The demonic power emanating from his body was as profound as an abyss and as obscure as the sea, even more substantial than those top-tier late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivators Xu Ping had seen.

"The benefits bestowed by the True Dragon Hall this time are truly extraordinary," Xu Ping mused inwardly.

However, a warm smile had already appeared on Xu Ping’s face, "The arrival of Fellow Daoist Jin truly graces our humble abode. Judging by your demeanor, you’ve made great progress in cultivation, and your divine techniques must be unfathomably profound. Truly commendable."

He led Jin Yuxuan into the hall and personally took out the top-grade spirit tea treasured on Blood Bone Island.

In an instant, the fragrance of tea wafted gently, mingling with the hall’s unique cool atmosphere, forming a distinctive ambiance.

Jin Yuxuan took the cup of tea Xu Ping handed over, unable to hide a hint of self-satisfaction on his face, yet maintaining the calmness of the demon race’s clan leader in his words, he smiled and said:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you flatter me. I merely had the good fortune to refine my bloodline and slightly improve my cultivation. But you,"

Jin Yuxuan looked at Xu Ping, speaking with sincere admiration, "Your aura is becoming more restrained and profound, with spiritual light flickering at your forehead. It seems you are not far from the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul."

"With your divine techniques and such amazing cultivation speed, breaking through to the late-stage realm must be a sure thing, achievable in the near future."

After exchanging compliments and taking a few sips of spirit tea, the atmosphere was harmonious.

After the pleasantries, Jin Yuxuan adopted a serious expression, gently placing the tea cup down, and broached the main topic: "Fellow Daoist Xu, regarding the spiritual objects you previously asked me to look for that assist demon beasts in breaking through their bottlenecks, I have always kept that in mind."

"During my recent report to the True Dragon Hall, I managed to find two items through various channels."

As he spoke, with a flick of his sleeve, a jade box engraved with restrictions appeared on the table.

The moment the lid was opened, an extremely pure vitality power and a refreshing, soul-calming fragrance filled the air simultaneously.

Inside the jade box, on the left, lay an object about three inches long, resembling a bamboo shoot but carved entirely from white jade, known as the "Millennium Stone Milk Bell Shoot."

Containing the earth’s essence and abundant vitality, it is excellent for stabilizing the foundation and supplementing the essence when demon beasts attempt to break through bottlenecks.

On the right was a small jade bottle, transparent, containing a small half-bottle of amber-colored viscous liquid, called "Hundred Herb Soul Tempering Liquid."

It can refine the demon soul, enhancing its resilience and spirituality, combating heart demons, thus greatly increasing the success rate of breakthroughs.

Xu Ping carefully swept over them with his divine sense, confirming that the quality of these treasures was top-notch, far from ordinary items, and a look of genuine satisfaction involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.

These two items happen to address the two aspects most needed by the Spirit Worm during its breakthrough, truly a timely rain.

"Fellow Daoist Jin, I appreciate the effort you put into this. These two items are exactly what I urgently need,"

Xu Ping cupped his hands solemnly in thanks, then without hesitation, waved his hand to store away the jade box.

At the same time, he pushed a pre-prepared storage pouch over, "Just a token of gratitude, I hope you won’t decline."

Jin Yuxuan probed the storage pouch with his divine sense and his smile instantly became even brighter.

Inside were not only several fourth-rank attack and defense talismans brimming with spiritual qi but also a batch of rare spiritual materials beneficial for the demon race’s cultivation, of no lesser value than the two treasures he brought, perhaps even surpassing them.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you are too courteous. We’ve known each other for many years, and it’s mutually beneficial, no need to be so formal." Jin Yuxuan smiled as he put away the storage pouch.

Having put away the reward, Jin Yuxuan took a sip of tea and casually brought up another matter:

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Xu, the higher-ups of the True Dragon Hall recently issued a somewhat strange order."

"The hall instructs our affiliated demon races to not only monitor the outer seas and guard against the remaining forces of Star Palace but also to be particularly vigilant for any so-called ’abnormalities’ in the sea territories."

"Abnormalities?"

Xu Ping’s heart tightened, but his face remained calm, as still as a placid lake, as he inquired, "Do we know what kind of situations are referred to as abnormalities by the True Dragon Hall?"

"Is it that Star Palace is conducting some new secret actions?"

Jin Yuxuan shook his head, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes: "The hall did not specify, speaking ambiguously."

"They only mentioned any unusual, inexplicable Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi fluctuations, signs of exotic treasures emerging, or traces of suspected high-tier cultivators secretly maneuvering... all these need to be reported."

"However, Fellow Daoist Xu need not worry too much about this issue."

Jin Yuxuan’s tone became more relaxed: "Because our race achieved significant merit in countering Star Palace’s actions this time, the True Dragon Hall trusts us considerably."

"This sea territory, including the area around Fellow Daoist’s Blood Bone Island, happens to be assigned to our Golden Spirit Mouse clan for monitoring, naturally sparing you any unnecessary trouble."

Upon hearing this, the tightly wound string in Xu Ping’s heart relaxed slightly, though his vigilance remained undiminished.

He showed an appropriately grateful smile: "I see, then I have to thank Fellow Daoist Jin in advance for the care. My Blood Bone Island has always been peaceful, surely no abnormalities will disturb the True Dragon Hall."

The two chatted for about another hour, exchanging cultivation insights and discussing minor changes in the outer sea situation, before Jin Yuxuan rose to take his leave.

Xu Ping personally escorted him to the outside of the island, watching as that dark gold escape light disappeared into the horizon.

Returning to the vast, eerie Blood Bone Hall, Xu Ping sat alone on the main seat, his eyes flickering with a dim light, plunging into long deep thought.

After a long while, Xu Ping sighed: "As a Nascent Soul, maneuvering between two Divinity Transformation powers is indeed like walking on thin ice. One careless move and it’s the end of everything."

Fortunately, he had moles within both factions.

Hongyi could provide information on Star Palace’s movements, and Jin Yuxuan could let him know in advance about the True Dragon Hall’s various intentions.

These unquestionably granted him invaluable space to maneuver amid the cracks, allowing him to better avoid various potential risks.