The journey back to the Jin Family manor was considerably quieter than the journey out.
The VTOL carried the group across the night sky while the newly recovered missile remained secured far from the manor.
Nemu had already programmed its navigation system and contingency controls. For now, there was no reason to keep such a weapon anywhere near the Jin Family.
It was safer hidden.
Safer for everyone.
And once the invasion began, they would know exactly where to find it.
As the lights of the Jin Province appeared in the distance, Yun Che looked down at the territory below.
The next few days would determine its future.
By the time they arrived at the Jin Family manor, everyone had already understood that this was no longer an adventure.
Little Fairy had originally come along because she wanted to see the outside world.
Chu Yueli had followed her sister.
Xia Qingyue had simply wanted to experience the world alongside Yun Che.
None of them had expected to walk directly into a war.
Lin Yueru had promised Cang Yue that she would follow her wherever she went.
Cang Yue plans to just to save the Jin Province and fulfill Mulan's wishes. Now, she is on a quest to save the empire from the Wu Clan.
Xue Ling had discovered that her beloved sister was alive and standing beside her once more.
Xue Yin had returned to the battlefield after years of suffering.
Mulan...
Mulan had something far more personal at stake.
The Wu Clan had taken Mu Che from her.
They had destroyed the family he had fought to protect.
They had destabilized the province he had spent years strengthening.
And now they were coming for the Jin Family again.
She would not allow history to repeat itself.
=============
Inside the Jin Family's main hall, Yun Che stood before a large tactical display from Mu Che's Apple of Eden.
Using it this way would disguise the system interface as merely the Apple of Eden's power.
Retsu stood beside him.
Mio leaned against one side of the table, arms folded.
Nemu manipulated several holographic screens simultaneously.
Kon sat nearby, occasionally reaching for one of the snacks on the table.
"Alright."
Yun Che tapped the display.
"The situation."
A map of Jin Province appeared.
"Wu Clan forces are preparing to enter the province."
A series of markers appeared along the coastline.
"They're expecting the Jin Province to panic."
Another marker appeared.
"They expect us to retreat."
Another.
"They expect the province to fall."
Retsu smiled.
"Then they're going to be disappointed."
"Very."
Yun Che enlarged the coastline.
"Their biggest advantage is manpower."
He pointed toward the projected numbers.
"Thousands of troops. White-masked humanoid hollows. Wu Clan elites. Sacred Ground support."
Nemu adjusted the display.
"And their transport fleet."
A large vessel appeared on the screen.
"Their main force is expected to arrive by sea."
Yun Che nodded.
"Which means Wangya and Lishan Islands remain the key."
Mio opened one eye.
"Do you want us to intercept them?"
"Not immediately."
Yun Che shook his head.
"If we attack too early, they'll change their deployment."
He pointed toward the mainland.
"We want their high-level forces committed. Show them we can easily wipe their army out."
Retsu understood immediately.
"The elders."
"Exactly."
Yun Che looked around the table.
"The Wu Clan's high elders need to be here."
Mulan, who had been standing near the entrance, quietly clenched her fists.
"They killed him."
Everyone looked toward her.
Mulan's expression was firm.
"Mu Che knew they were coming."
She looked at the map.
"He died trying to keep them away from the Jin Province."
Her eyes hardened.
"I won't let them destroy what he protected."
Yun Che looked at her for several seconds.
Then nodded.
"You won't."
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
"But don't let revenge control you."
Mulan looked at him.
"I know."
"You have a family to protect."
"I know."
"And a province."
"I know."
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"Good."
He turned back toward the table.
"Then we fight for the living."
Nemu brought up another display.
"The V2 missiles are ready."
Everyone became silent.
Nemu continued.
"Navigation system is operational. Remote control is operational. Contingency protocols are installed. Even Mu Che's ballistic missile is ready as well."
She glanced toward Yun Che.
"Payload remains unarmed."
"Keep it that way."
"Hai."
Nemu nodded.
"We will only arm it when the target is confirmed."
Kon raised his hand.
"So we're saving the big boom for later?"
"Correct."
"Excellent."
Retsu sighed.
"Kon..."
"What?"
"You're enjoying this too much."
"I'm simply appreciating technological progress."
"You were asking if we could paint flames on the missile."
"That would improve its intimidation factor."
Yun Che rubbed his forehead.
"Ignore him."
"Hey!"
==============
Little Fairy and Chu Yueli stood near the back of the hall.
The two sisters exchanged a glance.
Little Fairy sighed.
"We really came here expecting an adventure."
Chu Yueli nodded.
"And instead we found ourselves preparing for war."
Qingyue looked toward Yun Che.
"Still..."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"I don't regret coming."
Little Fairy glanced toward her.
Qingyue continued, almost as if she were recounting everything that had happened over the past several days.
"We attended an intelligence banquet. We liberated a city. We helped save the Lunar Blossom Sect. Our cultivation was adjusted to new levels. We learned Haki and new techniques. We encountered sword spirits. We discovered a modern laboratory beneath the ground."
She paused.
"We learned what missiles are."
Qingyue smiled.
"We discovered the Pieces of Eden. We learned that Mu Che and Yun Che came from the same realm..."
Her eyes shifted toward Yun Che.
"...and now we're preparing to face an invasion."
She folded her arms.
"This is much better than staying inside the Asgard."
Little Fairy smiled.
"You've certainly changed, Qingyue."
Qingyue turned toward her.
"You agree as well, Master and Senior Master?"
Little Fairy's smile immediately disappeared.
"I thought I told you not to call me Senior Master anymore."
"Ah."
Qingyue bowed slightly.
"My apologies, Sister Yuechan."
Chu Yueli folded her arms.
"You call my sister 'Sister,' yet you still call me 'Master.'"
"But you are my master."
"You were my student once, Qingyue."
Chu Yueli shook her head.
"I can no longer see you that way."
Qingyue blinked.
"But..."
"You have a new master now, don't you?"
Qingyue glanced toward Retsu.
