Chapter 5 –
Morning bells echoed through River Town, signaling the start of another peaceful day. To Qin Su, it felt unnerving. The markets bustled, children played freely in the streets, and not a single guard seemed on edge. In every other border town she had visited, tension was thick as smoke… but here, life was almost too perfect.
Her lieutenant muttered, "Your Highness… it feels more like a festival than a frontier."
Qin Su kept her calm face, but her eyes sharpened. "Stay alert. Appearances are often deceiving."
—
The mayor welcomed her with exaggerated courtesy, bowing so deeply he nearly toppled. "Your Highness, it is our eternal honor to host the Imperial Princess! Please, this way, I will present our officials for inspection."
The line of minor officials was as expected—scribes, clerks, and tax collectors. Most trembled in her presence, their voices shaking as they reported their duties.
And then there was one.
A white-haired man in simple robes leaned lazily on his desk, flipping through tax scrolls as though the presence of royalty was no more than a breeze. His pen moved at a slow, steady pace, as if the world outside his numbers didn't exist.
"Officer Wang Lai," the mayor introduced with forced cheer. "He manages tax reports and odd duties. A diligent worker, though… casual."
Wang finally looked up, smiling as though she had interrupted a nap.
"Ah, Your Highness. I fear the only monsters I fight are tax evaders. Would you like to see the reports?"
Qin Su blinked. His tone was light, teasing even, yet behind it she felt… something. Like standing before a bottomless well whose depths could not be measured.
Still, she composed herself. "Your records will suffice. However, as part of my duty, I must inspect your residence. Transparency is required."
"Of course," Wang replied easily, rolling up a scroll. "Though I warn you—it's quite plain. Hardly worthy of a royal visit."
—
They followed him through winding streets until they reached a small home with a tidy yard. It was exactly as he claimed: plain, unremarkable. But the moment she stepped inside, Qin Su's heart skipped.
The air was different—heavier, denser, almost as if spiritual energy lingered invisibly in the walls.
Inside the yard, a tall white-haired man—Garfield—was chopping firewood. Qin Su's lieutenant staggered when he sensed his aura, his knuckles whitening on his spear.
"Your Highness…" he whispered hoarsely. "That man… his cultivation… Nascent Soul."
Her breath caught. Even in the Imperial Capital, only a handful stood at that level.
And yet here he was, splitting logs with a bored expression.
Before she could ask, the ground itself seemed to tremble. From the backyard emerged an old man with the pressure of a mountain. His very presence forced two guards to collapse unconscious.
Ao Guang yawned, stretching.
"Wang, the lake is lonely. I've decided to stay here for a while."
The lieutenant nearly dropped to his knees. Qin Su's body stiffened under the crushing aura, but when she looked at Officer Wang, he simply scratched his head.
"Ah, relatives visiting. Forgive the noise, Your Highness."
Her lips parted, but no words came. Relatives? Nascent Soul cultivators? A dragon-like elder?
Nothing made sense.
—
That evening, she returned to her quarters in silence. She should have been writing her first report to the emperor. Instead, she sat staring at her ink brush, unmoving.
If Wang Lai was truly just a minor official, then why did the impossible gather so casually around him?
Cliffhanger:
Qin Su whispered to herself in the darkness,
"Tomorrow… I will press him directly. If he is mortal, then I'll prove it. If not…"
Her hand trembled.
"…then I fear what answer I'll find."