Su Qingyun’s mind raced.

  Why is he here…

  Wasn’t he defeated in Phoenix Crest City? That’s what the rumors said.

  Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Cold sweat soaked her palms as unease crept into her chest.

  If the rumors were wrong… then what stands before me now…?

  The figure before her tilted his head slightly, as if amused.

  Su Qingyun forced herself to meet his gaze, though her legs felt weak. Her lips parted—but no sound came out.

  She understood instantly.

  If she called for help, the guards outside would rush in without hesitation.

  And they would die—without even understanding why.

  Her fingers clenched tightly into her sleeves, nails biting into flesh.

  I can’t scream.

  I can’t alert anyone.

  This presence… it wasn’t something ordinary cultivators could face.

  The False God took a slow step forward. Each footfall was soft, yet it echoed in her heart like a death knell.

  “So tense,” he murmured. “Rex. If I wanted everyone here dead, this entire chamber would already be silent.”

  Su Qingyun’s breathing grew shallow.

  She finally spoke, her voice low and controlled, though fear trembled beneath it.

  “What… do you want from me?”

  Behind her calm expression, panic roared.

  The False God’s voice echoed softly within the chamber.

  “Become my successor.”

  Su Qingyun froze. Confusion fshed across her face.

  “…What?”

  Her brows knitted together as she looked at him warily. “What do you mean by that…? And why me?”

  The figure let out a low chuckle, amused.

  “Because your story is… tragic,” he said calmly. “So tragic that even I find myself unwilling to ignore it.”

  His masked gaze settled on her, heavy and oppressive.

  “You lost your only family. Your father was killed by bandits. Swallowed by hatred, and lived only for revenge.”

  At the mention of her father, Su Qingyun’s expression faltered. Her lips trembled slightly before she clenched them shut.

  The False God continued, his voice smooth, almost gentle.

  “Don’t you want revenge?”

  “I can help you.”

  Su Qingyun ughed bitterly, the sound hollow.

  “Revenge?” she said quietly. “Against whom?”

  She lifted her eyes, anger burning within them.

  “The man I prepared to kill… is already dead.”

  The False God tilted his head.

  “If your enemy is dead,” he asked, “then why are you still sad?”

  Her breathing grew uneven. The grief she had been suppressing erupted—twisting into something uglier.

  “Because,” Su Qingyun said coldly, her voice shaking with fury and her fingers trembled, nails digging into her palms.

  “I was the one who was supposed to kill him.”

  “I was the one who was supposed to make him suffer.”

  Her eyes darkened, hatred overflowing.

  “I would have tortured him.”

  “Cut him piece by piece.”

  “Fed his limbs to pigs.”

  She looked straight at the False God, her voice low and venomous.

  “I would have made him beg before he died.”

  "My revenge is pointless now"

  Silence filled the chamber.

  Behind the dragon-shaped mask, the False God smiled, his gaze flickered faintly, unreadable, then Lin Xuan thought.

  Now then… how should I proceed to motivate this girl?

  A quiet sigh echoed beneath the mask.

  I feel bad for her. Yue truly did steal her revenge.

  Then—

  A memory surfaced.

  The bandit leader’s final, desperate words.

  The Bck Society…

  The False God’s lips curved upward.

  That’s right.

  Bck Society… forgive me.

  You’ll serve as the stepping stone for my Holy Maiden.

  He spoke.

  “Your revenge,” Lin Xuan said calmly, “is not over.”

  Su Qingyun stiffened. Her eyes snapped toward him.

  “…What?”

  Her voice trembled. “What do you mean… my revenge is not over?”

  “The mountain bandits,” Lin Xuan continued indifferently,

  “were nothing more than pawns.”

  Her pupils shrank.

  “They were used—to kill your father,” he said,

  “and to destroy the Prosperity Cloud Chamber.”

  Su Qingyun’s breath hitched.

  “Then—then who?” she demanded, anger surging through her grief.

  “Who’s behind all of this?!”

  Lin Xuan answered without hesitation.

  “The Bck Society.”

  Her face drained of color. Shock and fear fshed across her expression.

  The Bck Society…?

  An infamous, shadowy organization.

  Evil. Ruthless. Untouchable.

  Why would they—

  Her thoughts shattered.

  “No,” she whispered. Then louder, firmer,

  “No matter who they are.”

  Hatred ignited in her eyes.

  “I’ll take my revenge,” Su Qingyun said hoarsely.

  “No matter what it costs.”

  Her fists clenched.

  “Even if I have to sell my soul to a demon—”

  “I’ll still do it.”

  Slowly, she lifted her gaze and looked straight at Lin Xuan.

  Silence stretched.

  Then Lin Xuan spoke, his voice steady, merciless, and final:

  “Are you willing,”

  “to become my successor?”

  The words hung in the air—

  Heavy as fate.

  Su Qingyun took a deep breath, then lowered herself respectfully.

  “I, Su Qingyun,” she said firmly, “am willing to become your successor, False God.”

  Lin Xuan nodded lightly.

  “Good, now I'm gonna check your aptitude.”

  His gaze sharpened. Invisible waves of divine sense swept over her body, yers upon yers, reaching deep into her meridians and dantian.

  Fifteen years old…

  His eyes flickered.

  The same age as Liu Xin.

  Then his brows furrowed.

  Early Qi Refinement Realm?

  Genuine confusion surfaced in Lin Xuan’s mind.

  A Holy Maiden bearing pure providence of heaven and earth… favored by the heavens themselves…

  And yet only at Qi Refinement?

  That didn’t make sense.

  He spoke aloud, his tone calm but probing.

  “Did you cultivate diligently?”

  Su Qingyun stiffened. Her head lowered slightly.

  “…I’m sorry, Master,” she said softly.

  “I’ve been busy managing the Prosperity Cloud Chamber. There were too many matters to handle, too many people relying on me.”

  Her fingers clenched.

  “I didn’t have much time to cultivate. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

  Lin Xuan waved his hand dismissively.

  That makes sense.

  “Don’t worry,” he said evenly. “I’ll help you raise your cultivation.”

  Su Qingyun’s eyes brightened.

  “Thank you, Master.”

  Yet deep inside her heart, a faint doubt stirred.

  Is the False God… really a bad person?

  The thought surprised even herself.

  Before she could stop it, the question slipped out.

  “Master, why are you here?”

  She hesitated, then forced herself onward.

  “Were you… defeated by Liu Xin?”

  The moment the words left her mouth, her face paled.

  “I-I’m sorry!” she hurriedly said. “I shouldn’t have asked—”

  Lin Xuan chuckled softly.

  “Yes,” he admitted calmly. “I was defeated.”

  Su Qingyun froze.

  “But as for why I'm here,” he continued, “the one standing before you now is merely a projection.”

  Her pupils shrank.

  A projection?!

  Her breath caught.

  Isn’t that something only immortals can do?

  Shock rippled through her mind.

  Then… how terrifying must Liu Xin be?

  Master was defeated… and yet Liu Xin’s cultivation is only at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

  Her heart trembled.

  What kind of monster is Liu Xin… to force even Master to fall?

  Lin Xuan gnced at her expression and smiled faintly beneath the mask.

  “Are you wondering how I was defeated?”

  Su Qingyun instinctively wanted to say yes—but hesitated, intimidated by the presence before her.

  She nodded faintly.

  “I…”

  “I’ll tell you,” Lin Xuan said calmly.

  Su Qingyun lifted her head.

  Her eyes shone with uncontrolble curiosity—

  The False God smirked and said.

  “I deliberately allowed myself to be defeated.”

  "Eh?"