The air over the Jin Family watchkeep shifted before the ark was even visible.
A massive profound vessel bearing the crest of the Qiang Royal Family descended from the sky with controlled precision. Its hull shimmered with reinforced runic plating—war-grade, but dormant. No offensive arrays were active. No hostile aura flared.
It was a diplomatic arrival.
The war at the Northern Mountain Basin had ended in decisive loss for Qiang State. Their footing weakened. Their pride wounded. Yet instead of escalating prematurely, they had chosen negotiation.
That alone made today dangerous.
Within the main hall of the watchkeep, Jin Zhuo stood at the forefront, composed and unreadable. Behind and beside him stood Mulan, Jin Yuelian, Yun Che and his companions. Tian Xi and Yao Yao observed quietly, absorbing every nuance. Xue Yin remained poised, her expression calm but attentive.
The doors opened.
The delegation entered.
And murmurs rippled through the hall.
At the center walked a veiled woman with flowing black hair and the posture of restrained grace. Her build was slender. Refined. Her movements carried cultivated elegance rather than brute strength.
This was not the Princess Aluna described in intelligence reports.
The reports spoke of a towering, muscular royal heir—broad-shouldered, formidable, almost masculine in build. A warrior-princess whose presence alone intimidated generals. Some accounts had mockingly described her as "a man with breasts."
The woman standing before them was the opposite.
Delicate.
Beautiful.
Like a midnight flower under moonlight.
Suspicion immediately coiled through the room.
A substitute? A decoy? A political double?
The veiled princess stepped forward.
Then she bowed—not to Jin Zhuo.
Not to Yun Che.
Not to the assembled Thrones.
She bowed to Xue Yin.
"Master," she said softly, voice lowered, almost shy. "It has been a while."
The hall froze.
Even her voice was different.
Gone was the rumored deep, brash tone. The words that reached them were gentle, restrained—almost timid.
Xue Yin's composure cracked for the first time.
Her eyes widened.
"Are you really my Aluna?" she asked slowly.
There was no hostility in her tone—only disbelief.
Years ago, Xue Yin had taken in a disciple during her travels through Qiang State. That disciple had been fierce, stubborn, physically imposing, and utterly unrefined. A tomboyish royal who trained until her muscles split and laughed at etiquette lessons.
The woman before her did not resemble that memory.
The veiled princess lifted her hands.
With measured grace, she removed the veil.
Her features were indeed Aluna's—the bone structure, the eyes, the faint scar near her left brow from an early sparring accident.
But her body had changed. The overt musculature was gone, replaced by balanced, harmonious cultivation refinement. The aggressive posture had softened into disciplined poise.
Her gaze trembled slightly.
"It is me, Master," she said quietly. "After you left… many things happened."
The Qiang delegation remained silent. Even Jin Zhuo did not interrupt.
This was no mere political visit.
This was personal history colliding with present power.
The Princess of Qiang State—once a rough, battle-hardened heir—now stood transformed. Whether by advanced body refinement techniques, royal cultivation arts, political necessity, or deliberate concealment, she had reshaped herself entirely.
But the way she bowed—
The way she addressed Xue Yin—
That could not be faked.
The hall remained silent as Princess Aluna stood before her former master.
"Yes," she said softly. "I changed after I was healed from smallpox. The illness nearly took my life. When I recovered… I realized I had been living like a blunt weapon. I reshaped myself. My body. My bearing. My attitude. Becoming a true woman was not easy."
There was no vanity in her words. Only discipline.
Smallpox had ravaged Qiang State in recent years—crippling nobles and commoners alike. That she survived was fortune. That she used that survival as a catalyst for transformation spoke of deliberate will.
Xue Yin studied her carefully. The muscular bulk of her youth was gone, replaced with balanced cultivation symmetry. The brash tomboyish aura had condensed into controlled elegance.
"I see," Xue Yin said quietly. "I am sorry about your father."
A flicker passed through Aluna's eyes—complicated, but not grieving.
"He had it coming," she replied without hesitation. "I advised him not to wage war. I told him the Northern Mountain Basin was not worth provoking the Jin Family and their allies. But he was adamant."
Her voice hardened slightly.
"My elder brother is bedridden from smallpox complications. My third brother was assassinated by the Wu Clan. We were already weakened."
A subtle ripple moved through the hall at the mention of the Wu Clan.
"Your father claimed it was the Jin Family," Xue Yin said evenly.
Aluna gave a faint, bitter smile.
"He knew it wasn't. But he accused them anyway. He needed justification. More accurately… he wanted one."
The implication was clear.
The late Qiang King had sought conflict under the guise of vengeance.
"We lost him," Aluna continued. "And more than two thousand soldiers in that campaign. The survivors deserted and fled home."
She paused—not in shame, but in calculation.
"I did not execute them."
Several Qiang officials behind her stiffened slightly, but said nothing.
"We cannot afford to waste men to pride," she said calmly. "They were not cowards. They were outmatched and misled. After my father's stunt, Qiang State cannot survive further depletion."
Xue Yin's gaze sharpened.
"So you took the throne."
"Yes."
There was no ceremony in the admission.
"I am the only one capable of ruling effectively at this point. With my father dead and my brothers incapacitated or gone, I assumed authority."
Her tone did not seek validation.
It stated fact.
"With my father gone, I can finally help Qiang State properly. He imposed absurd taxation to fund expansion and vanity wars. I secretly redirected resources to the people whenever I could. Now I do so openly."
The transformation before them was not merely physical.
It was political maturity.
Jin Zhuo observed quietly. This was no puppet envoy. This was a ruler consolidating power after internal collapse.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly.
The timing was deliberate.
With the Wu Clan mobilizing half-hollows from the Wangya Islands, Qiang State could not afford to remain isolated. And if Aluna's brother had indeed been assassinated by the Wu Clan, then their enmity was not fabricated.
The hall's tension shifted.
This was no simple peace talk.
It was the opening move of a potential alliance.
Aluna lowered her gaze once more toward Xue Yin—disciple before master—then turned toward Jin Zhuo with the composure of a sovereign.
"Jin Family Patriarch," Aluna said evenly, "please spare Qiang State. What my father did was unforgivable. I wish to apologize. I am prepared to shoulder the responsibility."
The words were precise—measured humility, not emotional collapse.
Jin Zhuo answered without delay.
"The sins of the father should not be borne by the daughter. We owe you an acknowledgment as well—for his death."
Aluna's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Was his death swift?"
"He was swallowed by the avalanche alongside his men," Jin Zhuo replied. "There was no execution. No pursuit."
A quiet stillness followed.
"So he did not die by anyone's hand," Aluna said at last. "Nature claimed him."
"I hope this does not cloud your judgment toward us," Jin Zhuo added.
"My father chose invasion," Aluna said calmly. "He struck first. You defended your province. That is not injustice."
Her voice did not tremble.
"I will not pretend we shared a harmonious bond. He favored my elder brother. I was… the inconvenient heir."
A faint pause.
"I would be lying if I claimed his death shattered me. It affected me the least among his children."
There was no cruelty in her tone—only honesty stripped of ornament.
"Yet he was still my father," she added quietly. "For that, I pray the heavens grant him forgiveness."
The admission carried weight precisely because it was not theatrical grief. It was the acknowledgment of blood, duty, and distance—existing simultaneously.
In the hall, even those who had lost kin to the failed invasion understood the distinction.
Aluna did not excuse him.
She did not condemn him.
