Several hundred kilometers away, deep in the heart of the Shu Province, the neighboring state of the Jin Province, an oppressive silence filled the grand manor at the center of Shu City. The air was thick with incense and concealed hostility.
Inside a dimly lit hall, an elderly man with a narrow, hawk-like face sat rigidly on an ornate chair. Shu Ruan, the ancestor and the current patriarch of the Shu Family. The highest-ranking elders of the Shu Family, fixed a sharp glare on the man kneeling before him.
"Is this true? You finally found Shu Pei Pei?" Shu Ruan's voice carried a weight that could crush lesser men.
The kneeling man lifted his head.
Shu Jianting—the very one who once attacked Shu Pei Pei and Princess Cang Yue—bowed respectfully.
"We did, Elder Ruan. After all these years, we confirmed her identity. To think… all this time she was the one who married into the Jin Family." His voice tightened with bitterness. "We launched attacks on the Jin Family before, and never once realized the Jin Matriarch was Shu Pei Pei herself."
Shu Ruan's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Then what of Shu Ying? Have you found her?"
Shu Jianting shook his head.
"No. Only Shu Pei Pei. And… surprisingly… she is closely associated with the Imperial Princess—Princess Cang Yue."
Silence crashed into the hall.
Shu Ruan's expression darkened.
"Shu Pei Pei… close to the Imperial Princess?" He tapped his cane on the floor, thoughts racing. "How deep is the Imperial Family's connection with the Jin Family? What relationship has Jin Zhuo forged with royalty?"
This complicated everything. Shu Pei Pei wasn't merely a runaway—they had left behind a woman who had risen beyond their reach, and now stood beside the Empire's princess.
Shu Ruan muttered, "Is this why she suddenly broke through into the Emperor Profound Realm? Hmph… If she rises another level, she becomes a threat. A real threat. We cannot allow her to reclaim the Shu State."
Another elder stepped in from the shadows.
"To think both thorns we left behind were alive all along. Shu Pei Pei has children. A family. And they are no longer insignificant."
Shu Jianting hesitated.
"The princess… called Shu Pei Pei 'mother.' But she is married to Jin Zhuo. So Princess Cang Yue cannot be Shu Pei Pei's daughter. We suspect… she resembles Shu Ying instead."
A chilling pause.
Shu Ruan's grip tightened on his cane.
"Then the Imperial Princess… is Shu Ying's daughter?"
"It is possible," Shu Jianting answered. "Shu Ying and Shu Pei Pei disappeared over thirty years ago. More than enough time for them to bear descendants. If the princess resembles Shu Ying… the Imperial Princess may carry Shu Ying's blood."
Shu Ruan slammed his cane down with a crack.
"How did Shu Ying become the Empress of the Blue Wind Empire?! How could that disgraceful bloodline infect the imperial throne?!"
His voice thundered across the hall.
"Shu Tian's bloodline is spreading."
The hall darkened further with killing intent.
"If Princess Cang Yue carries Shu Ying's bloodline," Shu Ruan hissed, voice dripping venom, "then Shu Ying must have perished under unforeseen circumstances. I clearly remember the imperial announcement—a decade ago, the third queen passed away. But her child… still lives."
Shu Jianting's face tightened as the truth solidified.
"To think… the Third Queen was Shu Ying all along."
A cold silence swept through the hall.
Shu Ruan's jaw clenched.
"Hmph. She should have dealt with us when she had the chance. But the Third Queen never had the authority of the First and Second Queen. Even if she wanted to move against the Shu Family, she lacked the political and martial power to do so."
And that was the bitter truth.
The Shu Family ruled the entire Shu State. Their patriarch stood at third-level Emperor Profound Realm. The Blue Wind Imperial Family, at that time, had no Emperor Profound experts at all. The Third Queen—Shu Ying—could never challenge the Shu Clan alone.
Even as Empress, she was powerless against an entire state who has a single throne. Even the Imperial Family couldn't ask the Four Great Sects. Let alone asking them to deal with the Shu Family.
Unable to return.
Unable to defend herself.
Unable to reach Shu Pei Pei.
But the balance of power… had shifted.
A new weight pressed into Shu Ruan's mind.
"Now," he growled, "things are different."
Shu Jianting stiffened as the elder continued.
"The Imperial Family recently gained a mid Emperor Profound Realm expert. One far… far beyond my level."
He clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Meaning the throne now has a force that can suppress even the Shu State."
Another elder stepped forward, expression dark.
"And Shu Pei Pei—she has already broken through as well. Her rise is unnatural. Suspicious. The throne's power flows through her now."
The implication was horrifying to them.
A runaway woman they discarded decades ago…
now stood at the Empire's center.
The daughter of Shu Ying—Princess Cang Yue—lived and thrived.
The Imperial Princess with potential to eclipse them all.
The thread they thought severed had grown into a root supporting the Empire itself.
Shu Ruan gripped his cane so tightly the wood creaked.
"The bloodline we tried to erase has multiplied. Strengthened. And now stands under the Emperor's protection."
He leaned forward, eyes burning.
"If Shu Ying is dead, then her daughter is the last remnant. Shu Tian's bloodline must be eliminated before it spreads further."
His voice dropped into a chilling whisper.
"The Imperial Family… the Jin Family… and that cursed branch of Shu Tian's descendants… must be uprooted."
"Shu Ying is out of the way but one of the two direct descendant still lives." The ancestor spat. "That cursed Shu Pei Pei."
He leaned forward.
"The bloodline we thought dead… still survives."
Hatred pooled in his eyes like ink.