"Yes. Sister Retsu is currently training me."
"I see."
Chu Yueli's gaze shifted toward Retsu.
"That girl is quite merciful with you."
Retsu smiled innocently.
"I am merely being a considerate teacher."
Chu Yueli gave her a skeptical look.
"I know you accepted because of Qingyue's blessing."
Qingyue's cheeks reddened slightly.
"Yes."
She looked toward Retsu with genuine admiration.
"Sister Retsu is honorable enough to train me despite that. I believe she is suitable to take good care of Yuu..."
She stopped.
"...I mean, Yun Che."
Chu Yueli's eyes narrowed slightly.
Qingyue immediately looked away.
Little Fairy sighed.
"Qingyue..."
"I know."
She lowered her head.
"I almost said it again."
Chu Yuechan shook her head with a small smile.
"At least you corrected yourself."
She looked toward Retsu.
"Still, she isn't wrong. Retsu is teaching you things the Frozen Cloud Asgard could never provide."
Qingyue nodded.
"I have learned a great deal."
"You're already learning Observation and Armament Haki."
Chu Yueli counted on her fingers.
"Soon you'll be able to use Eagle Vision properly. Retsu is teaching you swordsmanship that doesn't require you to rely on elaborate names for every technique. And soon she intends to teach you waterbending."
She stared at Qingyue.
"How many things can you possibly learn in one day?"
"Master..."
"Just Sister Yueli."
Chu Yueli's tone became gentler.
"Qingyue, one day you may be the one teaching me."
She smiled.
"So I'm no longer going to treat you as merely my student."
Qingyue looked at her for several seconds.
Then she smiled.
"Please treat me well, Sister Yueli."
Little Fairy immediately laughed.
"Oh? The great master has finally dropped her pride?"
Chu Yueli looked at her sister.
"Nee-san..."
Her expression became thoughtful.
"I can't continue thinking that I'm above everyone else."
She lowered her gaze.
"I nearly lost my life once because of my own pride and arrogance."
Qingyue became quiet.
Chu Yueli continued.
"Now I want to learn whatever I can. If I can become stronger, wiser, and more capable, then perhaps I can better protect the people around me. Plus, not everyone liked a person seen themselves above others."
Little Fairy smiled.
"For this Mihawk?"
"No!"
Chu Yueli immediately protested but her blush was quite obvious.
Little Fairy's grin widened.
"Then for Nezuko?"
"Nee-san!"
Qingyue couldn't help giggle.
The two sisters continued their familiar banter.
Qingyue watched them quietly.
For years, she had lived within the Frozen Cloud Asgard.
She had cultivated.
Studied.
Meditated.
Read every book available to her.
She had believed that the Asgard was enough to find her mother.
That isolation was safety.
That strength could be achieved simply by shutting herself away from the outside world.
But now...
She had seen cities.
Kingdoms.
Battles.
Technology.
Different cultures.
Different forms of cultivation.
Different methods of fighting.
She had met people who came from worlds she had never imagined existed.
And she had learned things that centuries of Frozen Cloud Asgard teachings could never have shown her.
Perhaps Yun Che had been right.
Closing herself away from the world had not made her stronger.
It had only made her ignorant of how large the world truly was.
"I've learned a lot."
Qingyue's voice was quiet.
Her gaze shifted toward Yun Che.
He was still standing before the tactical display, using the Apple of Eden to project information before him.
Lines of unfamiliar characters and symbols floated before him.
Qingyue couldn't understand the language.
Yet Yun Che seemed completely comfortable navigating it.
She watched him for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Perhaps that's what adventures are supposed to be."
She looked toward the others.
"To see things we have never seen."
"To meet people we would never have encountered."
"To learn things we never knew existed."
Her smile became warmer.
"And perhaps..."
"...to discover that the world is much larger than the place we once called home."
Qingyue looked back toward the tactical display.
"It is certainly better than cultivating endlessly by myself in the Asgard."
Chu Yueli smiled.
"Then we'll see this adventure through together."
Little Fairy nodded.
"Even if it turns into a war."
Qingyue looked toward the dark horizon beyond the manor.
"Especially if it does."
==================
Xue Ling stood beside Xue Yin.
The two sisters had spent much of the journey simply talking.
Catching up twenty years of lost contact.
Xue Ling occasionally glanced toward her sister as though still unable to believe she was really there.
Xue Yin noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Xue Ling smiled.
"I'm just happy seeing you once more."
Xue Yin's expression softened.
"So am I."
====================
Outside the manor, the Jin Family's defenses were already being reinforced.
Soldiers moved through the courtyards.
Weapons were prepared.
The newly strengthened cultivators began taking their positions.
Zhong Chuke is currently training Tian Xi and Yao Yao in the use of their newly awakened Throne-level powers, while also preparing to pass on her responsibilities as the new Sect Mistress and Guardian of the Lunar Blossom Sect.
After Yun Che freed him from Xue Yin's uncontrolled charm, he was finally able to move on from the past. With clarity restored, he chose to settle down with a respectable woman from the Jin Family, intending to build a stable future once the responsibility of Sect Master is fully passed to Tian Xi.
For the first time in years...
The Jin Family wasn't preparing to run.
They were preparing to fight.
Yun Che looked toward the entrance.
"We should expect envoys first."
Mulan frowned.
"Envoys?"
"Wu Clan won't immediately attack."
Yun Che folded his arms.
"They'll come with demands."
Retsu nodded.
"Probably an ultimatum."
"Or a threat."
Mio smiled.
"Either way, they'll come here believing they're already victorious."
Nemu brought up another display.
"Probability of diplomatic intimidation is high."
Kon grinned.
"Then we should make them uncomfortable."
Yun Che laughed quietly.
"Let's see what they bring."
He looked toward the dark horizon.
The night was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
===============
Three men dressed entirely in black robes arrived at the main hall of the Jin Family.
They did not knock.
The enormous doors burst open.
BOOM!
A terrifying pressure immediately flooded the hall.
