The author has something to say: *New content added in the second paragraph—minor revisions made in the upper half of the chapter.* “Miss, since you’ve come, why not step forward and meet me?” With hands as delicate as jade, An Zi Yue gently lifted the silk quilt, his voice clear and casual, effortless—like he were merely chatting about the weather. As soon as he finished speaking, a slender black figure from the northwest corner stirred suddenly under the shifting breeze, flipping gracefully to leap through the open window. Though swift, she still arrived too late—the bed curtain flung out like a current of wind caught her wrist and pulled her back in with a soft tug. Her lightly poised body, already airborne, was now gently guided into the room. The woman spun instantly in response. As a flash of light revealed her face from within the dimness, she swiftly severed the bed curtain wrapping around her ankle. With both hands gripping the window frame, she prepared to leap again—only for another bed curtain, drawn by An Zi Yue’s swift follow-up motion, to wrap tightly around her waist before she could even react. The other end of the curtain snapped taut and then released with barely a whisper of movement—the woman was caught off guard. With a subtle shift in his hand, An Zi Yue drew her close, just as she had been pulled toward him by the flung bed curtain. His fingers, extending swiftly to within an inch of her chest, stopped motionless at that moment. In their quiet, serene gaze, a flicker of surprise and mild bewilderment emerged—unintended, yet significant. It was precisely this pause that gave the woman the opening she needed. With a graceful hand movement, she scattered a fine white powder toward An Zi Yue. Though he quickly reacted, closing his breath to deflect the powder, it was too late—the medicine had already taken effect upon contact with his skin. The essence was potent; within moments, An Zi Yue felt an overwhelming sense of weariness and drowsiness, pressing down on him with growing intensity. Even though his inner strength was strong, attempting to channel it only amplified the effects. The woman’s face beneath her black headband seemed to smile—first with pride, then shifting into astonishment as she watched a distinct handprint emerge on her chest, pressed firmly and decisively by An Zi Yue. Though he had been close to unconsciousness at that point, his very presence had nearly undone her. A soft crimson stain began to bleed from the corner of her lips. She looked at him—his eyes, now glazed with drowsiness, remained steadily fixed upon hers, slightly puzzled though only for a brief instant. Then, with no further strength to resist the medicine’s power, she slowly sank back onto the bed… ****** “What? The Qi Lu Seal has been stolen?” In the quiet hall of An’s estate, Yun Qing listened in astonishment as An Zi Yue recounted the matter. The Qi Lu Seal was the insignia of the Wu Clan—the very symbol that had first carried her across dimensions when she returned to this world and then back again. Though the theft seemed minor at first, its implications were profound: behind it stood an entire network of Wu Clan secret guards whose strength formed a pillar of national stability. A single misstep could plunge the central continent into war—or even send her back to that other world once more. While Yun Qing was visibly stunned, An Mu Chen remained composed, though his brow still furrowed slightly as he looked at An Zi Yue, who displayed no outward emotion. “You’ve always carried the Qi Lu Seal with you,” he said, “How could it be lost? Given your mastery of martial arts, few people have ever come close to reaching you.” “Only women have ever managed that—beauty is truly irresistible,” remarked An Zi Yue’s younger sister, An Zi Mo, who had just returned home. She gazed at him with a clear sense of dismissal and concern over the matter completely absent from her tone. An Zi Yue gave her a simple, composed glance—clear-eyed, unimpressed—and An Zi Mo found herself falling silent, frowning slightly as she tried to speak further. Only then did he turn toward his father and mother. “Father, Mother,” he said softly, avoiding the weight of the situation, “I’ve been negligent. I’ll recover the Qi Lu Seal—I promise you both. This visit is merely an advance notice so that neither of you will be surprised when someone later claims it as leverage.” As he spoke, he rose from his seat. “I’ll have Wu Chang prepare for departure—my journey will take me out of town over the coming days.” “Wait,” Yun Qing quickly stood up to stop him. “It’s only just returned—the Jade family elder is celebrating his sixtieth birthday on the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. They’ve sent a formal invitation personally.” “The celebration is still more than a month away,” An Zi Yue replied, not waiting for either of them to respond. With a slight