Tang Xi moved cautiously yet swiftly, her eyes sing the surroundings. Her body still bore the fatigue of battle, though her wounds had already healed. Only her arm remained slightly sore as it tio mend uhe influence of lunar energy.

  'With a little more lunar energy and healing medie, my injuries are almost recovered. But now that I've learo trol when it's used, I must ensure I don't waste it unnecessarily. It's always best to save it for an emergency,' — she cluded, halting the flow of lunar energy once her arm had suffitly improved. The rest would heal naturally.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on the resource ahead.

  The guidance of the Lunar Umbrel led her directly to the ordinary-looking bush where the feline had sin the rabbit.

  Tang Xi stepped lightly on the muddy ground and, without hesitation, pushed aside the branches of the thicket.

  What she saw made her eyebrows furrow.

  'What exactly is this pnt?'

  She ko exami more closely, searg her memory for any information that might match this peculiar sight.

  The flower bud before her exuded a faint aura of fire, yet its structure resembled an inplete lotus. There was no visible stem—only the bud emerging directly from the dark, damp earth.

  Tang Xi felt a twinge of frustration.

  Despite all the books she had read about spiritual pnts, she couldn't identify this one.

  'Its aura fluctuation is so weak... If not for the Lunar Umbrel and the Crimson-Spotted Feline guarding it, I would never have noticed it.'

  Not knowing what it was, she dared not touch or e it.

  'If I don't know what it is, then it must be precious. My father will know.'

  With that clusion, she activated her ste ring and, with careful precision, removed the pnt and stored it in the spatial partment.

  The process required some mental effort, as she also took a portion of the firm, stable soil surrounding it—just in case. Moments ter, only a hole remaiwice the size of her hand.

  Tang Xi wasted no time.

  She o leave before something—or someone—arrived.

  Leaping into the trees once more, she vanished into the forest's shadows, seeking a safe pce to recover.

  However, she would soon learn a valuable lesson: leaving enemies alive in this world was a mistake that could e at a great cost.

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Moments Later...

  It didn't take long for other spiritual beasts and cultivators to arrive at the se.

  Following the traces of battle, they expected to find something valuable...

  Yet, upon arrival, they found nothing but footprints in the mud and the lingering st of blood.

  The fight was over.

  And the only victor was long gone.

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Shang Manor – The M

  The m breeze drifted softly through the halls of the Shang Manor. The st of aged wood and inse lingered in the air, mingling with the rustling leaves of the inner gardens.

  Shang Hua-Ren walked slowly, a serene expression and a gentle smile ad her face—the same one she always dispyed to others.

  But behind that mask of tranquility, her thoughts swirled in turmoil.

  'Soon, I'll leave this city behind... and my sister will e with me.'

  The thought of her sister stirred something close tret. She had been raised to be pampered and sheltered, ag almost recklessly.

  Part of that was their mother's fault. Part of it was hers.

  By the time Shang Hua-Ren realized her mistake, it was already too te to correct it.

  She had tried to harden her sister, to better prepare her for the cruel realities of the world, but she cked the heart to be ruthless.

  The result?

  Her sister grew up na?ve, only seeing the surface of things—though she feared their father.

  And that o ge.

  Shang Hua-Reheir mother had realized it too.

  The patriarch, Shang Wei-Liang, had made his iions crystal clear.

  Ever since she became an inner disciple, he had started including her in discussions as if he truly valued her opinion. But she wasn't fooled.

  What he wanted was to prepare her for something.

  And now, she kly what it was.

  "My marriage to the City Lord's son."

  The thought made her fiighten discreetly ihe sleeves of her robe.

  The City Lord would soon leave for a prosperous local. But with the marriage alliance, he would ensure his influence remained iy—further strengthening her father.

  Wei-Liang wanted absolute trol over Moonlit Grove.

  And her marriage was the key pie his rise.

  But Shang Hua-Ren no longer called him father.

  He didn't deserve that title.

  Since she was four years old, he had abahem.

  When their mother lost favor, he hadn't lifted a single fio help them.

  On the trary... he had aided the es in harming them.

  Three years of hell—where her mother, her sister, and she had survived by slipping through the cracks of the manor's structure.

  And then, whealent was discovered, he returned, pretending to be a loving father.

  But Shang Hua-Ren never fot.

  She always khat, to him, a person's value was tied to their usefulness.

  And now, he wao sell her off tthen his own position.

  But she was not a passive pie this board.

  If there was ohing she had learned over the years, it was that marriage could be a prison... or a on.

  "Feng Lian..."

  The name of the City Lord's son echoed in her mind.

  He romising. A good didate.

  But was he worth betting everything on?

  If she married him, she would gain his family's support and access to their alchemical secrets.

  But she would also lose her freedom.