She simply accepted the consequences of his choices—and stepped forward to govern beyond them.
She inclined her head slightly.
"All I ask is that Qiang State be spared."
"We have no reason to invade your lands," Jin Zhuo said. "Consider this mutual closure."
A murmur rippled through the Qiang delegation—relief, cautious but genuine.
Aluna, however, did not soften.
"No apology is required," she said. "He understood the risks of underestimating Jin Province."
Then her tone sharpened—returning to ruler rather than daughter.
"But there must be terms. Nothing in politics is freely granted. Especially the sparing of a state."
The negotiation, once emotional, returned to structure.
And that was exactly where it needed to be.
A faint smile touched someone else's lips.
"Perhaps," a clear voice interjected.
It was not Jin Zhuo.
It was Cang Yue.
She stepped forward and removed her veiled hat. The hall seemed to sharpen as her identity became unmistakable.
Aluna's eyes widened.
"Wait… aren't you—" She dropped into a formal bow. "The Blue Moon Imperial Princess… Princess Cang Yue of the Blue Wind Empire?"
Cang Yue moved quickly, lifting her before the bow could fully settle.
"Please… get up," she said gently. "Just Cang Yue. I would prefer not to be greeted like that here."
Aluna rose, but her posture remained respectful.
Cang Yue's expression shifted—no longer informal companion, but royal strategist.
"Let us speak plainly," she continued. "We propose an alliance—between Qiang State and Jin Province."
"Alliance?" Aluna echoed.
"Yes."
Cang Yue's tone became measured, precise.
"Qiang State was independent under King Alugang. With his death, your geopolitical buffer collapses. The neighboring Dragon Empire will not ignore a weakened border state. Nor will the Wu Clan cease destabilization efforts."
She did not need to elaborate further.
"Under the banner of the Blue Wind Empire, Qiang State would retain internal governance. However, you would receive imperial recognition and military backing. In effect, we would move one step closer toward forming a new regional state aligned with Blue Wind interests."
This was not annexation.
It was structured incorporation.
"Standard taxation would apply," Cang Yue continued. "Calibrated according to your economic capacity. In exchange, Qiang State receives military reinforcement, reconstruction aid, trade access, and formal imperial protection."
Silence filled the hall.
Jin Zhuo observed without interruption. This was imperial-level negotiation.
Aluna's mind worked rapidly. Qiang State's treasury had been gutted by her father's campaigns. Over-taxation had hollowed the countryside. Infrastructure was decaying. And now, with the Wu Clan destabilizing coastal regions and the Dragon Empire looming opportunistically, isolation was untenable.
"Our state is on the verge of poverty because of my father's rule," Aluna admitted plainly. "If the Imperial Princess guarantees support in times of crisis—military and economic—Qiang State will agree to your terms."
It was not surrender.
It was survival calculus.
Cang Yue's gaze did not waver.
"You would not be alone," she said. "But alliance requires mutual defense. When the Wu Clan moves—and they will—you will stand with us."
Her voice sharpened slightly.
"I assume you also seek retribution for how they hollowed your nation from within. Once Jin Province falls, Qiang State will be second. And even if we repel the Wu Clan, the Dragon Empire will not ignore a weakened throne."
It was not a threat.
It was geopolitical inevitability.
Aluna did not hesitate.
"My third brother was assassinated by the Wu Clan. Their infiltration into our court is confirmed. Qiang State will not remain neutral."
Her tone was steady—queen, not disciple.
"If you keep your word in aiding us, we agree to enter under the banner of the Blue Wind Empire. We will accept structured taxation and military alignment—so long as we are not treated unjustly."
A clean condition.
Respect for sovereignty in exchange for loyalty.
Cang Yue inclined her head.
"The Blue Wind Empire does not devour its allies," Cang Yue said calmly. "We stabilize them."
Then her tone softened. She raised her hand slightly toward Aluna.
"Consider us friends, Princess Aluna."
Aluna met Cang Yue's eyes and held them there—not as a disciple, not as a supplicant, but as a ruler weighing survival against pride.
Qiang State was weakened. Its treasury strained, its borders exposed, its armies thinned. The offer before her was not charity—it was structured protection in exchange for alignment. Her advisors had already urged acceptance. Logic left little room for hesitation.
As long as her people were not exploited… as long as sovereignty was respected… this was the lifeline they needed to rebuild.
She exhaled softly and shakes Cang Yue's hands. "Likewise."
Her eyes then shifted to Xue Yin.
"Master… I can sense it. You are fully healed."
Xue Yin inclined her head. "Yes. I stepped down as the Fairy of the Northern Mountain. I finally found my beloved sister."
Aluna's attention moved to Xue Ling, standing quietly beside her.
"This… she looks just like you."
"Only younger," Xue Yin replied evenly.
She did not elaborate.
She did not explain that Enchantress Bodies were traditionally bound to twin sisters of identical bloodline resonance. Nor that rare deviations existed—cases where age gaps did not prevent compatibility. The parasite had frozen her physical maturation for years. Now restored, her body age aligned perfectly with Xue Ling's.
The synchronization was no longer theoretical.
It was imminent.
"She now serves as Princess Cang Yue's Imperial Protector," Xue Yin continued. "And I will serve as her protector as well."
Across the hall, Mulan exhaled quietly.
Cang Yue had quietly assembled a terrifying concentration of power.
Mulan herself—an Eight Level Throne.
Xue Ling—a Sixth Level Throne.
Lin Yueru—currently at First Level Heaven Profound Master, but in one month, after Yun Che's pill, she would ascend to Throne as well.
Now Xue Yin—a Sixth Level Monarch master.
The Imperial Princess of the Blue Wind Empire was beginning to look less like a diplomatic figure and more like a mobile fortress.
Mulan's gaze shifted toward Yun Che.
He was seated at ease, sipping tea with Unohana Retsu, Mio, Nemu, Xia Qingyue, Chu Yuechan, and Chu Yueli. Kon and Nezuko lingered nearby. The atmosphere around them was relaxed—almost domestic.
Yet each of them was a strategic anomaly.
A family of monsters, she thought dryly.
Aluna looked back at Xue Yin, still absorbing the cascade of revelations.
"You became an Imperial Protector?" she asked carefully.
The implication was immediate and sobering.
If her master now stood as Cang Yue's protector, then any future thought of political maneuvering against the Blue Wind princess was no longer merely unwise—it was suicidal. A Monarch-level master backing the imperial line was not something a recovering state like Qiang could ever afford to provoke.
"Naturally," Xue Yin replied with calm certainty. "I follow my sister. And I will protect the girl she has protected for years."
Her gaze softened briefly toward Xue Ling.
"Her family sheltered my Ling'er when I could not. I owe them that debt." Then her expression shifted. "Perhaps I should pay this Heavenly Sword Villa a visit."
The final sentence was delivered lightly. She was kind of offended when she heard for her sister how the villa treated her Ling'er.
It was not light.
The temperature in the hall dipped almost imperceptibly.
Aluna, though unfamiliar with the full history, sensed the edge beneath the tone. A Monarch speaking casually about "visiting" a sect rarely meant tea and pleasantries.
"Sis," Xue Ling cut in quickly, rubbing her temple. "We've discussed this. The villa is finished. Yue'er handled it."
She gestured toward Cang Yue. "If you saw it yourself, even you would be impressed."
Cang Yue offered a faint, composed smile.
"It was resolved cleanly. Sort of...." she said while eyeing to the side sheepishly. "There is no need for further intervention."
