The Bai Clan Estate was silent.
Elders dispersed efficiently, so moving to reinforce defensive arrays, others sending silent ssages through jade slips.
After the assassination attempt on Bai Zihan, it was natural for them to be more vigilant.
Bai Zihan lead Xi Yu to sowhere they could talk privately.
Xi Yu followed without hesitation.
She didn't seem surprised by the grand appearance of the Bai Clan's estate; rather, it almost looked like she was looking down on it.
Bai Zihan led her into a secluded courtyard deep within the estate.
A small pavilion stood at the center, understated yet elegant.
Monts later, servants arrived silently, setting down spirit tea that released a soft, calming fragrance.
The two of them sat across from each other.
For a ti-
Neither spoke.
Steam curled lazily from the porcelain cups.
Night insects chirred faintly in the distance.
Xi Yu lifted her cup, took a small sip, then set it down with precise movents.
Only then did Bai Zihan speak.
"Now," he said calmly, eyes steady on her, "who are you?"
Xi Yu t his gaze without flinching.
She stared at him with judgntal eyes, as if evaluating him.
"You can call Xi Yu," she said at last. "That na is real."
Bai Zihan tried to recall anyone famous with that na but couldn't. Perhaps he needed to refresh his knowledge of powerful figures.
"And your purpose?"
Bai Zihan asked calmly.
Xi Yu didn't answer.
Instead, her gaze sharpened.
It was no longer casual, nor rely observant-it beca piercing, as though
she were trying to see through his skin, his bones, his very soul.
"Before that," she said coolly, "answer sothing first."
Bai Zihan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Are you really crippled?"
Xi Yu asked as if that question were truly important.
Bai Zihan chuckled.
He lifted his teacup, took an unhurried sip, then set it down.
"You can judge that yourself," he replied.
Xi Yu's eyes narrowed.
Bai Zihan continued.
"Besides," he added, "even if I told you yes-or no-would you truly believe ?" Xi Yu didn't deny it.
She wouldn't.
Words ant nothing when spoken by soone like him-at least according to what she knew.
She leaned back slightly, fingers resting lightly against the table.
"From what I can tell," Xi Yu said slowly, "your ridians are indeed shattered. There's no mistaking that."
Her gaze flicked briefly to his dantian.
Bai Zihan remained silent.
"But," she continued, eyes locking onto his, "your deanor contradicts it."
She studied him openly now.
His calm composure.
The faint arrogance that didn't bother hiding itself.
The complete absence of despair.
"I've seen many geniuses fall, Xi Yu said flatly. "So lose everything-their
pride, their confidence. They beco empty shells."
"So drown in self-loathing and resentnt, wallowing in self-pity."
"Others refuse to accept reality. They cling to delusion, insisting they are still
who they once were."
She lowered her hand.
"You are none of them!"
Bai Zihan was exactly as she had heard-arrogant, as if everything were
unfolding just as he expected.
There was no panic, even when he had nearly been assassinated.
Yet despite all that, it didn't seem like he was deluding himself into believing he was still the sa Bai Zihan as before.
He accepted at least outwardly-that he was crippled. There was no denial, unlike most who couldn't accept such a cruel reality.
But no crippled genius acted this arrogantly-not after being struck down at
the peak.
Bai Zihan smiled faintly.
"And?"
Xi Yu sighed.
She didn't know what kind of person he was-soone even she couldn't fully
see through.
Like soone who had already given up, she too seed to give up on
understanding Bai Zihan's true self.
"Anyway, it looks like you really are crippled."
Bai Zihan listened, still not understanding why his condition was connected to
her purpose.
"I am on a mission given by our Saintess."
(Saintess?)
Bai Zihan pondered that word deeply. Not because such a title didn't exist in
the Desolate Heaven Empire.
Most holy sects nad their successors Saint or Saintess.
Even Demonic Cultivators had their own Saints and Saintesses, who would later
beco sect masters-or even leaders of the entire demonic path.
But for a Saintess-a junior-to command soone as powerful as Xi Yu...
That ant the organization behind her possessed an unfathomable
background.
Xi Yu's sleeve shifted.
A small jade bottle appeared in her palm and was placed gently onto the stone
table between them.
Bai Zihan's eyes flickered.
Xi Yu pushed the bottle forward.
"A gift," she said flatly.
Bai Zihan didn't reach for it imdiately.
Instead, he studied the jade bottle.
Translucent. Warm to the eye. Faint golden runes flowed beneath its surface
like slow-moving veins.