"And we will erase it completely. If possible, we need the Secret Yin Yang Spirit Cultivation Art."
A hurried attendant rushed into the hall, panting as he knelt before the gathered elders.
"Master… news from the scouts," he reported breathlessly. "The Zhu Family has begun mobilizing. They are marching with a thousand cavalry to attack the Jin Family tonight."
A sinister, satisfied smile crept across Shu Ruan's aged face.
"Good…" he breathed. "The opportunity we've been waiting for."
His gaze flicked sharply toward Shu Jianting.
"Jianting. You will return immediately and finish what should have been done decades ago. Eliminate Shu Pei Pei… and her niece."
Shu Jianting stiffened. "But Elder Ruan… her niece is the Imperial Princess."
"So?" Shu Ruan snapped. "Use the chaos of the Zhu attack as cover. Slip into the Jin Manor amidst the bloodshed. Kill Shu Pei Pei and Princess Cang Yue, then disappear before anyone realizes what happened."
He leaned forward, voice cold and deadly.
"We cannot allow Shu Pei Pei to make use of the new power she has gained. Nor can we allow Shu Ying's bloodline to take deeper root in the Imperial Family."
The hall grew still.
Shu Ruan's next words fell like a death sentence.
"End them."
Shu Jianting bowed deeply.
"…As you command."
===================
Tian Xi and Yao Yao couldn't believe their eyes.
From the moment the Jin Family attendants guided them through the manor grounds, their jaws had been silently dropping at every turn. They had expected a typical clan residence—wood, stone, ancient design. Instead, they were met with modern wonders unlike anything they had ever imagined.
Ceiling fans spun quietly above them.
Air conditioners hummed with cool comfort.
Modern toilets flushed with a mysterious ease unlike any profound device.
Everything felt impossibly advanced—alien, almost foreign to their understanding of the world.
And the block houses behind the manor…
Strange, cleanly-cut shapes, built in less than an hour, each capable of housing a family of four. They had watched the process themselves: walls rising, roofs sealing, interiors forming with eerie precision. It was like watching a new form of cultivation—one that defied the world's logic.
But nothing shocked them more than the arched band of metal behind the manor.
A parked metallic ark, glowing faintly with profound light.
They recognized it as an ark, but it was nothing like the enormous arks used by sects. This one was small. Compact. Sleek. Made entirely of metal with a design so alien it didn't resemble any profound array in existence. And stepping inside was like entering another world—comfortable seats, soft lighting, temperature control.
Their own sect's transportation arks were crude and uncomfortable in comparison.
It took them a long while to stop darting their eyes everywhere like startled birds. Even Jin Zhuo, the master of the Jin Family, still struggled with the flood of new technology Yun Che introduced.
Soon, everyone settled:
Tian Xi and Yao Yao sat nervously across from Xue Ling and Princess Cang Yue.
Chu Yueli and Xia Qingyue sat together, surprisingly eager for the upcoming battle.
Yun Che sat beside Jin Zhuo, discussing strategy calmly.
Then Nemu started the VTOL.
A gentle hum filled the cabin… followed by a sudden, smooth glide upward as the vehicle rose into the night sky. Tian Xi and Yao Yao clutched their seats, breath catching as the world below shrank rapidly.
They had flew an hour to reach the Jin Manor.
This machine covered that distance in seconds.
The wind didn't whip them. The cabin didn't shake.
Just pure, seamless speed—so fast they barely had time to react. Yun Che wasn't kidding about arriving at the Northern Mountains in ten long incenses of time.
As they stared wide-eyed at the interior—metallic surfaces, floating panels, artificial windows, glowing lights—their attention drifted to Xue Ling.
Though composed, her shoulders were tense beneath her veiled hat.
Twenty long years.
Xue Yin had disappeared two decades ago without a single word, leaving no note, no trace, no explanation. Xue Ling had lived the aftermath—alone in the Heavenly Sword Villa after their parents' deaths. Her rebellious temper grew like wildfire, untamed and destructive. Only when she met the Third Queen… and later Cang Yue… did she begin to soften.
And now—after twenty years—the rumors said her sister still lived.
Relief crashed into her like a tide.
Anger simmered like embers.
Relief that Xue Yin survived.
Anger that her sister never sought her.
Relief that she wasn't truly alone.
Anger that she'd endured the pain of abandonment.
A knot of turmoil twisted inside Xue Ling's chest. The VTOL's quiet hum did little to soothe her racing thoughts.
And Yun Che could feel it.
Because this meeting… this confrontation…
would either heal her heart—
or shatter it.
"Sis… you're a little tense."
Xue Ling didn't look up. Her gloved fingers tightened around the edge of her seat.
"I don't know, Yue'er…" she whispered, her voice strained. "All this time—she was alive. And not once did she seek me. Not once. Even after our parents died…"
Tian Xi swallowed and spoke carefully.
"She said she's been searching for you, Lady Xue Ling. Master told us… the Sect Mistress often flew far from the Northern Mountain. Searching, wandering… even when her illness flared, she still forced herself into the skies."
"That doesn't mean I'll forgive her," Xue Ling shot back, emotion flickering beneath her veil.
"Sis Ling…"
"Yue'er…" Xue Ling's voice cracked—quiet, trembling. "All this time, I thought she was dead. I mourned her. I buried her in my heart. And now she turns out to be here—of all places. Alive. Thriving. A legend."
Her gaze darkened.
"Now I don't even know how I'm supposed to face her. Or if… I even want to."
Cang Yue gently reached over, taking Xue Ling's cold hand in hers.
