The soft morning sunlight filtered through the carved wooden window slits of the Southern Bastion’s Great Hall. The room was not as ostentatious as the cold palaces of the Central Empire; its walls were crafted from fragrant, aged teak, adorned with embroidered tapestries depicting the lush landscapes of the South. Huo Tian Xian stood in the center of the hall, wearing clean, dark-gray robes provided by the bastion's attendants. Beside him, Xue Er looked elegant in a pale blue cotton dress, while Huo Li Yu and Prince Zhao Min stood quietly behind them. Master Mo, who seemed well-versed in the air of diplomacy, stood with his arms folded across his chest. Granny Lin sat in a large wooden chair at the far end of the room, sipping jasmine tea from a small porcelain cup. Before her sat two middle-aged men who appeared to be locked in a tense standoff. "Tian Xian, allow me to introduce them," Granny Lin said, setting down her cup. "This is Chief Yan of the Valley Farmers Clan, and Chief

"Xian, Mother is still alive!" Li Yu cried out the moment she threw open the door. "An Elder from our clan survived; I am treating him now. He told me she is still alive!" The tea cup in Huo Tian Xian’s hand shattered. Warm liquid seeped out, soaking his trembling fingers, but he didn't feel it. His eyes were fixed on the broken jade pendant Li Yu had placed on the pavilion's wooden table. The morning light streaming through the window seemed to dim, replaced by flashes of childhood memories buried in the ashes of their clan's destruction years ago. "Mother... is alive?" Tian Xian’s voice was hoarse, barely audible. Li Yu nodded slowly, tears welling in her Phoenix-green eyes. "That old man... he was our clan’s Senior Guard, Xian. He saw Mother being taken in an iron carriage bearing the Black Wing emblem—the Emperor’s secret forces. All this time, we thought she perished in the flames, but they abducted her." Tian Xian stood up abruptly, his chair flipping backward. The Ice Drago

Lin’an City, the primary gateway to the Central District, was a clamorous and colorful sea of humanity. Unlike the serene Southern Bastion, Lin’an was a hub of greed wrapped in luxurious silk. Here, the air smelled of expensive incense mingled with the pungent sweat of thousands of merchants. Huo Tian Xian’s wooden carriage came to a halt in front of a small inn tucked away in a corner of the marketplace. Following Zhao Min’s instructions, they avoided luxury inns to escape notice, but stayed clear of the slums to avoid being suspected as common thieves. "Remember, Xian," Zhao Min whispered as they disembarked. "In this place, money speaks louder than the sword. If someone insults you, let it pass like a breeze. A successful merchant has no pride; he has only profit." Tian Xian gave a stiff nod. He smoothed out his coarse robes, consciously trying to relax his shoulders, which instinctively held the broad, upright posture of a warrior. Beside him, Xue Er concealed her white hair wi

The surface of the Lotus Tower’s lake appeared serene, reflecting thousands of festival lanterns that drifted like fallen stars. Yet, beneath the silent ripples, Huo Tian Xian and Xue Er moved like predatory shadows. Xue Er employed her Frost-Step Technique, creating paper-thin footholds of ice just beneath the water’s surface to ensure their movements left no splash. "The spiritual alarm circuit is just ahead, Xian," Xue Er whispered, her fingers touching the submerged foundation of the tower. Tian Xian nodded. He could feel the rhythmic pulse of energy within the stone walls—a safety net designed to trigger warning bells should any foreign energy intrude. Xue Er closed her eyes, channeling her pure frost energy with surgical precision, freezing the flow of chi within the circuit without abruptly breaking the current. "Now," Xue Er hissed. Tian Xian pressed his palm against the seal of the underwater secret door. He did not shatter it. Instead, he utilized the frequency of his Ic

"It is good to see you again, Lady Bai," Master Mo greeted, looking at Meilin’s smiling face. "So, it is you," Bai Meilin—or Huo Meilin—replied. "Bai? The Bai Clan?" Li Yu, who had just entered the room, looked at her mother in surprise. Bai Meilin smiled and extended her hand, which Li Yu immediately took. "In truth, your mother’s original name is Meilin of the Bai Clan, the Clan of Light that has long been extinct," Master Mo explained, as Li Yu listened intently. "However, due to her profound loyalty to her husband’s family—your father, Huo Zhen—and her role as the clan’s matriarch, outsiders often refer to her as 'Lady Huo.'" "So that’s how it is," Li Yu murmured, as Bai Meilin smiled and gently stroked her daughter’s cheek. "There is an even deeper secret: Huo Meilin is an 'Honorary Title' I received upon marriage, symbolizing that I had fully united my soul with the Huo Clan. My birth name is Bai Meilin. I am the last descendant of a clan of white sorcerers who possess the