Even for Su Ting, it remained a mystery. How had his brother seen through her cultivation?

"Good," Su Jiao said with renewed energy in his eyes. "Since we're all free right now, how about we visit her? What do you guys think?"

"Hmm, I'll be busy later," Su Wei mused, tapping a finger on his cup. "So I agree with your thoughts." He then turned his gaze to Su Ting. "How about it? Can we meet her today?"

Su Ting knew this day would come. It was better to get it over with. He gave a calm nod. "Yes, that's fine. We can visit her."

"Excellent!" Su Jiao laughed, gulping down the last of his wine.

They talked more after that. The conversation became lighter. Su Ting and Su Wei began teasing Su Jiao relentlessly, pointing out that for a self-proclaimed "talisman genius," he seemed to lack the basic experience to avoid a simple beating.

After a long time, the wine gourds were finally empty. The sun had begun its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet as they left the Whispering Bamboo Pavilion.

Soon, they reached the Su Manor.

Su Ting guided his cousins through the pebbled paths and gardens, leading them toward Yue Mei's courtyard. He instructed a servant to announce their arrival.

Another servant then guided the three of them into Yue Mei's courtyard. It was a tranquil space. The faint sound of a distant waterfall could be heard. Under a plum tree, a stone table was already set with a fresh pot of fragrant tea. They sat down to wait.

Soon, Yue Mei emerged.

She moved with an ethereal grace that seemed at odds with the simple garden. Her red and black robes flowed around her, lending her a regal air, while her porcelain face and vivid red lips gave her an alluring charm.

"Miss Yue, these are my cousins," Su Ting said, standing to greet her. He gestured to the others. "They wished to meet you and offer their greetings."

She offered a polite, graceful bow. "Greetings to the young masters of the Su Clan.”

"Su Wei greets the esteemed guest, Miss Yue," he returned the bow. His gaze was sharp. ”Forgive our forwardness, Miss Yue. We have long been curious about the new guest who has become so close with Cousin Ting.”

Su Jiao, momentarily stunned by her beauty, quickly recovered. He puffed out his chest. "I am Su Jiao. It is a pleasure to finally meet the esteemed guest from the Xuantian Empire."

Yue Mei’s lips curved into a faint, serene smile. Her gaze was calm and clear. "The pleasure is all mine. Please, sit."

She sat with them. A servant came with fresh teapots; Yue Mei was still not experienced with tea-making despite her occasional visits to Bai Yunxi.

“Miss Yue, I heard you traveled here to see the place where your ancestors lived," Su Jiao began, leading the conversation. "How much of Jiang State have you seen?"

She took her cup, a small smile playing on her lips. "I have only been to the Cangwu and Qingyun regions. While I have visited many places within those areas, I have spent the last few months here, so I know Qingyun best.”

"Can you tell us where your ancestors lived?” Su Wei asked, his gaze fixed on her face.

"Young Master Wei, forgive me." She bowed her head slightly, her gaze lowered in a gesture of polite refusal. "I cannot speak of my ancestral place, nor anything related to them, at this time.”

"No, Miss Yue, it's fine," Su Wei said, shaking his head. "You don't have to apologize. I was simply curious.”

“Miss Yue, you have traveled more and grew up in the empire. You must have many unique stories, right? Can you share some of them? We are also curious about the wider world,” Su Jiao asked, his interest shifting. He truly wanted to hear tales about the Empire but feared she might refuse to speak of it.

“Yes, what does Young Master Jiao want to hear? I can tell you," she nodded, her calm smile returning.

Su Wei also leaned forward slightly. This was a topic from which he might gain important information.

“Miss Yue, how is the empire different from Jiang State? Can you share your own experiences?" Su Jiao asked. "Are there any big differences?”

“Hmm, there are many differences. It's not just the prosperity and the sheer size of the major cities, but the people themselves. Even the mortal customs are distinct. I have seen festivals here that do not exist there,” she said thoughtfully.

“Can you tell us about the history of the empire?” Su Wei asked, cutting to a more substantial topic.

“History?” She murmured with a slight nod. “I can. What does Young Master Wei wish to know?” Her polite smile remained, unfazed by his directness.