Which was diplomatic phrasing for: there is nothing left to destroy.
Xue Yin held their gazes a moment longer before the sharpness in her eyes gradually softened.
"Very well," she said at last.
Part of her restraint was deliberate.
She owed Cang Yue—and her late mother—more than political loyalty. When Xue Yin had been absent, it was the imperial household that took in Xue Ling when she was sent away by the Heavenly Sword Villa for insubordination. It was they who tempered her sister's rage, who guided her away from resentment and bitterness. The composed, gentle woman standing beside her now was not forged by solitude—but by careful guidance.
If Ling'er had remained consumed by anger, reconciliation might have been impossible—even with a thousand apologies.
For that alone, Xue Yin would stand guard for Cang Yue. Protecting her alongside her sister to repay her and her late mother.
Cang Yue, unaware she was standing on sacred emotional ground, added lightly, "Plus, Aunt Xue Yin is a Monarch. There is no scenario where I allow that opportunity to slip away."
The word left her lips.
And immediately felt like a mistake.
Xue Yin's smile sharpened.
"Aunt?" she repeated softly.
The air shifted—not violently, but with unmistakable pressure. The kind that reminded everyone present that a Monarch's temperament mattered.
"You mean big sister?"
Her expression was pleasant.
Her eyes were not.
Even Xue Ling sighed quietly. This was new. The old Xue Yin had been restrained, distant, almost ascetic. Freed from the parasite and reunited with her sister, she was far more expressive.
And apparently very protective of her youth. In other words, sensitive about her age.
Cang Yue straightened without missing a beat.
"Yes… big sister," she corrected smoothly.
A subtle mental nudge from Xue Ling confirmed the wisdom of that adjustment.
"Awww… Yue'er," Xue Yin cooed, immediately pleased. "Am I truly that young?"
She reached out and patted Cang Yue's head with open satisfaction.
Cang Yue allowed it.
Strategically speaking, correcting a Monarch-level Enchantress who had just pledged absolute protection was poor governance.
Aluna observed the exchange with a faint, knowing smile.
"Ooof," Yun Che muttered as he approached, drying his hands with a cloth. "Someone's sensitive about her age."
Xue Yin's smile did not change.
The pressure in the room did.
Yun Che wisely pivoted.
He turned toward Aluna instead. "The Jin Family has the necessary supplies to stabilize your state—grain reserves, medical stock, infrastructure materials. Once the alliance is formalized, you may submit a requisition list and transport what you need back to Qiang."
Aluna studied him.
"You are…?"
Cang Yue answered smoothly, "My fiancé, Yun Che. The man with the means to help your state."
Aluna's eyes widened slightly.
"Wait… you're Mu Che?"
Yun Che blinked. "Uh… do we know each other?"
"You healed me of smallpox," Aluna said steadily. "And you relieved my master's suffering. You truly don't remember?"
Xue Yin exhaled softly. "He lost his memories. I told him we had met."
Yun Che tilted his head, thinking. Looks like Mu Che really had a history with the Qiang State after all. He helped the King Alugang alongside his daughter. Yun Che really hoped that he didn't have any history with her.
"I did lose some memories," he admitted. "But if that treatment turned you into the ruler standing here today… then I'd call it a successful intervention."
Aluna nodded once.
"It saved my life," she said simply. "Made it a reason for me to change myself."
A brief silence followed before she returned to the matter at hand.
"Is it true? You can help our state… despite what my father did?"
Yun Che's answer was immediate.
"Like Jin Zhuo said—your father's sins are not yours. I'm not helping him. I'm helping you."
That distinction mattered.
Aluna lowered her head slightly. "We are grateful. Truly. But alliances are never without cost."
She lifted her gaze again.
"What is the price?"
Yun Che's expression turned thoughtful rather than predatory.
"If this alliance is to endure, it must be long-lasting. Something that binds Qiang State and Jin Province beyond paper."
Aluna did not flinch.
"Are you proposing a marriage?"
The hall grew attentive.
Yun Che shrugged lightly. "It's an option. But not a coercive one."
He met her eyes directly.
"If you are unwilling, no one here will force you into a marriage you do not choose. The alliance and support stand regardless. You may court him. If it aligns with your will, proceed. If not, we maintain the alliance without it."
No pressure.
No trap.
Strategic flexibility.
Aluna studied Yun Che without embarrassment. "If I were to agree… whom would I be courting?"
Yun Che's lips curved slightly. He turned his head. "May I introduce my brother-in-law—Jin Mucong."
All eyes shifted.
"A distinguished bachelor," Yun Che continued smoothly. "Currently unmarried. His physique may suggest… artistic dedication rather than martial rigor—but I'm confident you could reform him."
"Eh?! Why me?!" Jin Mucong nearly choked.
Before he could retreat, his mother struck the back of his head with practiced precision.
"Shut up and be useful for once," she hissed. "You're being offered a chance to court the Princess of Qiang State."
"But Mother—"
"No 'buts.' If this marriage stops you from writing those filthy manuscripts, then it is Heaven's will."
Yun Che folded his arms. "As you can see, he currently makes a living writing… questionable literature. Marriage may redirect his creative energy."
Mucong looked personally betrayed.
"That's my talent!"
"Then evolve," Yun Che replied dryly. "Write something useful."
"I'm only good at writing those!"
"Then stop being only good at that."
The hall struggled not to react.
Aluna, however, remained composed. She turned back to Yun Che.
"…Why can I not marry you instead?"
The sentence landed cleanly.
"You are capable. You saved my life. You stabilized my master. I would gladly offer myself."
The temperature shifted.
Yun Che felt an unmistakable chill crawl down his spine.
He did not need to look to know that multiple gazes had locked onto him.
Unohana Retsu's calm smile.
Xia Qingyue's quiet stare.
Chu Yuechan's stillness.
Mio's faint amusement.
Even Xue Yin was watching him carefully.
This was not a battlefield he wished to misstep on.
"Ah… no," Yun Che said immediately, hands raised in surrender. "I must decline. I'm already married—to his sister."
He gestured toward Jin Mulan.
"And to that little missy over there." He gestured towards the veiled Xia Qingyue.
Another subtle glance—carefully distributed to avoid immediate death.
"I'm not collecting alliances through matrimony."
Silence lingered for half a breath.
Then the pressure eased.
Aluna studied him again—not offended.
Merely reassessing.
"I see," she said calmly.
Which was a far more dangerous response than disappointment.
Across the hall, Jin Mucong whispered under his breath,
"…Why does my life feel like it's being negotiated without my consent?"
His mother struck him again.
"Stand up straight. You're about to court a princess."
"Aren't you engaged to Princess Cang Yue?" Aluna asked carefully, still recalibrating.
"Yup," Yun Che replied easily. "And several others."
Aluna's gaze shifted past him. There were indeed several veiled women standing not far behind—each composed, each powerful, each unmistakably connected to him.
Understanding dawned.
"A polygamous arrangement…" she exhaled. Then she shook her head once. "I am not willing. If I marry, I prefer a husband who has only me as his wife."
There was no judgment in her tone. Only clarity.
Yun Che nodded without offense. "Fair."
Then he pointed again toward Jin Mucong, who was attempting to shrink into architectural insignificance.
"To be honest, I'd rather you reform this one."
Mucong froze.
"He writes smut for a living," Yun Che continued bluntly. "My in-laws are not thrilled about having a provincial heir known for… explicit fiction. Especially not when they govern Jin Province."