"Sis… I can't tell you how to feel. But I can tell you this…" Her voice softened with a wisdom beyond her years. "Judge her when you see her. Hear her reasons. She might be your sister by blood—but she's also someone who suffered alone like you."
Her words echoed something Jin Yuelian often told Mulan when she lost Mu Che and found Yun Che. She only change a bit....
"You lost her once… don't lose her again."
Xue Ling fell silent.
Behind the pilot's seat, Yun Che listened quietly.
He understood.
He understood too well how complicated family wounds could be—how betrayal and abandonment carved scars no healing technique could mend. Xue Ling had spent her youth alone, angry, rebellious, hardened out of survival. If Cang Yue's mother, Lan Ying, hadn't softened her… the Xue Ling of old might have exploded the moment she saw her sister.
But now?
Now she was older. Calmer. Kinder.
Yet the hurt still remained.
He pieced the situation together in silence.
Xue Ling wasn't originally from the Blue Wind Empire—her bloodline and potential made that clear. Her sister likely searched in the wrong places, unaware that the Heavenly Sword Villa hid Xue Ling out of spite. They suppressed her identity as punishment. Even after Xue Ling was moved to the Imperial Palace, she lived quietly, without a title or public presence.
Her existence was hidden for ten long years.
Her name never reached her sister's ears.
Perhaps the two sisters had been closer than they knew—only separated by misunderstanding, secrecy, and cruel forces outside their control.
Yun Che glanced back briefly.
He hoped, truly hoped, that Xue Ling would ease her heart.
Because tonight, she was not facing a stranger.
She was facing twenty years of unanswered questions…
and a sister who might have been searching through the wrong sky all along.
Yun Che switched the VTOL into autopilot mode. With the vehicle humming steadily, he and Nemu walked back toward the passenger section where everyone sat.
Jin Zhuo's expression was tense.
"Che'er… I'm not sure I can convince King Alugang to stop the war against our Jin Family."
Yun Che nodded knowingly.
"Well, this involves the death of his third prince. It's not exactly a simple misunderstanding you can talk your way out of. I'm not expecting you to resolve it alone." He shrugged. "But I am certain he won't dare offend Cang Yue. If all else fails…"
He turned toward the two quiet fairies.
"Well, Little Missy… you won't mind." Yun Che grinned before looking at Qingyue. "I have a favor to ask. You and Little Yue here…"
Both Xia Qingyue and Princess Cang Yue straightened, listening intently.
Before Yun Che could continue, Nemu's voice chimed from the cockpit.
"Yuu-sama, we've arrived at the mountain basin. The northern road leads to the Lunar Blossom Sect from the border."
"Good," Yun Che replied. "Circle the mountain range and maintain speed at five knots."
"Hai…" Nemu nodded, gently beginning the descent.
Yun Che turned back to Qingyue and Cang Yue.
"Now, as for you two…" He pulled out two small cloth bags filled with what looked like colorful beads. Marbles.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao blinked, confused.
"What are… marbles going to do?" Yao Yao asked cautiously.
Xia Qingyue picked one up.
It looked completely ordinary.
Smooth. Round. Innocent.
Her eyes drifted to Yun Che, silently demanding an explanation.
"This little marble," Yun Che said cheerfully as he toss one in the air and grab it again, "is a C5-type explosive. Blast radius of one mile—about 1.67 kilometers."
Everyone except Nemu instantly and instinctively took one seat shift back.
A marble that could blow up a sect and he casually pulled out a bag. With a hundred of them inside it.
"For the record," Yun Che continued casually, "it can only be activated by a special detonator. So even if you—"
He dropped the marble.
It bounced.
He snapped his fingers and ignited a flame beneath it.
Everyone froze.
Except for Yun Che and Nemu, who watched it bounce harmlessly across the interior's table.
"—do that, nothing will happen. It's basically a toy unless I trigger it. Me and Nemu used a whole bag to play marble toss once."
Jin Zhuo's knees nearly buckled.
His voice wavered.
"Che'er… please stop playing with such things in the future. Especially around the watchkeep. "
"I think we lost a couple in the main hall," Yun Che added thoughtfully.
"Che'er… please find them. I'm not risking a powerful explosion marble buried under the dining table—"
"Kidding. Haha… we didn't lose any." Yun Che smirked. "Probably."
"CHE'ER!" Jin Zhuo shouted, near tears.
Qingyue and Nemu both pinched Yun Che's sides with perfect synchronization.
"Eee—! Ow—!" Yun Che winced.
The odd part was that both women did it with perfectly calm expressions… as if punishing him was simply routine.
"Alright, alright," Yun Che coughed. "Back to business. I need Little Missy here and Little Yue to toss a few marbles onto the mountainside. Drop three or four on each peak. Spread them far apart."
He pointed toward the artificial window.
"All it takes is one explosion to break the snow formations. Trigger a mass chain reaction. A large-scale avalanche that will bury the entire basin."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao looked out the artificial window—the basin below was huge.
And in that basin…
five thousand men of the Qiang cavalries will be gathering.
"You know what that means," Yun Che said calmly.
Everyone in the VTOL swallowed hard.
Except Nemu.
She simply nodded, already calculating trajectories.
"We can help out as well. Please...." Tian Xi and Yao Yao offered.
"All right, you girls can cover the right side while these two cover the left side. The mountain range is quite huge for these two to cover in this last second." He handed a bag to Tian Xi and Yao Yao.
"Please don't keep one for a souvenir," Yun Che grinned as he handed off the explosive marbles.