bow, he stepped out of the room. ********************** One month later On the imperial road leading to the capital city of Dajian, in an improvised tea pavilion along the route, a fiery red stallion dashed swiftly down the path. The gentle breeze swept past, stirring murmurs among the resting patrons. “Is that Su Yan—the son of the Eight-Faces Pavilion?” “Indeed—it’s unmistakably him. His strong, upright bearing is truly his own.” “The Jade family elder is celebrating his sixtieth birthday in the capital now—do you think Su Yan has come to attend the festivities?” “Heh. Though it's called a celebration, how many aren’t really there simply to sneak into the Jade estate and steal their precious medicines?” “Master Yu himself is renowned for his expertise in traditional healing arts—he’s said to rival Hua Tuo in skill. His secret formulations are legendary—capable of neutralizing nearly any poison and even reviving the dead. Everyone across the land seeks them.” “But entering the Jade estate? That’s no easy task. Without an official invitation from Master Yu himself, even a king might not gain entry—the estate is guarded with such meticulous care.” The bustling tea pavilion buzzed with conversation as all guests turned to discuss the just-past nobleman. “Jade Estate…” A white-clad woman seated quietly in the corner murmured softly under her breath, then lifted her gaze—her eyes brightened instantly. With gentle hands resting upon the sleeve of a yellow-dressed companion beside her, her delicate eyebrows curved like crescents, full of eagerness and charm. Before she could speak, however, the yellow-clad woman already laid down her handglove with calm ease and gently pushed away the woman’s fingers from the sleeve. “Just think about it,” she said. The voice of the young lady—soft as jade rings meeting—one that was both crisp and tender—caused others nearby to look over, many visibly enchanted. Some even found themselves momentarily distracted, their tea cups tilting over without awareness. “An obstacle!” The yellow-clad woman, Qu Xiaomian, glanced sharply at the white-clad one, her tone irritated as she muttered under her breath. The young lady looked utterly innocent—her beauty was inherited from her parents; how could that matter to her? “Miss, you’re still recovering—you’d better stay put in the inn,” said a tall man seated beside her, slowly setting down his handglove. His face, like carved ice, remained expressionless—the tone of his voice as cold and firm as ever. Yet instead of retreating from his demeanor, the young lady did not hesitate—her smile remained unchanged. She simply accepted that she had been at a disadvantage since childhood, where her abilities were less refined than others’. “Only a few months ago,” Qu Xiaomian pointed out, “who could have predicted that such a minor misjudgment would now be so much of an issue? The very people who once promised everything would remain unchanged—well, results have been anything but.” Her eyes narrowed as she reached toward the young lady’s ear with slender fingers, gently hooking her. Startled, the young lady stepped back several times before finally finding refuge behind the tall man. “Cloud Ruo,” Qu Xiaomian said firmly, “you’ve always claimed you didn’t want to see your life fade away—now, what do you have to say?” With rising anger in Qu Xiaomian’s voice, Cloud Ruo could only manage a dry smile and silently felt her heart ache. Her lord was proving difficult to handle—their tension had grown steadily over the past month, though the issue at hand was minor after all. The tall man, Bai Li Kong, slowly released her hand from his shoulder with a smooth motion and stood up calmly. “Miss, it’s getting late—better you begin your journey now.” Qu Xiaomian followed suit, not waiting to see if Cloud Ruo would join them—the two had already walked out of the pavilion side by side. Cloud Ruo sighed inwardly, silently wondering how she’d ever manage her own life goals while still having to keep pace with such a dynamic and spirited companion. Her heart remained fixed on the Jade Estate—and upon that passing nobleman on horseback. She quietly glanced down the road where the handsome young man had just ridden past—her eyes slightly narrowed as she took in his form. With a deep breath, she leapt lightly onto a nearby branch. “Bai Li Kong, Qu Xiaomian,” she said brightly to the two now in solemn silence, “you go on ahead—I’ll return before sunset at the Yong’an Inn.” With an innocent smile, she stepped into the air and was gone—light as wind. Born with a naturally slow mind, and having suffered physical injuries since childhood that prevented her from mastering advanced techniques, Cloud Ruo had devoted herself entirely to survival-based agility. Though not skilled in martial arts of high rank, her grace and lightness on foot had become truly refined over time—and now, she carried it all with quiet strength.