“Stay calm, stay calm.”


    “Don’t rush into a decision. Think it over, think it over.” Qin Yun tried to persuade himself.


    He had to think carefully.


    Because he could not afford to fail.


    That night, he stayed at the tavern until it closed, then returned home alone. Later, he continued his usual practice of refining his life-bound flying sword.


    One day passed, then another.


    The summer sun rose early, and by dawn, the scorching heat already filled the air. Qin Yun left his home and headed toward the Governor’s Mansion.


    “Master Qin?” The guards at the mansion’s gate immediately greeted him warmly. Who among them didn’t know that Master Qin was a valued guest of the Governor?


    Qin Yun didn’t even have to wait outside; he was promptly escorted inside.


    Soon enough, he arrived outside Yi Xiao’s courtyard. The guard at the door called out from behind, “Miss Yi, Master Qin is here to see you.”


    “Master Qin, I’ll take my leave.” The guard bowed and withdrew. Of the six hundred guards in the Governor’s Mansion, many had gone to Cangya Mountain before, and they all knew that even the White Tiger Demon had lost a claw to Master Qin.


    “Thank you,” Qin Yun said with a smile.


    Such courtesy from Master Qin made the guard feel proud, and he grinned widely as he stepped away.


    Qin Yun stood outside the courtyard gate. Soon, the door creaked open.


    Yi Xiao looked out and smiled faintly. “It’s only the second day, and you’re already here? Come in and sit.”


    Qin Yun nodded and entered.


    The two of them sat down.


    “Brother Qin, I was rather emotional when I visited your home earlier. Please don’t take it to heart,” Yi Xiao said. “You’re right, though. It’s my choice to risk my life to kill the Water God, and I can’t expect others to take the same risk with me. Besides, you likely have concerns about your family.”


    Yi Xiao believed she understood Qin Yun’s thoughts.


    He must be worried about many things, especially the risk of failing and provoking the Water God’s retaliation.


    “Miss Yi,” Qin Yun said, “I truly admire you. As an outsider, you’re willing to risk your life to save the millions of people in Guangling Prefecture.”


    There might be rewards for sect missions.


    But for a member of the Yi family from Kunlun State, risking their life for mere rewards wasn’t something they’d do. Qin Yun could see that Yi Xiao genuinely couldn’t bear to watch the suffering in Guangling Prefecture, which was why she had come.


    This earned his heartfelt respect.


    As for Yi Xiao’s occasional lack of social understanding, that was normal. Young cultivators often started training in the mountains as children and had little experience with the mortal world.


    “If we could kill the Water God and save countless lives in Guangling Prefecture, reuniting many children with their parents, my death would be worth it,” Yi Xiao said, looking at Qin Yun. “But enough about that. Brother Qin, have you made up your mind?”This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    “I want to ask: What are the chances of the Water God breaking through to the Innate Golden Core stage within a year?” Qin Yun countered.


    “This…”


    Yi Xiao hesitated. “I don’t know. Based on the intelligence my Divine Firmament Sect has gathered, the elders in the sect believe it could happen at any time. But within three years, it will definitely happen.”


    Qin Yun fell silent.


    It could happen at any time? And within three years, it was certain?


    Qin Yun nodded. “Alright. I’ll join you.”


    “You’ve agreed?” Yi Xiao was surprised and delighted but quickly added, “Brother Qin, if we fail, your Qin family could face the Water God’s wrath. You don’t have to come with me. I can find other cultivators to help.”


    “My desire to kill the Water God is stronger than yours,” Qin Yun said softly, smiling. “Miss Yi, you’ve read about the Water God’s atrocities in records, but I lived in a village until I was eight.”


    Yi Xiao was slightly startled.


    A village?


    “I saw, with my own eyes, children and peers chosen by lottery to be sacrificed to the Water God. Their parents wailed in despair,” Qin Yun said quietly. “I saw villagers working in the fields, abducted by demons, never to return.”


