The imperial carriage rolled through the moonlit sky, the rapid passing various landscapes as they made their way back to the Imperial City.
Feng Mei sat rigidly against the plush cushions, her usually composed demeanour cracked by what had transpired mere hours ago.
Her mind kept returning to that moment—that terrifying, soul-crushing moment when her former teacher had released his nascent soul.
'What in the heavens was that?' she thought, her fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of her seat.' How could he be so impossibly strong? If he had wanted to, there wasn't anything I could have done to resist.'
The memory sent another shiver down her spine. It had been complete suppression, but that in no way felt normal.
His nascent soul had been... wrong. Far too powerful for what she had sensed from his cultivation base.
Her former teacher had seemed weak compared to that miniature figure, his aura and soul fluctuation feeling like he was in the early stage of Soul Transformation, just like her.
But that strength could only come from high-level realm suppression.
Could he actually be in the Void Realm? she asked herself, though she doubted it even as the thought formed.
She had felt the aura of Void cultivators before, and it felt nothing like that. The very presence had stalled her mind completely—she could see but nothing more. Never had she seen death so close.
Feng Mei's jaw clenched as she thought back to her uncle. She hissed at the very thought of him. For the house to lose such a great cultivator what a waste. Sucg figure would While she knew not what he had to give up, he definitely lost a pound of flesh in that exchange.
Her gaze shifted to her niece, who sat across from her, still pale and trembling. Princess Feng Yue had always been the strongest among her generation, indifferent to everyone and everything, secure in her position and power.
Now, to suffer such a loss of face…
The princess's internal turmoil was even more chaotic than her aunt's.
I can't breathe properly, she thought, her hands still shaking despite her attempts to still them.
How... how could someone be so terrifying? That wasn't even a real attack, just a demonstration, and I felt like I was staring into the abyss itself.
Her golden core, which had been her pride and source of confidence, had simply... stopped. The spiritual qi in her meridians had frozen, and her soul fluctuation had dimmed to almost nothing.
The humiliation burned however the fear greater.
'I came here thinking I could tie him to my faction, she thought bitterly. I wanted to use his great-grandfather's reputation and the boy's potential to strengthen my position in the succession. Instead, I've been shown just how small and insignificant I truly am.'
The memory of those pure white eyes, devoid of pupils, staring directly into her soul, made her stomach churn. For a moment, she had seen her own death reflected in that gaze—not as a threat, but as a simple fact, as easy to accomplish as breathing.
'How things could turn around so quickly, she mused. She came here with such confidence, having gotten wind of my intended visit and rushing forward to get there first. Now look at her.' Feng Mei noticed her niece's continued distress and shook her head
Feng Mei let out a mouthful of turbid air, slightly relaxing as she tried to process the evening's events.
She looked out the carriage window, watching as the landscape rolled by in the moonlight, wondering if she had brought chaos to her house by making this connection.
'But that boy... she thought, her mind shifting to Wei Chen. Such a pure and refreshing aura, untainted by the subtle but inedible corruption that touches most cultivators. I can't imagine such a child has suffered at all in his life. There's an innocence there that's rare in our world.'
Looking at her niece, Feng Mei controlled her energy to soothe and relax the girl's tense body. The princess was still young, despite her cultivation. This experience, while humbling, might actually benefit her in the long run.
"Aunt..." Princess Feng Yue finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Was that... was that what true power looks like?"
Feng Mei considered her words carefully. "Power comes in many forms, child. What we witnessed tonight was beyond mere cultivation realm. However that was perhaps... something more."
'I thought I understood the cultivation world. I thought my Golden Core realm gave me some measure of authority and respect. But in front of that presence, I was nothing. Less than nothing.' The princess nodded slowly, her mind still reeling.
"I need to become stronger," she whispered, more to herself than to her aunt. "Not just in cultivation, but in understanding. I've been too proud, too comfortable in my position."
Back at the Wei clan compound, the atmosphere had returned to its peaceful normalcy, though the lingering traces of that overwhelming presence still seemed to echo in the air.
Wei Chen sat in contemplation, his mind struggling to process what he had witnessed. 'Is that the general feeling of Soul Transformation? 'he wondered. 'But Aunty Feng is in that realm also, and she was just as affected as the princess.'
His questions would go unanswered for now, but the experience had opened his eyes to the true depths of cultivation.
His great-grandfather, who appeared to be nothing more than a frail old man leaning on a crutch, was evidently still very much the monster he had been as the Former Imperial Sword Envoy.
The ring on Wei Chen's finger, which had been quiet since the party began, suddenly pulsed with energy.
'It was necessary for you to get the most benefits without giving much, the Desire Emperor's voice echoed in his mind. Your great-grandfather made such a show that you received that much. Just now and in the near future Going forward, you will have her support and the little princess's as well.'
'The conversation seemed to be going well', Wei Chen thought back.
'It was, but now it's better. You will see later,' the Desire Emperor replied. 'Also, your ancestor Wei Tianshan cultivates a certain rule , most likely from immortal Inheritance. He even seems quite adept in it as well.'
'Wei Chen was surprised to hear the Faith Emperor's voice. After all, he mostly conversed with the Desire Emperor, and even such conversations were minimal.'
'Well, young inheritor, you should be excited for tomorrow,' the Desire Emperor said, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation.
'You will officially start to cultivate. As you are now, your momentum is just because you recently awakened your physique, and the energy accumulated is equivalent to the establishment realm.
'However, you possess almost none of the real makings of the realm. It shouldn't take much time to catch up, though.'
Wei Chen nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. The evening had shown him both the heights he could aspire to and the depths of power that existed in this world.
His great-grandfather's demonstration had been a masterclass in controlled dominance, showing strength without revealing all his cards.
'Tomorrow begins my true journey,' he thought, looking at the ring containing the jade slips that Aunt Feng Mei had given him.
'Weapon forging and inscription work I may not understand all the reasons behind great-grandfather's guidance, but I trust there's wisdom in it.'
Wei Tianshan sat in his chair, eyes still closed, hand resting on his crutch. To anyone looking, he would seem like a normal old man.
However, this man who was the Former Imperial Sword Envoy, who had removed obstacles for the imperial family back in the day, was every much the monster he had ever been perhaps even more so now.
Wei Tianlong looked at his father with a mixture of respect and curiosity.
"Father, was that necessary?"
"It was," Wei Tianshan replied without opening his eyes.
"The boy needed to see what the true dept strength looks like, and those imperial children needed to understand the weight of the connection they were making. Respect is earned through understanding, not just words."
The night settled over the Wei clan compound, bringing with it the promise of new beginnings and the weight of ancient power.
Wei Chen's journey was about to truly begin, with the backing of imperial favor and the guidance of Wei Tianshan, a monster who had decided to take an interest in his growth.
In the distance, the imperial carriage continued its journey back to the capital, carrying two women forever changed by their encounter with a legend who refused to fade into obscurity.