The breakfast concluded in a comfortable, heavy silence, broken only by the entry of a servant who bowed low to Yilan. "Madam, representatives from the City Lord have arrived seeking an audience."
Yilan's posture shifted instantly, the regal air of the Matriarch returning to her as she smoothed her robes. "Very well. Escort them to the main hall. I shall join them shortly."
As the servant departed, Yilan led the way, with Shen Yu and Lixue following closely behind like her silent, formidable shadows. They entered the main hall to find an Elder of the Wu Clan, the City Lord's own kin, seated in wait, a stone-faced attendant standing at his back.
The Elder rose to greet them, but as his eyes landed on Yilan, he froze. He didn't just see a recovered woman, he felt the vibrant, oppressive pressure of a 5th-Stage Golden Core expert. The "Matriarch" he once knew was not only healed but significantly more powerful than before.