    “My younger sister was eaten by the Water God when she was six,” Qin Yun said, looking at Yi Xiao.


    Yi Xiao’s expression changed.


    “Do you know why I practice swordsmanship?” Qin Yun asked. “It’s to kill the Water God.”


    “Then why did you refuse before…” Yi Xiao felt the terrifying killing intent hidden within Qin Yun’s calm voice.


    “The Water God is cunning. If we fail this time, he won’t give me another chance,” Qin Yun said. “Your sixty to seventy percent success rate is too low. I was aiming for a hundred percent certainty.”


    Indeed.


    With just one more year.


    If the Water God remained at the Innate False Core stage—even its peak—Qin Yun’s life-bound flying sword, combined with his mastery of the Rain Sword Intent and the unity of swordsmanship, would ensure his success, as long as the Water God left the river.


    But that was assuming the Water God didn’t break through.


    Two hundred years without a breakthrough… and now it was about to happen?


    Fate was playing tricks!


    Yi Xiao looked at Qin Yun. “A hundred percent certainty? How is that possible? How can a Postnatal cultivator achieve such certainty against the Water God? If it were possible, the imperial court and the Daoist and Buddhist sects wouldn’t have failed to deal with him for over two centuries. My sixty to seventy percent success rate is already the best plan my sect could devise.”


    “Yes, a hundred percent is difficult,” Qin Yun conceded. “I had planned to prepare more thoroughly. But now that I know the Water God could break through at any moment, there’s no point in waiting. I’ll join you.”


    Yi Xiao looked at Qin Yun, feeling a trace of guilt for having misjudged him.


    “Alright,” Yi Xiao said with a smile. “Then let’s join forces to take down the Water God!”


    “Take him down!” Qin Yun nodded, his eyes sharp with determination.


    “But before we act,” Qin Yun said, “we must prepare thoroughly. The better we know ourselves and our enemy, the higher our chances of success. Here is all the information I’ve gathered on the Water God.”


    He took out a handwritten book from his sleeve.


    “I have some as well,” Yi Xiao said, retrieving a pouch from her waist. She reached inside and pulled out a thick book, much larger than the pouch itself.


    “A spatial pouch,” Qin Yun thought in surprise.


    Spatial pouches were rare. Even those at the Innate False Core stage, like Commander Fang or the White Tiger Demon, didn’t have one. This was only the second time Qin Yun had seen one.


    The two of them began comparing their intelligence.


    “As expected of the Divine Firmament Sect. The information is incredibly detailed. So the Water God is a disciple of Yunmo Mountain?” Qin Yun was stunned. Yunmo Mountain was a legendary floating mountain. To demons, it was as revered as sacred Daoist lands were to cultivators.


    Such an ancient force could rival the imperial court head-on.


    “His master is an Innate Golden Core demon, and he has many fellow disciples…” Qin Yun read on, marveling. The intelligence offered a glimpse into the vast network of demonic forces across the land.


    “This is the original plan. Take a look,” Yi Xiao said, handing Qin Yun several sheets of paper.


    Qin Yun read them carefully.


    The plan was solid.


    According to the Divine Firmament Sect, the plan had a sixty to seventy percent chance of success.


    “With my life-bound flying sword complete, my strength will increase significantly,” Qin Yun thought. “Even without mastering the unity of swordsmanship, I’m already stronger than Yi Xiao’s senior uncle.”


    “With my help, the odds should rise to eighty or even ninety percent,” Qin Yun concluded.


    Yi Xiao asked eagerly, “What do you think? Can you handle the tasks my senior uncle planned for?”


    “Of course. But I think we should make some adjustments,” Qin Yun suggested.


    “Go on,” Yi Xiao said, listening intently.


    The two of them delved into their intelligence, discussing strategies to ensure the death of the Water God, who had plagued Guangling Prefecture for over two centuries.


    Unbeknownst to the millions of citizens or the Governor himself, a battle that would decide their fate was about to unfold.