthy of your greatness. Its quality is quite poor."
Ni Ni Layan did not want to fail in seducing Morse this time. Proper understanding was the key. "Are there differences between the types?"
The girl nodded and began to explain. "It depends on the sect. This type is for younger disciples... For example, this one belongs to the Blessed Blessing Sect, made of Lifro cotton. And this one is from the Brave Frog Sect; it's quite a popular choice here."
The clerk tried to show her the variations, but then she paused, looking puzzled.
"Pardon me, My Lady... but you haven't told me yet. Which sect's uniform are you looking for?"
That question was beneath her dignity. Although she had noted the differences, she didn't quite understand what would suit him best. In the end, she had to rely on herself.
She looked directly into the clerk's eyes and beckoned her closer. The girl hesitated, standing still like a statue, until Ni Ni Layan's hand reached out and pulled her in.
"Listen closely... I will not repeat myself," she whispered.
As the clerk heard her words, she grew visibly tense. "I... I beg your pardon. I must take your request to the Manager."
Ni Ni Layan was puzzled. Why would a simple request for a recommendation require the Manager's intervention? But the clerk's demeanor had shifted entirely; she was acting very strangely now.
Two minutes later, the door to the back office was flung open, and she was granted entry. Before her was the Branch Manager's office—a room with a perfectly organized desk and crisp, bright lighting.
A dignified-looking man with a light beard sat behind the desk, casting a sharp, piercing gaze at Ni Ni Layan. The clerk stood nervously in the corner of the room.
"This is... unexpected," the Manager murmured. His gaze began to fill with a mixture of intense curiosity and a hint of hidden excitement.
"What do you mean?" Ni Ni Layan asked. "I haven't accidentally walked into the Black Market, have I?"
The Manager pointed a finger at her, moving it with a slow, eerie rhythm. "This is not the Black Market... but it is a market..."
He suddenly lunged from his desk, laughing maniacally, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out. "Hahaha! It is a market for those with... Refined Tastes!"
Ni Ni Layan blinked. Refined?
"There are those who do not grasp the true magic of the Official Uniform... It is the ultimate form!" His neck jerked at an odd angle. "The knowledge of all the great scholars of 'Uniform Aesthetics' has been gathered to create this masterpiece. It is... The Library!"
With a suspicious flair, he tapped on a specific part of the wall as he stumbled toward it. A secret cabinet slid open, revealing an array of grey uniforms of every conceivable design. In the very center of this hidden vault sat a single piece.
It looked ordinary at first glance, but the shade of grey was exquisite—unrivaled, as if no other garment like it existed in the world.
It was breathtakingly magnificent.
However, she assumed there was no way she could afford such a garment; it seemed to be the "Holy Grail" of this establishment. Instead, she decided to choose something else from the same library. As she leaned in, her eyes caught another uniform. It looked similar to the one in the center, yet it possessed its own distinct, exquisite allure.
With lightning speed, Ni Ni Layan pulled it from the cabinet and held it up before the shop owner.
The Manager stared at her, his eyes glazed as if he were witnessing a divine revelation.
"An expert... A true EXPEEEERT!"
In a sudden outburst, the Manager gripped his own shirt and tore it open, exposing his chest as he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"You are a true connoisseur! Yes, eyes that are truly unrivaled! You managed to discover the real ancient relic amidst all this trash... Everyone who looks here thinks the piece in the center is the best, but in reality, it is a mere imitation of this one unique masterpiece!"