Library of Heaven's Path 2: Eternal Fate of the Heavens

"It was a young man I've never seen before. Since Wanxiang Sect needs to maintain neutrality, I didn't inquire about his identity..." Lai Chengyi quickly explained.

As a faction that claims neutrality, regardless of who comes to buy or sell information, they only handle transactions—receiving or delivering payments—without pursuing the source of the information or the client's identity. This has been a well-established rule across the Source World, giving everyone a sense of security during exchanges.

"You did well!"

Elder Gu You nodded approvingly. "Add some more money for them and buy the information exclusively! I don't want it leaked to other factions."

"Understood!" Lai Chengyi breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

Upon returning to his room and seeing Zhang Xuan still quietly waiting at the same spot, Lai Chengyi finally relaxed. With a flick of his wrist, he offered a storage ring.

"There are 20 million Destiny Plates in here! This is for the exclusive purchase of your information rights. In other words, this information of yours cannot be sold to anyone else."

Not accepting the ring outright, Zhang Xuan smiled and looked over. "50 million. For exclusivity."

From the other's actions, he could naturally discern that the previous price of 10 million Destiny Plates had undersold the value of the information, so he immediately raised the stakes.

Without much hesitation, Lai Chengyi passed over another ring.

50 million Destiny Plates—it was just the amount Elder Gu You mentioned for the valuation of a major faction's worth. Even so, this deal still yielded substantial profit.

After confirming the exact count in the ring, Zhang Xuan willed all the plates into the Library of Heaven's Path before finally letting out a relieved breath.

With this much Heavenly Mandate Vitality, he could now reawaken You Hai's powers, granting him the combat strength of a Peak Life Sea 9-dan expert. This way, even if danger arose again, he would have a significant means of self-preservation.

"If you have more information next time, I do hope you'll bring it to us... Wanxiang Sect guarantees fair prices!"

Seeing him about to leave, Lai Chengyi quickly said.

"Of course!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, brushing the chair he had been sitting on earlier before turning to leave the room.

As Zhang Xuan departed, Qi Tianming approached. "Should we send someone to tail him?"

Lai Chengyi shook his head. "No need! I've already deduced who he is. Besides, since Wanxiang Sect conducts business in good faith, we naturally wouldn't stoop to such behavior. By the way, what's the current status of Zhang Xuan's subordinate and disciples?"

Qi Tianming bowed slightly. "I've arranged for them to stay in the back courtyard—it's very secure."

Lai Chengyi nodded. "When you brought them over, no one discovered them, correct?"

Qi Tianming replied, "The sect leader instructed me to protect them, and I detected an ambush in advance, immediately relocating them. For now, the Crown Prince may have his suspicions, but there's no solid evidence yet. However... that Commander Bai has been persistently investigating, and I fear he might eventually find this place."

"Don't worry. As long as we relay this newly acquired information, he'll have no spare effort left for tracking them down." Lai Chengyi chuckled.

Prince Yuanqing had placed enormous bounties, prompting actions from across the mainland. That Zhang Xuan, no matter how adept his disguise abilities, would ultimately have nowhere to hide. It might appear he held the upper hand, calmly baiting his adversaries—but this new piece of information would flip the tables, forcing the Crown Prince into a reactive position!

The Peerless Divine Pill and Eternal Heart... either one would cause an immediate uproar across the mainland.

Compared to those, the so-called Tribulation Sharing Pill, Buddhist Supreme Treasure, or Duke would pale entirely in significance.

"What a troublesome fellow..."

With his hands clasped behind him, Lai Chengyi stared into the direction Zhang Xuan disappeared, muttering to himself.

Although the man earlier showed no resemblance to Zhang Xuan's appearance or soul aura, Lai Chengyi could still infer his connection.

After all, the information presented by the young man could instantly turn Zhang Xuan's vulnerability into the Crown Prince's disadvantage, reversing their positions of power.

No wonder someone like Prince Yuanqing suffered such losses; this youth was undoubtedly formidable.

…

Currently, the young man who had left Lai Chengyi marveling at his ingenuity quietly returned to Wanxiang Sect, blending inconspicuously into the crowd. He pretended to be aimlessly enjoying the spectacle, though his unfocused gaze betrayed a mind occupied elsewhere.

As he exited the hall, he brushed past one of the chairs, awakening its Spirit Creation attribute. Through the chair's spiritual resonance, every word spoken in the room was channeled straight into his mind.

Upon hearing about the unauthorized sale of information, Zhang Xuan remembered the announcement from Wanxiang Sect and began formulating his plan.

Leaking news about the Peerless Divine Pill and Eternal Heart might pose risks for him too, but he was already surrounded by ample danger that it made little difference. On the other hand, Prince Yuanqing's circumstances would change drastically!

The prince would surely find himself at a disadvantage, becoming the focal point of countless factions' attention.

As for Zhang Xuan's second goal—it was, of course, locating Sun Qiang and the others.

Even though he initially didn't know whether the information seller was from the prince's faction or Wanxiang Sect, it didn't matter; he had measures prepared for either scenario. Wanxiang Sect not only profited but also specialized in information gathering.

Indeed, thanks to the awakened chair's Spirit Creation ability, Zhang Xuan obtained precisely the intelligence he needed.

"He mentioned the back courtyard is nearby, but entering there won't be so simple..."

Knowing that Sun Qiang and the others had been rescued, Zhang Xuan no longer felt anxious—but extracting them was far from straightforward.

The courtyard he had entered earlier was heavily guarded with intricate formations. Borrowing You Hai's strength, Zhang Xuan could definitely enter and exit undetected, but for now, his power still fell significantly short.

"Let the chair go rescue them!"

His eyes gleamed with resolve.

Contained within the chair's Spirit Creation resonance was a trace of his own conscious intent, enabling continuous connection. Since he couldn't infiltrate without drawing attention, he could use the chair to locate and rescue them instead.

With the plan decided, Zhang Xuan casually found a quiet nook to sit in, focusing his spirit to issue orders to the hall's chair.

…

Back in the main hall:

"I have matters to attend to now; watch over Zhang Xuan's people carefully and ensure nothing happens to them..."

After his reflection, Lai Chengyi gestured dismissively.

Qi Tianming nodded. "Rest assured, Sect Leader."

As Lai Chengyi turned to leave, the middle-aged man referred to earlier as "master" hurriedly rushed up to him.

"Elder Qi, we're in trouble..."

Qi Tianming frowned. "Speak!"

The man bowed. "Commander Bai and his people have surrounded the entire courtyard, claiming to be pursuing fugitives. He also secured the Crown Prince's official warrant for a search!"

"How... did he find this place?"

Qi Tianming froze.

Earlier, his confidence came from the lack of evidence against them, but now, with a direct siege underway, it looked like they had been traced.

Should the enemy storm inside, Sun Qiang and Zhang Xuan's three disciples would likely be captured on the spot.

"I'm not sure of the details, Elder. You should take a look yourself—I fear my men won't be able to hold them back much longer!" The man offered a helpless smile.

"Lead the way!"

Qi Tianming waved his hand, striding swiftly out.

Not long after they left, a chair in the room quietly began hopping along after them without a sound.