"We won't!" Tian Xi and Yao Yao shook their heads so fast their veils fluttered, both terrified of even touching the bag more than necessary.
As the VTOL began its slow descent, Yun Che tapped a panel, and the back hatch slid open—cold mountain air sweeping inside. The aircraft hovered low and silent enough for Tian Xi and Yao Yao to leap down safely.
"Remember," Yun Che reminded them, "the VTOL is invisible. Once you're done, look for Qingyue and Cang Yue—they'll pinpoint it."
Both girls nodded nervously before dropping into the snowy darkness below, quickly moving to toss the C5 marbles across the slopes.
When they were gone, Yun Che turned to the next pair.
"Alright. You two are up."
Qingyue stepped forward with her usual quiet composure, but there was a slight shimmer in the air around her—her aura always betrayed her excitement.
"How's your Haki progressing?" Yun Che asked.
Qingyue took a slow breath, her eyes sharpening.
"I'm getting used to it. Observation Haki is… incredible. I can feel and hear things with clarity I didn't have before. Intents, movements… even the fluctuations in the wind."
She raised her hands, and black sheen rippled across her skin.
Basic Armament Haki—still imperfect, but already powerful.
"And this," she added softly, "is becoming easier to control."
Yun Che remembered vividly how excited she had been when she first succeeded. Qingyue always appeared cold and serene… but when truly happy, her aura wiggled like excited mist. She didn't even notice she was doing it.
She still needed to complete advanced Observation and Armament Haki—the doorway to the next tier.
Only once she mastered both would she qualify to learn Bending and Ki Conversion.
And she was impatient.
Beautifully impatient.
Qingyue's eyes flicked toward the snowy mountains, shimmering faintly with anticipation.
"I can't wait to learn bending," she murmured. "The elements feel… close."
Yun Che smirked.
"You'll learn it soon enough. But for now—throw the marbles where I marked."
Cang Yue stepped beside Qingyue, adjusting her veil with calm confidence.
"I'll support her. My Observation Haki is sharp enough to detect the Qiang cavalry's positions."
Cang Yue unfurled her shimmering wings, the translucent Bluescale Feathers catching the faint moonlight as she stepped toward the open hatch. Qingyue watched from the side, quiet and composed as always… yet undeniably envious. It wasn't jealousy—but the soft ache of wanting something beautiful, something that symbolized trust and belonging.
Her longing must've reached the heavens, because her answer came immediately.
"Qingyue-san."
She turned.
Nemu approached her with an unusual softness in her usually neutral expression. Without a word, she extended her hands. Resting upon them was a pair of wings—delicate, elegant, and carved from ice and snow so pristine they glimmered like winter moonlight.
"These," Nemu said gently, "are the Wings of Concealing Snow. A gift for you. The same type I prepared for Lady Yueli and Lady Yuechan."
Qingyue froze.
She wasn't used to receiving gifts meant only for her.
"I…" she whispered.
Yun Che nudged her shoulder.
"She trusts you. If Retsu accepts you, so will Nemu."
"Sister Retsu liked me?" Qingyue asked, quietly bewildered.
"If she didn't," Yun Che shrugged, "you wouldn't still be standing here. That's the level she judges people."
Qingyue lowered her gaze slightly.
"I… see."
"Take them," Yun Che said as he lightly push her. "It's a gift."
Qingyue nodded. Nemu stepped behind her and gently fixed the wings along her back. They settled with a soft, icy shimmer—light, cold, and powerful. Qingyue's heartbeat skipped.
She had received countless treasures from Frozen Cloud Asgard—robes, crystals, swords—but none of them ever felt like hers, not truly.
These wings, though…
These were different.
They were crafted specifically for her.
A recognition.
A welcome to his group.
A treasure no less meaningful than her Snowflower Sword.
"Thank you," Qingyue whispered softly. Nemu simply nodded in return. No further words were needed—their understanding was quiet, but complete.
"You'll need time to get used to them," Yun Che said. "Let Little Yue teach you how to maneuver."
Cang Yue grinned, grabbing Qingyue's hand.
"Come on. I'll teach you how to balance it while we play marble toss."
Qingyue nodded stiffly—her version of excitement—and allowed herself to be pulled toward the hatch.
From behind, Yun Che smiled as he watched the two figures leap into the night sky, Qingyue's new wings unfurling with crystalline grace.
His Little Aunt had been right.
Qingyue was friendly, warm-hearted even… but her expression always remained rigid. Her emotions hid behind a mask of calm that only those close to her could read.
"She's an odd one, isn't she?" Yun Che nudged Nemu with a playful grin.
Nemu nodded immediately.
"Yes. Very odd. But… we can get along well."
She had already gifted identical wings to Chu Yueli and Chu Yuechan earlier that morning. Qingyue was the final recipient—delayed only because she had been diligently focusing on her Haki training.
Now, all three icy fairies soared freely in the night sky.
Cang Yue flew steadily, her wings glowing faintly. Qingyue followed behind, wobbling at first, then stabilizing as she learned to control the flow of energy through the Wings of Concealing Snow. Qingyue was amazed at how effortlessly the wings moved—lighter, smoother, and far more energy-efficient than the Profound Flying Techniques she relied on for flight.
Inside the VTOL, Yun Che stretched and moved back to the seating area as Nemu slowed the craft to a hovering glide.
"They should take around half an hour to plant those marbles," Yun Che said, watching the figures drop small glittering pellets across the mountain ridges.
Xue Ling and Chu Yueli leaned toward the artificial windows, eyes following Qingyue's progress. Despite her occasional dips and stumbles, she quickly found her rhythm—and Xue Ling's stiff posture softened slightly at the sight.
