Chapter 54: I Hear Someone Wishes to See Me?

At the same moment, inside the reception hall of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau.

Zheng Yiqiu leisurely finished the last drop of tea in his cup, then gently placed the cup onto the porcelain saucer beside it.

The soft clink of porcelain echoing in the quiet room caused the surrounding crowd to tense up, their gazes fixed on him filled with vigilant caution.

"The time of an incense stick has nearly passed, yet Director Luo has still not given a reply?"

Zheng Yiqiu shook his head, stood up, and said, "It seems the sincerity of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau leaves much to be desired. What a pity. I shall take my leave."

"However, before I depart, I have one small request."

The secretary standing nearby wore a slightly altered expression, yet still replied, "Elder Zheng, please speak."

"I have long heard that the renowned 'heretical master' Yuan Tiangang resides within the Heavenly Mystery Bureau. We have admired him for ages. May I have the honor of paying my respects to the senior?"

The corner of the secretary's eye twitched slightly as he said in a cold voice, "There are strict regulations within the bureau; without an official warrant, no one is permitted to meet him."

"Oh? Is that so?" Zheng Yiqiu let out a light chuckle. "Is it that he is not permitted to be seen, or is it... that Master Yuan is simply unable to be seen?"

The air seemed to drop by several degrees instantly. The expressions of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau personnel sank in unison, and the armed guards outside even began resting their hands upon their weapons.

That scene, reflected in Zheng Yiqiu's eyes, brought a faint smile to the corners of his mouth.

The practice of cultivating immortality was, at its core, the cultivation of breath and soul. As a cultivator at the Nascent Soul realm, though he could not determine karma solely through physiognomy like a divination practitioner, he could still perceive basic fluctuations of spiritual energy.

At the mere mention of "Yuan Tiangang," the souls of these people from the Heavenly Mystery Bureau began to vibrate. In the eyes of cultivators, this was a proof far more powerful than words.

From the moment he stepped into the Heavenly Mystery Bureau, he had been probing the place in secret. With official cultivators guarding the perimeter, he could not brazenly release his divine sense, so he had bought time to infiltrate covertly, observing the truth through various minutiae.

Now, enough time had passed, and he had obtained the answer he desired.

"It seems we are destined not to meet the Master. Truly a pity."

He slowly turned around, intending to walk toward the door. "Then, I shall take my leave first..."

His words cut off without warning, vanishing mid-sentence. A massive surge of spiritual pressure suddenly crashed into his perception, causing his expression to freeze abruptly.

***

"To think Elder Zheng holds such sentiments."

Footsteps approached from outside, and a figure appeared in the doorway like a sudden gust of wind, sweeping away the heavy, oppressive atmosphere.

"Since the Jade Dew Sect has gone to such great lengths to visit, how could we let our guests leave in disappointment?"

The man tapped a folding fan against his palm and smiled. "Since Elder Zheng has such a mind, why not stay a while longer in the Heavenly Mystery Bureau and discuss matters further?"

Dead silence fell. The guards from the Heavenly Mystery Bureau froze in place, while Zheng Yiqiu at the forefront underwent a drastic change in expression. His spiritual energy nearly destabilized, almost causing him to shatter his own cultivation foundation on the spot.

The person standing before him possessed a fair, scholar-like face, raven-black sideburns, and skin as smooth as an infant's—unmistakably the sign of a mighty expert returning to a state of primal simplicity. Standing there, he lacked the oppressive aura typical of ordinary spiritual energy cultivators, yet his unfathomable presence was as vast and unsearchable as an ocean abyss.

"Yuan... Master Yuan..." Zheng Yiqiu forced the name past his lips with some difficulty.

About a decade ago, he had represented the Jade Dew Sect in negotiations with the Yizhou authorities, during which he had caught a distant glimpse of this divination master.

Back then, although Yuan Tiangang had not yet reached the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, the backlash of the Heavenly Dao had already begun to manifest on him, making his aura far thinner compared to ordinary Soul Formation cultivators.

