A lady in her 30s with bright red hair and a cane stood in the dimly lit laboratory of Chaoxiang. This was Edina, observing the chaotic but organized space filled with scrolls, alchemical tools, and jars of peculiar substances. What drew her attention the most were the small, wriggling creatures contained within a glass enclosure at the center of the room—the Chomug Parasites.

Chaoxiang, hunched over a table, was meticulously mixing herbs and powders into a thick paste. His eyes were sharp and focused as he alternated his gaze between his concoction and the parasites, clearly calculating the precise effects of each ingredient. Edina stepped closer, her curiosity piqued by the strange experiment.

“Chaoxiang,” she called softly, careful not to startle him. He looked up, his expression a blend of excitement and exhaustion.

“Ah, Edina. Perfect timing,” he said, motioning for her to come closer. “You’re just in time to witness something extraordinary.”

Edina moved nearer, her gaze fixed on the Chomug Parasites. “What are you doing with these? Weren’t you working on finding ways to gather supplies?”

Chaoxiang nodded, a sly smile curling his lips. “Yes, I was. But then I stumbled upon these Chomug Parasites among my belongings. We once used them in the demonic sects for controlling and monitoring subordinates. But I’ve discovered something... unexpected.”

He carefully scooped a bit of the paste onto a wooden stick and lowered it into the enclosure. The parasites eagerly devoured the mixture, their small bodies writhing as they consumed the substance. Edina watched with a mix of fascination and unease.

“I’ve been experimenting with a new diet for these parasites,” Chaoxiang explained, his voice tinged with pride. “This blend of herbs and small mana-infused minerals doesn’t just nourish them—it alters them. It allows them to mask their presence entirely, even from skilled martial artists and mages.”

Edina’s eyes widened in surprise. “Mask their presence? That’s... incredible. But why? What use could we have for such a thing?”

Chaoxiang’s grin broadened, his eyes gleaming with ambition. “Think about it, Edina. If we can perfect this method, we could use these parasites to spy on the demons. They would never know we’re listening. We could gather intelligence, sabotage their plans, even turn their own tools against them.”

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He reached into the enclosure and gently lifted one of the parasites, now visibly more active and vibrant after consuming the paste. “Unfortunately, we only have a handful of these creatures. They’re native to the northern mountains in the eastern continent, and acquiring more would be nearly impossible now that the Eastern Continent is destroyed.”

As these thoughts swirled in Senior Edina’s mind, she sat in the physician’s room at the Blazing Dawn Sect, watching Lin undergo testing. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together the implications of what she had just witnessed. The Chomug Parasites that Chaoxiang had perfected in her past life had now appeared in Wei. What in the world was happening here?

Unlike Lin, Edina wasn’t being tested for the parasite. The Physician, aware of her unique constitution, knew that no parasite, no matter how advanced, could survive inside her. Her body had an innate ability to insulate all foreign life forces, preventing them from taking hold. After a quick, simple test, he had instructed her to sit and wait while he examined Lin.

“None found,” the Physician announced, lifting a burden off everyone’s shoulders. “I don’t believe Young Mistress Lin has a Chomug Parasite in her.”

Everyone present sighed with relief. Sect Leader Liang Feng turned to Edina and said, “Alright, you kids get back to whatever you were doing. This is no place for you children. We’ll take care of these matters and notify you once Wei wakes up.”

With a nod, Senior Edina took her cane and left the room. As she made her way to Jinwei Mansion, countless questions and thoughts ran through her mind, each more perplexing than the last.

Meanwhile, IronBlood Tower, Heavenly Death Palace, the Demonic Sect's Blood Valley City, Northern Hazu Mountains, in the northern part of the Eastern Continent,

On the topmost balcony of IronBlood Tower, a young boy with jet-black hair sat quietly, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Chaoxiang, though youthful in appearance, held an aura of maturity and power far beyond his years. His gaze was cold and calculating as he observed the faint traces of sunlight struggling to break through the clouds. The sight brought him little comfort; instead, it served as a reminder of the dark forces he was bound to control.

The balcony where Chaoxiang sat was adorned with twisted iron railings and ancient runes etched into the stone floor. The air was heavy with the lingering scent of incense and alchemical fumes, remnants of the countless experiments that had taken place in this very tower. Scrolls and tomes were scattered haphazardly across the stone ledge, alongside various jars containing strange and grotesque creatures preserved in viscous liquids.

His moment of contemplation was abruptly interrupted by a faint popping sound. The noise emanated from one of the many jars cluttered in the far corner of the balcony, where a small, blackened glass enclosure housed several writhing Chomug Parasites.

"Huh... it seems they’ve found the parasite," Chaoxiang muttered, turning his gaze to his left. “Fanfan!”

In an instant, a figure appeared from the shadows. A young woman, clad in a full black robe that seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding darkness, stepped forward. Her long, elegantly styled hair framed a face of quiet beauty, though her expression was one of unwavering seriousness. She stopped just short of the balcony, bowing her head slightly in respect. “Yes, young master?” she responded, her voice soft yet filled with an underlying strength.

Chaoxiang looked at her thoughtfully before giving his orders. “Summon the Hilosia mages. I have another task for them. It seems our parasite in the young master of the Blazing Dawn Sect has been compromised.” A small, knowing smile played on his lips. “It appears I’ll have to adjust my plans.”

Without hesitation, Fanfan nodded and turned on her heel, her robes billowing around her as she swiftly disappeared into the shadows to carry out Chaoxiang’s orders.

As she disappeared, Chaoxiang whispered to himself, “It seems I’m not the only one who got a second chance.”