The three men didn't even need to say a word.
Their profound energy alone was enough.
Peak Emperor Profound Realm.
The oppressive aura spread through the hall like a storm.
Several weaker Jin Family cultivators immediately staggered.
Some collapsed to their knees.
Others struggled just to remain standing.
Jin Zhuo, who had been discussing the exchange of members with Zhong Chuke, abruptly stopped.
His expression hardened.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
Before anyone could answer, footsteps approached from behind.
"Father!"
Mulan entered the hall, followed by Jin Yuelian and Jin Mucong.
Princess Aluna was with them as well.
Mulan immediately sensed the three powerful auras.
Her eyes narrowed.
The three men looked around the hall.
One of them gave a cold smile.
"The whole family is gathered."
He slowly folded his arms.
"Good."
"That saves us the trouble of finding you one by one."
Jin Zhuo stepped forward.
"Identify yourselves."
The three men exchanged glances.
The one standing in the center stepped forward.
"How rude of us."
He gave a mocking smile.
"We are members of the Wu Clan."
He pointed toward himself.
"Wu Tianhong."
The man on his left spoke next.
"Wu Cangming."
Finally, the third man introduced himself.
"Wu Zhenyuan."
Three matching black robes.
Three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators.
And three men who had walked directly into the Jin Family's main hall as though they already owned the place.
Jin Zhuo's expression became cold.
"What do you want?"
Wu Tianhong smiled.
"Simple."
He glanced around the hall.
"Tomorrow is the day this province will be attacked."
His tone was almost casual.
"So we have come to declare war."
The hall fell silent.
Mulan's eyes narrowed.
Wu Tianhong continued.
"We're here to eliminate the root of the problem."
His gaze moved across the gathered people.
"Mu Che."
"Jin Family."
"Princess Aluna."
"And Princess Cang Yue."
Jin Yuelian's expression hardened.
Wu Cangming stepped forward.
"And since you have chosen to shelter the remaining high-ranking members of the Lunar Blossom Sect..."
His eyes settled on Zhong Chuke.
"...including Zhong Chuke and Xue Yin..."
Wu Zhenyuan finished coldly.
"We will eliminate them as well."
Jin Mucong clenched his fists and stepped in front of Princess Aluna, instinctively shielding her from the oppressive pressure in the hall. Aluna briefly wondered why he would place himself between her and the threat, given that Jin Mucong was only at the Spirit Profound Realm while she herself was already an Emperor Profound Realm cultivator.
And yet, he still chose to stand there—protecting her despite the clear gap in their strength. In that moment, she realized she had underestimated the resolve of her consort.
"How dare you come here and threaten us!"
Wu Tianhong laughed.
"Threaten?"
"No."
He looked directly at Jin Zhuo.
"We're simply informing you of your fate of you and your father, boy."
Mulan stepped forward.
"You came all the way here just to announce that you're going to attack us tomorrow?"
"Precisely."
"Then you're either incredibly confident..."
Mulan's profound energy began rising.
"...or incredibly stupid."
The three Wu Clan elders smiled.
"We'll find out tomorrow."
The pressure in the hall intensified.
"Ah..."
Wu Tianhong's eyes settled on Mulan.
"The famous princess of the Jin Family."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Jin Mulan."
He looked her up and down.
"Don't think we haven't heard of your exploits."
"You defeated an elder of the Zhu Family."
"You've certainly become quite a thorn in the Wu Clan's side."
Wu Cangming sneered.
"Such a pest must be dealt with."
Mulan's expression remained calm.
Without answering, she reached for the weapon at her side.
WHOOOM!
A crimson glow erupted around her.
Her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm materialized in her hand.
The moment the weapon appeared, the three Wu Clan elders' expressions changed.
Their eyes immediately fixed upon it.
Greed flashed across their faces.
"What..."
Wu Zhenyuan stared at the polearm.
"What kind of weapon is that?"
The flame profound energy radiating from it was unlike anything they had encountered before.
It wasn't merely a powerful profound weapon.
There was something fundamentally different about it.
Wu Tianhong's eyes narrowed.
"A weapon of this quality..."
His greed became impossible to hide.
"The Jin Family really has been hiding treasures."
Mulan tightened her grip around the polearm.
"Keep staring."
Her voice was cold.
"You won't be taking it."
Wu Cangming laughed.
"You?"
He released his aura.
BOOM!
The oppressive power of a Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivator exploded through the hall.
Wu Tianhong followed.
Then Wu Zhenyuan.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Three terrifying auras collided across the hall.
The weaker cultivators immediately struggled to breathe.
"With your puny eighth-level Emperor Profound Realm..."
Wu Tianhong sneered.
"...you genuinely believe you can deal with the three of us?"
Mulan's eyes narrowed.
She slowly released her own profound energy.
BOOM!
The pressure surged outward.
But—
The three Wu Clan elders stared.
Then they laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"That's..."
"Third-level Emperor Profound Realm?"
The hall fell silent.
Jin Zhuo's expression changed.
Jin Yuelian's eyes widened.
Even Mulan's own family stared at her in disbelief.
"Third level?"
"But..."
Jin Mucong looked at his sister.
"Didn't you just have the aura of an eighth-level Emperor Profound Realm when you beat Zhu Lin?"
Mulan glanced down at herself.
She understood immediately.
Her cultivation had been adjusted.
Yuuki had altered the way her strength was expressed in this world.
Her former eighth-level Emperor Profound Realm cultivation had been recalibrated into the third-level Emperor Profound Realm.
Yet her actual combat strength had not fallen accordingly.
It surpassed that level.
The Wu Clan elders, however, didn't know that.
To them, Mulan had suddenly become weaker.
Wu Tianhong laughed.
"So the famous Jin Mulan has fallen from the eighth level to the third?"
Wu Cangming shook his head.
"Perhaps defeating the Zhu Family elder was merely luck."
"Or perhaps the rumors exaggerated her strength."
Wu Zhenyuan sneered.
