The author has something to say: The content added in the second row ***** is new, with minor revisions in the upper half of the chapter. "Miss, since you've come, why not make an appearance?" With hands as delicate as jade, An Ziyuan gently lifted the silk quilt, speaking in a calm, effortless tone—his voice light and casual, his demeanor relaxed as though chatting about the weather. As soon as he finished speaking, a subtle breeze stirred in the northwest corner, and a slender black figure gracefully flipped over, intent on leaping through the open window. Though swift, the movement came a little too late—caught by a flying strip of bed curtain that shot out from the bedside, the delicate figure was gently pulled back, and the body that had just been about to leap was abruptly drawn back into the room. The woman in the shadows reacted swiftly, spinning around. As a flash of light cut through the darkness, she had already skillfully severed the bed curtain strip wrapped around her wrist. With her jade hands gripping the window sill, she poised to leap once more—yet was once again caught by another bed curtain drawn tightly by An Zi yuan, who had closed in behind her. Before she could even manage to cut free, the other end of the curtain suddenly tightened, leaving her little time to react. An Zi yuan merely gave a slight tug with the curtain, and the woman in the dark was forced to move with it. With a steady application of pressure beneath his palm, two long fingers swiftly extended as the girl was compelled to draw near. The girl seemed unprepared for this sudden shift—already instinctively lifting her gaze as she was drawn toward An Zi yuan by the curtain, her eyes reflecting clear astonishment. The two lines of sight met, and An Zi yuan's two long fingers, barely an inch from the woman's chest meridians, suddenly halted. Unexpectedly, a faint sense of dazed bewilderment surfaced in his calm, serene gaze. Yet in that brief moment of stillness, the woman seized the initiative, raising her hand and swiftly scattering white powder toward An Zi yuan. Though he quickly reacted and closed his breath to avoid the powder, he still missed the mark. The powder took immediate effect upon contact with his skin, potent and strong. Within moments, An Zi yuan felt a profound weariness and overwhelming sense of heaviness pressing upon him, so intense that even with his deep internal energy, he could not resist it—attempting to channel his energy only accelerated the drug's potency. A delicate red streak slowly seeped from the corner of her lips beneath the black cloth. She looked at him, and his glazed eyes, too, silently fixed upon her, faintly puzzled—yet only for a moment, and ultimately unable to resist the powerful effects of the medicine within him, she gradually slipped backward toward the bed... ***** "What? The Qilin Seal has been stolen?" In the grand hall of the An Family estate, Yun Qing listened intently to An Zi yuan's words, her tea momentarily forgotten as she gasped. The Qilin Seal was the emblem of the Wuzhu Clan's leader; it had once served as the very medium that transported her back and forth between the two worlds. Though the theft of the seal seemed like a minor incident, the hidden power of the Wuzhu Clan's elite guards behind it was fundamental to the nation's stability. A single misstep could plunge the entire Zhongpi Continent into war, even sending her back to the original world. While Yun Qing was visibly stunned, An Mu Chen remained remarkably composed, yet his brow slightly furrowed as he gazed at An Zi yuan, whose expression remained utterly calm. "You've always carried the Qilin Seal It's rare that anyone reaches your person with your level of martial skill. Only women can get close enough—beauty is indeed captivating. Today, upon returning to her mother's house, An ZiMo glanced at An ZiYuan with a clearly unkind expression, completely unconcerned about any potential breach of propriety. An ZiYuan gave her a calm, quiet glance—clear and composed—which made An ZiMo unwilling to speak further, frowning and silencing herself. Only then did An ZiYuan turn to An ZiChen and Yun QingQing, gently deflecting the issue, saying, "Father, Mother, it's just that I've been negligent." Yun QingQing looked at him with a puzzled expression. "ZiYuan, given your martial prowess, it's impossible for you to be deceived by others—how could you truly be captivated by beauty as ZiMo claims? So, in fact, it's the women who stole the Qilin Seal?" Mother! "An Zi yuan calmly interrupted, his expression utterly unchanged, 'I will retrieve the Qilin Seal. You and your father need not worry. I've come today merely to inform you in advance so that you'll be mentally prepared—so that when someone later uses the Seal to stir up trouble, there's no misunderstanding.' As he spoke, he rose to his feet. 'I'll go and arrange for Wuxiang to prepare. I'm heading out on a journey for the next few days.' 