"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Elder Leo bellowed as he stormed into the Medicine Pavilion. His voice, like thunder rolling across the mountains, startled everyone in the room. The workers, terrified by the rare sight of the elder in such fury, immediately scattered like frightened birds, knocking over tools and supplies as they fled.
The housekeeper, left standing in the wake of their retreat, felt a cold sweat drip down his spine. His scalp tingled with unease, and he instinctively straightened his back. He had served Elder Leo for decades and had seen him angry only a handful of times. Today, however, something was different. The elder's fury was not only palpable—it was overwhelming.
"Has something happened in the sect?" the housekeeper wondered silently, desperately searching his memory for anything that could have provoked such a response. Then he remembered the recent news: the fire at the imperial palace. Perhaps that had something to do with it?
"Elder, please instruct this humble servant," the housekeeper said cautiously, his voice trembling slightly as he bowed. He discreetly wiped the sweat gathering on his forehead.
Elder Leo's face was thunderous. "You told me the Pei Family is merely an ancient family rooted in the secular world!" he accused, his voice tight with restrained rage.
"Yes, Elder," the housekeeper replied quickly, trying to remain calm under pressure. "They are indeed nothing more than an old noble family with influence in the mortal realm. This servant has investigated the matter thoroughly. I verified it more than once—three times, in fact. There should be no mistake in that conclusion."
"Then tell me," Elder Leo roared as he slammed his hand down on the table with a deafening crack, "how did that brat from the Pei Family conjure eternal fire?!"
The housekeeper's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?!" he gasped, nearly choking on his own breath. He staggered back a step, stunned by the information.
"That... that can't be possible!" he exclaimed. "Eternal fire? But—how?! I double-checked every report. That girl—she has no magical energy in her body at all! She's like a blank scroll. I've even seen her in person. She doesn't have an ounce of cultivation. If the fire really originated from her, that would be... unprecedented! No—impossible!"
Elder Leo narrowed his eyes, his expression grim. He had thought the same thing. The girl's body lacked any detectable magical energy, not even the faintest trace. He had assumed she was a commoner, possibly even a cripple in terms of cultivation. But now, the very possibility that she had hidden power greater than his own gnawed at his mind like a worm inside rotten wood.
A fifteen-year-old girl… more powerful than a Medicine Pavilion Elder?
Unthinkable.
Insulting.
But the eternal flame was no illusion. It was real, and it was powerful. If she had summoned it, there were only two explanations: either she possessed power far beyond his comprehension—or someone else had acted in her place.
"But what if..." the housekeeper hesitated, noticing the ominous way the elder was glaring at him. Still, he had to voice his thoughts.
Elder Leo turned his full attention on him, his crimson gaze searing with pressure that almost made the housekeeper collapse. "Speak!" he barked. "If you have something to say, then say it!"
The housekeeper gulped hard, forcing the lump in his throat down. "None of the Pei Family show any signs of magical energy," he began, more slowly this time, as if testing the elder's tolerance, "not even Duke Pei, as far as our findings go. But... if the eternal flame came from the young miss of the Pei Family, she might not have conjured it herself."
Elder Leo said nothing, but his silence was permission to go on.
"Perhaps she orchestrated the event," the housekeeper continued carefully, "but someone else—a hidden cultivator, a powerful expert—might have been the one who actually unleashed the flame. Someone so powerful that even you couldn't detect them."
The elder's scowl deepened, but the idea was worth consideration. If such a person existed—someone willing to act on behalf of the Pei Family—it would explain a lot. But it also raised another troubling question: why would such a formidable individual lower themselves to aid a declining noble family? If they joined a proper sect, they could easily attain a high-ranking position—perhaps even become a revered elder like himself.
"Find this person," Elder Leo finally ordered, waving his hand tiredly but with finality. "Whoever it was—whether it was the girl or someone working in the shadows—we must uncover their identity. If it's someone we can recruit, offer them a generous reward. Extend an invitation to join the sect with honor."
He paused, and his eyes hardened. "If they refuse… or if they pose a threat to our interests… notify the sect. Eliminate them."
The housekeeper bowed deeply, acknowledging the severity of the command. "Yes, Elder. This servant will not fail."
When the housekeeper left, Elder Leo slowly sank into his chair with a heavy sigh. His hands, which once wielded great power without hesitation, now trembled slightly with uncertainty.
The Pei Family was clearly no longer as harmless as they once seemed.
But there was something else—something even more dangerous, festering under the surface.
That fool of an emperor!
How could he hide the truth about Lady Harriet's descendant?
That child—Prince Zak—was overflowing with raw, untapped power. The kind of potential that only came once in a generation. Yet the emperor chose not to nurture him. Instead, he gave him away, let him fall into the hands of others. Madness!
Elder Leo grimaced. He had thought about retrieving the boy himself, but the appearance of a possible hidden cultivator backing the Peis made that plan too risky to attempt now.
