Four years later

An unreadable emotion lingered in Mo Beiyuan's blue eyes as he surveyed the surroundings, his gaze settling on the collapsed half of the stone wall.

"Qing Yi, this woman broke straight through the stone wall rather than shattering it with force. Her martial arts must be unfathomable. Go investigate."

Qingyi was also shocked by the scene before him. Hearing Mo Beiyuan's words, he hesitated before asking,

"Your Highness, there aren't any clues. How are we supposed to investigate?"

Mo Beiyuan's blue eyes darkened. Indeed, she had been dressed in white-and then what? There were no clues at all, and this was deep in the mountain forest.

His deep blue eyes swept over the entire stronghold. Using bandits as training opponents-how interesting!

Over thirty people, without a single casualty, had reduced a stronghold of two hundred to this state in so little time. When had such a force appeared in the northwest?

Four years later...

In a secluded residence in Wuliang County,

Mo Beiyuan sat before a chessboard, holding a white piece in contemplation.

Across from him sat Si Shang, dressed in brocade embroidered with gold-thread cloud patterns. He looked barely past twenty, yet his expression was composed and unhurried. The sharp gleam in his eyes made him impossible to underestimate. He spoke in a low, measured voice,

"Han Yu, you actually have time to come have tea at His Highness's place now?"

Han Yu was much as he had been several years ago, dressed in red with a folding fan in hand, though his peach-blossom eyes were grave. He sighed softly and looked at Mo Beiyuan.

"Your Highness, business at our Ten Cold Gate has been even worse lately. That Nine Lotus Pavilion is simply pushing us too far! They rely on their superior abilities to steal our business, and that's not all. I've gone several times to request an audience with their pavilion master, but I couldn't even get through the door of their branch office. They even said, 'No disturbances from others in the trade!'"

Mo Beiyuan furrowed his sword-like brows. His eyelids lifted slightly, and thought flickered through his blue eyes. Then he spoke in a cold, clear voice tinged with disdain,

"If you can't beat them, stop going there to embarrass yourselves. You really should train properly. So far, there seems to be nothing improper about how the Nine Lotus Pavilion operates. They kill those who deserve to die and protect those who deserve protection. Don't provoke them. Find an opportunity to establish friendly relations."

Hearing this, Si Shang's expression also grew grave. His voice was low, but as he looked at his teacup, his eyes held traces of amusement, disdain, and schadenfreude.

"Your Highness, the Nine Lotus Pavilion rose out of nowhere and established a foothold in all four kingdoms in just four years. What's even more frightening is that none of its members are twenty yet. To build a force of this scale, with nothing but young men and women as subordinates,

"the person behind it must possess cunning, intelligence, ability, and methods rarely seen in a lifetime. Yet someone like that cannot be brought under his command. That suspicious emperor of ours must be furious right now, but helpless to do anything, wouldn't you say?"

Everyone knew that the Nine Lotus Pavilion had the finest assassins in the world, as well as the most reliable bodyguards and an intelligence network spread throughout every corner of every kingdom.

What ruler would not fear them and want them for their own?

Every kingdom's repeated overtures had been ignored. They had tried bribing insiders to obtain information, only to discover that even when those people were captured, not one of them betrayed the pavilion.

In the end, that pavilion master had rescued them with ease, while they had provoked the Nine Lotus Pavilion for nothing.

At Si Shang's words, Mo Beiyuan's lips curled in mockery.

"Him? Is he even worthy? I believe that even if he met the Nine Lotus Pavilion's master, it would accomplish nothing. All he wants is my military authority. With that person's intelligence and judgment, why would she agree to something so foolish?"

He and the emperor were first cousins, and they had once been as close as brothers. But after his father died, the emperor had repeatedly tried to seize his military authority by force, even resorting to drugging him in an attempt to steal his military tally.

Their relationship had gradually deteriorated, though it had not yet reached the point of bloody winds and rains of carnage.

It remained in a delicate balance.

Amusement also filled Han Yu's peach-blossom eyes. "Exactly. Does he think that just because he's the emperor, everyone should obey him without distinguishing right from wrong? What an utter fool!"

Si Shang looked at the two of them with an open smile. "None of that is the problem. The problem is that no one can find this mysterious master of the Nine Lotus Pavilion. I'm truly curious myself!"

