Wang Chen merely smiled at her praise.

He had heard those exact words from her countless times before, and every single time, his response had been the same—calm, unruffled, almost indulgent. How could she ever grow tired of his swordsmanship? He had already walked the mortal Sword Dao to its absolute peak, a realm where technique itself became art, where every motion carried a charm that transcended logic.

But admiration was not why he had come here.

Taking a slow breath, Wang Chen let the smile linger before speaking lightly, "You enjoyed the show I put on? Then I am honored."

Mo Huyan did not reply at once. Her gaze lingered on him, deep and unfathomable, as if countless thoughts were colliding behind those eyes. Layers of emotion flickered across her pupils—curiosity, caution, something older and harder to name. It was as though she were trying to peel him apart, to see how much of the man before her was real and how much was illusion.

Then Wang Chen's smile faded.

A faint smirk replaced it, sharp and deliberate.

"I have good news for you, Nether Empress."

The change in his tone made Mo Huyan react immediately. Her slender brows lifted, eyes sharpening. "What good news?" she asked, her voice controlled but alert.

Wang Chen did not delay. The corners of his lips curved higher as he said plainly, "I've decided to take you out of this palace."

Silence fell.

Wang Chen watched her intently, waiting for it—shock, joy, disbelief, even a crack in that iron composure. After all, this was the freedom she had longed for, the very reason she had tolerated him, guided him, and lingered in his shadow.

But none of it came.

Her expression did not change. Not even a flicker.

It was as though he had spoken of something trivial, inconsequential.

Wang Chen frowned inwardly.

"What's with that reaction…?" he muttered, unable to hide the confusion in his voice. "Shouldn't you be happy? I've finally decided to take you out of here. Isn't that what you wanted all along? To leave this palace with my help?"

His gaze hardened slightly as he continued, each word deliberate. "Wasn't that the reason you approached me in the first place? Have you already forgotten our first meeting?"

At those words, Mo Huyan's composure finally wavered.

Her eyes darkened, shadows gathering beneath their surface. The memory he invoked was not a pleasant one—and the air between them subtly cooled, as if the palace itself had responded to her shifting emotions.

Mo Huyan let out a cold snort, the sound sharp enough to cut through the silence.

Her voice dropped, frost-laden and merciless.

"How could I forget that meeting?" she said slowly. A faint, dangerous smile curved her lips. "Hmm… what was it you said back then?"

Her violet eyes narrowed, locking onto Wang Chen as if pinning him in place.

"'Damn vixen. Thank you for tormenting me. Hope I never see you again.'"

Each word landed cleanly, deliberately, like a blade pressed against old scars.

She took a step forward, her gaze never wavering.

"And now you're talking about helping me leave this place?" she continued coolly. "Tell me, little cultivator… what caused this sudden change of heart?"

A pause. Then, softly—dangerously—

"Or did you simply decide you want to take advantage of me?"

Wang Chen's face heated instantly.

For perhaps the first time in a long while, he felt genuinely embarrassed.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure how to respond. Her words were not wrong. Back then, she had tormented him relentlessly, pushing him to the brink more than once. His outburst had been born from frustration, fear, and wounded pride.

And yet…

Looking back now, he could no longer deny the truth.

Throughout all this time, Mo Huyan had never truly harmed him. On the contrary—she had guided him, observed him, and in the end, bestowed upon him something immeasurably precious.

The Legacy of the Thief Supreme.

Wang Chen's thoughts drifted unconsciously to that inheritance, and his expression grew complicated.

After the Tower of Infinite Enlightenment, this was the single greatest treasure he had ever obtained—one gained without bloodshed, without bargaining, without payment.

A technique that allowed him to steal anything that existed.

And after comprehending the Authority of Non-Existence… even that boundary had shattered.

He could now steal things that no longer existed.

Extinct divine flora from billions of years ago. Lost concepts. Vanished truths. Things erased from history itself.

The potential of that legacy was so absurd that even Wang Chen, who had already seen the limits of heaven and fate, rarely dared to dwell on it for long. The deeper he thought, the more terrifying it became.

At some point, a realization had quietly taken root in his heart.

This inheritance… might not be inferior to the Tower of Infinite Enlightenment at all.

That thought alone made his chest feel heavy.

Wang Chen exhaled slowly, steadied himself, and finally met Mo Huyan's gaze again—this time without deflection, without arrogance.

The frost between them had not melted.

But it had cracked.

He should help her leave this palace.

That much was obvious.

After all, the legacy she had given him was no ordinary favor—it was a treasure that could shake the heavens themselves. And yet, here he was, about to ask for even more. Knowledge of the reincarnation cycle. Something immeasurably heavier than freedom.

If weighed fairly, his actions bordered on outright ingratitude.

Wang Chen knew it.

He simply chose to shamelessly ignore that fact.

Just as his thoughts tangled further, Mo Huyan shook her head lightly. A faint, knowing look crossed her face as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"From that smile of yours," she said coolly, "you wouldn't say something like this without a reason. Stop circling around it. Just tell me—what do you want?"

