On the 19th day of the 12th lunar month, the elderly Master Yu of Yu Family Manor, renowned as the "Herbal Immortal" in the capital city of Dà'ān, celebrated his sixtieth birthday. By the 18th, guests had begun arriving in succession, filling the manor's gates. Yun Rao slightly adjusted her appearance, prepared a generous gift, and carried a request card she had snatched from Su Yan, presenting herself as the honored guest Su Ran, the eldest daughter of Ba Fang Building, to attend the birthday celebration. Ba Fang Building, a prominent information network in the martial world, and Yu Family Manor, a celebrated medical dynasty in the capital, had only occasional interactions. Su Ran, in particular, was largely unknown to the Yu family. Though Yu Family Manor had personally extended an invitation, the elder Master Yu, recognizing Ba Fang Building's stature in the martial circles, did not notice the slight discrepancy when Yun Rao arrived as Su Ran. After a cordial exchange of greetings, he sent a young attendant to guide her to a specially designated guest suite in the West Garden. After thanking him, Yun Rao followed the attendant to the West Garden suite, quietly observing the surroundings and discreetly noting If one has only a passing knowledge of the Five Phases and the Eight Trigrams, it might at first glance seem as though the Yu family manor were no different from a typical noble estate. Yet the number of hidden mechanisms and arrays embedded within it—only the people of the Yu family truly know. Grandfather Yu excels in traditional Chinese medicine and his specially formulated herbal pills are highly coveted and sought after throughout the realm. Yet his supply is limited, his prices high, and whether he sells to a particular patron often depends entirely on his own mood. As a result, despite his esteemed status in the martial circles, the Yu family has accumulated many rivals. Without making some moves within the estate itself, the entire Yu family manor would likely have already been wiped out. While she doesn’t know exactly how many of the guests arriving for the birthday celebration are like her—coming specifically to secure the secret pills from Grandfather Yu—she understands the principle that haste often leads to failure. Without first exploring the estate’s intricate mechanisms, she has no intention of rushing in recklessly, even if it means sacrificing her life prematurely. With the household servant returning to his room and giving a few reminders about not wandering about, he then withdrew, and Yun Rao settled down to sleep soundly, restoring her energy. As night fell and the surroundings grew quiet, Yun Rao donned her night robe, covered her face with a black veil, and gently pushed open the door. She subtly exerted her inner strength, stepping lightly and without a sound, ascending to the eaves. Using the light from the high lanterns across the estate, she carefully surveyed the layout of the compound, mentally noting every detail. Her light-footed skills, nearly perfected, allowed her to move freely between the pavilions and courtyards without drawing attention—except for the hidden mechanisms that required vigilance. To avoid triggering any mechanisms and causing disturbances, Yun Rao took every step with exceptional care. She had originally believed her skill in footwork so refined that the chance of being noticed was negligible—yet it seemed she had become overly confident. With a light and agile step, she swept from the West Courtyard to the East Courtyard, gliding silently across the eaves of the various pavilions, stirring not even a whisper of wind. Yun Rao had assumed no one would be disturbed, nor would any mechanism be triggered—yet as she paused at the eaves of the most eastern pavilion, the雅苑, still unable to fully take in the layout, a sharp, piercing "sssh!" sound surged suddenly from behind her. Reacting swiftly, she spun around, deflecting an unseen projectile. Before her feet had settled, two stones-like objects struck her knees with sudden force, causing her lower body to give way instantly. Her body swayed and collapsed sideways, sliding effortlessly along the smooth eaves—she lost all time to react, rolling like a sack of sand down the roof. Yun Rao's face suddenly changed as a result of the unexpected turn of events. Without thinking, she summoned her internal energy, only for a sharp chest pain to surge forth, disrupting her breath and leaving her unable to maintain her light-footed movements. With a heavy thud, she rolled from the eaves and landed on the ground. Though she managed to stabilize her vital organs, the fall from such a height left her dizzy, her vision blurred with streaks of gold, and her internal energy swirling chaotically. A sweet, metallic taste rose in her throat, and the black handkerchief on her face grew damp. How could she have endured all these disturbances all day and still be alive today? Yun Rao smiled faintly, one hand braced against the floor and the other pressed to her chest. She didn't rush to escape—because she couldn't. Two pairs of ivory-bottomed silk boots had already begun to approach her gently and steadily as she rolled from the eaves, moving with a slow, graceful elegance. Though she didn't look up, she knew the visitor's martial skill and internal