Chu Yueli remembered her tests with her sister this morning when Nemu gave them their own wings. She couldn't hide her amazement at how easily the wings responded to their commands.
It was a strange, surreal moment—Cang Yue and Qingyue dancing across the mountain air, preparing a trap that could bury an army.
Behind them, Jin Zhuo exhaled heavily.
"To think everything has accelerated this far…" he muttered.
Yun Che nodded.
"Yes. The Wu Clan planned this with precision. If we hadn't intervened, the Northern Mountains and the Lunar Blossom Sect would have fallen tonight."
He tapped the map projected on the side panel—the Northern Mountain, the basin, the Jin Province.
"The Wu Clan's goal is simple: eliminate Xue Yin and remove the guardian of the border. After that, with the northern defenses broken, King Alugang would march straight toward the Jin Family, supported by the Zhu Family."
Jin Zhuo's eyes darkened.
"With both families eliminated," Yun Che continued, "Xuanwu City would descend into chaos. The invasion would proceed without resistance."
Jin Zhuo tightened his fist.
"…The Wu Clan planned this far ahead."
"They should have," Yun Che replied calmly. "But what they didn't plan for—"
He smirked, the kind of smirk that promised trouble.
"—is us."
The VTOL's silent hum filled the space, emphasizing his words. Outside, the winged fairies streaked across the mountains like shooting stars, planting the seeds of a catastrophic avalanche. Similar to Yun Che's way of burying the Yin Devourer Sect back then.
For the first time tonight, Jin Zhuo felt a spark of hope.
The Wu Clan may have crafted a perfect plan…
But they hadn't expected Yun Che or Mu Che.
"I'm worried about Mulan…" Jin Zhuo muttered, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. "Can she really handle everything tonight? The Zhu Family… the chaos…"
Yun Che leaned back, completely calm.
"She's stronger than you and Mother-in-law now. Literally."
His tone held absolute certainty. "She's carried her grudge against the Zhu Family for years—let her settle it properly. Mio, Retsu, and Chu Yuechan are supporting her from the shadows. And she has long-range backup from Lin Yueru and Kon."
He raised a brow.
"And don't forget Mother-in-law. She's far stronger than before."
Jin Zhuo blinked at that.
The image of Shu Pei Pei, once gentle and wounded, now standing as a Mid Emperor Profound powerhouse was still surreal.
"Besides," Yun Che added with a smirk, "why worry if Mio and Retsu are around?"
True enough—those two made war look like a dance.
But Jin Zhuo's expression didn't relax.
His next words came out quieter.
"I'm not worried about the Zhu Family. I'm worried… because the Shu Family is involved."
Yun Che nodded slowly.
"I assumed they'd use the chaos tonight to try and eliminate her. If what mother-in-law said is true, she may be the last survivor of her slaughtered family."
Jin Zhuo's jaw tightened.
"All… for the sake of that Spirit Art."
Yun Che exhaled.
"I heard it from Emperor Cang Wanhe. Cang Yue's mother—Lan Ying, or rather Shu Ying—was the sole inheritor of the Spirit Art. Your wife, Shu Pei Pei, consciously abandoned it. The scripture is still kept by the Emperor, entrusted to him before Lan Ying passed."
He glanced toward Cang Yue, who was training Qingyue in the sky as they dropped a few marbles.
"He offered it to Cang Yue. She refused."
Jin Zhuo nodded slowly.
"That's why she's so pure-hearted."
"Indeed," Yun Che continued. "But Cang Yue is already a product of the evolved version of the Spirit Art."
"Evolved?" Jin Zhuo echoed.
Yun Che folded his arms.
"The original Spirit Art harnesses Yin and Yang from the practitioner's body. But the balance is unstable—it risks collapsing a person's mental chi. Their morality. Humans naturally have good and bad impulses. The Spirit Art forces that balance to tilt. Once tilted… it becomes dangerous. One-sided."
Jin Zhuo closed his eyes briefly.
"…Pei Pei once told me the Shu Family wanted to use it on children. To choose a side for them before they understood right or wrong. Force them into darkness. Twist their morality. Turn them into cold-blooded killers."
His voice hardened.
"They intended to cloud their minds forever. A child raised without good… becomes a perfect weapon."
A sharp gasp came from behind them.
"Barbaric!" Chu Yueli hissed through her veil. "Using children in such a way?!"
"I'm afraid so, Lady Chu," Jin Zhuo said gravely. "Once bent, their minds never recover. If the art is weaponized… imagine an army of people who do not feel fear, guilt, or remorse."
Even the coldest cultivators in the VTOL shivered.
"That," Yun Che finished quietly, "is the true reason the Shu Family wants Shu Pei Pei, Shu Ying… and their descendants… dead. Since they refused to hand over the Spirit Art. Maybe capture if possible to obtain it. Since they knew Shu Pei Pei doesn't have it, that doesn't mean they let her live."
"Then… what about Yue'er's evolved version?" Xue Ling asked, her eyes narrowing slightly behind her veil.
Yun Che breathed out slowly.
"The evolved version is what Shu Ying did while Little Yue was still in the womb. She didn't just use the Spirit Art—she separated Yue'er's good and bad sides. Split them into two independent personalities with control."
Xue Ling's eyes widened. This is what the Emperor meant when he told them about Little Yue's hidden darkness.
"Little Yue now has two sides," Yun Che continued. "Her current gentle self… and the other one—the Dark Empress, Shin Yue. A ruler born to command, feared by instinct alone. That version is what the Shu Family wants: a power that clouds morality, obeys a single directive, and rules like a tyrant. Imagine influencing children before they could even born into this world. Turning them into a merciless weapons without a speck of humanity."
