The old priest secluded herself to craft stealth robes.

Wu Quji researched the Source Water, tending to his injuries.

Su Qi, on the other hand, immersed himself in the Holy Clan’s library, poring over the vast records.

It’s worth mentioning that the Holy Clan’s writing, like their language, was quite similar to the current common script, making analysis not too difficult.

At the same time, Jiang Wang also announced his retreat into seclusion.

He adamantly denied that it was because he lacked ideas for helping Qing Qishu “find a partner,” and was afraid of Qing Qishu’s pestering.

He was doing it for cultivation!

Inside the fruit room, Jiang Wang sat cross-legged.

The black serpent trapped within the Soul Sea of Flowers remained in the Tongtian Palace, still wandering aimlessly since the death of the Self-Hiding Serpent King. After entering the Divine Shade Land, it became listless.

This, however, made Jiang Wang’s research easier.

The Divine Soul Flame Flower was constructed using Divine Soul power as its foundation, replacing Dao essence, directly creating it based on the idea of Dao Art Flame Flowers.

Conversely, could analyzing these black serpents allow him to reverse-engineer their construction process?

The caster was dead, control was lacking, subsequent power was lost, and the Dao Art power still lingered within the Tongtian Palace, undoubtedly making for rare materials.

Cultivation was a process of understanding the world and understanding oneself—exploration, seeking knowledge, finding joy in oneself.

Jiang Wang did not fear fatigue or hardship, but the difficulty of analyzing such a Dao Art still exceeded his imagination.

It was already afternoon when he returned from the Self-Hiding Serpent Land.

A whole night, plus the next day and night, still didn’t complete the analysis of this Divine Soul Dao Art.

If this Dao Art was compared to an entire black serpent, then he had only just analyzed half the serpent’s body, and the tail end at that.

It was already the last day before dealing with Yan Xiao, and time did not allow him to continue analyzing.

Fortunately, he already had a foundation. He could very well use this foundation to deduce and evolve it on the Deduction Platform after leaving the Senhai Source Realm. It would just cost some merit points.

This was the benefit of the Illusionary Realm of Grand Void.

Jiang Wang sat before the old priest.

At this time, Wu Quji’s injuries had already recovered, and Su Qi was still seeking answers in the library.

After the stealth robes were completed, the priest first called Jiang Wang alone. Indeed, Jiang Wang had a need to communicate with her.

“This is the best of the four stealth robes.”

The old woman took out one and placed it before Jiang Wang.

In appearance alone, it was just a gray long gown.

A well-behaved style, ordinary color, did not appear conspicuous.

Only by looking closely could one perceive its extraordinary nature.

Most importantly, the entire long gown was complete, seamless, without a single trace of stitching, as if it were animal fur, naturally so. So-called “heavenly clothes without seams,” that was roughly it.

The material of this stealth robe was naturally the Self-Hiding Serpent King.

“Four pieces?” Jiang Wang stroked the stealth robe, quite puzzled.

“Only four pieces were made in the first batch. Qishu will also be going with you to hunt Yan Xiao, so one piece is his.” The old woman said.

“Qing Qishu is also going?”

The old priest naturally knew where his doubts came from, responding, “He will only be responsible for defense, trying to help you withstand Yan Xiao’s attacks, so you can create more damage. This will not affect the result of Yan Xiao’s death.”

If Qing Qishu only defended and did not attack, he would indeed not trigger the rule of Yan Xiao’s resurrection. But…

“That’s too dangerous for him.” Jiang Wang said.

The old woman said slowly, “Having evaded the Xiang Hunt, this is the responsibility he should bear. He also has the corresponding awareness, you don’t need to worry.”

Jiang Wang finally understood. In the Self-Hiding Serpent Land, when Qing Bazhi asked Qing Qishu why he didn’t bring a blade, what Qing Qishu meant by answering “practice” was.

That goofy, burly fellow did indeed have prior awareness.

