Qiang Bao sat within the magnificent hall of what had once been the former palace of the Sui Kingdom’s royal family. Much of the original decor had been burned in the fires that raged during his battle to overthrow the monarch, and he had done his best to remove all traces of the original owner’s personality; the palace had long since been refurbished to suit his pallet.

The once understated columns and marble floor were now plated with gold. Everything shimmered as though it had been touched by the sun. He had also expanded the hall, making it much larger than it had been, and the elevated throne upon which he sat was even higher than before. This new elevation allowed him to look down on anyone who entered. This was what it truly meant to rule.

Qiang Bao himself was a tall and imposing man. He had a robust physique befitting the great power he wielded as a cultivator. His deeply tanned skin was a reflection of his extensive exposure to the sun, a testament to his rigorous training under the scorching rays.

With his sharp features and angular jawline, Qiang Bao possessed a rugged handsomeness that exuded authority and charisma, which he used liberally to bed the many women of his kingdom. His piercing amber eyes seemed to hold a perpetual glint of ambition, hinting at his unwavering desire for more.

He had always desired more. He wanted more power, more wealth, more beautiful women. He deserved to have it all.

While his skin was tanned, his hair was the color of midnight and fell loosely around his shoulders. It framed his face and added an air of mystique. He typically adorned himself in the regal golden robes of the Undying Sun Sect, with their resplendent embroidery of intricate sun patterns lining the surface.

At present, he sat with his back straight, eyes narrowed as he frowned at the man standing before him.

“I want you to repeat that.”

“You heard me the first time, but… very well. We have finally located Mei Xilan Sui. It seems she is going by the name Mei Xilan now.”

“Where was she last seen?”

“Our spies report she was last seen entering the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

Qiang Bao slammed his hand onto his armchair. “And why has it taken you so long to find her?! We have been searching for years without success! What are your people doing?!”

Mei Xilan Sui was a name he had not heard in a long time. She had vanished during the razing of the royal family, and after almost a year of searching, he had believed her to be dead. She had only been a child, after all. The girl had not even been at the age where she could cultivate. Surely, there was no way she could survive in the wild world on her own?

It turned out, he had been naive

“I recommend you watch your tone,” the man before him said. “Do not forget who it was that helped place you upon that throne.”

Qiang Bao grimaced. The young-looking man standing before him was Luan Desheng, the enigmatic leader of the Eclipse Soul Sect. He was a man who embodied the allure of darkness. Though he stood at an average height, he compensated with an aura of sensuality and charisma that even Qiang Bao found hard to ignore.

His fine features were decidedly feminine, with a delicate appearance that defied traditional gender expectations, framed by silky, obsidian hair that cascaded in soft waves down his back. He had skin akin to the purest porcelain, glowing with an otherworldly luminescence as if kissed by the moon. Expressive eyes the color of deep amethysts held an enigmatic allure that drew people in.

“I… apologize. It seems I let my emotions get the better of me,” Qiang Bao said with a grimace.

The relationship between him and Luan Desheng was one of symbiosis. While he might have more power on the surface, this man was the true power behind the Undying Sun Sect, galling though it was to admit. Qiang Bao hated this man. However, he would not be where he was now without his aid.

“All is good. I understand your feelings, but do not let your emotions run wild, lest they be your undoing.” Luan Desheng’s smile was like that of a heavenly nymph, which did little to settle Qiang Bao’s nerves. “In either event, how she managed to survive undetected all these years is not important. What matters is how we deal with the situation.”

“You are right, of course.” Qiang Bao blew out a breath. “What else have your spies discovered? Do they know why she went to the Heavenly Sword Sect?”

“I can hazard some theories.” Luan Desheng stroked his smooth chin. “Mei Xilan Sui was first discovered during the International Power Ranking Tournament. She took part in it and even fought against your disciple. She lost. However, a young man going by the name Jian Wu defeated him quite handedly.”

Qiang Bao had, of course, heard about what happened during the tournament in the Xia Dynasty, just as he knew what had become of his disciple. Xaio Shui had lost his willpower. Determination and ambition were important emotions that cultivators utilized to increase their power, and when a cultivator lost that spark, their cultivation stagnated. Xaio Shui’s life as a cultivator was over. The young man no longer had the willpower to continue. He had been in a vegetative state ever since he returned from the tournament.

“You believe she is there to speak with him?”

“ I know she is. I suspect she traveled there to ask for his help in overthrowing the Undying Sword Sect and restoring the royal family to power.”

“I see. So, the prodigal daughters intends to return and challenge me and my sect.” Qiang Bao drew his lips into a thin line at the thought of that foolish girl challenging him. “I suppose we should prepare a suitable welcome for her. I will leave that to you.”

Luan Desheng bowed, though it was mocking. “Of course. You may leave everything to me.”

***

Mei Xilan did indeed have the ingredients necessary for the Sixteen Star Advancement Pill, which she agreed to have refined for him if he helped her. Wu Meiying had already informed him that he should help her when the time came, so he agreed without hesitation. Their plan was to leave at dawn tomorrow. They would have left earlier, but Wu Jian wanted to speak with Wu Meiying one more time.

The woman in question was inside her pavilion, stationed high on a mountain peak. The air from so high up was crisp and thin. However, upon entering the pavilion itself, the atmosphere shifted and became warmer. He suspected three were sealing arrays involved.

“I think this is the first time you’ve visited me,” Wu Meiying said cheerfully.

