A heavy silence descended upon the tranquil courtyard. Yue Mei’s words hung in the air, sharp and immutable. They shattered the cousins' lifelong perception of their home. Su Ting and Su Jiao’s expressions had shifted. Their curiosity had turned to stunned disbelief. Their eyes were wide, mouths slightly agape, as they tried to process the sheer scale of what she had just revealed.

It was Su Jiao who broke the silence.

His brow furrowed in confusion. A hint of denial colored his voice. "Miss Yue, how can you make such a claim? It can't be based only on the low spiritual resources in southern Heng. Even Wanguo State has a similar scarcity. There will always be cultural similarities between neighboring states because of their proximity. It’s normal, isn't it?" He was grasping for a simpler explanation, not wanting to believe it.

Yue Mei offered him a patient nod. "Young Master Jiao is correct. It is common to have cultural similarities between neighbors, and a lack of resources alone proves nothing." She paused, her gaze deep and knowing as she looked at him. "But... it is not just prosperity that marks the difference between the north and south of Heng State. The cultural differences between them are profound."

She set her teacup down. The soft click echoed in the stillness.

"Cultivators can travel far," she began, her voice calm and instructive. "They might follow some basic customs of the place they settle. Most live simply. Even those with mortal roots often end up abandoning mortal traditions. But a mortal's life is different."

Her voice remained level. It was steady. "A mortal lives where his ancestors lived. He cannot travel far, hence his experiences are limited. His traditions—the way he celebrates a birth, mourns the dead, even the songs his children sing—are passed down through generations, largely unaffected by the cultivation world. If there are no basic similarities between two groups of mortals living within one so-called 'state,' then it means they are, and always have been, two completely different peoples."

The implication was clear. This was not just a line on a map; it was a fundamental division of culture and history.

The three cousins were lost in their own thoughts. Each processed the revelation in his own way. For them, Heng State had always been just a more powerful neighbour. There were occasional skirmishes near the border clans and sects over resources, but never a real threat.

We are safe simply because we are not worth conquering.

 The thought echoed in Su Wei’s mind, leaving a bitter, humiliating taste.

"This is… this is big information," Su Jiao murmured. His usual boisterous energy was gone, replaced by a dawning sense of gravity. "It is enough… to cause panic among all the clans and sects."

“So, Miss Yue, you think Jiang State lacks historical records because it was destroyed in a war with Heng State?” Su Wei finally asked, his voice low and tight.

“Yes. Jade slips aren't easy to preserve in such situations. That war must have been catastrophic for this place, for it to erase historical records with cultivation inheritances, making it a poor place for cultivation.” She nodded, her expression unchanged.

A heavy silence fell once more.

Su Jiao, placing his tea on the table, leaned forward. "When did this conquest take place? Do you have any thoughts on this?"

"I have no exact information," she said, shaking her head. "But if your major sects are around sixteen hundred years old, then the conquest must have concluded at least two thousand years ago. It would have taken four or five hundred years after such a devastating war for the remaining sects to establish themselves and fill the power vacuum again."

Su Jiao nodded slowly. The timeline made a grim, undeniable sense.

Su Wei’s hands clasped on the table. His earlier coolness was gone, replaced by an intense, focused urgency. "Miss Yue, can you tell us more about Heng State? It doesn't matter if your knowledge is incomplete. Just tell us what you know after traveling there.”

“Yes,” she said with a small nod, collecting her thoughts. “Heng State has four major sects. Its top power is the Azure Mountain Sect. They possess two Nascent Soul cultivators, and the other three sects follow it to some extent. The Azure Mountain Sect is believed to be around three thousand years old, so we can conclude that Heng State has at least that many years of continuous history."

The number was staggering. Three thousand years. It settled in the trio's hearts with a blow.

"Their most prosperous city is Tianheng City," she continued. "I haven't been there myself, so I cannot speak of it in detail. It is located near the Azure Cloud Sword Pavilion's main headquarters. I know of three other major cities: Fenglu, Taigu, and Yunchuan. Each is under the jurisdiction of the other three sects. I have only personally been to Yunchuan City, which is under the jurisdiction of the Crimson Flame Sect, one of the subordinate sects and the one whose territory is nearest to your Jiang State borders.”

"And what was Yunchuan City like?" Su Wei pressed. "How was it different from Liyun?”

Yue Mei considered this for a moment. She shook her head. "In truth, I didn't spend too much time there, so I didn't notice any difference in culture or style. The only difference that I sensed was that I didn't see mortals in the city like here in Liyun or Qingyun City. The whole city was filled with cultivators.”

Su Ting let out a low laugh. “The gap in strength is truly greater than I thought. Here, even major cities have mortals in them, working several minor jobs to make a living for themselves, but there….” he trailed off with a sigh.

Even the nearest major city from our borders is this powerful, this thought settled in the hearts of the cousins, feeling uncomfortable in their hearts about this new information.

Yue Mei observed their expressions, seeing their enthusiasm low. She put the teacup down on the table. “You people shouldn't worry about it. Yunchuan City might have restrictions against mortals. I haven't seen mortals in any of their cultivation cities, and it's the norm. Usually, mortals aren't allowed in cultivation places. It's actually my first time seeing cultivators and mortals mingling in such a big city like Liyun City.”

“I don't know whether you are mocking us or trying to give us assurance," Su Ting said casually with a low laugh as he gazed into her eyes.

“No, I didn't mean to do it." She sighed and shook her head at him. “It's really different here. I have not seen cultivation clans taking care of mortals in their jurisdiction like your clan does. Cultivators don't go out of their way to save farmland from floods, bringing rain to help farmers, or actually eating with them.”

“Miss Yue, if we don’t act, millions will die every year. But if just one month of our help can save countless lives, isn’t that worth it?” Su Jiao said, his gaze focusing on her. “We’re doing all we can to help. It’s also because of this good karma that our family has risen steadily over the past hundred years—without any major disasters.”

He paused, then added, voice soft but firm, “...and it gives more meaning to our existence. If any other major family in the Jiang state disappeared, except for a few thousand people, no one would care about them, but in our case, tens of millions of people will pray for us, bless us. Our existence matters to millions of people out there, unlike other sects or clans,” Su Jiao finished, pride resonating in his tone.

Su Wei and Su Ting nodded with a smile on their faces. This was a matter of pride for them. Their clan rose from humble beginnings, after all.

Yue Mei looked at the three cousins, at the earnest pride shining in their eyes. She couldn't decide if their philosophy was simply noble or simply naive. It was an attachment to the mortal world that was unknown to her. She didn't want to hurt Su Ting's belief before, but now it was necessary. She took a slow sip of tea, collecting her thoughts before speaking.

"Your clan's perspective is... unique," she began, choosing her words with care. "Most cultivators strive to maintain as little karma as possible. They believe that having zero karmic debt or boon is best for one's cultivation path, especially when facing heavenly tribulations."

She set her cup down, her gaze sweeping over their expectant faces. "They do not actively help mortals on such a large scale. If a cultivator intervenes to save a village from a flood, it is usually because they happened to witness it and did not want such a tragedy to occur before their eyes. It is a momentary act, not a long-term policy."

Her tone grew colder, reflecting the harsh realities she had witnessed. "Some simply do not care at all. Their battles or their mere presence can bring catastrophic consequences to mortals. They see it as beneath their notice. To them, mortal lives are as fleeting as summer flies, their suffering insignificant in the grand pursuit of the Dao."

She paused, letting the weight of that cold philosophy settle on the table. "To actively cultivate good karma by managing mortal affairs on such a scale... that is a path few would dare to walk. It ties millions of fragile lives and their fortune and misfortune to your clan."