Xue Yin stood quietly on the peak as the cold northern wind swept around her. The icy air usually helped suppress her illness—but today, her breathing was uneven, her pulse unstable, and the moment she forced her profound energy to settle, an intoxicating scent escaped her body.
A scent no ordinary man could endure. It was the curse of her poisoned bloodline cultivation.A fragrance that broke reason, cracked restraint, and dragged any man near her into mad desire.
Except for one.
Zhong Chuke, her former junior brother, arrived beside her with calm steps. He alone remained unaffected, his expression steady—because long ago, he had lost his sense of smell. Fate's small mercy.
"Senior Sister," he said respectfully, bowing, "I've already sent word. My disciples will arrive shortly."
Xue Yin nodded gently. "Thank you, junior brother."
He studied her face quietly, noticing the strain in her eyes. "It's worse today, isn't it?"
She didn't answer. Her gaze drifted outward, toward the distant city and the snow-covered ridges beyond it. These mountains had been her refuge for years, a place to hide her scent, her identity, and her slowly killing illness.
But her mind wandered—unforgiving and sharp—back to the night her world collapsed.
Zhong Chuke broke the silence softly. "Do you… still remember? When you first came here, twenty years ago? Do you remember our Gesun Kingdom… back in the Divine Phoenix Empire?"
Xue Yin's expression turned distant, then pained.
"I would rather not remember," she whispered. "That was where I lost everything. My real parents. My sister. My home. How could I ever forget it?"
Zhong Chuke lowered his head. "I see. I'm sorry, Prin—"
"Don't." Her voice cut him off—gentle, but firm.
"I am no princess. Not anymore. Just a nameless cultivator waiting for her end."
A bleak silence settled between them.
"It has been twenty years," Zhong Chuke said quietly. "Back then, there was nothing we could do. And even now… even with your profound strength… even with all we have achieved… we are still powerless before the true rulers of the sacred ground."
He looked up at the snowy sky, sighing.
"Here, on this mountain, people call us legends."
He clenched his fists.
"But over there… in the lands we fled from… we are nothing but ants. Ants crushed beneath Monarchs and Tyrants."
Xue Yin closed her eyes as the cold wind swept her hair across her face.
"Perhaps," she murmured, "but even ants fight when their last hope appears."
She looked down toward Xuanwu City.
"I lost both my parents and my sister," Xue Yin whispered, her voice soft but heavy with decades of buried grief. "All the power I've gained… all the strength I've cultivated… none of it matters. I couldn't even find their graves. And at Hutu Mountain, when they poisoned me—"
Her hand pressed lightly to her chest.
"—the only reason I'm still alive is sheer willpower. Nothing more."
Zhong Chuke stepped closer, his expression aching with concern.
"Senior Sister, berating yourself will not change the past. But it does blind you to the truth in front of you."
He looked toward the horizon.
"Your sister may still be alive. Those who helped you ensured she escaped—escaped without ever learning the truth of your bloodline. Your burden. Not hers."
Xue Yin's eyes softened with pain.
"Ling'er… was entrusted to her foster parents," she murmured. "The moment the Sun Moon Divine Hall targeted the Gesun Kingdom, we knew we would be hunted."
She drew a long breath, steady but trembling.
"Sending her away was the only way. She was too young, too innocent. That bloodline… it would have destroyed her if they knew."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"So I hid. I waited. I kept myself alive for two decades… just to buy her a chance to reach adulthood safely."
She looked down at her hands—strong, but shaking faintly.
"I searched for her for twenty years, Junior brother. Twenty years. I met countless young women named Xue Ling… but none of them were my Ling'er. And now my days are numbered."
Her eyes lifted, shimmering with fragile hope.
"If there is even a sliver of a chance that the one in Xuanwu City is her… then what harm is there in seeing her? Even from afar… one last time…"
Zhong Chuke bowed his head.
"Then I pray you will meet her. Truly."
A faint smile touched Xue Yin's lips, but it faded when she turned to him under her veil.
"Enough about me. What about you, Junior Brother? Twenty years… and you're still not married?"
Zhong Chuke scratched his cheek awkwardly. "That is… partially your fault."
Xue Yin blinked. "My fault?"
He met her eyes, earnest and resigned. "After seeing you… after following you for years… I could never imagine marrying another woman. They simply didn't compare."
Xue Yin's expression tightened with a sigh. "I rejected you, Junior brother. That should have been enough to make you move on."
"I tried," he said simply. "But forgetting you is not easy."
He gave a sad smile.
"Maybe one day, if the heavens are kind, I'll meet someone whose beauty eclipses even yours. Then I might finally be freed from these shackles… from being bound to you by admiration I cannot shake."
Xue Yin looked away—because the pain in his sincerity was something she couldn't bear to see.
"Junior Brother…"
He bowed deeply, not letting her finish.
"I know. You cannot love me. And I accept that," Zhong Chuke said quietly. "I'm not asking for your heart… only that you live long enough to see your sister again."
Xue Yin's eyes fluttered shut. The cold wind brushed against her veil.
"…I am sorry," she whispered.
"Don't apologize," he replied gently. "This is simply my nature as a man."
He forced a small, hollow laugh. "If your illness were to heal one day… would you at least consider me?"
"No," she said softly. "I have long seen you only as my junior brother. Nothing more. Should I am healed, I am willing to find a man who can compromised with this scent of mine. You are affected and clouded your judgement. I am sure there's man out there who doesn't even affected with extreme beauty and intoxicating scent."
The words stung more than any blade. He exhaled, steadying himself.
"…Hurts to hear it, even when I expected it."
He looked up at the sky.
"Maybe one day, if I meet someone whose beauty outshines yours, I can finally forget you. I would welcome such mercy. Maybe find a way for me to forget how you looked like."
Xue Yin lowered her head, her veil brushing over her stiffening skin.
"A troublesome bloodline art I inherited… my scent, my beauty, my presence—it affects men without their consent. It affected you. It was the reason our Kingdom was annihilated. Power and Desire."
She placed a hand over her chest, feeling the slow hardening of her flesh beneath the fabric.
"Ling'er was spared from this curse. Her bloodline was sealed before she was taken away. If she lives… she won't suffer this fate."
Her voice trembled with a mix of exhaustion and resignation.
"Perhaps after I die, you can finally move on. And I… I can finally face our parents in the afterlife." She swallowed, the pain of twenty years surfacing all at once.
"And maybe… I will finally learn what truly happened the night they died. The truth that forced us sisters to flee like criminals."
Zhong Chuke's hands clenched into fists.
"Even with your power—Grand Perfection Emperor Profound Realm—against the ones responsible, it means nothing," he said bitterly. "A small, mediocre kingdom can't stand against a master of the Sun Moon Divine Hall."
Xue Yin said nothing. Her illness was worsening—her skin paling, her movements growing rigid, her breath shallow.
She lifted her gaze to the sky, where the clouds drifted softly above the snowcapped peaks.
"Ling'er…" she whispered, voice barely more than air. "Please be safe. I can feel it… I have only a few days left."
Her fingers tightened around her sleeve.
"Just a glimpse… just to know you are alive and well…" Her voice cracked.
"Is that too much to ask from the heavens?"
============================
"This place is ridiculously high. Why can't we just fly?" Yao Yao groaned, dragging her feet up another snow-covered step.
Tian Xi rubbed her temples. "Because this mountain is protected by a powerful barrier. No one can fly to the peak without permission. The only reason we can even climb the stairs is because of the amulets."