"Either way, she is no threat to us."
Mulan's expression remained completely calm.
She slowly raised her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
The crimson weapon hummed softly.
"You three seem to have misunderstood something."
Wu Tianhong frowned.
Mulan smiled.
"My cultivation level isn't my strength."
Her eyes sharpened.
She pointed the polearm toward them.
"...you'll learn the difference."
The three elders laughed again.
But this time—
Jin Zhuo noticed something.
Mulan wasn't afraid.
Not even slightly.
In fact...
She looked almost confident.
And that worried him more than anything else.
Because Jin Zhuo knew his daughter.
Mulan would never display that expression unless she knew something they didn't.
The three Wu Clan elders had come expecting to intimidate the Jin Family.
They had seen only the cultivation level.
They had not yet seen what Mulan had become.
And tomorrow...
They would learn exactly how dangerous the Jin Family had become.
"Bastards!"
Zhong Chuke suddenly stepped forward.
His sword flashed from its sheath, the blade trembling slightly beneath the overwhelming pressure of the three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators.
"You want me?"
He raised his sword.
"Then take me!"
His voice echoed through the hall.
"But leave the Jin Family alone!"
Behind him, Tian Xi and Yao Yao instinctively moved closer together.
Both were already First Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivators, but standing before three Peak Emperor Profound Realm experts made the difference in strength painfully obvious.
The three Wu Clan elders glanced toward them.
Their eyes immediately sharpened.
Two young women.
Both at the First Level Emperor Profound Realm.
And judging by their profound energy, both possessed extraordinary potential.
Wu Cangming's eyes narrowed with interest.
"First Level Emperor Profound Realm..."
Wu Zhenyuan smiled.
"Two remarkably young cultivators."
"Those two must be the new generation of the Lunar Blossom Sect."
Tian Xi's expression tightened.
Yao Yao quietly gripped the edge of Tian Xi's sleeve.
Zhong Chuke shifted his stance, placing himself more firmly between the Wu Clan elders and the two girls.
"Don't even think about touching them."
Wu Tianhong laughed.
"You misunderstand."
"We aren't here for the Lunar Blossom Sect yet."
His gaze swept across the hall.
"First, we deal with the Jin Family."
"After that..."
His eyes returned to Zhong Chuke.
"...we'll deal with you."
Zhong Chuke's grip tightened around his sword.
"You intend to slaughter everyone in the city?"
Wu Tianhong's expression became cold.
"Why not?"
"The city has chosen to stand behind the Jin Family."
"Then the city can die with them. Should smooth the invasion for tomorrow."
Zhong Chuke's face darkened.
He knew exactly how hopeless the situation was.
Three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators.
He was only an Emperor Profound Realm cultivator himself.
Even with Tian Xi and Yao Yao beside him, there was no way they could defeat these three men.
And Xue Yin wasn't here.
She was still recovering from her injuries, and everyone had assumed she needed rest.
Zhong Chuke couldn't call upon her strength.
He looked around the hall.
Jin Zhuo.
Mulan.
Jin Yuelian.
Jin Mucong.
Princess Aluna.
The Lunar Blossom Sect.
All of them were now caught in the same storm.
His sword lowered slightly.
Not from fear.
From calculation.
There is no way I can win.
But I cannot simply stand here and watch them die.
Zhong Chuke gritted his teeth.
"If you want someone to blame..."
He stepped forward.
"Then blame me."
"I brought the Lunar Blossom Sect here."
"I accepted the Jin Family's protection."
"So take my life."
"But leave them out of this."
Wu Tianhong stared at him for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"We didn't come here to negotiate."
He raised his hand.
A terrifying wave of profound energy began gathering around his palm.
"We came to make an example."
Tian Xi's eyes widened.
"Master!"
Yao Yao grabbed his sleeve.
"Don't!"
Zhong Chuke didn't move.
His sword remained raised.
Even knowing he couldn't win, he refused to retreat.
"If I must die..."
His eyes hardened.
"Then I'll die standing."
Mulan watched him silently.
For a moment, her expression softened.
Zhong Chuke had already accepted that he might die tonight.
But he was still willing to stand between the Wu Clan and everyone behind him.
That was the kind of resolve she respected.
Then—
A calm voice came from behind them.
"That's enough."
Everyone turned.
The voice was quiet.
Almost casual.
Yet the moment it reached the hall, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to change.
It was Mulan.
Jin Zhuo turned his gaze toward her as she stepped forward, standing in front of him.
The moment Mulan stepped forward, the atmosphere in the hall changed.
Jin Yuelian noticed it immediately.
She had expected Yun Che and the others to react the moment three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators entered their home.
Yet they hadn't.
Not Yun Che.
Not Retsu.
Not Mio.
Not Nemu.
Not even Kon.
They hadn't even bothered to move.
Jin Yuelian quietly glanced toward them.
Mio, despite her seemingly casual demeanor, wasn't even showing the slightest hint of concern.
And Jin Yuelian knew the truth about her cultivation.
Level 99.
A strength that completely dwarfed the three Wu Clan elders.
If Mio wanted to intervene, this entire confrontation could probably be ended in seconds.
Yet she didn't.
Neither did Yun Che.
Neither did Retsu.
Neither did Nemu.
Jin Yuelian slowly understood.
They're really going to let Mulan handle them.
Her eyes shifted toward her daughter.
Or perhaps... they know something we don't.
Her husband opened his mouth as if to speak, but Jin Yuelian gently raised her hand and stopped him.
She gave a small, reassuring shake of her head, her eyes never leaving Mulan.
"Trust her," she said softly. "That's our daughter."
Mulan's hands tightened around the Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
Her expression had changed.
The calmness was still there.
But underneath it—
There was anger.
Deep anger.
Not merely toward the Wu Clan.
It was the anger she had carried since Mu Che's death.
The man who had once stood beside her.
The man whose life had been taken from him.
The man whose death had left a wound she had never truly been able to close.