Jin Yuelian pressed her fingers to her temple. Jin Zhuo nodded once, grim.
"I can give him better material," Yun Che added. "Stories with substance. War chronicles. Political drama. Historical epics. Fictional heroes. If he succeeds, his earnings can support Qiang reconstruction. That benefits you directly."
Aluna opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Yun Che wasn't finished.
"He can barely speak to women without malfunctioning. He's not a womanizer. In fact, you'd likely intimidate him into obedience. You can supervise him personally."
Mucong protested weakly, "I'm still here…"
"Plus," Yun Che added helpfully, "he apparently enjoys being beaten."
"That is correct," Jin Yuelian sighed. "We can't discipline him anymore. He finds it encouraging. It has become… uncomfortable."
Jin Zhuo nodded solemnly.
Aluna stared.
Her court advisors stared.
The hall itself seemed to pause in disbelief.
This was the proposed political marriage candidate.
A smut-writing heir who enjoyed corporal punishment.
Aluna took a slow breath.
"I…"
Her mind was clearly attempting to reorganize reality.
Yun Che shrugged lightly.
"It depends on you. Court him. If you cannot develop genuine affection, then we proceed with alliance only. No coercion. No obligation."
He met her eyes directly.
Aluna looked at Yun Che with narrowed eyes.
"Why are you so keen on marrying him to me?"
Yun Che answered without hesitation.
"Because I'm trying to make him your problem."
The hall went silent.
"He's made more than a few women uncomfortable with his… literary direction," Yun Che continued calmly. "You can discipline him on behalf of society."
Jin Mucong looked betrayed. "That's not how negotiations are supposed to work—"
"As for you," Yun Che cut in, turning to him, "I'll give you outlines for an actual hero epic. War, sacrifice, statecraft. You will not turn it into smut. If you do, I'll personally educate you on what 'real pain' feels like."
"Yes, sir!" Mucong straightened instantly.
Aluna watched the exchange with increasing disbelief.
Yun Che turned back to her, tone now measured.
"He'll listen if you treat him properly. He's not malicious. Just… misdirected. Guide him well and he'll be loyal. You can rule Qiang State and still shape him into the husband you prefer."
Mulan folded her arms, amused. "Look at you. Coaching her on husband training."
Yun Che shrugged. "Most men are born with excessive ego. This one isn't. That's rare. If you treat him right, he'll treat you right. Even if he's an oddball."
He gestured lightly around the hall.
"And you gain the Jin Family as in-laws. Princess Cang Yue as a formal ally. Us as strategic backing. For a recovering state, that's structural security."
It was blunt—but accurate.
Aluna exhaled slowly.
This was not the dignified political arrangement she had envisioned in childhood.
But childhood had ended with smallpox, assassination, and war.
"Sigh…" she said at last. "I will take what I can secure."
She turned to Jin Mucong.
"As agreed—I will court him."
Mucong blinked.
His mother clasped her hands in triumph.
Across the hall, Yun Che lifted his tea calmly.
Another alliance secured.
Though whether Mucong had just been saved—or sacrificed—remained debatable.
"Father will be thrilled." Cang Yue spoke.
As Jin Mucong stood there questioning whether fate had elevated or condemned him, Yun Che turned back to Aluna.
"May I ask something?"
"What is it?" she replied evenly.
"Xue Yin once described you as… boyish. Huge. Rough. Muscular. No offense, but I imagined someone who looked like a man with breasts."
A few people coughed.
Aluna did not react defensively.
"None taken," she said calmly. "I was like that once."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Xue Yin.
"Master trained me to infuse profound energy directly into my skeletal structure and reabsorb it in cycles. It compressed my frame. Refined it. My body shrank. My voice changed. The men who once avoided me now… do not."
She stated it as a fact, not vanity.
"It helped more than appearance. It disciplined my temperament. I used to think like my father—force first, pride first. After the illness and the training, I learned restraint. Now I only wish for Qiang State to flourish. That is the throne I intend to hold."
Cang Yue's expression remained composed. "I hope you do not revert to your father's path."
"I have no reason to," Aluna answered without pause. "We are impoverished. Even five thousand soldiers cannot withstand six Emperor Profound experts without catastrophic loss. If unity ensures survival, then I will choose unity. My only goal is my people's prosperity."
Cang Yue nodded once.
"Then we have an agreement. Qiang State will formally enter under the banner of the Blue Wind Empire. From this day forward, you are protected by the Imperial Family."
Aluna bowed her head slightly. "I thank you, Princess."
"You and your advisors may submit a requisition list," Cang Yue continued. "Raw materials. Construction resources. Grain. Medical stock. We will prepare spatial rings for transport."
Aluna blinked. "Anything we require?"
"Within reason," Yun Che added. "We can supply food, foundational materials, irrigation tools, even architectural blueprints. Once your economy stabilizes, my father-in-law can formalize trade routes between Qiang State and Jin Province."
Jin Zhuo inclined his head. "However, we cannot spare manpower. Jin Province faces its own military strain."
Xue Yin interjected smoothly, "Then send your young men and women to join the Lunar Blossom Sect. You need cultivators. We need disciples. It is mutually beneficial."
Aluna absorbed the scale of what was being offered.
"But… why grant us so much?" she asked quietly. "We attempted to attack you."
Cang Yue answered directly.
"That was your father. Not you." She stepped forward slightly. "You did not wage war for personal ambition. You are prepared to bear consequences for your people. That alone earns respect."
Her voice steadied.
"And the alliance between Jin Province and Qiang State will not remain symbolic. In time, it will help shape a new regional structure. My father will welcome that."
Aluna held her gaze.
For the first time since arriving, the weight on her shoulders seemed marginally lighter.
Outside, war loomed.
Inside, foundations were being rebuilt—not from conquest, but from deliberate cooperation.
And for Qiang State, survival had just shifted from uncertainty… to possibility.
"Then… this war you mentioned," Aluna asked, her tone tightening, "when does it begin?"
Yun Che did not dramatize his answer.
"According to the bug we planted in Wangya Island, three days. The Wu Clan is mobilizing fully. That is the primary reason we came to Jin Province."
The hall grew still.
"They intend to destabilize Jin Province first," he continued. "Once chaos spreads, they will open a corridor toward the Blue Wind Empire. If your father had succeeded in his campaign, the Wu Clan would have used the disorder to eliminate your five thousand troops and leave Qiang State defenseless."
Aluna's jaw tightened.
So that was the deeper layer.
Her father had not merely miscalculated—he had nearly been maneuvered into serving as a pawn.
Yun Che went on calmly.
"We've already restored authority of the province back to the Jin Family. Xuanwu City has been reorganized. The Cang Outer Family, the Zhu Family, and their affiliated opportunists have been removed."
Structural cleansing.
Power consolidation.
Aluna stepped forward. "Then allow me to reorganize my forces and reinforce Jin Province."
"No," Yun Che replied immediately.
Her brows drew together. "But you said ten thousand."
"Probably more."
A few Qiang advisors shifted uneasily.
"Then how do you intend to withstand that scale?" she pressed.
Yun Che's expression did not change. "We have our methods."
He nodded lightly toward his companions.
"You are welcome to remain and observe how ten thousand half-white beast are dismantled."
There was no arrogance in his voice.
Only certainty.