Even without opening it-
He already knew.
"This is..." Bai Zihan murmured.
"A Grade-8 pill," Xi Yu said, as if stating sothing mundane.
"Its na is the Heavenly Renewal Heart Pill."
Bai Zihan's pupils contracted-just slightly.
Grade-8.
Not Grade-6.
Not even the near-mythical Grade-7.
Grade-8 pills were legends.
In the Desolate Heaven Empire, even Grade-7 pills were treasures capable of
shaking sects and top clans.
As for Grade-8-
There was no alchemist capable of refining them.
Even their ingredients were so rare and precious that one might never obtain
them.
They should not exist in the Desolate Heaven Empire.
It was certain that Xi Yu belonged to a force outside the Empire.
Even Bai Zihan-who had seen far more than anyone here should-felt genuine
surprise.
(To give sothing like this away so casually...)
His gaze lifted to Xi Yu.
(It seems I underestimated the force behind you.) "That pill," she continued, "possesses powerful restorative properties. Although
not one hundred percent guaranteed, there is a chance that it will be able to
heal your ridians."
Bai Zihan finally reached out.
Although he could use his System to obtain any pill he wanted, this one could
save him Points.
"I understand your intention," Bai Zihan said. "But that only makes more
curious."
He looked at her directly.
"Who is this Saintess?"
Xi Yu shook her head.
"You don't have the authority to know."
The answer was imdiate.
Bai Zihan wasn't offended.
He had expected as much.
"Do I know her?"
He asked.
Xi Yu hesitated-just for a fraction of a second.
Then she answered honestly.
"I don't know either."
Whether it was the truth or a lie, Bai Zihan couldn't tell.
He studied her for a mont longer, then leaned back slightly.
"I see!"
It didn't seem like he would get any more information from Xi Yu.
She likely wouldn't reveal the sect or clan behind her either, since she had
already refused to identify the Saintess.
Xi Yu rose to her feet.
Her movents were smooth and decisive-like soone who had already
concluded everything that needed to be concluded.
"My mission is complete," she said calmly. "There's no reason for to stay."
Bai Zihan didn't try to stop her.
At the very least, after saving him from an assassination attempt and handing
him a Grade-8 pill without hesitation, it was clear she wasn't an enemy.
Not yet.
And if her Saintess truly favored him...
That, in itself, wasn't entirely bad.
She turned to leave the pavilion, her steps light against the stone floor.
Just as she was about to step out-
She stopped.
Xi Yu turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on Bai Zihan once more.
This ti, there was no scrutiny.
No curiosity.
Only warning.
"Bai Zihan," she said coldly, "don't get close to our Saintess."
The words struck like a sudden chill.
Bai Zihan's brows furrowed.
...What?
Genuine confusion surfaced on his face.
(Get close? I don't even know who she is.)
Though he had an idea, he wasn't sure to which it was the sa as not
knowing.
He let out a short breath and looked at her steadily.
"I don't even know who your Saintess is," Bai Zihan said. "How exactly am I
supposed to avoid soone I've never t?"
Xi Yu didn't fully turn back.
"You'll know," she replied simply. "When the ti cos."
Her eyes hardened slightly.
"And when that happens," she added, "I expect you to maintain your distance."
Bai Zihan stared at her back.
The warning made no sense.
Yet... it didn't sound empty.
Before he could say anything else- Crack!
Space itself fractured.
Right in front of Xi Yu, the air split open like shattered glass, revealing a dark,
twisting rift beyond.
A spatial rift!
Bai Estate was protected by layered formations-defensive arrays capable of suppressing teleportation and spatial tearing even from Immortal Ascension Realm.
To forcibly open a rift here...
(Earth Immortal? Or perhaps above...)
Xi Yu stepped forward without hesitation.
Her figure vanished into the rift.
Crack!
The rift sealed instantly, space returning to normal as if nothing had ever
happened.
Silence returned to the courtyard.
Only the faint scent of spirit tea lingered.
Bai Zihan remained seated, eyes fixed on the spot where she had disappeared.
"...Interesting," he muttered.
A Saintess of powerful backing.
An unexpected Heaven-Chosen in the Golden Immortal Realm.
Assassination attempt on him.
It seed Heaven had no intention of letting him rest.
Bai Zihan picked up the jade bottle, his fingers brushing against its warm
surface.
"It seems," he said softly, a faint smile forming, "that things are about to get
interesting."
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