"You can’t be serious!" Ren Xia exclaimed, eyes widening in shock at Tian Yang’s response. Tian Yang simply looked at her, unfazed. Ren Xia pressed on, "Even if you’re actually considering kidnapping someone, they’d have to be of high enough status to know the location of the Immortal Confinement Dungeon. Only elders of the Immortal Clans have access to that information!" "How strong are the elders of the Immortal Clans?" Tian Yang then asked. "Most of them are within the Immortal Ascension realm, but a few have already stepped into the realm of Bronze Immortals. They are not individuals you can simply kidnap and threaten," Ren Xia said, shaking her head at the absurdity of Tian Yang’s plan. "If they’re only at the Immortal Ascension realm, then it’s doable." Ren Xia stared at him, utterly speechless. Immortal Ascension cultivators weren’t just powerful—they were on the cusp of true immortality, standing at the peak of the mortal world. Even among the Immortal Clans, they were revered as near-invincible figures. The idea of kidnapping one was nothing short of madness. "You… Unbelievable..." she finally said, barely able to form the words. But Tian Yang’s expression remained calm, composed—as if he had just stated the most ordinary thing in the world. Then, in the next moment, Tian Yang let a sliver of his cultivation leak out. The air around him trembled, and an invisible force pressed down on the room like the weight of a mountain. Ren Xia’s breath was caught in her throat. Her instincts screamed at her, her very soul recognizing the overwhelming presence before her. "I-Immortal Ascension?! Impossible!" she gasped, stumbling back as she shot to her feet. Her mind reeled. How could this be? Reaching the Immortal Ascension realm was a feat that required many millennia of effort, even for the most gifted cultivators. Yet Tian Yang, who had once been beneath her in cultivation, now stood at such a level. "So, do you still think I won’t be able to kidnap one?" Tian Yang said a moment later. As the realization sank in, a chill ran down Ren Xia’s spine. If Tian Yang was already at this level, then perhaps kidnapping an elder wasn’t just reckless madness. "D-Did you really acquire Han Zexian’s legacy?" Ren Xia asked, her voice unsteady as she swallowed hard. It was the only logical explanation for his unfathomable progress. Han Zexian—an existence shrouded in mystery, a legend whose legacy was said to contain insights and power that defied the heavens themselves. If Tian Yang had truly obtained it, then his meteoric rise in cultivation suddenly made sense. Tian Yang stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing the decision of whether to tell her the truth. Finally, he spoke. "No, Han Zexian’s legacy wasn’t inside that mountain." "What? Then what was inside that mountain? And how did you reach the Immortal Ascension realm in just fifty years? You were only at the peak of Spirit King back then!" "I cultivated… normally." "Do you really expect me to believe that?" Tian Yang shrugged. "Anyway, thanks for the information. I’ll be taking my leave now," Tian Yang said as he turned toward the door. Now that he had what he came for, there was no reason to linger. "Wait," Ren Xia suddenly stopped him. "What?" "Can I take a look at you before you leave? The real you." "Why?" Tian Yang raised an eyebrow. "It’s not fair that only you get to see me without my disguise," she said. "..." After a moment of silence, Tian Yang removed his disguise, revealing his handsome and mature appearance. He stood tall, his posture exuding quiet confidence. His sharp, well-defined features carried a mature elegance, his long hair neatly tied behind him. An otherworldly aura subtly radiated from him—ethereal and commanding. It wasn’t something Ren Xia could clearly define, but she could feel it pressing against her senses, vast and unfathomable. Tian Yang only revealed his true appearance for a few fleeting seconds before consuming another appearance-altering pill. His features shifted once more, concealing his identity beneath a new disguise. "I doubt we’ll see each other again, but until next time," he said casually. Without another glance, he stepped out of the room and disappeared. Ren Xia, however, remained seated, unmoving. Even long after Tian Yang had left, she could still feel the remnants of his presence lingering in the air. Her face, inexplicably, was flushed with redness. She exhaled slowly, pressing a hand against her chest, as if trying to steady something within her. "This feeling…" she muttered under her breath. She had never experienced anything like it before, yet somehow, she instantly knew what it was, and it was a feeling she never thought she would have. Ren Xia exhaled sharply, shaking her head as if trying to dispel the thought. Sometime later, she disguised herself and left. Over the next few months, Ren Xia found her thoughts drifting to Tian Yang more often than she cared to admit. No matter how much she tried to focus on her own affairs, his figure would surface in her mind. She also wondered when he would act and kidnap someone from the Immortal Clans. Though nothing had happened on the surface, a subtle shift in the air told her that something was happening behind the scenes. As someone born and raised within the Nine Immortal Clans, Ren Xia could sense it. The way the atmosphere within the Nine Immortal Clans had changed, and the way their movements had grown more cautious and alert. It was as if something had stirred them awake, almost like beasts sensing an unseen predator lurking in the shadows. Eventually, the whispers could no longer be suppressed. The truth surfaced like cracks in a fragile dam, and Ren Xia, as well as the public, finally learned what had been unfolding in the shadows. Members of the Nine Immortal Clans were ruthlessly being slain, with most of the victims belonging to the Immortal Gu Clan. While the public remained puzzled as to why the Immortal Clans were being targeted—and utterly shocked that someone would dare challenge them—the Immortal Clans themselves had little doubt about who was behind the killings. "It’s him! That bastard has finally decided to reveal himself after hiding like a rat for years!" Patriarch Gu roared, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and excitement. "I have been waiting for this moment!"