"The Wu Clan's elite detachments have already suffered losses. My little missy there," he gestured casually toward Xia Qingyue, "and her master removed several high-ranking disciples. The Hutu Monks were eliminated by one of my comrades. Their command structure is fracturing. They're losing control of both Jin Province and your state. Not to mention several high ranking elders."
Aluna's mind recalculated rapidly.
This was not defensive desperation.
This was strategic dismantling.
Yun Che finished evenly:
"I intend for no human lives to be lost once the siege begun. Not soldiers. Not civilians."
A faint pause.
"Except the Wu Clan."
The declaration was not loud.
But it carried the weight of a verdict already decided.
"How do you plan to do that, Che'er?" Cang Yue asked quietly.
Yun Che's answer came with a faint smile.
"Let's just say… Nemu's drones and the VTOL ark are not the only tools we've prepared."
Every gaze in the hall shifted toward him.
So far, every campaign had unfolded exactly as he predicted—two, sometimes three moves ahead of the Wu Clan. Supply lines severed before deployment. Elite units eliminated before coordination. Internal collaborators exposed before they could act.
But ten thousand half-hollows?
That was not a skirmish force. That was a siege wave.
Aluna did not know what a "drone" was. She had never seen one. But she had seen her master bow to this man's medical skill. She had seen the political consolidation around him. She swallowed quietly.
A man who spoke of dismantling ten thousand enemies without hesitation was not someone to provoke lightly.
"Did you create new weapons?" Jin Zhuo asked.
"Kind of," Yun Che replied. "But it's not just equipment. These girls haven't gone all out yet."
His gaze shifted subtly toward his companions.
Jin Zhuo understood that implication.
He had personally witnessed Cang Yue's power—one sword arc splitting formation ranks, a spiraling blade storm erasing a hundred men in seconds. That was controlled output.
He had heard the reports.
Chu Yueli and Xia Qingyue had held off waves of the Wu Clan Shadow Legion. They had defended the Lunar Blossom Sect Grand Ark against coordinated assaults—alone.
And that was before factoring in Unohana Retsu or Mio. Both girls barely participate during Zhu Family's siege. Or the others who had yet to fully reveal themselves.
Ten thousand half-hollows were terrifying on paper.
But Jin Zhuo was beginning to suspect something more unsettling:
The Wu Clan was walking into a battlefield designed specifically for them.
Yun Che spoke once more, voice steady.
"They expect brute force to overwhelm the coast." He set his teacup down. "I intend to let them land."
The room went silent.
"And then?" Aluna asked.
"And then," he said calmly, "we erase them in a single operation."
There was no bravado.
Only execution already mapped in his mind.
"So don't worry," Yun Che said evenly. "Leave the siege to us. I'm fairly confident in my girls."
The words were simple.
The reaction was not.
"Ehee…" Cang Yue smiled faintly to herself.
Unohana Retsu's lips curved in quiet satisfaction. Mio and Nemu exchanged smug glances. They liked it when he said that—when he didn't posture as a lone hero, but trusted them openly.
Little Fairy exhaled, pretending indifference.
Her rascal was still her rascal.
Chu Yueli sighs but, her heart felt oddly happy for a moment.
Xia Qingyue's gaze lingered on him from beneath her veil. The faintest smile touched her lips—so slight it would be missed by anyone not looking carefully or noticed anything behind her veiled hat. He could shoulder everything himself. He had the means, the mind, the contingency plans.
Yet he still chose to rely on them.
He had entrusted her, Chu Yuechan, and Cang Yue with his real name, his campaigns, his frontlines. This—this was how one entered his circle. Not by force. By shared burden.
She wondered, briefly, if she could continue walking beside him when they eventually returned to the Imperial City.
Mulan sighed quietly.
She preferred this Yun Che—the decisive one, confident without arrogance. Perhaps one day she would stop seeing Mu Che when she looked at him… and fully accept Yun Che.
Jin Zhuo and Jin Yuelian exchanged a glance.
They disliked the idea of relying on him again.
Yet every time he stood like this—calm before catastrophe—they were reminded that even without his memories, his instinct remained the same.
Protect.
Aluna stepped forward slightly.
"I will remain clear of the battlefield," she said. "But I will bring my men to reinforce the Jin Family's perimeter. If something unexpected occurs, we will not stand idle."
It was not interference.
It was solidarity.
Xue Yin inclined her head. "Thank you, Aluna."
"Well, that settles the framework," Jin Zhuo said. "Prepare a detailed list of the materials you require. We will assemble them into spatial rings for transport."
Aluna inclined her head. "I will."
Outside, the massive Qiang royal ark descended slowly into the open grounds beyond the watchkeep walls. Its hull shimmered as anchoring arrays activated.
She hesitated slightly. "May my delegation remain within the watchkeep during our stay?"
"Of course," Jin Zhuo replied.
Yun Che glanced toward Nemu. "Assign a few drones to her perimeter."
"Hai." Nemu closed her eyes briefly, issuing silent commands.
Moments later, two sleek aerial units detached from higher altitude and descended with controlled precision. They hovered beside Aluna at shoulder height—silent, steady, metallic wings adjusting in micro-movements.
Aluna and her attendants instinctively stiffened.
"This is…?"
"Drones," Yun Che explained casually. "Autonomous machines. They monitor surroundings, track hostile intent, and eliminate threats if necessary."
He gestured lightly toward one of them.
"Think of them as tireless bodyguards. They'll maintain distance while you're within the watchkeep. When you enter private quarters, they'll withdraw to exterior surveillance positions."
Aluna studied the hovering construct carefully. No visible cultivator controlled it. No spiritual fluctuation emanated from it. Yet its targeting lens rotated with unsettling awareness.
"Machines…" she murmured. "How… marvelous."
For a state still rebuilding from war and poverty, such technology bordered on myth.
Yun Che merely smiled. "This is only a fraction of what we've prepared."
"In the meantime," Xue Yin said gently, "why don't we catch up? It has been years."
Aluna inclined her head. "Yes, Master. Tonight, after my advisors and I finalize the materials list."
Then, more cautiously:
"Are you certain you can prepare everything we require?"
Jin Zhuo answered evenly. "You may inspect the supplies once assembled. Consider them compensation for the two thousand men Qiang State lost."
Aluna paused at that.
"…Understood."
She turned to her attendants. "Prepare a comprehensive list—grain reserves, irrigation tools, timber, stone, medical stock, defensive materials."
"At once."
Jin Zhuo continued, "Lady Aluna, we can also formalize alliance terms while you remain here. The Northern Mountain incident remains contained knowledge. This watchkeep is secure. And the drones will ensure your safety."
Aluna gave a faint nod. "I appreciate the assurance, Patriarch. My cultivation should suffice regardless."
Peak Sky Profound Realm.
At her age—only a year younger than Xue Ling—it was exceptional talent.
Then she pivoted.
"Jin Mucong."
He flinched. "Yes?"
"Walk with me."
His soul visibly left his body.
"Consider this the beginning of our courtship. Fail to impress me, and we end here."
She paused, eyes steady.
"Amuse me—and I may decide to make you mine."
Mucong blinked. "…As a husband or a slave?"
Aluna regarded him coolly.
"Yes."
He swallowed.
She turned briefly toward Jin Zhuo. "Should he fail, this will not damage our political standing?"
"No," Jin Zhuo replied calmly. "If he fails, we will blame him."
Jin Yuelian added firmly, "Do well, Mucong. I would like Aluna as my daughter-in-law."
"Fair enough," Aluna nodded.