"Miss Yue, in Jiang State, we lack deep historical knowledge. Even major sects—whether it be the Qingyun Sect, the Blackreed Valley from the Cangwu region, or the Purple Duskriver Sect from the Yunmeng region—are only around fifteen hundred to seventeen hundred years old. A major clan like ours knows little beyond that time. I'm curious—how far back does the empire's history go?" Su Wei said.

She took a sip of tea and nodded. “In the empire, we can trace historical records back to around five thousand years. Before that, our records become vague because the previous imperial family was erased by the current one.”

“Five thousand years?” Su Wei's and Su Jiao's eyes widened at her words. Su Ting listened calmly, having already heard all of this. He was not surprised like them.

She added, “During the change of reign, a great deal of power struggles took place. Blood and fire swallowed the empire and its historical documents along with it. We have some fragmented information that goes beyond five thousand years, usually related to secret realms, famous techniques, or biographies of historical geniuses who shook their eras. But we lack complete, unbroken historical records.”

“The empire is truly prosperous for a reason," Su Jiao sighed, a note of awe in his voice. "With such a deep background, its accumulated power must be beyond our grasp.”

Su Wei was silent for a moment. Did something similar happen here as well? He took a sip of tea. He then put the cup down. “Miss Yue, perhaps you have any information or clue as to why Jiang State lacks its own historical records?”

She thought for a moment, then nodded. “I haven't read anything focused specifically on the borderland states, but I might have a clue.”

She placed her teacup on the table, her gaze meeting each of theirs in turn. This time, even Su Ting leaned in, listening quietly. “Young masters, have you ever thought about what makes your home a 'state' in the first place?” she asked, her simple question cutting through their calm demeanor.

The three of them frowned, contemplating her words. Su Jiao opened his mouth first. “Jiang State is a state because it's controlled by three major sects. Other states can't take it over, either because they lack the strength for a complete takeover, or because it's simply too hard to control it from far away.”

Yue Mei shook her head gently. “No. Jiang State is allowed to exist because it is barren.”

The blunt statement hung in the air. Su Jiao’s brows furrowed. "Barren?"

“Yes. It is not a true, unified state,” she clarified, her voice calm and instructive. "It is actually just a collection of three major regions. There is no single, united power here. The entire territory is loosely controlled by your three top sects and four major families. They are often more concerned with their own lands than the whole." She paused, letting the words sink in. "It is not strong enough or united enough to fight against a centralized state. The same goes for Wanguo State."

She then glanced in the direction of the setting sun. "As for the Tu State, you know it as well. It is impossible for them to cross the Myriad Beast Mountain Range, so your western borders are permanently secured."

Her gaze deepened. "As for Heng State…" She paused, lifting her teacup, taking a slow sip.

"The northern part of it is far more prosperous," she continued, setting her cup down with a soft click. "There are more large cities. There are countless cultivation caves and a much higher percentage of cultivators among the people."

She looked at them, her expression serious. "But as I came further south, the cities were less prosperous. Spiritual veins became more scarce. The southern part of Heng State is remarkably similar to the Jiang State. Be it culture, practices, or spiritual qi density, everything is the same.

Su Wei's eyes widened. A look of dawning horror crossed his face. If the culture is the same... then that means… His thoughts trailed off, but Yue Mei confirmed his unspoken thought.

"Yes." Her voice was soft, but the word landed like a hammer blow. “The truth is, the 'Jiang State' and the southern part of 'Heng State' were not two separate places. They are one and the same region, artificially divided on a map. Heng State already took as much as they could. The current Jiang State is a leftover from that—a resource-poor place, not worth the trouble of properly conquering or governing."

---

( Finally, my exams are over! There’s still one more at the end of the year, but until then, I hope I can write more consistently.

If you have any suggestions for the story, feel free to share them—I’d love to hear your thoughts. Since this novel was originally written for NovelBin’s audience, the beginning chapters are a bit fast-paced. 

I also know that some of the more recent chapters might feel a little slower or even boring to some readers.

All I can ask for now is your patience.)