And now these people had walked directly into her home.
They had threatened her family.
They had threatened the Lunar Blossom Sect.
They had declared that Jin Province would be slaughtered.
They had come here believing they were the ones holding the blade.
Mulan's eyes slowly narrowed.
No.
She wouldn't allow it.
They wanted to annihilate the Jin Family.
Then she would annihilate them first.
Her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm began emitting a low, resonating hum.
The crimson energy around the weapon intensified.
Wu Tianhong noticed the change.
"So..."
He sneered.
"The princess finally intends to fight?"
Mulan raised her weapon.
"Yes."
Her voice was quiet.
"Tonight."
Wu Cangming laughed.
"Don't make me laugh. You're only a Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator."
Mulan didn't answer.
"If you intend to send your daughter to die, be my guest."
Jin Zhuo gritted his teeth, but he still trusted his daughter. Mulan had allies who would step in if necessary. The fact that none of them had moved meant only one thing—Mulan could handle this on her own.
She simply stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
Her profound energy continued rising.
The three elders could sense it.
Something was wrong.
Her cultivation was only Third Level Emperor Profound Realm.
But her presence...
It didn't feel like one.
Wu Zhenyuan's smile slowly disappeared.
"What exactly are you?"
Mulan's eyes flashed.
She remembered Yuuki's words.
Your cultivation level isn't your strength. Your levels are now adjusted. You are ten times stronger than your current cultivation.
She remembered the training.
The Haki.
The techniques.
The countless battles she had witnessed.
And, most importantly—
She remembered Yuuki standing behind her.
He wasn't intervening.
He was watching.
Trusting her.
Entrusting this battle to her.
Mulan glanced back for the briefest moment.
Yuuki stood there calmly.
He didn't tell her to stop.
Didn't tell her to retreat.
He simply gave her a small nod.
You can do this.
Mulan's expression softened for a fraction of a second.
Then she turned back toward the Wu Clan.
Her eyes became cold.
"Don't worry."
She whispered.
"I won't disappoint you."
Her grip tightened around the polearm.
The crimson energy surged.
BOOM!
The entire hall trembled.
Several Jin Family cultivators stared in shock.
Jin Zhuo felt his heart pound.
He had seen Mulan fight before.
But this was different.
Much different.
The three Wu Clan elders also sensed it.
Their expressions became more serious.
Mulan raised her polearm.
"You're right about one thing."
Wu Tianhong smirked.
"Oh?"
"You came here to destroy us."
Her eyes burned with determination.
"And I won't allow that."
She lowered the polearm into a fighting stance.
"Instead..."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"...I'll be the one destroying you."
Wu Tianhong's expression darkened.
"You arrogant—"
Mulan disappeared.
BOOM!
The floor beneath her feet shattered.
Her body launched forward with explosive speed.
The three elders' eyes widened.
"She's fast!"
Wu Tianhong immediately raised his arm.
Mulan's Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm descended.
CLANG!
The collision sent a shockwave through the hall.
Wu Tianhong was forced backward several meters.
His expression changed completely.
"What?!"
Mulan landed gracefully.
Her eyes remained fixed on him.
She had felt it.
Her new strength.
Her Haki.
Her improved body.
Everything Yuuki had taught her had finally begun coming together.
And for the first time since Mu Che's death—
Mulan felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Confidence.
She slowly raised her weapon again.
"This is for Mu Che."
Her voice carried through the hall.
The Wu Clan elders exchanged glances.
Mulan's killing intent intensified.
"And when I'm finished with you..."
Her eyes became cold.
"...I'll find Tian Heng."
The name alone made her anger surge again.
Tian Heng.
The man who had fatally wounded Mu Che.
The man responsible for the wound that eventually took his life.
Mulan had not forgotten.
She would settle that debt herself.
But first—
The three men standing before her.
The Wu Clan had come expecting prey.
Instead, they had walked into a battlefield where the prey had already become the hunter.
Jin Yuelian watched her daughter step forward.
She finally understood why Yun Che and the others hadn't moved.
They weren't abandoning Mulan.
They were giving her the opportunity to prove herself.
And if things truly became dangerous—
They would intervene.
But until then...
This was Mulan's battle.
Her revenge.
Her test.
And perhaps, the first step toward finally putting Mu Che's death behind her.
Mulan slowly closed her eyes.
She steadied her breathing.
Inhale.
Exhale.
The anger inside her was still burning, but she refused to let it control her.
Yuuki had taught her something important.
Power without control was merely another form of weakness.
Her hand moved toward the new gauntlet fitted around her wrist.
This was not an ordinary weapon.
It was one of Mu Che's unfinished creations.
A Pseudo Piece of Eden.
The first version had been destroyed days ago when Mulan traded it with the Zhu Family patriarch to save Li Bing. She had to issue a self destruct command to cripple the patriarch. At the time, she had thought she would never see it again.
But Yuuki and Nemu had build a new one.
And they hadn't merely recreated it.
They had improved it.
Mulan slowly reached into the gauntlet and produced a small crystalline keystone.
A Flame-shaped Crystal.
She inserted it into the slot.
Click.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
WHOOOOM!
Brilliant crimson light erupted from the gauntlet.
The entire hall was flooded with radiance.
Everyone instinctively raised an arm to shield their eyes.
"What?!"
Jin Zhuo's eyes widened.
"Mulan?!"
The light surrounded Mulan's body.
Her silhouette disappeared within the crimson glow.
Then the energy began condensing.
Her clothes transformed.
A striking X-shaped white-grey overcoat formed around her body, its long tails flowing behind her with vivid red lining.
Beneath it was a fitted grey shirt with asymmetric front tails.
A short white tie hung from her neck, bearing the red-and-black symbol of the Fatui.
Her sleeves ended in short black ruffles edged in red.
Black fitted leggings covered her legs, while red ruffles flared just above her ankles.
Her footwear transformed into elegant stiletto heels, grey with sharp reddish details.
White cross-shaped earrings appeared beside her face.