"So Yue'er is… the cultivator of the Spirit Art Lady Lan Ying left behind?" Xue Ling asked.
"No," Yun Che shook his head. "She's not the cultivator—she's the product of it. Shu Ying removed her dark side to protect her. But that dark side didn't disappear. It became Cang Yue's hidden protector. This is the conclusion I can form after hearing the Emperor and mother in law's story."
Jin Zhuo nodded quietly.
"She carries the result of the Spirit Art's power. Not to mention, Shu Ying's descendant. That itself makes her dangerous to the Shu Family."
"That explains why the scripture is worth killing an entire family over," Chu Yueli murmured, her voice trembling with disgust. "Such despicable methods…"
"It's why Little Yue refuses to learn it," Yun Che added. "She already embodies its effect. She doesn't want that path."
Jin Zhuo's voice dropped low.
"But… if Shu Ying had this power as the third Queen, why didn't she deal with the Shu Family when she became the Empress?"
Xue Ling answered without hesitation.
"Because the Imperial Family had no Emperor Profound Realm experts back then. The Shu State had one in the third level. In the Imperial Capital, the Four Great Sects each held one or two Emperor Profound existences in their territories. Even the Imperial Family fears them."
She leaned back.
"Even as the Empress, the late Lady Shu Ying lacked the military and profound backing to confront her own clan. I'm certain she wanted to. But power-wise? She was cornered. And the Imperial Court was fractured with internal conflict. I was her only protector."
"So she passed away," Xue Ling whispered. "Without revenge. I am sure she has already forgiven them as she believed the heavens will punish them in the afterlife."
Yun Che nodded gently.
"But now… she and Shu Pei Pei will have that chance."
A heavy silence filled the VTOL.
"Once all this is done," Yun Che said firmly, "we'll settle the Shu Family. Permanently."
Jin Zhuo nodded.
"Pei Pei is the last remaining descendant… and Cang Yue is Shu Ying's daughter who carries her bloodline. Mulan and Mucong are also Pei Pei's children."
"But, I'm not relying on Mucong," Jin Zhuo muttered. "He's… unreliable."
Yun Che smirked.
"Hey, for someone who draws and write smut, he's already rich enough to buy half the businesses in the city."
"But the things he creates…" Jin Zhuo shuddered.
"I know," Yun Che sighed. "But with good training, he could become a respectable noble. You just… might've influenced him a bit too much."
Jin Zhuo stared blankly.
"Because he smiles when me and your mother in law whip him?"
Yun Che winced.
"…Yeah. That."
"Maybe we regret our approach."
"Too late," Yun Che shrugged. "He already developed that fetish. But trust me—deep down? He can be a great guy."
Xue Ling shook her head softly.
"…This family is strange."
Yun Che grinned.
"You'll get used to it."
==================
"Have all the disciples safely evacuated?" Xue Yin's voice trembled beneath her veil, though she forced it steady. Sweat beaded along her pale neck as another lance of pain pulsed through her dantian. The poison's flare-ups were becoming more frequent.
"Yes," Zhong Chuke replied, standing close but not too close—he alone could withstand her scent. "All disciples have boarded the ark. They're already descending the mountain. They'll reach safety before the battle begun."
Xue Yin exhaled a thin breath of relief.
"And the two disciples of yours?" she asked quietly. Guilt flickered beneath her calm tone. She had snapped at those girls earlier—fear, pain, and urgency had made her harsher than she intended.
"They still went to the Jin Family," Zhong Chuke sighed. "A stubborn pair. They insist on bringing help."
Xue Yin's shoulders sank slightly.
"Those girls…"
A soft sadness seeped into her voice. "They're reckless… but brave. Perhaps they'll become the next protectors of the Northern Mountain."
Her hands tightened around her sleeves as she looked out toward the snowy abyss.
"If they really do succeed in bringing experts…"
Her voice drifted off—split between hope and dread.
"Then I half hope one of them is Ling'er…"
A quiet, raw confession slipped out.
"…and half hope she is not."
Zhong Chuke turned sharply, but Xue Yin continued, weaker than before:
"I… I don't want Ling'er to see me like this. Sick. Crippled. Barely able to hold my profound energy together."
She placed a trembling hand over her chest. "I'm not the sister she remembers. I'm not even sure I'm worthy of being found."
A heavy silence settled.
Then Xue Yin suddenly stiffened.
Her senses—though dulled by poison—flared instinctively as a wave of profound energy washed over the mountain basin.
"Someone is approaching." Her cold voice regained its edge. "A large presence. Alugang's army…"
She straightened her spine despite the pain ripping through her abdomen, veil fluttering in the icy wind.
"It's time."
Her aura rose softly, beautifully—like frost blooming on water.
"For twenty years I've waited. Endured. Hid."
A cold fire ignited beneath her skin.
"Tonight… I will face King Alugang."
Zhong Chuke's grip tightened around his weapon.
"Senior sister—your condition—"
"No more hiding," Xue Yin whispered.
"For the Northern Mountain… for my disciples… for the last hope of this land…"
Her eyes flashed.
"…and for Ling'er."
She stepped toward the storm brewing in the basin below, every footstep trembling yet resolute.
"If fate wills it, I will eliminate Alugang myself."
And with that—
The Fairy of the Northern Mountain walked toward war.
========================
Xuanwu City had entered full lockdown.
