William Carter, as the sect leader’s disciple, also held some duties in the Hall of Affairs. It was his turn on duty recently. When he took the command talisman handed over by Lily Harris, he froze for a moment: “Junior sister, you’re going down the mountain alone?”

“That’s right, I can’t always be your little tail following behind you,” Lily Harris said with a smile. “I want to reach the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible, so I can fight demons and uphold justice side by side with you, and become a legend in the cultivation world.”

“Is that so? Well, that’s good, that’s good…” After a night of spring dreams, William Carter was absent-minded, his mind filled with blankness. He felt a bit guilty seeing his junior sister, but upon hearing she was leaving the mountain, he felt no reluctance—on the contrary, he was a bit relieved.

Lily Harris didn’t notice William Carter’s distraction. After registering, she lit the soul lamp, which was a must for disciples leaving the mountain. If anything unfortunate happened on the way and the soul lamp went out, the Shangqing Sect would immediately know her situation.

After bidding her senior brother a reluctant farewell, Lily Harris descended the mountain and arrived at the restaurant where she had previously met Edward Morgan and the others.

Edward Morgan had already arranged to meet Lily Harris. When he saw her arrive, he nodded slightly and said, “You fly ahead, we’ll catch up later.”

At Lily Harris’s speed, it would take at least seven days to reach the Ten-Thousand-Mile Icefield; for James Walker, two hours; for Edward Morgan, just half a quarter of an hour.

“These items should be returned to you, senior. I feel unworthy to accept them,” Lily Harris took off the storage hairpin and placed it on the table. “I’ll keep the Fire Feather Cloak in case I get injured in the Icefield. With your guidance, my skills have improved greatly, and I’ve already benefited a lot. It’s only right for me to do things for you, I can’t accept any more gifts.”

Edward Morgan raised his eyebrows: “Everything has cause and effect. I gave you these items for a reason. Now you’re just receiving the karmic result, it won’t entangle you further, don’t worry.”

“Huh?” Lily Harris was a little surprised. “There’s karma between us? But I grew up in the Shangqing Sect and have never met you before?”

“Karma doesn’t have to be in this life, nor does it have to be about you. It could be from a previous life, or from your bloodline,” Edward Morgan said. “Not only do I want to give you these items, I also want to help you cultivate, help you become a god, and help you fulfill all your wishes.”

Lily Harris tugged at her sash, blushing, “I don’t dare dream of becoming a god, but I do have one wish—I want to reach the Nascent Soul stage soon, so I can…”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but Edward Morgan could guess what she meant. He swallowed a sip of utterly mundane tea, annoyed, and waved his hand: “Go on, we’ll meet at the entrance to the Icefield in seven days.”

“Alright.” Lily Harris left the restaurant, leaving the hairpin on the table.

After she left, James Walker twirled his long sword in the air, forming a simple illusion array that shielded the two of them. To outsiders, it looked like Edward Morgan and James Walker were still drinking tea and chatting, but inside the array, they could move freely.

Edward Morgan frowned and asked, “Mr. Walker, what is your wish?”

“Your subordinate is the Lord’s sword. If the sword lives, I live; if the sword breaks, I die,” James Walker replied.

He didn’t even blink or pause to think, instinctively saying these words. It was as if this phrase had echoed in his heart countless times, becoming an obsession.

“You really are no fun,” Grace Cooper walked out from the corner, lazily leaning on James Walker’s shoulder. “Supreme power, unrivaled strength, charming and adorable men… cough, women—which of these isn’t desirable? Isn’t that right, my lord?”

Edward Morgan’s face was expressionless: “Never thought about it.”

Grace Cooper: “…”

Edward Morgan and James Walker were like two iron lumps, which reminded Grace Cooper of some unpleasant memories.

She still remembered over eighty years ago, when Edward Morgan led James Walker to storm the main altar of the Xuanyuan Sect. Edward Morgan fought the old sect master one-on-one, killing him after three days and nights of battle, while James Walker protected him the whole time, letting no one get close.

James Walker was only at the first level of the Integration stage, but his sword was a demonic blade. He forcibly merged with the sword, unleashing terrifying power in an instant. On the main altar, he killed anyone who stood in his way, whether human or Buddha, forcing even several top experts in the Void Refinement stage to not dare approach.

But demonic cultivators never fight fair. They have many tricks. Mr. Turner sent Grace Cooper to seduce James Walker. She didn’t rely on looks alone—if a Void Refinement expert used all her charms, anyone below that level, regardless of gender or age, would fall under her spell, and even male cultivators above that level would struggle to resist. Dealing with someone at the Integration stage should have been easy.

So Grace Cooper went up, full of confidence—only to have James Walker knock out one of her teeth. She whistled when she spoke for over a year and couldn’t speak clearly until Edward Morgan reinstated the original Xuanyuan Sect members and she finally dared to use spiritual medicine to fix her tooth.

That battle left Grace Cooper truly afraid of Edward Morgan and James Walker. They were both utterly emotionless. Edward Morgan cultivated the Dao of Slaughter; when he saw a beautiful woman, what he wondered was whether killing a woman felt different from killing a man. As for James Walker, he genuinely believed he was a cold, lifeless sword—blind and heartless, not caring whether the person in front of him was male, female, human, or beast. As long as it wasn’t Edward Morgan, it didn’t matter.