When Xiao Yan stepped into the quiet room and saw Yao Chen standing there, the tension that had been coiled tightly around his heart finally loosened.
Outside, more than thirty Dou Zong-level powerhouses stood watch, their auras overlapping like layers of mountains pressing down on the city. Any one of them could overturn a sect or annihilate a clan with a single command. Yet in Xiao Yan's heart, none of them inspired even a fraction of the sense of security that Yao Chen did.
Only his teacher.
"Teacher."
The single word left Xiao Yan's mouth with a hoarse undertone, as if it carried all the exhaustion and fear he had been suppressing since the Xiao Family crisis erupted.
Yao Chen waved his hand gently, a calm smile on his face.
"Sit. With me here, no one can touch you—let alone harm you."
Xiao Yan obeyed, but the guilt in his expression did not fade. After sitting down, he hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Teacher… this disciple acted on his own initiative. I borrowed your name and the Sacrificial Shop's prestige to suppress the situation. I'm afraid it may have affected your position within the shop."
The Sacrificial Shop had always maintained absolute neutrality. It sold goods, accepted commissions, and enforced rules—but never directly intervened in disputes between sects or forces.
This time, Xiao Yan had crossed that invisible line.
Yao Chen did not dodge the issue.
"There is an impact," he said frankly.
Xiao Yan's heart tightened instantly, his fingers curling slightly.
But Yao Chen continued, his tone relaxed.
"However, it remains within acceptable limits. You don't need to burden yourself with it."
Only then did Xiao Yan let out the breath he had been holding unconsciously.
Yao Chen's gaze sharpened slightly.
"But you must understand one thing clearly," he said.
"The Sacrificial Shop's fundamental stance will not change. Absolute neutrality is its cornerstone. It will not become a weapon for any faction, nor will it shelter personal vendettas."
He looked directly at Xiao Yan.
"What your teacher can give you is limited. The road ahead—most of it—you must walk on your own."
Xiao Yan nodded without hesitation.
"Teacher, the fact that you allowed me to use your name to save the Xiao Family is already a grace I can never repay. How could this disciple dare to ask for more?"
Yao Chen studied him for a moment, then nodded with clear approval.
"Good."
After a brief pause, Yao Chen asked calmly,
"Are you willing to officially join the Sacrificial Shop?"
Xiao Yan froze.
Then his eyes lit up.
He immediately understood the deeper meaning behind those words. This was not merely a position—it was an identity. An invisible protective layer recognized by countless forces across the continent.
"I am willing!"
He stood up instantly, his voice firm and resolute.
Yao Chen's demeanor shifted subtly, the warmth of a teacher receding as the authority of a superior surfaced.
"Then from this moment onward, you are an official employee of the Sacrificial Shop."
Xiao Yan's heart trembled.
"The shop will soon open branches throughout the Northwest," Yao Chen continued.
"Your first task is to accompany Mo Jiao in inspecting and evaluating the various empires and regions."
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly.
He understood exactly what this meant.
Wherever the Sacrificial Shop chose to establish a branch, that region would flourish. Where it did not, decline was almost inevitable. With a single recommendation, he could elevate one empire and doom another.
The weight of such authority was terrifying.
Xiao Yan did not feel pride—only caution.
"Teacher," he said quickly, "this disciple has already incurred many personal favors in the Northwest. If I were to hold this responsibility, it might compromise fairness."
Yao Chen looked at him calmly.
"That is precisely why you must handle it impartially."
He spoke evenly, each word landing with clarity.
"Remember the shop's principles: freedom, and equivalent exchange.
Think carefully. Listen to Mo Jiao. Learn first—authority can come later."
With a simple wave of his hand, the matter was settled.
Xiao Yan did not leave immediately. Instead, he took out the ancient jade and offered it with both hands.
"Teacher… this jade is the root of Soul Hall's pursuit. It is also something the Xiao Family guarded for generations. I wish to entrust it to you."
Yao Chen glanced at the jade—and laughed.
Xiao Yan was stunned.
Yao Chen suppressed his smile and said slowly,
"This thing…"
He paused, then shook his head.
"Instead of giving it to me, entrust it to Ning Fengzhi's Wanbao Pavilion."
Xiao Yan was confused.
Yao Chen did not hide the truth any longer.
"This jade is one of the keys to Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's dwelling. When all fragments are gathered, they can open the path to the secret of breaking through to Dou Di."
Xiao Yan felt as though lightning had struck his mind.
"Then why—"
"What matters," Yao Chen interrupted gently, "is not how it ended up with the Xiao Family. What matters is that it is now in your hands."
Xiao Yan clenched the jade.
"Teacher, I want to exchange it for my father."
Yao Chen smiled.
"Then tell Ning Fengzhi everything we discussed. He will understand."
Later, in the quiet valley beyond Sacrifice City, Yao Chen stood before Li Rong and bowed deeply.
Li Rong listened, then calmly corrected him—firm, but not unkind.
"You didn't violate the rules," Li Rong said.
"But you were hasty."
He laid out the correction clearly, then added new instructions—recruitment guidelines that appeared simple, yet subtly reshaped the entire Northwest's future alignment.
Yao Chen understood immediately.
This was not force.
This was filtration.
When Xiao Yan later explained the plan to Ning Fengzhi, realization dawned instantly.
"The jade is bait," Ning Fengzhi said softly.
"And Soul Hall will swallow it whole."
Xiao Yan's eyes burned.
"And my father comes back."
Ning Fengzhi smiled—sharp, precise, and utterly confident.
"In Sacrifice City, under the shop's rules, they will have no other choice."