When they stepped through the rift—
the world around them seemed to change.
Space and time felt folded together.
For a brief moment, their bodies seemed to glide through a silent and cold spatial corridor.
Then—
their feet touched the ground once more.
Before them stretched a world that felt both ancient and unfamiliar.
The place was vast.
The sky was dim, like an eternal twilight, glowing with a soft golden light that did not come from the sun.
Along the path, small white lamps floated in the air like tiny stars hanging low.
On both sides of the road—
giant willow trees towered high.
Their long branches hung down like curtains, swaying gently in the wind.
At the end of the path stood a massive gate.
The gate arched high, shaped like two ancient serpent fangs facing each other.
An ancient and sacred aura radiated from it.
However, the refugees who had arrived earlier could only gather in front of the gate.
They could not move any farther.
It was as if an invisible barrier blocked their path.
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun stepped forward.
He slowly raised his hand.
White energy flowed from his fingertips.
The air before the gate trembled.
A small spatial crack opened beside the gate.
He turned toward the refugees.
"Go in."
One by one—
the refugees stepped into the opening.
Xue Yunxue watched them curiously.
She turned to Shen Qiyun.
"Where are you sending them?"
The old priest replied calmly,
"To the safest place."
"A place where no one can disturb them."
Xue Yunxue did not ask any further questions.
She simply nodded.
The refugees disappeared one after another through the spatial crack.
When nearly everyone had entered—
the small lion cub she had once seen in the underground prison suddenly ran toward her.
His small body, still covered in golden fur, hugged her tightly.
Xue Yunxue knelt down so she was at the same height as the child.
The little lion whispered softly into her ear.
"Thank you, big sister."
For a moment—
Xue Yunxue said nothing.
But her heart felt warm.
As if all the danger and hardship she had experienced until now had been repaid by that one simple sentence.
She gently rubbed the little lion's head.
Then the child ran back and entered the spatial crack.
After the final refugee disappeared—
Shen Qiyun closed the rift.
The place returned to silence.
Xue Yunxue quickly walked toward Emperor Xiang Tianxuan.
His condition was still extremely poor.
The poison injected by Xiang She was incredibly potent.
But Yunxue quickly opened her storage space and took out several bottles of medicine.
She mixed several antidote potions and gave them to the emperor.
Beside her—
Xiang Shuai knelt with a tense expression.
Meanwhile the Empress sat on the other side of the emperor.
Tears slowly streamed down her face.
"My husband…"
Her voice was soft and filled with regret.
"Forgive me… all of this is my fault."
Her beautiful face looked full of sorrow.
Emperor Xiang Tianxuan gently held her hand.
Even though his body was weak—
his voice remained calm.
"Do not worry."
He looked at his wife with a faint smile.
Xiang Shuai frowned.
His heart was filled with both anger and helplessness.
All this time, he had always run away from palace conflicts.
But now—
he realized something.
If he kept running—
the people he loved would continue to suffer.
He clenched his fists.
His eyes flashed coldly.
"One day…"
"I will defeat that man."
His voice was low.
But filled with determination.
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun calmly stepped closer.
"Young lady," he said politely, "may I speak with you alone for a moment?"
Xue Yunxue was slightly surprised by the request, but eventually nodded.
Behind her—
Lin Yuan, Lu Xiao, and Yun Wu immediately stared at the Grand Priest with displeased expressions.
After all, although the man had lived for more than a century, his appearance still looked like someone in his early thirties.
His aura and appearance were far too young for someone called an old priest.
Lin Yuan crossed his arms.
"Sorry, old man," he said sharply, "I don't think it's appropriate for you two to be alone."
His tone was clearly suspicious.
The Grand Priest only sighed softly.
"I have no intention of doing anything inappropriate," he replied calmly.
"I simply need to ask something."
Xue Yunxue turned toward the three men.
"It's fine," she said briefly.
They said nothing more, though their gazes remained cautious.
Xue Yunxue and Shen Qiyun walked a few steps away.
However, they remained close enough to still be seen by the others.
The Grand Priest then raised his hand.
A transparent energy barrier formed around them.
The barrier did not block sight, but it ensured that no one could overhear their conversation.
The priest looked at Yunxue seriously.
"Tell me…"
"Who exactly are you?"
Xue Yunxue sighed softly.
She was truly tired of that question.
Ever since she came to this world—
almost every powerful person had asked her the same thing.
She was already bored of repeating the same answer again and again.
"I am Xue Yunxue," she replied flatly.
"If you think I am Hu Shui…"
"then you are mistaken."
"I am not her."
The priest nodded slowly.
"That is not what I meant."
His gaze grew sharper.
"I want to know…"
"where you came from."
He paused briefly before continuing in a calm yet firm voice.