She faced Mucong again.
"Walk with me. You may express your emotions through tears if necessary."
Mucong turned desperately toward Yun Che.
"Brother-in-law!"
Yun Che lifted his teacup.
"Good luck."
Aluna turned and began walking toward the outer gardens of the watchkeep. Mucong followed—half-dragged by destiny.
Two of Nemu's drones detached smoothly and floated behind them at a respectful distance.
"She's a demanding one," Retsu mused softly from behind Yun Che, her tone amused rather than critical.
Privately, she offered a silent condolence for Jin Mucong.
She had once skimmed a fragment of his so-called literary work. That had been enough. The memory alone was mildly uncomfortable. If marriage could redirect that… creativity… toward something more dignified, she would consider it a public service.
Xue Yin gave a faint smile. "She has always been that way. Stubborn. Proud. I half-expected her to arrive demanding vengeance for her father."
Her gaze drifted toward the garden where Aluna had marched Mucong away.
"To see her bow… and ask mercy for Qiang State instead. That required more strength than anger."
Mulan crossed her arms thoughtfully. "I truly thought she'd come seeking justice. Not alliance."
"About time someone disciplines that boy," Mio muttered, fanning herself lazily. "The things he writes… I cannot imagine deriving pleasure from producing such material."
"Exactly," Yun Che sighed. "I've already outlined several heroic epics for him. War sagas. Heavenly heroes. Redemption arcs. If he channels his talent properly, he could actually contribute something meaningful."
Cang Yue adjusted her hat, hiding her faint smile. "I would very much prefer not to read another one of his previous works."
"At least negotiations concluded well," Mulan said quietly. "I only hope he matures."
Yun Che glanced at her. "He will."
There was no hesitation in his voice. "You turned out well."
Mulan blinked—then smiled, the tension easing from her shoulders.
And somewhere in the garden, a smut novelist was being evaluated by a sovereign princess under the watch of two hovering drones.
The future of Qiang State—and perhaps Jin Mucong's literary genre—hung in delicate balance.
"All that aside," Little Fairy said, folding her arms, "how exactly are we preparing for the Wu Clan's attack?"
Xue Yin glanced at Yun Che as well. It was one thing to speak confidently. Another to dismantle ten thousand half-hollows.
Yun Che looked toward Nemu.
"You completed the request I gave you, correct? You gathered the field data from the prototype?"
"Hai," Nemu replied crisply. "The Tesla Coil MKI experiment was successful. It was destroyed in the test formation… though the prototype collapsed from overload. One was destroyed back in the mountain. I improved the output afterward, but stabilizing energy discharge remains problematic. Excess voltage causes structural failure using the power of stored profound lightning."
As usual, Nemu sometimes talk with phrases no one other than Yun Che could understand.
"Then we improve the design."
Nemu's eyes sharpened. "What configuration do you recommend, Yuu-sama?"
Yun Che extended a hand. A stream of schematic data projected into her interface.
"I've uploaded a revised blueprint—MKII configuration. Modeled after a design from my world."
Rather the design he based on the old game Red Alert 2's Tesla Coil.
He began explaining without pause.
"The lateral red support conduits will redirect raw energy into a central containment sphere. That sphere stabilizes the charge before transferring it upward to the primary discharge coil. It reduces structural stress and prevents uncontrolled surges."
He traced the design midair.
"The central sphere regulates output. That should cut charge time from five seconds to roughly two and a half. You can also modulate discharge—lower intensity pulses at lethal frequency, instead of full-power bursts every time."
He added, almost casually:
"This was designed for conventional electricity. Integrate your profound-energy battery system and lightning affinity adjustments accordingly."
Nemu's pupils seemed to glow.
"Yuu-sama… this is brilliant!" Her mind was already racing. "I will begin reconstruction immediately!"
"One more thing," Yun Che added, transmitting a line of code. "Implement this control sequence into the targeting logic. You'll find the result… interesting."
"Hai! At once!"
She giddily excused herself to a secluded corner and vanished toward the inner world space with visible excitement.
Xia Qingyue watched the exchange in silence.
"Is she always like that?" she asked Retsu quietly.
"Ufufu… that is simply Nemu," Retsu replied. "Anything Yuu-kun gives her becomes something greater."
"Tesla Coil?" Qingyue asked.
"I am equally curious," Little Fairy admitted.
Yun Che answered plainly.
"It's a defense tower capable of locking onto targets and discharging concentrated lightning. In its original configuration, it could severely injure a Spirit Profound cultivator and kill anyone below that realm."
He paused.
"Nemu's improvements pushed it further. It can now injure an Emperor Profound expert. Anyone below that… will not survive."
Silence settled heavily.
"And that's before we factor in this world's profound lightning, which is a hundred times stronger than ordinary lightning. Imagine weaponizing such power." he added.
Qingyue had no immediate response.
Neither did Little Fairy. Nor Chu Yueli. Nor Mulan.
Cang Yue slowly understood what Yun Che was implying.
She still remembered the storm Shin Yue caused during her awakening. Lightning struck randomly across the city, damaging rooftops and towers. To prevent such chaos from happening again, her father had asked Yun Che to install lightning rods across every district of the Imperial City. Those rods redirected lightning safely into the ground.
At the time, she thought it was only a safety measure.
What she didn't realize was that Yun Che wasn't just redirecting lightning.
He was studying it.
Harnessing it.
The profound lightning of this world carried immense energy—far beyond ordinary electricity. Yun Che had discovered that a single large lightning discharge could generate enough power to sustain major infrastructure for years. If properly stored and regulated, it could power the entire city for centuries.
He even switched the profound cores of the VTOL's profound engine to profound batteries. That alone could power up the VTOL and flying constantly without ever running out of energy.
For now, electricity was limited to the Imperial Palace. It powered lights, cooling systems, and select devices. But this was only the beginning.
Instead of relying solely on profound cores for daily needs, Yun Che planned to slowly introduce electrical systems into the broader city.
One day, the Imperial City would no longer resemble a traditional cultivation capital.
It would become something far more advanced.
Mio and Retsu, however, showed little surprise.
"She created that?" Xia Qingyue asked, genuinely uncertain.
The aerial ark. The drones. Now a lightning tower?
"Yup," Yun Che replied casually. "She deployed a working prototype while I was treating Xue Yin. It charred a fair number of Hutu Monks before their leader destroyed it. The only problem is, it takes too long to discharge a lightning bolt."
He shrugged lightly.
"Now she's improving the design. We'll likely see a stable version soon."
"Prototype?" Qingyue repeated, unfamiliar with the term.
"It means the first working model," Yun Che explained. "When you invent something new, the first version is rarely perfect. It's built to test function."
She tilted her head slightly. "Test function?"
"Think of it as a trial artifact. It works—but not all the time. It may collapse. Overheat. Misfire. Basically full of bugs and glitches. You identify the flaws, then refine it."
She narrowed her eyes faintly. "You also mentioned… bugs. Glitches?"
Yun Che sighed inwardly.
"It means errors. Design flaws. Mistakes. Not insects."
"…Ah." Qingyue nodded slowly.
She processed the concept.
So Nemu did not merely build tools.
She engineered them—tested them—then iterated improvements.
A structured cycle of refinement rather than single-stage creation.
Yun Che rubbed his temple faintly.
He would need to start filtering his vocabulary. Half the terms from his original world required translation layers.