“Actually…” Jiang Wang thought for a moment, then said, “I don’t have confidence in killing Yan Xiao.”

He had nothing to hide. It concerned his own safety, and there was no need to be coy.

He originally had unresolved doubts about Yan Xiao. After the trip to the Self-Hiding Serpent Land, he was also dissatisfied with the quality of his “comrades.”

As a medical cultivator, Wu Quji’s combat strength had been verified; it couldn’t be said to be very weak, but it wasn’t strong either.

Su Qi was emotionally unstable, making it difficult to exert peak strength. He was now focused on “Night’s Intrusion.” If he really obtained any clues, it was not impossible for him to abandon Yan Xiao directly and leave.

Without needing to be modest, with them going to kill Yan Xiao, he, Jiang Wang, was absolutely the main force.

This also meant that he would bear the greatest danger.

No need to mention any mission or honor.

In the end, the Senhai Holy Clan was completely unfamiliar to him. Even if he had some contact these past few days, and got along with Qing Qishu, it was far from enough to say that he would risk his life for them.

If things went wrong, he would rather leave the Divine Shade Land and find another opportunity to leave the Senhai Source Realm. If there was really no other way, it would not be too late to come back and face Yan Xiao.

Having experienced much of the world, the old priest naturally saw through Jiang Wang’s emotions.

Giving away the Source Water earlier, and now informing him of Qing Qishu’s awareness, were all to strengthen his confidence. But clearly, the effect was not sufficient.

“I know, you may have doubts about Yan Xiao, and I can understand that. Resolving your doubts is something I should do as the Holy Clan’s priest.”

The old woman said, “So, young man, would you like to hear about the efforts we have made to weaken Yan Xiao?”

Jiang Wang said, “I am willing to hear the details.”

“You must not reveal what I am about to tell you to anyone.”

“I am not as close to Su Qi and Wu Quji as you might imagine. Not to the point of sharing everything.”

The old woman said, “I am not referring to them, but to my Holy Clan’s clansmen.”

Jiang Wang suppressed the doubts in his heart, and simply said, “Please speak.”

The old woman suddenly asked about something seemingly irrelevant: “Earlier, envoy Wu Quji asked me why the Holy Clan offered heads to Yan Xiao, why not send the elderly and children, but rather have the young and strong warriors sacrifice themselves through the ‘Xiang Hunt.’ Do you remember my answer?”

“The elderly are history, the children are the future.” Jiang Wang’s answer was not delayed, because he actually agreed with that answer.

But the old priest said, “Actually, it has nothing to do with history, nor with the future. It’s not about honor, or even about morality, but only about Yan Xiao.”

Jiang Wang silently waited for her to continue.

“Young man, I can see that you are a trustworthy person.” The old woman’s eyes were kind.

Jiang Wang did not speak. There was no need for him to be modest about this, because he was indeed very trustworthy.

The old woman’s tone suddenly became wistful: “When I was about the same age as Qinghua, I also met one, a young man like you. He was also an outsider, also summoned by the Dragon God.”

“That was truly a wonderful age…” She sighed softly.

“Listening” was a very important ability. No one had taught it to him, but Jiang Wang had long understood it. At this moment, he simply looked at the white-haired old woman before him, using his eyes to express his attentiveness.

“He was intelligent, decisive, hardworking, and strong. When I met him, it was in a place where spirit silk flowers bloomed.”

“The ‘flower’ in spirit silk flowers is the spirit silk, born in strands like hair. We also call it strands of vexation. Truly, ‘vexation’…”

The old woman sighed, her eyes drooping slightly, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. In that instant, there was a girlish shyness: “A sour and astringent, yet sweet vexation.”

Saying this, her deeply wrinkled, thin, and withered hand patted the prayer mat: “Oh, this prayer mat is woven from spirit silk. We use it to weave clothing, straw sandals… everyone has ‘vexation,’ everyone cannot live without it.”