  Her value, for now, was high.

  But she khat the moment she lost her usefulness, she would be discarded.

  Shang Hua-Ren would never allow that to happen.

  If she was forced into this game, then she would py to win.

  Her fate would not be dictated by Shang Wei-Liang's whims.

  Her steps led her to Elder Ki's courtyard.

  The pce was luxurious, built from tury-old cedar wood, resembling her own and her sister's courtyard—but with an imposi harmonious air.

  The elder had summoned her presence.

  She took a deep breath before stepping inside, shifting her expression to one of solemnity.

  But before she could announce her arrival, she heard something from within.

  — "Enter."

  Elder Ki's voice resohrough the courtyard.

  Shang Hua-Ren did not hesitate. With a straight posture and a serious expression, she stepped ih resped posure.

  Elder Ki sat before a dark wooden table, his sharp eyes fixed on her, assessing her. His presence filled the room—not just because of his strength, but due to the sheer authority he exuded.

  He did not like wasting words.

  — "Prepare yourself. We depart at noon. Make the necessary arras. And as we agreed, you will lead this training."

  Shang Hua-Re her expression calm, but her mind immediately caught the discrepancy.

  'An early departure? Why?'

  She simply nodded, not questioning it. Something had ged, and instinct told her the elder would ertain inquiries.

  But the way he spoke those words...

  The weight in his tohe slight ess in his eyes.

  Something had shifted.

  — "And remember: if anyone asks, I will always be proteg you from the shadows. I will only reveal myself if you are in danger."

  Pressure.

  Not just an instru, but a statement den with an unspoken burden.

  Shang Hua-Ren uood instantly.

  'He wants an alibi. And I am his aplice.'

  From the moment Elder Ki sought her out, she khis wasn't just a simple training exercise.

  There was something else behind this mission.

  But she had no choice.

  Since she had been assigo lead the team's training in the Clear Water Mountains, she had accepted the role given to her.

  And now, there was n back.

  But what had ged?

  That was the question eg in her mind.

  She erceptive enough to realize that something had happened in the past few hours. Something that made Elder Ki ge his pns.

  What could it be?

  Despite the pressure, her expression remained firm, serious, and responsible.She agreed.

  It was expected of her, and Shang Hua-Ren would not show hesitation. If everythi well, she would emerge from this situation appreciated and rewarded.

  And she hat.

  Being pressured didn't mean she was being exploited without return.She accepted without rese, but with one question in mind:'What is his true objective?'

  Elder Ki studied her expression for a few moments before tinuing.— "And one more thing."

  He paused briefly, allowing his words to settle.— "We have another mission."

  Shang Hua-Ren remaiill.But her heart beat a little faster.— "The third elder's son perished in the Clear Water Mountains."

  Shang Hua-Ren absorbed the information, and for an instant, she sensed a subtle shift in the elder's tone.

  This was not just a report.

  There was rese.

  tained anger.

  — "We must find out what happened and, if possible, bring the culprit back—dead or alive."

  Dead or alive.

  That part made her narrow her eyes. The to no doubt. This was not a request.

  It was aion order.

  The responsible party would be eliminated, whether a cultivator or a spirit beast.Elder Ki's rese alpable.He did not like this mission.

  But Shang Hua-Ren noticed something even stranger.If Zhai Li, the third elder's son, had been killed, why was there ailed information?

  This was the general rule in most sects.Whenever an important disciple was elimihe circumstances of their death were immediately reported.

  But this time?Nothing.. No image of the death. No information about the state of the body.

  That was strange.Very strange.

  "Who—or what—killed Zhai Li prevehe information from bei."

  Elder Ki khat.And he did not like the uainty.

  The retrieval mission had been annouhroughout the sect's sphere of influenyone could accept it.

  The rewards were high, and that meant ohing:The Clear Water Mountains would be overrun.

  Cultivators from all over would be entering, searg for the culprit and anything else of value.This disrupted his pns.And he k.

  Shang Hua-Ren noticed the subtle irritation emanating from the elder.He had received the notification about this mission because he was in the area, and now he had to deal with it.

  If he could, he would probably ighese murky waters.

  But the sect would not allow this io be fotten.

  And now, Shang Hua-Ren was caught in the middle of it.

  Training. Iigation. Execution.

  Multiple yers of a dangerous game.

  And she had no choice but to move forward.

  She took a deep breath and lowered her head slightly in aowledgment.— "Uood."

  Elder Ki nodded, satisfied.— "Prepare yourself. You ot fail."

  Shang Hua-Ren turned ahe courtyard with trolled steps.

  But inside, her mind was rag, searg for ways to take advantage of the situation.

  Something big was happening in the Clear Water Mountains.

  And now, she was at the eye of the storm.

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