Several rings adorned her fingers.
But the most striking change was her hands.
The skin of both hands and forearms remained blackened by the curse that had long afflicted her, contrasting sharply against the pale colors of her new attire.
Her long fingernails were painted crimson.
Then—
Her hair changed.
Black strands emerged through the white and red, creating a dramatic mixture of white, crimson and dark locks that flowed behind her.
Her eyes opened.
They were no longer ordinary.
They had become brilliant crimson, each pupil carrying a distinctive cross-shaped pattern.
At the back of her overcoat, just below the nape of her neck, a glowing Pyro Vision manifested.
And then—
FWOOOOSH!
A massive crimson flame erupted from her back.
It took the shape of a single blazing wing.
The temperature inside the hall suddenly rose.
The Wu Clan elders instinctively stepped backward.
"What...?"
Wu Tianhong's previous arrogance vanished.
Mulan slowly lifted her head.
The transformation was complete.
This was no longer simply Jin Mulan standing before them.
This was Moonglare Mulan.
Her entire demeanor had changed.
The anger was still there.
But it was no longer uncontrolled rage.
It had become something sharper.
Something disciplined.
Something dangerous.
She stood with one hand resting casually against the shaft of her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
The crimson flame wing behind her flickered majestically.
Her white-and-black hair drifted in the heated air.
Her crimson eyes stared directly at the three Wu Clan elders.
There was no hesitation.
No fear.
Only absolute confidence.
The entire Jin Family hall fell silent.
Jin Zhuo's mouth opened slightly.
He had seen Mulan use this transformation before.
But seeing it again—
And seeing the new version created by Yuuki and Nemu—
Still left him speechless.
Jin Yuelian's eyes widened.
"So this is..."
She had witnessed the transformation previously, but never at such close range.
Even she couldn't help but stare.
Jin Mucong's eyes practically lit up.
"Sister..."
He had never seen Mulan look like this.
Not merely powerful.
She looked cool.
Dashing.
Almost otherworldly.
Princess Aluna was completely speechless.
Her soldiers behind her were equally stunned.
The Jin Family disciples stared at Mulan as though they were seeing their princess for the first time.
Even Zhong Chuke was frozen.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao exchanged stunned glances.
Neither of them had expected anything like this.
"What... kind of profound technique is that?" Tian Xi whispered.
Yao Yao could only stare.
"I don't know."
Even the three Wu Clan elders had stopped laughing.
They had come expecting to face a Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator.
Instead, they were looking at something they couldn't comprehend.
Mulan slowly raised her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
The crimson flame wing behind her spread outward.
Her new gauntlet glowed faintly beneath the transformed sleeve.
She looked at the three elders.
Then smiled.
A beautiful, confident, almost dangerous smile.
"Now..."
Her voice was calm.
"...let's see if you still think I'm a pest."
The hall remained silent.
And for the first time since they entered the Jin Family—
The three Peak Emperor Profound Realm elders of the Wu Clan felt something unfamiliar.
Fear.
The three Wu Clan elders stared at Mulan.
They could see the transformation.
They could feel the terrifying pressure radiating from her.
But what they couldn't understand was why she looked so confident.
It wasn't because of her appearance.
It wasn't because of the crimson flame wing.
It wasn't even because of the mysterious Pseudo Piece of Eden wrapped around her arm.
Mulan knew something they didn't.
Her level.
Her aura had been adjusted to the standards of this world.
To everyone present, she appeared to be only a Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator.
But that was merely how her cultivation manifested within the Profound Sky Continent's system.
Her actual level was—
Level 73.
And according to the original power scale of the Profound Sky Continent...
Level 73 was equivalent to the Third Level Tyrant Profound Realm.
She had already surpassed the three men standing before her.
By a considerable margin.
The Wu Clan elders simply didn't know it.
Wu Tianhong's expression hardened.
"You..."
He pointed toward Mulan.
"You so much as move..."
His profound energy exploded outward.
"...and we'll kill everyone here!"
Wu Cangming and Wu Zhenyuan immediately released their own profound energy.
The three elders stood ready.
Their threat was clear.
If Mulan attacked them, they would slaughter everyone outside the battlefield.
Mulan didn't even blink.
Then—
SHIIIIING!
A brilliant blue light suddenly appeared.
A translucent blue barrier erupted around the battlefield.
It expanded outward in an instant, completely separating Mulan and the three Wu Clan elders from everyone else.
The entire area around them became enclosed.
Jin Zhuo's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The barrier completely surrounded Mulan, Wu Tianhong, Wu Cangming, and Wu Zhenyuan.
Everyone else was outside.
Safe.
Mulan glanced at the barrier.
Then she looked back toward the three elders.
A small smile appeared on her face.
The Wu Clan elders stared around in confusion.
"What is this?"
Wu Tianhong struck the barrier with his palm.
BOOM!
The barrier didn't even tremble.
His expression changed.
"What?!"
Wu Cangming immediately attacked.
BOOM!
Nothing.
Not even a crack.
The three elders exchanged glances.
Mulan slowly raised her polearm.
Her crimson flame wing spread behind her.
Her eyes glowed beneath the red cross-shaped pupils.
"That's where you're wrong."
Her tone had changed.
The warmth and restraint from moments ago disappeared.
What remained was pure mockery.
"You thought you were threatening everyone outside."
She took one step forward.
The blue barrier remained perfectly intact.
"You thought you could use them to restrain me."
Another step.
Her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm dragged lightly across the floor.
SCRAAAAAPE...
Sparks flew from the stone.
Mulan's smile widened.
"But you made one mistake."
She raised the weapon.
"You came inside the barrier."
The three Wu Clan elders suddenly understood.
Their faces changed.
Mulan's crimson flame wing flared violently.
FWOOOSH!
She pointed her polearm toward them.
"As someone once said..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"...we're not trapped with you."
A burst of crimson energy erupted from her body.
The three elders felt their instincts scream.
Mulan smiled.
"You're the ones trapped here... with me."