"I'll inspect the watchkeep perimeter," Jin Zhuo said. "Zhong Chuke is searching for a proper location to establish a forward recruitment zone for the Lunar Blossom Sect. Once they relocate to the former Cang Palace, they'll need a visible base in the city."
With the future Sect Mistress and Northern Mountain Guardian now residing within the watchkeep, space had already been allocated to them—an entire courtyard granted in exchange for anchoring the sect's presence here. At the moment, Zhong Chuke was assisting them in stabilizing their newly advanced Emperor Profound Realm powers.
"I'll accompany Nezuko," Jin Yuelian smiled. "They want me to show them the flowers in the garden."
The four Nezukos immediately gathered around her like excited shadows.
"I'll escort you, Lady Yuelian," Yoru said softly, adjusting her veiled sunhat before following them toward the gardens.
Yun Che stretched lightly.
"Well then—since we have distinguished guests today, how about helping me with lunch? I'm making roasted chicken rice."
"Really?" Retsu's eyes brightened. "I've always wanted to learn how to prepare chicken rice properly. I'll assist."
"I'll help too," Mio added cheerfully.
"Mio-chan," Retsu sighed, "please do not eat the chickens before we cook them. Procuring them was not simple."
"Not all of them… teehee…"
"Mio."
"Hai! I'll try."
She fanned herself innocently and followed along.
Xia Qingyue stepped forward. "May I assist as well?"
"Of course," Retsu replied warmly. "Since Nemu is occupied, you can help us instead. Come."
Qingyue followed, expression calm but quietly pleased.
"I'll set the table with Ru'er, Bing, and Mulan," Cang Yue said.
Li Bing blinked. "The Princess… setting the table?"
Cang Yue giggled softly. "Don't worry. I'm used to it. It's part of my role in this family."
"We can help too," Little Fairy declared, already tugging her sister along.
Chu Yueli let out a soft sigh as she was dragged forward.
Once, they had stood atop snowy peaks as revered Fairies—symbols of purity, distance, and unattainable grace. Disciples bowed. Elders showed reverence.
Now they were… helping prepare lunch.
Setting tables.
Carrying dishes.
The contrast was not lost on her.
For a brief moment, pride stirred—quiet, resistant. A Fairy of the Frozen Cloud Asgard reduced to household chores?
But she suppressed it.
Mihawk did not admire fragile pride.
He respected capability.
Strength was not only measured in sword strokes and cultivation realms. It was measured in stability. In partnership. In being someone who could stand beside him—not above a pedestal.
And then there was Nezuko.
Chu Yueli could already imagine the little ones fluttering around, carrying plates with serious expressions, trying to help. If even they could learn such simple tasks with sincerity… what excuse did she have?
A Fairy who could not even set a proper table?
That thought alone was more uncomfortable than lowering her pride.
Perhaps this was not humiliation.
Perhaps it was grounding.
If she wished to become more than a distant beauty—if she wished to be a proper woman rather than merely a pretty Fairy—then learning to share in simple, ordinary life was not beneath her.
It was necessary.
With that quiet resolve, Chu Yueli straightened slightly and followed her sister inside.
Not as a Fairy.
But as a woman choosing to grow.
"They don't prefer servants to handle it?" Xue Yin asked quietly as she watched the others disperse toward the kitchens and dining hall.
Xue Ling gave a soft sigh.
"They've always been like this. To them, servants might as well not exist. Even Yue'er never relied on attendants when she was young. She handled her own affairs."
She glanced toward Yun Che's retreating figure.
"Che'er prefers them working together. Since they became flock sisters, it's been this way."
"I see…" Xue Yin nodded slowly.
Then, without warning, she asked, "Ling'er, have you married?"
Xue Ling stiffened slightly. "I… no. Not yet."
Xue Yin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I heard the little ones call you 'Haha.' Yue'er told me it means 'mother.'"
Xue Ling nearly choked. "Ah—umm… I… it's not…"
"You are unmarried," Xue Yin said flatly. "And yet you have children? Quadruplets?"
"No! It's not like that!" Xue Ling protested immediately. "I'm only taking care of her."
"Explain."
Xue Ling rubbed her forehead. "Sigh… Yue'er's master once adopted a child. He found her in the mountains after her entire family was slaughtered by demons. He raised her as his own."
She continued carefully.
"When he later accepted Yue'er as a disciple, the girl—Nezuko—became attached to her. She treats Yue'er as an older sister. Sometimes, her master entrusts Nezuko to us for care."
Xue Yin's brows lifted slightly.
"She is well-behaved," Xue Ling added quickly. "Surprisingly so. And despite her appearance, her cultivation is already at Peak Sky Profound Realm."
That detail made Xue Yin pause.
"A child at Peak Sky Profound? That's not possible."
"You can scan her if you don't believe me," Xue Ling replied with a tired sigh.
Xue Yin extended her perception briefly—recalling the faint aura she sensed earlier.
"…That explains the floating," she murmured. "I had questions when I first saw them. This household requires time to digest."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "But that still doesn't explain why they call you 'mother.'"
"I asked them to."
"Hm?" Xue Yin's gaze sharpened. "I assume you know the father."
"Yes… I do."
"And judging by your reaction," Xue Yin said calmly, "you are fond of him."
Xue Ling froze.
Her face flushed immediately.
Silence answered for her.
"Figures," Xue Yin continued smoothly. "And you and Chu Yueli… rivals? She is also called 'Mama.' Or is she the first spouse?"
She observed carefully. "The children are close to both of you. Yet they do not resemble Chu Yueli."
"W-we're not married," Xue Ling said quickly. "Neither of us."
"Yet," Xue Yin repeated softly.
Xue Ling said nothing.
"Those Nezukos treat you and Chu Yueli as mothers," Xue Yin went on. "So I assume you and Chu Yueli intend to coexist as this man's wives?"
Silence stretched.
That silence was louder than any confession.
Xue Yin studied her sister for a long moment.
"Well, Ling'er," she said at last, her tone surprisingly gentle, "I will not stop you. If you have found someone worthy, I will not interfere."
Xue Ling looked up in surprise.
"You… give your blessing?"
"Yes."
Relief flickered across Xue Ling's face—
"On one condition."
It vanished instantly.
"What condition?"
Xue Yin's eyes shifted toward the direction Yun Che had gone.
"Tell me everything you know about Yun Che."
"Why?"
A faint smile curved Xue Yin's lips.
"Because," she said calmly, "I intend to pursue him."
"What?!" Xue Ling nearly choked. "He already has two wives and several fiancées! Can't you pursue someone else?"
Xue Yin did not look embarrassed.
"Not every man can coexist with Enchantresses like us, Ling'er. We do not want thralls—men enslaved by desire, intoxicated by beauty, stripped of will."
Her tone was calm. Clinical.
"The nature of our constitution repels ordinary men. They either become obsessed… or broken. That is why Enchantresses are fated to wander alone."
"Why him?" Xue Ling demanded. "He's half your age! You're old enough to be his mother!"
Xue Yin's brow twitched.
"First, my body is not in its forties," she said flatly. "Only my years are. The parasite froze my age."
She folded her arms.
"Second, the famed Fairy Chu Yuechan follows him—and we are of similar age."
"That's not the point!"
"I will request permission," Xue Yin continued evenly. "From his wives. And from those who intend to be."
"Yin'er… you can't seriously—"
"Ling'er."
Her tone shifted.
Softer. Heavier.
"As Enchantresses, we are cursed. The ancient scrolls are clear. Once awakened, no ordinary man can endure our presence. They are consumed by our aura, enslaved by resonance, or driven mad."
