Sanctuary leadership—three "Ancient Reborn" who had lived four or more complete lifetimes—summoned Lin Xuan after six months' residence. Their audience chamber existed outside normal time flow, conversation taking subjective hours while seconds passed externally.
"You progress efficiently," Ancient One observed, form shifting between ages, genders, species—identity erosion advanced. "But efficiency without direction is waste. What do you seek?"
Lin Xuan considered lying, decided against. These entities had heard every possible deception across millennia.
"Revenge against Grand Elder Mo. Prevention of my original timeline's outcome. Maximum cultivation advancement before next death."
"Mo exists in this timeline?"
"Unknown. I have found no evidence, but my rebirth occurred decades after his birth in original timeline.
"Ancient Two, currently appearing as crystalline structure, chimed participation. "We have detected temporal signatures matching your description. Foundation Establishment cultivation, eastern provinces, rapid advancement suggesting reborn status.
"The revelation staggered. Mo, reborn himself? The betrayal in Lin Xuan's previous life—had that been calculation across timelines, exploitation of predictable response patterns?
"Why inform me?" Lin Xuan demanded.
"Price," Ancient Three stated, form absent entirely, voice from everywhere.
"We provide intelligence, you provide service. An Enforcer approaches this sanctuary. We require diversion while evacuation proceeds."The assignment: lead Enforcer away through false temporal signature, survive pursuit, return if possible. Survival probability: twelve percent.
Lin Xuan accepted. The price was acceptable because Mo's existence changed everything. If his enemy was also reborn, playing longer game across multiple timelines, then Lin Xuan's careful planning was merely opening move in infinite match.
He needed sanctuary's resources to survive that match.
The Enforcer arrived as predicted—different form than Scholar Golden, same golden spiritual energy, same cultivation disruption. Lin Xuan activated prepared diversion: artificial temporal signature mimicking newborn reborn soul, fleeing in opposite direction from true sanctuary location.
Pursuit was immediate, terrifying, nearly successful. The Enforcer moved faster than Foundation Establishment should allow, attacked through space itself, ignored physical obstacles. Lin Xuan's Shadow Walking, enhanced by sanctuary techniques, barely maintained escape distance.
He led the hunter through three provinces, four mountain ranges, into ancient ruin where prepared trap—sanctuary contribution, not his own design—temporarily imprisoned the entity.
Escape afterward required days of hiding, wounded, spiritual energy depleted. But he survived, returned to sanctuary's new location, claimed promised rewards.
Including Mo's current location: Iron Bone Sect, inner disciple, rising rapidly.
The game, Lin Xuan realized, had been ongoing before his rebirth. He was merely catching up.