'Wait—haven't we just returned? How can you be leaving again?' Yun Qingqing quickly stood up to stop him. 'The Yu family sent a special messenger to invite you for their elder's birthday celebration on the 19th of the twelfth lunar month.' 'There's still over a month until the 19th,' he replied, not waiting for either An Muxin or Yun Qingqing to respond. With a slight bow, he was already gone. ********************** A month later, on the imperial road leading to the capital of Dà'ān, in a casually set-up tea house along the route, a crimson, spirited horse galloped swiftly along the road. As the horse passed, a gentle breeze swept through, "Was that the young lord Su Yan, the son of Ba Fang Building, just riding past?" "Yes, there's a sturdy, noble bearing about him—only Su Lord seems to possess it." "With the Jade Elder celebrating his sixtieth birthday in the capital, heroes from all directions are making their way to pay their respects. Isn't Su Lord also heading there to join the festivities?" "Hmph. Though it's called a birthday celebration, how many aren't actually using it as an opportunity to sneak into the Jade Estate and steal the precious elixirs?" "The Jade Elder is renowned for his mastery of the principles of medicine and healing, often compared to Hua Tuo himself. His secret remedies are said to counteract a hundred poisons and even restore the dead—people from all over the land are eager to obtain them." "Yet, how difficult it must be to gain entry into the Jade Estate! Without a personal invitation from the Jade Elder himself, even the Emperor himself would hardly be able to pass through the elaborate defenses." ... In the bustling tea house, the guests and passersby alike were all engaged in lively conversation about the distinguished young lord who had just ridden by. "Yu Family Village..." The white-robed woman, who had been sitting quietly in the corner sipping her tea, murmured softly. Her bright, luminous eyes sparkled as her delicate hands settled onto the wide sleeves of the yellow-robed woman beside her. Her refined features curved into two crescent moons, full of warmth and deference. Before she could speak, the yellow-robed woman had already slowly set down her wrist, then gently pushed her hands away with the other, saying, "No need to even think about it." The tall man across the table glanced at the woman in white, slowly set down his large hand, and on his ice-cold, elegant face, there was not a single expression—his voice too was stiff, cold, and devoid of warmth. Yet the woman in white did not withdraw her smile in response to the man’s coldness; as if she had grown accustomed to it, she shifted her attention from Qu Xiao-man back to the man, her eyes gently curved. "Ice statue," she said, "I’ll go and fetch some medicine—there’ll be no problem at all." Just as she finished speaking, Qu Xiao-man let out a sharp, cold exhalation. "A month ago, who made such a solemn promise, chest heaving, that everything would be fine? What happened then?" Her eyes narrowed sharply, and in a flash she reached out, her slender fingers gently curling to grasp at her ear, causing her to step back several paces until she safely found refuge behind the ice-cold man. "Yun Rao," Qu Xiao-man said, "just don’t hide! You’re not already tired of seeing your life shortened, are you?" With Yun Rao out of reach, Qu Xiao-man fixed her gaze on For Qu Xiao Man, furious and passionate, Yun Rao could only pat her chest and force a dry smile, silently feeling her heart ache. The mistress was truly difficult to handle—over a month now, Qu Xiao Man hadn’t cooled down, and it was only a small miscalculation on her part. Bai Li Kong slowly lowered the paw she had resting on his shoulder, rising with a calm, unhurried motion. "Madam, it’s getting late. Let’s start moving soon." Qu Xiao Man also stood up, paying no attention to whether Yun Rao followed, and the two had already stepped out of the tea house, one in front, one behind. In her heart, Yun Rao sighed quietly. Though her martial skills fell short, she had to lower her dignity to ensure her safety, stepping closely behind her mistress. Yet she still thought of Yu Family Manor and the handsome young man she had just passed—of the invitation she had to secure. She glanced silently at the official road where the handsome young man had ridden by. Her eyes slightly narrowed, and with a quiet breath, she light-footed leapt onto the branch. "Ice statue, Xiao Man, you two go ahead. I’ll be right back After giving instructions to the two who had grown pale with concern, Yun Rao smiled innocently and was already soaring away. By nature, she was slow-witted, and during her childhood she had sustained injuries that affected her limbs; thus, she could not master any profound martial arts. Yet, for the sake of survival, her light-footed escape skills had become refined and impeccable.