Xue Ling's breath caught.
"That… can't be…"
"It is."
Xue Yin's eyes did not waver.
"When your Enchantress Body fully awakens, you will understand. We are not meant for normal unions."
A long silence settled between them.
"I hope," Xue Yin continued quietly, "that the man you choose will be like this boy. Someone who sees you—not the curse. Someone who is not enthralled. Someone who stands equal."
She looked toward the direction Yun Che had gone.
"The scrolls say such a man is one in a million. One who can withstand full miasma. One who does not lose himself."
Xue Ling's heart pounded.
"When I released my full aura near him," Xue Yin said softly, "he was unaffected."
No intoxication.
No distortion.
No hunger in his gaze.
Only clarity.
"In that moment, I knew," she finished. "He is a man who can coexist with Enchantresses."
A faint, almost rueful smile appeared.
"A pity he is twenty years younger than me." Her eyes softened as she turned back to her sister. "I lived alone for years, Ling'er. I thought I would remain that way. Then I found you—the last blood relative I have."
For the first time, there was vulnerability in her voice. "I wish… just once… to choose someone not because fate condemns me to solitude."
Xue Ling stood frozen.
The curse.
The scrolls.
The test.
And somewhere inside her, a quiet fear began to form.
If Yin'er was right—
Xue Ling fell silent.
If the Enchantress Body truly carried such a curse… then one day she too would face it.
If her power awakened fully and Mihawk became enthralled—obsessed, distorted by desire—it would shatter everything. The fragile balance she shared with Nezuko. With Chu Yueli. With him.
She did not want devotion born from enchantment.
She wanted choice.
If Mihawk could stand beside her unaffected—calm, steady, clear-eyed—then perhaps the heavens had not been entirely cruel.
Her sister had lived alone for years for the sake of the world.
Xue Ling would not deny her happiness now.
Whatever came next… would be written by fate.
She exhaled slowly.
"As for Yun Che…" she began, choosing her words carefully. "He is a man who values women. He does not treat them as ornaments or tools."
Xue Yin listened.
"All of those girls follow him by their own will. You can see it. They coexist peacefully. There is no poisonous jealousy. No silent resentment. He is fair to all of them."
"You seem to know him well," Xue Yin observed.
"I've watched him with Yue'er for a while," Xue Ling replied. "He's a rascal at times. Calm when it matters. Surprisingly romantic. And protective to an extreme."
Xue Yin's lips curved faintly.
"So I have chosen well."
Xue Ling frowned slightly. "Does it have to be him? What if he refuses? What if he thinks you're choosing him only because only he can resist your power?"
"He might," Xue Yin admitted. "But that is not the only reason."
Her gaze softened. "He saved my life when I had already accepted death. He gave me the chance to see you again."
A quiet pause.
"If he had not intervened… would we be standing here today?"
Xue Ling had no answer to that.
Xue Yin's expression turned steady once more.
"I do not pursue him because he can withstand me," she said. "I pursue him because he is the only man capable of standing beside me."
And that—curse or not—was a choice entirely her own.
"Yin'er…"
Xue Yin's expression remained steady.
"If he does not choose me," she said calmly, "then at least I will know I pursued the man who saved my life. A man who was not enthralled by me."
Xue Ling hesitated. "But… he helped you control the Enchantress Body, didn't he? You can finally approach men without overwhelming them."
"Control," Xue Yin repeated softly. "And if it activates without warning?"
Her gaze turned distant.
"I told you, Ling'er. It is a curse. He can suppress it. He can steady it. When my miasma flooded the mountain and even I could barely endure the stench… he stood there and said the scent was pleasant."
Xue Ling blinked.
"He didn't flinch?"
"Not once."
A quiet sigh escaped her.
"I don't know his preferences," Xue Ling admitted. "I once heard him say Yue'er might grow into the kind of woman he likes."
She rubbed her temple awkwardly.
"I asked Kon about it. That plushy only said he prefers… a woman with a fuller figure and the personality of a caring elder sister. But sometimes he also wants someone who doesn't act like a mother to him. I'm not entirely sure what that means."
Xue Yin's brow lifted slightly.
"So that explains Chu Yuechan's closeness to him? Perhaps he does favor… maturity."
"I truly don't know," Xue Ling said honestly. "But don't overthink it."
She met her sister's eyes.
"Just be yourself, Yin'er. Get close to his flock. Become part of their lives naturally. If one day you approach him sincerely, they will not reject you."
She thought of Xia Qingyue. Of Mulan.
"They aren't possessive. They coexist because he treats them fairly. If they accept you… he will not push you away."
Xue Yin was silent for a moment.
For the first time, the Monarch-level Enchantress looked less like a legend—and more like a woman considering her future.
"…Then I suppose," she said at last, "I should start by earning their trust."
And perhaps, in doing so, determine whether fate intended solitude—
Or something warmer.
"For Jin Mulan and Xia Qingyue?" Xue Yin asked. "Aren't they already his wives?"
"True," Xue Ling nodded. "But they aren't as close to him as Retsu, Mio, Nemu, or Yue'er. They're still finding their place. They're trying."
She met her sister's gaze.
"If you truly think he's the man for you, then just approach him naturally. Don't force a bond. Don't rely on the Enchantress pull."
Xue Yin gave a faint, amused exhale. "To think I need romantic counsel from my younger sister."
"Hey," Xue Ling protested lightly. "I approached my chosen one in my own way."
"And did it go well?"
"He's comfortable around me," Xue Ling admitted. "And his daughter likes me."
A small, satisfied smile appeared. "So… I'd say that's progress."
Xue Yin sighed, though there was warmth in it.
"We can sway any man we wish," she said softly. "Yet the one we truly desire… is the one we must approach carefully."
"Exactly."
A brief silence passed between them.
"I kept to myself for nearly twenty years," Xue Yin murmured. "Perhaps that was long enough."
Her eyes drifted toward the courtyard where Yun Che had gone.
"I will pursue him my way," she decided. "Slowly. As myself."
Not as a Monarch.
Not as an Enchantress.
Just as Yin'er.
Xue Yin rose from her seat and walked toward the dining area where Cang Yue was arranging plates with Li Bing and the others.
"Mind if I help?" she asked gently.
Cang Yue blinked. "Eh? Lady Xue Yin… you don't have to—"
"Please," Xue Yin said, already reaching for a stack of dishes. "If I am to serve as your Imperial Protector, the least I can do is assist you as Ling'er does."
She offered a faint smile.
"And… just 'Big Sis Yin' is fine."
Cang Yue's lips curved warmly.
"Ufufu… then I'll be in your care from now on, Big Sis Yin."
Xue Yin nodded and began placing the plates with careful precision—no trace of Monarch arrogance, no distant Fairy composure. Just quiet participation.
Watching from a short distance, Xue Ling exhaled softly.
At least now, Yin'er was no longer alone.
Perhaps there were ulterior motives beneath that gentle approach—but even so, she was stepping back into the world of people. Into warmth. Into laughter. Not isolating herself for the "good of the world" anymore.
For years, her sister had borne solitude to prevent her Enchantress aura from harming others.
Now she could stand among them freely.
And that was thanks to Yun Che.
Xue Ling's gaze softened.
She would help Yin'er draw closer to him—naturally, not forcefully.
As for Mihawk—
She felt her lips curve faintly.
He was hers to pursue, without hesitation.