Li Xingtian gave a somewhat perfunctory nod, neither fully acknowledging nor dismissing the matter.
"Didn't Senior Sister say she was going to the Eastern Victory Divine Continent? Why did she come to the Central Continent instead?" he wondered.
"Could it be that she couldn’t make it in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent and decided to bring the Tianyan Token here for fun?"
After all, a small place like the Eastern Victory Divine Continent might not even recognize the Tianyan Token.
Not that Senior Sister wasn’t strong—it was just that her approach within the sect wasn’t always the most reliable, given her young age.
One had to suffer a few setbacks to grow, and Li Xingtian himself had endured many before figuring out the ways of the world.
Even if Senior Sister was a genius, she ought to face some stumbling blocks.
But he decided not to press the question, sparing her dignity.
His gaze shifted to the woman sitting beside Senior Sister, who looked slightly nervous.
"Senior Sister, who is this?"
Li Yingling gently patted Zhang Miaoyu beside her, signaling her to relax, then replied,
"Consider her a little follower for now. What about you? After being away for so long, hasn’t anyone wanted to stick with you?"
Zhang Miaoyu forced a stiff smile.
Li Xingtian nodded casually and took a seat on an empty chair.
"I’m used to being alone."
Li Yingling gave a light nod and didn’t probe further.
Though Second Junior Brother seemed experienced, he was actually quite simple-minded. Leading a team required complexity and brains—something he clearly lacked.
Still, as a teammate, he was excellent.
Strong, obedient, and far better at reporting situations than those wildcards out there. After all, he had at least received some training from their master.
At the very least, he’d picked up a fraction of their master’s eloquence.
She’d ask him privately later how he’d been faring. If things were truly dire, he could always join her.
But she wouldn’t bring it up now—no need to embarrass him in front of others.
Wang Lin remained expressionless as his eyes swept over the two. For some reason, watching them chat so familiarly while he, the one who’d come to assist, was left on the sidelines made him feel like he was the one asking for help.
Oh well. If Elder Bai had vouched for them, it made sense they’d be a little unconventional.
For now, he could only hope this fierce-looking male cultivator was capable of strategizing rather than just blurting out—"What’s the plan? Let’s charge in and slaughter our way through."
After all, those favored by Elder Bai… well…
Li Xingtian turned to Wang Lin, nodding in greeting before speaking.
"I am Li Xingtian. Thank you all for coming. I’ve gathered the details, so let me briefly outline the situation."
"Those demonic cultivators plan to activate the Nightmare Dream, aiming to seize the Dream Immortal’s treasure. The good news is, the Dream Immortal’s treasure holds something valuable. The bad news is, when it’s opened, a Dream Haze will spread."
"The range is vast, and the Dream Haze grows stronger as more people fall into the dream. If it expands beyond a certain point, most cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage will be dragged into the Great Dream. Dying there means true death. At its core lies the Dream Flower, the manifestation of the Dream Immortal."
"The dead will also be absorbed by the Dream Flower, fueling its growth."
"Whether the demonic cultivators want the Dream Flower or the Dream Immortal’s treasure—or both—we don’t know. But our goal is to ensure they don’t succeed."
Wang Lin listened calmly. The explanation was thorough—too thorough, in fact. Most intelligence on demonic cultivators only provided vague directions—where they might go, what their general objectives were.
For someone to know every detail, there was only one explanation—an inside source.
And a high-ranking one at that.
Alternatively, they’d have to be like the sect’s founding ancestor, skilled in the Tianyan Art—divination.
But this rough-looking man, likely at the Golden Core stage, didn’t seem the type to dabble in prophecy.
As for an undercover agent—someone holding Elder Bai’s Tianyan Token going undercover was hard to imagine.
Outside the sect, as the leader, Wang Lin wasn’t just responsible for his own life but for the entire team’s.
Even if the other party held Elder Bai’s Tianyan Token, Wang Lin still had to answer to the trust his teammates had placed in him.
Every disciple of the Tianyan Sect was undeniably a prodigy, each with a bright path ahead in their immortal journey.
And these teammates? They’d already been through life-and-death together.
Wang Lin chose his words carefully before speaking.
"May I ask where this intelligence came from?"
Li Xingtian paused briefly before answering.
"I gathered it along the way. I’ve killed quite a few of them and interrogated others. I was even trapped in their dream once. What’s inside… feels like endless despair."
Wang Lin nodded slightly, then pressed further.
"What was the Dream Immortal’s cultivation level when alive?"
"Great Ascension, definitely not Transcendence," Li Xingtian replied.
Wang Lin frowned. "A dead Great Ascension expert… just the residual power can threaten Golden Core cultivators? That’s Transcendence-level influence."
"According to the demonic cultivators’ intel, the Dream Immortal willingly died in her own dream. Her cultivation, body, and even her soul likely transformed into that Dream Flower," Li Xingtian said gravely.
"If left unchecked, that Dream Flower could surpass even Great Ascension."
Wang Lin stared at Li Xingtian, his tone sharp, almost accusatory.
"So, Brother Li—do you intend to stop the demonic cultivators from awakening the Dream Flower, or are you after the Dream Immortal’s treasure while eliminating them?"
The distinction was critical.
If the goal was just to stop them, Wang Lin’s task would be to wipe out the demonic cultivators before they activated the Dream Flower.
But if they wanted the treasure, that meant letting the demonic cultivators open it first.
"No need to overthink it. By now, they’ve probably already begun," Li Xingtian said with a hint of resignation.
"Our job now is to contain the situation. In my request for aid, I mentioned inviting Deity Transformation or even Unity Realm seniors… Did none come?"
"The Tianyan Sect has its own protocols. We can’t just cater to every demand. If the situation escalates beyond expectations, I’ll request reinforcements," Wang Lin stood up, a faint smile on his face.
"Besides, a Tianyan Sect Nascent Soul can almost be considered half a Deity Transformation."
Li Xingtian didn’t argue—there was logic to that. He turned to Li Yingling instead.
"Senior Sister, time is tight. Why don’t you stay here and relax? Once I’ve handled this, I’ll come find you."
Li Yingling stood abruptly and smacked Li Xingtian’s shoulder with force.
"Since when do you give orders to your Senior Sister? Since when does the junior risk his life while the senior sits back and enjoys herself?"
"Don’t worry—this time, Senior Sister will take charge of the operation! I guarantee we’ll complete the mission successfully."
Li Xingtian’s expression twisted slightly in hesitation… Letting Senior Sister lead was definitely not a good idea.
Noticing his doubt, Li Yingling patted Zhang Miaoyu beside her.
"Tell this fool of a junior how my leadership turns out."
Zhang Miaoyu instinctively straightened up and answered without hesitation.
"Flawless and reliable."
Li Xingtian frowned slightly, quickly assessing the situation of the woman before him.
She had undoubtedly been thoroughly fooled by their eldest senior sister.