Chen Xuan’s body transformed into a golden stream of light that streaked across the Tianxuan Domain.
With nothing standing in his way, the journey did not take long.
Only a short while later, the familiar outline of the Jade Pure Sect appeared on the horizon.
Although only a few days had passed since he last visited, the sect had already undergone noticeable changes.
Far more people could be seen moving through its streets. Disciples, Elders, and even Peak Masters came and went, each busy with their own affairs.
More importantly, however, was the change in the atmosphere.
The suffocating tension that had once hung over the sect had largely disappeared.
Though traces of unease still lingered beneath the surface, the disciples now carried hope in their eyes once more.
Smiles could occasionally be seen on their faces, and conversations that had previously been whispered in fear had gradually become livelier.
The reason was obvious. The temporary lull in the war had finally given everyone a chance to breathe.
After all, the ones who had suffered the most were neither Chen Xuan nor the Peak Masters.
They were the ordinary disciples.
Recalling the casualty report Su Ying had previously handed him—the long list of Yin Yang Peak disciples who had perished—Chen Xuan’s mood immediately became somewhat heavier.
Although he had long accepted the cruelty of the cultivation world, it was still difficult to remain completely indifferent upon learning that so many of his nominal disciples had died.
’Unfortunately... this is the nature of the cultivation world.’
’Even if they hadn’t fallen on the battlefield, many of them would have eventually perished while seeking opportunities, fighting over resources, or venturing into dangerous secret realms.’
Such thoughts had long become commonplace for cultivators. Even so, understanding them and truly accepting them were two different things.
With that thought, Chen Xuan slowly composed himself. No longer dwelling on those memories, he took to the air once more and flew toward the sect’s main peak.
No one attempted to stop him.
Having appeared throughout countless battlefields over the past several days, Chen Xuan had already become one of the Jade Pure Sect’s most recognizable figures.
Almost everyone who saw him immediately recognized his identity.
One after another, disciples and Elders respectfully bowed as he passed overhead, admiration, gratitude, and undisguised envy flashing across their faces.
Chen Xuan paid little attention to their gazes.
Within moments, he arrived at his destination, gently landing atop the main peak.
Looking toward the grand palace that nominally belonged to Qian Lingxue but had effectively become Tang Yuechen’s workplace during this period, Chen Xuan did not hesitate.
His divine sense stirred. The tightly shut doors slowly opened inward.
Chen Xuan stepped inside, fully expecting to find Tang Yuechen buried beneath mountains of documents as she had been the last time.
But the moment he entered the hall, his expression became rather strange.
Tang Yuechen was nowhere near a mountain of paperwork.
Instead, she lazily reclined in the Sect Leader’s chair, one leg crossed over the other and resting atop the large office desk.
Her smooth, fair thighs were fully exposed beneath her robes, while her bare feet idly swayed back and forth.
She had yet to notice Chen Xuan’s arrival.
Her entire focus remained fixed upon the book in her hands, her expression one of complete concentration.
Judging from her appearance, Chen Xuan almost believed she was studying some profound Great Dao Scripture capable of leading one directly to immortality.
Reality, however, proved otherwise.
As his gaze landed on the cover, the title immediately entered his vision.
Chen Xuan’s expression darkened.
"108 Ways to Manipulate Your Junior Brother. 10+1 Tricks on Getting Him to Fall in Love With You."
Looking at the familiar author’s name—the very same one printed on the questionable book he had previously obtained from the System—Chen Xuan fell completely silent.
Who exactly was this mysterious author?
Were they specifically dedicated to corrupting female cultivators across the cultivation world?
Did they possess even the slightest shred of morality?
"Cough... cough."
Seeing Tang Yuechen completely absorbed in her reading, Chen Xuan finally cleared his throat.
Immediately, Tang Yuechen’s eyes widened. Only then did she realize someone had entered the hall.
Her aura instantly erupted.
Powerful Spiritual Energy surged from her body as though she were preparing to strike down an intruder without hesitation.
But the instant she raised her head and saw Chen Xuan standing there, everything stopped.
The overwhelming pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Unfortunately, the panic on Tang Yuechen’s face showed no signs of disappearing.
If anything, it became even more obvious.
She froze in place.