“It is… your place is a lot more austere than I would have expected.”

Wu Jian had to pause as he looked around, observing the room, which did not seem to have much of Wu Meiying’s personality in it. People often said a room reflected the person who lived there, but this room was decidedly barren. It had a bed, a simple marble floor, and several other pieces of furniture like the makeup stand, a large armoire, and a table. There was a door in the back leading to a medicinal river for cultivation. Only a few people had such rivers in the Heavenly Sword Sect. It was a testament to her importance.

“I never intended to remain here, so I felt no need to decorate it,” Wu Meiying declared. “In either event, I know why you’re here. You leave tomorrow.”

“Yes. We’re not traveling to the Sui Kingdom right away. Mei Xilan needs to procure an alchemist before we travel, so we’re heading to the Southern Tang Dynasty.”

“To pick up Zhou Lihua.”

“… Mei Xilan did not specify who we were going to see.”

“She does not need to. Nor does she know who she’s going to procure, but I know. Zhou Lihua will be traveling with you on this journey.” Wu Meiying’s expression grew grave, lips thinning into a straight line as she stared at him. “You will need to protect her with everything you have.”

“You saw something?”

“I foresaw several futures. In many of them, you and Zhou Lihua are attacked and defeated by an unknown person…”

“An unknown person… meaning you couldn’t see them in your visions.”

“Correct.”

“Does this happen before, after, or during our trip to help Mei Xilan?”

“In every vision, they happen before and after you help Mei Xilan.”

Wu Jian closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He wasn’t wearing his mask right now. There was no need to hide his face. He also wasn’t wearing the necklace she had given him. It sat on the table right now. That necklace prevented Wu Meiying or anyone else from reading his future. She had asked him to remove it upon entering the pavilion. There was a barrier around it that prevented people outside of the barrier from reading his timeline.

It was just him, Wu Meiying, and Youmei in the pavilion. Youmei was lounging on Wu Meiying’s bed, one leg lazily dangling off the edge.

The fact that he and Zhou Lihua died before or after their quest to help Mei Xilan suggested that their enemies would not intervene during their time in the Sui Kingdom, so long as they could arrive safely. They would only need to be wary during the trip to the Sui Kingdom and their return trip.

“What about Mei Xilan?”

“She does not die--at least, not during at this time.” Wu Meiying paused. “There are large gaps in her future, suggesting that she allies with our enemies. However, should that come to pass, she will eventually be killed by Hua Xue.”

“R-really…”

“Indeed. Hua Xue eventually learns of what happens and flies into a rage. She travels to the Sui Kingdom and demolishes it in a fit of anger.”

That she could see this future meant their enemies stopped aiding Mei Xilan after she attained the throne. Either way, he hoped to avoid that outcome.

“I understand now why you said Mei Xilan was not a good fit for me,” he said at last.

Wu Meiying nodded. “Mei Xilan’s only desire is to restore the Sui Royal Family. She does not care how that is accomplished and will betray you if she thinks it is to her benefit. By the same token, so long as you survive the trip to the Sui Kingdom with her, she will not betray you.”

Wu Jian absorbed what she told him and considered his next move. Mei Xilan would not betray them so long as she believed he could help her. That meant he had to defeat the people who came after them during their journey to the Sui Kingdom, which meant…

“Can you show me when and where we will be attacked?” he asked, summoning a map of the Xaio Continent from his storage ring and spreading it across the table.

“I cannot accurately tell you when and where since our enemies are hidden, but I can give you a rough estimation of where they will be during your journey to the Sui Kingdom. The return trip won’t matter as much. They’ll attack more openly out of desperation.”

Wu Meiying poured over the map for a moment, closed her eyes, and pursed her lips. The flow of chi within the room created a slight breeze that buffeted Wu Jian’s hair. Moments passed before the breeze died down. Wu Meiying opened her eyes, summoned a bottle of ink and a quill, and used it to circle several places on the map.

“They won’t attack you at each location, but these are the places where you will want to be careful,” she said.

Wu Jian nodded as he looked over the map. Wu Meiying had circled five areas between the Southern Tang Dynasty and Sui Kingdom. “Is there something special about these places?”

“These areas have ley lines underneath them. Our enemies have a sealing array that can block my ability to perceive time. Each time you travel through one, you disappear from my ability to perceive you. The only reason I know what happens is because I am always sent a missive, stating that you have been taken hostage.”

“So they use me as bait to lure you out…”

“They try. In every timeline where that happens, I kill myself.”

Wu Jian grimaced, but he knew that was likely the only course of action she could take. If he was captured, it meant they had lost. Wu Meiying would rather kill herself and start over than allow their bond to be shattered.

He reached over, grabbed her hand, and pulled Wu Meiying into his arms. She stumbled against his chest. When she looked up, he leaned down and kissed her. This kiss was full of passion and desire, but it was also a kiss to reassure her. Wu Meiying leaned further into him as she wrapped her arms tightly around his torso and kissed him back just as hard. When they leaned back, she stared into his eyes, breathing heavily as he gave her his most reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan to avoid a confrontation with them--at least on the way there.”

Smiling, Wu Meiying wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned on her toes. “I’ll try not to worry, but I think I need a little more reassurance.”

“Then why don’t I give you some physical reinforcement?” Wu Jian said with a grin as he kissed her once more.

Lying on the bed, Youmei grimaced as she watched them kiss.

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