The vast sky of the world was filled with white clouds. Below them lay the mortal realm. But high above that white expanse, in the deep blue of the upper sky, another scene existed.

It was a violent place. The chaotic energy here was unpredictable. Most of the time, it was dangerous. Sometimes, it was calm. But when the storms came, they were terrifying. Cultivators caught in its fury would be torn apart. Even a mountain would be turned to dust.

This was the Severing Tempest Layer.

Some Core Formation cultivators used this layer to travel. The air was thin. Low-realm cultivators did not exist here. It was a fast, empty road through the sky. But even they had to flee when the storms gathered. They never flew too deep into the thick layer. If a storm appeared suddenly, they would have to travel a long way to escape. If they failed, they would die. So they remained near the edges, always ready to retreat.

But there was another layer even higher than this one. It was a place free of any energy. There was no air. There were no storms. It was a silent, empty void. Cultivators used this realm to travel vast distances with incredible speed. But it was not accessible to just anyone. Only those who could withstand the full fury of the Severing Tempest Layer could reach this place. Only those who were truly respected and feared could travel here. One had to be a Nascent Soul cultivator to even enter this layer.

Its name was the Tranquil Void.

In this big, empty sky, a single carriage was flying very fast.

It was a beautiful carriage, made from a shiny, dark purple wood. Thin silver lines formed shapes of birds and lucky clouds on the wood. It was not a war machine. It was a carriage for a noble, a sign of great importance.

Inside, the carriage was quiet. A beautiful woman sat by herself, looking at a jade scroll in her lap. She wore a simple black robe. Her long black hair was held back with a jade pin. Her deep violet eyes moved over the old words on the scroll. More scrolls were on the table in front of her, stacked in a neat pile.

Another woman sat across from her. She was very pretty and had a sweet smile that was always on her face. Her every movement carried effortless grace, yet something in her calm gaze hinted at unspoken depth.

"What is wrong, Lady Zhu?" the smiling woman asked, her voice soft. "You are frowning."

The woman did not look up. "It is nothing."

"You were thinking hard," the other woman said softly. "I thought something serious was wrong."

The woman finally put the scroll down and looked up. "I was just looking at some old historical records," she said in a calm voice. "I was trying to find something useful.”

"Were you looking for anything specific?" the charming woman asked, her smile widening with curiosity.

Zhu Zhihao's gaze remained distant for a moment. "Fei Yan," she said, using the woman's familiar name, "in our line of business, it is important to always be looking. We must read about old records and books. One day, we might see such a treasure, and we must be able to recognize its value."

The woman, Fei Yan, nodded politely, not asking anything more. "Lady Zhu is right."

Zhu Zhihao gathered the scrolls from the table. She put them back into her storage ring with a single touch, making the table empty. "We are almost there," she said.

The flying carriage started to descend. It left the quiet, black sky of the Tranquil Void and entered the wild winds of the Severing Tempest. A bright, golden shield appeared around the carriage. The messy energy outside was loud. It sounded like a thousand angry animals. But inside the carriage, everything was perfectly still. They passed through the storm without being touched.

A few hours later, the purple carriage appeared in the sky over Liyun City.

Then, with a faint shimmer, it vanished. Zhu Zhihao had put it away. She stood in the air, her cultivation realm suppressed to the level of a mid-stage Foundation Building cultivator. Fei Yan did the same.

Fei Yan looked down at the city below. She saw the towering buildings, the grand pavilions, the wide, crowded streets. It was a prosperous city, the grandest in this small state. But to her, it lacked any real attraction.

She frowned, her voice filled with confusion. "Little Mei is living here?" she asked, very surprised. Why was Yue Mei sent to such a small place for so long? she thought.

Zhu Zhihao's face did not change. She just nodded. "Keep your power hidden," she ordered, her voice calm but strong. "We will meet her soon.”

She took out a small, white jade talisman. She held it for a moment as she channeled a brief stream of spiritual energy into it. The talisman glowed faintly, then dimmed. "Let us find a place to wait," she said.

They descended from the sky. They entered the city and walked through the bustling streets. They found a quiet teahouse with private rooms.

Meanwhile, in her secluded courtyard within the Su Manor, Yue Mei was deep in her own cultivation. The dual auras of red and gold swirled around her. Suddenly, she felt a small vibration. It was a familiar feeling. It came from her storage ring.

