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At the same time, the issue that garnered attention from all factions was the question of who would be the next inheritor of the "Ten Realms Crimson Lotus Sword" and the "Saint Crest" it contained. According to earlier agreements among the nations, the decision on the inheritor of the "Crimson Lotus Sword" could only be made by the royal family of the "Mercenary Empire." However, as with Carol's situation, if someone else seized the "Crimson Lotus Sword" and established a fait accompli, the "Mercenary Empire" could only stand by helplessly. Since the spatial teleportation arrays within the "Mercenary Empire" had been obliterated by Jin Luosha's "Moonlight Goddess Cannon," the "Crimson Lotus Sword" could not be returned via teleportation. Transporting the divine weapon back across the desert would introduce too many variables. Currently, this crucial divine weapon remains in the "Red Glory Royal City" on the southern continent, which is under the protection of the "Hanyue Knight" Carol. Given that he dared to attack a living "Saint Crest Knight," who could guarantee he wouldn't act again? Although this is merely the unilateral concern of the "Mercenary Empire," the empire's operational capabilities quickly stirred the entire human alliance. Consequently, Carol had no choice but to leave the desert and head to the northern front, with his movements closely tied to the "Tiele Empire's" sword saint, the "Mingchao Knight" Xian Lan. Meanwhile, the "White Night Knight," a member of the "Radiant Temple," personally journeyed south to the "Red Glory Royal City" to escort the "Crimson Lotus Sword" back.

Currently, the Temple has lost most of its territory and relies on its strategic alliance with the "Mercenary Empire" to withstand the orc pressure. Thus, their cooperation is the closest, and the "White Night Knight" Hein has earned the imperial family's utmost trust as their sword saint. Naturally, the task of escorting the divine weapon falls to him.

While the human nobility was busy with tense negotiations, Chen Xuanfeng and Jin Luosha were leisurely traveling.

Originally, Jin Luosha's plan was to use the "Original Sin Brand" she placed on the "Holy Lance Quenelion" to track and kill the "White Night Knight," then continue tracing the brand to locate the divine weapon. However, such a simplistic plan seemed overly naive in the eyes of the master schemers of Fontainebleau. Under the combined plotting of Chen Xuanfeng, Katherine, and the "King of the Undead," a plan was devised to manipulate the human saint-level forces, divert human attention, and ultimately assassinate the forbidden spell casters. The resources and methods involved far surpassed the girl's momentary inspiration. For example, killing the "Red Sun Knight" to determine the endpoint of the divine weapon's return was part of the original plan. While framing the "Hanyue Knight" Carol was an unexpected bonus, even without this suspicion, the high-ranking officials of the "Mercenary Empire" would not have trusted anyone other than the "White Night Knight" to escort the "Crimson Lotus Sword." Chen Xuanfeng's subsequent plans were entirely based on this premise.

The death of the "Red Sun Knight" was naturally concealed, as he was not as widely known as the "Flame Saint" Levis. With proper manipulation of information, it would not be difficult to erase his existence entirely in the future. However, the news of the high-ranking officials gathering in the desert could not be completely hidden, so Chen Xuanfeng quickly learned of the current situation through various channels. The "White Night Knight" Hein was stationed in the "Mercenary Empire's" capital, "Star Shattering Abyss." Even he was not fully trusted by the imperial family, who assigned a contingent of several thousand elite knights as an escort. Before entering the southern nations, he would be accompanied by tens of thousands of troops, the implications of which were clear to all. With at least two to three months needed for the journey, Chen Xuanfeng felt no urgency.

In truth, the safest method would be to bring the inheritor directly to the "Red Glory Royal City" and conduct the inheritance ceremony there. However, among the nations controlling the "Saint Crest," the "Yellow Dragon Empire" has a stable imperial authority, with the selection of "Saint Crest Knights" entirely decided by the emperor. The "Tiele Empire" values martial prowess, with many princes excelling in martial arts. The "Viking Empire" and the "Radiant Temple" had already cultivated suitable "Saint Crest" inheritors decades ago. As for the southern "16 Kingdoms Alliance," due to the arrangements of the "Blade Saint" Arshu and their internal parliamentary system, they were well-organized. The situation in the "Mercenary Empire" was more complicated. Although it is a large empire, its royal authority is unstable due to the desert tribes' habits. The royal family consists of several branches, none with overwhelming dominance, and the throne is not inherited but contested among the princes. Thus, none dared to place the "Saint Crest" in the hands of someone they did not trust. Over the past century, the royal family, relying on the profits from the trade routes, gradually sank into decadence. Among the royal descendants, only Hein was willing to train diligently and capable of inheriting the "Saint Crest," making it difficult to find a suitable candidate. Therefore, they decided to temporarily set aside the issue and focus on retrieving the "Ten Realms Crimson Lotus Sword."

After learning of the "White Night Knight" Hein's itinerary through the desert's thieves' guild, Chen Xuanfeng was in no rush. He took Jin Luosha on a leisurely journey, exploring everything from the vast desert to the dense southern forests, from barren lands to bustling cities. Their exceptional abilities ensured no obstacle could impede their journey.

This journey lasted nearly a month. Chen Xuanfeng and Jin Luosha, who had never been to the south before, were amazed by the enchanting land that nurtured the graceful elves. The boundless emerald forests, the sweeping verdant rivers, myriad fantastical beings, and a tapestry of cultural traditions made the land incredibly vibrant. Chen Xuanfeng privately compared it to the Golden Plains recently reclaimed by the orcs and found that even that fertile land could not match the richness here. However, the complex terrain, abundant vegetation, and dense forests posed challenges for orc military operations. Thus, even though successive orc dynasties knew of the region's abundant resources, they never considered it a development base like the Golden Plains.

With the western part of the mainland now under orc control and both sides remaining hostile, the once-booming southwestern trade routes steadily dwindled. The north-south commercial artery through the desert is now on the verge of collapse, with only goods needed by the desert, military supplies, and smugglers still active on this route. Consequently, a surplus of exquisite luxury goods accumulated in the desert's border cities (entering the desert requires additional taxes to the "Mercenary Empire"), enabling Jin Luosha to acquire rare treasures at a fraction of their value.