The two girls had racked up an absurd number of contribution points after returning with nearly five hundred Spirit Wolf cores—a feat the entire sect was still talking about. They felt guilty for achievements they hadn't earned themselves, but the sect rewarded them anyway, giving them resources that raised their cultivation enough to withstand the climb.
Still, the stairs were torture.
"Are we there yet?" Yao Yao whined again.
"No! Stop whining. It's just a few more steps."
"That's what you said five hundred steps ago!"
"Keep whining and I'll leave you here."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
They reached a small rest platform halfway up the ascent, both girls panting violently. Yao Yao collapsed face-first into the snow and groaned.
"Is this the stairway to heaven? My legs feel like noodles…"
Tian Xi leaned against the railing, equally exhausted. "If this is heaven, then heaven is stupid."
After several more agonizing minutes of climbing, the pair finally reached the peak. Cold wind blasted their faces—but compared to the stairs, it felt like bliss.
"We made it," Tian Xi gasped.
Yao Yao spread herself on the snow, unmoving. "Finally… just bury me here. I'm done."
A calm voice greeted them. "Took you girls long enough."
Both disciples looked up to see Zhong Chuke standing there, perfectly composed and unruffled.
"Master?!" Tian Xi stared in disbelief. "How did you climb the stairs this fast?! We took hours!"
Zhong Chuke blinked. "You can fly here."
Both girls froze.
"But… but you said—" Tian Xi sputtered.
"I said anyone without the amulet can't fly," he replied, completely unbothered. "You girls have the amulet."
Yao Yao immediately sat up, pointing accusingly. "I told you! We could've been flying this whole time!"
"Not now," Tian Xi growled, dragging her back down by the collar. "Not the time."
Zhong Chuke simply smiled, hands behind his back. "Come. Senior Sister is waiting. And… she is not in the best of health."
The girls sobered instantly.
They walked through the snow-laden path in silence, the wind carrying soft flakes that glittered in the muted morning light. With each step, the air grew colder and the atmosphere heavier, as though the peak itself demanded reverence.
Eventually, the path opened.
And there—kneeling in the snow, veiled, still as a statue—was a woman gazing at the distant city far below.
Tian Xi stopped breathing.
Yao Yao covered her mouth with both hands.
"Is that…" Tian Xi whispered.
"Heavens…" Yao Yao murmured. "It's her. We've been in the sect for years and not a single disciple has ever seen her face."
Zhong Chuke stepped forward respectfully. "Senior Sister, I have brought my personal disciples—Tian Xi and Yao Yao."
Both girls immediately bowed.
"We greet the Great Sect Mistress!"
The woman didn't turn, nor did she shift. Her veil fluttered softly with the breeze, her hands resting loosely in her lap.
"Ah… please do not be alarmed," Xue Yin said gently.
She spoke without moving her lips—the faintest vibration of profound energy carrying her words. A technique she mastered in the later stages of her illness, when her face had grown too stiff, too petrified to move naturally.
Her voice was warm, serene… and profoundly sad.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao felt an inexplicable heaviness in their chests. Even without seeing her face, they knew—
This was a woman carrying decades of grief, loneliness, and unspoken longing.
Xue Yin finally lifted her head, though she still did not turn toward them.
"Women are not affected by my scent," she said quietly. "So please, do not fear me. You may rise."
The two disciples stood slowly, exchanging awed glances.
The Great Sect Mistress—the legend of the Northern Mountain, the one no one had ever seen—was kneeling before them, staring toward Xuanwu City with the expression of someone waiting for the last miracle of her life.
"Such young disciples…" Xue Yin murmured, her voice gentle despite the cold wind. "Your master has spoken to me about you two."
Tian Xi bowed again, struggling to contain her curiosity. "Great Sect Mistress, we have so many questions—"
"Behave, you two," Zhong Chuke warned, though his tone held more pride than scolding.
Xue Yin raised a hand lightly. "It's fine. I will answer what I can. But…"
Her voice grew quieter. "I'll get straight to the point."
Both girls straightened.
"Did you meet a pair of experts a few days ago?"
Tian Xi blinked. "Yes, but—how did you know—"
"Yao'er," Tian Xi hissed at her partner, "let her finish!"
Yao Yao slapped her own forehead. "Ah—sorry!"
Tian Xi cleared her throat. "We met the Fairy of Frozen Glass, Senior Chu Yueli. And her… ah… children. The little girl named Nezuko. They can clone themselves."
Zhong Chuke nodded approvingly. A meeting with a Frozen Cloud Asgard high fairy wasn't a trivial encounter.
Not to mention, encounter with the Nezuko.
But Xue Yin did not react at all. Instead, she asked only one thing: "And the other?"
The wind stilled for a beat.
Tian Xi blinked. Yao Yao blinked.
Even Zhong Chuke stiffened.
Xue Yin wasn't interested in Chu Yueli—one of the most sought-after, revered fairies of the eastern region. Any sect master would have bowed just for a chance to speak to a Frozen Cloud Asgard fairies.
But the Great Sect Mistress didn't even acknowledge her.
Her entire focus… was on the other woman.
Yao Yao swallowed. "Y-You mean… the one with Chu Senior? The one named…"
Tian Xi nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily over them.
"Xue Ling."
The name fell into the snow like a drop of blood in still water.
Xue Yin's fingers trembled. Her breath caught. Her illness flared painfully beneath her skin.
But her voice—when she managed to speak—was fragile, hopeful, desperate.
"…Yes. That one."
She finally turned her head slightly toward them. "Tell me… everything you know about Xue Ling."
And for the first time in twenty years… Hope pierced the ice around her heart.
Yao Yao hesitated, curiosity getting the better of her. "Why?" she asked, only to receive a sharp elbow from Tian Xi, who hissed under her breath for her to behave. The Grand Sect Mistress didn't react to the slip, her posture unchanged, her veil fluttering faintly in the cold mountain wind.
Tian Xi cleared her throat and spoke more carefully this time. "We didn't see her face clearly. She was veiled the entire time, and it was… difficult to perceive anything about her directly." She paused, selecting her words with respect. "But even so, her presence felt soothing. Calm. Gentle."
Yao Yao nodded in agreement. "And incredibly strong. Beyond anything we expected."
Zhong Chuke tilted his head. "Strong?"
Tian Xi exhaled, as though still trying to wrap her mind around it. "Her cultivation was at the Seventh Level of the Emperor Profound Realm."
The effect on Xue Yin was immediate. Her breath hitched, barely audible, and her fingers curled slightly as if clutching onto a thread of hope. Even Zhong Chuke looked stunned.
"Seventh…" Xue Yin whispered, voice thin with disbelief.
"Senior Sister," Zhong Chuke said quietly, "you spent more than twenty years reaching your current realm. But this Xue Ling—she's grown at a terrifying speed." He winced when he realized he had spoken too bluntly. "Ah—my apologies."
Xue Yin made no effort to reprimand him. She was trembling, not from illness this time, but from something far more fragile—hope.
"What else can you tell me about her?" she asked, her voice soft but strained, revealing how desperately she needed the answer.
The two disciples exchanged guilty looks. Tian Xi spoke first. "We're sorry, Great Sect Mistress. Because she was veiled, we couldn't see her face. And anything unusual just… slipped past us. Being near her felt like trying to grasp running water."
"Beautiful water," Yao Yao added softly. "Calming and untouchable."
Xue Yin closed her eyes. That description alone resonated deeply, painfully. Gentle aura. Untouchable presence. Spiritual strength beyond her age. Every detail matched the little sister she had lost.
Tian Xi suddenly brightened as she recalled something important. "Ah—Fairy Chu Yueli did mention where they were staying!"