Who was this mysterious guardian?
Could it be someone from the Spirit Sword Sect?
A member of the elusive Poison Sect?
Or perhaps someone from one of the great clans in the Earth Realm?
His stomach churned with regret. He had underestimated the Pei Family and dismissed the secular world as irrelevant.
Now, he feared he may have made a grave mistake.
---
"You're quite the daring one," Duke Pei commented, narrowing his eyes at Prince Zak. "You not only dared to steal a prince out of the imperial palace, but you even managed to persuade Loid to cooperate with your schemes."
Lily gave an unapologetic shrug. "He would've died if he stayed in that viper's nest. I merely accelerated the inevitable."
Duke Pei studied the boy with sharp scrutiny. Prince Zak, sensing the intensity of his gaze, immediately stood up straight. He tried his best to appear respectable, eager to impress. Deep down, his desire to learn about magic burned stronger than ever.
"He has a solid foundation," the old duke eventually admitted. "Good posture, alert eyes… and his energy flow is steady. Not bad." Then his tone sharpened. "But don't tell me you expect me to teach him magic. Have you gone mad, girl?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Grandpa. I'm not that delusional. Loid knows the basics. He can teach him the fundamentals. But magic isn't everything. The boy needs to learn how to fight—physically. That's why I told the emperor that nonsense about martial training. I'll be calling one of our army's generals to come over and train him."
"And why not ask me to teach him martial arts?"
Lily snorted. "Aren't you too old for that?"
The two locked eyes. A beat of silence passed before they both looked away in amused mutual understanding.
Duke Pei coughed exaggeratedly and waved his hand dismissively. "Cough, cough... Very well, very well. Do what you want." He hobbled out of the room, hand on his chest and coughing dramatically.
"Is... Is the duke ill?" Prince Zak asked with concern.
"He'll live," Lily said nonchalantly. "He's eighty. If he's still able to duel generals with his cane, I think he's fine."
But Prince Zak didn't look convinced. He had learned a lot from the whispers and gossip that ran through the palace halls. The imperial family had always been wary of the Pei Estate, but their current caution stemmed from the fact that Duke Pei was still alive. The moment he passed, the imperial court would pounce. And now, with Elder Leo's arrival and the emergence of the Immortal Dragon, that fate seemed closer than ever.
He glanced at Lily, who was fanning herself like a bored noble girl. Did she know what was coming? Should he tell her?
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Lily turned to him. "Why are you staring at me like I'm already dead? My grandfather will outlive everyone. Probably you too," she teased, snapping her fan shut and tucking it into her sleeve.
"Loid will return in three days, and the general will come with him. Once they arrive, your training begins." She gave him a sharp grin, the kind that spelled trouble for anyone who crossed her. "Don't disappoint me."
Prince Zak thumped his chest like a soldier. "Don't worry, sister! I'll win the competition, no matter what!"
Lily gave him a satisfied nod before calling Ji Lei to guide him to his room.
Once she was alone, a sudden gust of wind blew through the study window. Lily turned, and in an instant, a graceful woman with flowing purple hair landed softly in front of her. It was the woman who had been playing chess with Duke Pei the day before—the infamous pride of the Poison Sect, Nightshade Belladonna.
"Grandma!" Lily called out joyfully. She leapt forward to greet her, but Belladonna beat her to it and enveloped her in a warm embrace.
"You've grown so much," Belladonna said, eyes soft with affection. "Didn't I tell you before? A proper lady must always carry herself with dignity. That leap was disgraceful."
"But I'll always be your little girl," Lily said, nuzzling into her grandmother's chest like a child. "So dignity doesn't count when I'm with you."
Belladonna laughed and ruffled her hair. "If I weren't here to keep you and your grandfather in check, what would become of this family?"
"Well," Lily grinned, "he'd die of loneliness, and I'd cry myself to sleep every night. So you have to stay. Think about your conscience, Grandmother."
"You little rascal," Belladonna said, tapping Lily's nose. "Since when did you learn to guilt-trip me?"
They sat together, and Belladonna eventually brought up Prince Zak.
"I heard you kidnapped a prince," she said with raised eyebrows.
"I rescued him," Lily corrected. "He would have died in that pit of snakes they call a palace."
Belladonna smirked. "Clever. That prince could be useful to you. He has potential."
She paused, then her expression grew more serious.
"One last thing—don't use Hugo's name too often."
Lily blinked. "Why?"
Belladonna's tone dropped. "His maternal family is unstable right now. Power struggles are erupting from within, and Hugo is caught in the middle. Whether he regains control or is buried in the chaos remains uncertain. If things spiral out of control, anyone connected to him will be swept into the disaster."
Lily's smile faded, her eyes darkening in thought.
"I understand."
Belladonna nodded. "Good. Be careful. This game you're playing has more pieces than you think."