Silence.
Outside the barrier, Jin Yuelian slowly smiled.
She finally understood.
This wasn't a defensive barrier.
It was a battlefield.
And Mulan had just accepted all three Wu Clan elders into it.
Jin Mucong's eyes widened.
"She trapped them..."
Princess Aluna stared in disbelief.
Zhong Chuke slowly lowered his sword.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao looked at each other.
Even the Jin Family soldiers began realizing what had happened.
The three elders had threatened to kill everyone if Mulan moved.
Now they couldn't touch anyone.
They couldn't escape.
And Mulan no longer needed to hold back.
Wu Tianhong's face became pale.
"You..."
Mulan's polearm ignited.
"Now."
Her crimson eyes locked onto the three men.
"Come."
A wicked smile appeared on her lips.
"Show me what the Peak Emperor Profound Realm can do."
The three elders suddenly realized something terrifying.
They had entered the cage willingly.
And the person waiting inside wasn't the prey.
She was the hunter.
====================
Outside the barrier, Retsu watched the scene unfold with an amused smile.
She raised one hand.
A faint ripple of spiritual energy spread from her fingertips.
WHUMM!
The blue barrier surrounding Mulan and the three Wu Clan elders stabilized completely.
Its surface shimmered with a faint spiritual glow, isolating the battlefield from everyone outside.
Retsu lowered her hand.
"Hmm..."
She tilted her head.
"Looks like she didn't need us after all."
Yuuki stood beside her, arms folded, watching Mulan through the barrier.
"Apparently not."
His gaze remained fixed on the transformed Mulan.
He couldn't help but smile.
As expected.
He had based the Moonglare transformation heavily on Arlecchino's appearance and combat presence.
The clothing was one thing.
The crimson eyes.
The flame wing.
The imposing silhouette.
All of it had been designed to suit Mulan.
But the most interesting part wasn't the appearance.
It was the personality shift.
Once Mulan activated the transformation, the Pseudo Piece of Eden didn't merely alter her body.
It synchronized with her psychological state.
The anger she carried.
The confidence she had developed.
The ruthlessness necessary to face an enemy.
All of it was amplified.
The result was a colder, more commanding version of Mulan.
Her usual warmth toward her family had disappeared from her expression.
Her posture became dominant.
Her gaze became sharp enough to make even seasoned cultivators hesitate.
She wasn't simply wearing Arlecchino's appearance.
For the duration of the transformation, she had adopted something close to Arlecchino's commanding presence.
Yuuki chuckled quietly.
"Yeah..."
Retsu glanced toward him.
"You planned that?"
"More or less."
"You wanted her to become scarier?"
"I wanted her to become confident."
Yuuki looked at Mulan again.
"The transformation is supposed to bring out the part of her that can stand above an enemy without hesitation."
Retsu smiled.
"And it certainly does that."
Inside the barrier, Mulan slowly rotated her polearm.
The three Wu Clan elders watched her warily.
They had entered the confrontation believing they possessed overwhelming superiority.
Now they were trapped inside a sealed battlefield with someone who seemed to have completely discarded her previous hesitation.
Mio folded her fan and watched with interest.
"Nufufu... Mulan looks completely different. She's just like when she fought that old man the other day."
Nemu's eyes remained fixed on the Pseudo Piece of Eden.
"The psychological synchronization appears stable."
"The new version is considerably more efficient than the previous prototype."
Little Fairy crossed her arms.
"That transformation is quite impressive."
Chu Yueli nodded.
"And frightening."
Xue Ling and Xue Yin watched silently.
Mulan's transformation had completely changed the atmosphere.
Even Cang Yue couldn't help but stare.
Then Qingyue stepped forward slightly.
Her eyes were wide.
She had seen countless profound techniques.
She had witnessed Haki.
Eagle Vision.
Pieces of Eden.
Modern technology.
Yet seeing Mulan transform like this still left her fascinated.
"That's..."
Qingyue stared at the crimson wing.
"Beautiful."
Then her eyes shifted toward Yuuki.
A thought immediately entered her mind.
What would my transformation look like?
She glanced down at herself.
Then at the gauntlet around Mulan's arm.
Then back toward Yuuki.
"Yuuki..."
She calls him silently.
"Hmm?"
Qingyue pointed toward Mulan.
"Will you eventually make something like that for me?"
Yuuki blinked.
"For you?"
Qingyue nodded.
"A transformation gauntlet."
She hesitated.
"Something that suits me."
Retsu immediately smiled.
"Ufufu... Qingyue-chan is already thinking about her own transformation."
Qingyue's cheeks reddened slightly.
"I was merely curious."
Mio leaned closer.
"What would yours look like?"
"I don't know."
Qingyue looked toward Mulan again.
"Something related to ice, perhaps."
Yuuki chuckled.
"Knowing you, probably something elegant."
Qingyue looked at him.
"Elegant?"
"You're not exactly the type I'd imagine running around dressed like Moonglare Mulan."
Retsu laughed.
"He's right."
Qingyue crossed her arms.
"Then what would you make for me?"
Yuuki thought for a moment.
"That's a secret."
"Why?"
"Because I haven't designed it yet but, it's currently in development. Well, I might have some ideas."
Qingyue's eyes brightened.
"Then..."
She smiled faintly.
"I'll look forward to it."
Yuuki returned her smile.
"One day."
Qingyue looked back toward the battlefield.
Mulan stood alone against three Peak Emperor Profound Realm elders.
Yet somehow, the scene no longer looked like three cultivators surrounding one opponent.
It looked like three enemies had been locked inside a cage with a predator.
Qingyue quietly clenched her fist.
If that's what Yuuki recreate for Mulan...
Her curiosity only grew.
What kind of power could he create for me?
For now, however, there was another matter to watch.
Mulan had a battle to finish.
==================
The three Wu Clan elders finally lost their patience.
Wu Tianhong's eyes hardened.
"Enough!"
His profound energy erupted.
"Kill her!"