Xue Yin lifted her head, the stiffness in her neck making the motion slow and heavy. "…Where?"
"At the Jin Family," Tian Xi replied. "She said they were temporarily staying there."
Xue Yin went completely still. For a long moment, no one spoke. Snow fell softly around her, collecting on her motionless veil. Then, beneath that thin layer of fabric, her lips trembled. One fragile tear slid down her pale, slowly petrifying cheek—clear as crystal and cold as the mountain wind.
"The Jin Family…" she whispered, barely audible. Her voice cracked. "Ling'er… If she is truly there… If she is truly alive…"
Her hands shook uncontrollably as she bowed her head, overwhelmed by a hope she had buried for two decades.
"…then the heavens have not abandoned me after all."
"Wait," Yao Yao suddenly said, snapping her fingers. "She did take her veil off for a moment! One of the Nezukos fell on her lap, and her hat slipped off."
Xue Yin's breath froze in her throat.
Tian Xi immediately leaned in. "What did she look like?"
Yao Yao blinked. "I don't know… pretty?"
Tian Xi slapped her forehead. "Forgive her, Great Sect Mistress. She's terrible with descriptions."
But before Tian Xi could elaborate, Xue Yin raised a trembling hand to her own veil. Slowly—painfully slowly—she pulled the kasa hat forward and lowered it.
Her face was revealed.
Zhong Chuke's eyes widened. Tian Xi and Yao Yao gasped aloud.
Twenty years.
Twenty long years since Zhong Chuke had last seen her face. And even now, though stiffened by her illness, though pale as untouched snow, though cold and rigid from the petrification slowly killing her—
She was still breathtaking.
A beauty carved like flawless jade.
A face that could topple kingdoms.
A presence that made even the mountain wind hesitate.
The cursed beauty of the Northern Mountains.
The disciples had seen many beauties in their travels, but this… this was otherworldly.
Yet Xue Yin did not care for awe or admiration.
She cared only for one question.
"…Did she look like me?" Her voice cracked as it left her lips.
Yao Yao froze. Tian Xi froze.
Zhong Chuke's heart clenched.
Under the weight of that trembling hope, Yao Yao stumbled over her words. "Ah… uhh… yes. Yes! She looked very much like you—just… normal, not pale and stiff."
"Yao'er!" Tian Xi hissed, but the words were already spoken.
Xue Yin didn't react outwardly—she couldn't. Her illness had stolen her ability to smile, to frown, to even tremble properly.
Her face remained rigid, expressionless, carved in cold stone.
But the tears— Those betrayed her.
Two clear droplets slipped from the corners of her eyes, gliding down her frozen cheeks. She couldn't even lift a hand to wipe them away because of her current happiness.
Zhong Chuke felt his chest tighten. The disciples watched in stunned silence.
For the first time in twenty years, Xue Yin—who had lived with grief, illness, and hopeless waiting—felt a warmth stronger than her suffering.
She couldn't smile. She couldn't move her lips.
But her voice trembled like a woman resurrected.
"…Ling'er… my Ling'er…"
Another tear fell. "She is alive."
Ling'er…Ling'er… my little sister…You survived… you grew up… and you're alive…
She rose to her feet—slowly, unsteadily, but with a resolve stronger than any medicine.
"I must go," she whispered. "I must confirm it with my own eyes. If Ling'er is truly there… if she truly lives…"
Her voice broke.
"I will crawl there if I must."
She took a step—
—and Zhong Chuke's profound sound transmitter crackled violently.
His expression changed instantly.
"Senior Sister," he said, voice tightening, "I've just received a warning. Five thousand cavalry—marching under the Qiang State—are approaching our sect."
Xue Yin froze.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao's faces drained of color.
Zhong Chuke continued, grim and bitter, "It seems King Alugang finally acted. The assassination attempt disguised as Jin Family agents—it was a setup. A justification." He clenched his fists. "They are coming for the Northern Mountain."
Xue Yin's illness flared painfully. Her breath hitched as she steadied herself on her sword.
So close. She was so close to seeing Ling'er.
But fate—once again—blocked her path.
Her veil fluttered violently in the cold wind as she whispered: "The heavens… truly will not let me rest."
Xue Yin lowered her gaze, her chest tightening with a familiar ache. Among all the men who had glimpsed her true face, Alugang was the one she feared most—not for his strength, but for his obsession. He had once proclaimed she would belong to him, and she rejected him without hesitation.
Now the Wu Clan had sent an assassin disguised as a member of the Jin Family, but she could see through the ploy instantly. The Northern Mountain was the nearest route into Jin Province. Alugang must have used the false assassin merely as a spark. His true aim was clear: he would pass through the mountain… to claim her before marching to the Jin Family.
Killing two birds with one stone.
More like killing two sisters with one stone.
If she ran, he would turn his wrath toward the Jin Family. If she stayed, she would face him herself—with a body already failing her.
Her thoughts drifted toward her sister, so close yet so far. She could reach her now, but the Lunar Blossom Sect was on the brink of annihilation. With her illness worsening each day, she knew she could no longer fight at full strength. This battle… this would likely be her last.
A bitter, trembling smile tugged at her lips. The day I finally found my sister is the very day fate chooses for me to die. Truly… fate enjoys its cruel games.
For years she had suppressed the violent, destructive energy festering within her illness. It terrified her. It tempted her. And now… she would let it loose. If she unleashed all of it, she could annihilate Alugang and his entire five-thousand-strong cavalry. She had always despised him for trying to possess her. If she must die, she would die destroying everything he built.
"Evacuate the disciples," Zhang Chuke ordered, his voice steady yet heavy as falling snow. "Empty the entire sect. It can be rebuilt—but our people cannot. Go. Now."
Xue Yin allowed herself to whisper the name carried in her heart.
"Ling'er… fate has truly mocked me." Her eyes glistened. "I finally found you, yet now I must become a sacrifice to erase my enemy. Even if I cannot see you again in this life—"
Her lips trembled, but her resolve did not.
"—then in our next life, I pray to be your real sister. A sister who will never abandon you."
"What should we do?" Tian Xi asked, her voice trembling despite her attempt to remain calm.
Zhong Chuke steadied his breathing, already circulating his profound energy. "Evacuate the disciples. Lead them down the northern path to safety. I will stand with Senior Master Xue Yin and buy as much time as I can."
"We could call for help," Yao Yao suggested hesitantly. "Senior Chu Yueli… and Senior Xue Ling. With them—"
"No!"
Xue Yin's shout cracked through the air like thunder. Tian Xi and Yao Yao flinched; even Zhong Chuke turned toward her in stunned silence.
Her chest rose and fell sharply. "Please… don't. Do not call her. I—" Her voice shuddered. "I do not have the face to meet her yet. I will not let her see me… at the end of my life."
"Grand Sect Mistress… what do you mean?" Tian Xi's hands curled into fists.
Xue Yin's aura surged, the toxin-infused energy flaring like a violet storm. The ground beneath her feet trembled as her illness reached its final, uncontrollable stage.
"Just evacuate," she whispered, her voice heavy yet resolute. "Don't seek help. Don't involve her. Go."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao exchanged one last look before bowing deeply and taking to the skies, racing toward the lower valley.
Only when they were far enough did Yao Yao bite her lip and whisper, "Should… should we really just evacuate?"
"And let Master and the Grand Sect Mistress fall?" Tian Xi shot her a sharp, pained look. "She said not to call Xue Ling for a reason… but that doesn't mean we abandon them."
"So then… what do we do?"