Following the exhaustion of his lifespan, Yuan Tiangang had remained in strict seclusion within the Heavenly Mystery Bureau day after day, rarely showing his face at any public events. To "orthodox" cultivators, this was undoubtedly a sign that his time was running out.

Yet looking at him now, far from nearing his end, his aura was several times stronger than it had been a decade ago. It was as if... he had returned to his absolute prime!

How could this be possible?!

A chill surged into his heart, and Zheng Yiqiu's pupils contracted violently. Yet, being an elite member of his sect, he did not lose his composure on the spot. Instead, he quickly calmed himself and plunged into deep thought.

Yuan Tiangang was not dead—this greatly exceeded the expectations of both himself and the Jade Dew Sect. However, having a close encounter with this heretical master presented a rare opportunity.

Should he attack and kill him right here? No, with numerous guards from the Heavenly Mystery Bureau present, many of them elite cultivators, the probability of a successful assassination by force was far too low while holding a Nascent Soul cultivation base himself.

However, since this was the territory of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau, it was inconvenient for his side to make a move, but these people from the bureau likewise dared not act rashly against him. There was still room to maneuver.

Perhaps he could use the pretext of negotiations to invite him to future sect events, and then arrange for assassins within his own sect to eliminate him; or perhaps he could use this opportunity for exchange to probe his bottom line and prepare for future actions; or perhaps...

Zheng Yiqiu's thoughts raced like lightning, conceiving dozens of plans in a fraction of a second. Right at that moment, he heard a crisp, gentle sound.

*Snap.*

***

It was the sound of a melon seed being cracked open.

Following the sound, a young man wearing a hoodie and sweatpants was leaning against an outer pillar. He held a small dish of melon seeds he had pilfered from the tea room, cracking them while watching the scene unfold before him, much like someone watching a shadow play in real time.

Judging by his attire, he looked nothing like a member of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau, appearing exceptionally out of place in this context. From Zheng Yiqiu's perspective, he could not capture a single shred of spiritual energy from this person, as if he were merely an ordinary mortal who had never touched the path of cultivation.

Why would someone like that appear here? And moreover, alongside the suddenly rejuvenated Yuan Tiangang...

Zheng Yiqiu instinctively raised his eyes to look at the young man, channeling his soul power in an attempt to probe the other's depths. At that very instant, as if sensing his intent, the young man shifted his gaze and casually met his eyes.

For a moment, it felt as though heaven and earth had shifted. Everything around him transformed into towering mountains pressing down upon him. Before that single glance, his soul was like an ant on the ground, with no time to put up any struggle before being crushed to dust beneath the weight of the mountains.

With a heavy thud, the members of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau in the back were startled into alertness. They watched as Zheng Yiqiu collapsed to the ground without warning, his pupils dilating instantly. His mouth opened as if he wanted to scream but could not make a sound; he convulsed on the floor for a brief moment before going completely still.

Everyone in the room froze in place, utterly unable to react to this sudden change, let alone comprehend where it had originated.

After a long while, someone cautiously stepped forward and probed with spiritual energy, their pupils violently contracting.

"He... he's dead!"

Exclamations erupted instantly, and the surrounding members of the Heavenly Mystery Bureau were struck as if by lightning. Everything had happened too quickly; they had not even been able to discern where the shift had occurred before Zheng Yiqiu perished right before their eyes.

And this was an elder of a major sect! Even setting aside his status and looking purely at his strength, he was undoubtedly a strategic-level figure. Yet now, the commotion of his death was less than that of a mosquito swatted by a casual wave of a hand.

"Master, this..."

Luo Mingxian, standing off to the side, was the first to snap back to his senses. He hurriedly looked toward Yuan Tiangang, only to find the master remaining completely unperturbed. Yuan Tiangang merely turned his head slowly to look at Zhou Qing, who was standing in the back cracking melon seeds. His expression held a hint of helplessness, mingled with a familiar resignation born of long exposure.

"Never mind. That's just how he operates."

Under the uncomprehending gaze of his close disciple, Yuan Tiangang put away his folding fan and casually pointed a finger at the corpse on the floor.

"Go bury him."