The three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators attacked simultaneously.
BOOM!
Three overwhelming attacks descended upon Mulan from different directions.
Mulan didn't retreat.
She simply raised her Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
CLANG!
The first attack struck the shaft of her weapon.
Mulan didn't move.
Not even an inch.
The sheer force that should have sent an ordinary Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator flying was completely absorbed.
Wu Tianhong's eyes widened.
"What?!"
Before he could react—
FWOOOSH!
Mulan's crimson flame wing swept across her body.
The blazing wing hardened into a massive shield, intercepting the second attack.
BOOOOM!
Flames scattered across the barrier.
Mulan remained perfectly still.
Then the third elder attacked from above.
Mulan raised her free hand.
A pillar of crystallized crimson flame erupted from the ground.
KRAAASH!
The attack collided with the crystalized flame and shattered against it.
Mulan slowly lowered her hand.
Not a single wound.
Not a single step backward.
The three elders stared.
"Impossible..."
"We're Peak Emperor Profound Realm!"
"How can a Third Level Emperor Profound Realm withstand us?!"
Outside the barrier, Jin Zhuo and the others watched in disbelief.
They had expected a difficult battle.
Instead, Mulan was completely dominating the exchange.
Jin Zhuo's expression became complicated.
"That's..."
He had personally witnessed Mulan's previous cultivation.
She was clearly a Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator now.
Yet she had just blocked the combined attacks of three Peak Emperor Profound Realm experts as though they were nothing.
Zhong Chuke's eyes narrowed.
"So this is the strength she was hiding."
Tian Xi and Yao Yao could barely believe their eyes.
Jin Yuelian, however, simply smiled.
She already knew.
Mulan wasn't fighting according to the cultivation realm they could see.
Inside the barrier, Wu Tianhong roared.
"Domain!"
The three elders simultaneously attempted to unleash their domains.
Nothing happened.
Their profound energy surged—
Then abruptly collapsed.
"What?!"
Wu Cangming tried again.
His domain refused to manifest.
Wu Zhenyuan's expression became frantic.
"Why can't I activate my domain?!"
Mulan's crimson eyes narrowed.
She understood.
Retsu's Kekkai wasn't merely a physical barrier.
It was isolating the battlefield from the outside world and suppressing the conditions necessary for their domains to manifest.
The three elders were trapped.
Their greatest advantage had been stripped away.
Wu Tianhong slammed both fists against the blue barrier.
BOOM!
The barrier didn't move.
Again.
BOOM!
Nothing.
He roared and poured his entire profound energy into his attack.
The blue barrier merely shimmered.
Retsu stood outside with one hand raised.
"Don't bother."
Her smile remained gentle.
"You won't break it."
The three elders' faces became ugly.
They couldn't escape.
They couldn't use their domains.
And they couldn't overpower Mulan.
Wu Cangming gritted his teeth.
"That weapon!"
His eyes fell upon the Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm.
"The gauntlet!"
Wu Zhenyuan shouted.
"Take her treasures first!"
They changed tactics.
Rather than attempting to overpower Mulan directly, they began targeting her equipment.
Mulan's expression became colder.
"You came here..."
She slowly raised her polearm.
"...threatening my family."
A step forward.
"You threatened the Lunar Blossom Sect."
Another step.
"You threatened an entire Xuanwu city."
Her crimson flame wing spread behind her.
"And now..."
She disappeared.
BOOM!
Wu Tianhong barely raised his arm.
CLANG!
Mulan's polearm struck him and sent him crashing backward.
Before he could recover—
She was already beside Wu Cangming.
SHINK!
The blade pierced through his shoulder.
"AAARGH!"
Mulan twisted the weapon and kicked him away.
Wu Zhenyuan attacked from behind.
Mulan turned.
Her blackened hand caught his wrist.
His eyes widened.
She had stopped his entire attack with one hand.
"How..."
Mulan looked into his eyes.
"You're too slow."
She drove her knee into his abdomen.
BOOM!
Wu Zhenyuan folded over and was launched across the barrier.
The remaining two elders stared in horror.
Mulan stood in the center of the battlefield.
Her crimson flame wing flickered.
Her polearm dripped with blood.
And her expression remained completely calm.
Outside, Jin Mucong's mouth hung open.
"Is this really my sister?... She just.."
Jin Zhuo finished the sentence.
"Defeated them one after another."
The Jin Family members could barely comprehend what they were witnessing.
A Third Level Emperor Profound Realm cultivator had just pushed back three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators like they were insignificant opponents.
Only Yun Che's group remained unsurprised.
Yuuki simply watched.
Retsu smiled.
Mio giggled behind her fan.
Nemu continued observing the Pseudo Piece of Eden. Taking notes on any improvement she can make.
Qingyue's eyes shone with fascination.
Mulan wasn't merely stronger than them.
She was operating on an entirely different level.
Inside the barrier, the three elders were now battered and furious.
Wu Tianhong wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
"This isn't fair!"
Wu Cangming glared at Mulan.
"You have too many treasures!"
"That barrier!"
"That ridiculous weapon!"
"And that transformation!"
"You aren't fighting fairly!"
Mulan stared at them.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then—
She laughed.
A cold, mocking laugh.
"Fair?"
She rested the Crimson Moon Semblance Polearm against her shoulder.
"You entered my family's home."
"You threatened to murder everyone here."
"You came with three Peak Emperor Profound Realm cultivators against us."
"And you expected me to fight you using nothing but my cultivation?"
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"You brought your strength."
"I brought mine."
"If you wanted a fair fight..."
Her voice became icy.
"You shouldn't have declared war on my family."
The three elders fell silent.
Mulan took another step.
"And besides..."
She glanced at the blue barrier surrounding them.
"You've been given exactly what you asked for."
"You wanted to deal with me without interference."
Her crimson eyes flashed.
"So deal with me."
The three Wu Clan elders finally understood.
They had not been cheated.
They had simply underestimated their opponent.
And now they were paying the price.