Wang Chen's eyes widened a fraction.

Was he really that transparent?

Since she had already pressed the matter herself, there was no reason to keep dancing around it. He cleared his throat softly, his usual casual demeanor fading into something far more earnest.

"I want your help," he said, voice steady, "in recreating the reincarnation cycle."

Silence fell.

Mo Huyan turned to him slowly, her expression unreadable. For a brief moment, the ancient empress simply stared—as though she were deciding whether she had misheard him.

"Reincarnation cycle?" she repeated flatly. "Why would you want to create something like that?"

Her eyes sharpened, violet light flickering within.

"And more importantly," she continued, "with your current cultivation—mere Dao Foundation—how exactly do you intend to create such a thing?"

The question carried no mockery. Only cold, merciless logic.

Wang Chen had expected this. He had prepared himself for it long before opening his mouth.

"I can't answer everything," he replied patiently. "But I can tell you this—the reincarnation cycle is vital to me. Without it, certain things… cannot continue."

Mo Huyan clicked her tongue softly.

"So what?" she said, turning her head away, gaze drifting into the endless darkness of the palace. Her tone made it clear she found the proposal absurd. "Why should that concern me?"

The rejection wasn't harsh—but it was absolute.

Wang Chen didn't argue.

He didn't bargain.

He knew better than to try and corner someone like her with logic or benefits. Instead, he took a step back, then bowed—deeply, sincerely.

"Please," he said quietly. "Consider helping me."

No conditions.

No leverage.

Just a request.

For the first time since their conversation began, the air between them shifted.

Mo Huyan didn't respond immediately—but this time, her gaze flickered with genuine surprise.

She hadn't expected this.

There was no need for him to bow. None at all. For someone like Wang Chen, who carried himself with such casual indifference toward the world, lowering his head so sincerely could only mean one thing.

The reincarnation cycle mattered to him. Deeply.

And when she still didn't speak, Wang Chen bowed again, unwavering.

Another breath passed.

Finally, Mo Huyan let out a quiet sigh and shook her head.

"Enough," she said. "I'll tell you everything I know about the reincarnation cycle."

Wang Chen's head snapped up instantly, excitement flashing across his face.

"But," she added calmly, her eyes narrowing, "before that—you need to tell me how you intend to take me out of this palace."

Wang Chen barely heard the second half of her sentence.

He straightened up at once, gratitude flooding his expression as he clasped his fists.

"Thank you. Truly—thank you!" he said sincerely. "I won't forget this kindness!"

Mo Huyan stared at him flatly, entirely unmoved by his enthusiasm.

"Don't celebrate yet," she said coolly. "Creating a reincarnation cycle is no trivial feat. You'll need to reach at least the Nascent Soul Realm before it's even possible."

Wang Chen froze.

"Why?" he asked immediately, brows knitting together. "Why is the Nascent Soul Realm required?"

Mo Huyan didn't answer right away. She simply looked at him for a moment before turning away.

"Focus on reaching Nascent Soul first," she said. "Only then will I explain the rest. Until that point, you don't need to concern yourself with the reincarnation cycle."

Her tone left no room for argument.

Wang Chen felt his heart sink.

Reaching the Nascent Soul Realm wasn't something that could be rushed. It wasn't a matter of days—or even months. And Ni Lua… she might not be able to last that long.

His expression darkened unconsciously.

Mo Huyan noticed immediately.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice quieter.

After a brief hesitation, Wang Chen explained everything—Ni Lua's condition, the soul on the verge of dispersing, and his fear that once it vanished, there would be no saving it.

When he finished, Mo Huyan waved her hand dismissively.

"So that's all?" she said. "A soul about to dissipate? No big deal. Just feed it a drop of Soul-Strengthening Dew. Problem solved."

Wang Chen stared at her.

"…Really?" he asked, eyes lighting up. "That's it?"

"That's it."

Relief surged through him—only to be crushed a second later.

"Don't look so happy," Mo Huyan continued mercilessly. "Soul-Strengthening Dew doesn't exist in the Lower Realm. Your only chance is the Upper Realm."

She glanced at him sideways.

"And unless you happen to have a way to obtain something from the Upper Realm… you might as well let that soul disappear."

Wang Chen's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"What the—!" He caught himself just short of swearing. "Then why say it like that?! You could've just told me it's impossible instead of dragging me around in circles!"

Mo Huyan smirked faintly.

"And what makes you so sure you can't obtain it?" she asked.

If this had been before his understanding of the Non-Existence Authority, Wang Chen might have accepted her words as final.

But now?

With this single piece of information, his entire problem was nearly solved.

Still, he wasn't about to let her brush past the reincarnation cycle so easily.

He took a step forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious, and bowed again—deeper than before.

"Please," he said earnestly.

"Mo Huyan… Great Empress of the Nether Realm."

"I need that knowledge. I need to understand the reincarnation cycle."

"I can't afford to wait until Nascent Soul."

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