Tian Xi clenched her jaw. "We go. We beg the experts if we have to. Even if we must grovel on our knees—I refuse to watch the sect burn."
Yao Yao hesitated. "What makes you so sure they'll help us?"
Tian Xi exhaled slowly, her eyes fixed on the looming darkness over the mountain. "I'm not sure. But… if we don't try, tonight may be the last night we ever see this world."
With that, the two shot forward, streaking through the night sky—carrying the last desperate hope of the Lunar Blossom Sect.
===========================
"Father-in-law… did you finish clearing the front yard?" Yun Che asked as he stepped out from the shimmering kido barrier he had just activated. Retsu stood behind him, adjusting the final rune placements, while Nemu's drones hovered silently overhead like cold metal fireflies waiting for commands.
Jin Zhuo wiped his brow and nodded. "Yes, everything has been emptied as you instructed. Che'er… is it true? The Zhu Family is really coming to deal with us tonight?"
"Mm." Yun Che's expression hardened. "The Wu Clan let it slip. They plan to strike under the cover of night. They think we're weak after recent events."
Jin Zhuo's jaw tightened. "Then I'll prepare the soldiers. A thousand are already on standby—"
"Only as backup," Yun Che interrupted gently but firmly. "I don't plan for the Jin Family to fight tonight. Let us handle the front. If things go well, you won't have to draw a single blade."
Jin Zhuo hesitated. "You're that confident?"
Yun Che nodded toward the glowing layers of kido shielding the main residence. "Tonight will be the Zhu Family's fall. They're desperate. They lost Liu Wuyan as city lord, Tian Heng's downfall crippled their influence, and the Cang Outer Family—well… they've been handled."
Jin Zhuo took a slow breath. "That means… their ancestor will appear."
"He will," Yun Che said, his eyes sharp. "But that's exactly what we want. Once he moves, we'll break their foundation from the root."
The older man stared at him in silence for a moment, then exhaled with a mixture of worry and trust.
"If we play this right," Yun Che continued, "by dawn, this city will finally be free of the Zhu Family's control."
Jin Zhuo placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "I trust you, Che'er. You've already done more for the Jin Family than we could ever repay."
Yun Che grinned slightly, glancing toward the house where Mulan was helping evacuate servants. "Well… I did promise to help Mulan."
Before Yun Che could respond to Jin Zhuo, a guard rushed into the courtyard and knelt.
"Master! Two disciples from the Lunar Blossom Sect have arrived at the watchkeep—the matter is marked as urgent!"
Jin Zhuo's expression tightened. "Escort them to the main hall at once."
Moments later, Jin Zhuo and Jin Yuelian stood to welcome the two exhausted young women—Tian Xi and Yao Yao. Dust clung to their robes, and their breaths came in uneven gasps, clearly having flown without rest.
"Disciples of the Lunar Blossom Sect seldom leave their mountain," Jin Zhuo said, bowing politely. "What brings you here with such urgency?"
The two girls dropped to their knees. "We greet the Master of the Jin Family. We… we have come to request aid."
"Aid?" Jin Zhuo exchanged a glance with his wife. "What has happened?"
Tian Xi swallowed hard. "Our sect is in grave danger. King Alugang of the Qiang State is marching toward Northern Mountain. Reports from the border scouts say he brings five thousand cavalry. He intends… to take our mountain for himself."
Yao Yao's voice trembled. "Our numbers are too few. Sect Master Zhong Chuke and the Grand Sect Mistress are struggling to hold the evacuation. They may not survive if the army arrives."
Jin Zhuo's face darkened. "The Qiang State is already attacking? Damn it…"
Jin Yuelian clenched her fists. "Husband—remember the warning they sent recently. They accused us of sending an assassin under our family's name, even though we sent no one. They used that excuse to justify war."
Jin Zhuo exhaled heavily. "The Jin Family is barely rebuilding. Even with thousands of new members, none are trained for battle. Even if we wished to help… we cannot spare the manpower."
Tian Xi bit her lip, forcing her tears down. "We… we are not asking the Jin Family to fight."
Yao Yao bowed low, her forehead touching the floor. "Please. We ask only for the experts staying under your protection. Fairy Chu Yueli… and Senior Xue Ling. Please allow us to meet them. They may be the only ones who can save our sect."
The hall fell silent.
Jin Zhuo led the two Lunar Blossom disciples through the corridor toward the guest courtyards. Lanterns flickered softly along the path, casting long shadows across the garden stones.
"We'll bring you to the courtyard where the experts stay," he said gently.
When they entered the courtyard, two elegant figures stood beneath the plum tree—white veiled hats obscuring their faces. Even in the dim light, their presence carried unmistakable grace.
"Ah… it's you two," Chu Yueli said, her voice cool but clearly recognizing them.
Both Tian Xi and Yao Yao froze.
"F-Fairy Chu Yueli! And Fairy Xue Ling!" they bowed instantly. "We didn't expect you to be here in person!"
Xue Ling turned slightly, her tone calm. "Tian Xi, Yao Yao… correct?"
The two disciples nodded quickly, almost overwhelmed.
Before they could speak further, another voice entered the courtyard.
"What's the commotion?"
Yun Che strode in with the casual ease of a man returning from a stroll rather than someone preparing for a night of battle. Behind him, several women followed—his fiancées, escorts, and companions—each exuding varying degrees of strength and confidence. Even so, none of them showed the slightest concern about the coming conflict.
Excluding Nezukos and Yoru since they went back into his inner world to fresh up. They will join them for dinner later.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao stared at him incredulously.
No profound aura.
No pressure.
No intimidation.
Yet Jin Zhuo—head of the Jin Family—treated him with utmost respect.
And Chu Yueli and Xue Ling… their cold, distant temperaments softened noticeably in his presence. They even sidestepped slightly as if to give him priority.
The girls had come here desperately searching for experts—powerful cultivators who might save their sect.
Instead, they found Yun Che.
And nothing about him looked "expert."
Yao Yao clenched her jaw. This man? This relaxed, aura-less man? Jin Zhuo respects him—but why?
Tian Xi's eyes narrowed slightly. He doesn't release a single ripple of energy… Is he hiding his cultivation? Or… is this arrogance?
But neither dared speak out—not with Fairy Chu Yueli and Fairy Xue Ling standing beside him, clearly acknowledging his presence with warmth rarely shown to outsiders.
Retsu stepped to Yun Che's side. "Yuu-kun, we finished setting the last barrier."
Nemu approached with her drones. "The drones will patrol the area, Yuu-sama. They'll report if they see anything suspicious."
Their calmness only increased Tian Xi and Yao Yao's confusion.
This courtyard… These people… This atmosphere…
None of it felt normal.
And with the fate of their sect hanging by a thread, they didn't know whether they had walked into salvation—or something even more unfathomable.
"Ara, we have guests," Retsu said softly as she noticed the two exhausted disciples.
"Yes. Would you mind preparing some tea for them?" Yun Che asked sweetly.
"Hai…" Retsu bowed and glided toward the kitchen, with Mio trailing behind her.
"I'll prepare some snacks," Mio added cheerfully.
"Please don't eat the snacks before they do, Mio-neesama," Nemu said in her usual emotionless tone.
Mio turned toward her with narrowed eyes. "Nemu…"
Nemu blinked, deadpan. "Kyaa… I am so sorry."
Even though her face remained completely expressionless, the monotone delivery made the whole courtyard freeze—then almost burst into laughter.
"Honestly… this girl," Mio muttered in exasperation, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.
Despite the impending danger, the tension outside the home…Despite the two disciples standing there on the verge of collapse…
Yun Che's courtyard remained strangely warm.