"Because it is very clear that—"
"you do not belong to this world, do you?"
For the first time—
Xue Yunxue was truly shocked.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"How do you know I'm not from this world?"
Shen Qiyun smiled faintly.
"The energy flowing within your soul is not fully in harmony with this world."
He looked at Yunxue calmly, as if he had observed everything from the very beginning.
"In this world, most beastfolk possess only one primary power, or at most two elements."
"But you…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"possess three powers at once."
"The plant element—and not an ordinary plant element."
"Healing power."
"And also…"
"The fire element."
Xue Yunxue frowned.
"Fire?"
She had never even realized she possessed such power.
The priest continued calmly.
"That fire power… belongs to Hu Shui."
"I know that you have filled a body that was nothing more than an empty shell."
"Since Hu Shui was born, she possessed a highly destructive element—fire."
"An element that is completely opposed to the plant and healing powers you possess."
He stared deeply at Yunxue.
"When you healed the Emperor earlier… I felt the energy inside your body."
"A very powerful life element."
"And within the core of your soul… I also sensed the remnants of a sealed fire element."
Xue Yunxue fell silent.
She had never realized that before.
The priest continued calmly.
"Ordinary beastfolk souls cannot withstand multiple powers at once."
"Because doing so would shatter the crystal core of their soul."
"But you…"
He looked at Yunxue even more deeply.
"can contain three powers simultaneously without destruction."
He paused for a moment.
Then spoke slowly.
"And not only you."
His gaze fell on Xue Yunxue's wrist.
"That little tree that is always attached to your soul…"
"is not from this world either, is it?"
Xue Yunxue's eyes widened immediately.
She didn't even have time to hide her shock.
The priest knew about Moa.
Shen Qiyun then said calmly,
"Show me its true form."
Several seconds passed.
Then—
the golden root bracelet wrapped around Xue Yunxue's wrist began to move.
The roots pulsed gently.
Slowly, they detached themselves from her wrist.
Golden light spread into the air.
In a single flash—
a teenage boy appeared before them.
He looked about fifteen years old.
His hair was bright gold, shining like sunlight.
His face was handsome and delicate.
His eyes were as clear as fresh leaves after rain.
He stood beside Xue Yunxue with a relaxed smile.
"Finally I can come out for a while," he said casually.
Xue Yunxue stared at him in shock.
She truly hadn't expected this.
Moa had changed.
The little tree that once looked like a child had now grown.
His body was taller.
His shoulders broader.
The aura of life around him was far stronger than before.
"Moa…?" Yunxue whispered.
The boy grinned mischievously.
"Looks like those few days of meditation worked pretty well."
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun observed Moa carefully.
For a moment—
even a man as calm as him appeared slightly surprised.
"I was not mistaken…"
he murmured softly.
"The two of you possess pure life auras…"
"You are souls that grew from the Peach Tree of Immortality."
Then he looked at Xue Yunxue again.
His gaze now far more serious.
"Now I am even more certain."
"You…"
"are truly not an ordinary person."
Xue Yunxue was silent for a moment.
Her gaze dimmed slightly, as if she were thinking about something very distant.
Then she shook her head gently.
"I think you're overestimating me," she said calmly.
The Grand Priest did not respond immediately.
But before he could say anything—
Moa suddenly grabbed Xue Yunxue's wrist.
His touch was warm.
"Sister Xue…"
He looked at Yunxue with clear eyes.
"You really are special."
His voice was gentle, yet filled with certainty.
"That's why…"
"only you were able to survive your world."
-----------------------
Xiang Shuai stared at the energy barrier dome.
Inside it stood Xue Yunxue, Grand Priest Shen Qiyun, and…
someone else.
A golden-haired boy he had never seen before.
The boy looked about fifteen, with a face so delicate and beautiful that it almost seemed unreal.
Xiang Shuai frowned.
"Do you know who that kid is?" he asked quietly.
Yun Wu glanced toward the barrier.
"You mean Moa?" he said casually.
"Moa?"
Xiang Shuai looked even more confused.
"Where did that beautiful guy come from?"
The three men exchanged glances.
Several seconds passed before Lu Xiao sighed softly.
"He's… a little difficult to explain."
Xiang Shuai looked at him sharply.
"Just explain."
Lu Xiao finally spoke briefly.
"Moa has been with Xue'er for a long time."
"More precisely… inside her soul."
Xiang Shuai fell silent instantly.
"He's a very mysterious being."
"All this time he's been attached to Xue'er in the form of a root bracelet on her wrist."
Xiang Shuai looked again at Yunxue inside the barrier.
His eyes filled with disbelief.
That girl…
was truly full of mysteries.
"Is there anything else you haven't told me?" he asked quietly.
His tone slightly suspicious.