The streets trembled beneath marching boots as the Zhu Family's army paraded through the city, banners unfurled, weapons raised. Torches lined the main road, illuminating the crimson-tinged determination of the soldiers. Civilians hid behind shuttered windows. No one dared breathe too loudly.
It was the culmination of a disastrous week for the Zhu Clan.
They had been humiliated.
They were defeated.
They lost control of the city they once ruled.
Every foundation they relied upon had crumbled:
—The Cang Outer Family withdrew their support.
—Liu Wuyan was deposed.
—Tian Heng's manpower vanished.
—Even the Wu Clan refused to intervene.
But hatred, desperation, and pride pushed the Zhu Family to madness.
If they could not rule the city…
If they could not regain their power…
Then they would destroy the one family responsible.
They would burn the Jin Family to ash.
And not just them—
Princess Cang Yue herself was currently residing in the Jin Family's watchkeep.
To attack her was to attack the Imperial Family.
The Zhu Clan no longer cared.
They had let the Jin Family live once out of courtesy.
Tonight, they would correct that mistake.
They marched with arrogance, calling themselves the kings of the city—of the province. But that illusion shattered the moment Mulan defeated Zhu Lin in open combat. A defeat that stripped the Zhu Clan of face, authority, and dominance.
The Zhu Family Ancestor had come out of closed-door cultivation.
Though he usually ignored politics, the humiliation of his clan stirred him. For the first time in years, he intervened. And to arm his clan, he granted one of the divine elixirs the Wu Clan had gifted five years prior.
Zhu Lin - the Zhu Family General, lifted the elixir to his lips and drank deeply.
A violent surge of profound energy erupted through his meridians as his cultivation shot upward—
Seventh Level Emperor Profound Realm.
He laughed—a chilling, triumphant sound.
"Now," he sneered, "Mulan is nothing before me."
Confidence bloomed into arrogance.
With this strength, he believed he could shatter the Jin Family in one night. He believed he could cripple Xue Ling herself—who remained at Mid Emperor Profound Realm.
Cripple Xue Ling…
Cripple the Jin Family…
Cripple the Blue Wind Imperial Family's growing power.
The marching army roared as they advanced, believing victory was imminent.
Believing the Jin Family was vulnerable.
Believing they were unstoppable.
The Zhu Family's march cut through Xuanwu City like a blade.
Armored boots struck stone with rhythmic force, the citizens trembling behind barred doors as no one dared challenge their advance.
At the very front strode the newly empowered general—his aura boiling with the violent instability of his freshly elevated realm.
"General, congratulations on reaching the Seventh Level Emperor Profound Realm," one of his lieutenants said with reverence.
The general grinned—a twisted, venomous smile.
"Yes… finally, I can kill that bitch Jin Mulan."
His voice oozed hatred. "She humiliated me before the entire city. After I deal with that wench Xue Ling, I will cripple Mulan myself. A ripe, unclaimed wife of Mu Che—ready for the taking."
A few officers exchanged uneasy glances.
"General… we will be openly offending the Blue Wind Imperial Family for this."
"Do you think I care?" he snapped. "My strength now surpasses even the Four Great Sects. When the Wu Clan begins their invasion, we will march alongside them. And when the dust settles—"
His eyes glittered with madness.
"—the Zhu Family will rise as the new Great Sect of the Empire."
His ambition reeked of delusion.
"Tonight," he continued, voice rising, "we kill Jin Zhuo. Jin Yuelian. And that bitch Mulan. We slaughter Xue Ling, the Imperial Princess Cang Yue, and every companion under their roof."
He raised his fist.
"Tonight, the entire Jin Family will fall."
But one officer hesitated.
"What if the other hidden experts appear? What if the Fairy of the Northern Mountain intervenes?"
The general scoffed.
"The Fairy won't bother with trivial city matters. She's occupied—Qiang forces are attacking the Northern Mountain as we speak. And rumors say she's sick. Half-dead, even."
His grin widened.
"She is not coming."
The Zhu Family reached the base of the hill.
The Jin Family watchkeep towered high above—fortified, dark, and silent.
Immediately, the Zhu forces fanned out, blocking all major roads. Under the cover of night, squads began assembling catapults, hidden by shadow. Crates of flaming pitch were rolled into place.
Their plan was simple and brutal:
Surprise attack.
Crush the Jin Family before dawn.
Burn everything—and everyone—inside.
Zhu Lin's oppressive aura rolled across the hillside, suppressing the surrounding civilians into frozen fear. Soldiers began massacring anyone who resisted, blades wet with innocent blood.
"Are we certain about this?" a soldier asked shakily. "There are… thousands of innocent civilians here."
The general didn't even turn.
"They're heretics now. They stand with Jin Zhuo and the traitors."
His voice was ice.
"They are unnecessary to this world."
He raised his hand.
"Thousands of Jin Family dogs…
for the birth of the Greater Zhu Family."
The drums of war remained silent—this massacre would begin without warning.
The catapults readied.
Torches lit the flaming boulders.
Soldiers braced, waiting for the general's command.
Tonight, they believed they would erase the Jin Family.
"As you wish. May the heavens forgive us for this," one officer whispered.
"Fire!"
The command exploded across the hillside.
With a roar, the catapults released flaming boulders—massive, burning projectiles streaking through the night sky toward the Jin Family watchkeep. The flames reflected off the stone walls like approaching meteors.
They should have crushed the outer defenses.
They should have set the entire hill ablaze.
But—
Before a single boulder could touch the walls…
Thunk!
The flaming stones slammed against an unseen force.
An invisible barrier.
And bounced back—hurtling into the horrified ranks below.