Light-hearted.
Almost peaceful.
To Tian Xi and Yao Yao, who had fled a mountain preparing for war, the scene felt surreal.
Just who are these people…?
"The Qiang State is attacking the Northern Mountain. The Lunar Blossom Sect is in trouble." Jin Zhuo sighed heavily. The Zhu Family had already begun their own mobilization, and although the Jin Family prepared as well, the timing could not be worse.
Before anyone else could escalate the tension, Yun Che glanced at the two beauties who had barged in with urgent faces.
"Before you say more…"
With a flick of his fingers, several translucent cubic barriers materialized—two smaller ones behind them acting as chairs, and a larger one forming an impromptu table. More cubes popped into place for his 'in-laws' and the veiled companions. Retsu glided between them, gracefully pouring steaming Japanese tea into delicate cups.
For a moment, the world felt bizarrely peaceful—tea fragrance, soft warmth, gentle steam—even though a sect was on the verge of annihilation.
A crisis indeed… yet Yun Che's household remained absurdly relaxed.
The girls drank, and a soothing calmness washed over them—Retsu's special blend, crafted specifically so panic wouldn't cloud judgment.
Jin Zhuo could only watch as Yun Che used a high-grade vaporizing kekkai cube—a barrier technique capable of erasing debris and enhanced fortification—to serve tea and rearrange furniture. Truly a household convenience of destructive overkill.
"Now," Yun Che said, placing his cup down after introducing himself, "tell us why you're here."
Yao Yao nudged Tian Xi, the better storyteller.
Tian Xi inhaled deeply. "The Qiang State is attacking the Northern Mountain's Lunar Blossom Sect. Our sect only has about three thousand members left. Most are Spirit Profound Realm. Only a few hundred Earth Profound Realm. As for Sky Profound Realm… only us and the Sect Master. Right now, he and the Grand Sect Mistress are confronting King Alugang and his five thousand cavalry. We came to beg for the aid of Fairy Chu Yueli and Fairy Xue Ling."
"I know," Yun Che said casually.
"You… how?" Yao Yao blinked.
"We've been listening using planted bugs." Yun Che tapped the table barrier.
"Listening… insects?" Mulan arched a brow.
"I never said the bugs were insects." Yun Che smirked. "During the Wangya Island raid, Nemu and I planted several hearing bugs—black cylinders disguised as furnishing ornaments—inside their meeting halls. Since then, we've been monitoring every plot the Wu Clan and their allies try to hatch."
The girls stiffened.
Yun Che continued, voice calm but sharp. "They discussed the Zhu Family's attack tonight. That's why we already activated the watchkeep's barrier. And they also planned to strike the Lunar Blossom Sect—because crippling them and the Jin Family would break the region's defenses before their main invasion a few days from now."
The room fell silent again—but this time with heavy, focused tension rather than panic.
"Invasion!?" Yao Yao shot to her feet, shock shattering the calm Retsu's tea had given her.
"Part of it," Yun Che replied, unbothered. "King Alugang is using the assassination of his third son—supposedly committed by the Jin Family—as justification to march his army into the Jin Province through the Northern Mountain."
"That's why he declared war on us?!" Jin Zhuo's voice cracked with outrage. "We committed no such act!"
"You didn't," Yun Che said, raising his cup. "The Wu Clan did."
Jin Zhuo froze. His hand trembled. "What…? No. Impossible."
Yun Che sighed as if explaining basic arithmetic. "Father-in-law, they disguised an assassin as one of your clansmen and used him to kill the third prince—just to provoke King Alugang. But that wasn't the real goal."
He set the cup down with a soft clink.
"The Wu Clan meant to exploit King Alugang's grudge against the Jin Family… and his obsession with the Fairy of the Northern Mountain. His desire to obtain her. That obsession is the true reason the Qiang State is taking action now."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao paled. "They wanted to attack our sect because of that?! Because of him chasing after our Grand Sect Mistress?!"
"Your sect isn't the main target," Yun Che said plainly. "You're collateral. The moment King Alugang moves, the Fairy of the Northern Mountain will be forced to intervene. Eliminating her—or even keeping her occupied—removes the single greatest deterrent at the border. They planned to have shadow units began their massacre on your sect once King Alugang kept those two masters of your sect occupied."
He met their eyes one by one.
"And the Lunar Blossom Sect just happens to be positioned right where she would respond. Since it is the only sect in this region."
Jin Zhuo exhaled slowly. "The Fairy of the Northern Mountain… she truly is a legend. If not for her, the Qiang State would have invaded our lands long ago. She really guarded the northern border by herself."
"Exactly." Yun Che leaned back. "Remove the legend, remove the defense. That is the Wu Clan's plan."
The room fell silent, the weight of truth sinking deeper than the steam rising from their cups.
"The Fairy is our Grand Sect Mistress," Tian Xi said, hands clenched. "She forbade us from seeking help… but we couldn't just sit and wait for death. We had to try."
"Hmmm…" Yun Che tapped the barrier thoughtfully. "I've heard quite a bit about her from the Wu Clan. A thorn in their backside—no, a whole spear. They can't seize the Northern Mountains because she exists. Supposedly an unparalleled beauty, rivaling even the Asgardian fairies… and possessing a scent that can enthrall men. Those who see her never forget her face, and many lose the ability to have descendants after falling under her charm. A talent like that isn't wanted in this world."
A soft shiver went through the girls.
Tian Xi nodded reluctantly. "Yes… but according to our Sect Master, she was poisoned in the Hutu Mountains. By the monks there. Whatever they used left her with an incurable affliction—her expression frozen, her skin pale and stiff. She speaks and eats without her lips ever moving. And her scent… it leaks constantly now. Stronger than before. Women are unaffected, but any man with a functioning nose…"
"…will fall," Yao Yao finished. "Our Sect Master lost his sense of smell years ago. He's the only man who can stand near her."
"That's why she lives alone atop the peak," Tian Xi added softly. "To keep others safe from her own body."
"Quite an ability," Retsu murmured, never losing her serene smile behind her veil. "If she has that much power, she could defeat those men easily."
Yun Che shook his head. "Not this time. King Alugang surely prepared scent-blocking tools. The Wu Clan knows the nature of her power. And she can't defeat five thousand soldiers alone—especially if they focus on suppressing her while the rest slaughter your sect."
The atmosphere grew heavier, like the air itself thickened.
"So that's why you two came here?" Jin Yuelian asked, eyes narrowing.
"Yes," Tian Xi confirmed. "We seek help from Fairy Chu Yueli and Fairy Xue Ling."
"Even though she specifically forbade us from asking Fairy Xue Ling," Yao Yao said, bowing low even while seated on Yun Che's floating cube. "Especially Fairy Xue Ling."
"Why me?" Xue Ling tilted her head, her tone genuinely puzzled. "Did I offend her somehow?"
"We don't know," Yao Yao began, and immediately derailed. "We were summoned this afternoon to meet her at the summit. The climb took hours and my legs were—"
"Yao'er! Focus." Tian Xi hissed, elbowing her.
"O-Oh. Right…" Yao Yao bowed again. "She questioned us. A lot. We told her about Fairy Chu Yueli, but she didn't seem interested. I mean, Frozen Cloud Fairies are usually everyone's favorite gossip topic but not her. Instead… she kept circling back to Fairy Xue Ling."
"Why me?" Xue Ling repeated, softer this time.
Tian Xi exchanged a look with Yao Yao. "She acted strange when we mentioned your name. Very strange. She was even preparing to come down the mountain herself until we were attacked. And when we suggested asking for your help… she stopped us. Immediately. But denied it when we asked why. She said specifically not to involve you."
