The chamber was frozen in silence.
Crimson mist curled through the air like coiling threads of silk. The Bone Shades, kneeling around Fang Xi, stood as silent proof of what he now held.
Power. But unstable power. Dangerous power.
Elder Hua's gaze did not waver. She studied him like a beast behind a thin cage wall, weighing whether to lash out or not.
"You've bonded with the forbidden," she said at last. "You've contaminated your core."
Fang Xi replied calmly. "I have extended the sect's reach into what no one else dared approach."
"The risk is greater than the gain," she countered.
"Only if your control is weak."
A flicker of irritation flashed across her eyes. She hated that his words held truth. And worse, that others were listening.
The robed guest from River Shadow stepped forward, folding his hands behind his back.
"Enough posturing," he said. "The boy has proven himself capable. And useful."
Elder Hua's voice sharpened. "Useful? Or uncontrollable?"
"Both," the guest answered without hesitation. "That is exactly why we need him."
The sect guards behind them shifted uncomfortably. Even Lu Shuwei and Shui Fang, still catching their breath from the battle, exchanged quick glances.
Han Yuren, as always, watched silently, absorbing everything.
No one dared interrupt.
The guest continued. His tone was smooth, almost gentle.
"You are not the first to step into forbidden paths, Fang Xi. Every great cultivator who truly seeks to rise must step where others fear to tread."
He paused.
"But every such man must be guided. Controlled. Aligned with proper interests. You have no backing yet. No master."
The implication hung heavily in the air.
An offer.
Fang Xi read the deeper layers immediately.
River Shadow wanted him. But not as an equal. As a weapon.
A dangerous, useful weapon.
He allowed a brief silence before responding.
"I require conditions."
Elder Hua's lips thinned, but she said nothing. The guest allowed himself a small nod.
"Speak them."
Fang Xi's voice was level, cold, and deliberate.
"First, my record within the sect remains unblemished. No punishments. No restriction."
"Done," the guest answered immediately.
"Second, Jiang Ping remains under my protection. No reassignment. No removal."
Elder Hua's eyes narrowed. This condition surprised her more than the first.
"Sentimentality," she said flatly.
"Insurance," Fang Xi corrected. "I will choose my pawns."
The guest chuckled. "Also acceptable."
"Third," Fang Xi finished, "I will be granted restricted access to Ironwood's sealed archives."
That drew real tension. Even the guards stiffened.
Elder Hua finally stepped forward, voice sharp.
"You ask for access to ancient records that even elders do not freely study. You walk the edge of treason."
Fang Xi held her gaze, his voice soft.
"You have seen what I can control. Imagine what I could master… with guidance."
The robed guest spoke before she could answer.
"We will permit limited access. Certain records. Supervised."
Elder Hua's nostrils flared, but she did not argue. She knew River Shadow's influence was rising. And now, Fang Xi's value outweighed her objections.
"For now," she said bitterly.
The deal was made.
But the true balance of power had only begun to shift.
Fang Xi bowed his head slightly — not as submission, but as acknowledgment.
The guest smiled thinly.
"You will be watched, Fang Xi," he said. "Do not forget that."
Fang Xi's eyes gleamed faintly.
"I expect nothing less."
As the group prepared to ascend from the tomb, Fang Xi let his senses extend once more into the chamber. The broken Heart pulsed faintly behind him. The Bone Shades remained kneeling until he turned away.
The tomb still whispered.
And the mark on his wrist grew heavier.
But for now — he had won.