The most mysterious person in the Nine Lotus Pavilion was its master. All anyone knew was that she was a woman with extraordinary martial arts, someone who stood at the very top in every respect.

Yet no one had ever seen her true face. Rumor had it that she lived on Nine Lotus Peak, directing the affairs of the world's martial community, but no one knew where Nine Lotus Peak actually was.

Meanwhile, the master of the Nine Lotus Pavilion, whom these men were speculating about and discussing, was eating fruit in the Yun Family's courtyard.

Her skin was as translucent as ice, and beneath the sunlight, she looked as otherworldly as a fairy from the nine heavens. A pale blue jade hairpin held up her ink-black hair, and she exuded a cool air of indifference and languor.

A faint chill crossed her mirror-clear purple eyes as she read the intelligence in her hand. The letter gradually turned to ash, and her lilting voice carried killing intent and indifference.

"Yun Lin, tell Yuanwei that since the Leng Family wants to provoke our Nine Lotus Pavilion and test our strength in the Dongxiao Kingdom, she should strike directly without any reservations. Make the Leng Family withdraw completely from the fat meat of brothels and gambling houses."

Admiration filled Yun Lin's clear eyes. Hastily swallowing the Returning Lotus Fruit in hand, Yun Lin addressed Yun Manman respectfully,

"Sister Man, don't worry. I'll take the newly made pills with me this time, and I'll be sure to relay every word of your message to Yuanwei."

Yun Lin had considerable talent for medicine, so Yun Manman had exchanged points for modern books on traditional Chinese medicine, along with the Western surgical knowledge she had compiled herself.

Yun Lin had spent four years studying and integrating it all, and was now the renowned Physician Immortal Lin of the martial world.

Over those four years,

Yun Manman's space had continued to upgrade. It had grown larger, and she had accumulated quite a few points.

As for the arsenal Guagua had promised her back then, it had said that it would activate when the time was right.

But Yun Manman had no idea what this so-called right time actually meant.

After all, she wasn't fighting a war...

After Yun Lin left,

Yun Manman rose and headed toward the front courtyard. Her pale blue brocade dress, patterned with rippling water, made her look as though she were walking on water.

Just as she reached the front courtyard,

Yun Manman saw Dabao sitting upright on the desk, his head lowered so that she could not make out his expression.

Meanwhile, Erbao stood there holding a sword and poking Dabao's bottom. Whenever Dabao shifted away, Erbao pressed forward, taking a mile after gaining an inch.

Keeping his adorable round face stern, Dabao began lecturing earnestly in his childish voice.

"Erbao, you haven't finished your homework again today. When Mother gets here, aren't you going to get the paddle again?"

Erbao pursed those little lips and scratched an armpit. Suddenly, a sly gleam flashed through those blue eyes. Covering that little mouth, Erbao snickered, seemingly having thought of a brilliant trick.

Dabao looked at Erbao with some helplessness. Then he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see his mother walking slowly toward them.

Joy filled his purple eyes before he restrained it. He hurriedly stood and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Mother."

A helpless smile crossed Yun Manman's face. "Dabao, how many times has Mother told you? When you see me, you should throw yourself into my arms like Erbao does. You don't need to be so reserved."

Hearing this, Dabao lifted his little head. His brows looked painted in ink, and he was refined and noble, with a steadiness and wisdom beyond his years. His soft, childish voice was utterly solemn.

"Mother, your child is already a grown-up of four. I am delighted to see you, but a gentleman must be refined and restrained, never letting his feelings show on his face. Only then can he accomplish great things."

Yun Manman inwardly rolled her eyes. Now, whenever she heard her four-year-old son speak in such pedantic language, she deeply regretted not putting a stop to it in time.

Back then,

Zeren, Yun Sheng, Yun Ye, and Yun He had all shown a talent for scholarly studies, so she had hired a teacher to come to their home.

At one year old, Yun Rui had followed them around every day. She had even felt fortunate that her son was so easy to raise. He had neither cried nor fussed since birth!

As a result,

by the time she realized her son's head was filled with classical prose, it was already too late to correct it. She could only blend modern and ancient culture together.

"Dabao, Mother understands. As long as you like it. There's no need to say any more."