"I heard that rebel commander…"
"is extremely eager to capture Xue Yunxue."
Lin Yuan suddenly stepped closer.
He glanced around briefly to make sure no one was listening.
Then he whispered quietly into Xiang Shuai's ear.
"You know…"
"Xue Yunxue's true form is a nine-tailed black fox."
Xiang Shuai turned sharply.
"What?!"
"You must be lying."
Lin Yuan shrugged.
"I didn't believe it either when I first heard it."
Yun Wu snorted softly.
"But Lu Xiao saw it himself."
Xiang Shuai turned to Lu Xiao.
The man simply nodded once.
"That's true."
For several seconds Xiang Shuai said nothing.
His gaze fell back onto Xue Yunxue inside the barrier.
A nine-tailed black fox…
The rarest legend in the beast world.
A creature that only appeared in ancient stories.
Slowly Xiang Shuai took a deep breath.
"Now I understand…"
he murmured quietly.
"why Noctar wants her so badly."
-----------------------------
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun slowly walked toward the gate of the Serpent King's Tomb.
The gate towered high like two ancient serpent fangs facing each other. Its surface was covered with ancient carvings that radiated an aura of time far older than anyone could imagine.
Shen Qiyun raised his hand.
Soft white light flowed from the tips of his fingers.
The massive gate slowly began to open with a deep, heavy sound that echoed throughout the dimensional space.
The air inside felt different—
denser… older… and filled with extremely pure spiritual energy.
The Grand Priest stepped inside first.
Xiang Shuai followed behind him.
His expression was serious.
This time, he truly wanted to know what his grandfather had been hiding all these years.
The thing that had made Xiang She so obsessed with searching for the Serpent King Pearl.
The moment they stepped into the tomb's inner dimension—
Xiang Shuai froze.
There was no magnificent coffin.
No mountain of treasure like he had imagined.
Instead, the place looked more like a gigantic cultivation chamber.
The ground was covered with ancient formations.
In the air floated fragments of spiritual energy that shimmered softly like glowing mist.
That energy drifted slowly, like an invisible river flowing through the space.
Xiang Shuai frowned.
"Where is Grandfather's tomb?"
The Grand Priest only smiled faintly.
"This entire mountain…"
"If you are looking for the Black Serpent Pearl…"
"that pearl is not here."
Xiang Shuai turned to him.
"Then why has everyone been searching for it?"
Shen Qiyun pointed toward Xiang Shuai's right eye.
"The small sphere that came out of your eye earlier…"
"That is the real Serpent King Pearl."
Xiang Shuai fell silent.
The small black sphere was still in his hand.
The Grand Priest continued calmly.
"That pearl actually possesses no direct power."
"But with that pearl…"
"one can open a personal spatial world."
He gestured around the tomb dimension.
"This place…"
"is one of the worlds created by the ancestors of the Serpent Clan long ago."
"With that pearl, they created dimensional spaces like this."
"A small world capable of storing resources and spiritual energy."
Xiang Shuai slowly began to understand.
"So…"
"What everyone wants isn't the pearl itself?"
Shen Qiyun nodded.
"That's right."
"What they truly desire…"
"are the resources stored inside this world."
He gazed calmly at the dimensional space.
"In this place…"
"the power of the Serpent Clan ancestors gathers."
"Extremely pure spiritual energy has been preserved here for thousands of years."
He turned back to Xiang Shuai.
"This place is an excellent cultivation ground for descendants of the Serpent Clan."
Xiang Shuai looked around.
The energy here truly felt different.
He could feel the crystal core of his soul trembling softly.
It was as if this place was calling to the bloodline within him.
The Grand Priest continued quietly.
"If an outsider were to seize control of this place…"
"they could absorb all the spiritual energy stored here to strengthen themselves."
"And that is most likely what Xiang She…"
"and the people behind him desire."
Xiang Shuai clenched his fists.
"Priest…"
"If I cultivate here…"
"will my strength increase?"
Shen Qiyun looked at him for several seconds.
"Perhaps."
He did not give a definite answer.
But Xiang Shuai had already made his decision.
"I must become stronger."
His eyes turned toward the exit of the dimensional world.
"So that I can protect Xue'er."
The Grand Priest fell silent for a moment.
His gaze deepened.
Then he said softly,
"Of course."
"Do your best."
He looked at Xiang Shuai with an expression that was difficult to read.
"Because that girl…"
Shen Qiyun stared deeply into Xiang Shuai's eyes before continuing.
"has a very special identity."
Xiang Shuai frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Shen Qiyun looked up at the sky of the dimension for a moment before answering.
"If my guess is correct…"
"she is a Star Princess from another world."
The air inside the tomb suddenly felt even quieter.
Xiang Shuai stared at the priest in shock.
"A… Star Princess?"