"What the—A barrier?!" a soldier screamed.
More catapults fired.
More blazing boulders shot forward.
Every single one froze mid-air, suspended by an unseen power, flames swirling helplessly.
Then—
WHOOSH—
They vaporized.
Instantly.
Not bursting… not breaking…
Erased from existence.
"What—how?!" another soldier cried as more firestones met the same fate, hanging suspended like dying stars before vanishing into thin air.
Panic rippled through the Zhu ranks.
And then—
THWIP!
A bolt streaked through the darkness, landing on a catapult arm. It carried something small—a marble-like sphere that beeped four times.
Beep… beep… beep… beep…
The fifth beep never came.
BOOM!
The explosion ripped the entire catapult apart in a deafening blast.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Marbles began detonating across every catapult position—dozens of hidden crossbow drones having dropped them with perfect precision. One by one, the siege engines erupted into pillars of fire and shrapnel, tearing through the clustered soldiers.
Men screamed.
The ground shook.
Debris rained across the hillside.
"What the—WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"
Zhu Lin roared, stumbling backward as flames and debris erupted around him.
His once-orderly army had devolved into chaos. Soldiers screamed, scrambling for cover as consecutive explosions tore apart their siege engines. Smoke and fire swallowed the night.
Then—
A soft mechanical hum descended from above.
One of the drones drifted down through the smoke, its metal body gleaming ominously in the firelight. Soldiers froze, stunned into silence.
"What… what the hell is that…?"
"A spirit beast?"
"No… no beast moves like that…"
Fear rippled through the Zhu ranks. Not a single person in Xuanwu City had ever seen a machine like this. Even the Jin Family had needed time to understand these strange metallic creatures Yun Che introduced.
But to the Zhu soldiers?
It was an omen of death.
Then the drone projected a familiar voice:
"I knew you'd resort to cowardice. Attacking in the middle of the night?"
The tone was sharp, cold. "Didn't dare face me directly, Zhu Lin?"
Zhu Lin's eyes widened.
"This voice… Jin Mulan?!"
He slashed at the drone, but the machine zipped sideways, nimble and precise. His blade struck nothing but air.
"I'm speaking to you through this device," Mulan's voice continued calmly. "Now, why don't you come to my manor? Bring your men if you like. Unless, of course… you want more explosions."
"You—!" Zhu Lin snarled. "Do you think we'd walk into your traps?!"
"Shameless," Mulan retorted without missing a beat. "You attack us without warning, block every road, and we're the ones laying traps?"
She paused, then added matter-of-factly:
"Well… yes, we did use explosives. So maybe it doesn't matter."
Zhu Lin clenched his fists.
Mulan's voice grew colder.
"Why would I set traps? My people are untrained civilians. We have fewer than five hundred trained fighters. If the Zhu Family truly wanted us dead tonight… none of us would survive."
A beat of silence.
"But we are ready."
Her voice sharpened.
"The question is… are you ready?"
The drone drifted closer, red lights glowing like eyes.
"I'll wait for you in the front yard. Bring your soldiers. Bring all your strength." Her tone lowered into a dangerous promise. "I'll take you all on."
Zhu Lin scoffed.
"Pretty big words for a woman!"
"Indeed," she replied coolly. "But my husband asked me to face you tonight. And I will honor that."
The drone hovered inches from Zhu Lin's face.
"Don't worry… I won't play dirty."
Her voice shook with long-buried anger.
"I've waited a very long time to face the Zhu Family."
"Especially.... you."
The drone ascended into the night sky, its faint hum fading as it was joined by the remaining machines. One by one, they vanished into the darkness, leaving behind smoke, shattered siege engines, and a battlefield steeped in unease.
Zhu Lin stood frozen.
He trembled—not from rage, but from a growing, gnawing realization that he had stepped into something far beyond his understanding.
"General… this could be a trap," one of his advisors said cautiously, lowering his voice.
Zhu Lin clenched his jaw.
"It might be," he admitted coldly. "Ever since Mu Che returned, the Jin Family changed." His eyes burned with hatred. "A week. Just one cursed week. That's all it took him to reorganize the Jin Family, pull thousands of people to their side, turn the city upside down, defy the Wu Clan, and dismantle Tian Heng's entire network."
His fists tightened.
"But that doesn't change anything."
The advisor hesitated. "General—"
"We march," Zhu Lin snapped.
"General!" the advisor pressed, fear creeping into his voice.
Zhu Lin turned slowly, a cruel grin spreading across his face.
"Mu Che is nothing but a coward hiding behind women," he sneered. "If I crush his wife in front of everyone, I'll break him completely."
His eyes gleamed with greed.
"And once Mulan is broken, we'll force her to give up the secrets of those flying contraptions. Imagine it—those machines in the hands of the Zhu Family."
He laughed softly, intoxicated by the thought.
Zhu Lin raised his hand.
"Advance."
The Zhu forces split cleanly. Most soldiers fanned out, sealing every escape route from the watchkeep. Zhu Lin himself marched forward with his elite—his strongest experts, veterans who had slaughtered their way through countless conflicts.
He walked with absolute confidence.
After all, his cultivation had surged beyond Mulan's Third-Level Emperor Profound Realm. With the elixir's power coursing through him, he believed he stood above her… above Xue Ling… above anyone the Jin Family could muster.
More than enough to suppress them.
More than enough to claim victory.
Zhu Lin did not realize that the elixir had not elevated him into a king.
It had merely given him the courage to walk willingly into a slaughterhouse.
And beyond the gates of the Jin Family watchkeep—
Mulan was waiting.