"Find out who that child really is."
She did not reply.
But the next morning, an unsigned letter was delivered to the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Qian Renxue opened it. There was only one line inside: Yes. But be careful.
Qian Renxue stared at that line for a long time in silence.
She recognized the handwriting—it was not Bibi Dong's, but Qian Daoliu's.
Her grandfather had answered the letter in her mother's stead.
She did not know what that meant, but she knew that from now on, she had to be even more careful with every move she made against Gu Ci.
She folded the letter, tucked it into her clothes, and pushed open the door to leave her room.
The morning mist over Heaven Dou City had yet to disperse.
In the distance, white light from the Soul Lights in the direction of the Heavenly Workshop diffused through the fog like stars fallen to the ground.
"Gu Ci," she murmured, "we will meet again."
She walked down the steps to bring tea to Xue Qinghe.
Spring passed into autumn, and in the blink of an eye, Gu Ci had spent nearly a year at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Over that year, the situation across the continent slowly shifted beneath hidden currents.
Spirit Hall continued expanding its influence, while the Adjudication Department extended its reach into every corner.
Both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire stepped up their preparations for war. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect quietly amassed strength, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan remained silent.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Workshop's Soul Tools had spread from Heaven Dou City to every corner of the continent.
Soul Lights illuminated countless households at night, and Soul Heaters allowed even impoverished commoners to endure the bitter winter.
The combat