Eight hundred li east of Qingxu Temple, there lay a secluded and gloomy valley, perpetually shrouded in gray-black miasma, known as "Serpentine Valley." This place had sparse spiritual energy but was a convergence point of dark, baleful energy, making it a favored hiding place for demonic cultivators and unorthodox paths. At this moment, deep within a hidden cavern in the valley, a graceful figure stood silently in the shadows. She was clad in a tight-fitting night outfit that accentuated her curves, and her face was covered by half of an exquisite silver mask that obscured everything above the bridge of her nose, revealing only an elegantly contoured jaw and a pair of eyes as deep as cold pools, yet bearing a trace of barely perceptible weariness and vicissitudes. She was Aunt Su, the biological younger sister of Xu Lan Mountain Villa's mistress, Su Wan, and also the long-term undercover Silver-masked Envoy of the Shadow Snake Pavilion.
The cavern was dimly lit, with only a few slivers of light filtering through cracks in the stone, illuminating her tightly pursed lips beneath the mask. In her hands, she rubbed a dull, unpolished black compass whose needle quivered faintly, pointing in the general direction of the northwest—the approximate location of Qingxu Temple. Months ago, she had received orders from the Shadow Snake Pavilion Master to secretly investigate the exact whereabouts of the "Purification Source" from Xu Lan Mountain Villa and any possible surviving descendants of the Xu family bloodline. That meticulously planned manor-destroying operation had successfully killed the villa master, Xu Zhan, and severely crippled the Xu family's core strength. However, the most critical targets—the true form of the "Purification Source" and the villa master's youngest son, Xu Xiaoqi—had vanished without a trace. The Pavilion Master was furious about this and strictly commanded that they must be recovered.
Utilizing the Shadow Snake Pavilion's covert networks, she had inquired extensively and eliminated several possible protective factions, ultimately casting her suspicion upon the righteous-standing Qingxu Temple, which was not too distant from Xu Lan Mountain Villa. In this region, only Qingxu Temple had the capability and the possible inclination, albeit unknowingly, to shelter a child who had narrowly escaped. Yet, Qingxu Temple was not a place that could be casually spied upon. The temple was protected by a Mountain Protection Array and even had a Golden Core cultivator stationed there. As a mere Foundation Establishment Stage Silver-masked Envoy, the slightest misstep could expose her tracks and invite a fatal disaster. She could only operate in peripheral areas, relying on this damaged magical artifact in her hands that could weakly sense "purification" aura, as well as the faint connection of shared blood with her sister, to conduct a painstaking and dangerous carpet-style search.
Just then, the black compass in her hand, which had only been trembling faintly, suddenly jerked its needle a slight angle toward Qingxu Temple. Simultaneously, a murky crystal embedded at the center of the compass flashed an almost imperceptible, fleeting, weak white light! Aunt Su's pupils abruptly contracted! This reaction... though so faint as to be nearly negligible and gone in an instant, it was unmistakable! It was the unique aura fluctuation of the "Purification Source"! Though it felt extremely dilute, as if only a wisp of its original power had been stirred, not a full eruption of its true form, this was indeed that power guarded for generations by her sister Su Wan and the Xu family! And the direction pointed straight to Qingxu Temple!
Her heart began to beat uncontrollably faster, and her fingers tightened slightly around the compass. Found... It really is at Qingxu Temple! Is it that child? Is Xiao Qi still alive? And... he seems to have already begun unconsciously triggering the power of the "Purification Source"? An indescribably complex emotion welled up in her heart. That was her sister's only flesh and blood, her last blood-related kin remaining in this world. Learning that he might still be alive and within Qingxu Temple not far away, she felt a heart-wrenching ache mingled with relief. But close on its heels came deeper anxiety and fear. Xiao Qi's use of the Purification Source's power, even just a wisp, was extremely dangerous! This power was something the Shadow Snake Pavilion and that Demon Lord lurking behind the scenes were determined to obtain! Once the aura leaked out and was detected by other tracking-specialized envoys within the pavilion, or sensed by the Demon Lord, Xiao Qi would surely face annihilation! Even Qingxu Temple could not protect him! Moreover, why had he used this power? Had he encountered danger? Or... had his identity been discovered, forcing him to use it? Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. She had to confirm Xiao Qi's situation and ensure his safety as soon as possible, and she must warn him never to use that power lightly again!
She stowed the compass, and her figure merged into the shadows like a ghost, silently departing the Serpentine Valley cavern. With a few leaps and bounds, she appeared on a commanding vantage point at the valley's edge, gazing distantly toward the cloud-veiled mountain range to the northwest—the location of Qingxu Temple's main gate. Her eyes seemed to penetrate the vast distance, as if they could fall upon that nephew she had never met yet shared blood with. Beneath the silver mask, her eyes were filled with gravity, concern, and a touch of unwavering resolve. She could not enter Qingxu Temple directly; that was too risky. She had to devise a foolproof plan—one that could both confirm Xiao Qi's identity and safety, secretly protect him, and find an opportunity to warn him.
Beneath the tranquility of Qingxu Temple, a shadow from the Shadow Snake Pavilion had quietly fixed its gaze upon this place. Meanwhile, Xiao Qi, still in his secret base, rejoicing over discovering new wonders of the frying pan, remained completely unaware of the dark currents stealthily approaching. The trajectory of his fate was about to be unpredictably altered by this secretly watching aunt.