Yun Che leaned forward. "What's her name? I might need to check something."
Tian Xi inhaled. "Grand Sect Mistress of the Lunar Blossom Sect… the Fairy of the Northern Mountain… Xue Yin."
The name hit Xue Ling like a sword strike.
Her breath caught. Her pupils trembled.
Xue Yin.
The same name.
The elder sister she lost. The one her parents searched for until their deaths. The one whose body was never found.
"Are… are you sure her name is Xue Yin?" Xue Ling's voice cracked—something no one had ever heard from her.
"Yes," Tian Xi said slowly. "You're acting just like her when we mentioned your name. Actually… your reactions are identical."
"And when Yao Yao tried describing you—poorly—because she accidentally saw your face that time when one of your Nezukos fell into your lap—"
"Xi'er!" Yao Yao squeaked. "Th-that was an accident!"
"—Mistress Xue Yin removed her hat." Tian Xi's voice dropped, reverent. "She showed us a face she has never revealed to anyone."
Yao Yao nodded, eyes distant. "She was… impossibly beautiful. Even as women, we felt our hearts seize."
"Only her skin was pale. And stiff. Sickly." Tian Xi added. "But the facial structure… the eyes… the aura…"
She looked at Xue Ling. "As Yao Yao said… she looked just like you."
Silence fell like a blade.
Xue Ling stood, hand trembling as she reached up. Slowly—hesitantly—she lifted her veiled hat.
Her face emerged—mature, elegant, serene. A quiet beauty honed by years of discipline.
Even Jin Zhuo, who had once seen her briefly in her youth, was stunned. The little guardian beside Cang Yue he remembered had grown into a woman whose beauty rivaled legends.
If Xue Yin looked like this—if her scent could enthrall men, if her face, even pale and stiffened by poison, still possessed the same devastating resemblance—then the legends made sense. A beauty that could sway armies. A presence powerful enough to deter a nation. A living myth.
And Xue Ling… stood as her mirror.
"No… it couldn't be… it couldn't be…" Tian Xi whispered, staring openly for the first time. With Xue Ling's veil gone, the similarity was undeniable—she looked exactly like their Grand Sect Mistress, only younger, healthier, untouched by poison.
"Xi'er… I was right," Yao Yao breathed, voice trembling. "She looks just like Mistress Xue Yin. Could it be… Both Fairy Xue Ling and the Grand Sect Mistress are....?"
Yun Che turned toward Cang Yue, catching the subtle tension in her posture. "Anything I should know about?" he asked.
Cang Yue hesitated before answering, nudging Xue Ling gently through their link. "Sister Ling… once had an elder sister."
Yun Che's brows tightened. "Did she…?"
He didn't finish. He didn't need to. The implication hung between them like an unspoken ghost.
"That's how she explained it," Cang Yue continued softly, sharing the memory through their link. However, the Tenteikura link was like an open channel to other companions and fiancées so they could hear her too.
"Her sister vanished. Completely. After years of fruitless searching, her parents passed away without finding her. After that… Sister Ling entered the Heavenly Sword Villa. Long before she became my guardian."
Her tone carried quiet pride.
"Her growth was exceptional, Che'er. She reached Initial Sky Profound Realm at sixteen. Sixteen. She became one of the youngest elders in the villa. Her talent was too monstrous for a remote empire like ours. The villa treated her like a treasure from the heavens."
"Sis Ling was really some kind of genius," Yun Che murmured.
"She is," Cang Yue said firmly. "But the villa tried exploiting her. They wanted to parade her as the Heavenly Sword Villa's new prodigy. Put her in the Ranking Tournament as if she were a prize. Sister Ling hated it. She was moody back then, stubborn, emotional… her anger management was horrible."
She smiled faintly in remembrance.
"So they punished her. Sent her to the Imperial Palace. Barred her from cultivation resources. Sister Ling became my guardian—and because of that, her cultivation stagnated at mid Sky Profound Realm for five years. Being a guardian meant she lost the privileges of a genius."
Yun Che's eyes softened. "And she never complained?"
"No," Cang Yue whispered. "Because she had my Mother. Mother was the only one who could tame her. Thanks to her, Sister Ling became the kind woman she is now. Many Imperial Protectors still don't believe her transformation. But she still beat my brothers to a pulp whenever they bullied me."
Yun Che snorted a laugh. "Sounds like her."
"Oh, she even slapped my stepmothers," Cang Yue added proudly. "And my father praised her for it."
Yun Che let that sink in, then made his conclusion aloud—loud enough for the group to hear.
"So… I suspect Sister Ling has a special bloodline. Something powerful enough to create a genius out of thin air. If Xue Yin is her sister, then she would share that bloodline. You two—do you know her cultivation?"
Tian Xi straightened nervously. "Uhh… yes. She flared her aura once before we left the sect."
She swallowed. "Grand Perfection Emperor Profound Realm."
The room froze.
That was several realms above what mortals could reach through raw effort alone. Even the four great sects doesn't have that kind of power with them.
Yun Che exhaled slowly, eyes sharpening. "So this Xue Yin… might really be the lost elder sister. Her talent matches Sister Ling's. Both broke the limits of what the Blue Wind Empire could produce. Both rose impossibly fast even without my help."
He looked at Xue Ling—a mixture of wonder and worry in his gaze.
"Sis Ling reached Sky Profound before seventeen. Surpassed even Ling Yun's talent. Almost matched Qingyue." He folded his arms slowly. "The only explanation is a powerful constitution… a bloodline they both share."
"Perhaps, when she finally finds this Xue Yin, she'll feel the resonance of their bloodline," Yun Che concluded. "She'll know—without doubt—that the girl is her sister."
Xue Ling's eyes widened. With her refined haki, she could sense truth deeper than sight or sound. If Xue Yin truly was the lost sister… she would know instantly.
"It's possible," Cang Yue admitted. "These two genuinely believe she looks exactly like Sister Ling. Even their reactions match."
Xue Ling rose from her seat. Her hands were steady, but her eyes were not. For someone usually composed, her voice came out raw, almost pleading.
"Yun Che… no matter what happens next, I need to go. If this Xue Yin is truly my sister—or if she isn't—I have questions only she can answer." She swallowed hard, emotion trembling beneath her calm exterior. "I've waited my whole life without closure. I can't let this chance pass me again."
Her resolve filled the room, stronger than any sword intent—quiet, unwavering, and deeply human.
"Way ahead of you, Sister Ling. I've already prepared several plans," Yun Che said, his calm confidence settling the room like an anchor.
Xue Ling's eyes shifted to him—steady, trusting, yet filled with the weight of the unknown.
"That's why I'll come with you," Yun Che continued. "Nemu, Little Yue, and Father-in-law will join us to escort these two lovely ladies back to their sect. And as for Little Yue…" He smirked. "She'd probably follow me even if I didn't ask."
Cang Yue turned away, her cheeks warming. Her silence only confirmed it.
"But Che'er…" Jin Yuelian asked nervously, "why must your father-in-law come? King Alugang is not someone to provoke lightly."
"My first plan," Yun Che explained, "is to have him negotiate directly with King Alugang. If we can convince the Qiang King that the Jin Family wasn't behind the assassination, we might stop the battle before it starts."
He paused, letting that hope linger.
"And if that fails," Yun Che added, looking toward Cang Yue, "that's where Little Yue steps in. King Alugang might ignore Father-in-law… but even an idiot knows better than to offend the Princess of the Blue Wind Empire."