energy far surpassed her own, and that their status might be distinguished. Rather than struggle desperately to the point of exhaustion, The brocade boots came to a halt before her, and he bent down. "What a pleasant surprise," his refined and cool voice drifted gently overhead, warm and pleasant, like a clear spring stream flowing over a cold stream—calm, serene, with a subtle familiarity. Her body stiffened slightly, imperceptibly, then relaxed, and she slowly raised her gaze to meet his. Nine Heavens Immortal. As she looked at this stranger's elegant and noble appearance, the phrase unexpectedly surfaced in her mind—elegant and transcendent, with a noble and outstanding grace, perfectly befitting his voice, as smooth and cool as polished jade. While she was gazing at him, a faint expression of curiosity, akin to wonder, seemed to pass briefly through his still and composed eyes, before quickly returning to their original calm and serenity. "Who are you?" he did not reach out to lift the black veil from her face, but simply stared into her eyes, asking suddenly—his tone remained unchanged. Yun Rao’s eyes flickered with confusion, yet she didn’t respond—she couldn’t, and she wasn’t sure whether, at this moment, the metallic tang rising in her throat would spill onto the celestial man before her, leaving him disheveled. He glanced at her, lifted his hand, and Yun Rao looked at it. Indeed, he was as ethereal as a heavenly being—his hands, too, long and delicate and pale as jade, untouched by the dust of the world. The jade-like fingers settled upon the black cloth covering her face, gently twisting the fabric. His quiet, cold gaze fixed upon her, as if seeking a response; yet she remained still, too weary to stir or resist. He withdrew his gaze and firmly lifted the cloth with his fingers. “Su Dan?” His voice, once so composed and calm, now carried a subtle tremor, hinting at surprise and a touch of doubt. They had once been acquainted with Su Dan, the eldest daughter of Ba Fang Hall. Yun Rao breathed a quiet sigh of relief, suppressed the metallic taste in her throat, and cleared her throat with a voice that was low and slightly hoarse, as though she had been coughing for some time. “Master He glanced at her, his expression somewhat odd, yet said nothing, merely handing her a clean square of cloth. "Wipe yourself off," he said. Yun Rao silently reached out to take it, not caring whether the pristine cloth became stained—after all, it was his overeagerness that had left her in such a state. A square of cloth, really. Still, thought she, borrowing Su's face had been a wise choice. "Why haven't you been sleeping all night? Didn't you know that the Yu family manor—?" He paused, fixing her with a steady gaze, and left the rest unsaid. Yun Rao couldn't read the expression in his eyes at that moment, only sensing that Su Chan held some weight in his heart. Though she wasn't sure exactly how much, she knew that as long as she kept up the act of being Su's sister, she would be safe. "I've come here on my brother's behalf to celebrate the Zhi Elder's birthday. Late at night, unable to sleep, I heard that the Zhi family manor has an unusual array setup, so I decided to take a look—thus..." Her voice gradually faded. Yun Rao paused, choosing not to continue, only glancing at him with a quiet eye. An Zi yuan gave her a calm, brief glance and then rose. "Studying the array is pleasant, but if one ends up losing their life in the process..." He left the rest unsaid. Yun Rao wisely didn't press for more, simply bracing herself to stand. As she rose, her steps trembled slightly and her body swayed, though fortunately she didn't collapse—as she had done two days prior, without any apparent reason. An Zi yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, watching her, then reached out and extended his hand, as if to take her pulse. Yun Rao set her hand aside, offering a dry smile. "Master An, it's customary for men and women to avoid direct hand-to-hand contact." An Zi yuan looked at her again, his unusual expression causing Yun Rao to feel a quiet sense of alarm. She now realized She silently groaned, now hesitant to speak at all when the situation between allies and enemies remained unclear. Smiling勉强ly, she said, "Well, it's getting late now. I'll go back and rest first. You... do take care and rest well." Without pausing, she quickly turned and hurried off. The surging energy within her made her stagger slightly, and instinctively grasped the window railing to steady herself, yet dared not look back. The two pairs of probing eyes behind her sent a tingling sensation down her spine. Drawing on her inner strength to regulate her breath and calm her mind, Yun Rao swiftly made her way out. Fortunately, An Zi yuan did not follow. Having explored the path earlier, she had already become familiar with the various mechanisms along the way, and thus safely reached her room. Though she had injuries, she dared not venture further and settled for resting quietly, secretly sighing at her own restraint. The next day, the Jade Elder's birthday banquet. As one of the honored guests invited by Master Yu, Yun Rao naturally couldn't help but be seated at the same table as Master Yu, and upon lifting her gaze, she spotted An Ziyuan sitting beside Master Yu.