For a brief moment, Chen Xuan almost felt as though he could hear countless gears frantically turning inside her head as she desperately searched for a way out of this embarrassing situation.
Fortunately for her, Tang Yuechen reacted astonishingly quickly. With a flick of her wrist, the suspicious book disappeared into her spatial ring.
Almost simultaneously, she straightened her posture.
The lazy expression vanished without a trace.
With another wave of her hand, the neglected stack of documents floated before her.
Then, almost miraculously, exhaustion appeared on her face.
Dark circles formed beneath her eyes, while her gaze became bloodshot, making it seem as though she had not slept for several months.
"Junior... Junior Brother Chen... you’re finally back," she said weakly, sounding as though speaking alone exhausted her.
The entire transformation had taken no more than a single breath.
One moment, Tang Yuechen had been comfortably reading one of her favorite romance manuals. The next, she had become an overworked Sect Leader tirelessly sacrificing herself for the Jade Pure Sect.
Had Chen Xuan not witnessed everything firsthand, even he might have believed her performance.
What truly astonished him, however, was not the speed of the transformation. It was Tang Yuechen’s shamelessness!
She simply pretended that nothing had happened!
Meeting Chen Xuan’s gaze, she even clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction.
"Junior Brother Chen certainly looks refreshed."
"Meanwhile, I’ve been handling the sect’s administration, coordinating with every Peak Master, communicating with the other sects, and dealing with all matters related to the war."
"And while I’m drowning in work, you’ve been leisurely wandering around outside. I even heard you ventured deep into demonic territory."
"So? Did some demoness happen to catch your eye over there?"
Tang Yuechen sighed dramatically while shaking her head.
She genuinely looked like a hardworking wife whose husband had disappeared to enjoy himself while she remained behind doing all the chores.
For a brief instant, even Chen Xuan felt a tiny trace of guilt.
Fortunately, he recovered almost immediately.
Why exactly should he feel guilty?
He had been risking his life to stabilize the Tianxuan Domain!
Tang Yuechen, meanwhile, had been secretly reading romance guides.
The slight guilt that had surfaced disappeared without a trace.
"Senior Sister Tang has truly worked hard."
"I can tell your duties have been exceptionally exhausting."
Chen Xuan nodded seriously as he found himself a nearby seat.
"Managing the sect’s affairs alone is already difficult."
"Doing so while reading the documents upside down ought to be even more difficult."
Hearing those words, Tang Yuechen frowned. At first, she failed to understand what he meant.
Only after lowering her head did realization dawn on her.
The papers... were indeed upside down.
For the briefest instant, embarrassment flashed across her face.
Unfortunately for Chen Xuan, Tang Yuechen possessed skin thicker than most.
She simply waved her hand dismissively.
"Junior Brother Chen has never managed a sect before."
"You simply don’t understand the profound intricacies of administrative work."
"It’s better not to comment on things beyond your understanding."
As she spoke, she confidently lowered her head and signed one of the documents.
Every movement was smooth and elegant, carrying the bearing of an experienced administrator.
From Chen Xuan’s angle, however, he could clearly see the result.
Or rather, the crooked handwriting that resembled the scribbles of a child who was just learning how to write.
Tang Yuechen herself remained blissfully unaware.
Still smiling with absolute confidence, she placed the completed document aside before moving on to the next one.
The outcome remained exactly the same.
Watching her proudly produce increasingly illegible handwriting, Chen Xuan almost burst into laughter.
Fortunately, he restrained himself. After allowing the silence to linger for a few moments, he changed the subject.
"Did anything happen while I was away?"
"Have there been any new clues regarding the missing Sect Leaders?"
Tang Yuechen’s expression gradually became serious.
"Nothing major. You should have already seen it. You’ve probably already noticed."
"Thanks to your actions, the war has entered a temporary stalemate. Not only within the Jade Pure Sect’s territory, but across nearly the entire Tianxuan Domain, the large-scale fighting has almost completely stopped."
"As for the missing Sect Leaders..."
She slowly shook her head.
"There haven’t been any clues whatsoever. It’s as though they vanished from the face of the earth."
She paused briefly before continuing:
"Although... if there’s one thing that’s changed, it has to be..."