"Princess Cang Yue?!" Tian Xi blurted, stiffening instantly.
Yao Yao froze beside her. They had expected Chu Yueli. They had expected Xue Ling's uncanny resemblance to their Grand Sect Mistress. But now—the Imperial Princess herself?
Cang Yue sighed softly and removed her hat. Her graceful features and unmistakable imperial aura filled the space.
Both girls dropped into formal bows. "It's the Three Swords Princess Cang Yue… the The Blue Wind Imperial Family prodigy of the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament…"
"No.. just Cang Yue is suff...." She didn't even finish her words.
"We greet the Imperial Princess!"
"Please, don't kneel. Don't prostrate yourselves," Cang Yue hurriedly insisted, flustered. "A simple bow is more than enough. I don't like people kneeling before me. No human is worthy of such grace."
As they straightened, Tian Xi and Yao Yao cautiously lifted their eyes toward Yun Che. Their expressions wavered between awe and disbelief.
If Princess Cang Yue was here, then the man beside her could only be—
Yun Che.
The new legend of the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament. The mysterious prodigy whose cultivation reached Grand Perfection Sky Profound Realm—far above their meager initial Sky Profound levels.
It all clicked at once.
The respect from the Jin Family Master. The veiled ladies of extraordinary aura. The impossible calm. The cubes, the formations, the strange flying artifacts buzzing above them .
Yun Che calling Jin Zhuo "Father-in-law."
Their eyes darted between Cang Yue, Xue Ling, and the other veiled women.
So who among them was his wife? Or… how many?
The realization sent a shiver of awe—and intimidation—through both girls.
After letting the room settle again, Yun Che leaned back and continued as if discussing weather rather than war.
"Anyway," he said lightly, "if negotiations fail…" His lips curled into a confident smirk. "We'll just wipe out all five thousand men without shedding a single drop of blood on our side."
Silence fell like a mountain.
The hall froze—not in fear, but in the shocking realization that Yun Che wasn't joking. He was simply stating a fact.
Retsu sighed softly, almost fondly. The others followed suit. They had seen him do far worse. Yun Che annihilated a hundred thousand spirit beasts in the Azure Dragon Spiritual Realm. She herself had fought beside him when they erased the Yin Devourer Sect. They had crushed the Seven Sect Skirmish in New Moon City. Five thousand men… was barely an afternoon warm-up.
Across the room, Yao Yao and Tian Xi stared at him with wide, stunned eyes. Yet neither dared accuse him of arrogance. Not when this man turned a city upside down in three days. Not when he destroyed elite sects as if swatting flies. And certainly not when he won the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament with strength that eclipsed theirs entirely.
What exactly couldn't he do?
Yun Che didn't linger on their shock. He continued, his tone drifting into strategy—calm, calculated, ruthless.
"Plus, the fall of King Alugang and his troops will cripple the Qiang State. During the chaos, we can fold their territory into the Jin Province and, by extension, into the Blue Wind Empire. They can hate the Jin Family all they want, but they'll have no choice except compliance. Their dependency will vanish once their king falls. And…" he tapped his cup lightly, "they were the aggressors, not us."
Jin Zhuo's eyes widened in disbelief, then dawning realization. Mulan and Yuelian exchanged stunned glances. Each had known Yun Che was powerful—monstrous even—but this was something else entirely. This was political foresight. Long-term calculations. Imperial-grade planning.
He was thinking about reshaping borders. Integrating states. Stabilizing nations.
And that was only the beginning.
Jin Zhuo swallowed hard as another thought struck him. Once the invasion was settled—once the islands were reclaimed, once the Qiang State was integrated—Yun Che had already promised to accompany Yuelian and Cang Yue to address the Shu Family of the Shu State for their impudence. The poison attempt on Yuelian's wife by her nephew, Shu Jianting, remained unresolved.
Jin Zhuo had wanted to retaliate immediately—but Yun Che, surprisingly, had asked him to stay his hand.
Yun Che was waiting for a calculated strike.
The Shu State was powerful… but only on paper. Their ruler—a third-stage Emperor Profound Realm expert—might have terrified regional clans, but against Yun Che's camp—Xue Ling, Retsu, Chu Yueli, and the others—it was laughable. Children pretending at empire.
For the first time, Jin Zhuo truly understood what sort of force had entered his home disguised as a polite, respectful young man.
Yun Che was not merely powerful. He was a terrifying strategist—one whose every step threatened to reshape the balance of the entire southern region.
The moment he arrived in Xuanwu City, he destabilized the Nine Great Families by winning challenge after challenge, tricking them into debts they could never repay. He kicked Liu Wuyan out of the City Lord position through sheer merit and dominance of Cang Yue, then turned Wangya Island upside down by disturbing it's hornet's nest with one calculated raid.
He divided his fiancées across key points in Xuanwu City, allowing them to sweep influence effortlessly, pulling neutral families into the Jin Family's orbit. He wrecked the Wu Clan's secret plans to fracture the city, giving the Jin Family a political rebirth.
And now—
He was preparing to stabilize not only the Jin Province…
but the Qiang State and the Shu State as well.
Even the legendary Mu Che had only ever controlled the Jin Province at his peak. Yun Che, however, moved across territories like lightning—swift, devastating, impossible to predict.
Jin Zhuo's gaze drifted to Mulan, who had once been a quiet figure of the Jin Family… and now stood as a rising powerhouse under Yun Che's guidance.
Yun Che had even prepared her to wipe out the Zhu Family tonight—cleanly, legally, decisively.
He didn't intend to be the hero. He intended for Mulan to become one.
And he had the means because he had given them divine pills—each one catapulting their cultivations upward by five entire levels. Something not even ancient sects could dream of.
The more Jin Zhuo thought, the more his spine tingled.
This Yun Che was not a simple prodigy… nor merely a genius cultivator.
He was a monster wearing the skin of an auraless man. A force of nature masquerading as his son-in-law.
And Mulan… had married him.
"So, Nemu and I will escort Sister Ling and Yueli, along with Tian Xi and Yao Yao, using the VTOL," Yun Che said, already shifting the discussion into logistics. "Little Yue and Father-in-law will come along. We'll handle whatever's happening at the Northern Mountain—and preferably arrive early enough to set a trap."
"Can I come as well?" Xia Qingyue asked quietly.
"Of course." Yun Che smiled. "I'll need you assisting Little Yue. Throwing a couple of marbles might require more than one person anyway."
The Jin Zhuo, Yuelian and Mulan exchanged puzzled glances.
Marbles? Just marbles?
But the strained looks on Retsu, Mio, Nemu, and Cang Yue told them everything—they had seen firsthand what Yun Che's marbles could do. Retsu especially knew their lethality. To her, those little objects were miniature calamities.
Cang Yue reached for Qingyue's hand with a gentle smile. "Let's watch each other's backs, Qingyue."
"Hnn…" Qingyue nodded softly. She had warmed up considerably to Yun Che's fiancées; the once aloof ice fairy was no longer as distant as she used to be.
Hearing Qingyue's name, Tian Xi blinked rapidly. "Qingyue? Wait—are you Xia Qingyue? From Frozen Cloud Asgard? Runner-up of the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament?"
"Yes," Qingyue replied, still hiding behind her veil.
Tian Xi exhaled sharply. "Another Asgardian fairy… First Fairy Chu Yueli, and now her."
"There's another one," Yun Che added casually. "Her older sister is here too."
Yao Yao nearly squeaked. "The Fairy of Frozen Beauty—Chu Yuechan?! She's here?!"