Her eyes opened, filled with surprise. She reached into her storage ring and took out a jade talisman with an expectant look. It was glowing with a soft, white light.

As she read the message in her mind, a bright, happy smile bloomed on her lips. She did not waste a moment. She immediately left her courtyard, her steps light and hurried like a graceful bird.

Sometime later, she arrived at the pavilion. An attendant, clearly given prior instructions, led her directly to the top floor. She slid open the door to the private room and stepped inside. Her eyes immediately found the two women at the table.

"Aunt Zhu! Aunt Yan!" she cried out, her voice filled with joy.

Yue Mei rushed forward. She threw her arms around Zhu Zhihao in a tight embrace, the kind of hug that spoke of long absence and deep longing.

Zhu Zhihao's stern expression softened. Something gentle flickered in her eyes as she raised a hand to stroke Yue Mei's hair. "Little Mei," she murmured. "Have you been well?"

"I have," the words came muffled against her aunt's shoulder.

When they finally pulled apart, Yue Mei turned to the other woman. Her smile remained warm and bright. "Aunt Fei Yan, it's so good to see you."

Fei Yan's expression lit up. "It's good to see you too, Little Mei." She looked her up and down with obvious delight. "Look at you! You've grown even more beautiful. This little city must be treating you well."

Yue Mei laughed softly. "I suppose so. I've been taking care of myself."

They settled at the table. Fei Yan poured fresh tea for Yue Mei while a comfortable warmth filled the room.

Zhu Zhihao studied her niece, her face growing serious once more. "Tell me about your time here. Has anyone given you trouble?"

Yue Mei shook her head. "No, Aunt Zhu. The Su family has been good to me." A brief pause. "No one has bothered me at all."

"What about your physique?" Zhu Zhihao's voice dropped. "Have you noticed any changes in these months?"

"Yes, there have been some changes." Yue Mei's brow furrowed slightly. "Actually, something happened recently. I wanted to ask your opinion."

Zhu Zhihao leaned in, her attention sharpening.

Yue Mei met her aunt's gaze directly. "When I cultivate deeply now, two distinct energies manifest around me. They circle each other in perfect balance." Her hands moved to illustrate. "One is the blood-red aura from my physique. The other is a brilliant golden light. I don't understand where it comes from or what it means."

Confusion rippled across Zhu Zhihao's composed features. "Two separate energies?" She went quiet, clearly turning the matter over in her mind. "I'll need to observe it directly before offering any conclusions."

Fei Yan's smile faded. Her eyes darted between Yue Mei and Zhu Zhihao, unease creeping into her expression. "Lady Zhu, forgive me, but what does Yue Mei's unique body have to do with this remote place?"

A knowing smile touched Yue Mei's lips. She glanced at her aunt. "Aunt Zhu," she said, her tone carrying gentle reproach, "you still haven't told her?"

Zhu Zhihao sighed. "Not yet." She regarded Fei Yan with something between fondness and exasperation. "I brought you along because you insisted on coming. You wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to Yue Mei."

Fei Yan's expression tightened. Worry settled over her features. "What haven't you told me?" Her gaze bounced between them.

Yue Mei lifted her teacup and took a slow sip before explaining everything—the divination ritual, the cryptic lead pointing to this backwater state, her chance meeting with Su Ting in the secret realm, and the inexplicable way her body resonated in his presence.

Fei Yan listened in silence. Her face shifted through confusion, shock, and finally a complicated understanding. When Yue Mei finished, Fei Yan simply stared into her tea.

"So," her voice emerged barely above a whisper, raw with hurt. "When you both left for some 'rare treasure hunt'… this was the real reason." She raised her eyes, the brightness gone from them. "Meanwhile, I stayed behind in the Xuantian Empire, handling everything, knowing nothing."

Guilt shadowed Yue Mei's face. "Sister Yan, I'm sorry. I didn't expect things to unfold this way." She hesitated. "We couldn't predict what we'd discover."

Fei Yan shook her head slowly. Her focus shifted entirely to Zhu Zhihao. "I'm not upset with you, Little Mei." Though quiet, her voice now carried unmistakable pain. "It's Lady Zhu. Months have passed, and she's said nothing to me." Her fingers curled tight in her lap.

"I've followed you from the very beginning, Lady Zhu." The faintest tremor entered Fei Yan's words. "Yet apparently, I still can't be trusted with the truth."