From behind her veil, a long sigh drifted out. "Rascal…" Little Fairy muttered helplessly.
"What?" Yun Che lifted his hands innocently. "They asked. And they already know Yueli."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao were already overwhelmed, but Yun Che didn't stop.
"Then…" Yao Yao swallowed, her voice trembling. "Is… is Unohana Retsu here as well?"
"Ufuu~ Present." Retsu raised her hand with playful elegance, stifling a giggle as though she were answering a casual classroom roll call instead of revealing herself as one of the most feared women in the Empire.
But before Yao Yao or Tian Xi could even process that, a soft crunch… crunch… crunch… echoed from behind them.
A rhythmic munching.
Slow. Cheerful. Unbothered.
Only then did the girls remember another rumor they'd heard in whispers—of a monarch in Yun Che's entourage. A being with butterfly wings.
The Butterfly Monarch.
They didn't dare turn around.
"Mio-neesama," Nemu chided gently, "you ate all the snacks again."
"No one was eating them," Mio replied calmly behind her veil, "so I ate them."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao stiffened.
"…Yao'er," Tian Xi whispered, "did you hear that? She called her Mio. She didn't mean… that Mio… did she?"
Yao Yao swallowed dryly. "She did… Heaven preserve us… She's that Mio. The Butterfly Monarch. Casually… munching snacks in front of us."
A delicate hand lifted slightly, and the veiled figure inclined her head as she continued nibbling her rice crackers.
"Ufuu~ nice to meet you two," Mio said warmly.
And that was the moment the last of the girls' mental defenses collapsed.
In this one room sat:
Xia Qingyue. Chu Yueli. Chu Yuechan. Unohana Retsu. Mio.
Their names were not foreign to anyone within the Blue Wind Empire. Every one of these women—Xia Qingyue, Chu Yueli, Chu Yuechan, Retsu, Mio—were whispered in stories and rumors. And now, with the recent revelation that a monarch resided within the Blue Wind Imperial Family, the empire had fallen into even greater awe and fear. Tian Xi and Yao Yao remembered the rumors that circulated after the tournament—rumors that Nezuko, whom they had casually met days earlier, was actually the Heaven's Child Nezuko.
Worse yet, none of them revealed even a trace of their true auras. Retsu, Mio, Cang Yue, Chu Yueli, Chu Yuechan—every one of them appeared deceptively ordinary.
Auraless. Threat-level: unknown… or rather, unknowable.
"Then, I should go with you as well," Mulan said, stepping forward bravely.
"No," Yun Che said firmly. "You'll stay. Since you took the pill I gave you, you're strong enough to face the Zhu Family."
"But—" Mulan tried to protest, but Yun Che gently placed a hand on her head, and her resistance melted instantly.
"I'll protect your father," he said softly. "So settle the Zhu Family once and for all."
"Hnn…" Mulan nodded. Retsu's teachings rang in her heart—the covenant of a righteous wife who trusted her husband completely. He entrusted the family to her. She would not fail that trust.
"Yueru and Kon will help you," Yun Che continued. "And since your mother has taken the same pill, she should be able to face the other Zhu elders."
In truth, Yun Che had already elevated the Jin Family's strength to terrifying heights. Jin Zhuo and Jin Yuelian now stood at the Sixth Level Emperor Profound Realm. Mulan had climbed all the way to the Eighth Level Emperor Profound Realm, surpassing even Xue Ling by a full level. Only Qingyue hadn't received her upgrade yet—she needed to break into Emperor Profound first before the XP pill can be given to her.
"I might be a bit rusty," Jin Yuelian said proudly, "but I can protect myself. And there's still the Shu Family to deal with. Looks like I'll need to get back into training."
Jin Zhuo sighed, but Yun Che nodded approvingly. "We'll deal with them later."
He turned to Retsu, Mio, and Little Fairy. "Retsu, Mio… Little Fairy… if the Zhu Family tries anything dirty, I trust you'll handle it?"
"Don't worry, Yuu-kun. We'll deal with it." Retsu nodded.
"Ufuu~ Count on us, Danna-sama. We'll watch—and strike—if necessary," Mio said, eyes sparkling with deadly promise.
"To think we must deal with the Zhu Family tonight… and then a war in a few days…" Little Fairy sighed behind her veil, but her tone carried no fear. Only resolve.
Nemu stepped forward with military precision. "Yuu-sama, I've already set the sniper drones and crossbow drones on standby. They will provide necessary cover."
"Good thinking, Nemu," Yun Che nodded. "A dozen undetected drones should thin their numbers nicely."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao could only stare.
Tonight, the Zhu Family would attack the Jin Family.
War was looming over the Northern Mountain.
And yet… these people acted as though it were a minor inconvenience—a task to be crossed off before bedtime.
Then, they planned to march into King Alugang's army… as if five thousand elite cavalry were merely another problem to casually swat aside.
In that moment, Tian Xi and Yao Yao understood one thing:
They were already standing among monsters.
And Yun Che—calm, methodical, sipping tea—was the most terrifying one of all.
"Why don't you girls join us for dinner before we head to the Northern Mountains?" Yun Che offered, as if he were inviting them to an evening stroll rather than marching toward war.
"But… it took us an hour to get here," Tian Xi said, worry creeping into her voice. "If we stay longer—"
"Don't worry," Yun Che cut in calmly. "We'll be there on time. With the VTOL, it'll take ten long incenses… about ten minutes. You need strength to fight, and you can only get that by eating."
Yao Yao fidgeted. "What about preparations? Weapons? Supplies? We have to—"
"We have everything covered," Yun Che answered bluntly.
The confidence in his voice left no room for doubt.
Yet Xue Ling's eyes remained unsettled. Her fingers curled slightly, betraying her rising anxiety. The closer they came to departure, the more her composure strained.
"Yun Che… I would rather we hasten," she said softly, but her voice trembled with the weight of long-buried emotions.
He turned to her gently. "Sis Ling, listen. The Qiang cavalry is still hours away from the sect. They're crossing from the state border—the distance to the Northern Mountains is over 150 kilometers. Even with full speed, they'll need at least three hours before reaching that natural basin large enough for five thousand men."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao nodded silently; he was right.
"And your Grand Sect Mistress… Xue Yin…" Yun Che continued, "she'll meet them there with the Sect Master. That's their terrain. Their battlefield. We can reach that location in ten minutes with the VTOL."
He stepped closer, voice softening.
"If she really is your long-lost sister, you need a moment to breathe first. To steady your heart. Maybe even bring some food with you… eating together can ease tension later."
Xue Ling lowered her eyes, realizing he wasn't dismissing her urgency—he was protecting her.
"I know you're anxious," he said gently. "But charging in with an unstable mind will do more harm than good. Breathe. Prepare. Trust me."
A long moment passed.
Then Xue Ling exhaled deeply and nodded."…Then, I'll put my trust in you."
Yun Che smiled. "Good. Now, let's have dinner before war shows up at our doorstep."
He turned casually, leading the entire group toward Mulan's dining hall as though they were simply heading for a quiet evening meal.
Jin Zhuo could only sigh from behind, still struggling to accept how naturally Yun Che treated impending battle. Jin Yuelian, however, wore a faint amused smile—her son-in-law's casual tone was almost charming.
Even Tian Xi and Yao Yao, who had arrived trembling with worry, found themselves inexplicably calm. Surrounded by these people—monsters, fairies, monarchs, legends—war felt less like doom and more like another task to be managed between courses.
Tonight, they would dine.
After that…
They would change the fate of the Northern Mountains and the Jin Family tonight.